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Orlando City vs. Houston Dynamo: Five Takeaways

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Orlando City’s post-Adrian Heath Era began Friday night and it was a real “meh” performance. While there were some positives to take away from the game, there was still a lot to be desired from a 0-0 draw in front of 28,102 fans at home. So, yeah. Let’s just get into the takeaways.

The More Things Change…

The old saying, “the more things change, the more things stay the same,” was most prevalent for Orlando on Friday night. After Adrian Heath was dismissed three days ago, some may have thought last night’s home game could be a turning point for the season, that a new chapter could begin. Instead, the team was sloppy in the final third, couldn’t finish chances, and ended up drawing yet another game — now its ninth of the season. Obviously there was a bit of a cloud hanging over the team after Heath’s dismissal, but last night was a chance to shake that cloud off the team’s back and get a much-needed win. Instead, it’s just another Orlando City draw at home.

Life Without Adrian

Like I said before, this was the first game without Heath in the team’s history and it marked a huge shift in the team. Letting the only coach the team has ever known go is tough mentally, regardless of how the players or fans felt about the move. Soccer is a business and sometimes it can be a very tough, cutthroat kind of business. Players are expected to be professionals and just play like they normally would, but for guys like Kevin Molino, Luke Boden, Darwin Cerén — guys who have been with Adrian since the USL days — it’s always going to be tougher, since they’ve been with him for so long and he’s helped shape their careers. Now, the guys just have to take it one game at a time and hopefully they can get out of the funk that has beset this Orlando City team.

Harrison Heath Gets His Chance

You would think that the coach’s son would get more playing time if he played for his father, but the relationship between Harrison and Adrian Heath was not like a usual coach/coach’s son relationship. In past interviews, Adrian had said that he felt almost guilty playing Harrison, because he was his son. Despite how the team or other coaches felt about Harrison’s ability, Adrian didn’t want to seem like he was playing favorites, so he held back in playing his son in certain games. Now, out from under his father’s shadow, there’s no bias in playing him or not and the younger Heath is able to play freely. His performance last night certainly warranted another look at the 20-year-old and we should expect some more of Harrison in the coming games.

Cyle “Hustle” Larin

All right, let’s talk about the Canadian striker. Sure, he didn’t put the ball in the back of the net, but he ran his butt off to try and create chances, and took a hefty beating trying to do so. Larin hustled to loose balls, tried to time his runs and didn’t make too many poor decisions. Interim Head Coach Bobby Murphy said of Larin, “I think what people don’t appreciate about Cyle is the beating he takes night in and night out. He does a lot of running, he does a lot of selfless running. As people are watching the game and the ball here, they don’t see Cyle running 40 yards, and he doesn’t get it and then he’s got to come back again, the ball comes in to him and people are draped all over him, they’re kicking him because he’s so big and he’s gotta endure that.

“For somebody like Cyle, who is now a focal point of our team, people are aware of him and he’s not an overnight sensation, and he’s going to have those nights. One thing I will never fault with Cyle is his effort. He gives us everything he has, and I think he’s proven that even when tired, I don’t think I’ll take him off because he’s got a goal in him.”

Things Are Getting Heated

Orlando City is in a state of flux. A new coach is inbound, fans are worried about the future of the club and players are taking heat for not getting results. It’s understandable that the emotions are running wild from every side, but everyone needs to understand that this situation is not a new thing in the sporting world. Soccer is a business, and with any business, decisions are made for the sake of the “company” — in this case, the soccer club. With any decision, it is for the sake of the “company” and the betterment of the business in general. It’s still too early to be smashing the panic button for Orlando City. See who the team brings in as the new manager. See how the team finishes out the season, then stop, take a deep breath, and take a step back and overview the entire situation. Then, if things are still the way they are, or even worse, it would be grounds to react. So basically: take everything that comes over the next three months at a measured pace and then evaluate the situation when the season is over.

Well, those are my takeaways from the match. Anything I may have missed that you noticed? Let me know in the comments below.

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Charlotte FC: Final Score 1-1 (4-1) as Lions Advance with Penalty Shootout Win

The Lions are through to the conference semifinals with a Cardiac Cats finish and domination in penalties.

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Trailing 1-0, Orlando City was just moments away from exiting the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs tonight at Inter&Co Stadium. But Duncan McGuire earned a late penalty that Facundo Torres converted on the rebound of his saved attempt to tie the game at 1-1. The Lions were clinical in the ensuing penalty shootout moments later, winning it 4-1 over Charlotte FC and advancing to the Eastern Conference semifinals for the second straight year.

The shootout win, fueled by two Pedro Gallese saves, gave Orlando a 2-1 series win over Charlotte FC with the final two matches decided from the spot after the Lions opened with the only win in normal time out of the three games.

“I think we were the best team of this series,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “But the game just put us in that situation when they score goals and they sit back, and we couldn’t open those lines. But finally we did, and the (win in) PKs is probably a result that was very fair for the effort that we made during the series.”

Pareja made no changes to his lineup, starting Gallese in goal behind a back line of Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson. Cesar Araujo and Wilder Cartagena started in central midfield behind an attacking line of Ivan Angulo, Martin Ojeda, and Torres, with Ramiro Enrique up top.

The Lions won the first half territorially, but sttruggled with the final ball, either leaving shots too close to Kristijan Kahlina or rattling the woodwork. Orlando’s first opportunity came three minutes in when Ojeda made a good cross into the box that hit off Torres and went toward goal, but without much pace, allowing Kahlina to collect it. Three minutes later, Tim Ream tried to chest a cross back to Kahlina and Araujo threw himself forward, nearly getting his head to it and forcing the Charlotte goalkeeper to spill it, but the visitors were able to regroup.

In the 10th minute, Charlotte got its first chance off a corner kick. Kerwin Vargas headed it down at the back post as he was left all alone, but he sent it straight toward Gallese.

Ojeda delivered a great ball on a long-distance free kick in the 16th minute, finding Schlegel in the box. The defender got good pace on his header but left it too close to Kahlina, who made the save. A minute later, the Lions should have scored. Ojeda made a great cutback pass to Torres, who fizzed a shot that hit the right post and stayed out.

Torres found the crossbar in the 21st minute on a header off an Araujo cross. It appeared Kahlina may have touched it off the bar.

Patrick Agyemang sent a soft header to Gallese in the 24th minute, but given the final shots on target in the half, he must not have gotten credit for a shot.

Enrique got onto a good chip pass from Torres in the 33rd minute. The Argentine volleyed a shot toward goal but couldn’t keep it down, sending it high over the bar.

Ojeda nearly got in behind in the 39th minute but the ball took a high bounce. As he waited for it to come down, the defense arrived to knock it out of play.

Torres had a shot blocked in front in the 40th minute that looked as if it might have been a handball. There was no obvious sign of a review, but the ball may have hit the defender’s body before the arm.

Agyemang was sent in behind in the 45th minute, catching Gallese out with a chipped shot, but the flag came up straight away and after review, the offside call was upheld.

That was the final play of note from a first half that had plenty of action but no final product.

At halftime, Orlando City held the advantage in possession (60.7%-39.3%), shots (8-2), shots on target (2-1), corners (4-3), and passing accuracy (86.4%-81%), but the Lions had nothing to show for it.

“We were more offensive. I think we hit the post twice in the first half,” Pareja said. “And we had many other options that were clear.”

Neither team made a halftime change and Orlando got the first half chance of the second period. A weak cross from Thorhallsson looked like it would be an easy scoop for Kahlina, but Enrique got there with a quick, darting run and got a foot to it, poking it just wide of the right post in the 47th minue.

Orlando won a few set pieces but couldn’t make them pay off, coming close in the 56th minute. Ojeda sent in a good corner kick cross and Enrique was unmarked, coming from a deeper position for a free header. However, he sent his effort just wide of the right post.

Angulo saw his shot blocked at the hour mark off a deflected cross from Ojeda.

Vargas shook free on the left side and sent a shot into the outside of Gallese’s left post in the 66th minute.

Second-half sub Luis Muriel tried his luck from outside the area in the 68th minute but it one-hopped into Kahlina’s hands. Two minutes later, he tried again from a similar spot but hit his effort wide to the left of goal.

Pep Biel tried his luck from long range in the 71st minute but sent his shot well over.

Muriel tried to send fellow sub McGuire in behind down the right side in the 76th minute. McGuire saw his shot saved but he was offside anyway and likely knew it. The flag came up after the shot.

Charlotte broke the deadlock in the 81st minute and it was a bit unlucky for Orlando. A ball over the top bounced over Jansson’s head, putting the visitors in on the attack. Liel Abada found Swiderski in front and the striker’s shot deflected past Gallese to make it 1-0.

“They wait for a mistake and we made one,” Pareja said.

“I ended up in between, not reaching it,” Jansson said. “And Swiderski was more just being in behind me. So, that was just a bad move on that one. But I do think that it was not that he just took the ball and run through the goal. I think we could have stopped it anyway. But that’s things that happen sometimes in the game, and it has to be better in the in the coming game.”

Jansson tried to get the goal back in the 85th minute, getting his head to a recycled ball and deflected it on goal, but Kahlina made the save.

The Lions had a chance to tie it up in the 90th minute when Santos sent a perfect cross from the left to the back post to substitute Kyle Smith, who merely needed to touch it home. Instead, Smith tripped over the ball and ended up knocking it backwards.

Orlando didn’t quit. In the 93rd minute, Araujo smashed a shot that fizzed just inches wide of the left post. Moments later, the Lions got the break they had been pushing for. Muriel sent a free kick toward goal that deflected off the wall and out for a corner kick. On the corner, Djibril Diani pulled McGuire down and the big center forward went down hard on his shoulder. He sprinted to the sideline looking to get his shoulder fixed, but he was unable to return to the match, leaving his team short. The play was reviewed and the call on the field was upheld, with Orlando awarded a penalty.

Torres had to wait a long time to take the spot kick between the injury to McGuire and the video review. When he finally took his shot, Kahlina made the save, but the rebound came right back out front where Torres buried it to tie the game at 1-1 in the 102nd minute.

“Today, I think everyone saw like the mentality when they scored from our side,” Jansson said. “Directly when we got the ball, we wanted to try to do something, push forward.”

Moments after the restart, Pekmic blew the whistle and sent the game to penalties to decide things.

The Lions dominated the stat sheet, finishing with the advantage in possession (60.9%-39.1%), shots (21-6), shots on target (6-3), corners (9-3), and passing accuracy (86.7%-82.2%).

Orlando shot first and Muriel froze Kahlina to start things off with a goal for the Lions. Biel stepped up to shoot first for the visitors. He sent his shot to Gallese’s left, but El Pulpo guessed correctly, fully extended, and made the save.

Kyle Smith calmly blasted the second shot into the net to put Orlando up 2-0, and Swiderski stepped up for Charlotte. He sent his shot to Gallese’s right, but the Orlando goalkeeper again went the correct way and stuck out a fist to keep it out. Torres pushed the Lions’ lead in the shootout to 3-2 and Ashley Westwood answered for the visitors, making it 3-1 after three rounds. Any Orlando goal or Charlotte miss and it was over.

Santos slowly walked up and placed the ball, then took a wild, sweeping, stop-start run-up. Kahlina guessed correctly, but the Brazilian’s shot was precise, slipping inside the post to push Orlando through to the next round.

“I studied a little bit more, really focused in on the PK takers of our rivals tonight,” Gallese said of his preparation. “We knew that the way that they played, there was a good chance that we would go to penalties again, so we were all putting in the extra effort to make sure that we were ready for that. And thankfully, it paid off.”

“I have to congratulate the coach (Dean Smith of Charlotte). I thought he complicated things with a system that I respect,” Pareja said. “I think he made the movements and made our game model more complicated in some moments. Today, they defended with a line of five, and it was a surprise for us, because I have not seen it before when we faced them. But we adapted well.”


Next up for Orlando City is a rematch from Decision Day. Atlanta United’s first-round upset will have the Five Stripes visiting Orlando City Sunday, Nov. 24 at 3:30 p.m.

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Orlando City vs. Charlotte FC: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Lions host Charlotte with a spot in the conference semifinals on the line for both teams.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to your match preview and live thread for a Saturday night playoff matchup between Orlando City (1-1) and Charlotte FC (1-1) at Inter&Co Stadium (6 p.m., MLS Season Pass on Apple TV). This is the third time the teams have met in the postseason, having played two matches already in this best-of-three, first-round series, and the fifth meeting of the year in all competitions.

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

History

The Lions are 3-1-2 in the regular-season series and 4-3-2 in all competitions against Charlotte. Orlando City is 2-1-0 at home in the regular season and 3-1-0 in its own stadium in all competitions against the North Carolina-based side. These games are usually close, as Orlando City won two straight at home by two goals, with all other meetings ending in either a draw or a one-goal game.

The teams played eight days ago in Charlotte, without either side scoring in normal time. Charlotte won the ensuing penalty shootout 3-1 after the scoreless draw to tie the series at 1-1, because shootout wins are just as important as actual wins in this somewhat baffling format. That followed Orlando City’s 2-0 home win the previous Sunday. Facundo Torres and Martin Ojeda scored the goals on either side of halftime to lead the Lions to the Game 1 win. It was the first time Orlando scored more than one goal in an MLS playoff game.

The teams also met a month and a half ago on Sept. 18 in Orlando. The Lions got second-half goals from Torres and Duncan McGuire to win 2-0, claiming the first multiple-goal win in the series. The teams also met on June 19 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte and played to a 2-2 draw. The hosts struck first with an early Kerwin Vargas goal and the Lions pulled one back through McGuire in the second half. But despite Charlotte going down a man on Scott Arfield’s red card, Brandt Bronico restored the hosts’ lead shortly after McGuire’s strike. Torres struck back moments later but the Lions could not find a winner on the road.

The previous match was also a draw at Bank of America Stadium, finishing 1-1 on Aug. 30, 2023. Enzo Copetti’s late penalty appeared to wrap things up for the hosts on a rainy night in Charlotte, but Martin Ojeda’s seeing-eye set piece equalized just before stoppage time as the teams split the points.

Charlotte claimed a 1-0 “home” victory in U.S. Open Cup play on May 9 of last year. That game took place at Mecklenburg County Sportsplex in Matthews, NC, rather than at the club’s regular stadium. The first matchup of the 2023 season didn’t go any better for Orlando City, finishing as a 2-1 Charlotte win at Exploria Stadium on March 18. Copetti and Vargas put Charlotte up 2-0 by halftime. Ojeda pulled one back, but the Lions were wasteful in front of goal and couldn’t pull level.

The teams met at Bank of America Stadium on Aug. 21, 2022. After a scoreless first half, Ercan Kara put the Lions ahead on the road, only to see McKinze Gaines equalize just four minutes later. Tesho Akindele’s late goal lifted Orlando to a 2-1 victory.

Orlando City won the first-ever meeting between the sides on April 30, 2022 at Exploria Stadium. Ruan scored the opening goal and set up Torres on the counter for the second as the Lions took a 2-0 lead into the locker room. Christian Fuchs scored from the spot after Rodrigo Schlegel was called for a foul in the box in the second half, but that was as close as Charlotte got in what was ultimately a 2-1 Orlando victory.

Overview

These teams have predictably played a tight series after being separated by only one point in the standings after the 34-game regular season. The Lions (15-12-7, 52 points) needed their three points this season against Charlotte (14-11-9, 51 points) at home to finish in the home playoff places for the first round.

The Lions finished 7-6-4 at home in the regular season and have gone 9-6-4 against MLS teams in all competitions at Inter&Co Stadium this year (playoffs and Leagues Cup accounting for the two non-regular-season matches).

Charlotte’s Game 1 loss in this series was the team’s first defeat since dropping the Sept. 18 match in Orlando, going 4-0-1, with the only draw coming on the road against Inter Miami, 1-1. Because it appears MLS counts first-round, best-of-three shootout results as wins/losses rather than the typical draw, Charlotte FC is now 5-1-0 in its last six matches in all competitions, with the loss coming in Game 1 in Orlando, which is slightly better than the Lions’ 4-2-0 mark in their last six. Tonight’s visitors went 5-8-4 on the road in the regular season in addition to dropping Game 1 in Orlando.

Although Orlando scored twice in each of the first three meetings with Charlotte this season, tonight’s visitors have the best defensive record in the Eastern Conference and the second-best defense in MLS, allowing just 37 goals in 34 games during the regular season. That strength showed in Game 2, but not in the usual way. Charlotte has typically allowed shots, but goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina has been a difference maker. He didn’t need to be in Game 2, as the Lions lacked any threat whatsoever until a stoppage-time goal by Torres that was nullified by the offside flag on a razor-thin margin.

To advance, the Lions must play like they did in Game 1, which was a dominating performance. If Charlotte dictates the pace and style of play, it could again come down to penalties.

As usual against Charlotte, Orlando City will need to be patient but also try to build a volume of shots against a stout defense led by Kahlina, who posted 119 saves on the season and tied for the league lead in minutes played (3,060). Charlotte also has a strong back line that includes U.S. international Tim Ream. The key to beating Charlotte is to get on the scoreboard, as the visitors’ offense has found the net just 46 times this season — tied for 10th in the Eastern Conference — although it had scored 14 during its unbeaten run prior to Game 1 and had been held under two goals just once since getting shut out in Orlando in September before this series started.

“We have the same intentions, and the same intensity, the same discipline and the same perseverance that we have had moving towards this game,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said ahead of the match. “I think it’s a great opportunity for us as the coaches and the players to invite our fans to come to the stadium to help us push. It’s an important moment for all of us and we need the energy”

The Lions will be without Mason Stajduhar (lower leg). Charlotte will be without Jahlane Forbes (hip).

Match Content


Official Lineups

Orlando City (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Pedro Gallese.

Defenders: Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson.

Defensive Midfielders: Cesar Araujo, Wilder Cartagena.

Attacking Midfielders: Ivan Angulo, Martin Ojeda, Facundo Torres.

Forwards: Ramiro Enrique.

Bench: Javier Otero, Luca Petrasso, Kyle Smith, David Brekalo, Felipe, Jeorgio Kocevski, Nico Lodeiro, Luis Muriel, Duncan McGuire.

Charlotte FC (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: Kristijan Kahlina.

Defenders: Tim Ream, Andrew Privett, Adilson Malanda, Nathan Byrne.

Midfielders: Brandt Bronico, Ashley Westwood, Djibril Diani.

Forwards: Kerwin Vargas, Patrick Agyemang, Pep Biel.

Bench: David Bingham, Jaylin Lindsey, Jere Uronen, Bill Tuiloma, Junior Urso, Iuri Tavares, Jamie Paterson, Liel Abada, Karol Swiderski.

Referees

REF: Ismir Pekmic.
AR1: Nick Uranga.
AR2: Jeffrey Greeson.
4TH: Sergii Boiko.
VAR: Ismail Elfath.
AVAR: Jonathan Johnson.


How to Watch

Match Time: 6 p.m.

Venue: Inter&Co Stadium  — Orlando.

TV/Live Stream: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

Radio: Real Radio 104.1 FM (English), Mega 97.1 FM (Spanish).

Twitter: For rapid reaction and live updates, follow along at @TheManeLand, as well as Orlando City’s official Twitter feed (@OrlandoCitySC).


Enjoy the match. Go City!

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Orlando City vs. Charlotte FC: Three Keys to Victory

What does Orlando City need to do in order to beat Charlotte and advance to the conference semifinals?

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Game 2 might not have gone the way Orlando City (or any of us) wanted, but fortunately the Lions have one more chance to try to get past Charlotte FC and into the conference semifinals. Game 3 sees the series return to the City Beautiful, with kickoff set for Saturday at 6 p.m. As we get ready for this one, let’s take a look at what OCSC needs to do in order to beat Charlotte and advance to the next round.

No Slow Start

In Game 1 against Charlotte, the Lions started well and carried that momentum throughout the entirety of the game. That wasn’t the case in the two matches either side of Game 1, as OCSC started slowly against Atlanta United on Decision Day and against Charlotte in Game 2, and the club suffered the consequences on both occasions. That sort of thing can’t happen Saturday. The last time out against this opposition, the Lions started slowly, played sluggishly, and ultimately grew into the game far too late. In front of what should be a fired-up home crowd and with plenty to play for, a strong and confident start will set the tone for the sort of game that OCSC needs to play. Speaking of which…

Possess With a Purpose

Perhaps the biggest issue for Orlando in Game 2 was the fact that even though the good guys had 57% possession, they had shockingly little to show for it. Orlando only took three shots on the night, with the first one not even coming until 65 minutes had been played, and the first shot on target occurred with only seven minutes left in normal time. That sort of offensive “output” is rarely going to cut it, and OCSC almost seemed to go out in that match with the aim of protecting a two-goal aggregate lead that simply didn’t exist. The Lions need to play positively, not pass up opportunities to get forward, and be both creative and purposeful when they have the ball. Simply knocking it around the back line and the midfield and playing for penalties is not a winning strategy, as we’ve all seen.

Toe the Line

In this fantastic (as always) piece from our own Andrew DeSalvo, he made the argument that Wilder Cartagena can’t let the threat of suspension due to yellow card accumulation stop him from playing his game. I wholeheartedly agree, but would also like to insert a plea for the Lions to not take things too far in terms of intensity. Its undoubtedly important to play with grit and focus on winning this game, but the men in purple need to make sure they don’t allow the emotion of the moment to get the best of them. Wilder, Cesar Araujo, Robin Jansson, and Rodrigo Schlegel need to play with the fire that makes them so good, yes, and a yellow card wouldn’t be the end of the world, but OCSC simply has to have all 11 men on the field for the full 90 minutes. In other words, bring the heat, but don’t set your own house on fire.


There you have it, folks. For my money, if the Lions can avoid a slow start, be purposeful when they have the ball, and bring the intensity without taking things too far, I believe they have a great chance to get the win against Charlotte in Game 3. Now, all we can do is wait and watch. Vamos Orlando!

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