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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Colorado Rapids: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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10 years ago

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Coaches talk about “winning the games you’re supposed to win” all the time, and that is exactly what Orlando City did against the hapless Rapids on Wednesday night. In a match book-ended on both ends by intense thunderstorms, the Lions cruised to a 2-0 win on the soggy Citrus Bowl turf.

Cyle Larin continued his amazing year for club and country with his sixth league goal of the season, while Kaká also found his way onto the score sheet — and not from a penalty! — for his team-leading eighth goal of the year.

It wasn’t all clear sailing for Orlando though, as keeper Tally Hall came up with two massive breakaway saves to keep the Rapids off the board. The buzz around the stadium was all about the young Colombian Carlos Rivas though, who earned his first MLS assist and changed the game when he entered for an injured Brek Shea.

Here are are Player Grades for the match:

Player Grades

G, Tally Hall, 8.5 — Tally’s been good since he’s entered the Orlando City starting XI, but tonight may have been his biggest single contribution. He stopped Luis Solignac 1-on-1 in the 6th minute, and later denied Dillon Powers in the 78th. This match could have easily been a 2-2 draw without those two point-blank saves.

D, Luke Boden, 7.5 — Despite playing his fourth match in 11 days, Boden may have had the biggest impact of any Lion in the first half. He controlled the ball going forward, even with Shea clearly hurting, and nearly set the Lions up for a goal in the first minute.

D, Sean St. Ledger, 5.5 — It’s hard to find too much fault in a 2-0 shutout, but St. Ledger did have a couple shaky moments. Most notably, he lost the ball in the sixth minute to give Solignac the breakaway, though the ball was passed to him in a bad position.

D, Seb Hines, 7 — Predictably quiet night for Hines against the Rapids, who bunkered, looking for the tie from the get-go. Was fine in the air when he needed to be, though the Rapids rarely threatened outside of the two breakaways.

D, Rafael Ramos, 7.5 — Another great night for Ramos. Yet again, he was the spark plug the offense needed in the second half. He had back-to-back crosses in the 51st and 54th that maybe should have been scored by Larin and Kaká respectively, and set the pace for City in the second half. As always, his motor was incredible and he goes full-speed for 90 minutes. His track-back sprints in the final 10 minutes remind me of Michael Bradley.

M, Cristian Higuita, 7 — A classic Higuita performance; bundles of energy with the occasional disappointing turnover. Made the right pass on Kaká’s goal and earned his first MLS assist for his efforts.

M, Darwin Ceren, 5 — The El Salvadoran has been great lately for Orlando City, but tonight wasn’t his best effort. He had three or four dangerous turnovers, including a 78th minute gaffe where he tripped over the ball to leave Dillon Powers in free on Hall. While he failed to create too much in the attacking end, he did complete a huge number of passes in the midfield. We’ll chalk it up to fatigue from his international duty last week, and expect him to be back in form next week.

M, Brek Shea, 4.5 — Clearly not 100% from the opening whistle, and it only got worse as the game went on. Subbed off in the 39th, after a hard-to-watch performance. The biggest question about Shea on the night is why Head Coach Adrian Heath chose to play the Texan in the first place.

M, Kaká, 8 — For a while there, it looked like it might be another tough night for the captain. He was stuffed by Clint Irwin just before the half, and he missed a sitter off the post in the 54th. He finally turned things around later in the second half though, and was rewarded for his efforts with a goal to put the Lions up 2-0 at 65′.

M, Lewis Neal, 6 — A pretty quiet night for Neal, who had been a revelation since reentering the starting XI last month. He could have done more with Kaká’s ninth-minute cross, and he blasted a decent chance a mile over the bar just before half. His creativity still stood out at times too.

F, Cyle Larin, 7.5 — Another game, another goal for Cyle Larin, who’s making a legitimate run at one of the best rookies seasons in MLS history. His runs served as good outlets throughout, and he was in the right place to bury Carlos Rivas‘ pinpoint cross in the 62nd minute. Who needs Podolski/Chicharito/Drogba when we have Larin?!

Substitutions

D, Carlos Rivas (39′), 8 (MOTM) — Perhaps this was finally the breakout game for Rivas? Sure, he scored three goals in the U.S. Open Cup match last week, but they all came from the penalty spot. Came on late in the first half for an injured Brek Shea, and terrorized the Rapids’ back line for the remaining 51 minutes. His inch-perfect cross set up Larin’s opener, and his 50-yard run freed up space for Higuita and Kaká to operate on the second.

M, Pedro Ribeiro (69′), 6.5 — Very quiet night for Ribeiro. He was subbed in for Larin to get a fresh body up top to hold the ball and waste the clock, but even up 2-0, Orlando was still able to control possession in the midfield to kill the game. Almost set up Eric Avila for a goal in the 90th.

F, Eric Avila (90′), N/A– Entered for Carlos Rivas in stoppage time.

Polling Closed

Player Votes
Luke Boden 5
Darwin Ceren 42
Carlos Rivas 142
Kaká 91
Tally Hall 78
Other (Let us know in the comments) 17
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Orlando City

Orlando City at CF Montreal: Three Keys to Victory

What do the Lions need to do to earn all three points on the road against Montreal?

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12 hours ago

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April 17, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City heads to the Great White North to take on CF Montreal. The Canadian squad sits in last place in not just the Eastern Conference but also the entire MLS, with only two points from a pair of draws. To say it’s not been a good start to the season is an understatement. Of course, it’s exactly that type of situation that makes it feel like a trap. What does Orlando City need to do to take all three points against CF Montreal?

Designated Goal Scorers

What do you do if you haven’t scored a goal in the last two matches? You play a team that has given up 13 goals in eight matches with a -9 goal differential. Montreal doesn’t have the worst defense in the league — I’m looking at you, D.C. United — but it’s not far off. That presents an opportunity for Orlando City to get back on track when it comes to scoring goals.

Through the first six matches of the season, Orlando City was leading the league in scoring with 15 goals. Over the last two matches, the spigot has dried up. The Lions must seize on this opportunity to create and finish their chances. Much like earlier in the season, I want to see Luis Muriel, Martin Ojeda, and Marco Pasalic lead the way. If anyone can get the first goal, then I’m hopeful the dam will break and the scoring drought will be over.

Keep it Clean

There is some good news of late when it comes to the Orlando City defense. The club has two clean sheets over the last two matches, and that is without Cesar Araujo. There is also some bad news, given Rodrigo Schlegel will be serving his red card suspension this match. That means David Brekalo will move back to center back with Robin Jansson, and Oscar Pareja will have to employ either Rafael Santos or Kyle Smith at left back. Santos has been less than good so far this season.

Montreal has scored a paltry four goals so far in 2025, but two of them have come from striker Prince Owusu. The defense will also need to deal with Caden Clark facilitating in the midfield. I get that this isn’t a prolific attack. Montreal has not looked very good this season and is looking for both its first win and its first points of any sort at home. That means the hosts may be desperate for a result, and desperate is often dangerous. How well the defense does — in particular, how well Santos does if he plays — may determine if Montreal is able to break out of its slump. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.

Give the Midfield Time

Before the last match, I was a little worried about the midfield. Having both Araujo and Eduard Atuesta out at the same time seemed to be a concern. Now, after seeing how well Joran Gerbet and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson worked together against the New York Red Bulls, I’m way less worried. If Araujo and Atuesta need a little more time to get fully healthy, then let them. The Franco/Icelandic combo seems to be a potent one.

Of course, if the normal starters are ready, then by all means bring them back, but maybe not until the 60th minute. Perhaps Pareja could even mix and match. One never knows how yellow card suspensions or minor injuries will affect player availability. This is a good match for Gerbet and Thorhallsson to work their magic.

That is what I will be looking for Saturday night. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 4/17/25

Oscar Pareja signs new contract with Orlando City, Orlando Pride prepare for the Washington Spirit, Orlando’s youth teams win, and more.

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16 hours ago

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April 17, 2025

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I can’t believe we’re already into the back half of April and Easter is right around the corner. There’s plenty of soccer to enjoy between now and then and we also have the draw for the U.S. Open Cup’s round of 32 this morning at 9:15. MLS teams are finally joining the fray, so we’ll see where the chips fall for Orlando City. Let’s get to the links!

Oscar Pareja Signs New Contract

Orlando City and Head Coach Oscar Pareja have agreed to a new three-year contract that will keep him in the City Beautiful through 2028. Pareja was hired as Orlando’s fourth head coach in its MLS era back in December of 2019 and he’s led the Lions to the playoffs in all five seasons he’s been at the helm.  Under Pareja, the Lions won the U.S. Open Cup in 2022, set club records in points and wins in 2023, and reached the Eastern Conference final for the first time last year. This year was the final one on the contract he signed in December of 2023, so it’s nice to know Pareja will be sticking around in the future.

Orlando Pride Prepare for the Washington Spirit

The Orlando Pride will look to make it five wins in a row when they host the Washington Spirit on Saturday in another rematch of last year’s final. While this is the first match between Orlando and Washington this season, the two clashed in the NWSL Challenge Cup on March 7 and the Spirit lifted the trophy after a penalty shootout. Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on how the team has grown since that game and has benefitted from depth and consistency carried over from last year.

Orlando City Youth Teams Win in Bradenton

Orlando City’s U-18 team won in the Generation Adidas Cup’s round of 16, beating St. Louis City 1-0 to advance to the quarterfinals. The Young Lions remain unbeaten in that age group and will take on a Real Salt Lake team that also won its group and just beat Toronto FC in a penalty shootout following a scoreless draw.

Orlando’s U-16 squad didn’t qualify for the Championship bracket, but still advanced in the Premier bracket. After a 1-1 draw with Toronto, Orlando prevailed in the ensuing penalty shootout and will play Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals.

UEFA Champions League Semifinals Are Set

The quarterfinals for this year’s UEFA Champions League are over and only four teams remain in the tournament. Arsenal secured its spot in the semifinals after an impressive 2-1 road win against Real Madrid that included two assists from Mikel Merino. The Spanish club couldn’t muster its usual magic in the tournament and forward Kylian Mbappe exited in the second half due to injury. In Italy, Inter Milan held on for a 2-2 draw against Bayern to advance on aggregate, with defender Benjamin Pavard scoring a crucial goal for Inter against his old team. The semifinals will take place at the end of the month and will feature Arsenal taking on Paris Saint-Germain and Inter going up against Barcelona.

Free Kicks

  • Our thoughts go out to the friends and family of former FC Cincinnati player Aaron Boupendza, who died after falling from the 11th floor of a building in China.
  • The Chicago Fire are reportedly strongly interested in signing star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne on a free transfer. If any Western Conference teams could join the hunt for him, that would be great.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

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Orlando City

Orlando City Extends Oscar Pareja’s Contract through 2028

The most successful coach in Orlando City’s MLS history has signed on for another three seasons.

Published

1 day ago

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April 16, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Orlando City SC announced today that the club and Head Coach Oscar Pareja have come to terms on a new three-year contract through 2028. The winningest head coach in club history, Pareja’s previous two-year contract was scheduled to expire after the 2025 season. With the Lions off to a 3-2-3 start, and coming off the deepest MLS Cup playoff run in the organization’s history — the 2024 Eastern Conference final — the club locked down the veteran coach

“Throughout his career, Oscar has proven to be a coach deeply committed not only to winning and competing for championships, but also to building teams that fans can proudly rally behind,” Orlando City Owner and Chairman Mark Wilf said in a club press release. “Here in Orlando, he’s shown that same passion and dedication — taking immense pride in representing our club with integrity and driving us closer each year to our ultimate goal of winning it all. His unwavering positivity and focus have helped shape a culture grounded in respect and ambition. We’re thrilled to have Oscar continue leading us forward in the City Beautiful.” 

Pareja has led Orlando City to a record of 89-59-55 across all competitions in 203 matches, reaching the playoffs in each of his seasons at the helm of OCSC. He also won the team’s first MLS-era trophy by leading the Lions to the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title, and he’s guided the club to its first two appearances in Concacaf Champions League/Cup and to the MLS is Back Tournament final in 2020.

With 176 MLS victories, Pareja is No. 5 on the league’s all-time wins list. He ranks second among all active coaches. Orlando City initially hired Pareja, 56, as head coach on Dec. 4, 2019. He succeeded James O’Connor, Jason Kreis, and Adrian Heath as OCSC head coaches in the club’s MLS era. Prior to joining the Lions, Pareja spent one season in Liga MX with Club Tijuana after five successful seasons as head coach at FC Dallas. Pareja started his MLS head coaching career with the Colorado Rapids in 2012, leading the ‘Pids for two seasons, including a playoff appearance in 2013. He also coached the U.S. U-17 Men’s National Team from 2007-2008. 

“First and foremost, I want to express my deepest gratitude to Mark Wilf, his family, the entire ownership group, and our executive board for their continued trust in the vision and culture we’ve built over the years,” Pareja said in the club’s release. “Their unwavering support is the foundation of everything we strive to achieve each day. Above all, I’m profoundly thankful to our incredible fans and the dedicated staff who pour their hearts into making Orlando City such a remarkable club. Together, we’ve grown stronger with each passing season, moving steadily closer to our shared ambition of bringing more trophies home to this great city. I remain deeply inspired by what lies ahead and look forward to continuing this journey in pursuit of more championships.” 

As a player, Pareja spent 1987-1995 with Independiente Medellin in his native Colombia as a midfielder, appearing in 263 matches and scoring 18 goals. He moved to Deportivo Cali, where he scored 11 more goals in 122 games from 1995-1998 and then joined the New England Revolution, appearing in 13 games that year. He finished his playing career with FC Dallas, scoring 13 goals in 170 appearances from 1998-2005. He also earned 11 caps from 1991 to 1996 with Colombia’s national team, scoring three goals.

What It Means for Orlando City

As I wrote when Pareja re-signed in December of 2023: quite simply, it means the Lions retain their most successful coach since joining Major League Soccer. Pareja has created a culture and an identity that was lacking at the club prior to his arrival. While it’s common for players to say the team feels like a family and a city feels like “home,” the Lions have walked that walk during Pareja’s tenure in the City Beautiful.

Pareja’s challenge for the upcoming season is to improve upon the club’s deepest run in the playoffs and perhaps the fourth-place finish the Lions enjoyed in 2024. That’s not an easy task, and it shouldn’t be held against him if he can’t reach those lofty heights.

In the short term, Pareja’s job is to get the team scoring goals again while maintaining the high defensive standards set over the last two matches.

Pareja’s tenure with Orlando City will ultimately be measured in trophies. So far, he’s won one of them. That’s more than everyone who came before him won with Orlando in the MLS era, but it’s understandable for fans and ownership to ask for more.

Oscar Pareja’s Coaching Record at Orlando City (W-L-D)

Major League Soccer Regular Season: 167 games, 74-48-45
MLS Playoffs: 12 games, 5-6-1 (Note: MLS considers draws losses if they happen in the best-of-three round but if it goes to penalties in a single-elimination game, it’s a draw.)
U.S. Open Cup: 7 games, 4-1-2
Concacaf Champions League/Cup: 6 games, 2-1-3
Leagues Cup: 7 games, 2-2-3
MLS is Back Knockout Stages: 4 games, 2-1-1

Total: 203 games coached, 89-59-55

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