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Orlando City vs. Philadelphia Union: Final Score 2-2 as Lions Can’t Hold onto Late Lead

Kevin Molino and Cyle Larin bring Orlando back from a 1-0 deficit but a late goal off a corner spoiled what could have been a second straight victory for the Lions.

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Nick Leyva, The Mane Land

Orlando City remained unbeaten at home, but it wasn’t the result the Lions wanted, drawing 2-2 with Eastern Conference-leading Philadelphia Union. The announced crowd of 24,109 at Camping World Stadium saw a rather dull first half turn into an eventful second period with all four goals coming after the break.

The Lions (3-3-6, 15 points) came from behind to take the lead on goals by Kevin Molino and Cyle Larin but could not hold their advantage, allowing an equalizer by the Union (5-3-4, 19 points). Ken Tribbett’s first MLS goal and a missed late chance for Molino sealed only a single point for the Lions, who must regroup for Sunday’s match at New York City.

They’ll have to play Sunday without center back David Mateos, who was sent off late (barring a successful appeal, should one be attempted), and midfielder Cristian Higuita, who picked up yet another yellow after foolishly throwing an arm out at Sebastien Le Toux as he ran past.

In the end, it was the conference leaders who spoiled the party for Orlando fans, scoring twice off set pieces. Orlando was not nearly as sharp on its set pieces, including a missed penalty by Kaká in the first half. Head Coach Adrian Heath, who made no changes in the starting lineup from Saturday except to replace injured defenders Rafael Ramos and Seb Hines with Kevin Alston and Tommy Redding, respectively, said he was “disappointed” with the result.

“When we got in the lead I thought we’d see it through,” Heath said after the match. “I thought we were dangerous (in the) second half. We had a lot of momentum going at the time. So it’s disappointing…It is what it is. We move on.”

The first 45 minutes were nothing MLS marketing executives will ever use to promote the game of soccer. Both teams came out lethargic, missing passes, turning the ball over, and taking heavy touches and weak shots.

The Lions had the first attempt at goal with Kaká sending a weak effort on frame in the opening minutes. Philadelphia got its first decent chance at the eight-minute mark, with Le Toux sending a cross for C.J. Sapong that Mateos headed behind for a corner.

The Union won a free kick about 30 yards out to Joe Bendik’s right in the 15th minute on a Mateos foul but the cross sailed straight to Orlando’s keeper. Orlando countered with a chance in the 27th off a quick free kick after Sapong fouled Servando Carrasco. Alston crossed for Kaká but the captain’s shot was off target.

The Brazilian was involved for both good and bad throughout the half. He got booked during a counter attack in the 32nd minute, grabbing the back of Le Toux’s neck on the break. Sorin Stoica whistled the play dead and showed a yellow to Kaká as Le Toux made the most of the contact. Four minutes later, Carlos Rivas danced past Fabinho on a two-on-one and fed the captain, who took a touch past Philadelphia keeper Andre Blake and was bundled over in the box for a penalty.

The spot kick, however, was far too close to the center of the goal and didn’t have nearly enough power on it, and Blake was easily able to keep the game level at 0-0.

Philadelphia mustered the last good chance of the half, with Le Toux squaring a ball back across the top of the box for Tranquillo Barnetta, whose shot took a partial deflection, narrowly missing finding Sapong on its way to Bendik’s waiting arms.

The last significant play of a dull opening 45 minutes came when Union defender Yaro came together with Larin. The first-round pick out of Georgetown tried to hold off Orlando’s No. 9 and injured his shoulder in the process. He went down, continued briefly, and then went down again before coming off for Tribbett. That ended up being a fortunate turn of events for the Union.

After a scoreless opening 45 minutes, the second half began with a pair of wide shots by Orlando City’s Adrian Winter and Kaká before things livened up.

Barnetta then opened the scoring in the 52nd minute off a set piece, after an unnecessary Rivas foul. The free kick was from far enough away to not be much of a problem but Chris Pontius headed to Barnetta, who volleyed home with Mateos caught ball watching.

Joe Bendik’s sprawling save on Sapong kept it at 1-0 on the counter attack off a turnover by Larin. But Philadelphia had a pretty good argument for a penalty in the 61st minute when Mateos clipped Warren Creavalle in the box but no foul was given.

Heath subbed Molino and Julio Baptista on for Winter and Rivas, respectively, in the 67th minute, and the substitutions paid immediate dividends. Molino scored on one of his first few touches of the match, knocking his fifth of the season into an empty net after Larin and Blake collided in midair going for a 50/50 ball. With bodies everywhere, the Trinidadian cleaned up the mess to even the score at 1-1 in the 68th minute.

Three minutes later, Kaká rounded Keegan Rosenberry in the left corner and squared a ball across the six-yard box that Larin chested home for his seventh goal of the year.

Orlando City led 2-1 but it didn’t last long. Four minutes after Larin’s tally, a cross to the back post by Philadelphia fell for Brek Shea, who took a heavy touch and conceded a corner. That proved costly. Bendik got a hand on the ensuing cross but the ball fell perfectly for Tribbett for an easy equalizer with just 15 minutes left in normal time.

“We conceded two really poor goals,” Heath said. “Defensively for both goals we were awful. If you give players time and room, especially quality players, it invariably ends up in the back of the net and that’s what we did.”

Molino worked hard to earn a corner just moments later and Baptista thumped a header just wide of goal in the 78th minute. Two minutes later, Philadelphia fashioned a chance against the tiring right side of the Orlando defense, with Fabian Herbers getting a shot on target that Bendik saved.

The Lions had a golden opportunity to regain the lead in the 86th minute, when Kaká sent Shea free in the left corner and the Orlando defender played a cross to the waiting Molino. The Trinidadian’s one-time shot sailed just over the bar in what would be the last great chance for either team.


Orlando will be shorthanded Sunday when the Lions visit Yankee Stadium for the second time this season, with Hines, Mateos (pending a potential appeal), Higuita, and Ramos likely all out.

Orlando City

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

The Lions welcome an improved Toronto side to Orlando for an Eastern Conference battle.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to your match thread for a Saturday night matchup between Orlando City (2-3-3, 9 points) and Toronto FC (4-4-1, 13 points) at Inter&Co Stadium (7:30 p.m., MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+). It’s the first of the two scheduled meetings between the Eastern Conference rivals this season, with the Lions set to make the return trip to Toronto on July 3.

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

History

Orlando is 8-8-3 in the evenly split all-time, regular-season series. However, the Lions have won the last four meetings, sweeping the season series in 2022 and 2023. At home, Orlando is 5-4-0 against the Reds. City is currently on its longest ever unbeaten run in the series, compiling a 6-0-2 record in the last eight meetings.

The most recent meeting came on Decision Day of last season on Oct. 21, when Duncan McGuire came off the bench at BMO Field, scoring twice to beat Toronto 2-0. The teams last met in Orlando on July 4, 2023, with Orlando City putting the Reds to the sword on Independence Day, beating the Canadian side, 4-0. Cesar Araujo, McGuire, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, and Ercan Kara scored for the Lions, and Toronto finished with 10 men after Federico Bernardeschi was shown his second yellow card just past the hour mark.

Orlando City also romped 4-0 over the Reds in the previous meeting, Sept. 17, 2022 at Exploria Stadium. Facundo Torres, Kara, and Tesho Akindele scored for the Lions to go along with a Lukas MacNaughton own goal. The Lions won on May 14, 2022 at BMO Field, 1-0, thanks to a 92nd-minute goal from Kyle Smith, who flicked a header from a corner kick cross inside the far post to lift the Lions to victory.

The Lions went 2-0-1 in three meetings with Toronto FC in 2021. The teams played to a 1-1 draw at BMO Field on July 17, 2021. Jozy Altidore came off the bench to score the opener but Nani equalized from the penalty spot minutes later. Benji Michel drew the penalty, which was originally ruled a foul on the Orlando winger but was overturned after video review by referee Marcos de Oliveira.

The other Toronto “home match” in the 2021 season series came on June 19 at Exploria Stadium. The Reds were dealing with pandemic restrictions in Canada that forced the team to play home games in the United States. Orlando City built a 2-0 early lead on goals by Akindele and Nani, only to see Toronto tie the match by halftime on goals by Ayo Akinola and Jonathan Osorio. Junior Urso scored late to lift the Lions to a 3-2 victory. The teams first met that year on May 22, with Orlando City claiming a 1-0 win on Akindele’s goal.

The teams did not play in 2020 due to the pandemic affecting the schedule. Prior to the MLS stoppage for the pandemic, the teams met most recently in Toronto on Aug. 10, 2019, with the Lions grabbing a point at BMO Field in a 1-1 draw. Michel opened the scoring in the 69th minute but the Reds equalized off a scramble following a set piece in the 77th. The other matchup between the sides that season came on May 4, 2019, when the Reds walked out of Orlando with a 2-0 win on goals by Osorio and Jay Chapman.

The teams split their season series in 2018. Orlando City captured a 2-1 win at home in James O’Connor’s first home game as head coach of the Lions on July 14, 2018. Chris Schuler and Dom Dwyer staked City to a 2-0 lead and Nick Hagglund ruined the shutout in the 94th minute off a Sebastian Giovinco free kick delivery. The 2018 meeting in Toronto saw the Reds get a 2-1 win at BMO Field on Ryan Telfer’s 87th-minute goal.

Toronto shredded Orlando in a 3-1 win on July 5, 2017. Altidore and Giovinco combined to score Toronto’s three goals. Carlos Rivas gave Orlando a consolation goal. In the first meeting of 2017, Orlando out-possessed, out-shot, and out-passed the hosts, and played like the better team on the night. However, the Lions could not overcome a two-goal deficit and Giovinco’s first-half brace led Toronto to a 2-1 win.

The Lions got their first victory in the series on June 25, 2016, winning 3-2 at Camping World Stadium. Kaká scored from the spot in the 10th minute of stoppage time to win it. Cyle Larin and Adrian Winter each gave OCSC leads in the game, only to see Jordan Hamilton and Justin Morrow equalize until the captain’s late winner. The Reds took the second 2016 matchup in Orlando with a 2-1 victory, scoring late through Altidore. Tosaint Ricketts gave Toronto an early lead but the Lions fought back on a Larin goal. The teams also drew 0-0 on Sept. 28 of that year, with Toronto able to fend off the Lions with 10 men over the final 20 minutes of the match.

In 2015, Toronto took home all nine points in the three meetings, beating Orlando by a combined score of 11-1.

Overview

Orlando City enters on a four-game unbeaten run (2-0-2), including last Saturday’s 2-2 draw at CF Montreal. The Lions are 1-1-2 at home in 2024, but the win and one of the draws came in the two most recent matches at Inter&Co Stadium.

Toronto FC has shown tremendous improvement under John Herdman early in the season despite missing several key players with injuries. The Reds, however, are 3-1-0 at home but just 1-3-1 on the road in 2024. The team had lost three straight matches overall before knocking off New England last week. Now the Reds are on a two-game winning streak in all competitions, having beaten Rovers FC 5-0 in the Canadian Championship Wednesday.

The Lions will have to track forward Prince Owusu, who paces Toronto FC with four goals on the season. No one else on Toronto has more than two goals, and sitting on two is Lorenzo Insigne, who is out for tonight with a thigh injury. Orlando will need to be aware of Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty, who leads the Reds with two assists.

But perhaps the sleeping giant is Bernardeschi, who leads Toronto FC with 37 shot attempts and 18 key passes, yet somehow has no direct goal contributions on the season. Even if he hasn’t been producing end product, the Italian has been dangerous.

“Looks like we’re getting more cohesiveness with the boys and they’re gluing more things together,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said ahead of the game. “We’re reviewing things and have done in prior games, but since we’re not getting results it seems like it’s not happening. In the end, you have to win games, you have to get results, so the good things get magnified and the things that aren’t being done well, seem like you need more time to fix it. It’s indeed important to get results.”  

Orlando City will be without forward Ramiro Enrique (ankle). Toronto will be without Insigne (thigh), former Lions Richie Laryea (thigh) and Shane O’Neill (thigh), and Brandon Servania (knee). In addition, Deandre Kerr (foot) is questionable.

Match Content


Projected Lineups

Orlando City (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Pedro Gallese.

Defenders: Kyle Smith, Robin Jansson, David Brekalo, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson.

Defensive Midfielders: Cesar Araujo, Wilder Cartagena.

Attacking Midfielders: Ivan Angulo, Nico Lodeiro, Facundo Torres.

Forward: Luis Muriel.

Toronto (3-4-3)

Goalkeeper: Sean Johnson.

Defenders: Nickeson Gomis, Kevin Long, Sigurd Rosted.

Wingbacks & Midfielders: Tyrese Spicer, Alonso Coello, Deybi Flores, Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty.

Forwards: Jonathan Osorio, Federico Bernardeschi, Prince Owusu.

Referees

REF: Armando Villarreal.
AR1: Cory Richardson.
AR2: Logan Brown.
4TH: Brad Jensen.
VAR: Kevin Terry, Jr.
AVAR: Jonathan Johnson.


How to Watch

Match Time: 7:30 p.m.

Venue: Inter&Co Stadium — Orlando.

TV/Streaming: 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

Intelligence Report: Orlando City vs. Toronto FC

Get the inside scoop on Toronto FC ahead of Saturday’s match.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Another Orlando City matchday is almost upon us, and the Lions will try to extend a four-game unbeaten streak Saturday night and finish off an undefeated month of April. OCSC will do so back in the comfortable confines of home, as Toronto FC travels south for the first of two games between the teams this season.

A visit from Toronto means I caught up with Tomas Karageorgos of Waking the Red. As usual, he was very helpful in bringing us up to speed on TFC ahead of the upcoming match.

This is John Herdman’s first year in charge of Toronto. What sort of style does the team play under him?

Tomas Karageorgos: John Herdman plays a variation of a 3-4-3 or 3-4-2-1 formation that prefers to build plays out of the back. Herdman also relies on his center midfielders to win possession back and push the ball to either flank. German striker Prince Owusu’s constant pressure on opposing defenses has caused some turnovers in TFC’s favor. Owusu’s style of play has not only helped his teammates but himself as well — he has scored five goals in the club’s last six matches.

Run me through some of the additions and departures that took place during the off-season. Who are some new faces to keep an eye on?

TK: The four major additions that the club made was signing defensive midfielders Deiby Flores and Matty Longstaff; Canadian fullback Richie Laryea is back for a third time; and Irish center back Kevin Long. Flores has been described as a dog in the sense of not being afraid to get stuck into tough challenges. Longstaff was signed from Newcastle United and is beginning to play consistent minutes — he still has room to grow as he’s a young player. Long was signed from Birmingham City and has been a rock in the center of the back three. A strong aerial presence and calmness has helped to contribute to Toronto’s six clean sheets across all competitions this season. There’s not much to say about Laryea that hasn’t been said, he’s arguably the best defender in MLS when healthy. Another underrated signing was French defender Nicksoen Gomis from Sheffield United, he has had quiet-yet-consistent performances. Notable departures include Salvadoran goalkeeper Tomás Romero, Norwegian striker Adama Diomande, and club legend Michael Bradley, who retired at the conclusion of the 2023 season.

TFC has quite the list of injured players at the moment. Who has been filling in for the missing faces, and how have they looked?

TK: Lorenzo Insigne, Richie Laryea, and Shane O’Neill continue to miss action due to thigh injuries. Midfielder Brandon Servania is slated to return during the middle of the season as he is recovering from knee surgery. First overall draft pick Tyrese Spicer has filled in for Insigne and has two goals in his account for the club — he has a high work rate on both sides of the ball. Canadian youngster Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty is gaining more experience on the right side while Laryea is sidelined. Gomis and Sigurd Rosted have been taking turns covering O’Neill, and Alonso Coello is continuing to build on an impressive first season with the club in the absence of Servania.

Which players will be unavailable due to injuries, suspensions, etc.? What is your projected starting XI and score prediction?

TK: The names I noted above who are injured will be unavailable. Also, attacker Deandre Kerr is listed as questionable.

Predicted starting XI: Sean Johnson; Nickeson Gomis, Kevin Long, Sigurd Rosted; Tyrese Spicer, Alonso Coello, Deybi Flores, Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty; Jonathan Osorio, Federico Bernardeschi, Prince Owusu.

Score prediction: 1-1. 


Thank you to Tomas for his insight into Toronto FC. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/26/24

Orlando City gets ready for Toronto FC, Thiago Silva linked with Orlando, Marta announces international retirement, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

I don’t know about you, but I sure am glad it’s Friday. It’s been a bit of a brutal week for me, but the weekend is nearly upon us, and I plan on spending it with my family for my dad’s birthday. I’m also hoping to find some time to read the new book that came out this week from my favorite author, Emily Henry. For now though, let’s enjoy these links from around the soccer world!

Orlando City Prepares for Toronto FC

After a shaky start to the season, the Lions are unbeaten in their past four games and can make it five when they host Toronto FC Saturday night. Toronto has lost three of its past four games, but is coming off of a 1-0 win over the New England Revolution. In the time since Oscar Pareja took over as head coach, Orlando City has won six of its seven games against Toronto. It will be the first meeting between the two with John Herdman at the helm of Toronto, so we will see if the trend of recent Orlando dominance continues. It should be a great game and is another opportunity for the Lions to climb up the table.

Thiago Silva Linked With Orlando City

Brazilian defender Thiago Silva’s contract with Chelsea ends this summer and Orlando City was mentioned as one of many reported clubs interested in signing him. Beyond the surface-level facts that Silva is an incredibly talented defender and Orlando City is a popular landing spot for South Americans who want to play in MLS, the move would not make much sense. The club signed David Brekalo this off-season and Rodrigo Schlegel is a solid option off the bench as well. Even if Orlando does want Silva, there will be plenty of competition. Returning to Fluminense is the expected choice, but Silva could stay in Europe or make the move to Saudi Arabia.

Marta Will Retire From National Team After 2024

Orlando Pride star Marta announced that 2024 will be her last year playing for Brazil. You will need a translating tool for more of the details from her interview with CNN, but she spoke on how she’s at peace with her decision to stop playing at the international level once the year is over. She made her international debut in 2002 and has since played in five Olympics for Brazil. Marta may play in her sixth this summer, and there would be global attention to see one of the greatest players ever to lead Brazil one last time. Her contract with the Pride also ends after this season, but only time will tell if this is her final season in Orlando.

Orlando’s Academy Teams Get Results Against New England

With the Generations Adidas Cup behind them, Orlando City’s U-17 and U-15 teams earned some important points against the New England Revolution’s youth squads. The U-15 team dominated New England in a 4-1 result that included a hat trick from Jakob Garcia. The match between the U-17 sides was a closer affair, as they split the points in a 1-1 draw. Orlando’s teams will play again tomorrow, with a pair of home games against Nashville SC.

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

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