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Orlando City Roster Outlook: How Are Things Shaping Up?

Published

11 years ago

December 23, 2015

Orlando City was just five points shy of making the playoffs in 2015, which–for an expansion team–can be considered a pretty successful season. Though for a club that set its sights high with playoff expectations–team captain and super star Kaká even went as far on the team’s media day to say the goal was an MLS Cup–finishing just below the red line in year one just isn’t good enough.

There isn't much that needs to change for the Lions to be a playoff team in 2016. They mainly just need some breaks to go their way.

The club's biggest this problems this past season were, for the most part, totally out of its control, with injuries dominating the storylines each week and suspensions and international call-ups also adding their weight.

The club has made nine subtractions from its 2015 roster, so far — cutting mostly dead weight — with the two biggest losses being goalkeeper Tally Hall and midfielder Lewis Neal, who returned to the to club last Thursday as a veteran leader for Orlando City B and will also serve as a Youth Academy coach.

Apart from that, the club's core roster remains intact.

With just a month until the preseason begins, the Lions have 24 of 28 spots occupied, with some work still left to be done for Armando Carneiro and company.

Goalkeepers (3): Earl Edwards Jr., Joe Bendik, Mason Stajduhar

Following the trade for Joe Bendik, the team has three goalies on its roster, and there's even been reports out of Portugal in recent weeks linking the club to Benfica B goalkeeper Theirry Graça. Its likely Graça will play for OCB alongside Stajduhar, who was recently signed out of the academy to a Homegrown Player deal.

What's left to be done? I don't see the club adding another goalkeeper beyond Bendik at this point, unless its got something else planned that nobody expects. The team should be pretty set with Edwards Jr. and Bendik on the roster.

Who's starting? It'll be a battle in preseason between Edwards Jr. and Bendik, but I wouldn't bet the Lions are bringing in Bendik to be the starter unless he really earns it. The club thinks highly of Edwards Jr., and will probably give him every shot at winning the starting job, and I think it'll be him between the posts during the first game in March.

Defenders (10): Aurelien Collin, Brek Shea, Seb Hines, Luke Boden, David Mateos, Rafael Ramos, Kevin Alston, Tyler Turner, Tommy Redding, Conor Donovan

The Lions had one of the worst defenses in the league this past season, but a lot of that, I think, had to do with the constant rotation on the backline due to injuries and suspensions. The most important aspect of 2016 will be cohesion and consistency with the back four — get that and this defense should be fine. Orlando City didn’t cut any defenders from its 2015 roster, and made the first off-season addition a fullback, as Kevin Alston was picked up in the Re-Entry Draft last week from the New England Revolution.

What's left to be done? The Lions should be pretty set on defense. Like I said, they didn't lose anybody and will be bringing back the entire core. It's always possible that they could shed Mateos' salary and bring in a higher quality defender to pair with Aurelien Collin, but for now I see things staying as is.

Who's starting? Expect to see Donovan and Redding spend most of the season in USL with OCB. Tyler Turner might also be primed for Melbourne with four other fullbacks currently ahead of him. Hines and Mateos will battle it out to see who starts alongside Collin at center back, and Shea shouldn't have anything stopping him from being the starting left back. Rafael Ramos, though, might have to fend off Alston for the starting job at right back.

Midfielders (9): Kaká, Kevin Molino, Carlos Rivas, Darwin Cerén, Cristian Higuita, Adrian Winter, Servando Carrasco, Harrison Heath, Estrela

The biggest area of loss on the roster was the midfield, where three players from last year’s team will not be returning — Eric Avila, Tony Cascio and Lewis Neal. Kevin Molino should return from ACL surgery before the start of the season, and that’ll let Shea slide to left back, where he was arguably more effective pre-Molino injury.

What's left to be done? The Lions need to find a true attacking midfielder to put depth behind Kaká. They didn't have that in 2015, and what they did have–Lewis Neal–is gone. On the wings, I think they're just fine with Rivas, Molino, Winter, and even Shea. The defensive midfield is in good hands with Cerén and Higuita, one of the best young defensive midfielders in the league. Harrison Heath and Estrela should be with OCB all season, meaning the team could be better off adding at least one more defensive midfielder just in case — Cerén will do his thing with El Salvador from time-to-time, and Higuita could start seeing more time with Colombia's national team.

Who's starting? Well, obviously Kaká has the central attacking role locked down. Rivas and Molino, if healthy, should occupy both outside spots. Cerén and Higuita, as I mentioned, will have things taken care of in the defensive midfield. Harrison Heath and Estrela are primed for OCB, clearing those roster spots. Winter makes for a good super-sub off the bench.

Forwards (3): Cyle Larin, Bryan Rochez, Pedro Ribeiro

Larin blew away all expectations in 2015, scoring a team-high 17 goals during his rookie campaign, which was also tied for fifth in the league. Rochez struggled with fitness issues and lost his passport, which meant the young Designated Player didn't see much time on the field until the end of the season, scoring three goals in his final five games.

What's left to be done? The Lions definitely need to add at least one, maybe two veteran forwards before they get to the preseason. Larin and Rochez are good, young talents, but we saw far too much in 2015 how their lack of experience could derail them at times, especially as Larin tailed off during the summer.

Who's starting? There's no doubt that Larin will enter the season as the starting forward. The Rookie of the Year will look to avoid that infamous sophomore slump, so he'll hope to come out of the gates strong in the preseason.

* * *

How do you see the Lions’ roster shaping up? What moves do you see the team still needing to make? Comment below!

Podcasts

SkoPurp Soccer Episode 144: Gotham Rewind, Seattle Preview, and More

The Pride finished their home schedule with a loss to Gotham and hope to finish their road schedule with a win in Seattle.

Published

1 week ago

October 28, 2026

Michael Citro

Image of Solai Washington running onto a ball behind the Gotham defense.

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride tried to send their fans home happy in their regular-season home finale, but despite an impressive overall performance against the league leaders, the Pride wasted numerous chances in front of goal and paid for two big mistakes at the back in what ultimately ended as a 2-1 loss in a season filled with far too many defeats. Solai Washington did so many things well, but despite a month’s worth of chances, she could only muster one goal. Still, it was a promising outing albeit in a developing story that won’t continue much longer this year.

We discuss the key plays, players, and moments, look back at our score predictions from last week, and select our Player of the Match.

This week’s mailbagbox asked us about Marta, the reasons for the Pride’s struggles in 2026, and more. Remember, you can ask us anything by hitting us up on Twitter at either @TheManeLand or @SkoPurpSoccer and using the hashtag #AskSkoPurp. You can use that same hashtag and hit @TheManeLand.bsky.social up on Bluesky. Or you can visit our show page, scroll down, and fill out the handy form. We’d also appreciate any ratings or reviews you can leave wherever you get your podcasts, and if you do that on Apple Podcasts, we’ll find them easily and read them on the show.

Finally, we look ahead to Sunday’s season finale at the Seattle Reign. The Pride opened their 2026 season with a home loss to the Reign but would like to close it with a road win over Seattle to enter the off-season on a positive note. It won’t be easy, as the Reign are clinging to the last playoff spot and trying to catch rival Portland as multiple teams are trying to catch them. We look at Orlando’s attempt to play spoiler, check back on the series history, compare the teams’ positions in the table, provide our key matchups, and more.

Here’s how Episode 144 went down:

0:15 – The Pride finished their home schedule with a good performance but another poor result against the league’s top team.

20:07 – Our mailbagbox has questions about the GOAT.

38:26 – Seattle was the first 2026 opponent and will be the last 2026 opponent. We preview for the last time this season.

Podcasts

SkoPurp Soccer Episode 140: Bay FC Rewind, San Diego Preview, and More

The Pride keep their playoff hopes alive by eliminating Bay FC but things get tougher with San Diego visiting Friday.

Published

1 month ago

September 30, 2026

Michael Citro

Image of Jacquie Ovalle dribbling toward the Bay FC defense.

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Justin Glatt

The Orlando Pride remained perfect on the road against Bay FC with a 3-1 win on Sunday. Deuces were wild, as Haley McCutcheon, who wears jersey No. 2, scored in the second minute of both halves, and her two goals in California gave the midfielder her second brace of both the 2026 NWSL season and her career. Barbra Banda figured heavily in pulling defenders out of position on two of the three Orlando goals and assisted on Jacquie Ovalle’s right-footed thunderbolt in stoppage time to put the game away. But make no mistake, it’s not as if the Pride played well, turning the ball over often and conceding 28 shot attempts to the hosts.

We break down a road win that may have been more exhausting to watch than to play in (although I wouldn’t bet on it), check back on our score predictions, and make our selections for Player of the Match.

This week’s mailbagbox asked us about Haley McCutcheon, where to most strongly place the blame for the Pride’s disappointing season, and more. Remember, you can ask us anything by hitting us up on Twitter at either @TheManeLand or @SkoPurpSoccer and using the hashtag #AskSkoPurp. You can use that same hashtag and hit @TheManeLand.bsky.social up on Bluesky. Or you can visit our show page, scroll down, and fill out the handy form. We’d also appreciate any ratings or reviews you can leave wherever you get your podcasts, and if you do that on Apple Podcasts, we’ll find them easily and read them on the show.

Finally, we looked ahead to Friday, when Orlando will host San Diego Wave FC, looking to both complete a season sweep and to keep its faint playoff hopes alive. We look at the series history, provide our key matchups for the contest, and make our predictions for the final score.

Here’s how Episode 140 went down:

0:15 – The Pride improved to 2-1-1 under Yolanda Thomas, but a lot of good Cosette Morche saves were required to get that second win.

20:00- The mailbagbox asks us to play the blame game.

33:36 – The Pride continue to face California-based competition, but Friday’s opponent is much higher in the table than Sunday’s was.

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. San Jose Earthquakes: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

Orlando City restarts its 2026 MLS campaign late tonight out west at San Jose.

Published

4 months ago

July 22, 2026

Michael Citro

Image of Braian Ojeda taking a shot in a friendly against FC Dallas.

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Justin Glatt

Welcome to your match thread for a late night midweek matchup tonight between Orlando City (4-9-2, 14 points) and the San Jose Earthquakes (10-3-2, 32 points) at PayPal Park (10:30 p.m., Apple TV). This is the only scheduled meeting between the teams in 2026 and the first time the teams have met since 2024.

Here’s what you need to know ahead of tonight’s match.

History

Orlando City is 3-1-3 in the previous seven MLS meetings with the Quakes since the club joined Major League Soccer in 2015. The Lions got their only away win in the series in the last meeting and enter tonight 1-1-2 on the road against San Jose.

The teams last met on May 18, 2024, with Jack Lynn coming off the bench to score the game’s only goal. Lynn’s strike in the 89th minute broke the scoreless deadlock and lifted the Lions to a 1-0 victory.

The teams met in Orlando most recently way back on June 22, 2021, with the Lions beating the Quakes down, 5-0. Orlando got things started with an early penalty kick goal by Nani, followed by braces from Benji Michel and Daryl Dike to easily put the game away. The lasting memory from the game is Michel’s celebratory dance wearing a cowboy hat that came out of the stands.

Prior to that Orlando City romp, the last time the teams met was on Aug. 31, 2019 when the Lions got freight trained 3-0 at Avaya Stadium, giving the Quakes their first win in the series. San Jose’s offense came via a Chris Wondolowski brace and an early opening goal by Magnus Eriksson. Orlando looked flat and weary out of the gate.

The Lions were victorious in Exploria Stadium in the 2018 meeting on April 21, a 3-2 Orlando win. It was the first win in the series for either side after three straight draws. Chris Mueller, Sacha Kljestan, and Dom Dwyer gave the Lions a 3-0 lead before Florian Jungwirth pulled two back in the game’s late stages.

The Lions led all of the first three matches in the second half only to see San Jose pull level, with two of those tying goals coming late. In the 2017 meeting, Carlos Rivas finally broke the scoreless tie and gave Orlando City the lead in the 81st minute, but Wondolowski spoiled the Lions’ night with an equalizer two minutes later as the teams drew at Avaya Stadium, 1-1.

In 2016, the Lions were gut-punched in the 94th minute in an emotional match that ended in a 2-2 draw. It was the first home match following the Pulse nightclub tragedy and what appeared to be a storybook ending to a cathartic win turned sour on a last-gasp equalizer by Shea Salinas. Seb Hines — now the Orlando Pride’s head coach — opened the scoring for Orlando, only to see Chad Barrett tie it up. Julio Baptista restored the lead in stoppage time, but Salinas ruined everything.

The two teams also drew in the first meeting, a 1-1 affair at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, with the Lions down to 10 men after Brek Shea was sent off in the first half. Kaká and Wondolowski each scored from the penalty spot four minutes apart in that initial meeting.

Overview

The teams meet tonight to get their post-World Cup portion of the season started. Orlando City has been terrible on the road all season long, keeping only one MLS opponent under two goals all year away from home and allowing five goals twice (at New York City FC and Nashville) and six goals twice (at LAFC and in the team’s most recent match away at FC Cincinnati just before the break).

Orlando City is a putrid 1-6-1 on the road this season, and now the Lions must face the Western Conference co-leaders tonight before coming home to face Supporters’ Shield-leading Nashville SC at home on Saturday. They’ll have to play at least tonight’s game without Martin Ojeda, who is out with a thigh injury sustained some time between his first-half goal a week ago in a friendly against FC Dallas and the time the availability report dropped on Tuesday.

But it isn’t all bad news for the Lions, who should have both Antoine Griezmann and Dike in the lineup. Griezmann was the club’s highly prized and widely publicized summer Designated Player signing, while Dike’s return to Orlando came together more recently, following his departure from West Bromwich Albion. They’ll help the club’s offense, but the attack hasn’t been the issue in 2026 — it’s been the historically porous defense, which is on pace to shatter the MLS record for goals conceded.

Meanwhile, San Jose is one of the first half of the season’s biggest surprises, as the Quakes have been outstanding in 2026. Scoring 34 goals while conceding just 15, San Jose is among the league leaders in goals scored (tied for third), goals conceded (third), and goal differential (+19, third).

The Earthquakes are 4-2-1 at home and are coming off a 3-1 road win at Portland in their last game prior to the World Cup break. San Jose boasts Golden Boot challenger Preston Judd, who leads the Quakes with 11 goals, adding two assists in his 15 appearances. Ousseni Bouda has chipped in five goals and three assists. Niko Tsakiris leads the team with seven assists to go along with his two goals, but he’s still recovering from a lower body injury and is not available tonight. However, the arrival of Timo Werner (four goals and five assists in just seven games) has truly elevated Bruce Arena’s Quakes, and he’ll need to be one of the main focal points for the Orlando defense.

To have any shot at taking something from this game, the Lions will need to play better road defense than they have all season. Orlando can score goals, but with Ojeda out, Griezmann will need to adapt quickly, and someone other than the team’s leading scorer will need to find the net.

The Lions will play without Ojeda (thigh), Joran Gerbet (knee), Nolan Miller (knee), Colin Guske (international duty), and Clovis Archage (international duty). In addition, Marco Pasalic may or may not have returned to the team after the World Cup. He was not in training Monday, although interim head coach Martin Perelman said he expected the Croatian back soon. The Earthquakes will be without Nonso Adimabua (lower body), former Lion Earl Edwards Jr. (lower body), DeJuan Jones (lower body), and Tsakiris (you guessed it, lower body…come on, San Jose).

Match Content

Our most recent PawedCast includes our key matchups and score predictions for tonight’s match.

Official Lineups:

Orlando City (4-4-2)

Goalkeeper: Maxime Crepeau.

Defenders: Adrian Marin, David Brekalo, Robin Jansson, Griffin Dorsey.

Midfielders: Ivan Angulo, Braian Ojeda, Eduard Atuesta, Tiago.

Forwards: Justin Ellis, Antoine Griezmann.

Bench: Javier Otero, Bernardo Rhein, Tahir Reid-Brown, Zakaria Taifi, Iago, Wilder Cartagena, Luis Otavio, Harvey Sarajian, Tyrese Spicer

San Jose Earthquakes (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Angus Gunn.

Defenders: Jamar Ricketts, Reid Roberts, Daniel Munie, Benjamin Kikanovic.

Defensive Midfielders: Beau Lerouox, Ronaldo Vieira.

Attacking Midfielders: Timo Werner, Nick Fernandez, Ousseni Bouda.

Forwards: Preston Judd.

Bench: Jonathan Gonzalez, Dave Romney, Paul Marie, Jack Skahan, Jack Jasinski, Ian Harkes, Francesco Montali, Max Floriani, Darius Johnson.

Referees

REF: Elijio Arreguin.
AR1: Adam Wienckowski.
AR2: Mike Nickerson.
4TH: Timothy Ford.
VAR: Jose Carlos Rivero.
AVAR: TJ Zablocki.

How to Watch

Match Time: 10:30 p.m.

Venue: PayPal Park — San Jose, CA.

TV/Live Stream: Apple TV.

Radio: AM 810 FOX Sports Radio Orlando (English), Mega 97.1 FM (Spanish), Nossa Rádio 1160 AM-WRLZ (Portuguese).

Social Media: For rapid reaction and live updates, follow us on Bluesky Social at @themaneland.bsky.social or follow Orlando City’s official Twitter (@OrlandoCitySC) or Bluesky (@OrlandoCitySC) feed.

Enjoy the match. Go City!