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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.

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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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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. FC Cincinnati: Three Keys to Victory

What does Orlando City need to do to ensure a victory over FC Cincinnati Saturday at home?

Published

20 hours ago

on

May 2, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City looks to bounce back from the disappointing 2-1 loss to Toronto FC Saturday night at Inter&Co Stadium. Cincinnati has twice as many points as Orlando City and more than twice as many wins. FCC has only scored one more goal than Orlando City, but with only nine goals conceded compared to Orlando City’s 17, it’s easy to see why Cincinnati is sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference.

What I’m trying to say is that the task doesn’t get any easier this weekend. What does Orlando City need to do to secure all three points at home against FC Cincinnati?

Accost Acosta

Cincinnati’s attack revolves around Luciano Acosta. The attacking midfielder has four goals and five assists so far this season. To put that into perspective, Duncan McGuire — Orlando City’s leading scorer — also has four goals but only one assist. If we look at the Lions’ attacking midfielders, Facundo Torres has one goal and one assist, Ivan Angulo and Nico Lodeiro both have one goal and two assists, and Martin Ojeda has zero goals and only one assist. Luis Muriel is still at double zeroes.

The defensive midfield and the back line must do everything possible to mark him out of the match. It’s not enough to keep him from scoring, they must also keep him from setting up chances for his teammates. Most importantly, the defense must do that for 90 minutes plus stoppage time. There is no room for the mental lapses we’ve seen throughout the first part of this season.

Break Through

Cincinnati is stingy on defense. As I mentioned above, the club has only allowed nine goals this season. The back line is formidable with the likes of Matt Miazga, Miles Robinson, and Ian Murphy. On the wings are DeAndre Yedlin and Luca Orellano. This is a tough defense, and whether it is McGuire or Muriel who gets the start, they must find the spaces in between.

Just as importantly, Torres, Angulo, Ojeda, and Lodeiro — depending on who is in at any given moment — must be able to thread the passes in for McGuire, Muriel, or each other to create quality chances. On top of that, the Lions must convert on those chances, which is not something that has been a strength so far this season. If the Orlando City defense continues to give up cheap goals, then the offense will need to one-up the competition when it comes to scoring.

Deal with an Unknown

FC Cincinnati recently signed Venezuelan forward Kevin Kelsy from Ukrainian Premier League club Shakhtar Donetsk. Kelsy comes in as an MLS U22 Initiative player and is eligible to play against Orlando City. Even though Kelsy is only 19, he has 68 professional appearances, including UEFA Champions Leagues matches. At 6-foot-3, he can be a challenge for defenders, especially in the air.

Kelsy hasn’t had much time with the team, but he could be a second-half substitution for Cincinnati. Given that Orlando City just gave up two late headers against Toronto FC, the back line will need to be careful that Kelsy doesn’t hurt the Lions in the same manner — especially if he comes on late when legs and minds are tired.

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

Lion Links: 5/2/24

The Pride win big, OCSC celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month, USMNT news, and more.

Published

24 hours ago

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May 2, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

It’s Thursday, Mane Landers. Of course, the name Thursday comes from Thor’s day, and as such, it isn’t a big leap for us to consider it Thorhallsson’s day. Though I suppose that is a bit of a mouthful, so we’ll just keep things the way they are, but do hold Dagur Dan close to your heart today. Also, let us wish a happy birthday to the Orlando Pride’s Luana. Despite the devastating news that dropped about her health earlier this week, we hope that her spirits are high and we wish her nothing but happiness today. It’s also Dagur Dan Thorhallsson’s birthday today, so we’re celebrating him as well. Let’s get to the links.

The Pride Dominate the Courage

The Orlando Pride defeated the North Carolina Courage 4-1 in a midweek match at Inter&Co Stadium. The Pride did indeed dominate the Courage as much as the score line indicates. It was once again the Barbra Banda show, with the Pride’s newest player contributing a brace and an assist on the night. It is the Pride’s fourth straight victory and the undefeated run continues.

OCSC Celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month

Orlando City and the Orlando Pride are doing their part this May to observe Mental Health Awareness Month. The club is sponsoring and attending events and forums available to the general public, as well as holding club staff workshops around promoting mental health. I have to say my favorite is the therapy dogs visits that will be available to the staff. There’s nothing as good for my personal mental health as the joy and unconditional love a dog can bring. If I didn’t have dogs of my own, I’d be really jealous.

The Billionaires Clubs

Orlando City and Orlando Pride owners, the Wilf family, are not the only billionaire owners in the NWSL. There are more and more owners and ownership groups that fall into that category. The influx of more money is a growth opportunity for the league and potentially for those owners. It’s a bit of a “rising tide lifts all boats” mentality for these owners as they do better when the league as a whole does better. It’s not just the owners who think so. The NWSL was ranked No. 5 on the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2024. I’m just glad the Pride are in the club.

USMNT News

I hate starting off a section with bad news, but Sergino Dest tore his ACL in training with PSV Eindhoven and will miss the Copa America. Dest will require surgery though there is no time frame yet for when he may return. The loss of Dest is a blow to the U.S. defense heading into the competition this coming June. The USMNT plays Bolivia on June 23.

In better news, Tim Weah provided the assist for Juventus on Arkadiusz Milik’s goal against Lazio. Juventus entered the second leg of the Copa Italia semifinal up 2-0, but Lazio drew level before Milik’s goal. Juventus advanced 3-2 on aggregate and will play in the final.

Free Kicks

That will do it for today. There’s plenty more soccer to come this weekend with all three teams playing. Check back for more as we get you ready for those matches. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/1/24

Mason Stajduhar was arrested, Orlando Pride play at home tonight, Colin Guske discusses his signing, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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May 1, 2024

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,
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday and welcome to May, Mane Landers. Don’t forget that the undefeated Orlando Pride are in action tonight, so check back for our match preview and the latest episode of SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride PawedCast for additional pre-match coverage. In the meantime, let’s get to the links.

Mason Stajduhar Arrested Early Sunday

Orlando City goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar and his wife Tatiana Stajduhar were both arrested on disorderly conduct charges following an incident at a nightclub overnight Saturday in the early hours of Sunday morning. The couple were reportedly disrespectful to the club’s staff and got into an altercation with the security guards. Mason stated he was only resisting the security guards to re-enter the club because the bouncers allegedly hit his wife. Tatiana allegedly pushed the police officers after they arrived, and she was not charged with battery on a law enforcement officer. The couple were released Monday after posting a bond. Orlando City provided the following statement to WESH 2 News:

“The Club is aware that goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar was arrested early Sunday morning. We are currently gathering more information and will have no further comment at this time.”

Orlando Pride Host the North Carolina Courage Tonight

After a 3-2 win on the road last Friday against the Washington Spirit, the Orlando Pride are back in the City Beautiful and will take on the North Carolina Courage tonight. Unbeaten in their six games so far this season, the Pride have also won their past three games and sit fourth in the standings. They’re tied on points with a Courage team that beat the Seattle Reign Saturday. Orlando has scored at least one goal in every match this season. Forward Barbra Banda had a great performance in that win against the Spirit, so hopefully the scoring trend continues tonight for the Pride.

Orlando City/Pride Earn Golden Brick Awards

Have you enjoyed the new food options at the stadium? I know I have, and I’m looking forward to trying even more. The efforts made by Orlando City’s front office to feature more local food and beverage options did not go unnoticed, as the club won the Hospitality & Dining category in the Downtown Orlando Partnership’s 2023 Golden Brick Awards. The Orlando Pride’s 2023 Highway Woman Kit also won the award in the Arts & Culture category. The home jersey was inspired by the work of Mary Ann Carroll, the sole woman in the famed Highwaymen artists from decades ago.

Colin Guske Speaks On Signing First Pro Contract

Orlando City Development Academy player Colin Guske signed his first professional contract with the club last month and spoke on the importance of this moment in his career. The 17-year-old is now on an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Orlando City B, and he has started in nearly every game for the Young Lions this year. Both of Guske’s brothers have also played for Orlando City’s academy over the years, and he thanked his family for helping him reach this point.

“It’s awesome to represent the Guskes,” Colin said. “Thanks to my brothers for always pushing me through early mornings and late nights, always putting in the work, doing video sessions, everything. My sister as well, for always being there for me and my parents, too. They’re always helping me and what was the best for me.”

Free Kicks

  • Enjoy all of the sights and sounds from the Pride’s big win over the Spirit in the nation’s capital.
  • The Champions League semifinals are underway and Real Madrid and Bayern Munich played to a 2-2 draw in Germany. The second leg will take place on May 8 in Madrid.

That will do it for today. If you can make it out to the stadium tonight to catch the Pride in action, I strongly suggest you do so. Barbra Banda is about to take the NWSL by storm and you’ll want to see it in person. Vamos Orlando!

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