Connect with us

Orlando City

Intelligence Report: Orlando City at Sporting Kansas City

Published

9 years ago

on

I said this last week but I’ll say it again: Orlando City needs a victory. And again it will be difficult. The Lions go into a difficult environment on the road to face a desperate Sporting Kansas City team. Orlando may be winless in five (0-2-3) but SKC is winless in seven (0-5-2). The last time the Lions went into a tough environment on the road to play a struggling team, the Red Bulls loss happened, and this Sporting team has just as dangerous an attacking force as New York.

Orlando City has started and finished games well but has had problems in the middle, particularly before halftime. Is this the week we see the first full 90-minute effort since the 4-1 win over Portland? Let’s hope so, because we’ll all feel better with three more points in pocket. The Lions did manage a nice win over Sporting KC last year in a 3-1 final at The Artist Formerly Known as the Citrus Bowl.

Here to help us learn more about the 2016 version of SKC is Cody Bradley from SB Nation’s Sporting Kansas City site, The Blue Testament. Cody was nice enough to stop by and answer our questions. I also answered his, which you can check out over at their place.

It’s been awhile since our two teams have met. Who are Sporting Kansas City’s key off-season additions and subtractions that we should know about and how have they affected Peter Vermes‘ team and approach this year?

Cody Bradley: The big one is of course the loss of Krisztian Nemeth. Nemo wanted more money (the team did offer him more when they didn’t have to, just not enough) and things kind of went south between the two sides. Brad Davis and Justin Mapp were brought in for attacking reinforcements and Davis has been playing on the wing opposite Graham Zusi. Justin Mapp has been injured and played a total of 8 minutes thus far. The best addition has been Portuguese defender Nuno AndrΓ© Coelho. He is tied with David Ousted for first in minutes played (they’ve both gone the full 90 all 12 matches) for all of MLS, and he has been damn good basically every single one of those minutes. Diego Rubio is also a new arrival as a young DP on loan from the Spanish second division. He is Dom’s backup at striker and Vermes only has until June 30 to decide if he wants to purchase the player or send him back to Spain.

Brad Davis has two goals, both of which were really impressive. He has been almost as good as anybody on this team (not that it’s really saying much), but the offense is undoubtedly missing some bite with the loss of Nemeth. He was incredibly dangerous cutting in and attacking from the wing, while Zusi and Davis are probably more content to send in a cross. This means Dwyer gets all the attention from both CBs, and he has been struggling to get proper service.

When Coelho arrived, it was unsure where he fit into the depth chart. He established himself as a starter over Ike Opara and he’s given Vermes three very good defenders. He’s also provided him with some versatility. Coelho has a bit of David Luiz in him in. He’s very technical and is able play in front of the CBs as a defensive midfielder. He fancies himself to take long-range shots and let me tell you, I’ve seen some absolutely ridiculous free kicks from him in training. His quality and versatility even led to Vermes switching up his beloved 4-3-3.

The jury is still out on Diego Rubio. You can see that the instincts and talent are there, but he hasn’t had much time to get used to the league and settle in. He does have one goal to his name in his 162 minutes for SKC. Rubio is the only other option for striker behind Dwyer and has provided much-needed depth, at the very least.

SKC got off to a good early start to the season but of late has been on a run of poor form, going 0-5-2 in the last seven and 1-6-2 in the last nine. What’s up with the team and how are the fans reacting to it? Are they calling out Vermes?

CB: Admittedly, most fans are not handling it well. And that’s not to say they should be. This organization promises — and this fan base expects — much more from Sporting KC. Two goals in the last five matches is just unacceptable. Call us snobs, but we demand hardware.

That being said, I’m far from panicking. SKC is only nine points off the top of the table. They have given themselves a chance to get a result in almost every match. The defense has been pretty good at limiting chances and they haven’t conceded more than two goals in a match. And hell, Sporting is actually getting shots off as well. They just simply are not good ones. Another thing to keep in mind is that the top six teams on the Supporters’ Shield table are the teams that have done the damage to KC.

There are, of course, some people who will blame Vermes. But the guy has done everything you could want from a manager in a slump. After a couple poor displays he stepped up intensity in training and had the boys in two teams playing a real feisty 1v1 game. After a couple more bad games he switched up his formation and his tactics (I really can’t stress enough how big of a deal it is that Vermes switched up his 4-3-3. He loves that formation like Orlando loves Dom Dwyer. You know, like so much that he actually hurt himself a little bit (: ). Then when it got really bad, he benched his star players who were not performing in favor young guns like Jimmy Medranda.

It’s definitely not good right now. But I’m confident they will get this turned around. PV is a great coach and there is simply too much talent for them to continue this trend.

What kind of formation and tactics can we expect from Sporting KC 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?

CB: When the Galaxy came to town, Vermes really did throw out something different. He went with a veteran-heavy lineup and figured out a way to get his best players on the field. The formation is still a mystery, but all three CBs were playing and Graham Zusi was at right back…or something. The team looked pretty solid, but he immediately went back to the 4-3-3 the last two games. He liked the way they played on Wednesday night so I imagine we see it again.

Because the issue has been in the final third and with finishing, the key match-up simply has to be Dom Dwyer against Orlando’s CBs Mateos and Hines. Dwyer set himself a mark of 30 goals to aim for this year. But he’s only got four goals right now and hasn’t scored in the last six games. In the very likely event that Dwyer is benched and/or rested this game, the key match-up would remain in the same spot on the field. This could be a big chance for Rubio to earn a permanent spot on the team.

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

CB: Ike Opara is suspended for a ridiculous second yellow card on Wednesday night. For the most part, everyone else is available.

(4-3-3) Tim Melia; Amadou Dia, Nuno Coelho, Matt Besler, Chance Myers; Soni Mustivar, Roger Espinoza, Benny Feilhaber; Graham Zusi, Dom Dwyer, Brad Davis.

* * *

Big thanks to Cody from The Blue Testament for stopping by and giving us some insight on SKC.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Orlando City

Intelligence Report: Orlando City vs. New York City FC

Familiarize yourself with this year’s NYCFC squad, courtesy of someone who knows them best.

Published

16 hours ago

on

March 7, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City got back to winning ways in emphatic fashion on Matchday 2, but the Lions have a tough test to overcome if they want to make it two wins on the bounce. That’s because OCSC’s next match comes against New York City FC at Yankee Stadium β€” a venue that has mostly proved to be a positively tortuous place for Orlando to visit over the years.

Regardless, a match against NYCFC means I caught up with Matthew Mangam, one of the senior writers over at the fantastic Hudson River Blue. As always, Matthew was very helpful in getting us caught up on what we should expect from this year’s NYCFC team. I also answered some of his questions about Orlando City, so be sure to check those out over at their place!

Pascal Jansen is at the reins for NYCFC this year. How does he set his team up and how does he want to play?

Matthew Mangam: Pascal Jansen wants NYCFC to have a bulletproof mindset this season. So far, it’s been tough to exactly figure out what style of play Jansen wants from NYCFC, but we’ve seen glimpses. He leans on developingΒ young players, which is something NYCFC has a ton of. NYCFC still has played its well-known pass-heavy type of game, but the offense has lacked throughΒ the first two games, especially against LAFC.Β 

NYCFC got handed a brutal start to the season with two away games against Miami and LAFC and came away with a point. Going beyond the raw results, how has the team looked so far?

MM: As I mentionedΒ above, the LAFC loss was a tough one to swallow. Leading Inter Miami 2-1 before conceding late in stoppage time stung even more. Both results left a lot to be desired, but one point after the first two games actually is a good outcome for NYCFC. The defense looked much better against LAFC, but interestinglyΒ enough, the offense looked much worse in that game too. This team needs signings β€” there’s aΒ Santi RodrΓ­guez-shaped hole in NYCFC’s offense.

Take me through some of the team’s off-season transfer business. Are you satisfied with what was done, or would you like to see more moves made before the window closes?

MM: The off-season moves were very limited. Besides signing some Homegrowns and draft players to the first team, NYCFC didn’t bring in anyone notable. Maxi Moralez is back for likely his last season of his career, but you can’t pin it all on a 38-year-old. Like I said above, this team desperatelyΒ needs another No. 10 to help Moralez out. Some depth at left back, center back, and in the midfield wouldn’t hurt either.

Will any players be unavailable due to injury, suspension, etc.? What is your projected starting XI and score prediction?

MM: Tayvon Gray departed the LAFC game after eight minutes due to pain in his leg. Malachi Jones is still recovering from his season-ending injury last year. Besides that, I expect everyone to be healthy.

4-2-3-1: Matt Freese; Kevin O’Toole, Birk Risa, Thiago Martins, Mitja Ilenič; Justin Haak, Keaton Parks; AgustΓ­n Ojeda, Maxi Moralez, Hannes Wolf; Alonso MartΓ­nez.

It’s tough to predict, but I feel NYCFC will win 3-1 and restore its dominance in home openers. 

Many thanks to Matthew for the inside scoop on this year’s NYCFC squad. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/7/25

Getting to know Martin Ojeda, reliving Orlando City’s win vs. Toronto, Orlando Pride play the Washington Spirit tonight, and more.

Published

19 hours ago

on

March 7, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! Today is the start of three straight days of Orlando soccer to enjoy. The Orlando Pride play the Washington Spirit tonight, Orlando City will take on New York City FC on Saturday, and Orlando City B will kick off its 2025 season against Columbus Crew 2 on Sunday. It should be a fun weekend of soccer to enjoy. Let’s get to the links!

Getting to Know Martin Ojeda

Orlando City attacker Martin Ojeda is the latest player featured in the club’s video series aimed at shining a light on this season’s players. The 26-year-old had a slow start in his first year in Orlando. Ojeda and Head Coach Oscar Pareja spoke about how he’s adjusted to the pace of the game and the demanding transition moments that differ from other leagues he’s played in. He’s certainly improved, and he led the Lions with 12 assists last season. Ojeda also discussed the responsibility of wearing No. 10 on his back, the hurt after losing to the New York Red Bulls in the playoffs last year, and how he and the team are working on improving at every detail this year. The video also includes some great highlights and having the player interviews for these take place on a beach at sunset really makes it feel like I’m watching a documentary.

Sights and Sounds From Orlando City’s Win

The Lions earned their first win of the season in emphatic fashion on Saturday and the club released a video highlighting the best parts of the 4-2 victory over Toronto FC. It’s great to see some different angles on how Cesar Araujo beat the wall and banked the ball off the post from a free kick to get the scoring started. Alex Freeman’s first MLS goal, Ojeda’s celebration, and Luis Muriel’s pinpoint assist all received love as well, with the crowd noise really helping with the immersion. Hopefully the Lions can light it up again in New York.

Orlando Pride’s Challenge Starts Tonight

The Orlando Pride will play their first competitive match of 2025 tonight when they host the Washington Spirit in the 2025 NWSL Challenge Cup. The annual match is normally between the NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship winners, but the Pride won both last year in a historic season. The Pride will be viewed as the team to beat and will take on a Spirit side that tied them with 18 wins last season. The Spirit’s attack is led by two young talents in Trinity Rodman and Croix Bethune, but both are recovering from injuries suffered last year, so we’ll see if they take the field tonight before the season begins next week. Marta, who signed a two-year contract with the Pride this off-season, spoke about this year’s challenge for the Pride.

“It’s exciting to know that everybody is gonna look to us and then try to make it difficult for us,” Marta said. “But for me, it’s the best feeling, because you’re good at what you do, so just go and play, go and have fun. Go and get people excited to see you on the field. And it’s what I’m looking for.”

USWNT Stays Atop FIFA World Rankings

Despite a loss to Japan in the 2025 SheBelieves Cup, the United States Women’s National Team is still first in the FIFA world rankings. The USWNT beat Australia and Colombia in the tournament to stay ahead of a trio of European nations in Spain, Germany, and England. Japan rounds out the top five after winning all three of its SheBelieves Cup games. Brazil fell a spot to eighth as a result of Japan’s climb. Zambia, which had a win and a loss against Malawi in a pair of friendlies last month, fell two spots to 64th.

Europa League Round of 16 Begins

The first legs for the Europa League’s round of 16 were Thursday with all 16 remaining teams in action. Manchester United went on the road and battled Real Sociedad to a 1-1 draw, with the Spanish club’s equalizer coming from the penalty spot in the 70th minute. Tottenham had a rougher away trip, losing 1-0 to AZ Alkmaar in the Netherlands. A late goal by Eldor Shomurodov lifted AS Roma to a 2-1 against Athletic Club.

Lazio also won it late, beating Viktoria Plzen 2-1 thanks to Gustav Isaksen scoring deep into stoppage time while down to nine men. BodΓΈ/Glimt took down Olympiacos 3-0 to end the Greek club’s 26-match unbeaten run. Elsewhere in Europe, Malick Fofana had a brace in Lyon’s 3-1 win over Steaua Bucuresti, Rangers beat Fenerbahce 3-1 in Turkey, and Eintracht Frankfurt won 2-1 against Ajax.

Free Kicks

  • Angel City FC Sporting Director Mark Parsons stated that he does not expect a full-time head coach to be hired until June. The club fired Becki Tweed in December, and Sam Laity has been the club’s interim coach this preseason.
  • American forward Folarin Balogun is back at training with AS Monaco after being sidelined for the past few months due to a shoulder injury that required surgery. He won’t be with the U.S. for the Concacaf Nations League this month, but could feature in the Concacaf Gold Cup this summer.
  • Inter Miami defender Ian Fray had his red card rescinded by the Independent Review Panel and he will be eligible to play on Sunday against Charlotte FC.
  • Mason Greenwood is switching his international allegiance from England to Jamaica. Get ready to learn Concacaf, buddy.
  • For the first time since tearing his ACL in October of 2023, Neymar has been called up for Brazil’s World Cup qualifiers against Colombia and Argentina this month. Brazil is currently fifth in the CONMEBOL standings with six games left in qualifying.
  • Manchester United is reportedly interested in signing Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford. If the 22-year-old does sign with United, the fans absolutely need to nickname him Young Trafford.
  • Lyon’s manager, Paulo Fonseca, is banned from Ligue 1 games for nine months for angrily confronting the referee in his team’s 2-1 win over Brest on Sunday. Fonseca will not be allowed on the touchline or in the locker room, and won’t have access to players at Ligue 1 games until Sept. 15.
  • FIFA will review a proposal for the 2030 FIFA World Cup to include 64 teams for the centenary of the event. It would be ambitious and I don’t think it would happen, but I’ll admit that I hope it comes to fruition.
  • We end our links with the Lions showing off their singing abilities, and nothing will prepare you for how beautiful Robin Jansson’s voice is.

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

Continue Reading

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. New York City FC: Three Keys to Victory

What do the Lions need to do to get the first road victory of the season against New York City FC?

Published

2 days ago

on

March 6, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City hits the road for its first away match. The Lions will face longtime Eastern Conference rival New York City FC. Playing at Yankee Stadium presents some unique challenges for NYCFC opponents, but Orlando City is coming off a big win over Toronto FC.

The Lions need to be early season road warriors like they have in the past. This match is the first of two games in a row against teams with New York in their names. What does Orlando City need to do to earn all three points on the road against NYCFC?

Precise Passing

Playing on the foosball table that is the “regulation” soccer pitch at Yankee Stadium is a dicey proposition. Everything is smaller, including the passing windows. NYCFC’s players are used to the size and inconsistency of the field. Orlando City’s players are not. That makes stringing together a series of passes to work up the field all the more difficult.

I’m hoping that Eduard Atuesta and Martin Ojeda are able to really showcase their passing talents in this match. In fact, this might be a really good match for Luis Muriel to get the start. Muriel is very good at passing in tight spaces. If he is on the pitch rather than Ivan Angulo β€” whose speed may be negated by the confined conditions β€” he could really help in moving the ball through the defense. Precise passing between Atuesta, Ojeda, and Muriel is a recipe for success.

Hold the Center

NYCFC has two central attackers that Orlando City needs to worry about. Alonso Martinez at striker, and their No. 10, Maxi Moralez. The latter has hurt the Lions many times over the years, and he is still very dangerous. The former already has one goal on the year in the match against Inter Miami after scoring 16 for the Pigeons last year in the regular season.

On the other side, we have an Orlando City back line that may still be missing captain Robin Jansson and David Brekalo. Kyle Smith did an admirable job filling in at center back against Toronto FC, but that’s not sustainable. How well he does this week may determine how many goals the Lions give up. Cesar Araujo had an MLS Team of the Week performance last match and will need to do it all again this week. The center of the defense must be stout if the Lions are to keep NYCFC off the board.

Pasalic’s Next Step

Marco Pasalic came out of the gates hot with two goals against the Philadelphia Union. Toronto FC saw this and promptly shut him down by always making sure he was covered by two to three defenders. Now, Orlando City’s newest Designated Player needs to make the necessary adjustments to break free.

Thanks to the Lions scoring four goals against Toronto, despite Pasalic being mostly kept in check, NYCFC may need to allow Pasalic more space as to not give up goals from his teammates. If Pasalic can recognize and take advantage of any space he is given, he might be able to get back on the scoreboard against the Pigeons. At the very least, if he looks dangerous he might open up space for another Lion to get a goal.

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

Continue Reading

Trending