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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. D.C. United: Final Score 2-0 as Lions Break Six-Match Winless Run

Cyle Larin and Giles Barnes provided the offense and Joe Bendik kept a clean sheet as Lions returned to their winning ways at home.

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Carlos Romero, The Mane Land

The city of Orlando experienced its worst drought since 1907 at the beginning of May, but on Wednesday night Mother Nature decided to give back some of the water that she had apparently been holding back from the City Beautiful. Orlando City hosted D.C. United in the midst of a downpour for much of the evening, and, just as Central Florida’s drought seemed to end, so did City’s six-game winless run, thanks to a 2-0 win over D.C. led by goals from Cyle Larin and Giles Barnes.

The win came in front of the first non-sellout in OCS history, but still a good crowd of 24,112.

“Really, really pleased with the guys’ efforts and commitment level tonight,” Orlando City Head Coach Jason Kreis said. “I think they got what they deserved, they got the three points.”

Orlando (7-5-2, 23 points) controlled the possession for most of the first half, claiming 59% of the ball, but the Lions never looked particularly dangerous despite that advantage. City totaled nine shots in the first 45 minutes, but only three came inside the box and none were particularly challenging for United keeper Bill Hamid to corral.

Orlando’s best chance came in the waning moments of the first half, when Luis Gil played Larin forward on the break following a D.C. turnover, but the Canadian was unable to steer his shot far enough across the face of goal from the left side of the box, and MLS save leader Hamid safely claimed it. After a no-call on a Scott Sutter penalty shout, the half ended at an appropriate 0-0, with little to no creativity in the center of the pitch for OCSC and 10 D.C. fouls illustrating the sloppiness of the first 45 on a rain-soaked pitch.

The only bit of flash for City came when Matias Perez Garcia skillfully chipped a ball to play Carlos Rivas into the box, but the Colombian was unable to make anything of the cross he played afterward.

The rain subsided at the break, but the second half continued in much the same fashion until the substitution of Barnes injected some much-needed energy into Orlando City. The English-Jamaican brought fire to the side immediately, sliding in vigorously on a tackle seconds after entering the match and taking off from there.

Just six minutes later, Barnes won a free kick outside the left side of the box by drawing contact with a winding run through three defenders. Barnes rose to his feet and urged the supporters’ section to get loud, and that set the stage for Orlando’s first goal of the night on the ensuing free kick. Will Johnson sent an in-swinging ball off his right foot that barely missed the rising head of Jose Aja before finding the dome of Larin, who had powered his way inside of Steve Birnbaum to nod home and give City a 1-0 advantage.

“It’s nothing short of amazing that he continues to score those types of goals,” Kreis said following the match when asked about Larin’s ability to continually use his physicality to generate goals. “I think every opponent is keen on being very physical with him. It’s a credit to Cyle that he can continue to score through those types of challenges.”

The goal was Larin’s eighth of the year and ended a 266-minute goal drought for Orlando.

The energy that Barnes ignited continued to pulsate, as City stayed on the front foot and created a few more chances, one of which could’ve resulted in another Larin goal had it not been blocked at the edge of the box after Barnes pulled a ball back to set him up.

Things almost came crumbling down in the 74th minute, however, when Aja sent an errant back pass toward Joe Bendik that was badly underhit, leaving the keeper alone with a charging Lamar Neagle. Bendik’s attempt to sweep the ball away failed, and Neagle found himself 1-v-1 with only center back Jonathan Spector to beat, but Spector channeled 2015 Brek Shea and blocked the shot into the air with his knee, allowing Bendik to rush back and punch it away off the line and preserve the lead. Go ahead and mark it down as the MLS Save of the Week, with Spector and Bendik sharing honors on what was a spectacular effort to stop what appeared to be a certain goal for D.C. (4-7-2, 14 points).

Orlando proceeded to try to ride out the remainder of the match and cling to the one-goal advantage, when it got a nice break to cap things off. Barnes was rewarded for his high-energy shift with a bit of fortune when the usually reliable Hamid turned in a howler and completely whiffed on a 25-yard effort from Barnes, deflecting a soft goal across the line to seal the victory for the Lions after it hit him directly in the gloves.

While the goal was certainly one that Hamid will be embarrassed to have allowed, it was emblematic that Barnes’ relentless energy paid off for him and the team, regardless of the fashion the goal came in.

“That’s your prototypical ‘why you make a substitution,’” Kreis said of Barnes’ game-changing performance. “You want a substitute to change the game and lift the energy, and I think that’s exactly what Giles did.”

Kreis even noted that he told Barnes that he thought his first Orlando goal would come in a strange way just this week, noting that the forward had been pressing and trying to do too much at times to make it happen. Those words proved prophetic Wednesday evening when Barnes locked up the three points for the Lions.

It wasn’t the prettiest of matches, but it was exactly what Orlando City needed to get off the schneid and back into the win column for its first win in May on its final match of the month.

It was Orlando’s second straight win over D.C. and it evens the all-time series since the Lions began MLS play in 2015 at three wins apiece. Orlando ended the night with 57% of the possession and 19 shots, seemingly breaking through after failing to score on 20 shots vs. Minnesota last weekend.


The Lions are back in action Sunday night against the Chicago Fire, once again inside the friendly confines of Orlando City Stadium.

Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/18/25

Eduard Atuesta earns recognition, Barbra Banda up for weekly award, NWSL storylines from Week 1, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, and happy Tuesday to you all. I hope you’ve sufficiently recovered if you took part in any St. Patrick’s Day festivities yesterday, and if not, you have my deepest sympathies. It was a good weekend for Orlando’s three soccer teams as they combined to go undefeated. If the Orlando Pride could have lent some of the six goals the team scored to Orlando City and Orlando City B, we’d probably be toasting a nine-point weekend, but that’s the way it goes sometimes. Before we jump into today’s news, please join us in wishing a happy birthday to Orlando Pride vice-captain Kylie Nadaner! We’ve got a lot to talk about today, so let’s get into it.

Lion Earns Weekly Recognition

Eduard Atuesta played an important role in Orlando City’s 2-2 road draw with the New York Red Bulls, and that performance was rewarded with a starting place in the MLS Team of the Matchday. Not only did he have the primary assist on Marco Pasalic’s goal, but he also had the secondary assist on Martin Ojeda’s opener. Nic Josey awarded him a 7 out of 10 in his Player Grades piece, and it’s nice to see him getting some of that love on the larger stage as well. Here’s hoping for more of the same!

Barbra Banda Up for Weekly Honors

Continuing the trend of Orlando players earning recognition for the efforts over the weekend, Barbra Banda has been nominated for the NWSL Goal of the Week. The Zambian finds herself nominated for her second and the Pride’s sixth goal of the day. After picking up the ball about 30 yards from goal, Banda took a couple touches before firing the ball into the top corner to round off an absolute beatdown. It was a difficult piece of finishing that she made look like the simplest thing in the world, and its a deserving nominee.

NWSL Week 1 Storylines

The first week of the 2025 NWSL season is in the books and there’s a lot we need to catch up on. For one thing, the Pride are still pretty damn good. It’s anyone’s guess how good the Chicago Stars will be this year, but a 6-0 score is nothing to turn your nose up at, regardless of who it comes against. Not only did the NWSL have its 1,000th player make her debut, but that player also scored, as rookie Maggie Graham got a goal for the Houston Dash in the team’s 2-1 loss to the Washington Spirit. Finally, international players ran riot, with Banda scoring a brace and adding an assist, Temwa Chawinga netting for the Kansas City Current, and Gia Corley getting things going for the San Diego Wave after just five minutes.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

While most transfer windows aren’t open right now, there are still plenty of stories that we need to keep an eye on. First, Christian Pulisic’s value is said to have ballooned to around $71 million since joining AC Milan, with the Italian team eager to sign him to a new contract. Liverpool is said to be regularly speaking with Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong, as the Dutch fullback is reportedly looking to move away from the club in the summer. Finally, Arsenal and Chelsea are said to be ahead of Liverpool in the race to sign Inter Milan striker Marcus Thuram.

Free Kicks


That’s all I’ve got for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s 2-2 draw against the Red Bulls?

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City completed the second of two back-to-back road contests against teams with the word New York in their names in Saturday afternoon’s matchup at the newly minted Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, NJ. Orlando allowed the Red Bulls to enjoy possession but was the first team to strike and took a 2-1 lead into halftime before allowing a quick equalizer to start the second half. While the match ultimately ended in a 2-2 draw, Orlando City will lament the missed chances that may have otherwise resulted in a road win.

Let’s look at the Lions’ individual performances and see who impressed and who needs to improve.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6.5 — Gallese was called into action early, and for the most part he made some bright saves on the afternoon to keep Orlando in the game. He made five total saves and parried away multiple strong attempts from the Red Bulls attack. Up a goal in the first half, an unfortunate video review gifted the Red Bulls a chance at an equalizer. While Gallese guessed correctly, the placement and pace put the penalty kick attempt just out of his reach. The second New York goal was a point-blank redirection from a player the back line completely disregarded. The Peruvian finished with five saves, with his biggest coming on a breakaway by Gjengaar in the 72nd minute. Gallese completed 70% of his 20 passes and was successful on seven of his 13 long balls.

D, Kyle Smith, 6.5 — Swiss Army knife Kyle Smith was inserted into the starting lineup for a struggling Rafael Santos and provided the usual defensive effort that we have come to expect from the veteran. Smith touched the ball a team-high 76 times and completed 75.5% of his 49 passes. He was credited with one key pass and was accurate on his lone cross but only three of his eight long balls. The left back was fairly active on defense, recording a team-high five tackles and chipping in seven clearances. Smith was subbed out in the 82nd minute as Orlando looked for a go-ahead goal.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6 — Schlegel touched the ball 47 times and completed 68.8% of his 32 passes but only two of his nine long balls. Both Schlegel and Robin Jansson appeared to make concentrated efforts to unlock the offense with balls over the top, but unfortunately, most of Schlegel’s attempts to link up from the back line were just slightly overhit. Schlegel got involved in the offense, logging two shots, which were both off target. He finished with a team-high 12 clearances but did not record a tackle or interception. He was caught ball watching on the tying goal in the 47th minute, failing to pick up Dennis Gjengaar’s run into his side of the box.

D, Robin Jansson, 5.5 — The captain started his second match since returning from injury. He touched the ball 49 times and completed 88.6% of his 35 passes, while boasting a much healthier ratio on his long ball attempts, completing six of nine. However, the Swede took some unnecessary risks trying to cut off passes to their intendd targets. One such occurrence resulted in Jansson playing catch-up and tangling with Eric Choupo-Moting in the box near the half-hour mark. While the play was not initially called a foul, Armando Villarreal’s review deemed the contact egregious enough that he overturned his no-call and awarded the Red Bulls a penalty kick. On the second goal, Jansson tracked Gjengaar’s diagonal run through the box, but he ultimately wasn’t able to communicate that danger to Schlegel in time to prevent it. Defensively, Jansson had one interception and nine clearances. Jansson was also lucky to not directly gift the Red Bulls another goal, as he gave the ball away cheaply at midfield in the second half, leading to a breakaway shot for New York that Gallese’s touch sent just wide of the net.

D, Alex Freeman, 6.5 — Steady yet timid is the way that I would summarize Freeman’s afternoon effort against the New York-adjacent Red Bulls. He was involved but didn’t seem to hunt his attacking positions as he recorded 61 touches and completed 86.8% of his 38 passes. The young Lion was credited with two key passes. He seemed reluctant to cross and only attempted one during the match, and while it was successful, it seemed like he passed up multiple chances to send a dangerous ball into the box. Offensively, Freeman did not record a shot, but on the defensive side of the pitch, he recorded three tackles, one clearance, and one blocked shot.

MF, Joran Gerbet, 6 — Gerbet started his first professional game in place of Cesar Araujo, who did not make the trip north after picking up a knock late in the week. The first-year pro touched the ball 63 times and was the most accurate Lion out of all players who attempted at least 30 passes, completing a team-best 92.3% of his 52 attempts, including one successful long ball on his only attempt. Offensively, he did not attempt a shot, but he did pick up where Araujo usually shines, drawing a team-high four fouls. Defensively, he logged three interceptions. It was a solid first MLS start for the rookie, and it was reassuring to see some additional depth in the midfield.

MF, Eduard Atuesta, 7 — Atuesta was all over the field throughout the match and touched the ball 71 times, second on the team only to Smith. He completed 75.9% of his 54 passes, including a team high-five key passes. The Colombian was successful on his lone cross and throughball attempt and connected on two of his six long balls. Offensively, Atuesta notched a secondary assist on the first Orlando goal and a primary assist on Orlando’s second goal. On the latter, he unlocked Designated Player Marco Pasalic with a perfectly timed pass over the top. Defensively, he added two tackles and managed to survive the match without picking up a booking.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 5.5 — While Angulo’s pace with and without the ball allows for creativity on the pitch, the Colombian is making far too many mistakes with the ball at his feet, which carry the potential to swing the match in favor of the opposition. Angulo had 57 touches and completed 87.5% of his 40 passes. Functioning on the wing, Angulo did not attempt a cross in the match. He also did not attempt a shot against the Red Bulls. His defensive contributions included one tackle, two interceptions, and one clearance.

MF, Martin Ojeda, 7 — Ojeda touched the ball 46 times and completed 80.6% of his 36 passes, including two key passes, one of his two crosses, and one accurate long ball on his one attempt. Offensively, Ojeda got Orlando out on the front foot with a howitzer of a shot which streaked past an outstretched Carlos Coronel. It was the second goal for Orlando’s No. 10 in the last three matches. He logged three total shots, but the goal was his lone shot on target. Defensively, he contributed one tackle and was substituted off in the 69th minute for Dagur Dan Thorhallsson.

MF, Marco Pasalic, 7.5 (MotM) — It was truly a three-way coin flip to choose which Designated Player should walk away with Man of the Match honors, and Pasalic ultimately got my nod, thanks to a higher passing percentage and putting more shots on target. He touched the ball 43 times, completing 82.6% of his 23 passes. He had two key passes and was successful on his one long ball attempt. He took three shots and put two on target, including his third goal of the year, which at the time put Orlando ahead 2-1. On the defensive end, he was credited with one clearance. This game left me feeling that Pasalic still has another gear to unlock and I am excited to see that happen as the Croatian grows more comfortable in MLS.

F, Luis Muriel, 7 — Starting his second game in a row, Muriel appears to be growing into the player we all hoped that he could be when he was signed one year ago. He touched the ball 52 times and was involved from the opening kick. He completed 75.8% of his 33 passes, including one key pass — his assist to Ojeda for the first goal of the match. He put one of his two shots on target and could have ended the day with all three DPs scoring, but instead he settled for a single assist. Defensively, he added a tackle and two clearances. It was surprising to see the striker credited with six unstable touches, as I thought his hold-up play was excellent and he was able to spray the ball around in tight places.

Substitutes

MF, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson (69’), 6 — Thorhallson entered the match with Orlando level at two goals apiece as Head Coach Oscar Pareja tried to steal all three points on the road. He touched the ball 16 times and completed 72.7% of his 11 attempts. Thorhallsson was able to record two clearances but did not have much success creating offensive chances over the final half hour.

F, Ramiro Enrique (82’), 6 — Enrique entered in the waning minutes and nearly had a winner for Orlando City but was thwarted by Coronel. He touched the ball 10 times, completing 75% of his four passes. Defensively, he logged one interception.

D, David Brekalo (82′), N/A — Brekalo returned to action after being out last week against New York City FC. He logged 14 touches and completed 81.8% of his 11 passes, including one key pass. Brekalo attempted one shot, which unfortunately was not on target. Defensively, he did not log a stat as Orlando was the aggressor in the final few minutes of the match.

D, Rafael Santos (82′), N/A — Santos entered the match for Angulo and touched the ball 14 times, completing all of his five passes, which included two key passes and one of his three crosses. Santos logged two shots, which were both on target. Like Enrique, Santos had a chance to be the hero, but Coronel came up with a huge save. Defensively, he logged one tackle and one clearance.

F, Duncan McGuire (87′), N/A — It was a surprise to see McGuire not only on the bench but enter the match much sooner in the season than initially projected after having off-season shoulder surgery. In limited minutes, Duncan made an impact, recording two shots which were off target (one was blocked) and two key passes. His layoff to Enrique should have produced a late winner. It will be exciting to follow along with how his playing time progresses.


That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando City’s draw against the Red Bulls. Let us know how you saw the game in the comments below, and don’t forget to vote for your Man of the Match.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/17/25

Lions draw on the road, Pride win NWSL season opener, OCB claims two points against Atlanta, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers, and happy St. Patrick’s Day! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been catching up with friends over the weekend in Chicago. Our Lions and OCB picked up draws, but the Young Lions claimed an extra point in penalties, while the Pride dominated the Stars to start their 2025 NWSL season with a win. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links. 

Lions Draw New York Red Bulls on the Road

Orlando City and the New York Red Bulls split the points in a 2-2 draw at Sports Illustrated Stadium Saturday. The Lions struck first with a goal from Martin Ojeda to take the lead. However, a controversial penalty kick was awarded to the Red Bulls, and Eric Choupo-Boting buried the equalizer to tie the match at one. Marco Pasalic’s goal put Orlando back in front just before halftime. However, just minutes into the second half, the Red Bulls tied the match at 2-2. The Lions had chances to score late in the match, but Red Bulls goalkeeper Carlos Coronel stopped everything in his path to preserve a point. Orlando City returns home to Inter&Co Stadium on Saturday to take on D.C. United.

Orlando City Signs Gustavo Caraballo as Homegrown Player

After being signed to short-term contracts in previous weeks, Orlando City announced Friday that the club signed midfielder Gustavo Caraballo to a Homegrown Player contract. Caraballo is signed through the 2027 season with a club option for 2028. The 16-year-old midfielder has made two appearances for Orlando this season. Caraballo went through the academy, playing at OCB, and now becomes the youngest player to sign a first-team pro contract. He made his MLS debut earlier this month in the Lions’ 4-2 win over Toronto FC, becoming the youngest player ever to get MLS minutes with Orlando.

Orlando Pride Defeat Chicago Stars in Season Opener

The Orlando Pride began their 2025 NWSL season Friday, beating the Chicago Stars 6-0 at Inter&Co Stadium. Haley McCutcheon, Ally Watt, and Julie Doyle added their names to the scoresheet, while Barbra Banda scored twice. The Pride also got an own goal from Stars defender Hannah Anderson just after halftime. Orlando is unbeaten in its last four matches against Chicago. With six goals, Orlando tied the club record for the most goals scored in a match. It was also the Pride’s first-ever season-opening win. The Pride will be on the road this weekend to face NJ/NY Gotham FC at Sports Illustrated Stadium on Sunday.

OCB Wins Penalty Shootout vs. Atlanta United 2 after 2-2 Draw

Orlando City B drew 2-2 against Atlanta United 2 Sunday at Osceola County Stadium. The Young Lions trailed 1-0 in the first half, but Justin Ellis tied the match just before halftime. Shak Mohammed gave OCB a 2-1 lead in the second half, but Atlanta scored a late equalizer. After 90 minutes, MLS NEXT Pro draws go to penalties, and OCB won the extra point with a 4-1 shootout win. OCB will be back in action on Wednesday, March 26 on the road against Crown Legacy FC.

NWSL Opening Weekend Recap

The National Women’s Soccer League’s opening weekend matches are in the books. The Washington Spirit edged the Houston Dash 2-1 Friday night. On Saturday, the Kansas City Current defeated the Portland Thorns 3-1 as Temwa Chawinga and Debinha scored. The Utah Royals and Bay FC, Racing Louisville and the North Carolina Courage, and the Seattle Reign vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC matches all ended in 1-1 draws. On Sunday, Angel City FC and the San Diego Wave match also ended in a 1-1 draw.

Americans Abroad

We had another busy weekend featuring several Americans in action in Europe just ahead of the international break. Christian Pulisic scored for AC Milan in its Serie A clash against Como. AC Milan held on to win 2-1. Weston Mckennie’s Juventus side fell 3-0 to Fiorentina on the road, suffering a second straight heavy defeat in league play. Tyler Adams played 79 minutes for AFC Bournemouth, but his side lost 2-1 at home to Brentford, while Antonee Robinson played 90 minutes for Fulham, helping his team defeat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0. Tanner Tessmann came off the bench for Lyon in the second half as his side defeated Le Havre 4-2 in Ligue 1. Haji Wright scored a hat trick over the weekend for EFL Championship side Coventry City in a 3-0 victory over Sunderland. Catarina Macario and Chelsea defeated Manchester City 2-1 to win the Women’s League Cup.

Free Kicks

  • Angel City FC and Former Orlando Pride forward Sydney Leroux announced on her Instagram page that she will take a break from professional soccer to focus on her mental health.
  • Boston’s NWSL expansion team will not play under its current name, BOS Nation FC. The club announced over the weekend that it will rebrand and expects to unveil its new name in the next few weeks.
  • Newcastle United defeated Liverpool 2-1 Sunday to win the Carabao Cup, snapping a 70-year domestic trophy drought.
  • In case you missed it, you have to see this late second-half equalizer by Mohamed Traore of Phoenix Rising in a USL Championship match over the weekend against El Paso Locomotive.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.

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