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Orlando City vs. LA Galaxy: Final Score 4-2 as Galaxy, Officials Punish Sloppy Lions

Orlando City finished its two-game road swing with a sloppy performance at the StubHub Center and the Lions were punished for their lack of sharpness.

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Nick Leyva, The Mane Land

Coming off a huge midweek win over Montreal, Orlando City traveled to the other sunshine state to face the LA Galaxy. It did not go well.

The Lions (7-8-13, 34 points) struck first behind a Kevin Molino goal but then saw LA (11-4-14, 47 points) score four straight times — with some help on the second and third — en route to handing Orlando City a 4-2 loss in Landon Donovan’s return to Major League Soccer.

Following that win at Montreal, Jason Kreis opted for consistency in the starting XI:

Bruce Arena countered with a formidable lineup for the hosts:

The first half started off as expected, with plenty of possession for the home team that allowed the Galaxy to get on the front foot with some dangerous play early. Then, like a bolt out of the blue, Orlando drew first blood with its first real attack. Molino put away a brilliant goal off a chance created by an overlapping Luke Boden in the 20th minute. This is a prime example of how Kreis’ use of the fullbacks can help Orlando City. Cyle Larin did well to get a shot on target off Boden’s cross, but defender Jelle Van Damme blocked it off his chest. Molino was there for the scraps and made no mistake with his left-footed strike.

The game then took a turn for the worse. Actually, three turns. On a quick counter up the field, Giovani Dos Santos didn’t squander the easy chance to level the score in the 35th minute. LA quickly pounced on some positional indiscipline from Kevin Alston, displaying what can go oh so horribly wrong when you play a high line without anyone with some pace.

A long ball from Van Damme sent Emmanuel Boateng down Orlando’s left flank, as the Galaxy attacked with speed and got in behind the defense. Boateng’s cross made for an easy finish for Dos Santos.

The Lions then conceded another goal in the 38th due to a combination of poor defending and a missed offside call. It would’ve been nice to see someone challenge the second ball before it came in, but the official missed one here. Boateng corralled a Jose Aja clearance off a corner. He beat Matias Perez Garcia to the loose ball and one-timed a pass to Dos Santos, who was offside. The flag stayed down and the Mexican international put a cross in that had only to hit Alan Gordon and bounce in to make it 2-1.

Another poor refereeing decision allowed LA to increase the lead in first-half stoppage time as Jose Aja fouled Gordon right outside the box in the 43rd minute. The foul was clearly outside the box, which is also where the contact ended, yet a penalty was given instead of a standard free kick. Dos Santos buried it, sending Joe Bendik the wrong way.

City went into the locker room looking demoralized. On a different day, it could’ve easily been level, because even though LA had the majority of the more dangerous chances, the Galaxy’s two goals that put them out of sight were dependent on refereeing decisions.

The second half started, and Orlando stuck with the original game plan of putting numbers far up the field. This continued to give the Galaxy options on the counter as the men in white won most of the midfield battles. Substitute Robbie Keane took full advantage of the high line and slotted one home just moments after coming on in the 70th minute.

A quick turnover created the counter and the Orlando defense was torched by multiple players. The ball ended up on Keane’s foot as he avoided the onrushing Bendik and made it 4-1 in the 70th minute.

Landon Donovan then made his much-anticipated return to MLS in the 82nd minute although his impact on the game was minimal, as you’d expect after his two years out of the league.

The introduction of Carlos Rivas and Brek Shea for an Cyle Larin and Kaká, respectively, coupled with Van Damme being withdrawn by the Galaxy, provided more territorial play for Orlando. But it simply didn’t happen for the Lions in the final third until Shea fired one in from close in stoppage time. Perhaps Shea could’ve influenced a different outcome if he had been brought on earlier, as he generated three good chances in his 17 minutes of work.

Overall, Orlando City fans should come away from this match feeling disappointed in a variety of things, but mainly the tactics. The refereeing was poor, which allowed LA to gain a sizable lead very early on, but it could be said the Galaxy might have done so anyway.

Kreis poured numbers up the field against a team that has been known to love the counter attack. Orlando has a leaky back line as is, and playing such a high line was a huge risk and one that didn’t provide too much going forward. The Lions simply don’t have the players to execute this style of play in an efficient manner at this moment in time.


The Lions remain in sixth place in the Eastern Conference for now. Orlando City will be back in action Saturday night at Camping World Stadium when the Columbus Crew visit at 7:30 p.m.

Orlando City

Orlando City Unveils New Perfect Storm Kit Ahead of 2025 MLS Season

The Lions’ new kits are meant to represent the uniqueness and intensity of the Central Florida weather.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City unveiled the club’s new home “Perfect Storm” kit today. The new home purple kit is meant to evoke the intensity of the Central Florida weather, and features a lightning bolt (called a “thunderbolt” by the club) made out of the Orlando area code, 407, on the back of the neck and a jocktag with a doppler radar storm icon. Per the club, no two kits will have the exact same pattern.

The Perfect Storm kit will be available on MLSStore.com and on OCMobileShop.com, with pick-up at The Den at Inter&Co Stadium starting Thursday during regular business hours.

“This kit is a tribute to our fans who have supported us day in and day out, through everything, rain or shine,” said Orlando City Chief Marketing Officer Pedro Araujo in a club press release. “It is also inspired by our players’ ability to thrive in adverse weather conditions, and a reminder that Inter&Co Stadium is one of the toughest environments in Major League Soccer for visiting teams to compete in.”

The Perfect Storm Kit will be first available to fans at the club’s official jersey launch tonight at 6 p.m. at Canvas (1401 Florida Mall Ave.). Fans can purchase the new shirt and have it customized. The first 200 fans in attendance to purchase the new kit will receive an exclusive CITYiD patch

The Lions will first wear the new kit at their home opener against the Philadelphia Union on Saturday, Feb. 22.

Here are some shots of the new kit:

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 2/12/25

Leagues Cup Schedule released, Sams and Moorhouse called up, Champions League results, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers! It’s new home kit reveal day, so get ready to potentially spend some money. I may end up getting one regardless of how it looks. I’ve lost some weight, and while that is good, none of my jerseys fit anymore. I hope it’s a good one.

We want to wish a very happy birthday to Orlando City B midfielder Jhon Solis. Additionally, I want to wish my son Chris a very happy birthday. Now, let’s get to the links.

Orlando City’s Leagues Cup Fixtures Revealed

The official Leagues Cup 2025 Phase One schedule dropped Tuesday, meaning we now know Orlando City’s first three matches of the competition. All three matches will be played at Inter&Co Stadium against Liga MX squads. The Lions will face Pumas UNAM in the first match on July 30, followed by Atlas FC on Aug. 2, and then Necaxa on Aug. 6. Phase One of the competition is effectively a group stage. If Orlando City can advance out of Phase One, the Lions will head to the knockout rounds.

Pride International Call Ups

The Orlando Pride’s Emily Sams and Anna Moorhouse received call-ups for the USWNT and the England Women’s National Team, respectively. USWNT Coach Emma Hayes included Sams on her 23-player roster for the 2025 SheBelieves Cup later this month. The U.S. will play matches against Japan, Australia, and Colombia.

Moorhouse was selected by Lioness coach Sarina Wiegman for the UEFA Women’s Nations League. England’s first two matches are against Portugal on Feb. 21 and against Spain on Feb. 26. After that, the competition continues in April.

MLS Transfer Round Up

With Orlando City finally signing some new players, other MLS clubs continue to make moves in the off-season. Former Orlando City midfielder Junior Urso signed with the Houston Dynamo through 2025 with an option for 2026. Houston is the Bear’s third MLS club.

French second-division side Amiens SC is in a selling mood. The club sent defender Osaze Urhoghide to FC Dallas. Minnesota United FC signed midfielder Owen Gene from Amiens SC to an MLS U22 Initiative contract.

Elsewhere, the Philadelphia Union signed Homegrown forward Eddy Davis III, and D.C. United signed midfielder Brandon Servania. Out west, the San Jose Earthquakes have signed goalkeeper Daniel to a contract extension, and Nashville SC signed midfielder Matthew Corcoran from USL Championship side Birmingham Legion FC.

Champions League Results

UEFA Champions League continued Tuesday, with Paris Saint-Germain getting things going with a 3-0 win over Brest. Ousmane Dembélé scored a brace in the match to cement the victory. Borussia Dortmund also managed a 3-0 victory over Sporting Lisbon. All three goals came in the second half, including Serhou Guirassy’s 10th in the competition to equal Erling Haaland and Robert Lewandowski.

Real Madrid scored two goals to come from behind and defeat Manchester City 3-2. Jude Bellingham scored the winning goal in second-half stoppage time. Weston McKennie got things going for Juventus in its 2-1 victory over PSV Eindhoven. Samuel Mbangula scored the winning goal.

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That will do it for today. Check back later today for our coverage of the new kit. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 2/11/25

Orlando City signs Eduard Atuesta, MLS news roundup, Americans in midweek action, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Tuesday, gang! It was a long weekend for me but an interesting one, as I attended an event at St. Louis City’s Energizer Stadium on Saturday night. It was a fun time, but personally I prefer Orlando City’s home digs. We have plenty of things to discuss this morning, so let’s get into the links.

Orlando City Signs Eduard Atuesta

Orlando City has found its replacement for the injured Wilder Cartagena, as the club announced the signing of Colombian midfielder Eduard Atuesta from Palmeiras on Monday. Atuesta’s deal runs through the end of the 2025 season and also contains a club option for 2026. While the Lions still have some depth issues that need to be addressed at various positions, Atuesta will pair alongside Cesar Araujo in midfield, and if his previous numbers in Major League Soccer are any indication, he may even provide more goal scoring and creation from the position than Cartagena usually did.

MLS News Roundup

With the start of the MLS season under two weeks away, the off-season news is still flying thick and fast. First up, the Colorado Rapids have signed midfielder Ted Ku-DiPietro from D.C. United in exchange for up to $1.4 million in cash, with United also maintaining a sell-on percentage in the player. The trade was executed using the league’s cash-based trade system, with Colorado becoming the latest team to make use of the new mechanism. Up next, San Diego FC has signed defender Willy Kumado from Lyngby Boldklub in the Danish Superliga. The right back joins on a two-year deal that also contains option years for 2027 and 2028. Finally, Tom Bogert is reporting that Joseph Paintsil is expected to be out of action for over a month after sustaining an injury to his quadriceps.

Americans in Midweek Action

As always, there are a number of Americans taking part in games during the working week, and there’s a heavy emphasis on UEFA Champions League play. Things get started later today, as Tim Weah, Weston McKennie, and Juventus face a PSV Eindhoven side that has all four of Ricardo Pepi, Richy Ledezma, Sergino Dest, and Malik Tillman injured. Meanwhile, Gio Reyna, Cole Campbell, and Borussia Dortmund will travel to face Sporting CP. Wednesday has Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah traveling with AC Milan to take on Feyenoord, while Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic will be sorely tested at home against Bayern Munich. Thursday will wrap up European play with Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis squaring off against Gent in the Conference League.

Josh Sargent’s Opportunity

Josh Sargent had a difficult end to 2024, as he spent several months on the sideline while recovering from a groin injury that eventually required surgery. There were some natural moments of wondering what he’d be like when he made his return, but he’s hit the ground running since his first game back on Jan. 25, as he has four goals in three games for Norwich City. Not only is he getting his chance at the club level, but with Pepi and Folarin Balogun both currently injured, Sargent looks almost certain to lead the line for the United States Men’s National Team for March’s Concacaf Nations League semifinal matches. Sometimes timing is everything, and right now Sargent’s timing is pretty damn good.

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That does it for me this morning. Vamos Orlando!

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