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Orlando City vs. D.C. United: Final Score 1-0 as Lions Fall on Another Late Heartbreaker

Sometimes soccer is terrible and dumb, like when you outplay two straight opponents at home and have nothing to show for it, as Orlando City has done its last two outings at the Citrus Bowl.

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10 years ago

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Nick Leyva, The Mane Land

For the second straight home game, Orlando City outplayed a 2014 MLS playoff team, only to yield the game’s only goal on a set piece in the dying moments — falling 1-0 to D.C. United at the Orlando Citrus Bowl.

Second-half substitute Luis Silva scored from just outside the box in the 91st minute, curling a kick over the wall and off the hands of a diving Donovan Ricketts to send a huge crowd of 32,822 home brokenhearted. Again.

Orlando City (1-2-2, 5 pts) second-half sub Carlos Rivas had a similar chance to answer 90 seconds later, but his free kick from 30 yards away was just a few feet outside the left post with a lot of steam on it.

It was the same script as last time against Vancouver, as the Lions largely outplayed last season’s Eastern Conference champions for 90 minutes and had more than their share of excellent scoring chances, but couldn’t finish, sending shot after shot either just wide or too close to goalkeeper Bill Hamid, who made five saves on 17 Orlando shots. D.C. (3-1-0, 9 pts) finished with 11 shots and also had five on goal.

City had more corners (9-4), open play crosses (22-12), duels won (44-41) and possession (52.4%-47.6%) but again came away with no points and the Lions still have only one deflected free kick goal in three games at home this season.

“It’s not very often you create as many chances as we had and not score a goal,” said Head Coach Adrian Heath after the match. “I feel for the players, they’ve done everything they can to win the game.”

D.C. United didn’t get many scoring chances, but the best ones came after halftime. Sean Franklin’s wide-open chance sailed well over the bar 11 minutes after the break when he shook free of Brek Shea and a header away from danger by Aurelien Collin fell right to him.

In the 68th minute, Conor Doyle and Chris Pontius somehow failed to put three sitters into the net in rapid succession, as they were robbed by Ricketts, Shea, and Ricketts again.

Rivas, Kevin Molino, Amobi Okugo, and Cyle Larin combined to provide the Lions’ best second-half chances, but the first three of those players missed wide and Larin’s shot was in the center and easy for Hamid to handle.

Orlando City was dangerous throughout the first half, with a number of good chances, but veteran goalkeeper Hamid and the right post kept the Lions off the scoreboard through the first 45 minutes.

“We did a lot of good things so we’re going to focus on that,” said Okugo after the game. “We’re not assassins in that final third and we end up getting punished.”

“You guys killed us,” United Head Coach Ben Olsen told Okugo after the match. “I don’t know how we won.”

City’s first few good chances came off set pieces, as the Lions attacked the box on some early corner kicks. The first chance fell on Kaká’s cross to Shea, who had just regained his footing after falling to the turf. The USMNT left back couldn’t dig the ball out of his boots for a shot.

Off another corner at the 18-minute mark, Kaká played short to Shea, who fired in a beautiful left-footed cross. Okugo got his head to it, but thumped it just wide to the right. Seven minutes later, another corner from Kaká found Collin in the box, but his header was pushed wide left.

The attack only increased from there, as Orlando became more dangerous after replacing an injured Pedro Ribeiro, who appeared to pull a hamstring trying to fight off Kofi Opare to get a shot on the rush. Ribeiro was replaced by Larin, who had an immediate impact on the offense.

Four minutes after coming on, Larin had a shot blocked at the top of the box by defender Bobby Boswell. He was played in alone moments later but was (seemingly quite wrongly) judged offside. At the 30-minute mark, the Canadian international earned Orlando a free kick, as he continued to leave a mark on the match.

Shea produced the first golden opportunity 31 minutes in with another sensational cross to Molino, who took a bit of a heavy touch and then rocketed a shot off the right post from a tough angle. Two minutes later, Molino’s scoop pass set up Rafael Ramos, who was denied by a sliding Hamid.

D.C. United did manage a few dangerous plays in the first half. At 33 minutes, United worked a free kick about 30 yards out in a dangerous spot, but Tyler Kemp skied his shot well over the bar. Minutes later, Kemp got free down the left side and slid a cross into the bos, but Okugo and Seb Hines were there to clear the danger.

Play opened up for the remainder of the half, with Molino again getting robbed by Hamid at 41 minutes off a Kaká pass. The Trinidadian had Larin to his left for a sitter, but did not see him. Kaká continued his display of brilliance with a run up the right side and a perfect pass to Larin, who chested down but volleyed well wide at 43 minutes.

D.C. worked a couple of Chris Rolfe chances before the half, with the first easily saved by Ricketts on a shot from the top of the 18-yard box and the second sailing wide on a gorgeous volley.

Before the whistle blew, Larin got a third shot off, heading down yet another service from Kaká, but right at Hamid.

Orlando City enjoyed a 53.7%-46.3% possession advantage in the opening half, along with an 8-4 shots advantage and 3-1 edge in shots on target. But for Hamid, Orlando might have led by three goals.

Regardless of how they’ve played, and much of the night you could argue it was their best performance of the season, Orlando City has only one point in three home matches. That’s not going to get it done at any level, and they must start finishing and reaping the rewards for carrying the play.

The Lions won’t have to try to score a goal at the Citrus Bowl again until April 26, with two road games coming up against Portland and Columbus.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/21/25

Orlando Pride release preseason camp roster, scouting Costa Rica, women’s soccer transfer grades, and more.

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23 hours ago

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January 21, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone! If you had yesterday off for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, then I hope you enjoyed some restful time off. If not, then I hope you got your week started off on a good and productive note. There’s a lot going on around here this week as the United States Men’s National Team is in town, and Orlando City will play its first preseason match on Saturday. That means we have plenty to discuss, so let’s dig into today’s links.

Orlando Pride Drop Preseason Roster

Monday might have been a holiday but the Orlando Pride were busy, as they announced the roster for their upcoming preseason camp. Almost all of the usual suspects from the 2024 season are back, as the Pride return 98% of the player-minutes from last season and every single scorer. Mariana Larroquette is on the list although she’s currently on loan in Argentina, and Amanda Allen is likewise included after her loan at Lexington Sporting Club was terminated due to a torn labrum. The biggest intrigue comes from the trio of non-roster invitees: goalkeeper DeAira Jackson, midfielder Aryssa Mahrt, and forward Simone Jackson.

Scouting Costa Rica

The USMNT takes on Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium to wrap up the team’s annual January camp. Like the U.S., Costa Rica is bringing a roster devoid of the majority of its important players. Costa Rica also has a new manager at the helm in Miguel Herrera, who will take charge of the team for the very first time on Wednesday. Herrera typically lines his teams up in a 5-3-2 where the wingbacks take on a very important role and the team looks to hit on the counter while staying compact at the back. This will be the last time we see the USMNT in action until the Concacaf Nations League semifinals in early March.

Women’s Soccer January Transfer Grades

January has been a busy time for transfers in the women’s soccer world, so which teams have done the best business? Well, the Orlando Pride received an A grade for signing Marta to a new two-year deal, retaining a player who helped the team win its first ever trophies. Liverpool got an A for signing Julia Bartel on loan from Chelsea. Leicester City made an interesting call by transferring goalkeeper Lize Kop to Tottenham despite just being a point above the relegation zone. The Foxes get a C for the move, while Spurs get a B+ for adding a capable netminder.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans taking part in some very important games over the course of this week. Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus face Club Brugge today in the UEFA Champions League, while Ricardo Pepi, Richy Ledezma, Esmir Bajraktarević, Malik Tillman and PSV Eindhoven take on Crvena Zvezda in the same competition. Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan will play Girona in the UCL on Wednesday, while Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic take on Young Boys. On Friday, John Tolkin could make his Bundesliga debut when his new team, Holstein Kiel, travels to face Wolfsburg.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando Pride players reported for their preseason physicals on Monday.
  • Meanwhile, Orlando City took on the dreaded beep test during Monday’s training session.

That’s all I have for you today. Vamos Orlando!

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Orlando City

Striker Suddenly a Position of Need for Orlando City

Departures and a key injury mean Orlando City needs a striker heading into the 2025 MLS season.

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2 days ago

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January 20, 2025

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Image Courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City reached the Eastern Conference Final for the first time in 2024, a milestone for the club. The core of the team was locked up through the 2025 season, so there was no reason to believe it needed to add much this off-season. Unfortunately, injuries and departures have created a serious problem for the team.

The group of forwards last year consisted of Duncan McGuire, Ramiro Enrique, and Jack Lynn. McGuire scored 15 goals in 2023 and was expected to depart for Blackburn Rovers before a clerical error allowed the Lions to keep their target man. The team’s primary striker scored 11 goals in 37 games — the same number as the previous season — but split time starting with Enrique. The Argentinian improved greatly in 2024, increasing his total goal tally from four to 12. Even Lynn showed tremendous improvement last year, playing a greater role in the team and scoring his first two MLS goals.

The future also seemed bright for the Orlando City forwards because of their ages. Lynn is the oldest of the trio at just 25 years old. Meanwhile, McGuire and Enrique are only 23, so there was no reason to believe this group couldn’t produce this coming season.

The problem at striker began in the postseason when McGuire was pulled down by Charlotte FC midfielder Djibril Diani in the final first round game of the playoffs. McGuire suffered a shoulder injury during the challenge that required surgery on Dec. 13. It’s expected that the striker could take four to five months to return to action, possibly leaving him out until May or June.

Another blow to Orlando’s attack occurred Saturday when Lynn surprisingly announced his retirement from professional soccer. In just over a month, Orlando City went from having three strikers to having just one as preseason training starts.

With McGuire injured and Lynn gone, one option would be to have Designated Player Luis Muriel play up top. However, the Colombian prefers to play a more withdrawn position and proved to be effective in that role last year. Since Head Coach Oscar Pareja prefers to play a 4-2-3-1 formation, the Lions need someone up top to control the ball and involve the midfielders in the attack. That’s not Muriel’s game.

The result of these issues is that nobody is currently behind Enrique when the season begins. If the Argentinian gets tired, hurt, or simply needs rest, Pareja is limited in his options. 

Whether there was a lack of strikers or a lack of goals from the position previously, that problem was resolved by the club’s all-time leading goal scorer. Facundo Torres scored 20 goals in 2024, becoming the first player in Orlando City’s MLS history and the second player in club history to do so. He went on to set a new club record for total goals of 47.

However, Orlando City sold its best player to Brazilian side Palmeiras on Dec. 20. It was a gut punch to fans as Torres had signed a new contract on Jan. 10, 2024 that ran through the 2026 season. There had been talk for the last couple of years that the attacker would look for a move to Europe and rumors of a move to South America arose this off-season. Still, it created a huge gap the club has to fill.

There are players on the roster that can make up for the injury and departures. Martin Ojeda had a strong season in 2024, finishing with seven goals and 13 assists. His seven goals ranked fourth on the team and his 13 assists topped the squad alongside Nico Lodeiro. Muriel came on strong later in the season, finishing with five goals and eight assists. But those numbers are a long way from the 20 goals that Torres tallied last year.

Even if you consider all goal contributions, Ojeda and Muriel fall well short of Torres. Ojeda had a total of 20 goal contributions in 2024 while Muriel had 13. In addition to Torres’s 20 goals, he added nine assists for a team-leading 29 goal contributions.

All of this information leads to one undeniable fact — Orlando City needs to sign a striker prior to the season. And there’s not much time for Luiz Muzzi to act. The European transfer window closes on Feb. 3 and many MLS teams have already been filling similar needs. With the season starting in just over a month, the options will be limited if the Lions don’t do something soon.

After the best postseason finish in Orlando City’s MLS history, things were looking good heading into 2025. While the back line and most of the midfield is returning, McGuire’s injury and the departure of Torres and Lynn have left the Lions in a tough spot offensively. If they don’t do something in the next couple of weeks, it could be a long 2025.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/20/25

Orlando City signs Nicolas Rodriguez, Jack Lynn announces retirement, USMNT defeats Venezuela in friendly, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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January 20, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope you’re all having a good holiday weekend as we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Over the past week, I’ve been working and covering high school ice hockey. It will be a busy week in Orlando, with the United States Men’s National Team’s match against Costa Rica on Wednesday and Orlando City’s first preseason match against Atletico Mineiro on Saturday. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Signs Nicolas Rodriguez

Orlando City announced on Friday that the club has signed forward Nicolas Rodriguez from Fortaleza CEIF in Colombia’s top flight. The deal is through the 2027 season, with a club option for 2028, and Rodriguez will occupy a MLS U22 Initiative slot. Rodriguez made 19 appearances for Fortaleza, recording 1,607 minutes, five goals, and three assists during the 2024 Primera A Clausura season. The Lions add a young attacking player the club can develop and Rodriguez can play on the right wing, the right side of a three-man midfield, or in the No. 10 spot.

Jack Lynn Announces Retirement

Orlando City forward Jack Lynn announced his retirement from professional soccer on Saturday. Lynn was drafted by Orlando in the first round of the 2022 MLS SuperDraft. He became a regular starter for Orlando City B, scoring a team-record 38 goals in over three seasons with the MLS NEXT Pro side. Lynn also won the Golden Boot with 19 goals during the 2023 season and became the first OCB player to be named MLS NEXT Pro MVP. He played sparingly with the first team, but he scored twice last season as his role increased. The Lions will likely look to add another striker for more depth up top.

Orlando Pride Acquire Allocation Money in Trade

On Friday, the Orlando Pride announced that the club has acquired $50,000 in Allocation Money from the Washington Spirit. In exchange, the Pride sent the Spirit a 2025 international roster spot. The Pride will face the Spirit in the NWSL Challenge Cup final on March 7 at Inter&Co Stadium.

USMNT Defeats Venezuela in Friendly

The USMNT defeated Venezuela 3-1 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday in a friendly. Jack McGlynn and Patrick Agyemang scored in the first half to give the USMNT a 2-0 lead just before halftime. Matko Milijevic scored the third goal for the Americans in the second half, with Venezuela pulling one back thanks to a goal from Jorge Yriarte. Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has led the USMNT to winning four out of its first five matches since he took charge last September. The USMNT’s next match will be against Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium.

Alyssa Naeher Named U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year

On Saturday, goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher was voted 2024 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year. Naeher won 40% of the vote, while defender Naomi Girma finished in second with 32%. In her final year with the USWNT, Naeher ended 2024 with 18 starts, playing 1,170 minutes and only conceding 11 goals. She played a crucial role with clutch saves to help the USWNT win the 2024 SheBelieves Cup, 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup, and gold at the Olympics in Paris. Naeher is the second goalkeeper to win the award since Hope Solo won it in 2009.

Free Kicks

  • Manchester City forward Erling Haaland has reached an agreement with the club on a record-breaking contract that extends his deal through 2034.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.

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