Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Toronto FC: Five Takeaways from Lions’ 2-1 Road Loss

Orlando City fell 2-1 Wednesday night at the house of horrors that has been BMO Field, where the Lions are yet to find a win — and have only one draw — in their MLS history. It was the Lions’ second loss of the season, but they still see themselves in first in the Eastern Conference table with two games in hand on NYRB, which got waxed at Sporting Kansas City last night. You can read the details of the match in the recap linked above, we’ll get into the takeaways now.
Orlando Failed to Take Advantage of its Chances
The Lions out-shot Toronto on the night and managed the same number of shots on target, but the Reds — Sebastian Giovinco, specifically — were more clinical in front of goal and it ultimately won them the match.
Kaká did well to pull a goal back just before the half with a top-shelf finish past Alex Bono, but Orlando squandered a number of other chances that could have seen them take a road win from BMO Field, and at the very least would have scraped a point. Cyle Larin had a pair of missed opportunities around the hour mark, the first on a Carlos Rivas cross that he slid into that took a deflection off Bono before trickling almost into the net, but not quite as Bono was able to swat it away at the last moment. About seven minutes later, Larin got on the end of another cross and just didn’t get anything behind the ball, leaving it well short on a chance that he almost certainly finishes on any other night.
Larin wasn’t alone, but he’s certainly the man that City looks to for goal-scoring support and he was unable to finish a couple chances he normally would. Against a Giovinco-led team, that wasn’t good enough, as the Italian finished a pair of chances efficiently to outclass Orlando. Bono deserves a mention for a few very nice saves against OCSC, as well.
The Value of Johnson and Nocerino is Clear
Will Johnson missed Wednesday’s match due to illness, and Antonio Nocerino sat out as a precautionary measure following his early-season calf injury. Without that stalwart duo in the midfield, things took a different shape for Orlando City.
The revamped defense that had been one of the best in MLS coming in looked disheveled in the first half when TFC notched both of its goals. Servando Carrasco and Luis Gil started in place of the missing duo, and although Gil was good the defense suffered as he and Carrasco didn’t appear to be clicking and failed to keep Giovinco from a pair of good looks, which he finished.
In addition to being solid pieces in the starting XI, Noc and Johnson are also leaders for the Lions, with the latter having worn the captain’s armband in place of Kaká during his injury rehab. It’s good to know that Nocerino’s absence was only precautionary and that he’ll presumably be back this weekend, and hopefully Johnson can bounce back quickly. We’ll just have to wonder if Wednesday’s result would’ve been different had one or both been in the lineup.
Giovinco Stings Orlando…Again
Speaking of Gio, he’s been really good against everyone in MLS since moving to Toronto in 2015 — he’d scored 39 goals and registered 31 assists across the past two seasons and won an MLS MVP award, so he’s been consistently great. He seems to find a little extra edge against Orlando, though.
Coming into Wednesday night, Giovinco had scored four times against the Lions during his MLS career, tormenting the Orlando defense en route to several blowout wins. He continued that trend even against an improved Lions defense, netting twice in the first half to bring his goal tally vs. City to six, surpassing Jozy Altidore’s five vs. Orlando.
His second goal was a poach of a score when Orlando City was unable to clear the danger following the swipe of a low cross from Joe Bendik, but his typical skill was on display for his first goal when he used a silky touch with his left foot off a half-clearance to play the ball around Luis Gil and onto his right foot and set up a finish into the bottom corner just nine minutes in.
As noted above, Giovinco is a brilliant MLS player, and he’s going to get his fair share against just about everyone. But the extent to which he’s burned Orlando has reached a ridiculous level.
Kaká Scores for the Second Consecutive Game
While Kaká’s season got off to just about the worst start possible with a hamstring injury just 10 minutes in, he’s made his presence known in the last two matches upon his return. The captain scored for the second straight game, notching City’s lone goal just before the half to restore some confidence and keep things tight going into the break.
He’s been the beneficiary of some good work from Larin on both of his scores, this time receiving a headed assist from the Canadian at the back post, but his top-shelf finish over Bono and another approaching TFC defender was not as simple as the Brazilian made it look. It was good to see some of the combination play between Kaká and players like Larin and Rivas again, as his creative flair is always refreshing. His match fitness will only improve as he progresses back into form, but the return from his first two appearances post-injury has been a good start.
Orlando Must Get a Result in Houston
The unfortunate consequence of missing a chance at a point (or three) on the road last night is that the Lions now have to finish off this back-to-back road session in Houston on Saturday in need of a result to prevent some negative momentum from building.
Two straight road losses would not only halt the fast start to the season, but it would restore doubt about the Lions’ ability to win on the road once again following a disappointment in Toronto. While Orlando can lament the absences of Nocerino and Johnson vs. TFC and know that Cyle Larin usually cashes in on at least one of the two excellent chances he had at BMO Field, another loss will overshadow those silver linings from Wednesday.
That’s the way I saw the match. What stood out to you? Let us know in the comments below.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/23/25
The Orlando Pride drop, OCSC Academy awards, USMNT characters, and more.

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. This weekend we have the most convenient schedule, with the Orlando Pride playing Friday night, Orlando City on Saturday night, and Orlando City B on Sunday night. It’s nice knowing what I’ll be doing each night. Now, I just need all three teams to get back on the winning side of things. Until then, let’s get to the links.
Bad Pride, Good Pride
It might have been the dumbest way to lose a match against the Washington Spirit, but — actually nevermind, there is no “but” about it. We can, however, decide to move forward rather than dwell on it after today. Unsurprisingly, the Pride dropped in the all-knowing power rankings. All for XI only dropped the Pride one spot to No. 2 since everyone has a bad day now and again. The CBS power ranking dropped the team to No. 3. That was the “bad.” The “good” is that we can revisit the puppies that showed up at Inter&Co Stadium. The loss still hurts, but it’s hard to stay mad after looking at the puppies.
The (OCSC) Academy Awards
Assuming you read Lion Links on Monday morning (or listened to The Mane Land PawedCast this week) you know that the Orlando City SC Academy U-18 team won the Generation Adidas Cup. Now we know that three of the very young Lions — Gustavo Caraballo, Jackson Platts, and Justin Ellis — were named to the U18 Best XI. Additionally, Caraballo and Ellis earned MVP and Top Scorer awards, respectively. It was truly the bright spot of an otherwise forgettable weekend.
Pochettino Prepares
The USMNT did not do well in the Concacaf Nations League, falling to Panama and then Canada in the third place match. Now, U.S. Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has to prepare the team for the Gold Cup. Pochettino said that he needs the “right characters” on the squad, whether they are the most talented or not. He also spoke of the need for the players to fight for the badge and the flag. Former USMNT coach Bruce Arena said Pochettino may not be the right man for the job because he’s not an American. The USMNT’s next matches are friendlies against Turkiye and Switzerland on June 7 and June 10, respectively.
MLS Transfer News
The Columbus Crew are making moves. The club received $250,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) from the Houston Dynamo in exchange for a 2025 international roster slot. The club then sent DeJuan Jones to the San Jose Earthquakes for $425,000 in GAM and a 2025 international roster slot. Elsewhere, Sporting Kansas City acquired forward Santiago Muñoz on loan from Liga MX side Santos Laguna.
Free Kicks
- Orlando City dropped a spot to No. 12 in MLSsoccer.com’s power rankings. Three 0-0 draws in a row will do that.
- Michael Buxbaum is suing the U.S. Soccer Federation for $100 million because the USWNT didn’t try to win the SheBelieves Cup. I wasn’t happy with the result either, but this is the definition of frivolous.
- Nani and Ali Krieger are both participating in The Soccer Tournament on seven-on-seven soccer teams. The matchups for the $1 million tournament have been set.
- Speaking of Krieger, she is settling in at her new gig at ESPN as an analyst for NWSL matches and co-host of “FutbolW.”
That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the full slate of matches coming up.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/22/25
Pedro Gallese earns recognition, Americans in midweek action, English promotion update, and more.

Well it wasn’t the worst weekend that Orlando soccer has ever had, but it certainly wasn’t the best either. Fortunately, all three of Orlando’s teams will be back in action soon, so there’s no need to dwell on the past too much. Let’s take a moment to wish a happy birthday to the Orlando Pride’s Brianna Martinez, as well as to Kaká! Now, it’s time to turn our attention to today’s links.
Pedro Gallese Earns Weekly Recognition
Pedro Gallese kept a third clean sheet in a row and Orlando City’s third clean sheet of the year in the team’s scoreless draw on the road against CF Montreal. In recognition of his efforts during the match, Gallese was named to the bench of the latest edition of the MLS Team of the Matchday. El Pulpo made six saves to blank a Montreal team that intently searched for a breakthrough, and made a couple of truly excellent second half stops that kept the score level. Congrats to Pedro and keep up the good work!
Americans in Midweek Action
A number of Americans will be playing games during the working week, and there are some big matches to keep an eye on. The main event is on Wednesday, when Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan face Inter Milan in the second leg of the Coppa Italia semifinal, which is tied 1-1 after the first leg. Also on Wednesday, Chris Richards, Matt Turner, and Crystal Palace will play Arsenal in the Premier League. Thursday then has Malik Tillman, Richy Ledezma, and PSV Eindhoven playing FC Twente in the Eredivisie, while Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis play Valladolid in La Liga action.
English Promotion Update
Following results in the EFL Championship on Monday, Leeds United and Burnley have both secured promotion to the Premier League for next season. Both teams won their respective games and are each on 94 points, and with just two matches left, third-placed Sheffield United has no way to catch them. The other promoted side will be determined after the promotion playoffs, which would feature Sheffield United, Sunderland, Bristol City, and Coventry City if the season ended today. Meanwhile in League One, Wrexham’s 2-1 victory over Blackpool meant the Dragons retook second place and the automatic promotion spot that comes with it. If they beat Charlton on Sunday and Wycombe Wanderers drop points against Leyton Orient, then Wrexham would secure promotion to the Championship.
Transfer Rumor Roundup
Transfer rumors continue to fly thick and fast as we approach the business end of most European seasons, so let’s take a look at a few items worth catching up on. Manchester United is said to be keen on signing 17-year-old Argentine Franco Mastantuono from River Plate. Liverpool is reportedly interested in signing winger Ademola Lookman from Atalanta, although the Reds would likely face competition from several other Premier League teams. Finally, Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro has revealed that he and Xabi Alonso have a gentleman’s agreement that if a team the Spaniard used to play for is interested in hiring him as its coach, then the club will not hinder the process. The statement has led to renewed speculation that Alonso will be named Real Madrid coach if Carlo Ancelotti leaves in the summer.
Free Kicks
- Orlando City dropped three spots to no. 15 in ESPN.com’s MLS power rankings.
- The Orlando Pride dropped all the way to no. 3 in ESPN.com’s NWSL power rankings.
- Monday’s four scheduled Serie A matches were postponed following the announcement of Pope Francis’ death, with the games set to be played Wednesday instead.
That’s all I have for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!
Orlando City
Orlando City’s Focus On Youth Development Showing In The First Team
Orlando City is seeing more and more players promoted from the academy, through OCB, and into the first team.

Orlando City began its academy in the USL Pro days with the goal of developing players for the first team. It took nearly a decade to begin seeing youth development bear fruit, but it’s becoming apparent early in the 2025 season.
Prior to 2019, Orlando City signed four players to Homegrown Player contracts. Tommy Redding, Tyler Turner, and Harrison Heath never played in the academy and the other, Mason Stajduhar, developed primarily at Chargers Soccer Club in Tampa.
Orlando City signed arguably its first true Homegrown Player when the club inked Benji Michel to a first-team contract. The following off-season, the Lions added David Loera and Jordan Bender. Mikey Halliday signed in July 2020. All of the players came through the academy before signing first-team deals.
So what changed?
Part of it was the growth of the academy. It takes several years to begin producing players. Another major factor was the hiring of Luiz Muzzi on Dec. 18, 2019. Muzzi came from FC Dallas, a club known for promoting from its academy. He brought in Ricardo Moreira, who shares his vision of developing young talent for the first team.
And it’s not only Muzzi and Moreira. Former Orlando City head coach Adrian Heath rarely attended OCB games. James O’Connor only went to one, and that was to see his former teammate, Dennis Chin, who was playing with the opposing Richmond Kickers. The Orlando City boss left when Chin came off.
Oscar Pareja and other first-team coaches have been at several games, far more than their predecessors. That’s largely to do with the games’ location at the training facility, which is another factor in OCB’s development. The 2019 team trained over 40 miles away from the first team. The move to Kissimmee has the first team, OCB, and the development academy under one roof. It’s another display of the club’s more recent commitment to youth development.
Undoubtedly, the transformation of OCB under Muzzi and Moreira has also impacted Homegrown talent coming through. The team’s 2016 and 2017 rosters were primarily made up of first-team reserves and USL lifers. The 2019 team had many players from the Soccer Institute at Montverde Academy (SIMA), many of which were young but ineligible for Homegrown status.
Things began to change in 2020. The roster shifted to include more academy players and that’s only grown. This year, 15 OCB players came out of the academy, two were drafted, and eight are outside signings on MLS NEXT Pro deals. Other than Jhon Solis and first-team goalkeeper Carlos Mercado, everyone to appear for the team is 23 years old or younger.
The focus on giving OCB spots to academy graduates is now seen in the first team. Players like Thomas Williams, Javier Otero, Alex Freeman, Colin Guske, and Gustavo Caraballo have been regulars on the MLS team sheet. Injuries to first-team regulars has seen them receiving regular playing time.
The poster boy for this change is Freeman. The right back came out of the academy and spent a couple of years at OCB before signing his first-team contract. He won the starting role early in the 2025 regular season.
Many players joined the club later in their development, but we’re seeing some come through having been nearly fully developed at the Orlando City Academy. Guske and Caraballo joined at 13 years old, the youngest age group of the development academy. Both signed first-team deals for this year.
The midfield duo continue to play with OCB most games but are also on the first-team roster almost weekly. The only reason they weren’t in Montreal Saturday night is because they were helping the club’s U-18 team reach (and then win) the Generation Adidas Cup final.
With Muzzi and Moreira at the helm, more players continue to come through. U-18 captain and OCB starter Jackson Platts appears to be well on his way to a first-team contract. So does fellow U-18 and OCB starting forward Justin Ellis.
This past weekend saw another academy product make his first-team debut. Zakaria Taifi took over at right back for OCB when Freeman moved up to the first team this year. Signing a short-term deal Saturday, he came on as a late substitute to help the 10-man Lions see out the scoreless draw.
First-team absences have provided opportunities for many young players. If several weren’t at the Generation Adidas Cup, it could be more. Regardless, the last few years have shown a big step forward for the club.
The shift in recent years is more than the pride of seeing local kids representing the hometown team. They’ve been an essential part of the 2025 campaign. The club hasn’t had to use a short bench or dip into outside emergency signings. Instead, the Lions call up kids they know, making it easier to seamlessly place them into the team.
There will be times where several injuries will occur to experienced players. Orlando City is prepared for this more now than ever before, and it’s because of the players coming through the academy and playing with OCB. We’re already seeing it early in this 2025 season.
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