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Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Final Score 1-0 as Lions Remain Perfect at Home

Substitute Servando Carrasco supplied the only goal of the game and the Lions had to defend much of the final 30 minutes to earn their third win of the year.

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8 years ago

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Carlos Romero, The Mane Land

Servando Carrasco’s goal in the 34th minute in relief of an injured Antonio Nocerino was all that separated Orlando City and the New York Red Bulls. With the 1-0 victory in front of a sellout crowd of 25,527, the Lions (3-1-0, 9 points) improved to a perfect 3-0-0 in Orlando City Stadium.

New York (2-3-1, 7 points) lined up what felt like a million set pieces in the game’s last half hour but could not find a way to tickle the twine in the back of Joe Bendik’s net. Bendik and the back four did their jobs well and the team escaped with another close win at its new purple palace.

“I think it was a hard-fought game for sure,” Carrasco said. “It wasn’t pretty at times but the guys showed tremendous fight. To come out of this game with three points was definitely the goal.”

Orlando City came out in a surprise 4-4-2 diamond after going with a flat 4-4-2 for the team’s first three matches. Scott Sutter got his first start at right back and Will Johnson played the right side of the diamond, opposite Cristian Higuita. Antonio Nocerino manned the bottom of the formation and Matias Perez Garcia played up top, beneath strikers Cyle Larin and Carlos Rivas.

The new formation was evident early as the Lions often struggled to find the next pass as it appeared players had to think rather than react naturally under pressure. This led to some turnover issues and broke up promising attacks.

“My experience is that playing in that way you tend to put yourself in spaces where you can find the ball a lot more and maintain the rhythm or set the rhythm of the game,” Kreis said after the match. “But it also takes time. I think we suffered a little bit in the first half just because that was the first time we’ve done it. It’s also that a coach wants to play a couple of different ways. I’d like to not walk into every match and have the opponent know exactly what you’re going to be doing.”

“The idea was to try and have an extra man in midfield to keep the ball a bit better,” Spector said. “And we did make some good passing combinations during the game but not consistently enough. I think it can be a good formation for us going forward but perhaps we need a little bit more time to work on that.” 

However, in the fifth minute, the strength of the formation showed, as the pitch got congested on the left, allowing Sutter to sneak down the right side. Larin’s pass picked him out but there wasn’t enough weight on it and the defense closed, but Sutter still worked hard to earn the game’s first corner. The set piece was poor, however, and New York broke on the counter, with Derrick Etienne racing down the field before being dispossessed by Johnson, just as Sutter was whistled for a foul. The long free kick found the head of Bradley Wright-Phillips but he had nothing on his attempt and it was off target.

After that, Rivas had a good spell in possession before having his shot at the top of the box blocked in the 11th minute. New York came back in the next minute with a perfectly lobbed long ball over the top for BWP. Bendik blocked his shot, but it deflected back toward goal and Jonathan Spector made a sliding save to clear it off the line.

Rivas nearly broke the scoreless deadlock in the 14th with a shot that took a slight deflection. Luis Robles made a diving save but spilled it. Unfortunately, it didn’t travel far from him and he was able to pounce on it. A minute later, Robles showed good strength in a midair collision with Larin and got to a cross to win it from the Canadian.

In the 17th minute, Antonio Nocerino — celebrating his 32nd birthday — got the worst present ever. The Italian pulled up lame without contact and had to be subbed off due to injury. Carrasco replaced him. After the match, Kreis said Nocerino sustained a calf strain and will be evaluated further on Monday.

The chess match continued, with Kemar Lawrence sneaking down the left and getting a shot on target in the 21st minute, but it had little power and was easy for Bendik. A minute later, Sutter fired just over the bar from the top of the box. In the 24th minute, MPG took a Rivas pass that nutmegged a defender and fired a shot that fizzed just inches wide of the left post, as Orlando got closer and closer to a breakthrough.

That breakthrough came in the 34th minute. City earned a corner and Johnson delivered a good ball in to the near post. Multiple defenders ran with Larin but the ball flew over them to Carrasco, who nodded home for his first MLS goal since 2013 when he was with Seattle. Johnson got the assist. It was the Lions’ first goal of the season that was scored by someone other than Larin, putting Orlando City up, 1-0.

“It means a lot because we won the game,” Carrasco said. “The fact that I scored is secondary to me. The fact that I could contribute is the main thing. Will played a fantastic ball and I was just lucky to be at the right place.”

New York battled hard after the goal and earned multiple set pieces but could not get much directed at Bendik’s net. Orlando City’s last good chance of the half came in the 43rd minute, with Sutter missing just wide of the post. BWP scored in first-half stoppage time but was correctly ruled offside and Ismail Elfath waved off the goal.

Orlando City out-shot New York in the first half, but the Red Bulls got three on frame to Orlando’s two. The Red Bulls held 55% of the possession and were more accurate in passing the ball (75.5%-63.9%). 

The game opened up to start the second half, with both teams getting some chances in the early part of the second period.

Bendik came off his line to make a vital challenge to keep Etienne from reaching a pass in the box. Then, on the other end, Larin somehow missed off a gorgeous cross from Rivas in the 52nd minute. In the 56th minute, Higuita took a pass from MPG on the left side of the box and fired just over the net on a slight deflection.

In the 58th minute Higuita slotted in to Rivas in the box but he lost control trying to tee it up on his left foot. A minute later, MPG skied one into the upper deck of the south grandstand.

Former Lion Aurelien Collin’s header off a free kick was on target in the 62nd but he didn’t get all of it and it was right at Bendik on a hop. The set piece was set up by a foul on Higuita and the young Colombian compounded his error when he said something to Elfath and was booked. Collin again got a free header in the 64th on a corner kick but sent this one wide to the left of goal.

In the 67th minute, Larin was sent alone on Robles but was robbed by a diving save. Rivas played a quick ball to MPG, who released the Canadian. Larin then beat the defense but shot from the top of the box with a third defender cutting off his angle. Robles still made a hell of a save.

Kreis sacrificed Higuita — likely due to the yellow card — in the 69th minute, replacing him with Giles Barnes. The team took more of a flat 4-4-2 look after the switch.

The game got choppy after that, with Elfath giving foul after foul. The Red Bulls started racking up set pieces in good areas. The Lions started to do a better job of tracking Collin, however. One such set piece turned into an Orlando counter that saw Giles Barnes get taken down by Collin just above the box. Collin was booked and Rivas sent the ensuing free kick a few feet over the bar.

Luis Gil came on for a battered MPG in the 84th minute, making his Orlando City debut.

Collin again nearly brought his team level in the 85th, heading a free kick cross just wide of the right post after a Barnes foul, as the free kicks continued to mount. Gil went into Elfath’s book in the 86th minute for a late challenge and the Lions nearly paid dearly for it. BWP shot from the left just after the restart and Bendik made a vital save.

“The negative is that we’ve got to be better with the ball,” Kreis said. “We cannot force ourselves to defend for such long stretches in matches like these against opponents like these because in some moment you’re going to break and you’ll have lost all of the momentum that we should gain, especially when we’re winning the game by a goal. It’s game management issues I think we’ll continue to work on and we’ll continue to improve on.”

BWP tried his luck from distance in the 88th despite harassment from Redding and his shot was well off the mark. That was about the last real volley fired in a 90+ minute war between the two Eastern Conference sides.

“I think in all three of the home matches I thought a lot of the same things after the match,” Kreis said. “So many positive statements to make about effort level, intensity level, commitment of the players to defend — real, real signs of togetherness and just a fortitude that says we won’t be broken at home. And so [I’m] really, really pleased with that.”

New York finished with 61.2% possession and more shots on target (4-3) despite both teams having 12 total attempts. The Red Bulls attempted 403 total passes to Orlando’s 268.

The Lions are back in action at home Saturday against the LA Galaxy at 3 p.m.

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Orlando City

In Praise of Orlando City’s Game 3 Penalty Kicks

The Lions employed some crafty strategy and flawless execution to win the Game 3 penalty shootout, and it deserves to be recognized.

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2 days ago

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November 15, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Depending on who you talk to, penalty kicks aren’t a great way to decide a soccer game. They’re exciting, of course, but not exactly a good measuring stick of which team is more deserving of winning the game. Fortunately for Orlando City fans, the team has excelled at shootouts for the vast majority of its MLS existence. In fact, the Lions hadn’t lost one until this year, when they were bounced from Leagues Cup by Cruz Azul after losing 5-4 in penalties. The team then accomplished another first in Game 2 of the MLS Cup playoffs against Charlotte, when it missed three of four spot kicks, and lost 3-1 in penalties.

With recent history far from being in OCSC’s favor, there was plenty of reason to be pessimistic when the deciding Game 3 went to a shootout, but the Lions breezed right through it, winning by a score of 4-1 and sending Charlotte packing. While there’s only so much strategy you can employ in shootouts, the Lions pulled a couple fast ones that may just have given them a leg up when they needed it most.

Let’s first talk about the shootouts the Orlando has been involved in this year, because even before Game 3, there had been a lot. The Lions’ final two games in Leagues Cup were both decided at the penalty spot, with the good guys emerging victorious against San Luis 5-4, and then losing by that same score to Cruz Azul to exit the tournament. Game 2 against Charlotte was therefore the team’s third shootout of the year, and by that point we were starting to see some familiar faces in the team’s shooting lineup.

There isn’t anything inherently wrong with sending the same (or mostly the same) guys up in a shootout. Conventional wisdom says that you want your best, most reliable guys from the spot taking penalties. However, if the opposing goalkeeper has done his research, and a player tends to favor shooting in a certain direction, it can potentially give the man between the sticks an advantage in making the save. Let’s examine who Orlando City sent to the spot this year in shootouts, starting with the two Leagues Cup games.

Against San Luis, the order went: Nico Lodeiro, Duncan McGuire, Wilder Cartagena, Rafael Santos, and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson. Lodeiro went central, McGuire went to the goalkeeper’s right, Cartagena to his left, Santos to his right, and Thorhallsson to his left. All five penalties were scored, but the keeper got a strong hand to Thorhallsson’s and it only just went in.

Against Cruz Azul, the order was: Robin Jansson, Luis Muriel, McGuire, Facundo Torres, and Thorhallsson. Jansson shot to the goalie’s left and had it saved, Lodeiro and Muriel both went to his right and scored, McGuire and Torres both went to his left and scored, and Thorhallsson went to his left and had it saved.

That brings us to Game 2 against Charlotte. The order was: Lodeiro, Jansson, Muriel, and McGuire. Nico shot to Kristijan Kahlina’s left and had it saved, Jansson went to his right and put his shot over the bar, Muriel also went right and scored, and McGuire went to the goalie’s left and had his shot saved.

Let’s pause for a minute and dig deeper into those Game 2 takers. Lodeiro had already taken two penalties on the year, and scored both. Jansson had taken one and had it saved, Muriel had taken one and scored, and McGuire had taken two and converted both. Interestingly enough, Kahlina also went the right way on Jansson’s shot, although the Swede put the ball over the bar. After taking penalties in the two previous shootouts and the goalies getting strong hands to both, Thorhallsson wasn’t used, but he couldn’t be, because he’d already been subbed off late in the second half. McGuire went to the goalie’s left for the second shootout in a row, with Kahlina guessing correctly and making the save.

In the all-important Game 3, the takers were: Muriel, Kyle Smith, Torres, and Santos. Muriel and Smith both went to Kahlina’s right, while Torres and Santos went to the Croatian’s left, with all four men scoring. It was Muriel’s third time in a shootout for the club, third time going to the goalie’s right, and third time converting. Smith made his first appearance from the spot on the year. It was Torres’ and Santos’ second time taking in a shootout this year and they both went left for the second time. Taking a closer look at each shooter, I really like the selection choices and the order in which they went.

While Kahlina had plenty of tape on Muriel by this point, the Colombian had already beaten him once, and the striker prefers to watch the goalkeeper during his run-up and go whichever way he doesn’t. That makes it especially difficult to save his penalties, and his years of high-level experience means he’s no stranger to high-pressure situations. You could hardly ask for a better first shooter to set the tone for what was to come.

We then got a big old wild card in the form of Smith, who hadn’t taken a penalty kick at all this year. Oscar Pareja could have chosen to use Jansson or Lodeiro, both of whom have taken multiple kicks this year and were still on the field, but he opted to go for someone who Kahlina both hadn’t seen already, and who he likely had very little, if any, tape on. It was a decision that paid off, as Smith positively blasted his kick into the top corner, with Kahlina guessing the wrong way on his dive.

We then got Torres, who would ordinarily be a no-brainer when it comes to taking penalty kicks if not for the fact that he’d just had one saved mere minutes earlier in stoppage time. Still, you want your main man to step up in high-pressure situations, so it wasn’t surprising to see him stepping forward to take one, particularly with the Lions already leading 2-0. He won the mental battle with Kahlina and went in his preferred direction to the left of the goalkeeper, with Kahlina guessing wrong again.

Finishing things off was Santos, who had only taken one penalty on the year and employs an unconventional, stuttering run-up. As he did in the San Luis game, the Brazilian went to the goalkeeper’s right and scored, with his penalty being the only one in which Kahlina dove the correct way. The decision to go with another player who there was little film on, especially one with a run-up that’s difficult to time correctly, again proved to be a decision that paid off.

We’ll never know who OCSC’s fifth taker would have been, as the shootout never got that far. We know it wouldn’t have been McGuire, who was being kept on the sideline after injuring his shoulder. I think it’s telling that Jansson and Lodeiro weren’t in the first four, even though both had already taken multiple shootout penalties on the season, and Thorhallsson was the only other player who had taken more than one kick in a shootout this year, and he had been substituted. My bet is on Cartagena, who had only taken one and scored it.

Regardless of what we don’t know, we can give the deserved amount of praise to what we do know. Namely, that the decision to use a mix of guys who are proven in high-pressure situations and ones who have few, if any, recent penalties on film was a strategy that paid off big time. Pedro Gallese also deserves every flower in the garden for the two saves he made, which absolutely made things easier on the takers. I think it’s interesting that Karol Swiderski took a spot kick for the second game in a row, with Gallese getting the better of him in Game 3 despite the Polish striker going to the Peruvian’s right instead of his left.

It’s also fair to say that the men who stepped up in Game 3 simply took better shots in than in Game 2. Nico’s wasn’t far enough in the corner and was a good height for Kahlina, Jansson put his completely over, and McGuire’s was too central and at a height that favored the goalkeeper. There were no such issues in Game 3, with every shot being well placed.

All in all, you couldn’t have drawn up the Game 3 shootout any better if you tried. Pareja threw a couple curveballs Charlotte’s way, Pedro Gallese made two huge saves, and all of the shooters came up with outstanding efforts. From strategy to execution, the shootout was about as perfect as you can get. Now here’s hoping that’s the last one we have to endure for awhile. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 11/15/24

Barbra Banda speaks about playing alongside Marta, USMNT beats Jamaica, international soccer roundup, and more.

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2 days ago

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November 15, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday! I hope the week hasn’t been too rough on you as we gear up for what should be an exciting weekend. There aren’t too many plans lined up for me, but I’m still looking forward to being able to relax a bit over the next few days. Before we dive into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to our favorite Beefy Swede, Robin Jansson!

Barbra Banda on Playing With Marta

It’s an understatement to say it’s been a fantastic year for the Orlando Pride, and NWSL MVP finalists Barbra Banda and Marta have been major reasons for the team’s success. Marta has been with the Pride since 2017 and is thriving in what may be the twilight of her legendary career. Meanwhile, it’s Banda’s first year with the Pride and she’s taken the league by storm alongside Marta. In an interview with Futbol W, which is co-hosted by former Pride player Ali Krieger, Banda spoke about how motivating it is to play with the greatest women’s soccer player of all time.

Battle of the Rebuilds in NWSL Playoffs

Of the four teams remaining in the NWSL playoffs, only NJ/NY Gotham FC was in the playoffs last year. Not only are this year’s semifinalists a testament to how much things can change each year, but it’s also an interesting showcase of the different ways clubs can build a team capable of winning in this league. The Pride capped off a patient and smart rebuild by signing international players like Banda, while the Current have benefited greatly from adding Temwa Chawinga. After winning the NWSL Championship last year, Gotham added several American stars like Rose Lavelle and Crystal Dunn in free agency to do it again. Meanwhile, the Washington Spirit have leaned on a strong rookie class and other young players to reach this point.

USMNT Beats Jamaica in Nations League

The United States Men’s National Team got its quarterfinal series started with a solid 1-0 win over Jamaica in Kingston. Ricardo Pepi scored the lone foal of the game early on with a nice strike after a silky smooth assist from Christian Pulisic. Matt Turner came up with a great save on a penalty kick in the first half, earning a clean sheet the hard way. It wasn’t exactly a comfortable victory for Mauricio Pochettino and the Yanks, but winning on the road in Concacaf is hardly ever comfortable. The two teams will reconvene in St. Louis on Monday with a spot in the semifinals on the line.

Keeping Up With International Soccer

The U.S. obviously isn’t the only nation taking part in the international break, with teams all around the world in action. Paraguay arguably had the biggest win of the day, beating Argentina 2-1 in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying. Venezuela also had a decent result, drawing 1-1 against Brazil in a match that included a missed penalty by Vinicius Junior.

In 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying, Nigeria, Tunisia, South Africa, Uganda, and Gabon all booked their tickets to next year’s tournament after the latest round of matches. Saudi Arabia and Australia battled to a scoreless draw in AFC World Cup qualifying, while South Korea moved closer to qualifying after a 3-1 win over Kuwait that featured Son Heung-min’s 50th international goal. There weren’t too many surprises in the UEFA Nations League, with England cruising past Greece and Italy beating Belgium. France was held to a scoreless draw against Israel but still qualified for the quarterfinals.

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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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Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/14/24

MLS playoff predictions, Barbra Banda and Marta earn recognition, USMNT takes on Jamaica tonight, and more.

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3 days ago

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November 14, 2024

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve been a bit under the weather this week, but it’s at least meant I’ve been able to spend more time with my cat and get some reading done when not hacking up a lung. But enough about that, let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world!

MLS Conference Semifinal Predictions

Former Orlando City captain Sacha Kljestan weighed in on which of the remaining eight teams will prevail in the MLS playoffs. He predicts that Atlanta United can lean on its counterattacking and Brad Guzan’s goalkeeping to beat Orlando City when the two rivals face off in Orlando on Nov. 24. A key thing to watch heading into the match is if Head Coach Oscar Pareja switches things up up top given Ramiro Enrique’s slump.

Kljestan predicts a tight match between New York City FC and the New York Red Bulls, but has NYCFC moving on. He also has both the LA Galaxy and LAFC advancing in the Western Conference, which would set up a playoff edition of El Trafico.

Pride Players Make ESPN’s Top 50

ESPN unveiled its annual list of the top 50 women’s soccer players and a pair of Orlando Pride players made the list. Forward Barbra Banda is ranked third on the list for crushing it in her first year in the NWSL, scoring 13 goals to help the Pride win the NWSL Shield. Marta, who has not been listed in the past two years, ranked 26th for turning back the clock at 38 years old and creating 46 chances for Orlando this season. Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati tops the list, with Naomi Girma in second, Caroline Graham Hansen in fourth, and Sophia Smith rounding out the top five. There are many voters for this year’s list from around the world, including Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter.

Steven Moreira Named Defender of the Year

The Columbus Crew’s Steven Moreira was named 2024 MLS Defender of the Year after a strong season. He made 27 appearances for the Crew this season and was a key part of his team’s success in the Concacaf Champions Cup and Leagues Cup this year. Moreira also helped out offensively with two goals and four assists and was an All-Star this year. The 30-year-old beat out Inter Miami’s Jordi Alba and Seattle Sounders center back Jackson Ragen for the award.

USMNT Takes On Jamaica Tonight

The United States Men’s National Team will play its first competitive match under Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino tonight when it takes on Jamaica in Kingston in the Concacaf Nations League. Although the U.S. may be favored in this series, playing on the road in Concacaf is always tough and Jamaica tends to keep things close against the Yanks. Tonight’s match is the first of the two-leg quarterfinals, with the two nations facing off again in St. Louis on Monday. Hopefully Pochettino can get the team firing on all cylinders as it continues to prepare for the 2026 World Cup.

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  • In a rollercoaster of a match, the U.S. Men’s Deaf National Team fell in a penalty shootout to Brazil in the Deaf Pan American Games. The U.S. took the lead in extra time, but Brazil battled back to tie it, winning from the spot to reach the final.

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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