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Orlando City vs. Atlanta United: Final Score 1-0 as Villalba’s Strike Spoils Good Performance

The Lions played well but couldn’t find a way to put a ball past Brad Guzan and Hector Villalba scored out of nowhere in the second half to give Atlanta the win.

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9 years ago

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Carlos Romero, The Mane Land

Orlando City played well overall but offensive finishing continues to be an issue. The Lions’ lack of final product allowed Atlanta United to hang around and win the game, 1-0, on a late wonder strike from Hector Villalba in the 86th minute in front of a raucous crowd of 25,527 at Orlando City Stadium.

Villalba’s goal came out of nowhere off a throw-in to spoil what was otherwise a strong showing — even without the aforementioned offense — by the Lions. Orlando City (8-8-5, 29 points) missed a golden opportunity to jump ahead of expansion Atlanta (10-7-3, 33 points), despite out-firing the visitors by a 14-8 margin and looking like the better side much of the night.

“Obviously very disappointed with the result but this is one where I would say I’m really pleased with the performance,” Head Coach Jason Kreis said after the match. “This is the tough job about being a professional soccer coach is that nobody remembers the performance except for the coaching staff and the players. When you lose, you lose, so really disappointed to have lost this one, especially the way in which we lost it.”

It was a cagey first half with both teams getting a few decent chances but nothing clear cut. Orlando got a couple of near chances early with Carlos Rivas getting to the end line but losing the ball over the end line off a heavy touch two minutes in. Kaká had a nice cross into the box cut out in the sixth minute as the Lions probed for an early breakthrough.

Jonathan Spector returned the favor by cutting out a cross from Anton Walkes at the 15-minute mark. The first real shot came from Giles Barnes in the 17th minute but he hit his effort just wide. Three minutes later, Kaká’s cross for Barnes was cut out by desperate Atlanta defending. Jose Aja flicked a header wide off a corner at 22 minutes, as the Lions sought the game’s first goal.

Scott Sutter nearly found Barnes with a beautiful cross in the 25th minute off an equally lovely long ball from Aja, but a bit of last-ditch defending forced a corner kick. At 27 minutes, a nice give-and-go between Kaká and Barnes went unrewarded as the English-Jamaican’s pass for the captain was a tad off line and erased by Leandro Gonzalez Pirez.

A shot finally hit the target in the 32nd minute when Barnes fired from distance right at Brad Guzan, however, he ignored a good run from Rivas that could have had the Colombian in alone on goal. Four minutes later, Rivas got into the box and blasted a shot, but it was right at Guzan.

Meanwhile, Atlanta tried to make something happen in the offensive end with an endless series of flicks, dummies, and creative runs that didn’t quite come off, either by a pass off line or an offside call. The visitors weren’t missing those opportunities by much, showing why they’ve got one of the most prolific offenses in the league.

The Lions got their best chance of the half in the 39th minute when a long free kick from Kaká found Spector’s head. His flick on was kept out at the last second by a diving stop by Guzan. That almost came back to haunt Orlando at the 41-minute mark, when a horrific back pass by Will Johnson fell to Miguel Almiron. He wasn’t able to get his shot off and the follow by Yamil Asad was weakly hit at Joe Bendik. The half ended seconds after Bendik stopped Almiron’s shot from the top of the box.

Atlanta held most of the possession in the opening period, but Orlando held a 7-3 edge in shots (3-3 on target) and looked to be the more likely team to score.

The second half looked much like the first, with the exception of Orlando seeing more of the possession and Atlanta fashioning a few more shots off the counterattack. The Lions held 52.6% of the ball in the second period.

After a strong build-up by Barnes in the 55th minute, Donny Toia ran onto a bouncing ball, but his half-volley shot was delivered well off target from just above the box. Two minutes later, Rivas tried to turn the corner on Michael Parkhurst and sent in a cross that appeared to deflect off the Atlanta defender’s arm but shouts for a penalty went unheeded. Atlanta had their own penalty shout when Bendik came off his line and collided with Villalba in the box but referee Jose Carlos Rivero ruled that Joe got a touch and awarded a corner.

Guzan again robbed Spector in the 63rd minute on a long-range set piece. The Lions’ defender got his head to a well-placed delivery and got his shot on target but Guzan got down in time to make a sprawling save.

Second-half sub Brandon Vazquez forced a near-post save by Bendik in the 70th minute on a quick Atlanta counter. Two minutes later, Kreis sent on Cyle Larin, who had been playing with Canada 24 hours prior in Arizona, looking to steal the game late.

The introduction of Larin did seem to create some space for the Lions, with Cristian Higuita getting into the right side of the penalty area twice but his shots/crosses — whichever they were — were off the mark both times and the chances went wanting in the 73rd and 75th minutes.

In the 79th minute, you could cross off the free space on your Orlando City bingo card as Rivas launched one well over the net from at least 30 yards away. He nearly atoned at the 80-minute mark when he blew past Parkhurst, who pulled the Colombian down and took a booking rather than let Orlando spring the attack.

Almiron tried his luck from the top of the box in the 81st but hit his shot wide. It appeared to come off of Toia but a goal kick was awarded. Four minutes later, Bendik made a diving save to deny Almiron again as the visitors continued to look for chances off of quick counters whenever Orlando got numbers forward.

A minute after that, Villalba hit his stunner and silenced the crowd. Off a throw-in, Villalba found a pocket of space from about 30 yards out and decided to have a go. His strike was almost entirely unlike Rivas’ earlier effort, curling into the far upper 90 past Bendik’s outstretched hand.

“It came off of a throw-in, which we fell asleep for just one second. That one second will hurt you every time when you play against a quality team and quality players like Atlanta,” said Kreis.

The late goal was a body blow from which Orlando couldn’t recover, even after the introduction of Richie Laryea and Luis Gil in place of more defensive-minded midfielders. Kaká had a curling effort stopped by Guzan in the 87th minute and then hit the wall in the 90th on a set piece in a good area that Higuita won before being subbed off.

The last gasp for Orlando came in the 91st minute when Johnson found himself alone on the right side. With the defender closing in, he tried blasting it into the upper corner on the near post side but he missed his shot well off target.

“The guy was closing me down and obviously Brad’s a top goalkeeper so you have to try to get it in one of the corners, otherwise he’ll save it,” Johnson said. “I tried to go high to the near post to catch him off guard and I had him beat. Just the excitement got to me a little bit and I pushed it a little high and into our wonderful supporters’ section.”

Guzan got to a couple of crosses sent in toward Larin in the dying moments and the full-time whistle blew with the ball in the air after it was launched toward Atlanta’s penalty area.

The Lions are now winless in their last four at home (0-2-2), and despite playing better than before the break, got nothing to show for a good effort against one of the league’s most prolific offensive teams. But as long as this Orlando side continues to struggle to put the ball in the net, results will be hard to come by.

“For me it’s not so much about personnel at the moment,” Kreis said of his offense. “I think we’ve done a really good job of getting ourselves in and around the opponent’s penalty box. And then I think we’re getting the ball into some really dangerous spots. We’re talking a lot about trying to get the right number of players involved in our attacking movements and all the way into the penalty box. At the moment, we’ve got a lot of guys who are happy to hang around the top of the penalty box but not get themselves into the penalty box, and we’re going to need more options in there in order to score goals.”

“We’re trying to get numbers in the final third — more numbers — to support our two strikers. It just didn’t happen for us,” Johnson said. “It’s something we’re conscious of. Obviously we need to score more goals to give ourselves better opportunities to win games. It’s frustrating. It’s something we continue to work on.”

Orlando City will immediately get a chance for revenge, visiting Bobby Dodd Stadium next Saturday, July 29, at 5 p.m.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/27/26

Martin Ojeda named to MLS Team of the Matchday bench, MLS and NWSL power rankings, Diego Chara will retire in 2027, and more.

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24 hours ago

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October 27, 2026

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Image of Martin Ojeda fighting for the ball against LAFC.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

I don’t know about all of you, but I’m looking forward to the time changing this weekend so I can enjoy an extra hour of sleep. The cooler weather has made staying bundled up in bed seem like paradise. Let’s get this Tuesday morning started with today’s links from around the soccer world.

Martin Ojeda Makes MLS Team of the Matchday Bench

Orlando City star Martin Ojeda earned a spot on the bench of the MLS Team of the Matchday for his performance in the team’s 2-2 draw against New York City FC. He contributed to both of Orlando’s goals, providing an excellent cross for the assist on Antoine Griezmann’s goal before scoring himself in the second half. It was another great showing from Ojeda, who received Man of the Match honors in our player grades from the match as well. The 27-year-old now has 16 goals and five assists this season as a key part of Orlando’s attack. Hopefully, he can find the back of the net again when the Lions play on the road against the Chicago Fire on Wednesday.

Orlando City Drops in MLS Power Rankings

The Lions fell two spots to 11th in ESPN‘s MLS power rankings after blowing a lead late against NYCFC. It’s another disappointing result with dropped points, but the Lions are unbeaten in their last four games. Of their remaining three opponents, all three are above them in the Eastern Conference and both the Chicago Fire and New England are in the top five of these power rankings. Charlotte FC fell six spots to 13th though following its 3-2 loss to the Portland Timbers.

NWSL Power Rankings Ahead of Decision Day

The Orlando Pride remained in 13th in ESPN‘s NWSL power rankings following a 2-1 loss to Gotham FC. The Pride ultimately weren’t able to stop Gotham from leaving the City Beautiful with all three points, but they at least created good chances against the league’s top team. Orlando is already eliminated from playoff contention but will still be part of an important game on Decision Day against the Seattle Reign on Sunday. The Reign are just two points ahead of the North Carolina Courage and three points ahead of the Denver Summit as the three fight for a playoff spot, so the Pride have a chance to play spoiler.

Diego Chara Will Retire After 2027 MLS Sprint Season

Portland Timbers defensive midfielder Diego Chara announced that he will retire from professional soccer next year after the 2027 MLS Sprint Season. He’s been with the Timbers for the entirety of his MLS career, joining the club as its first Designated Player back in 2011. He’s made more than 500 appearances with the club across all competitions and helped the Timbers win the 2015 MLS Cup and the 2020 MLS is Back Tournament. Despite still playing regularly for the club, the 40-year-old spoke on how he’s nearing the end of his career.

“Once you cross the line of 35 years old, you start thinking about what is next. That happened to me,” said Chara of retirement. “I always prepare myself to be competitive, try to give the performance, but at some point the body says, ‘Ok, it’s enough.’ 

“I think I’m getting that moment, and for me, I think it is the right time to do it.”

Ballon d’Or Winners Announced

Harry Kane won his first Ballon d’Or after scoring a whopping 73 goals for club and country. The 33-year-old helped Bayern Munich win a double and scored six times at the World Cup, claiming the award for Men’s Striker of the Year as well. Spain won plenty of awards after winning the World Cup, with Lamine Yamal winning Men’s Young Player of the Year, Luis de la Fuente claiming Men’s Coach of the Year, and Unai Simon winning Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year. Paris Saint-Germain was named Men’s Club of the Year.

Barcelona swept most of the women’s soccer awards after completing a quadruple last season. Alexia Putellas, who left Barcelona after 14 years this past summer, won her third Ballon d’Or, with midfielder Vicky Lopez, goalkeeper Cara Coll, and coach Pere Romeu winning awards as well. Mexican forward Charlyn Corral bucked the trend though by being named Women’s Striker of the Year after lighting it up for Pachuca. The Orlando Pride’s Barbra Banda finished 18th in the voting.

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That’s all I have for you this time around. Thanks for reading and I hope you all have a great Tuesday!

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Orlando City

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

How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s 2-2 draw with New York City FC?

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2 days ago

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October 26, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Orlando City gave up two costly points against New York City FC, allowing the visitors to score an equalizing goal with nearly the last kick of the ball. The 2-2 draw puts the Lions in a precarious position with two of the next three games on the road. Despite the disappointing result, some players still had good games.

Let’s take a look at the individual performances.

Starters

GK, Maxime Crepeau, 6.5 — While Crepeau didn’t have a perfect game, the Lions likely would’ve lost without his presence in goal. The entry ball in the 18th minute was just barely within reach of him getting a touch on, but he couldn’t change its trajectory and it allowed Alonso Martinez to tap in the opener. The second took a deflection and went through a lot of traffic in front of him, slipping inches inside his far post, so it can’t be blamed on him. He ended up touching the ball 35 times and completing 80.8% of his 26 passes, including four of his nine long balls. He saved four of NYCFC’s six shots on target and had multiple outstanding saves. If he’s able to gather the ball on the first goal, he probably gets my Man of the Match.

D, Vinicius Nogueira, 5.5 — The newly-aquired Brazilian defender had 32 touches in this game, completing 77.3% of his 22 passes, including one key pass and three of his five long balls. He technically had an assist on the second goal, flicking the ball behind him to Martin Ojeda. He didn’t have any defensive statistics, but he did win an aerial duel and put his only shot on target, although his free header went straight at the goalkeeper. It wasn’t a stellar game for the left back, but it wasn’t the worst performance either. He was replaced by Adrian Marin in the 71st minute.

D, Iago, 5 — With Robin Jansson injured, Iago got the start at center back alongside David Brekalo. Iago finished with 50 touches and completed 95.1% of his 41 passes. His six clearances tied David Brekalo for the team lead and he added one blocked shot. He didn’t get forward much on the attacking end, taking one dribble and not taking any shots. He was replaced by Zakaria Taifi in the 71st minute after getting beaten one time too many and picking up a yellow card.

D, David Brekalo, 5.5 — Brekalo was in his regular center back position, touching the ball a team-high 59 times. He completed 86.3% of his 51 passes, but none of his four long balls. The Slovenian tied Iago with a team-high six clearances and won two aerial duels. He also didn’t have any shots in this game. Unfortunately, Brekalo’s most impactful play was losing Talles Magno, forcing Wilder Cartagena to lunge in and concede a penalty. He got lucky that Magno went on to miss the target, or his grade might have been lower.

D, Ivan Angulo, 6 — Angulo continued his run of playing on the back line, starting on the right side. He touched the ball 58 times, second only to Brekalo and Eduard Atuesta. The Colombian completed 89.2% of his 37 passes, including a key pass, two of his three crosses, and two of his four long balls. Defensively, he recorded a team-high four tackles and one clearance. The cross in for the first goal came in from Angulo’s side, and he gave the ball away in his own half multiple times in his defensive half in the opening 45 minutes. He was also beaten badly down the left side on the play that set up the second NYCFC goal, but as a winger on team that had healthy fullback options on the bench, he shouldn’t be put in position to have to defend so much.

MF, Eduard Atuesta, 6 — Starting in the central midfield, Atuesta tied Brekalo with 59 touches. He completed 84.8% of his 46 passes but none of his three long balls nor his one cross. However, he did record one key pass. The defensive midfielder attempted two shots with both going off target. Defensively, he added a tackle in what was a solid game.

MF, Wilder Cartagena, 5.5 — One of the other regular defensive midfielders, Cartagena touched the ball 52 times and completed 87.5% of his 40 passes, including three of his four long balls. Defensively, Cartagena added a tackle, an interception, and three clearances. When Brekalo lost Magno in the 78th minute, it was Cartagena’s lunge that caused Magno to go down, forcing referee Elijio Arreguin to point to the spot. Fortunately, Magno missed the penalty. He had a solid performance other than conceding the penalty, even if that wasn’t all his fault.

MF, Braian Ojeda, 6 — This was Ojeda’s first start since Aug. 1 as he returns from an injury and his first time playing over 20 minutes. The Paraguayan midfielder had 20 touches while completing all of his 18 passes, including both long balls. His only shot was off target and he won one aerial duel. In the 32nd minute, his beautiful cross-field ball to Martin Ojeda was the start of an attack that resulted in Antoine Griezmann’s equalizing goal. He came off at halftime for Joran Gerbet in a move that was solely based on minutes.

MF, Justin Ellis, 6 — This game saw Ellis start for the first time since the international break when he suffered a minor injury against Canada. Again on the right, Ellis recorded 28 touches and completed 94.7% of his 19 passes, including a key pass but not his only long ball. Both of his shots were off target and he recorded one dribble. Despite being an attacker, Ellis contributed defensively with a clearance before being replaced by Marco Pasaslic in the 60th minute.

F, Martin Ojeda, 7 (MotM) — The club’s all-time leading goal scorer had 38 touches and completed 86.2% of his 29 passes, including three key passes and one of his three crosses. He put one of his two shots on target, netting the go-ahead goal in the 49th minute. The attacker sent a beautiful cross from the left to Griezmann in the 32nd minute, adding an assist to his game. Overall, it was a stellar performance that ended in the 83rd minute when he was replaced by Daryl Dike. His performance earns him my Man of the Match.

F, Antoine Griezmann, 6.5 — Griezmann had another strong performance in this game, touching the ball 33 times and completing 71.4% of his 21 passes, including a key pass and one of his three crosses. He put two shots on target, both headers. The first, from an Angulo cross, was right at NYCFC goalkeeper Matt Freese, and the second was his 32nd-minute goal. In addition to his shots, Griezmann recorded a dribble, two tackles, an aerial duel won, and a clearance.

Substitutes

MF, Joran Gerbet (46’), 5.5 — Gerbet entered the game at halftime for Braian Ojeda, touching the ball 25 times and completing all 19 of his passes. He drew two fouls, recorded a tackle, and made an interception. The French midfielder didn’t take any shots or record any other stats in his 45 minutes of action.

MF, Marco Pasalic (60’), 5 — A regular substitute, Pasalic replaced Ellis in the 60th minute. He touched the ball just five times in that half hour, completing two of his three passes. He didn’t take any shots or record any defensive statistics in his otherwise forgettable appearance.

D, Adrian Marin (71’), 5 — Marin entered the contest in the 71st minute for Nogueira but took over Iago’s spot at center back while Zakaria Taifi played right back and Angulo moved over the left back. The Spanish defender recorded just five touches in those 19 minutes, completing two of his four passes. He didn’t take any shots and his only defensive statistic was a clearance.

D, Zakaria Taifi (71’), 5 — During the same stoppage that saw Marin come on, Taifi replaced Iago and took over at right back. In his 19 minutes, the academy product only had eight touches and completed his three passes. He didn’t record any shots but contributed two tackles defensively.

F, Daryl Dike (83’), 5.5 — The last substitution of the game, Dike entered in the 83rd minute for Martin Ojeda. The striker completed one of his two passes and did well to hold up the ball, something he’s struggled with this year. But he wasn’t able to do anything else in his short appearance.

That’s how I viewed the individual performances in what looked to be a big win and turned into a devastating draw. Let us know how you saw the game in the comments and don’t forget to vote on your Man of the Match below.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/26/26

Lions draw New York City FC, Pride fall to Gotham FC, Rafaelle announces retirement, and more.

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2 days ago

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October 26, 2026

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Image of Rafaelle playing the ball.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been keeping myself busy covering high school soccer playoff action up here in Chicago. Sunday marked the 16th anniversary of the United Soccer League’s announcement of Orlando City joining the league. Both the Lions and Pride played over the weekend, and we’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Draw New York City FC

Orlando City drew New York City FC 2-2 on Saturday at Inter.co Stadium, dropping two points on just about the final kick of the match. The Lions trailed 1-0 in the first half, but Antoine Griezmann equalized for Orlando before halftime. In the second half, Martin Ojeda scored to put the Lions in front. However, in stoppage time, Jonathan Shore buried a late equalizer for New York City FC as the Lions couldn’t hold on to the lead. Orlando missed a chance to gain ground in the MLS playoff race and remains eighth in the Eastern Conference table with 42 points. Orlando City will have a busy week ahead with a two-game road trip. The next match is Wednesday against the Chicago Fire, followed by a trip to North Carolina to face Charlotte FC on Saturday.

Orlando Pride Fall to Gotham FC

The Orlando Pride fell 2-1 to Gotham FC on Sunday at Inter.co Stadium in the club’s final home match of the 2026 NWSL season. The Pride trailed 2-0 early in the second half before Solai Washington cut the deficit to one. Despite a great performance, dominating Gotham FC in total shots and earning plenty of breakaway chances, the Pride wasted their opportunities in front of goal and couldn’t find a late equalizer against the league leaders. The Pride will close out their 2026 season on the road, taking on Seattle Reign FC on Sunday.

Rafaelle Announces Retirement

Orlando Pride defender Rafaelle will retire from the National Women’s Soccer League following the 2026 season. She has played with the Pride since 2023, making 53 appearances in all competitions, scoring two goals, and playing a key role on the 2024 squad that won the NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship. The 35-year-old began her NWSL journey with the Houston Dash in 2014 and has played abroad for Arsenal, Palmeiras, and Changchun Zhuoyue. She also represented Brazil internationally for more than a decade, playing in 2 FIFA Women’s World Cups, captaining Brazil at the 2022 Copa America Femenina, and winning a silver medal at the 2024 Olympic Games. The Pride honored Rafaelle on the field after Sunday’s home finale.

Americans Abroad

Let’s catch up on Americans in action abroad in Europe. Former Lion Alex Freeman played a full 90 minutes and scored for Villarreal in a 2-1 win over Valencia on Saturday in La Liga. Freeman shared insight after the match about scoring his first goal in Villarreal’s comeback derby win against Valencia.

Joe Scally scored his third goal of the season for Borussia Monchengladbach in a 3-2 win against VfB Stuttgart in the Bundesliga. Tyler Adams played a full 90 minutes for AFC Bournemouth in a 3-0 victory against Manchester United in the English Premier League. Weston McKennie scored the opening goal for Juventus in a 2-0 win against Lecce. Christian Pulisic scored for AC Milan in a 2-0 win against Udinese in Serie A. In the EFL Championship, Aidan Morris scored his second goal of the season for Middlesbrough in a 5-1 win against Bolton Wanderers.

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  • The U.S. Men’s Cerebral Palsy National Team fell 2-1 to England on Saturday in the final of the 2026 IFCPF World Cup.

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

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