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Orlando City vs. New England Revolution: Final Score 6-1 as Lions Crush Revs

Five different Lions scored against 10-man New England.

Published

7 years ago

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Nick Leyva, The Mane Land

A modest announced crowd of 23,018 showed up at Orlando City Stadium for a midweek game against the New England Revolution. Every one of those fans got their money’s worth.

The Lions (10-13-8, 38 points) seemingly unleashed a season’s worth of frustration on the Revs en route to a 6-1 bombing of the visitors, setting a team record for goals in an MLS game. Five different players scored a goal — including Kaká, who scored two — in a thorough domination of the Revs (11-15-5, 38 points), who were down to 10 men just minutes into the match.

“I think we’ve proven that we’re a capable team. I think we’ve proven that when the guys are fully committed and work really hard together, we can be a very good team,” said Head Coach Jason Kreis after the game. “That’s the way it’s been all year, from my point of view. And when we’ve been putting forth our best, when players give everything we have, that’s when we get the good results. When we don’t, we don’t.”

Kreis rotated the squad for the midweek contest, starting a center back pairing of Seb Hines and Leo Pereira between regular fullbacks Donny Toia and Scott Sutter. The diamond midfield was anchored by Servando Carrasco, with Yoshimar Yotun left, Antonio Nocerino right, and Giles Barnes up top. Kaká and Dom Dwyer were the strike partnership. Joe Bendik took his usual residence in front of goal.

The game had barely started when it took a strange twist, with Xavier Kouassi taking down Seb Hines in the midfield. Video review turned the foul into a straight red card and just 11 minutes in the Lions were up a man.

Orlando looked to get on the front foot and nearly got in a few times before Claude Dielna took Kaká down hard near the right sideline in the 21st minute, giving the Lions a set piece. Yotun delivered a cross in that Nocerino got a toe on and Cody Cropper couldn’t handle. The ball trickled over the goal line to give the Italian his first MLS goal and Orlando City a 1-0 lead at the 22-minute mark.

“I’m happy first for the game and after for the score,” Nocerino said about his first MLS goal. The Italian spoke emotionally about how much the team and city means to him and stated clearly after several questions about the goal that the win was more important to him.

New England served notice that set pieces would be dangerous as Benjamin Angoua got a free header in the 25th minute, but he sent it wide and the flag was up anyway.

Kaká went down in the box in the 28th minute and was booked for simulation although it did appear that Dielna got a piece of City’s captain as he turned to go in on goal. The Brazilian made a great hesitation move to freeze Antonio Delamea and ended up earning a corner kick. Yotun delivered a cross that Hines nodded home to make it 2-0 at the 32- minute mark.

“I was so thrilled it went in the back of the net. That’s what I like to do. I like to score with my head,” Hines said. “Obviously we needed that win and I was just glad my goal meant something today.”

The Revs nearly pulled one right back on a set piece from just outside the box. Pereira stepped in front of Kamara to steal a pass but he was booked for an infraction and instead New England nearly scored. Lee Nguyen fired a free kick that Bendik got a fingertip on and pushed off the outside of the post. The ensuing corner was an adventure but was eventually cleared.

The game then became very choppy, with referee Silviu Petrescu doling out cards like they were candy, booking Kaká, Scott Caldwell, and Pereira in a five-minute period. It was starting to look like the game would finish with very few players.

“I think any time you have an early ejection to your opponent, the first thing that’s in your mind is will the referee be looking to even the score a little bit. Will he be influenced to try to level it a little bit, especially if it’s a decision he wasn’t quite sure about,” Kreis said. He added that his intention was to take Pereira out at halftime but then Hines was booked in the 45th minute, forcing him to rethink the decision. In the end, Pereira came out shortly after halftime and Hines was able to play through his yellow card without further damage.

Nocerino nearly got his second in the 39th minute off a corner kick scramble but he sent his shot just wide of the far post.

In the 43rd minute Dwyer fed Kaká a pass and the captain stepped into a shot and blasted it into the back of the net in the 43rd minute to make it 3-0.

Nguyen got the Revs on the board in first-half stoppage time with nearly an identical free kick to the one that Bendik saved. This time, Bendik couldn’t quite get over in time to save it and the teams went to the locker room with Orlando holding a 3-1 lead that seemed more precarious than it should have.

New England started the second half strong, despite being down a man. Nguyen was allowed a free run to the top of the box before firing just over the bar in the 48th minute. The Revs put a couple of dangerous balls into the area after that but the Lions were able to deal with them.

“Anytime you’re playing against a team that’s down a man they can [only] hold on for so long, and typically when you start to score a couple of goals on them is when they want to give up,” Kreis said. “I think a big credit to New England because I thought at the beginning of the second half they came out really bright, caused us some real trouble and maybe should have scored a goal that could have made our night very, very difficult.”

Barnes got his head to a loose ball off Cropper’s save on Dwyer in the 52nd but missed the wide-open net, pushing it wide. Just after that, a moment of inattentiveness on a soft pass resulted in a turnover and the Revs broke two-on-two but Hines was able to make a sparkling tackle in the box on Teal Bunbury to break up the chance.

From that point on, Orlando possessed the ball but couldn’t do much more than earn some corners and free kicks without really threatening goal. That all changed in the 77th minute. Dwyer got in behind and had a shot stopped by Cropper and then attempted a flying scissor kick that didn’t quite come off but Kaká was right there to smash home the loose ball, effectively killing the game at 4-1. Dwyer got his second assist of the game.

That didn’t mean the Lions were done, however.

In the 84th minute, Dwyer took a pass from second-half sub Cyle Larin, dribbled down the left side of the box and blasted one past Cropper to score his first home goal since his trade from Sporting Kansas City.

The OCS crowd chanted “we want six!” and got their wish in the 90th minute. Yotun took a pass from Richie Laryea and sent a rocket past Cropper to make it 6-1. Laryea earned his first MLS assist.

Moments later, Petrescu blew the full time whistle and the Lions had their most lopsided MLS win ever, snapping an 0-3-3 run of form at home and sending the Revolution to an 0-13-3 road mark.

Orlando held 59% of the possession and out-shot New England, 21-10 (11-5 on target), which can be attributed in no small part to being up a man for 80 minutes.

“We were just ruthless tonight. Everything we hit went into the back of the net,” Hines said after the game. “It just shows when we’re on we can be a threat to any team. Today we needed to bounce back from our performance against Portland and I thought we did that.

“We owed them one. They beat us comfortably at their place so we had to make sure that we got one back on them today.”

Orlando City will be back in action Sunday at 4 p.m. against FC Dallas.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/25/24

Duncan McGuire is an Olympic frontrunner, Orlando Pride get ready for the Washington Spirit, Colin Guske signs with Orlando City B, and more.

Published

18 mins ago

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April 25, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this work week hasn’t been too stressful for you as we get ready for another weekend packed with Orlando soccer. All of the European soccer this week has been enjoyable as well, as teams fight for silverware and survival. It should be a fun next few days, although most of my match following will be digital. I’m hoping to get out to the stadium for a game or two over the next couple of months as well. But for now, let’s dive into today’s links!

Duncan McGuire Likely to Play in Olympics

Orlando City forward Duncan McGuire was listed as one of the frontrunners to join the U.S. for this year’s Olympics. It won’t be much of a shock if McGuire is in Paris this summer, as he’s been impressive in the time since being drafted sixth overall in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft by the Lions. The 23-year-old has followed up a strong rookie year with three goals and an assist so far this season. It will be interesting to see who McGuire could compete with for minutes in the Olympics, with Ricardo Pepi noted as another possible option up top for the U.S. Overall, it’s nice to see McGuire is doing what’s needed to stay in the contention for Paris. I think that staying in Orlando rather than going to England has definitely helped his case.

Orlando Pride Prepare for the Washington Spirit

The Orlando Pride are riding a five-game unbeaten streak and will take it to the nation’s capital for a difficult road match against the Washington Spirit Friday night. The Pride have won their past two games and will face a Spirit side that has won four of its five games this season. Both teams have been defensively sound, each conceding just four goals, so it may come down to moments of individual brilliance to make the difference. Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke about the difficulty of the matchup, Orlando’s grit this season, and the impact Barbra Banda had in her debut last weekend.

Orlando City B Signs Colin Guske

Midfielder Colin Guske, who joined Orlando City’s academy back in 2020, signed an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Orlando City B through this 2024 season. The 17-year-old made his OCB debut in the team’s season opener this year and scored the game-winning goal. He’s carved out a spot in OCB’s midfield this season, starting in four of the team’s five games. Guske has two brothers who have also gone through the club’s academy and played with OCB. A solid year with the Young Lions from Guske could result in a Homegrown Player contract for the senior team.

Columbus Crew SC Wins First Leg Against Monterrey

The Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals are here and the Columbus Crew are the only MLS team still in the tournament. They came up with a big 2-1 home win in the first leg of their matchup against Monterrey. Cucho Hernandez gave the Crew the lead in the first half and 21-year-old Jacen Russell-Rowe scored the winner in the second. An away goal by Monterrey could prove crucial though due to the tiebreakers, and the second leg will take place on May 1. The winner of this matchup will take on either Club America or Pachuca in the final on June 2.

Free Kicks

  • Former Lion Dom Dwyer is reportedly headed out west to sign with Oakland Roots SC in the USL Championship.
  • Toronto FC traded away $200,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money (GAM) to Atlanta United in exchange for winger Derrick Etienne Jr. The 27-year-old has not received much playing time this season, and Atlanta could earn another $175,000 in GAM if performance-based metrics are met.
  • The San Jose Earthquakes have reportedly signed Hernan Lopez from Godoy Cruz. It would give a-needed boost to the team, which has just three points from nine games this season.
  • St. Louis City winger Celio Pompeu won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his great strike from outside the box in his team’s 3-3 draw with Sporting Kansas City.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/24/24

Orlando City and Orlando Pride power rankings, USMNT player news, USWNT will host Costa Rica, and more.

Published

1 day ago

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April 24, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s that time of the week for some tasty links. Two seven-point weekends for Orlando’s soccer teams is nothing to sneeze at, unlike the pollen that coats my hometown of Tallahassee. It’s the time of the year that I make my money back with the unlimited car wash next to my work. Enough with my weather-related car issues, let’s get to the links.

Lions Move Up (and Down) in Power Rankings

There’s nothing that shows the value of “power rankings” better than when you can compare two different ranking lists for the same week for any given club. We all know Orlando City is undefeated in its last four matches thanks to the late heroics of Ivan Angulo to draw CF Montreal over the weekend. But, did you know that was both good and bad?

In ESPN‘s MLS power rankings, Orlando City dropped a spot from 16th to 17th despite “treading water” with a point on the road in Montreal. Meanwhile, the Lions roared ahead three spots from 21st to 18th in MLSsoccer.com’s power rankings. So, do you like that Orlando is 17th in the ESPN piece despite the drop? Or do you prefer the positivity of a three-spot jump to 18th in the MLSSoccer.com rankings?

Orlando Pride Rise in Power Rankings

Forget everything I wrote up there regarding power rankings — at least as far as the Orlando Pride are concerned. After starting the season with three draws, the Pride now have two wins in a row. As such, ESPN moved the Pride up three spots from eighth to fifth in its NWSL power rankings. Their move up the list is entirely deserved and the writer was correct in their assessment. Of course, I’m kidding but it’s still nice to see the Pride get recognized for their results. Now, we just need the Pride to continue the winning streak.

Keeping Up With USMNT Players Abroad

As we shared yesterday, Sergino Dest will likely miss this summer’s Copa America thanks to a knee injury suffered during PSV Eindhoven training. That means the USMNT has a right back situation to address and there are quite a few well known candidates to step in for Dest.

Meanwhile, Weston McKennie has reportedly rejected Juventus’ latest extension offer. I can understand his decision given it doesn’t include any additional salary. McKennie has been very good for Juve, with 10 assists on the season. He’s not the only American making a difference, as Tim Weah provided the assist on Arkadiusz Milik’s goal to send Juventus to the Coppa Italia final.

USWNT Olympic Send-Off Match

The United States Women’s National Team will play a match against Costa Rica at Audi Field on July 16. It will be the final match for the USWNT prior to the Olympics that start nine days later against Zambia. New coach Emma Hayes will join the team on June 1, which isn’t a ton of time before the Olympics start, but she has been a part of the process for months.

Free Kicks

  • The New England Revolution have acquired veteran defender Xavier Arreaga from the Seattle Sounders for a 2025 international roster slot, and up to $75,000 in General Allocation Money depending on performance.
  • Inter Miami’s Jordi Alba will be out for several weeks due to a hamstring injury. Fortunately, he is expected to be back in time for the match against Orlando City on May 15. Where did I put the sarcasm font?

That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the Pride’s match against the Washington Spirit this Friday, and Orlando City’s match against Toronto FC on Saturday. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/23/24

Ivan Angulo makes Team of the Matchday bench, Americans in action, Sergino Dest to miss Copa America, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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April 23, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Tuesday, everyone! It was an excellent weekend for Orlando’s soccer teams, as the three sides took seven of the nine points on offer. There’s no rest for the wicked this week as the Orlando Pride travel to play the Washington Spirit on Friday, Orlando City hosts Toronto FC on Saturday, and Orlando City B finishes things up at home against Toronto FC II on Sunday. Let’s take a look at today’s links.

Ivan Angulo Earns Recognition

Ivan Angulo has been named to the bench of the latest edition of the MLS Team of the Matchday. The Colombian got the start on Saturday up in Montreal, and had a good game, going the distance and completing 82% of his passes and putting one of his two shots on target. That shot was an important one, as it gave the Lions a late equalizer and helped them salvage a valuable point on the road. Sean Rollins gave him a grade of 6 in his player grades from the match, a rating that likely would have been higher had Martin Ojeda’s pass been accurate enough to allow Angulo to grab a possible winner just a few minutes after he equalized. Here’s hoping he keeps up the good work!

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans taking part in big games this week, and the good people over at Stars and Stripes FC have you covered with the whole rundown. First up, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus will try to advance to the Coppa Italia final this afternoon, as they enter the second leg of the semifinal against Lazio with a 2-0 lead on aggregate. Tomorrow sees Monaco and Folarin Balogun meet Lille in Ligue 1 action, while Chris Richards and Crystal Palace host Newcastle United in the Premier League. Things wrap up on Friday in Serie B when Gianluca Busio, Tanner Tessman, and third-place Venezia face Cremonese as they try to overtake Como and finish in one of Serie B’s two guaranteed promotion places.

Sergino Dest Sidelined Long Term

Following up on a story from yesterday’s Lion Links, The Athletic is reporting that the knee injury suffered by Sergino Dest will keep him out of Copa America, and sideline him for the rest of the year. That would be a big blow for the United States Men’s National Team, as Dest has been the nailed-on starter at right back since winning a place in the team during the qualifying cycle for the 2022 World Cup. The Yanks aren’t without options at the position, as Joe Scally could step in for Dest, or Gregg Berhalter could try deploying Weah there, but neither of the two possesses Dest’s level of offensive threat.

Inter Milan Wins Serie A

Inter Milan dispatched rival AC Milan 2-1 guaranteed that Inter will win its 20th Serie A title in club history. Fikayo Tomori’s goal in the 80th minute was the closest Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah’s club could get to leveling the score, and Inter is now a whopping 17 points clear of AC Milan with five games left to play. Inter has been imperious on its way to a 20th Scudetto, scoring the most goals in the league while also conceding the fewest and losing only once this season.

Free Kicks

  • The Orlando Pride and Orlando City hosted a clean-up effort in honor of Earth Day on Monday.

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

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