Orlando City
Intelligence Report: Orlando City at New York City FC, Round 2
The real question for this Sunday’s showdown between Orlando City and New York City FC in the Bronx is who exactly is going to be in the lineup for the visitors. With David Mateos and Cristian Higuita suspended, Kaká on his way to fill in for Douglas Costa on Brazil’s Copa America squad, and a few lingering injuries (Seb Hines, Darwin Ceren), we could see an unusual lineup, a change in formation, or both.
The Lions will try to make it three straight games without a loss but any kind of result has to be looked upon in wonder. After all, Orlando City will be playing its third game in nine days. The lineup will be patchwork and filled with tired legs, and the opponents are 1) at home, 2) on a week’s rest, and 3) furious with last week’s 7-0 home loss to the Red Bulls. They’ve had to sit with that 7-0 defeat eating their souls for a solid week. It’s safe to say there will be plenty of effort given by the hosts tomorrow at Yankee Stadium.
Here again to give us the New York City FC story is Jake Gofman from SB Nation’s NYC blog, Hudson River Blue. If you’d like to see how I answered their queries, you can do that here (note: I sent my responses to them prior to Kaká being called up to the Brazilian Copa America squad, so…yeah).
Since Orlando City and NYCFC last met, the Blues have put together sufficient results to climb among the East’s leaders while the Lions have won once in the last eight outings. What’s behind New York City’s surprising early season results?
Jake Gofman: We got a similar question from Once a Metro last week and you can imagine the joy I expressed in answering that question prior to getting drubbed by Red Bulls. I’m going to try to be more even keel answering you here. I think our five-game unbeaten streak going into that Red Bulls game was something I felt was coming based off of our performances in the early part of the season. We had some good showings early on, out-possessing and out-shooting our opposition, but we had a very difficult time converting.
We had a stretch where we went winless over seven matches, drawing four times and losing three, and in that stretch we were never out-possessed or shot. We averaged 59% of the possession in those games and took 48 more shots than our opponents. Of course, there were games where we were behind and therefore had to shoot more and possess the ball more, but I think in general we were the more dangerous team often.
I think what’s behind our ascendency is a level of comfort now with the formation, personnel, and coach. There are always going to be growing pains with a new coach, and I think a lot of the tactical moves Vieira made needed to be borne out against real competition. There was a healthy amount of tinkering with our team to find the right combinations of players to make it all work. It hasn’t all come together just yet, but I think the talent and tactics are beginning to shine through.
Despite the bright start for NYCFC, last week happened. What on Earth happened last week to allow the New York Red Bulls to romp 7-0 at Yankee Stadium?
JG: Oh boy, I know I’m going to have to answer for this for the next few weeks with every blog, but it doesn’t mean it’s not going to hurt every time.
RBNY destroyed us last week, and has outplayed us in every game of our “rivalry” so far for two reasons: they are a perfect foil to our strategy, and they are proficient in set pieces — something we cannot defend whatsoever. There’s a more complete version of this on our site.
Our strategy since the start has been to play an aesthetically pleasing brand of build-up soccer. Kreis had us playing it last year, and Vieira has us going all out, with a play-out-of-the-back-at-all-costs style. That requires some of our less skilled players (Saunders, Hernandez, Brillant, etc.) to have the ball at their feet constantly while under pressure. Teams in MLS have responded to our strategy by pressing high, but NYC gets away with it because those teams are not pressing teams. Insert Red Bulls, who employ a full-team, high press style of play against all MLS teams. Because they play this style against all clubs, it helps them really take it to a team like NYCFC, who at times can be stubborn. We lost the ball a lot out of the back on Saturday, and I expect that trend to continue if we don’t make a change next time we play.
The other thing that kills us against Red Bulls is our miserable defending on set pieces. We’ve dropped points in each of the last two seasons because of this deficiency, and this past week we gave up two goals to Dax McCarty, all 5-foot-9 of him. Both of these flaws — being susceptible to high pressure and being incapable of defending set pieces — hurt us mightily when we go up against Red Bulls.
Obviously the Frank Lampard saga continued this week. Let’s forget the off-field stuff. How do you expect Patrick Vieira to utilize him moving forward and will he play a role this weekend?
JG: That is a good question, because it’s been hard to see into Vieira’s plan for Frankie this year. He is, for all intents and purposes, healthy and capable of contributing. He came on as a substitute in our loss to Red Bulls, which was probably not the smartest time to introduce him to our fans, who were not so happy at the time. He should be part of the team that is available for Sunday’s contest, but I’m pretty sure he does not start, yet.
I think Frank will feature throughout this season in a role similar to what Pirlo is playing, however, I don’t expect the two to play together all that much given their defensive deficiencies. We may go back to a formation we were experimenting with that had three at the back, in which case I could see the two on the field together (although I wouldn’t like it). I think Vieira hopes Lamps has enough in the tank to contribute to the attack, especially in playing smart balls, controlling the play in the opponent’s third, and finishing when he gets the chance. Whether or not any of the Frank Lampard from the EPL exists is still a big question that will be answered as he begins to get more playing time.
Any suspensions/injuries we should know about? What’s your expected starting XI and score prediction?
JG: No injuries and suspensions to my knowledge, but one NYC player is gone for Copa America: Ronald Matarrita.
I think we return to the 3-4-3 W-M formation this week: Eirik Johansen; Jason Hernandez, Frederic Brillant, Andoni Iraola; Andrea Pirlo, Federico Bravo, Kwadwo Poku, Thomas McNamara; Steven Mendoza, David Villa, Khiry Shelton.
I see NYC rebounding from their loss to RBNY with a 2-1 victory. Villa and Shelton nab a goal each for NYCFC, while Larin scores one for the bad guys. (Editor’s note: So…you’re calling a Larin own-goal?)
* * *
Big thanks to Jake from HRB for giving us some insight on Orlando City’s fellow 2015 expansion side.
Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Atletico Mineiro, FC Series: Final Score 0-0 (6-5) as Lions Open the Preseason Schedule Strong
The Lions outlasted the Brazilian side from the penalty spot after a scoreless draw at home to open the preseason.
The first game of Orlando City’s 2025 preseason went to penalties after a 0-0 draw in front of an announced crowd of 11,912 at Inter&Co Stadium in the FC Series. The Lions won the postgame shootout 6-5 in seven rounds to claim something called the Inter&Co Trophy against Atletico Mineiro.
Overall, the performance was good, although the finishing wasn’t, as the Lions created more opportunities than the visitors, but two weeks into preseason it was evident that the final bit of precision wasn’t quite there.
“It was great to come back to our place and have a game, and especially against the rival. A good match,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “I felt that we took the most out of the game under the circumstances. We just started the preseason, and having this match and the competitiveness that the boys showed today was first class. We’re happy. We’re ready to leave to our camp (in Mexico) and keep going.”
Pareja’s starting lineup included Pedro Gallese in goal behind a back line of Rafael Santos, Rodrigo Schlegel, David Brekalo, Alex Freeman. Cesar Araujo and Wilder Cartagena started in midfield behind an attacking line of Yutaro Tsukada, Martin Ojeda, and 16-year-old Gustavo Caraballo, with Luis Muriel up top.
The teams played to a scoreless first half, with the Lions creating the better scoring chances, but the rust was evident as Orlando City wasted multiple good scoring opportunities.
The game’s first few shots came off of Orlando headers. Muriel redirected a cross on target in the third minute but couldn’t generate much power, sending it softly to Atletico Mineiro goalkeeper Everson. A few minutes later, Tsukada got to a bouncing diagonal cross but couldn’t direct it on frame. Brekalo got his head to a free kick cross in the eighth minute, but his shot was also sent directly at Everson.
Mineiro’s first shot of the match came 12 minutes in, when Gustavo Scarpa fired over the bar from well outside the area.
Orlando resumed the attack and Tsukada attempted a shot in the 18th minute from outside the area that deflected off a defender for a corner kick. The initial cross into the area was cleared but the recycled cross found Freeman near the left post, however, the fullback sent his header wide.
Schlegel conceded a pair of dangerous free kicks a few minutes after Freeman’s missed opportunity, but the Brazilian side couldn’t do anything with either of them. The second ended up deflecting off the wall and was picked up on the left by Guilherme Arana, who fired off target.
Caraballo should have scored in the 27th minute as Ojeda did well to get a cross from the left through to the far side. The teenager missed just wide from point-blank range, as the ball appeared to skip up off the turf on him at the last second.
Cartagena went down with an injury off the ball moments later and had to come off. He was helped to the locker room by the training staff. Kyle Smith replaced him in the lineup.
Gallese made his first good save of the game in the 35th minute, diving to keep out a good shot from distance by Fausto Vera.
Muriel set up Ojeda with a nice layoff at the top of the box in the 41st minute, but the midfielder couldn’t get his shot on frame, continuing the theme of the day for Orlando City.
The Lions again should have opened the scoring just seconds into first-half stoppage time. The Lions had a good attack up the left and Ojeda slipped in Ramiro Enrique, who had come on for Muriel late in the half. Enrique fired but Everson did well to make the save. The rebound came straight to Tsukada, with almost the entire net to shoot at, but the young winger sent his shot too close to the goalkeeper, who got a piece of it to keep it out.
Ojeda had the final shot of the half, sending a good effort through traffic but it was right at Everson. The teams went into the break without a goal.
The Lions had more shots (10-5), shots on target (4-1), and corners (4-2) in the first half.
Atletico Mineiro saw more of the ball in the second 45 minutes, but the Orlando City defense held up well, even after several substitutions, as Atletico Mineiro wasn’t able to threaten Gallese’s goal often. However, the Lions also didn’t create as much danger in the second half as they did in the opening period.
One of Orlando’s best opportunities in the second half came just after the restart. Caraballo sent Tsukada down the left but the winger fired wide of the goal in the 47th minute.
Gabriel Menino had one of Atletico’s best second-half chances in the 52nd minute, but he sent his shot over the bar from the top of the 18-yard box. After another long-range effort by the visitors sailed high over the net, Gallese made a save on a one-hopper from the top of the box in the 58th minute for his best stop of the second half.
Enrique fired just over the bar from the top of the semicircle in the 60th minute as the wasteful chances continued for Orlando. The forward had plenty of space to pick out his spot, but he leaned back a bit and his shot stayed high as a result.
There were virtually no chances created between the hour mark and the end of normal time, with both teams subbing often and the players who started noticeably tiring. The most noteworthy action was substitute Dagur Dan Thorhallsson took an accidental high boot to the head and had to come off. Pareja had no updates about Thorhallsson, Cartagena, or Muriel after the match.
“It is hard at this moment where we’re starting the preseason just to see guys coming out of the pitch with pains and things,” he said. “We’re praying that everything is good, but I have no other report.”
With no goals on the board through stoppage time, the game went to penalties after a 0-0 draw.
“We were obviously planning right after the game, who was going to take (penalties), and the boys were so engaged in the competition,” Pareja said. “It’s what they are. They want to compete, regardless of it’s a friendly game. They want to win it. And they were expressing that feeling, we need to win this game.”
Smith took the first shot from the spot in front of The Wall at the north end of the stadium, scoring to put his team ahead. Igor Gomes followed suit for Atletico Mineiro after coming to a complete stop in his run-up for about two seconds.
Enrique restored Orlando’s lead, only to see Brahian Palacios equalize on a stutter-step that clearly moved backward. Brekalo made it 3-2 with a bouncer that skipped over Everson’s outstretched arm, before Rubens made it 3-3 after three rounds.
Second-half sub Ivan Angulo saw Everson stop his penalty attempt in the fourth round, giving Atletico a chance to seize control. However, the Brazilian side’s No. 9, Deyverson, sent his blast over the bar to keep things even after four rounds.
Gallese took matters into his own hands (or feet) by scoring in the fifth round, but his counterpart Everson sent a shot under the crossbar to send the shootout into sudden death.
Freeman, who played the entire game, fired home to put Orlando up again, only to see Otavio equalize, as once again a Mineiro player came to a prolonged stop in his run-up. The teams went into the seventh round tied at 5-5.
“I feel like I didn’t want to take it differently,” said Freeman, who has been a regular penalty taker with OCB in shootouts. “I feel like I just wanted to stay confident. Obviously, there’s more fans, and obviously, there’s a little bit more pressure, but I feel like I did that. I just walked up confidently, and I kind of knew what spot I wanted to go.”
Rookie Joran Gerbet took an unorthodox approach and scored to put the Lions back in front in the seventh round.
“It’s been like something I exercise a lot since the last two, three years at Clemson,” Gerbet said of his penalty. “I was like, the one who was taking (them), so I’m just, like, used to it. So, yeah, it’s just like the routine, I guess.”
Defender Bruno Fuchs fired toward Gallese’s right, but Peruvian guessed correctly and kept the shot out with a strong right hand to win the shootout.
Pareja was able to get a lot of Homegrowns and academy kids into the match against a good Brazilian side.
“At the end of the game, I was seeing a bunch of guys that grew up in our academy,” he said. “And today, they made us feel that they have the case (to be) in the team already. So, I’m very proud for every single one that had minutes today and made us feel that result of the effort and what they’re investing in the academy.”
Here’s the full highlight reel from the match:
Orlando City is off to Mexico for the next week of camp. While there, the Lions will face Forge FC from the Canadian Premier League before returning to Central Florida. The next game open to the general public will be held in Tampa as the Lions face Inter Miami at Raymond James Stadium on Feb. 14.
Opinion
Orlando City Needs a Strong Start from its Defense
The defense will need to come together quickly in 2025 for Orlando City to avoid another slow start to the season.
The opening day of the 2025 Major League Soccer season is less than 30 days, and Orlando City is preparing for the opener against Philadelphia. With a full slate of preseason matches that recently dropped, the 2025 Lions will soon take to the field to put the final touches on preparing various tactics for the season ahead. That starts today with a friendly against Atletico Mineiro.
While there are numerous questions regarding the offensive side of the pitch for Orlando City, the defense should be an area of strength for OCSC as the season begins, and it may need to be, as any new attacking pieces brought in this late in the off-season will need time to settle in.
Starting with the dynamic duo of Cesar Araujo and Wilder Cartagena, Orlando once again will have the good fortune of fielding one of the best defensive midfield pairings in all of MLS. While both Araujo and Cartagena are technically sound and strong defenders on their own, there is a noticeable difference in overall team defense when they both play together. Araujo, who has recently been the target of transfer speculation, is now expected to be locked into Orlando City purple for the upcoming season. He and Cartagena have demonstrated a great ability to take opposing star players out of the game plan, and there is little question regarding their importance when it comes to the successful start of the season.
Moving back toward the goal, Orlando City also returns a complete back line consisting of captain Robin Jansson, Rafael Santos, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, and either David Brekalo or Rodrigo Schlegel. The tactics employed by Head Coach Oscar Pareja call for the fullbacks to get into the offensive flow as often as the game allows, and both Thorhallsson and Santos have shown that they are capable of attacking. While that part of their game is a bonus, their ability to get back and defend — especially against the counter — will be an early skill to watch as the season begins.
At this point in his career, there will be very few surprises from Jansson, as fans and the coaching staff know exactly what type of effort to expect out of the center back. The only piece of the back line puzzle that will be interesting to watch throughout the early part of the season will be who earns the right to slot in next to Jansson. Due to injury and international duty a season ago, Schlegel wound up winning the starting role from the newly acquired Brekalo. My gut instinct tells me that with an off-season of preparation, we will likely see the younger and more athletic Brekalo get the nod to start the year, with Schlegel the primary backup for both starting center back positions.
Finally, the man who anchors it all, goalkeeper Pedro Gallese, will have the benefit of familiarity when it comes to the defenders in front of him. Gallese ended the 2024 season on a hot streak, in great form, showing his quality in the second half of the season and the playoffs, stopping multiple penalty kicks. He tied for fifth place among all goalkeepers with eight clean sheets in 2024 and will undoubtedly look to add to his career club record as the 2025 season begins.
With all of the defensive starters from the 2024 season back for 2025, Orlando City’s defense is expected to be the cornerstone of early season matches while the offense sorts itself out. The success then, especially during those first few matches, will likely live or die on the shoulders of the back seven defensive players.
Do you expect any cracks in the Orlando City defense to start the year or are you feeling confident in their ability to handle the new attacking pieces that have been added to the Eastern Conference? Let us know in the comments below and as always, vamos Orlando!
Orlando City
Orlando City Releases Full 2025 Preseason Schedule
The Lions will face three MLS sides, a Brazilian Serie A club, a USL Championship team, and a Canadian Premier League side this preseason.
On the eve of Orlando City’s first preseason friendly of the team’s 2025 camp — and 11 days into training — the club has released its full schedule for the remainder of the preseason. The Lions will play six matches, calling two of them “friendlies” and the other four “scrimmages,” but they all amount to competitive minutes for the squad ahead of the 2025 MLS regular season.
Two of the games are open to the general public, including Saturday’s FC Series friendly against Atletico Mineiro and the Feb. 14 preseason finale against Inter Miami at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. In addition, season ticket members can access a preseason scrimmage against CF Montreal on Feb. 8. Club staff will reach out to season ticket members with the details for that game. The other three scrimmages will be closed door.
The preseason schedule is similar this year to what the club has had for the last several years under Oscar Pareja, with mostly closed scrimmages and a mixture of MLS and other assorted competition.
After facing the Brazil Serie A side on Saturday, the Lions will head to Mexico for a week of training and team bonding, with one scrimmage against Forge FC from the Canadian Premier League. Orlando City will play three MLS clubs in the preseason, along with one team each from the Canadian Premier League and the USL Championship.
Orlando City will kick off its 2025 regular season at home against the Philadelphia Union at Inter&Co Stadium on Saturday, Feb. 22 at 7:30 p.m.
2025 Orlando City Preseason Schedule
- Saturday, Jan. 25 — Preseason friendly vs. Atletico Mineiro at Inter&Co Stadium
- Sunday, Jan. 26 — Preseason camp opens in Mexico
- Tuesday, Jan. 28 — Preseason scrimmage vs. Forge FC (Closed Door)
- Wednesday, Feb. 5 — Preseason scrimmage vs. Atlanta United (Closed Door)
- Saturday, Feb. 8 — Preseason scrimmage vs. CF Montreal (Season Ticket Members Exclusive Match)
- Tuesday, Feb. 11 — Preseason scrimmage vs. Rhode Island FC (Closed Door)
- Friday, Feb. 14 — Preseason friendly vs. Inter Miami at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa
Orlando City vs. Atletico Mineiro, FC Series: Final Score 0-0 (6-5) as Lions Open the Preseason Schedule Strong
Orlando City Needs a Strong Start from its Defense
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