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Orlando City vs. Philadelphia Union: Five Takeaways

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9 years ago

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In Orlando City’s third appearance of “Viernes de Futbol” this season, the Lions fell to the Philadelphia Union on a goal-of-the-week contender from Tranquillo Barnetta in the last minute of the match. Going on the road, on a short week and short-handed, the deck seemed stacked against Orlando City.

The Lions’ listless performance couldn’t be shaken off, as the cold temperature made tired legs evident as the clock continued to tick off and the sloppy play came back to haunt Orlando City. Here are the five biggest takeaways from the match.

Rafael Ramos Not Living Up To His New Contract

Ramos entered the 2016 season after just signing a muti-year contract, which gave him a significant raise, but so far he has failed to impress with his play this year. His performance against the Union was the worst so far in a series of bad performances. He had numerous turnovers, bad passes, and a howler of a soft clearance which directly fed C.J. Sapong on the first goal of the night only two minutes into the match.

Ramos has been caught ball watching instead of defending, like in the home opener against Real Salt Lake, outplayed against the Chicago Fire, and easily dispossessed of the ball against New York City, while managing a lucky assist. The only real positive from Ramos this year is that he has been able to control his temper, so he has yet to be booked this season.

This isn’t good enough.

Back Line Woes

This loss is not on Joe Bendik. He valiantly made saves when his line let him down and poor defending made the four corners from the Union look dangerous. In addition to the poor play from Ramos, Aurelien Collin demonstrated why he hasn’t been starting for Head Coach Adrian Heath, by pulling the shape of the back four off, causing too much space in front of Bendik. Luke Boden had an off night with his passing and barely crossed the ball. Seb Hines was the best of the back line, which isn’t saying much. Missing two starters with Tommy Redding and Brek Shea was noticeable. There seemed to be a lack of cohesiveness and I felt we could have seen the debut of Kevin Alston, but Heath decided not to go to his bench for the substitution. Oh, about those substitutions…

Subs Too Late To Make A Difference

The depth of the team has been touted as its strength, and it was on display in Philadelphia. Missing Cyle Larin, Cristian Higuita, Tommy Redding, Brek Shea and Pedro Ribeiro caused the Lions to only field 17 available players on the game-day roster. Lacking a full bench, Heath decided not to change out any players while the Union made adjustments in the second half. Perhaps he felt the team could hang on for a draw, but Kevin Molino and Antonio Nocerino looked gassed by the 70th minute. The combination of the cold with tired legs made the Lions foul more, giving up dangerous free kicks to the Union.

Why didn’t Heath make adjustments to change the game in favor of Orlando City? What did he know to give token appearances to Julio Baptista and Carlos Rivas past the 90th minute? If he really wanted to go for the win, Heath would have changed things sooner. It was pointless on multiple levels.

Molino Mania Still Not Running Wild

Kevin Molino could not back up his excellent performance against the Timbers with the same level of play against the Union. He was good, but not great. Molino managed to assist on Adrian Winter’s goal, but only mustered one shot the whole game. He needs to shoot more; Seb Hines out-shot him. Kevin just seemed to tire late. I’m going to say the cold temperatures played a factor in fatigue.

There’s no question Molino belongs in MLS; the question for me is, are the expectations for Kevin too high?

Winter Is Underrated

The man of the match for Orlando City was Adrian Winter. He has consistently proven his worth with the pace of his game and willingness to take shots on goal. He almost pulled some magic if it wasn’t for what could end up being save of the week from Andre Blake. While people wonder who would step up with Cyle Larin injured, Winter was all over the pitch with Kaká. When Orlando City has all its players back and healthy, Winter will end up on the bench, but he has made a case for himself in the starting XI.

Those are my five takeaways. Let me hear from you, fair readers, with your thoughts by leaving a comment below.

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Lion Links: 6/5/25

MLS All-Star voting update, Kerry Abello shines with USWNT, Sergio Zapata earns recognition, and more.

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16 hours ago

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June 5, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this week has been treating you well as we enjoy some international soccer and prepare for the return of NWSL action this weekend. Before we jump right into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City B midfielder Dylan Judelson!

Pair of Lions Lead MLS All-Star Voting

Voting for this year’s MLS All-Star Game remains underway and an update was provided on which players are leading at each position. Orlando City defender Alex Freeman leads all right backs as he enjoys a breakout season. I was aware of the buzz he’s been getting this year, but it’s still surprising to see a Lion as an All-Star frontrunner. What’s even more surprising is that Pedro Gallese leads the voting for goalkeepers. The Peruvian made a rough gaffe last week, but has otherwise had a stellar season with Orlando that’s included seven clean sheets. Voting will close on June 11, so make sure to get those votes in before then.

Kerry Abello Impresses With USMNT

Orlando Pride defender Kerry Abello made her first appearance for the United States Women’s National Team Tuesday, playing every minute of the 4-0 win over Jamaica. The versatility she’s shown with the Pride translated well in Head Coach Emma Hayes’ system, as she was able to hold things down defensively and contribute to the attack as well. Abello could end up bringing solid depth to the USWNT as Hayes figures out the team’s future core of players. Enjoy this video from the USWNT that provides a look behind the scenes of Abello’s international debut.

Sergio Zapata Named Player of the Month

Sergio Zapata scored a whopping 11 goals for Orlando City’s U-19 team over the course of just four matches in May, winning the honor of MLS NEXT Player of the Month. He had three hat tricks last month, including one against Hoosier Premier at MLS NEXT Fest. Zapata committed to Cornell, so hopefully we’ll get to see him tear it up in the Ivy League over the next couple of years.

Zack Steffen Sustains Knee Injury

Goalkeeper Zack Steffen injured his knee at the United States Men’s National Team’s training camp and will reportedly miss this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup. It’s rough news for the 30-year-old, as he was expected to compete with Matt Turner for the starting job with the USMNT. He’s been having a great season with the Colorado Rapids and returned to the club for further evaluation on the injury.

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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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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/4/25

USWNT wins as Abello gets first cap, Orlando Pride’s Concacaf W Champions Cup draw, Club World Cup in Orlando, and more.

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2 days ago

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June 4, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Tuesday was a busy soccer day, especially on the women’s side. We have plenty of Orlando Pride news, and the USWNT secured yet another victory. I’m hoping the good vibes continue since I’ll be coming down to Orlando for the Pride’s match this Saturday. If you’re going to the match, let me know, as I’d love to meet as many of our readers as possible. For now, let’s get to the links.

USWNT Blanks Jamaica

The USWNT defeated Jamaica 4-0 in a friendly at Energizer Park in St. Louis. The Orlando Pride’s Kerry Abello got her first start and her first cap in the match. She went the full 90 minutes and almost had her first international goal in the second half, but the chance went a bit wide of the right post. Ally Sentnor and Lynn Biyendolo each scored a brace as the U.S. rolled to an easy win.

Pride Internationals

Abello wasn’t the only Pride player to make an international appearance. Marta returned to international duty for Brazil getting the start and the captain’s armband in a 2-1 win over Japan. Both Grace Chanda and Barbra Banda started for Zambia in the 2-0 loss to South Africa in the Three Nations Challenge. Congratulations are also due to Zara Chavoshi, who earned her first cap with the Canadian Women’s National Team in the match against Haiti.

Concacaf W Champions Cup Draw

The Concacaf W Champions Cup draw happened yesterday and the Orlando Pride are in Group A with Club America Femenil, CF Pachuca Femenil, LD Alajuelense, and Chorrillo FC. Group B consists of NJ/NY Gotham FC, the Washington Spirit, CF Monterrey Femenil, Vancouver Rise FC Academy, and Alianza Women FC. The competition kicks off Aug. 19-21.

FIFA Loves Orlando

FIFA President Gianni Infantino sat for an interview with Jamie Seh of WKMG Orlando. Infantino spoke about the upcoming Club World Cup matches at Inter&Co Stadium and Camping World Stadium. FIFA loves Orlando enough for the city to host the Club World Cup, but not the actual World Cup. Here is the schedule for the matches in Orlando. We will be bringing you coverage of these matches.

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That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the return of the Orlando Pride this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 6/3/25

Orlando City B announces signings, details of Concacaf W Champions Cup, UEFA Nations League preview, and more.

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3 days ago

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June 3, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Good morning, everyone. It’s been a pretty brutal last two games for Orlando City, there’s no getting around that fact. While it’s never fun to not have the team in action, a two-week break between games maybe isn’t the worst thing in this particular case. Even though it’ll be a minute before the Lions are back in action, we still have plenty of things to talk about, so let’s get into today’s links.

Orlando City B Announces Signings

Orlando City B announced on Monday that it has signed Clovis Archange and Jackson Platts to MLS NEXT Pro contracts. The pair are graduates of the Orlando City Development Academy and were part of the team that won the U-18 Generation Adidas Cup earlier this year. The 18-year-old Platts captained the team in the final, while Archange was named as one of the players to watch before the tournament started. They’ve both featured for their countries at the youth level, with Platts appearing for the United States U-16 and U-18 teams, and Archange suiting up for Canada’s U-17 side. Congratulations to both players!

Concacaf Announces W Champions Cup Details

Concacaf has named the 10 teams that will participate 2025-2026 Concacaf W Champions Cup and has announced the pots for tonight’s draw. The Orlando Pride are one of three American teams participating in the second year of the competition, and have been placed into Pot 2. Teams will be divided into two groups of five, with each team facing every club in its group once, and the top two sides from each group then advancing to the semifinals. The winner gets a spot in the 2027 FIFA Women’s Champions Cup, and the FIFA Women’s Club World Cup, which is set to be held for the first time in 2028. The draw takes place tonight at 8 p.m.

UEFA Nations League Preview

The UEFA Nations League returns this week, with the semifinals set for tomorrow and Thursday, and the third-place game and final taking place on Sunday. Things get started on Wednesday afternoon with Germany facing off against Portugal in Munich. Germany put away Italy 5-4 on aggregate in the quarterfinals to get to the semis for the first time, while Portugal beat Denmark 5-2, and is hunting for its second Nations League trophy. Thursday has Spain taking on France in Stuttgart. The Spanish beat the Netherlands on penalties in the semis to get here, while France took out Croatia on penalties to punch its ticket. There’s plenty of recent history in this one as these teams also met in the semifinals of Euro 2024 last year, with Spain claiming a 2-1 win.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

The transfer rumor mill has kicked into full swing, so let’s catch up on some of the big talking points. Starting in England, Manchester United has reportedly increased its interest in Brian Mbuemo, with the Brentford forward said to also be interested in moving to the club. There are said to be a number of Premier League teams interested in signing Southampton midfielder Tyler Dibling after his team was relegated to the Championship this season. Jobe Bellingham will reportedly follow in his brother Jude’s footsteps, as he’s reportedly decided to join Borussia Dortmund. Finally, Inter Milan is reportedly interested in signing Marcus Rashford as the Italians look to rebuild the squad following a brutal defeat in the UEFA Champions League final.

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  • Here’s a first look at Alex Freeman in his USMNT kit:

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

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