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Intelligence Report: Orlando City at Chicago Fire

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8 years ago

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Orlando City is now 1-1 under Jason Kreis after Sunday’s festival of free Seattle runners, which probably still has Joe Bendik waking up in a cold sweat every night. The Lions need three points badly in just about every match, so of course they now go on the road where they’ve won a single game this season, in the very first away clash of the year (at New York City FC).

The Lions and Fire drew 1-1 in the first meeting of the season, way back in March. Orlando City drew first blood very early but allowed a tying goal not long after. And that was it for the scoring despite Chicago going down a man around the half hour mark with two posts keeping the lads in purple from claiming all three point. Can the Lions get that elusive road win and take the season series?

Here to help us scout the Fire is Jeff Engelhardt, editor-in-chief of SB Nation’s Chicago blog, Hot Time in Old Town. I also answered Jeff’s questions, which you can find over at their place.

How has this Chicago Fire roster evolved since the two teams met in the second week of the season and how have the changes affected the team’s play?

Jeff Engelhardt: A good amount has changed since these two teams first met early in the season. First off, the positive general vibes and excitement of having a new coach and a fresh start have worn off. That’s not to say the fan base has turned on Veljko Paunovic, but the lack of excitement from the fans, and perhaps even the players at times, is noticeable.

From a roster standpoint, one new face you will see that could definitely make a difference is midfielder/striker Michael de Leeuw. He has shown some flashes of promise but has not yet established the connection with David Accam that could be potentially explosive.

Khaly Thiam is more of a defensive midfielder and has had a very up and down stint with the Fire since joining in the late spring/early summer. He is a likely starter, but not guaranteed.  You’ll avoid transfer deadline signing David Arshakyan, who is a big target man but not yet with the team, and you may or may not see former Rapids striker Luis Solignac.

As far as affecting the team’s play, de Leeuw adds a bit more going forward but the confidence is still down and the team is still struggling. Luckily, they are generally far better at home than on the road. 

After a managerial change, it appears the new direction is to change the players. What is really at the root of why Chicago can’t get over the hump and turn around its form?

JE: I think a lot of the struggles come from having a lack of experience and a lack of a true, playmaking No. 10. Paunovic is still figuring out how to get the most out of this team and has a lot to learn and adjust to being a first-year coach.

Young guys like Jonathan Campbell, Brandon Vincent, Rodrigo Ramos, etc., are promising but understandably make rookie mistakes and are inconsistent. As this young coach and these young players grow, I think they will be better, but without a true playmaker in the middle of the field it might not matter much.  

I sort of compare it to the Boston Celtics. There are definitely good pieces in place and young guys with potential, but until that star comes along there won’t be much success. David Accam is truly a great player but because his game is based on speed, he is not really suited to elevate everyone around him. He is the one who needs those around him to provide service and support him and he just isn’t getting it enough. 

How much will the midweek U.S. Open Cup match at New England affect the starting lineup and why does Chicago seem to have so much success in the tournament regardless of how the team plays in the regular season?

JE: Well this is a pretty sore subject at the moment. It is great getting to four semifinals in a row, but losing in that round each and every time kind of makes it feel like the Fire are not all that successful in the tournament. But to the general point that they have relative success in the tournament, I think it is because of the history this team has and the expectation to take it very seriously from the opening round.

The Chicago Fire’s reputation was built in large part on winning the cup four times from 1998-2006. The tournament really helped put the club on the map. So it will always be more important to Chicago than most MLS teams, which explains the frequent deep runs in the tournament.  

I could see Tuesday’s match playing a part in the starting lineup. Matt Polster did not play a full game so he should start and goalkeeper Matt Lampson had a rough outing so Sean Johnson should be in net. Other than that, I don’t think you’ll get off the hook on the Accam front just because he played Tuesday (unless his red card carries over to MLS play. Then he won’t play, but I don’t think that’s the case). 

Are there any suspensions or injuries that will affect the lineup and can you please give us your projected starting XI and predicted final score?

JE: As long as Accam’s red card in the U.S. Open Cup does not carry over, the Fire should have a full roster to choose from. So I am going with that assumption and predicting this starting lineup:

Sean Johnson; Rodrigo Ramos, Johan Kappelhof, Jonathan Campbell, Brandon Vincent; Matt Polster, Khaly Thiam; Razvan Cocis, Michael de Leeuw, John Goossens; David Accam

I think the Fire will come out with a chip on their shoulder, but I still don’t think it’ll be enough to fully get out of this funk. Look for a repeat of the first game and a 1-1 draw with de Leeuw getting a goal and of course Cyle Larin. 

* * *

Big thanks to Jeff from Hot Time in Old Town for undergoing that grueling barrage of questions and for giving us a bit of a scouting report on the Fire.

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. FC Cincinnati: Three Keys to Victory

What does Orlando City need to do to ensure a victory over FC Cincinnati Saturday at home?

Published

16 hours ago

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May 2, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City looks to bounce back from the disappointing 2-1 loss to Toronto FC Saturday night at Inter&Co Stadium. Cincinnati has twice as many points as Orlando City and more than twice as many wins. FCC has only scored one more goal than Orlando City, but with only nine goals conceded compared to Orlando City’s 17, it’s easy to see why Cincinnati is sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference.

What I’m trying to say is that the task doesn’t get any easier this weekend. What does Orlando City need to do to secure all three points at home against FC Cincinnati?

Accost Acosta

Cincinnati’s attack revolves around Luciano Acosta. The attacking midfielder has four goals and five assists so far this season. To put that into perspective, Duncan McGuire — Orlando City’s leading scorer — also has four goals but only one assist. If we look at the Lions’ attacking midfielders, Facundo Torres has one goal and one assist, Ivan Angulo and Nico Lodeiro both have one goal and two assists, and Martin Ojeda has zero goals and only one assist. Luis Muriel is still at double zeroes.

The defensive midfield and the back line must do everything possible to mark him out of the match. It’s not enough to keep him from scoring, they must also keep him from setting up chances for his teammates. Most importantly, the defense must do that for 90 minutes plus stoppage time. There is no room for the mental lapses we’ve seen throughout the first part of this season.

Break Through

Cincinnati is stingy on defense. As I mentioned above, the club has only allowed nine goals this season. The back line is formidable with the likes of Matt Miazga, Miles Robinson, and Ian Murphy. On the wings are DeAndre Yedlin and Luca Orellano. This is a tough defense, and whether it is McGuire or Muriel who gets the start, they must find the spaces in between.

Just as importantly, Torres, Angulo, Ojeda, and Lodeiro — depending on who is in at any given moment — must be able to thread the passes in for McGuire, Muriel, or each other to create quality chances. On top of that, the Lions must convert on those chances, which is not something that has been a strength so far this season. If the Orlando City defense continues to give up cheap goals, then the offense will need to one-up the competition when it comes to scoring.

Deal with an Unknown

FC Cincinnati recently signed Venezuelan forward Kevin Kelsy from Ukrainian Premier League club Shakhtar Donetsk. Kelsy comes in as an MLS U22 Initiative player and is eligible to play against Orlando City. Even though Kelsy is only 19, he has 68 professional appearances, including UEFA Champions Leagues matches. At 6-foot-3, he can be a challenge for defenders, especially in the air.

Kelsy hasn’t had much time with the team, but he could be a second-half substitution for Cincinnati. Given that Orlando City just gave up two late headers against Toronto FC, the back line will need to be careful that Kelsy doesn’t hurt the Lions in the same manner — especially if he comes on late when legs and minds are tired.

That is what I will be looking for Saturday night. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/2/24

The Pride win big, OCSC celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month, USMNT news, and more.

Published

19 hours ago

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May 2, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

It’s Thursday, Mane Landers. Of course, the name Thursday comes from Thor’s day, and as such, it isn’t a big leap for us to consider it Thorhallsson’s day. Though I suppose that is a bit of a mouthful, so we’ll just keep things the way they are, but do hold Dagur Dan close to your heart today. Also, let us wish a happy birthday to the Orlando Pride’s Luana. Despite the devastating news that dropped about her health earlier this week, we hope that her spirits are high and we wish her nothing but happiness today. It’s also Dagur Dan Thorhallsson’s birthday today, so we’re celebrating him as well. Let’s get to the links.

The Pride Dominate the Courage

The Orlando Pride defeated the North Carolina Courage 4-1 in a midweek match at Inter&Co Stadium. The Pride did indeed dominate the Courage as much as the score line indicates. It was once again the Barbra Banda show, with the Pride’s newest player contributing a brace and an assist on the night. It is the Pride’s fourth straight victory and the undefeated run continues.

OCSC Celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month

Orlando City and the Orlando Pride are doing their part this May to observe Mental Health Awareness Month. The club is sponsoring and attending events and forums available to the general public, as well as holding club staff workshops around promoting mental health. I have to say my favorite is the therapy dogs visits that will be available to the staff. There’s nothing as good for my personal mental health as the joy and unconditional love a dog can bring. If I didn’t have dogs of my own, I’d be really jealous.

The Billionaires Clubs

Orlando City and Orlando Pride owners, the Wilf family, are not the only billionaire owners in the NWSL. There are more and more owners and ownership groups that fall into that category. The influx of more money is a growth opportunity for the league and potentially for those owners. It’s a bit of a “rising tide lifts all boats” mentality for these owners as they do better when the league as a whole does better. It’s not just the owners who think so. The NWSL was ranked No. 5 on the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2024. I’m just glad the Pride are in the club.

USMNT News

I hate starting off a section with bad news, but Sergino Dest tore his ACL in training with PSV Eindhoven and will miss the Copa America. Dest will require surgery though there is no time frame yet for when he may return. The loss of Dest is a blow to the U.S. defense heading into the competition this coming June. The USMNT plays Bolivia on June 23.

In better news, Tim Weah provided the assist for Juventus on Arkadiusz Milik’s goal against Lazio. Juventus entered the second leg of the Copa Italia semifinal up 2-0, but Lazio drew level before Milik’s goal. Juventus advanced 3-2 on aggregate and will play in the final.

Free Kicks

That will do it for today. There’s plenty more soccer to come this weekend with all three teams playing. Check back for more as we get you ready for those matches. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/1/24

Mason Stajduhar was arrested, Orlando Pride play at home tonight, Colin Guske discusses his signing, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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May 1, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday and welcome to May, Mane Landers. Don’t forget that the undefeated Orlando Pride are in action tonight, so check back for our match preview and the latest episode of SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride PawedCast for additional pre-match coverage. In the meantime, let’s get to the links.

Mason Stajduhar Arrested Early Sunday

Orlando City goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar and his wife Tatiana Stajduhar were both arrested on disorderly conduct charges following an incident at a nightclub overnight Saturday in the early hours of Sunday morning. The couple were reportedly disrespectful to the club’s staff and got into an altercation with the security guards. Mason stated he was only resisting the security guards to re-enter the club because the bouncers allegedly hit his wife. Tatiana allegedly pushed the police officers after they arrived, and she was not charged with battery on a law enforcement officer. The couple were released Monday after posting a bond. Orlando City provided the following statement to WESH 2 News:

“The Club is aware that goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar was arrested early Sunday morning. We are currently gathering more information and will have no further comment at this time.”

Orlando Pride Host the North Carolina Courage Tonight

After a 3-2 win on the road last Friday against the Washington Spirit, the Orlando Pride are back in the City Beautiful and will take on the North Carolina Courage tonight. Unbeaten in their six games so far this season, the Pride have also won their past three games and sit fourth in the standings. They’re tied on points with a Courage team that beat the Seattle Reign Saturday. Orlando has scored at least one goal in every match this season. Forward Barbra Banda had a great performance in that win against the Spirit, so hopefully the scoring trend continues tonight for the Pride.

Orlando City/Pride Earn Golden Brick Awards

Have you enjoyed the new food options at the stadium? I know I have, and I’m looking forward to trying even more. The efforts made by Orlando City’s front office to feature more local food and beverage options did not go unnoticed, as the club won the Hospitality & Dining category in the Downtown Orlando Partnership’s 2023 Golden Brick Awards. The Orlando Pride’s 2023 Highway Woman Kit also won the award in the Arts & Culture category. The home jersey was inspired by the work of Mary Ann Carroll, the sole woman in the famed Highwaymen artists from decades ago.

Colin Guske Speaks On Signing First Pro Contract

Orlando City Development Academy player Colin Guske signed his first professional contract with the club last month and spoke on the importance of this moment in his career. The 17-year-old is now on an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Orlando City B, and he has started in nearly every game for the Young Lions this year. Both of Guske’s brothers have also played for Orlando City’s academy over the years, and he thanked his family for helping him reach this point.

“It’s awesome to represent the Guskes,” Colin said. “Thanks to my brothers for always pushing me through early mornings and late nights, always putting in the work, doing video sessions, everything. My sister as well, for always being there for me and my parents, too. They’re always helping me and what was the best for me.”

Free Kicks

  • Enjoy all of the sights and sounds from the Pride’s big win over the Spirit in the nation’s capital.
  • The Champions League semifinals are underway and Real Madrid and Bayern Munich played to a 2-2 draw in Germany. The second leg will take place on May 8 in Madrid.

That will do it for today. If you can make it out to the stadium tonight to catch the Pride in action, I strongly suggest you do so. Barbra Banda is about to take the NWSL by storm and you’ll want to see it in person. Vamos Orlando!

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