Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Toronto FC: Final Score 2-1 as Giovinco Brace Sinks Lions on the Road
The Lions actually played better than the hosts for the most part, but could not cash in on their scoring chances.

Orlando City may have been the better side but the Lions failed to take advantage of their chances and, as a result, suffered their second loss of the season. Toronto FC got a pair of goals from Sebastian Giovinco on what were pretty much the only two chances the Reds got in the first half to win 2-1 at BMO Field.
The Lions (6-2-0, 18 points) held 56.9% of the possession, out-passed the hosts, and out-shot Toronto, 9-6 (3-3 on target), but could not finish a couple of golden chances in the second half. Toronto (4-1-4, 16 points) is now 5-1-1 in the all-time series against Orlando, including a 3-0-1 mark at BMO Field.
Jason Kreis reinserted Kaká into the starting lineup at the top of the diamond after his 30-minute return on Saturday off the bench. Carlos Rivas returned to the starting lineup up top next to Cyle Larin. Luis Gil started for an ill Will Johnson, and a decision to rest Antonio Nocerino’s sore calf saw Servando Carrasco man the bottom of the diamond.
Giovinco scored a pair of first-half goals to put the hosts well on top, 2-0, getting the first just nine minutes into the match. Raheem Edwards made a nice move to work inside of Scott Sutter on the flank and centered for Jozy Altidore. Carrasco came in to sweep the ball away but just as he arrived Altidore touched it back to Giovinco. The Italian faked to send Gil one way and then cut inside to shoot with his right, beating Joe Bendik to the near post.
Jozy nearly doubled the lead in the 24th minute, after Rivas was run over from behind but no foul was called. The result was a near breakaway for Altidore but Bendik came off his line to challenge the U.S. international and defuse the situation.
After a lot of possession but not much menace by Orlando City, the Reds did double the lead. It was Giovinco again. After Steven Beitashour found room down the right flank, he sent a ball across the top of the six that Bendik went down to parry away. The ball didn’t go far, but no Lion could get onto it before Victor Vazquez. The Spaniard quickly tapped a slick ball to Giovinco, who swept it home to make it 2-0.
Kaká pulled Orlando City back into the match in first-half stoppage time. Donny Toia worked his way up the left and earned a corner kick. Kaká took the set piece short to Gil, who sent the ball out top to Rivas, who curled in a back-post cross to Larin. The Canadian was well covered and nodded it back across the six-yard box, where the captain swooped in and pounced, roofing the ball into the top of the net to make it 2-1 at the break.
City owned 53.3% of the first-half possession but took only two shots — Kaká’s goal and a Rivas shot from outside the box that was over the bar. The Lions not only attempted more passes in the first half (284-251) but also were more accurate (85%-82%). Toronto took only three shots in the opening period but made two of them count.
After the intermission, the Lions came out hungry and controlled play, looking dangerous. Just five minutes in, Rivas released a forward ball down the left for Larin. The Canadian beat his defender then touched the ball past goalkeeper Alex Bono, who ignored the ball and knocked Larin down, resulting in a free kick. Carrasco took the set piece and whipped a low cross in that Kaká flicked just wide of the net.
Two minutes later, a long throw-in from Scott Sutter fell perfectly for Larin, but he lost the ball trying to turn. It was that kind of night for Cyle, and it only got worse.
In the 59th minute, Rivas curved in a dangerous cross for Larin who got a touch on it but it bounced up and hit Bono’s hand. The ball continued to skid toward the gaping goal mouth and Larin appeared content to shepherd it in but Bono made a diving swipe to clear it off the line at the last second.
Despite Orlando having a ton of possession to start the half, Toronto nearly got a third through Altidore on a counter. Giovinco gave Jozy a backheel pass and Gil came back to do just enough to throw off Altidore’s timing and his shot whistled just wide of the far post.
In the 65th minute, Toronto Head Coach Greg Vanney withdrew Vazquez, replacing him with Jonathan Osorio, at the same time that Kreis sacrificed Kaká for Matias Perez Garcia. Those two moves combined to settle the game down for the hosts, who stayed organized and defended in numbers as if they were the road team.
But before the game settled down, Larin again failed to finish a ball that Rivas put right on his foot just a few feet in front of goal. His touch let him down and the hometown boy’s second golden chance of the night went wanting again. He has yet to score in Toronto, near his hometown of Brampton, but he might not get two better opportunities than he had on this night.
That was the last good chance for Orlando City and the Reds were able to see out the game and stay undefeated at home in 2017.
It will be no consolation to Kreis or the players, but it’s noteworthy that, in such a tough environment, the Lions acquitted themselves well, actually outplaying their hosts for much of the contest.
The Lions have a quick turnaround, heading to Houston on Thursday ahead of Saturday night’s match against the Dynamo at BBVA Compass Stadium. That match takes place at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Opinion
Likes and Dislikes from this Week of Orlando City’s Preseason
Let’s talk through some of the good and bad from this week of the Lions’ preseason preparations.

Just like that, another week of Orlando City’s preseason is in the books. We’ll be staring down the barrel of the season opener before we know it, but let’s make sure we take the time to stop and reflect on some good and some not-so-good things that took place this week.
Likes
Marco Pasalic Arrives
Orlando City is back up to three Designated Players after the club completed the signing of Croatian winger Marco Pasalic. It’s a piece of business that has been rumored for awhile now but took some time to get done and across the line. Between Pasalic and the previous signing of Nicolas Rodriguez, the Lions have got bodies to fill the right wing position. While neither is likely to be able to immediately replace the production of Facundo Torres on their own, they’re both young and will have the chance to grow their games and show what they can do.
Season Ticket Member Match
OCSC will take on CF Montreal Saturday in a preseason scrimmage which is an event exclusive to season ticket holders. This is the sort of thing that I, along with my fellow season ticket members on staff, love to see. An event that rewards you for that membership and does so by giving you an extra peek at the team before everyone else. It might not be some wildly extravagant event, but it doesn’t need to be. The club has formed a habit of designating one of the preseason scrimmages a season-ticket-members-only event, and for my money, it’s been a good call.
Dislikes
Closed Door Scrimmage Radio Silence
This feels a little nitpicky, as closed-door scrimmages are by their very nature, closed door. The whole point of them is to not have a ton of access and insight about what’s going on, and teams will often agree beforehand about what level of information, if any, will make its way out to the public afterwards. We know that Orlando took on Atlanta United in a preseason scrimmage Wednesday, and we know that Alex Freeman put in a goal from a header, thanks to a post from the club on the website formerly known as Twitter, but that’s about it. It feels greedy to ask for information from something we weren’t guaranteed to get any from in the first place, but the brief taste has me wanting more, damnit.
Depth Still a Worry at Several Positions
As stated above, getting Pasalic in the door means that the Lions now have the winger slots fairly well stocked, but there are still other areas on the field that could use some reinforcement. The most crucial of those remains defensive midfielder, and although the rumored arrival of Eduard Atuesta would help considerably, I’m not counting him as a Lion until pen has been put to paper. If he does get signed, that still leaves striker and fullback perilously thin when it comes to guys who are proven MLS-caliber players, and the first game of the season is just shy of two weeks from now. There’s still time to do business, but the clock continues to tick.
What jumped out at you from this week of OCSC’s preseason? Be sure to have your say down in the comments. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 2/7/25
Angelina called up by Brazil, MLS transfer news, dual-sport performance center announced for Portland women’s teams, and more.

Happy Friday! The groundhog may have seen his shadow earlier this week, but winter feels pretty much over and done with here in Florida. Hopefully this nice weather lasts a while before we reach the part of the year where it becomes unbearable to exist outside due to the heat. Let’s jump right into today’s links from around the soccer world!
Angelina Called Up By Brazil
You’ll need a translation tool for the full details, but Orlando Pride midfielder Angelina was one of 30 players called up by Brazil for a training camp in Rio de Janeiro. The 25-year-old was a key part of Orlando’s historic season last year, bringing stability to the midfield and giving Orlando’s attack an edge as well.
Brazil’s camp will last from Feb. 17-26 as the team begins preparations for this summer’s Copa America. Adriana, who was recently transferred from the Pride to Al Qadsiah FC in Saudi Arabia, was also called up by Head Coach Arthur Elias.
MLS Transfer News Roundup
The New York Red Bulls bolstered their back line by adding a pair of defenders. They signed left back Marcelo Morales from Universidad de Chile, inking the 21-year-old to a three-year deal. Center back Tim Parker officially returned to the Red Bulls as well, signing a one-year contract. In other news involving Orlando City’s Eastern Conference foes, the Philadelphia Union signed Jovan Lukic from FK Spartak Subotica in Serbia’s top flight, FC Cincinnati loaned defender Alvaro Barreal to Santos FC, and CF Montreal signed 21-year-old defender Dante Sealy to a two-year deal.
Joint Facility Announced For Portland Thorns and WNBA Team
Plans for a dual-sport performance center to serve both the Portland Thorns and the city’s future WNBA team were announced by RAJ Sports, the ownership group behind both teams. The initial phase of the facility will reportedly cost around $75 million, with a goal for the soccer and shared side of things to be completed before the Thorns’ 2026 season and the basketball portions done before the WNBA team’s inaugural season begins that summer. It will feature two full-sized basketball courts, two soccer pitches, dressing rooms for each team, and a shared dining room with a chef and nutritionist. It’s pretty great to see this kind of investment put towards women’s sports and I hope this sparks similar projects across the country.
Keeping Up With the Americans Abroad
There’s a new American playing in Europe to keep an eye out for, as FC Koln striker Damion Downs had a statement game against Bayer Leverkusen in the German Cup quarterfinals. His team lost in extra time, but the 20-year-old had a goal and an assist. Downs has eight goals and four assists this season and could land on USMNT Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino’s radar.
As for how other Americans did this week, Yunus Musah started and Christian Pulisic came off the bench in AC Milan’s 3-1 win against AS Roma to reach the Coppa Italia semifinals. Defenders Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty both played every minute of Celtic’s 6-0 win over Dundee FC. It wasn’t all good news for Americans abroad though, as Jordan Pefok had to be stretchered off in his first game with Stade de Reims after just joining the French team this week.
Free Kicks
- Enjoy this moment of captains Robin Jansson and Marta hanging out during the preseason.
- The Washington Spirit called up sister club Olympique Lyon to add defender Kysha Sylla on loan for the 2025 season.
- Liverpool cruised past Tottenham in a 4-0 win at home to advance to the English League Cup final on March 16 against Newcastle.
- Brazilian defender Marcelo is hanging up his cleats and retiring after a career that included winning the Champions League five times with Real Madrid.
- Ferran Torres had a hat trick in the first half of Barcelona’s 5-0 win over Valencia in the Copa del Rey quarterfinals.
That’s all I have for you on this fine Friday. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your week!
Lion Links
Orlando City’s Potential Roster Flexibility
Will Oscar Pareja stick with his traditional formation or try something new in 2025?

Orlando City may have just signed Marco Pasalic, but there are still holes in this squad and plenty of questions to go with them. We are still hoping that the club will sign some more players, but time is running short. Given what we currently know, how can Oscar Pareja deploy the players he currently has on hand?
3-5-2
A back line of Rodrigo Schlegel, Robin Jansson, and David Brekalo sounds quite appealing. While the three would be a good group to defend in front of Pedro Gallese, what happens when one of them gets hurt? What happens when they simply need to rest? Does Oscar then switch formations? Is Kyle Smith coming off the bench as a center back?
Moving up the pitch, Wilder Cartagena’s injury was the impetus for me to consider the 3-5-2 formation. This allows Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, Michael Halliday, or Rafael Santos to push forward a bit to assist with the defense in front of the back three, depending on who is playing. That gives Cesar Araujo some cover in the center of the pitch. It also allows one or the other to push into the attack depending on the opponent.
The two attacking midfielders can be any combination of Martin Ojeda, Ivan Angulo, Nicolas Rodriguez, and the newly signed Pasalic. Along with Nico Lodeiro, this formation allows for a little bit of depth, even if it’s one of the few position groups that can make that claim.
Looking at the front of the formation, running a 3-5-2 allows Ramiro Enrique and Luis Muriel to play up top together. This won’t be much of a problem, since Muriel tends to drop a little deeper and Enrique isn’t afraid to make runs into the box. If they can develop some chemistry, it could be an effective attack. The issue comes when one is hurt or needs a break. Until Duncan McGuire is able to return, Pareja would need to change formation. Additionally, I’m not certain how well Muriel can play the traditional striker role.
4-3-3
If Pareja implemented a 4-3-3 formation, he’d be able to employ a back line that has everyone returning. Position battles between Brekalo and Schlegel, and Halliday fighting to return to the starting lineup over Thorhallsson are good problems to have. No real issues here.
Moving up top, I could see Angulo on the left, Enrique in the middle and either Muriel or Ojeda on the right until Pasalic is ready. In the midfield, either Muriel or Ojeda could be facilitating inside with Araujo in defense. The third piece is tougher to pin down. Most likely we’d see Rodriguez there but I still think this is the most problematic of the potential formations, and I don’t expect we’ll see it.
4-2-3-1
Traditionally, Pareja likes to utilize the 4-2-3-1 formation, so that’s what he’s most likely going to do. Of course, the linchpin of the whole thing is the defensive midfield pairing of Wilder Cartagena and Cesar Araujo. We don’t know if the Lions will bring in Eduard Atuesta to help in the midfield, so we will go with what we have for the moment.
No issue with the back line as mentioned above for Pareja. It’s the replacement for Cartagena that presents an issue. Sure, Lodeiro could play more defensively, with Araujo ranging side to side behind him. Or, Pareja can move Thorhallsson into the defensive midfield and put Halliday at right back. The difficulty, once again, comes down to depth. I suppose Kyle Smith could also be utilized if needed.
The attacking midfield has many more options. Between Angulo, Ojeda, Muriel, Rodriguez, and Pasalic, there are plenty of options depending on who is healthy. With the first three acclimated to MLS, Rodriguez and Pasalic have time to adjust to their new surroundings.
That leaves Enrique up top. He proved he can do the job, but I still think Orlando City would be better served to find a big striker to own the starting role. If the plan is to run Enrique until McGuire is ready to return, while Muriel fills in occasionally, I’m not sure that’s the best way to go.
Should Pareja stick to his modus operandi or branch out a little this season? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!
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