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Intelligence Report: Scouting Orlando City vs. Portland Timbers

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9 years ago

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Orlando City looks to take its unbeaten streak to four straight to start the season tomorrow night at the Citrus Bowl, but it won’t be easy. The Lions welcome the defending MLS champion Portland Timbers to the City Beautiful.

Team captain Kaká is expected to make his 2016 MLS debut, giving the Lions (1-0-2, 5 points) a boost in their nationally televised match-up with the Timbers (1-1-1, 4 points). Orlando City may not have a loss yet, but it is still searching for that elusive first home victory. Last year it took a while. Hopefully, this season it will come earlier. Perhaps tomorrow?

Portland has a dynamic attack force with guys like Darlington Nagbe, Diego Valeri, Fanendo Adi and Lucas Melano. But the Timbers have a chink in their defensive armor, with Liam Ridgewell out. Here to help us scout the defending champs is Will Conwell from our SB Nation sister blog covering the Timbers, Stumptown Footy. I’ve answered their questions as well, in case you want to check that out.

What are Portland’s key off-season additions and subtractions that we should know about and how have they affected Caleb Porter’s team and approach?

Will Conwell: When looking at what has changed for the Timbers since 2015, one has to pay special attention to the team’s left flank. With Jorge Villafana tearing it up in Mexico and Rodney Wallace wandering far off lands, the Timbers found themselves in need of a whole new approach on the left for 2016.

At left back the team brought in Columbus Crew SC defender Chris Klute, intending to shape him into the league’s next dominant fullback in much the same way that they had with Villafana. However, when Klute arrived, his recovery from an off-season knee surgery was significantly behind what the Timbers were expecting, forcing the team to scramble to figure out the fullback situation — further compounded by an injury to center back and team captain Liam Ridgewell. Klute is just now reaching full match fitness, but suddenly finds himself with some competition in 21-year-old Leicester City loanee Jack Barmby. It is unclear who will get the start at left back on Sunday, but for the first time in 2016 the Timbers are starting to approach their preferred option at the position.

Further up the pitch, the transition from Wallace to mid-2015 signing Lucas Melano has been a much less bumpy one. With the team having moved to a 4-3-3 formation late in 2015, Melano and opposite side winger Dairon Asprilla have made the flanks their own. Bringing pace and athleticism to the side, either can be a handful for opposition fullbacks, but both are young and raw players, in need of some tweaking to their respective games if the Timbers are going to be a top side in MLS.

Portland obviously finished strong, winning MLS Cup off a third-place regular season finish in the Western Conference. How has that changed fan expectations for 2016?

WC: If you win the MLS Cup, expectations are going to go up; that’s life. For the Timbers, however — and it seems like the Lions can probably identify with this — expectations are always going to be high to begin with.

The Timbers may have finished in third place in a ridiculously tight West last season, but they did so with some late smash and grab victories that propelled them up the standings after months and months of flirting with the dreaded red line. At this point, Caleb Porter and company have gained a reputation for turning it on late in the season and peaking at just the right time, but for much of last year, there was plenty of hand-wringing and even speculation that Porter could be on the hot seat if things didn’t turn around.

This year, it is hard to determine just how much slack the Timbers are going to get. After going 1-1-1 in March, the Timbers seem to be somehow ahead of expectations. That might be because those four points in March are the Timbers’ most to open the season since Porter took over as head coach. Or it might be because the team’s back line has been shredded by injuries. Or any number of other reasons.

What kind of formation and tactics can we expect from the Timbers this weekend against what is most likely going to be some variation of a 4-3-2-1 or 4-3-3 by Orlando City, and what do you view as the game’s key match-up?

WC: The 2016 Timbers are a counter-attacking team. With attack-minded wingers, perhaps the best target forward in the league, and a midfield capable to getting the ball down the pitch quickly and efficiently, the Timbers love to let the opposition come to them before striking down the pitch with ruthless efficiency.

Well, maybe not that ruthless. As is customary for the Timbers early in the season, the finishing is not quite there yet and, despite leading the league in chances created, the side is still more than happy to take whatever half-chances come, rather than engineering fewer full-chances.

Many of those come from Asprilla and Melano on the wings, with the Timbers generating a significant number of their attacking movements from out wide. With Fanendo Adi holding the ball up at the top of the formation for Diego Valeri or Darlington Nagbe to send the ball down either flank, the Timbers’ wingers are often put into situations where they have the room and freedom to drive at the opposition box and either shoot or play a ball in for Adi and company to get on the end of. That wing play has been the Timbers’ focus for much of the last two weeks, so it should come as little surprise to the Orlando fullbacks when they find themselves under pressure for much of the match.

What is your anticipated starting XI, key injuries/suspensions, and score prediction for Sunday?

WC:

Starters: Adam Larsen Kwarasey; Jack Barmby, Jermaine Taylor, Nat Borchers, Alvas Powell; Diego Valeri, Diego Chara, Darlington Nagbe; Lucas Melano, Fanendo Adi, Dairon Asprilla.

Key Injuries: Liam Ridgewell.
Key Suspensions: None.
Score Prediction: None for me, thanks. (Editor’s note: Boo!)

* * *

Big thanks to Will from Stumptown Footy for giving us some insight on the defending champs.

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Opinion

Orlando City Must Learn from May’s Mistakes

The Lions can learn some valuable lessons from the three losses they suffered in May.

Published

5 hours ago

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June 6, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Orlando City hadn’t quite achieved juggernaut status as the Major League Soccer season turned from April to May, but a 12-match unbeaten run in the league is nothing to sniff at, despite there being a healthy number of draws interspersed with the victories. Things turned sour as May drew to a close though, as the Lions lost three of their final four matches of the month and entered a two-week break with a whimper rather than a roar.

Losing is never fun, but in this case those three defeats don’t need to be entirely negative experiences, and there are plenty of lessons to be learned from those three bitter losses that will hold Orlando in good stead if it can implement the proper solutions.

More Squad Rotation

One of the biggest factors in Orlando’s rough finish to May was a lack of squad rotation. Oscar Pareja has always been a coach that likes to find his first-choice XI and stick to it almost religiously. He doesn’t normally tweak his lineups or tactics according to whatever opponent is on the slate, and very much values consistency. In periods of fixture congestion, that tendency can be to Orlando’s detriment, and that was very much the case against both Nashville SC and the Chicago Fire.

After beating Inter Miami 3-0 in an emotional rivalry match on May 18, Pareja made just one change for a U.S. Open Cup match against Nashville SC three days later. Ramiro Enrique slotted in for Luis Muriel up top, but every single other starter from the Miami game also got the nod midweek. With Nashville deploying a heavily rotated lineup mostly filled with backups, the gamble was a simple one: hope that OCSC’s A-team can open up a big first-half lead against Nashville’s B-squad before bringing mass changes in the second half to get guys some rest. Hindsight is, of course, 20/20, but the strategy backfired badly as the Lions lost 3-2. Orlando started well with Marco Pasalic’s 17th-minute strike, but the team faded badly afterwards and gave up a couple of very uncharacteristic goals to lose the game. Lapses in concentration and tired defending cost OCSC the game, and that isn’t something we can normally say about this team.

Then, after losing to Atlanta United 3-2 on May 28 due in no small part to Cesar Araujo’s red card, Pareja made two changes for a match against the Chicago Fire on May 31, with Muriel coming in for Enrique, and the other change being a forced one, as Eduard Atuesta replaced the suspended Araujo. Those starters looked noticeably gassed during the resulting 3-1 loss, and the fatigue manifested itself by players missing chances that would normally be converted or in sloppy, mistake-ridden defending.

May was a packed month with a whopping nine matches in 31 days, and most months won’t be that busy. August is set to be the busiest remaining period of the year with six games in 31 days, although that number could rise higher if the Lions make a run in Leagues Cup. The bottom line is that guys are going to need more rest as the season goes on. If the coaching staff doesn’t trust some of the guys currently available as backups, then they need to dip into the transfer market in one way or another and get some players that they do trust, because if the starting XI gets run ragged during busy periods it’s going to cost Orlando, plain and simple.

Cool Heads Usually Prevail

Orlando City has received three red cards on the season, which is tied for the second-most in the league. Unsurprisingly, the Lions are winless in games in which they’ve had a man sent off, with draws against the New York Red Bulls and CF Montreal and a loss to Atlanta United. The results against the Red Bulls and Atlanta were particularly difficult to swallow, as before going down to 10 men, Orlando had looked on track to get three points in each game.

Araujo’s red card against Atlanta was especially frustrating, as he allowed Mateusz Klich to get under his skin, grabbed him by the throat, and reduced his team to 10 men when OCSC was nursing a 2-1 lead on the road. It was completely unnecessary and was also the sort of thing that Orlando had looked to put in the rearview mirror after keeping its collective composure and not picking up any bookings in the 3-0 road win against Miami, while the Herons picked up four and looked noticeably rattled in the process.

It should go without saying, but the Lions can’t afford to get key players sent off. Six extra points could make a big difference in the standings at the end of the year, and that number could rise even higher if OCSC can’t put its disciplinary issues to rest once and for all.

Focus for the Full 90

There were moments in each of Orlando’s three May losses that the team committed bad defensive lapses or mistakes. Whether it was not playing to the whistle on Nashville’s third goal, Atuesta’s bad turnover against Atlanta, or the Lions collectively allowing Chicago to stroll through midfield to score a third goal, there were plenty of examples of bad breakdowns that were largely absent during the team’s unbeaten run. Can some of that be attributed to tired minds and tired legs? Maybe so — it’s a lot harder to play crisp and focused when the minutes have piled up. Regardless, its something that can’t continue to happen going forward. It’s possible that having more rotation in the squad will help that a lot, but it’s also on the players on the field to stay as mentally sharp as they can when they’re out on the pitch.

Clearly, a recurring theme here is that fresh legs and balanced squad rotation are top of my list of things I want to see change. I’m all for riding the hot hands, but tired legs make for tired minds, and tired minds make mistakes and are easier to rile up. Whether reinforcements come from the bench or an outside source, using more bodies will go a long way towards solving some of the issues that we saw in May’s three losses. All we can do now is wait and see what happens once the team returns from its break. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/6/25

Alex Freeman called up for Concacaf Gold Cup, Orlando Pride get ready for the Houston Dash, Orlando City B plays tonight, and more.

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9 hours ago

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June 6, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday! I’ll be spending this weekend celebrating my birthday by beating my friends at mini golf with no mercy but still hope to catch some soccer over the next few days. I’ve also been on a bit of a movie kick and plan on catching Wes Anderson’s new flick at some point soon. But for now, let’s dive into today’s links!

Alex Freeman Called Up For Gold Cup

Orlando City defender Alex Freeman was officially called up by the United States Men’s National Team for the Concacaf Gold Cup this summer. He’s the only Lion who will be at the tournament and is one of seven uncapped USMNT players on the roster. The 20-year-old could receive more playing time than expected, as right back Sergino Dest is not on the roster so that he can recover over the summer. Left back John Tolkin was added to replace Dest, so Freeman has a real shot at making a claim for the position this month. The U.S. will take on Turkey Saturday in the first of two friendlies before its first Gold Cup match against Trinidad & Tobago on June 15.

Orlando Pride Prepares to Host the Houston Dash

With the international break for women’s soccer over, the Orlando Pride return to action Saturday with a home game against the Houston Dash. It should be a great opportunity for the Pride to ease back into the swing of things against a Dash team that’s only scored 10 goals this season. Pride midfielder Ally Lemos spoke on the benefit of being able to rest heading into this match while maintaining a winning mindset from a 3-1 victory on May 23.

Anna Moorhouse Called Up For 2025 Euros

Orlando Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was named to England’s final roster for the 2025 UEFA European Women’s Championship. She’s one of three goalkeepers on the squad following Mary Earp’s surprise retirement from international soccer, and she will likely compete with fellow uncapped player Khiara Keating for the backup position behind Hannah Hampton. Moorhouse has started in every game for the Pride this season and was an NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year finalist for her record-breaking season last year. England’s Euro run will begin July 5 against France before other group matches against the Netherlands and Wales.

Orlando City B Takes On Huntsville City FC

The Young Lions are riding high after a 2-1 win over Chattanooga FC and will take that momentum into tonight’s road match against Huntsville City FC. Midfielder Noah Levis scored his first career goal in that home win, with Justin Hylton providing the assist in his OCB debut. Orlando’s offense has been hot and cold this season but has a variety of attacking talent that can create chances in different ways. The Young Lions have only won once on the road, but a win tonight would lift them to third in the Eastern Conference.

Free Kicks

  • FIFA Club World Cup action is coming to the City Beautiful this month and Orlando City legend Kaká spoke on how it’s nice for Orlando to host games.
  • San Diego Wave Head Coach Jonas Eidevall was named NWSL Coach of the Month. The Wave were undefeated in May, winning three of their four matches to climb to second in the league standings.
  • The NWSL will allow intraleague loans for all teams, with the players needing to consent to the move in order for it to happen. Denver and Boston’s expansion teams will have access to potentially over $1 million in Allocation Money starting on July 1 to build their rosters before the 2026 season.
  • Atletico Madrid is reportedly close to signing American midfielder Johnny Cardoso from Real Betis.
  • South Korea, Uzbekistan, and Jordan all qualified for the 2026 World Cup, while China was eliminated from contention. Australia beat Japan 1-0 and will qualify so long as it doesn’t lose heavily to Saudi Arabia on June 10.
  • Spain beat France 5-4 in a wild game to reach the UEFA Nations League final against Portugal on Sunday. Lamine Yamal continues to take the world by storm, but a late rally by France nearly completed a comeback.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/5/25

MLS All-Star voting update, Kerry Abello shines with USWNT, Sergio Zapata earns recognition, and more.

Published

1 day ago

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June 5, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this week has been treating you well as we enjoy some international soccer and prepare for the return of NWSL action this weekend. Before we jump right into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City B midfielder Dylan Judelson!

Pair of Lions Lead MLS All-Star Voting

Voting for this year’s MLS All-Star Game remains underway and an update was provided on which players are leading at each position. Orlando City defender Alex Freeman leads all right backs as he enjoys a breakout season. I was aware of the buzz he’s been getting this year, but it’s still surprising to see a Lion as an All-Star frontrunner. What’s even more surprising is that Pedro Gallese leads the voting for goalkeepers. The Peruvian made a rough gaffe last week, but has otherwise had a stellar season with Orlando that’s included seven clean sheets. Voting will close on June 11, so make sure to get those votes in before then.

Kerry Abello Impresses With USMNT

Orlando Pride defender Kerry Abello made her first appearance for the United States Women’s National Team Tuesday, playing every minute of the 4-0 win over Jamaica. The versatility she’s shown with the Pride translated well in Head Coach Emma Hayes’ system, as she was able to hold things down defensively and contribute to the attack as well. Abello could end up bringing solid depth to the USWNT as Hayes figures out the team’s future core of players. Enjoy this video from the USWNT that provides a look behind the scenes of Abello’s international debut.

Sergio Zapata Named Player of the Month

Sergio Zapata scored a whopping 11 goals for Orlando City’s U-19 team over the course of just four matches in May, winning the honor of MLS NEXT Player of the Month. He had three hat tricks last month, including one against Hoosier Premier at MLS NEXT Fest. Zapata committed to Cornell, so hopefully we’ll get to see him tear it up in the Ivy League over the next couple of years.

Zack Steffen Sustains Knee Injury

Goalkeeper Zack Steffen injured his knee at the United States Men’s National Team’s training camp and will reportedly miss this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup. It’s rough news for the 30-year-old, as he was expected to compete with Matt Turner for the starting job with the USMNT. He’s been having a great season with the Colorado Rapids and returned to the club for further evaluation on the injury.

Free Kicks

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

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