Connect with us

Orlando City

Orlando City at New England Revolution: Five Takeaways

Published

9 years ago

on

We can enjoy half-off pizza today thanks to some late heroics from Carlos Rivas as he opened his scoring account in MLS. Also, we can actually go a full week without talking about the refs–which I’m very grateful for. In fact, I’d say Robert Sibiga actually was kind to the Lions when he could have easily booked Darwin CerĂ©n a second time with some hard fouls after getting booked in the 24th minute and getting a talking to.

Things got nervy when Kevin Molino had to leave the match as well as when the Revs hit the post late. Overall, I think we’re all glad to see the Lions come home with a point. Now, let’s take a closer look and point out the five takeaways from the match.

Orlando City Will Only Go As Far As the Back Line Takes It

Let’s be honest, after giving up three goals last match while looking bad, there was pressure on the team to get a positive result against the Revs. But it wasn’t looking good for the boys in purple after conceding an early goal. The gaffer changed things up by keeping Redding on the bench and giving David Mateos his first start of the season. Even with making an adjustment, the Revs kept wreaking havoc on Orlando City’s left side of the pitch. Brek Shea and Seb Hines gave up the goals and left Joe Bendik high and dry. With the team through several matches this season, it’s time to reconsider the best place for Shea to play and after trading AurĂ©lien Collin, there are even fewer options defensively. Something needs to be addressed if the Lions hope to make a run in the playoffs.

Joe Bendik Addition Is the Best Move Of the Off-Season

Eight matches into the season, Joe Bendik has been better than advertised. His play has allowed the Lions to walk away from matches, like the one in New England, with points. He hasn’t had great support from the defenders in front of him, but there isn’t one goal which can directly be put on Bendik.

His play is strong enough to consider him MVP of the team for the first quarter of the season. It’s time to stop talking about last year’s goalkeepers. Joe has earned the respect of the City Beautiful based on his level of play. If the team makes a move to improve the back line, Bendik should lead the team deep in the playoffs.

Depth Proves Its Worth

One of the biggest improvements for Orlando City from a first year expansion team to a second year team is the quality of depth. The players coming off the bench for Heath this season is much more talented than it was last season. When the subs make it onto the pitch like against the Revs, they can give a boost of energy to a team that looked flat for most of the second half. Servando Carrasco was active from the first minute he was inserted into the match and putting in Rivas and Baptista proved its worth with three shots on goal from the two subs, the one from Rivas being the equalizer. Last year, the Lions would more than likely not gotten results like this. Being able to get points even when you are not playing your best is the key to an improving side.

Kevin Molino Is A Difference Maker

No KakĂĄ, no problem for this year’s Lions. A big part of that has been the play of Kevin Molino. He was distributing the ball all along the left side of the pitch. His effort was rewarded when he scored his third goal of the season in the 30th minute and bringing Orlando City level before the half. It’s good to have Molino on the pitch and if he can keep up his high level consistently, it’s going to be a good year for the Orlando City attack.

Best Game From Cyle Larin Without A Goal

Larin didn’t get on the score sheet, but that didn’t mean the young Canadian striker didn’t have an impact on the game. He was getting mugged all match, drawing attention from two defenders the whole night. He also got cheated out of recording an least one if not two assists because he looked to play a part in both goals. When the Lions went on the offense, Larin contribution allowed the Lions to draw the match.

There you have it, those are my five takeaways for the match. Leave me a comment and let me know where I was wrong and what I missed! Or, you know, what I did well.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/26/25

Orlando City rises in MLS power rankings, Emily Sams called up, Orlando City B faces Crown Legacy FC tonight, and more.

Published

22 hours ago

on

March 26, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve been spending the week reading and eating my way through a pork shoulder after making way too much of it in my slow cooker this weekend. It wasn’t as tender as I was shooting for, but it’ll take some time before I can take another crack at it. But enough about that, let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Orlando City Rises in MLS Power Rankings

The league’s latest power rankings are out and Orlando City has moved up two spots to 14th after its 4-1 victory over D.C. United. Orlando’s Designated Players are firing on all cylinders and no MLS team has scored more goals this year. The breakout of 20-year-old defender Alex Freeman, who was noted as one of the top young performers from this past weekend, is also worth recognition. The Lions have been in need of a young player to step up, and Freeman has done well so far. Orlando will be back in action on Saturday for a road match against an LA Galaxy side still searching for its first win of the season.

Emily Sams Called Up For USWNT Friendlies

Orlando Pride defender Emily Sams was one of 24 players called up by United States Women’s National Team Head Coach Emma Hayes for the training camp prior to friendlies against Brazil next month. Forward Trinity Rodman, who hasn’t played for the U.S. since the Olympics, is back in the mix after missing time due to injury. Houston Dash defender Avery Patterson and Manchester United goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce are other interesting players to keep an eye on. The U.S. will take on Brazil April 5 at SoFi Stadium before a rematch on April 8 at PayPal Park.

OCB Plays Crown Legacy FC Tonight

The Young Lions are back in action tonight for a road match against Crown Legacy FC at 7 p.m. It’s OCB’s first away match of the season after a pair of solid results at Osceola Heritage Park to start the season. Orlando will take on a Crown Legacy team that’s only played one game so far this season, losing a shootout to New York City FC II after a 1-1 draw back on March 7. Following tonight’s match, OCB will get some time off before taking on Chattanooga FC in Tennessee on April 5.

Takeaway From USMNT Defeats

After losing both Concacaf Nations League matches, there is plenty of concern surrounding the United States Men’s National Team as it prepares for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Fullback Joe Scally struggled in both matches, putting more of an emphasis on Antonee Robinson and Sergino Dest being ready to roll next summer. Weston McKennie lost duels left and right and there are some real questions regarding where he fits in Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino’s system. There were bright spots as well though. Diego Luna and Patrick Agyemang likely boosted their stock after solid offensive efforts, and Tanner Tessmann was effective in his time on the field. Overall, the Yanks will have to be better in this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup.

Free Kicks

That’s all I have for you all this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday. Go Young Lions!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/25/25

Lions earn plaudits, Marco Pasalic up for Goal of the Week, Kylie Nadaner’s performance honored, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

March 25, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Tuesday, everyone! It was a great weekend for Orlando soccer as the two teams that were in action each picked up wins for a six-point weekend. It was done in exciting fashion too, as Orlando City and the Orlando Pride combined to score six goals between them. With a little luck, we’ll get to enjoy some similar results this coming weekend. We’ve got a lot to discuss this morning though, so let’s talk through today’s links.

Lions’ Performances Earn Plaudits

Orlando City blew D.C. United away 4-1 on Saturday, and some of the key performers from the win have been rewarded with places in the MLS Team of the Matchday. Martin Ojeda and Alex Freeman are named to the starting XI while Luis Muriel slots in on the bench to ensure the squad has a decidedly purple tint. Ojeda tallied a goal and two assists in a Man of the Match performance, Freeman did his best to match him with a goal and an assist of his own, and Muriel made his own impact by scoring the opening goal and logging a secondary assist. Here’s hoping they keep up the good work!

Marco Pasalic Up for Weekly Honors

Marco Pasalic was the only goal scorer from Saturday’s win to not be included in the MLS Team of the Matchday, but instead he finds himself nominated for the MLS Goal of the Matchday. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you which strike I’m talking about, but in case you’ve been living under a rock for the last several days, the Croatian did this to score Orlando’s fourth goal of the win.

Between the fluid buildup and the beauty of the strike itself, if this doesn’t win Goal of the Week then we live in a world without justice. Make sure you go vote!

Pride’s Kylie Nadaner Earns Recognition

The Orlando Pride beat NJ/NY Gotham FC 2-0 on the road on Sunday, and center back Kylie Nadaner has been nominated for the NWSL Player of the Week due to her contributions in the match. Nadaner got the start at center back and helped the Pride keep a clean sheet — marking the first time the club has ever begun a season with back-to-back shutouts. While it wasn’t the Pride’s cleanest defensive performance, Nadaner and her fellow defenders mostly did a good job at preventing any truly dangerous chances, and in the end Orlando picked up three good points away from home.

U.S. Women Announce Three Matches

The United States Women’s National Team has announced three friendlies that will take place during the summer, with two occurring in June and the other in early July. The first two will be against Ireland in Colorado on June 26 and again against the Irish on June 29 in Cincinnati. The last match will be held on July 2 with an opponent and location for the game to be announced at a later date. It will be the first meeting between the U.S. and Ireland since April 2023, when the sides met in a pair of matches during the buildup to the 2023 Women’s World Cup. The USWNT won both of those matches and will try to replicate the feat in a few months.

Free Kicks

  • Barba Banda had hateful language directed towards her during Sunday’s game, and the NWSL, Pride, and Gotham FC have all come out with strong responses.

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

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/24/25

Lions and Pride win, USMNT falls to Canada, UEFA Nations League quarterfinals recap, and more.

Published

3 days ago

on

March 24, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve had a very busy week, finishing my orientation and ballpark training to return to working ballgames and concerts at Wrigley Field for the Chicago Cubs. Our Lions and Pride won while OCB was off this weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Beats D.C. United at Home

Orlando City defeated D.C. United 4-1 on Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium in a dominating performance. Luis Muriel, Martin Ojeda, Alex Freeman, and Marco Pasalic all scored for the Lions as they raced out to a 4-0 lead. You’ve no doubt heard this a lot since Saturday, but it was the first time in club history that all three Designated Players for Orlando scored a goal in the same match. Also, Freeman became the second-youngest player in club history to score a goal and add an assist in the same match. The youngest was Daryl Dike.

D.C. United pulled one back in stoppage time, but the Lions claimed the three points. Goalkeeper Javier Otero made his first MLS start while Pedro Gallese was away on international duty with Peru, and despite not getting a shutout, he made six saves. Orlando City will be on the road for its next match Saturday, facing the LA Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park.

Orlando Pride Shut Out NJ/NY Gotham FC on the Road

The Orlando Pride defeated NJ/NY Gotham FC 2-0 Sunday at Sports Illustrated Stadium to get back-to-back wins to start the season. The Pride were the fortunate recipients of an own goal from Gotham defender Lilly Reale to take an early lead in the first half. Angelina’s crafty cutback drew a penalty just before halftime, and Marta converted it from the spot to extend Orlando’s lead to two goals just before halftime. The Pride held on to earn the shutout to secure their first road win of the season. The Pride return home to Inter&Co Stadium on Saturday to take on San Diego Wave FC.

USMNT Falls to Canada in Nations League Third-Place Match

On Sunday, the U.S. Men’s National Team fell 2-1 to Canada at SoFi Stadium in the third-place match in the Concacaf Nations League. It’s the second consecutive loss for the USMNT after dropping a 1-0 decision to Panama in the semifinals last week. The Yanks finish fourth in the tournament after winning the first three editions. Canada struck first before Patrick Agyemang scored the equalizer for the USMNT just before halftime. Jonathan David scored the winning goal in the second half to seal the win for Canada. The USMNT has lost consecutive matches to Canada for the first time since 1985. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup just 14 months away, things don’t look good at the moment for the United States men. The next pair of matches are friendlies against Turkey on June 7 and Switzerland on June 10.

UEFA Nations League Quarterfinals Recap

There was plenty of drama Sunday in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Nations League. France overturned a 2-0 deficit in the first leg and defeated Croatia 5-4 on penalties after a 2-0 win in the second leg to advance. Spain also defeated the Netherlands 5-4 on penalties to advance after the second leg ended in a 3-3 draw and level 5-5 on aggregate. Germany blew a three-goal lead in the second leg against Italy to end the match in a 3-3 draw but won 5-4 on aggregate to move on to the semifinals. Portugal needed extra time against Denmark after being tied 3-3 on aggregate in the second leg. Francisco Trincao scored his second goal of the match, and Goncalo Ramos added another in extra time to help Portugal win 5-3 on aggregate after a 5-2 win in the second leg. The semifinals are set as Portugal faces Germany on June 4 while Spain takes on France on June 5.

Free Kicks

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

Continue Reading

Trending