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Orlando City vs. Toronto FC: Final Score 3-1 as Lions Fall for Second Time at Home

Once again it was Jozy Altidore and Sebastian Giovinco ripping Orlando to shreds.

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8 years ago

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Nick Leyva, The Mane Land

Could some European team please come buy Jozy Altidore and Sebastian Giovinco? The Toronto duo has terrorized Orlando City for the last three seasons and did it again to lead the visiting Reds (11-3-5, 38 points) to a 3-1 win at Orlando City Stadium — just the second home game lost in league play by the Lions this year.

Altidore scored one, assisted Giovinco’s first, and drew the foul that led to the Italian’s second in a game where Orlando (8-7-5, 29 points) played mostly well but had a few bad moments undo a lot of good — at least defensively. On the offensive end, Orlando failed to get onto crosses and lost balls in the air time and time again to let Alex Bono have a relatively relaxed night in goal.

“Obviously really disappointed to lose at home, first and foremost. A result like that at home is never something that we want,” Head Coach Jason Kreis said after the match. “We’re a team that needs energy and when we don’t have that energy we suffer results, I think, like we did tonight. I thought we lacked a little bit of the energy to get ourselves back into this game.”

Carlos Rivas scored for Orlando City, which heads into the Gold Cup break in fifth place in the Eastern Conference.

Toronto got the first good attempt on goal off a free kick nine minutes in but the cross was headed out of a sea of bodies right at Joe Bendik. A minute later, Jose Aja was forced to take on Giovinco one-on-one and he made a nice play to knock the ball away when the Italian star tried to cut inside for a shot. A minute after that, it was Antonio Nocerino blocking a Giovinco effort from above the box.

Minutes later, Giovinco shook free through the defense, and when four Lions converged, he fed a ball for Altidore to run onto in the box. Bendik got a piece of the USMNT striker’s shot but not enough of it and it was 1-0 to the visitors just 18 minutes in.

“We have to find a way to stop conceding goals early,” Kreis said. “When we do that I think we’ve really struggled. The first goal to me is a play where Giovinco’s floating in the space between our back four and our midfielders and is just given too much time and space there, and I think that’s something we’ve been trying to get our team to tactically sort out.

“For me it was a little bit about stepping at the wrong time and stepping late and we’re a little bit caught, and also how close we were to the players that were playing those balls through for [Altidore]. We weren’t close enough, we didn’t have enough pressure to those balls, and when you give a player like Giovinco time to slot those kinds of passes, he’s going to take full advantage of it.”

He added that he thinks the team’s current defensive personnel are good enough to get the job done.

“I think there’s just some small things that we’re not quite doing the same way were doing in the beginning of the season. ”

Five minutes later the Reds looked to double their lead as Altidore felt a shirt pull from Jonathan Spector and picked his feet up, going down easily and not only getting the call but also a booking on the Orlando City center back. Giovinco stepped up and blasted a free kick off the crossbar that the Lions were able to clear.

Much of Orlando’s first half offense was getting crosses into the box, only to watch Toronto defenders cut them out before they could find Cyle Larin. But the Lions finally got a decent opportunity at 36 minutes, when Will Johnson stepped into a shot at the top of the box, but he hit it directly at Alex Bono for the easy save.

In minute 39, the Reds got their last good look of the opening period when Oyvind Alseth sent a cross in that Giovinco volleyed wide. The Lions owned the rest of the half but struggled to find the final ball. There were several good crosses from Kaká, Scott Sutter, and Giles Barnes, but the Toronto defense was first to the ball each time, even if only to get a toe on a pass to knock it slightly off course. Orlando was still on the front foot when the halftime whistle blew.

The Lions held 64.9% of the first-half possession and a 12-1 advantage in crosses, but were out-shot, 7-5 (3-2 on goal).

But that good end to the first half was wasted when Toronto scored in the first minute after the break. Once again a well-timed run by Altidore had the U.S. international completely in behind the defense. He passed off to Giovinco for the tap-in when he was cut off in the box and it was quickly 2-0.

“Early in the second half was a back buster,” Kreis said.

Rivas, who came on at halftime, had an impact in his return from an ankle injury sustained at Chicago last week. He used his pace to break through a compact Toronto defense, which kept its three lines very tightly packed, and he eventually got on the score sheet in the 63rd minute. The Colombian took a beautiful through ball from Kaká and sent a shot that kissed the right post and went in to cut the lead to 2-1 with a lot of time left.

The good feeling from that goal didn’t last long, however. Altidore went down in a tangle of bodies and got his (I don’t know what number, I lost count) foul given by referee Alan Kelly. Giovinco, whose worst miss ever on a free kick against Orlando was probably the one in the first half that smacked the crossbar, found the upper 90 on an unstoppable shot to restore Toronto’s two-goal advantage at the 65-minute mark, just two minutes after Rivas had given the Lions a lifeline.

From that point on, it was mainly a series of near misses for both teams. Rivas just missed over the bar in the 68th minute. Barnes had a good opportunity on a Kaká cross but his shot was deflected out for a corner in the 71st.

Bendik made a great stop on second-half sub Jordan Hamilton in the 88th minute after Ashtone Morgan’s back-post cross found him on the break.

Eventually, Kelly blew the full-time whistle and the Lions had their second home loss in Orlando City Stadium history. The Lions finished with 64.6% of the possession, a 14-11 advantage on shots (but 3-6 on target), a 20-1 edge in crosses and 5-1 in corners, but the Reds won the only stat that matters.

The Lions are off until Atlanta United comes to town on Friday, July 21.

“Disappointed to go into a long break now to have to feel the suffering of losing three points now for the next two weeks. But it doesn’t change the fact that we know there’s some particular areas that we need to be really focused in on improving in the next couple of weeks and we’re going to take the opportunity with the extended period of time to train to really get after those things and get back to some of the things I think brought us a lot of success in the beginning of the season.”

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Opinion

Likes and Dislikes from this Week of Orlando City’s Preseason

Orlando City’s third week of preparation had some good things and some not so good things.

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6 hours ago

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January 31, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

We have another week of Orlando City’s preseason in the books, and while it seems hard to believe, it’s been almost three weeks since the Lions got back in the lab and started preparing for the 2025 campaign. There have been lots of new talking points this week too, and its been a bit of a mixed bag. Let’s have a look at some of the good and bad from this past week.

Likes

Victory (Kind of) vs. Atletico Mineiro

Okay, so it technically wasn’t a victory since the game ended in a scoreless draw. The Lions did get the job done from the penalty spot though, as they won the shootout 6-5 to claim whatever the Inter&Co Trophy is. More important than the result though, was the fact that OCSC played pretty well. Orlando created a good amount of opportunities, but as seems to be the fatal flaw with this team, the finishing was definitely on the rusty side. It was perhaps unlucky that some of the Lions’ best chances fell to youngsters, but the good news is that the chances were being created. It was a positive first showing that the team can hopefully build on.

Back in the U.S. Open Cup

A lot of fans, myself included, had big issues with the Lions not being a participant in the U.S. Open Cup last year. It’s a tournament that is near and dear to a lot of Orlando fans, given that OCSC has won the whole damn thing once, had other special moments like The Running of the Wall, and has generally made decent runs in the competition. It was welcome news to hear that Orlando will be back in the competition this year, along with 15 other MLS teams that will enter the competition during the Round of 32. The tournament has a charm and a special place in my heart, and it’s exactly where the Lions should be.

Two Games, Two Clean Sheets

Nic Josey has gone on the record stating that Orlando City will need strong, steady performances from its defense if the team wants to avoid a slow start to the season like we saw in 2024. It’s only preseason, and we shouldn’t get too carried away, but so far so good, as the Lions have recorded a clean sheet in each of their two preseason games. Whether that will mean a damn thing once the regular season starts is anyone’s guess, but it’s a hell of a lot better than giving up buckets of goals in the preseason.

Dislikes

Wilder Cartagena’s Injury

We still don’t have official confirmation on the injury that Wilder Cartagena suffered during Saturday’s preseason match, but all the reports point to an Achilles Tendon injury, with ESPN’s Diego Montalvan going as far to say that he’ll be undergoing surgery. If that proves to be the case then it’s a doomsday scenario indeed for the Lions, as Cartagena could miss anywhere from six months to a whole year. He’s proven to be a vital part of what makes Orlando City tick, and replacing him is going to be far from an easy task.

Summer Fixture Frenzy

Along with the U.S. Open Cup, the Lions will once again be participating in Leagues Cup, and that’s presented them with a hellish slate of matches to finish out the summer. In a stretch from mid-July to mid-August OCSC will play a positively hellish eight games in 29 days, with that number potentially rising even higher if the club goes deep in the Open Cup (unless the two competitions decide to play nice and work with each other on scheduling). Not to mention that six of those eight games will take place at home in the punishing Florida heat and humidity. Either some guys are going to need to get signed, the kids are going to get some good experience, or something is going to give. Speaking of…

The Continued Wait for Reinforcements

Orlando City has made a couple signings in the last two weeks, with the most notable of those being winger Nicolas Rodriguez, with goalkeeper Carlos Mercado getting re-signed on Thursday. That’s a start, but Cartagena needs to be replaced, Jack Lynn’s retirement and Duncan McGuire’s shoulder injury mean the striker corps is dangerously thin, and the team could use help with depth at midfield and fullback. That’s a hell of a lot of business that needs to get done, and there hasn’t been much in the way of substantive chatter in the transfer rumor mill lately. The sooner signings are made, the more time they have to get integrated with their new surroundings before the season starts, but time is fast running out for that to happen.

There you have it folks. Life is full of peaks and valleys, and this week for Orlando City was a good reflection of that. What things jumped out to you this week, and what are you hoping to see as we move into the fourth week of preseason? Be sure to have your say down in the comments. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/31/25

Orlando Pride transfer Adriana for record fee, Orlando City re-signs Carlos Mercado, new Leagues Cup format revealed, and more.

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10 hours ago

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January 31, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! Today ends the first month of 2025 and my resolutions are mostly intact. I’d like to walk a bit more in the afternoons than I currently am, but I’ll take what I can get. I don’t have too many plans lined up this weekend beyond working, catching some sports, and board games with friends. But for now, let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world.

Adriana Transferred For Orlando Pride Record Fee

The Orlando Pride have transferred Adriana to Al Qadsiah FC in the Saudi Women’s Premier League for a club record fee of reportedly $500,000. Adriana requested the move after two seasons with the Pride since joining in January of 2023. The versatile attacker recorded 12 goals and five assists in 46 regular-season appearances with the Pride. This move opens up an opportunity for more minutes for the team’s young players, and that transfer fee should help improve the Pride’s roster.

Carlos Mercado Re-Signs With Orlando City

Orlando City signed goalkeeper Carlos Mercado to a new contract through the upcoming 2025 season, with club options for 2026 and 2027. The club declined the option on his previous contract following the 2024 season, but he’s back in purple after Mason Stajduhar’s trade to Real Salt Lake. The 25-year-old will likely feature as Orlando City B’s starting goalkeeper this season, with Javier Otero backing up Pedro Gallese on the first team. Mercado started 20 games for the Young Lions last season, so he has some playing time and familiarity with the team under his belt ahead of the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro season.

Leagues Cup Reveals New Format for 2025

Orlando City was one of only 18 MLS clubs to qualify for this summer’s Leagues Cup and we now know what the new format for the tournament will be. The group stage is gone and in its place is a convoluted first phase that can be simplified as there being six sets of six teams —three from MLS and three from Liga MX. Each team will play one match against the three teams from the opposing league, and then only the top four teams overall from each league will advance to the quarterfinals. This means that there will be MLS vs. Liga MX matchups every game until possibly the semifinals. One rule that stuck around though is that there will still be a penalty shootout for an additional point if two teams draw.

NWSL Awards Franchise to Denver

The NWSL officially announced that the league’s 16th franchise will be in Denver. The new club will take the field in 2026 and is finalizing plans to build a stadium for the team. Rob Cohen, who founded the Denver Sports Commission to help bring major sporting events to the city, will serve as the club’s controlling owner and governor, while Mellody Hobson will be the alternate governor. Denver’s team doesn’t have a name, colors, or a logo just yet, but I think anything other than DEN Nation FC would be a good idea.

Free Kicks

  • Former Pride player Emily van Egmond joined Birmingham City on a two-and-a-half-year contract after three years with the San Diego Wave. Birmingham is at the top of the Women’s Championship in a tight race for promotion to the Women’s Super League.
  • Manuel Cocca, whose contract with Orlando City B expired after last season, has joined Arsenal de Sarandi in Argentina’s second division.

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

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Opinion

Orlando City’s Lack of Off-Season Signings Starting to Become a Concern

The Lions’ roster hasn’t gotten any bigger in the last few weeks, so it’s understandable if fans are getting a bit antsy.

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1 day ago

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January 30, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Three weeks ago I wrote that there was no reason to panic about Orlando City’s lack of off-season signings. It was early in January, and the club typically does a lot of its business throughout the first month of the year. Since then, the club signed Nicolas Rodriguez, but the Lions also traded Mason Stajduhar, and forward Jack Lynn retired. That is more subtraction than addition for a team looking to make it to the next level. Is it now time to panic?

The departure of Stajduhar hits Orlando City supporters in the feels given how long he was with the club, but one may assume the coaches have seen enough from Javier Otero to be confident in his ability to back up Pedro Gallese. The club still needs to bring in another keeper [Editor’s note: this story was written prior to the club signing Carlos Mercado this morning], but Stajduhar’s departure isn’t as big of a problem as it might first seem.

We don’t know how long Duncan McGuire will be unavailable once the season starts. Even if he’s back sooner than expected, Orlando City will still be lacking at the striker position. Ramiro Enrique has proven he can be a starter, but with Jack Lynn’s departure, there isn’t anyone behind him. While Luis Muriel is technically a striker, he tends to play further back in a facilitator role rather than as an actual No. 9. We haven’t seen any transfer moves for a new striker.

The Lions got a big influx of cash, thanks to the Facundo Torres deal. Replacing the goal production of Orlando City’s all-time leading goal scorer is a priority. So far, the club has brought in Rodriguez as an MLS U22 Initiative player. Despite the similarities between the two, Rodriguez is not a replacement for Torres. It is unrealistic to expect the young man to score double-digit goals his first year in MLS.

I’m not even worried about the attacking midfield. As I mentioned above, Muriel is best as a facilitator, Martin Ojeda is now wearing the No. 10 jersey, and Ivan Angulo can play on either side. It’s Torres’ goal contributions I’m worried about missing. Orlando City needs to replace that production sooner rather than later or another slow start seems certain.

I’m not going to address the Wilder Cartagena injury until we know more, but that is also potentially very bad news. That brings us to today. The team is already deep into its preseason trip to Mexico. This is the trip that in the past has been the time when the team truly bonds. Any players brought in at this point will obviously miss that valuable time.

Additionally, unless a signing is someone who has already played in MLS — which is incredibly rare for this front office — it is going to take them time to adapt to the league as well as the club and their new teammates. That brings us back to the real potential for another slow start to the season.

When you have roster turnover, the idea is to bring in players that are better than the players that departed. We know that the ownership is serious about winning. The 2022 Open Cup victory and the Orlando Pride’s two 2024 trophies are a testament to that. Now, it’s time to see that commitment with some substantial signings for City. In some ways, I feel the club has left it a little late, but I’ll take what I can get at this point.

I’m not saying it’s time to panic — though I won’t tell you not to do so — but I’m definitely getting a bit concerned. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

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