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Orlando City at D.C. United: Final Score 2-1 as Lions Win Despite Having Two Men Sent Off

Lions snap an eight-match winless skid and sweep United in 2017.

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8 years ago

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Carlos Romero, The Mane Land

WASHINGTON, D.C. — As Orlando and the entire state of Florida brace for the impact of Hurricane Irma late this weekend, Orlando City was in our nation’s capital. A pair of first-half goals helped propel the Lions to a much-needed victory, snapping an eight-game winless run after holding on for a 2-1 win over D.C. United at RFK Stadium. It’s the Lions’ first ever win at D.C. and Orlando improves to 4-3-0 in the overall series.

Cyle Larin opened the scoring with his 11th goal of the season, and Giles Barnes added another less than 10 minutes later as Orlando City, which saw two players sent off in the second half, picked up its first win since June 30. It was also the Lions’ first multi-goal game since June 17 against the Montreal Impact.

“Obviously very, very happy to get a result after so long and after feeling for so long that the team has deserved it,” Head Coach Jason Kreis said after the match. “To get the result tonight was the most important thing, and probably the only important thing.”

A chaotic final 10 minutes nearly saw all three points slip away from the Lions, who let in a goal in the 89th, and then dropped to nine men in the 95th minute of a game that was finally capped off after 101 minutes.

“It felt like it was going to be another sad night. It felt like we would concede,” Kreis said. “Just felt like everything was going against us for those five or 10 minutes. Just really happy that the guys continued to fight and got the job done.”

D.C. jumped out of the gates with a good start, putting pressure on Orlando City’s back line throughout the first 15 minutes of the match. Joe Bendik had to swat down a chip from the left side in the third minute, then made a pair of big, back-to-back saves in the 10th minute to keep United off of the board. A D.C. free kick in the 16th minute led to the ball bouncing around inside the penalty area before a header from about 10 yards out bounced wide of the post.

Where D.C. was thriving, the Lions were struggling. Orlando couldn’t string together much through that early stretch of the game, getting closed in on and shut down almost immediately with the ball, while D.C. was seeing plenty of space and building attacks that signaled early trouble for the visitors.

But things started to change around the 16th minute. Suddenly, Orlando was able to stretch out D.C.’s defense and see some time on the ball in the final third, setting up more opportunities to find a goal.

And that goal did come when Larin broke the hold in the 19th minute, knocking home a cross from Dom Dwyer on the left side to put Orlando City up 1-0 on the road. Larin’s 11th goal of the season put him on top of Orlando City’s all-time goal scoring list (combined USL and MLS), passing Kevin Molino with his 43rd goal for the Lions.

Not even 10 minutes later, in the 28th, Orlando doubled its lead on Barnes’ third goal of the year. Scott Sutter delivered a cross in from the right side, and the ball was headed by one D.C. defender into another, who failed to successfully clear the ball. Barnes was there to pick up the mistake and tucked it away into the net, beating Bill Hamid for the second time this season to give his side a two-goal lead, which hadn’t happened in months.

If there was a way to describe the game in one sentence, it would be that this match was nearly the opposite of everything Orlando has been put through in recent months. D.C. was putting up shot after shot, but couldn’t manage to get them in the net.

Patrick Mullins missed a golden opportunity in the 62nd minute, breaking away from the defense to set up a 1-on-1 with Bendik but sailed his shot over the goal.

D.C. finally got on the score sheet in the 89th minute, when defender Kofi Opare snuck one past Bendik, but by then it was too late for United to mount a full comeback, leaving Orlando City to walk away with all three points.

If anything, the Lions earned this victory after seeing two players sent off in the second half. Servando Carrasco, who came on in the 48th minute for Cristian Higuita — who suffered an apparent injury — picked up a second yellow in the 79th minute. And then Seb Hines saw a straight red in stoppage time on a very questionable decision by referee David Gantar. Hines tried to push off a D.C. player who had him in a bear hug for several moments and the only thing Gantar saw was the push and the subsequent flop. To top things off, Kaká was issued a stoppage-time yellow for dissent, meaning he’ll miss the Lions’ next match due to yellow card accumulation.

“We’ll see,” Kreis said when asked if losing three players to suspensions next week was worth the three points. “In thinking about it, and thinking about the lineup that we’ll put out next week, I think we’ll be okay. We have plenty of guys that can step in and do jobs, and we’ll rely on those players to do it.

“At the end of the day, I’m not happy with the two ejections because it’s showing of a lack of discipline. I thought for Servando to go into that tackle after after having a yellow card was not good, not smart. And for Seb to even react the way he did, even if he got punched in the back of the head, is not good. He needs to be more intelligent in those moments.”

The Lions are currently expected to leave D.C. some time on Sunday and head to Atlanta, where they’ll wait our Hurricane Irma until at least Tuesday before coming back to Orlando. But it’ll only be for a couple of days, as the Lions will travel back to Atlanta next weekend to face off against Atlanta United FC for the third and final time this season, this time at the team’s brand new home.

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Lion Links: 4/18/25

Orlando City set to play the Tampa Bay Rowdies, Lions reach Generation Adidas Cup semifinals, Angel City hires Alexander Straus, and more.

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1 hour ago

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April 18, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday! I hope today finds you well as we gear up for another Saturday filled with soccer to enjoy. I don’t have many plans this Easter weekend beyond working, catching soccer when I can, and playing Baldur’s Gate 3 for the first time if I find some spare hours. Let’s dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Orlando City Learns U.S. Open Cup Opponents

Orlando City’s 2025 U.S. Open Cup campaign will begin on the road against the Tampa Bay Rowdies on May 7 at 7:30 p.m. in what will be the latest edition of the I-4 Derby. It will be Orlando’s first game of this year’s tournament, while the Rowdies joined in the previous round and got past FC Naples in penalties. The Rowdies have lost four of their five games so far this season in the USL Championship and fired Robbie Neilson as head coach earlier this month. The Lions also notably would have hosting priority if they reach the round of 16, where they will play either Nashville SC or the Chattanooga Red Wolves.

Here’s the full schedule for the round of 32, which includes some interesting matchups across the country. The Tacoma Defiance are the only MLS NEXT Pro side left and will face the Portland Timbers, while the New York Red Bulls will have a long road trip to take on the Colorado Springs Switchbacks.

Lions Advance to Generation Adidas Cup Semifinals

Orlando City’s U-18 team beat Real Salt Lake 1-0 in the Generation Adidas Cup to secure a spot in the semifinals. The Young Lions have won four of their five games of the tournament and will take on Santos Laguna in the semifinal on Saturday. The winner of that match will face whichever team becomes victorious in the other semifinal between Atlanta United and the Colorado Rapids.

The U-16 team’s run in the Premier bracket is also going strong after a 1-0 win over Bayern Munich, and Orlando will take on the New England Revolution in the semifinals on Saturday.

Angel City FC Hires Alexander Straus

Bayern Munich’s Alexander Straus was named Angel City FC’s next head coach and will officially join the club on June 1. The Norwegian coach has won back-to-back Bundesliga titles and has Bayern positioned well to make it three straight this season. He’ll join an Angel City team that’s unbeaten in its first four games of the season under interim head coach Sam Laity, who will stay on as an assistant coach once Straus joins.

Europa League Quarterfinals End In Dramatic Fashion

Old Trafford hosted one of the wildest games in Europa League history, with Manchester United and Lyon battling for a spot in the quarterfinals. United scored twice in the first half, then conceded twice in the second, sending the game to extra time. Lyon took the lead despite being a man down and then the teams traded penalty kicks as the madness continued. Casemiro orchestrated Manchester’s victory in the end, assisting on two late goals within a minute of each other to beat Lyon 5-4 and advance. This United fan pretty much sums up just how much of a rollercoaster this match was.

There was also drama in Italy, as Lazio came back in the second leg to force extra time against Bodo/Glimt. The match went to penalties and Bodo/Glimt goalkeeper Nikitka Haikin denied former New York City FC player Taty Castellanos from the spot to book his team’s place in the semifinals. Although Tottenham was without Son Heung-Min, it got the job done in a 1-0 road win against Eintracht Frankfurt, while Athletic Club beat Rangers 2-0 in Spain to advance as well. In the semifinals, Tottenham will face Bodo/Glimt and Manchester United will take on Athletic Club.

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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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Orlando City

Orlando City at CF Montreal: Three Keys to Victory

What do the Lions need to do to earn all three points on the road against Montreal?

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22 hours ago

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April 17, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City heads to the Great White North to take on CF Montreal. The Canadian squad sits in last place in not just the Eastern Conference but also the entire MLS, with only two points from a pair of draws. To say it’s not been a good start to the season is an understatement. Of course, it’s exactly that type of situation that makes it feel like a trap. What does Orlando City need to do to take all three points against CF Montreal?

Designated Goal Scorers

What do you do if you haven’t scored a goal in the last two matches? You play a team that has given up 13 goals in eight matches with a -9 goal differential. Montreal doesn’t have the worst defense in the league — I’m looking at you, D.C. United — but it’s not far off. That presents an opportunity for Orlando City to get back on track when it comes to scoring goals.

Through the first six matches of the season, Orlando City was leading the league in scoring with 15 goals. Over the last two matches, the spigot has dried up. The Lions must seize on this opportunity to create and finish their chances. Much like earlier in the season, I want to see Luis Muriel, Martin Ojeda, and Marco Pasalic lead the way. If anyone can get the first goal, then I’m hopeful the dam will break and the scoring drought will be over.

Keep it Clean

There is some good news of late when it comes to the Orlando City defense. The club has two clean sheets over the last two matches, and that is without Cesar Araujo. There is also some bad news, given Rodrigo Schlegel will be serving his red card suspension this match. That means David Brekalo will move back to center back with Robin Jansson, and Oscar Pareja will have to employ either Rafael Santos or Kyle Smith at left back. Santos has been less than good so far this season.

Montreal has scored a paltry four goals so far in 2025, but two of them have come from striker Prince Owusu. The defense will also need to deal with Caden Clark facilitating in the midfield. I get that this isn’t a prolific attack. Montreal has not looked very good this season and is looking for both its first win and its first points of any sort at home. That means the hosts may be desperate for a result, and desperate is often dangerous. How well the defense does — in particular, how well Santos does if he plays — may determine if Montreal is able to break out of its slump. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.

Give the Midfield Time

Before the last match, I was a little worried about the midfield. Having both Araujo and Eduard Atuesta out at the same time seemed to be a concern. Now, after seeing how well Joran Gerbet and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson worked together against the New York Red Bulls, I’m way less worried. If Araujo and Atuesta need a little more time to get fully healthy, then let them. The Franco/Icelandic combo seems to be a potent one.

Of course, if the normal starters are ready, then by all means bring them back, but maybe not until the 60th minute. Perhaps Pareja could even mix and match. One never knows how yellow card suspensions or minor injuries will affect player availability. This is a good match for Gerbet and Thorhallsson to work their magic.

That is what I will be looking for Saturday night. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 4/17/25

Oscar Pareja signs new contract with Orlando City, Orlando Pride prepare for the Washington Spirit, Orlando’s youth teams win, and more.

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1 day ago

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April 17, 2025

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I can’t believe we’re already into the back half of April and Easter is right around the corner. There’s plenty of soccer to enjoy between now and then and we also have the draw for the U.S. Open Cup’s round of 32 this morning at 9:15. MLS teams are finally joining the fray, so we’ll see where the chips fall for Orlando City. Let’s get to the links!

Oscar Pareja Signs New Contract

Orlando City and Head Coach Oscar Pareja have agreed to a new three-year contract that will keep him in the City Beautiful through 2028. Pareja was hired as Orlando’s fourth head coach in its MLS era back in December of 2019 and he’s led the Lions to the playoffs in all five seasons he’s been at the helm.  Under Pareja, the Lions won the U.S. Open Cup in 2022, set club records in points and wins in 2023, and reached the Eastern Conference final for the first time last year. This year was the final one on the contract he signed in December of 2023, so it’s nice to know Pareja will be sticking around in the future.

Orlando Pride Prepare for the Washington Spirit

The Orlando Pride will look to make it five wins in a row when they host the Washington Spirit on Saturday in another rematch of last year’s final. While this is the first match between Orlando and Washington this season, the two clashed in the NWSL Challenge Cup on March 7 and the Spirit lifted the trophy after a penalty shootout. Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on how the team has grown since that game and has benefitted from depth and consistency carried over from last year.

Orlando City Youth Teams Win in Bradenton

Orlando City’s U-18 team won in the Generation Adidas Cup’s round of 16, beating St. Louis City 1-0 to advance to the quarterfinals. The Young Lions remain unbeaten in that age group and will take on a Real Salt Lake team that also won its group and just beat Toronto FC in a penalty shootout following a scoreless draw.

Orlando’s U-16 squad didn’t qualify for the Championship bracket, but still advanced in the Premier bracket. After a 1-1 draw with Toronto, Orlando prevailed in the ensuing penalty shootout and will play Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals.

UEFA Champions League Semifinals Are Set

The quarterfinals for this year’s UEFA Champions League are over and only four teams remain in the tournament. Arsenal secured its spot in the semifinals after an impressive 2-1 road win against Real Madrid that included two assists from Mikel Merino. The Spanish club couldn’t muster its usual magic in the tournament and forward Kylian Mbappe exited in the second half due to injury. In Italy, Inter Milan held on for a 2-2 draw against Bayern to advance on aggregate, with defender Benjamin Pavard scoring a crucial goal for Inter against his old team. The semifinals will take place at the end of the month and will feature Arsenal taking on Paris Saint-Germain and Inter going up against Barcelona.

Free Kicks

  • Our thoughts go out to the friends and family of former FC Cincinnati player Aaron Boupendza, who died after falling from the 11th floor of a building in China.
  • The Chicago Fire are reportedly strongly interested in signing star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne on a free transfer. If any Western Conference teams could join the hunt for him, that would be great.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

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