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Orlando City vs. Philadelphia Union: Final Score 0-0 as Lions Throw Away Two Points At Home To Philadelphia

The Lions had a great chance to pick up points at home against the Philadelphia Union on Saturday night, but a scoreless draw has them searching for answers.

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Austin Warren, The Mane Land

When Major League Soccer debuts its channel of classic league matchups 20 years from now, Orlando City’s first meeting with the Philadelphia Union won’t make the cut.

Coming off their 4-1 defeat at Toronto FC on Wednesday night, the Lions returned home and dropped two points in a must-win game, as the Lions played the Union to a scoreless draw on Saturday night in front of 28,495 fans at the Orlando Citrus Bowl.

“It looked like the game on Wednesday night in Toronto had an effect on us,” said Head Coach Adrian Heath. “Our group looked a bit leggy at the end. The last four or five minutes of injury time I was relieved that we came through unscathed in the end. We’ll take the point. We say to the players, don’t disregard a point in any stage of the season.

“Sometimes you take something from the game and that’s what we’ve done — take the clean sheet. I thought we had some good passages of play in the first half but we just didn’t have that final ball and the final finish.”

Tally Hall finished as the unquestionable Man of the Match, making a handful of huge saves down the stretch to keep Orlando City in the match in the second half. Adrian Winter also came on as a second-half sub to make his Orlando City debut, nearly scoring a goal late, too.

“(Hall) came up big on a couple of occasions when it was really important,” Heath said. “He’s a quality goalkeeper. We expect him to make saves and the best goalkeepers make saves when you need it. Tonight we needed it on a couple of occasions.”

The first half featured just about nothing.

The biggest moment of the first 45 minutes happened about 10 minutes in, when Orlando City defender Conor Donovan, making his MLS debut, got tangled up with a Union defender, which sent him to the ground immediately, holding his left knee in a lot of pain. Donovan was eventually taken off with what the team is calling a left knee injury, and he’ll run through the MRI machine in the coming days.

Donovan’s premature departure from the match paved the way for Tommy Redding to come in and make his MLS debut, as well, after being called back from his loan with the Wilmington Hammerheads to cover for a Seb Hines knock.

“I thought Tommy Redding did smashing when he come on. I thought that was a huge plus for us,” Heath said.

Sebastien Le Toux provided Philadelphia with its best chance of the first half in the 21st minute, when he banged an angled shot off of the post, sparing Orlando City from going down 1-0 in the first half at home for the second week in a row.

Orlando City’s best chance of the half came in the 30th minute when Kaká set up Cyle Larin with a chance just inside the arch. But the Canadian striker sent a low shot straight into the hands of Philly’s goalkeeper, John McCarthy. Larin has been held off the score sheet in consecutive MLS games for the first time since May.

In between Donovan’s injury and the final moments of the first half, Cristian Higuita went down twice, and Aurelien Collin and Corey Ashe each went down once. All three were able to stay in the game.

This is the part where I tell you how the second half was much better and everyone started scoring goals, right? Wrong.

The first notable moment was Carlos Rivas replacing Lewis Neal on the left wing in the 65th minute.

Both sides traded decent chances, primarily the Union, who tested Hall heavily in the second half. “Tally Wall” made two big saves on Cristian Maidana to deny the visitors.

Orlando City fans had a reason to get loud again in the 72nd when Winter came on for his Orlando debut. He replaced Servando Carrasco, and nearly made an impact in the 83rd with a shot just 10 feet off of the goal that would have put the Lions in front.

His hard play is sure to excite some fans, but goals, of course, are more important.

“We think he’ll suit the way that we play,” Heath said. “He’s experienced, he’s got a bit of pace, he can run with the ball. I think he will give us more of an energy and more of a threat in the final third. By the end of next week he’ll have a better idea of the names of the people he’s playing with. Obviously it’s never easy when you first make your debut when you come into a new club. He’ll be better for that tonight. He’ll give us good minutes down the stretch.”

After the match, Heath announced that new center back David Mateos arrived in Orlando today, so he should help with Donovan appearing to be out long-term.


The Lions will spend the next week looking for answers before one of the toughest away matches of the season, as they head to CenturyLink Field for an inter-conference matchup with the Seattle Sounders next Sunday at 5 p.m. on ESPN2.

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Three Keys to Victory

What does Orlando City need to do to earn a second victory in a row at home this Saturday?

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City is coming off its first win of the MLS regular season and will look to carry that momentum into Saturday night’s Eastern Conference matchup against the New York Red Bulls. The Lions will have several players back from international duty, making Oscar Pareja’s job a bit easier, although some of them will be on short rest. What does Orlando City need to do to earn all three points against the Red Bulls?

Stop Morgan

Lewis Morgan has been on a tear this season with five goals in five matches. That is more than every Orlando City player combined so far this season. The Red Bulls were held scoreless in two matches, meaning those five goals have come in three matches, with Morgan scoring a hat trick against Inter Miami. I love that he took it to the Herons like that, but I’m going to need him to cool off a bit against the Lions.

If Orlando City is to stop Morgan it will take excellent defending from the Lions’ back line and of course Pedro Gallese, who is returning from international duty. Orlando City also gets Wilder Cartagena and David Brekalo back, meaning more of the first choice lineup will be available to keep a clean sheet. With the match at home, earning a clean sheet is all the more important.

Proper Rest and Preperation

It might seem silly to say, but having more than a few days between matches is conducive to earning points. When Orlando City was participating in the Concacaf Champions Cup, the Lions never had time to properly recover or train with a game plan for the next match. Now, the Lions are able to do so, and the result against Austin FC reflects that.

Pareja is a top level MLS coach. We know that he has a plan for about the first 20 minutes of any match, and then makes adjustments throughout the remainder of the match. Even so, many of those adjustments have been planned out prior to the match. That, paired with a more rested roster, allows the Lions to be the protagonists Pareja wants them to be.

Shots, Shots, Shots

Orlando City was able to create plenty of chances against Austin FC, and will need to do so again against the Red Bulls. The Lions took 22 shots Saturday night, with eight on target, and they put two in the back of the net against Austin. Hopefully, Orlando City can be more efficient going forward, but if you don’t create opportunities, you won’t score.

The Red Bulls have some decent defenders who Orlando City will have to deal with, including fullback John Tolkin and Carlos Coronel at keeper. If the Lions can pass even close to the way they did against Austin, the opportunities will come, and if that is the case, hopefully the goals will come. Orlando City still has a sizable goal deficit, thanks to the early part of the season, that can only be corrected with more goals on the other end.


That is what I will be looking for this Saturday night at Inter&Co Stadium. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/28/24

Getting to know Rafael Santos, Orlando Pride prepare for Chicago, Midge Purce out for the season, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope the work week has been treating you well as we gear up for another weekend of soccer. March flew by for me and April is shaping up to be a pretty busy month as well. In other news, I’m looking into adopting a cat and gathering the supplies to make that happen. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Getting to Know Rafael Santos

Orlando City left back Rafael Santos was the latest Lion to field questions as part of the club’s video series for fans to learn more about its players. The 26-year-old spoke about the decision process behind joining Orlando and playing outside of Brazil for the first time in his career after five years with Cruzeiro. He’s brought his attack-minded style of play to the team, particularly in terms of providing lethal crossing from the wing. Make sure to check out the full video as Santos also shared photos of his newborn and showcased his skill with a cavaquinho.

Orlando Pride Prepare to Host Chicago

After a pair of draws to start their season, the Orlando Pride will have a chance to claim their first win of the season when they host the Chicago Red Stars tomorrow night at 6 p.m. Head Coach Seb Hines spoke about how the Pride have shown plenty of resilience so far this young season. The team managed to secure a point in last week’s 1-1 draw with Angel City FC despite a patchwork back line due to injuries. That defense will likely have its hands full against Mallory Swanson and a Chicago team that won both of its first two games. Hines spoke about how the Pride are preparing for Chicago and how they will need the home crowd to bring the support tomorrow night.

Sophia Smith Signs Record-Breaking New Deal

American forward Sophia Smith signed a new contract with the Portland Thorns that will make her the highest-paid NWSL player, according to the club. The new deal will last through the 2025 season, with an option for 2026 as well. The 23-year-old was drafted by the Thorns with the first overall pick in the 2020 NWSL Draft and has gone on to score 34 regular-season goals. Smith re-signed with the club in 2022 and was set to become a free agent following this season, but will instead stay in Portland.

Midge Purce Out for NWSL Season

NJ/NY Gotham FC forward Midge Purce will miss the remainder of the NWSL season after tearing her ACL. The 28-year-old will undergo surgery and suffered the injury in her team’s 1-0 victory over the Portland Thorns this past weekend. She’s been with Gotham since 2020 and assisted on both goals in her team’s 2-1 win in the 2023 NWSL Championship. It’s a tough blow for the United States Women’s National Team too, as she will not be representing the U.S. during this summer’s Olympics in France.

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  • Orlando City B’s match against Carolina Core FC on April 14 has been rescheduled.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/27/24

Bally Sports will broadcast Orlando Pride matches, Pride players called up, USWNT announces SheBelieves Cup roster, and more.

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Hello, Mane Landers. I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I attended my friend’s wedding this past weekend and have been getting myself back into work mode by covering high school tennis this week. There is plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Bally Sports Will Broadcast Select Orlando Pride Matches

Bally Sports was announced as the new local television partner for the Orlando Pride. There will be 13 select Pride matches broadcast this season across Bally Sports Florida, Bally Sports Sun, and on the Bally Sports app. The partnership will begin this Friday, with the Orlando Soccer Insider show taking place before the kickoff of the Pride’s home match against the Chicago Red Stars at 7 p.m. The show will be broadcast on Bally Sports Florida, and then you can switch to the Bally Sports app to watch Friday’s match. Below are all the select matches that will be broadcast on Bally Sports this season.

Brazilian Orlando Pride Players Called Up

The Orlando Pride’s Marta, Angelina, and Luana were all called up by Brazil for next month’s SheBelieves Cup. Brazil heads into this tournament after a solid showing in the Concacaf W Gold Cup. The format is different for this year’s SheBelieves Cup, as there will only be four matches instead of six. Brazil’s first match of the tournament will be a semifinal on April 6 against Canada in Atlanta.

USWNT Announces Roster for SheBelieves Cup

United States Women’s National Team interim head coach Twila Kilgore announced the 23-player roster for the 2024 SheBelieves Cup matches next month. The USWNT has won this competition four consecutive times since 2020, and is going for a seventh title in 2024. Of those called up, 19 players on this squad were part of the team that won the Concacaf W Gold Cup earlier this month. San Diego Wave forward Jaedyn Shaw, the Concacaf W Gold Cup’s MVP, is back on the roster after she led the USWNT with four goals. The squad also includes familiar names like former Pride forward Alex Morgan, Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman, and Olympique Lyon midfielder Lindsey Horan. Mallory Swanson and Catarina Macario return to the squad after being sidelined with injuries. The USWNT will begin its quest to defend its SheBelieves Cup title when it faces Japan on April 6 in Atlanta.

MLS Referees Agree to New CBA

After a lockout that resulted in Major League Soccer starting the season with replacement referees, the Professional Soccer Referees Association voted to ratify a new collective bargaining agreement with the Professional Referee Organization. The new CBA is a seven-year deal that runs through January of 2031. This deal will also include significant pay raises for referees, assistant referees, and video assistant referees. The PRO referees will return to the pitch for this weekend’s MLS matches.

Ukraine, Georgia, and Poland Qualify for Euro 2024

Ukraine has qualified for this summer’s Euros after edging out Iceland 2-1 in its playoff final, with Mykhaylo Mudryk scoring the winning goal in the second half. Georgia eliminated Greece 4-2 on penalties after a 2-2 draw to book a spot in the tournament as well. Georgia qualifies for its first major tournament after coming up short in 2020. Poland also needed penalties to qualify, with goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny making the final save against Daniel James to beat Wales 5-4 on penalties after a scoreless draw.

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

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