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Orlando City vs. Esporte Clube Bahia: Final Score 6-1 as Lions Roll behind Seb Hines’ Four Header Goals

Center back Seb Hines had a night to remember as the Lions dismembered Brazilian club Bahia at the Citrus Bowl in the team’s final preseason match.

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9 years ago

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Nick Leyva, The Mane Land

Orlando City used set piece magic to make up for wasted chances in the run of play to beat Brazilian side Esporte Clube Bahia 6-1 at the Orlando Citrus Bowl in front of an announced crowd of 18,619. In the club’s final preseason match of 2016, Seb Hines was the unlikely scorer of a hat trick plus one, tallying four goals with his head off Kaká set pieces, and Pedro Ribeiro and Darwin Ceren each added a score from the run of play in a game Orlando City completely dominated.

Hines may have to register his noggin as a lethal weapon after murdering Bahia in the air all night. Orlando City has worked hard on set pieces throughout the preseason and it paid off in spades tonight with Kaká finding the English-American four times in total, with three off corners and one on a free kick.

“It’s very unlikely to score more than one in a game, so to score four, I’m very proud and happy to do so,” Hines said. “It just fell on my head. It was great delivery from Ricky. I just tried to get my head on everything that came into the box. Lucky for me it went in the back of the net. I would like to save some for the league but you can’t pick and choose.”

Adrian Heath opened up with a 4-3-2-1 formation — a change from his preferred 4-2-3-1 — with Joe Bendik in goal and a back four of Brek Shea, David Mateos, Hines, and Rafael Ramos. The three-man central midfield featured Servando Carrasco tucked in behind Ribeiro and Ceren, with an attacking midfield of Kaká and Kevin Molino behind the lone striker, Cyle Larin.

The midfield played fluidly throughout the game, changing positions, and shape, and confounding Bahia with their movement. Molino was a danger man throughout the match but despite several outstanding set-ups, none of his teammates could finish for him. Molino, who played 45 minutes against Fort Lauderdale in the midweek, was the only player subbed out, leaving in the 60th minute for Adrian Winter.

Bahia took the lead just 52 seconds into the match when defender Hayner sent a through ball to Ze Roberto, who split the Lions’ center backs with pace and fired a shot that Bendik got a piece of but could not keep out. Before the crowd had even settled in, the Brazilian side had a 1-0 lead.

It didn’t last long. Orlando City settled into the game and started earning free kicks and corners all over the offensive third. The Lions pulled level at the 12′ mark. Kaká sent a corner to the far post that Hines nodded home from a severe angle to knot the score at 1-1.

Bahia Head Coach Doriva, who was a teammate of Hines at Middlesbrough once upon a time, said through a translator that Hines gave his team problems because he’s tall and attacks the ball in the air well. He said tonight’s struggles against the Orlando center back will give his team something to work on going forward.

It was the beginning of a mostly dominant half for Orlando City, which certainly should have been ahead at the half instead of level at 1-1. Larin had two outstanding chances to score, chipping just over the bar after taking a heavy touch trying to settle it in the box at 27 minutes, and then blasting well high just three minutes later, after Ribeiro’s pass had given the Canadian international a sitter. At 33 minutes, Kaká was sent in beautifully by Molino but keeper Marcelo Lomba got a touch on it and sent it inches wide. Molino also set up Ceren in the box but Lomba came out and smothered the Salvadoran’s attempt.

Hines’ second of the game gave the Lions a 2-1 lead in the 58th minute, cutting across the top of the six-yard box to finish Kaká’s corner cross. In the 71st minute he completed his hat trick despite being held initially. He broke free on a cross that may have gone in without his assistance, as Kaká’s corner had a wicked bend on it that might have been an Olimpico if not for Hines’ touch.

The fourth came on a free kick earned by Larin just outside the box to the left of the Bahia keeper in the 86th minute. A low, hard cross was thumped into the net by a charging Hines to make it 5-1, as Ribeiro had made it 4-1 just eight minutes earlier after collecting a blocked attempt by Larin and left-footing it past second-half Bahia keeper Jean.

“When the fourth went in I couldn’t believe it, to be honest,” Hines said, who added that he probably hasn’t scored that many goals in a game since he was 13.

Ceren closed the scoring in the 88th minute with a chip off a bad Bahia turnover.

Bahia had trouble generating much after its first-minute goal. Aside from a few long-distance attempts, they rattled the bar late, already down several goals. There was another chance off a Ceren turnover for Bahia but the shot went wide.

Hines said the off-season work on the set pieces was key to the win and to his big night.

“It’s massive,” he said. “We have a big side, so the gaffer emphasizes how important set pieces are, attacking and defending. He’s made it clear that he wants more goal this season and it can help the strikers if us defenders and other players on the field can get more goals from set pieces.”

Heath was measured after the big win.

“Obviously delighted with the scoreline,” he said. “I thought there was a lot of good stuff and a lot of stuff we’ve got to work on.”

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Opinion

Orlando City’s Lack of Off-Season Signings Starting to Become a Concern

The Lions’ roster hasn’t gotten any bigger in the last few weeks, so it’s understandable if fans are getting a bit antsy.

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7 hours ago

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January 30, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Three weeks ago I wrote that there was no reason to panic about Orlando City’s lack of off-season signings. It was early in January, and the club typically does a lot of its business throughout the first month of the year. Since then, the club signed Nicolas Rodriguez, but the Lions also traded Mason Stajduhar, and forward Jack Lynn retired. That is more subtraction than addition for a team looking to make it to the next level. Is it now time to panic?

The departure of Stajduhar hits Orlando City supporters in the feels given how long he was with the club, but one may assume the coaches have seen enough from Javier Otero to be confident in his ability to back up Pedro Gallese. The club still needs to bring in another keeper [Editor’s note: this story was written prior to the club signing Carlos Mercado this morning], but Stajduhar’s departure isn’t as big of a problem as it might first seem.

We don’t know how long Duncan McGuire will be unavailable once the season starts. Even if he’s back sooner than expected, Orlando City will still be lacking at the striker position. Ramiro Enrique has proven he can be a starter, but with Jack Lynn’s departure, there isn’t anyone behind him. While Luis Muriel is technically a striker, he tends to play further back in a facilitator role rather than as an actual No. 9. We haven’t seen any transfer moves for a new striker.

The Lions got a big influx of cash, thanks to the Facundo Torres deal. Replacing the goal production of Orlando City’s all-time leading goal scorer is a priority. So far, the club has brought in Rodriguez as an MLS U22 Initiative player. Despite the similarities between the two, Rodriguez is not a replacement for Torres. It is unrealistic to expect the young man to score double-digit goals his first year in MLS.

I’m not even worried about the attacking midfield. As I mentioned above, Muriel is best as a facilitator, Martin Ojeda is now wearing the No. 10 jersey, and Ivan Angulo can play on either side. It’s Torres’ goal contributions I’m worried about missing. Orlando City needs to replace that production sooner rather than later or another slow start seems certain.

I’m not going to address the Wilder Cartagena injury until we know more, but that is also potentially very bad news. That brings us to today. The team is already deep into its preseason trip to Mexico. This is the trip that in the past has been the time when the team truly bonds. Any players brought in at this point will obviously miss that valuable time.

Additionally, unless a signing is someone who has already played in MLS — which is incredibly rare for this front office — it is going to take them time to adapt to the league as well as the club and their new teammates. That brings us back to the real potential for another slow start to the season.

When you have roster turnover, the idea is to bring in players that are better than the players that departed. We know that the ownership is serious about winning. The 2022 Open Cup victory and the Orlando Pride’s two 2024 trophies are a testament to that. Now, it’s time to see that commitment with some substantial signings for City. In some ways, I feel the club has left it a little late, but I’ll take what I can get at this point.

I’m not saying it’s time to panic — though I won’t tell you not to do so — but I’m definitely getting a bit concerned. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/30/25

Orlando City reveals kickoff events, women’s transfer market grows, Tanner Tessmann named U.S. Young Male Player of the Year, and more.

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11 hours ago

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January 30, 2025

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

We’re all another day closer to the return of Orlando soccer and I can’t wait. I’ve been whittling the days away with reading, writing, and taking far too many photos of my cat. This month has flown by for me, and I’m not complaining too much about it. Let’s dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world.

Orlando City Announces Kickoff Events

In preparation for Orlando City’s 2025 season, the club announced various events before the season opener at home against the Philadelphia Union on Feb. 22. The launch for the team’s new primary kit will take place on Feb. 12 at the Canvas Event Venue, with fans in attendance able to get the jersey and meet players. Other events throughout February include a chalk talk, musical bingo night, and plenty of ways to get merch ahead of the season. However, the Purple Pride 5K is not listed, which is a bit disappointing considering it would have been the 10th annual edition of the event.

Analyzing the Women’s Soccer Transfer Market

American defender Naomi Girma’s move from San Diego Wave FC to Chelsea was the first to break the $1 million threshold for transfer fees in women’s soccer and The Athletic ($) dove into which players could warrant similar spending from clubs in the future. Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda was one such player noted. Banda did fantastic in her first season in the league last year, starred in the past two Olympics, and is still only 24 years old. Only time will tell if Europe can entice her before her contract in Orlando is up, but clubs would likely pay seven figures for her services. Americans Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman could also surpass that $1 million mark, along with NWSL MVP Temwa Chawinga and Paris FC’s Clara Mateo.

Tanner Tessmann Named U.S. Young Male Player of the Year

U.S. Soccer announced that midfielder Tanner Tessmann was voted 2024 U.S. Soccer Young Male Player of the Year after a solid year for both club and country. The 23-year-old captained the U.S. at the Olympics last summer and started for the senior team in both Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal games against Jamaica. A regular starter for Venezia last year, Tessmann scored in the promotion playoffs to help the team earn a spot in Serie A. He was then transferred to Olympique Lyon in August and has taken part in the Europa League. Tessmann received 70% of the vote, winning the award over Gianluca Busio and Niko Tsakiris.

Champions League First Stage Wraps Up

The UEFA Champions League’s league phase is finally over, with eight clubs already through to the round of 16 and 16 set to take part in a knockout round. Manchester City escaped elimination after a 3-1 win over Club Brugge that resulted in both teams advancing to the knockout stage. A hat trick from Ousmane Dembele lifted Paris Saint-Germain to a 4-1 win against Stuttgart and secure 15th in the standings. Aston Villa, Lille, and Bayer Leverkusen all won to clinch a spot in the round of 16, all three benefiting from Atalanta coming up short in a 2-2 draw with Barcelona. AC Milan lost 2-1 to Dinamo Zagreb in a match that included Christian Pulisic scoring and Yunus Musah being sent off. Liverpool’s perfect run came to an end following a 3-2 loss to PSV Eindhoven, but it still topped the standings.

While I found the new league phase to be a bit underwhelming, the knockout stage should provide some intriguing matchups. The draw will take place on Friday, but we already know that Manchester City will play either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich and Juventus will face either AC Milan or PSV Eindhoven.

Free Kicks

  • MLS Season Pass will broadcast a featured game with enhanced production on Sunday nights. It’s a solid strategy and hopefully it can catch on and become something fans across the country look forward to each week.
  • The Chicago Fire are set for a nice payday if Jhon Duran completes his move from Aston Villa to Al-Nassr.
  • Giovanni Reyna earned some style points for this assist in Borussia Dortmund’s 3-1 win against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League.

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: 1/29/25

Orlando City’s cup competitions, Orlando Pride’s new home kit leak, NWSL’s top 2025 matches, and more.

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1 day ago

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January 29, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Orlando City’s preseason continues in Mexico, where the Lions played a closed door match against Canadian Premier League club Forge FC in Cancun on Tuesday. The club didn’t release any details on the match (more on that below), but the feature image is from the scrimmage. For now, let’s get to today’s links!

Orlando City Cup Competitions

Orlando City will compete in two of the four North American cup competitions in 2025. After a year away, the Lions return to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup along with 15 other MLS clubs and 10 MLS Next Pro participants. Orlando City will also take part in the Leagues Cup with 17 other MLS clubs and 18 Liga MX clubs. The Lions did not qualify for the Concacaf Champions Cup, nor will they compete in the Canadian Championship for obvious geographical reasons.

Lions Remain Scoreless in Preseason

While Orlando City didn’t release any details from Tuesday’s scrimmage, the folks at TrueNorthFoot reported that the Lions and Forge FC played to a 0-0 draw in Cancun Tuesday. The photos released by the club mostly featured younger players, and it’s not surprising that the offense isn’t sharp at this stage, but at least the defense is doing well through two matches. The next scrimmage will take place Feb. 5 against Atlanta United.

Pride Home Kit Leak?

From now on, all Orlando Pride kits will have a star above the crest (or more, pending future results). Like many of you, I’ve eagerly awaited what the next home kit will look like. We now have a glimpse, if a leak from Footy Headlines is accurate.

ohwww.footyheadlines.com/2025/01/mass…

— andré (@838carlisle.bsky.social) 2025-01-28T15:14:13.357Z

I really hope that picture doesn’t convey how purple the kit is supposed to be. I’m also not a big fan of the crest in the center thing, but they don’t let me make those decisions. If the new kit doesn’t float your boat, you can pick up some previous Pride kits from the club’s official shop at a nice discount.

The Orlando Pride are Must-Watch TV

As the defending NWSL Shield and NWSL Cup winners, it’s not a surprise that the Orlando Pride earned three spots on All for XI’s Top 10 Must-Watch NWSL Games in 2025 list, including the top spot. The matches against NJ/NY Gotham FC, the Kansas City Current, and of course, a rematch against the Washington Spirit will certainly draw big viewership numbers.

NWSL Expansion Update

An official announcement adding Denver to the cities with an NWSL club is expected in the near future. Prior to that commissioner Jessica Berman hinted that there are plans to further expand the league. If Denver joins as planned, the team’s ownership will pay a record $110 million franchise fee. You can expect those fees to continue to grow as the league does the same.

Free Kicks

  • Remember Amro Tarek? He made 20 appearances for Orlando City back in 2018. If you don’t remember him, that’s all right since Austin FC supporters will almost certainly remember him for this fun fact.
  • Some pretty big names have left the NWSL for other shores. While the story includes the Pride’s Mariana Larroquette, she’s not quite the biggest name on the list, and she’s also only on loan until July 1.
  • The U.S. Open Cup has tweaked the competition rules so that teams must use primary venues when possible. If they cannot, the team will be on the hook for any differences in the cost to broadcast the match.

That will do it for today. Have a great rest of the week. Vamos Orlando!

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