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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Minnesota United: Final Score 2-1 as Loons Stay Perfect vs. Lions

Stefano Pinho joins Lions’ injured list as Orlando remains winless on the season.

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7 years ago

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Carlos Romero, The Mane Land

Adrian Heath and Kevin Molino have won in Orlando before but not as the visitors. Now they have, as two Ethan Finlay goals were enough to offset a Yoshimar Yotun penalty kick and hand Minnesota United a 2-1 win in front of 24,038 at Orlando City Stadium.

Finlay’s second goal came on a quick counter in the 79th minute and secured all three points for the Loons (1-1-0, 3 points) on a night when the Lions (0-1-1, 1 point) lacked offensive bite — and lost even more with another striker injury.

“Obviously we’re very disappointed to lose a game at home,” Head Coach Jason Kreis said after the match. “To lose that one I think really hurts deep.”

Kreis made only two substitutions to last week’s lineup to start the match. With PC suspended, Richie Laryea started in the midfield and last week’s hero, Stéfano Pinho, started up top next to Justin Meram in place of rookie Chris Mueller. The only other change to the bench was the addition of Cristian Higuita.

As with last week, Orlando got off to a slow start in terms of finding a rhythm and stringing passes together. This led to some back and forth early play with the game’s first decent chance coming after an Orlando corner in the seventh minute was straight to Minnesota goalkeeper Matt Lampson. He started a counter that looked dangerous until the last pass was intercepted and the Lions broke back the other way. Meram finished the sequence with a shot that took a slight deflection and went just wide of the top left corner.

Spector got a free header on the ensuing corner but hit it well wide.

The Loons broke through in the 12th minute when former Lion Kevin Molino slipped a ball in behind the defense to Finlay, who beat Joe Bendik to the ball and put it in the top of the net.

The Lions lost yet another player to injury when Pinho got onto a cross but headed wide. Meram argued for a penalty as Pinho had been shoved while in midair by defender Francisco Calvo but no foul was given and Pinho could not continue, being stretchered straight to the locker room with an apparent leg injury. Mueller came on in the 28th to replace the Brazilian striker.

“He’s on crutches so it doesn’t look like a good sign at all,” Kreis said about Pinho. The Brazilian will undergo medical evaluation in the next couple of days.

Orlando City looked a bit shook after the Pinho injury and Minnesota nearly took advantage. Molino played a through ball behind Orlando’s defense that Bendik came off his line to grab in the 29th minute and, seconds later, Molino himself nearly broke in behind, but Bendik got to the ball just in time to prevent any further damage.

Laryea fired over the bar from the top of the box off a short corner in the 33rd minute, and Yotun sliced a moving ball wide a minute later as the Lions regrouped. Mueller crossed for Laryea in the 38th, but Richie’s header toward goal was blocked by the defense. However, that sequence led to Orlando tying the game.

Laryea won the race to a loose ball near the edge of the box and was bundled over from behind by Finlay. The Lions were initially awarded a free kick just outside the area but then Sorin Stoica got a call from VAR Edvin Jurisevic and took a second look. After video review, Stoica awarded a penalty. Yotun stepped up and sent Lampson the wrong way, hitting the upper left corner to make it 1-1 in the 42nd minute.

From there, the two teams saw out the remaining time and five minutes of stoppage before going into the break deadlocked at 1-1. The Lions had a 10-4 shots advantage (1-1 on target), 58% of the possession, and an 82% passing accuracy.

Molino went off injured early in the second half on a non-contact play after coming down awkwardly. It was a terrible way to end the night for the former Lion, who played well in his roughly 49 minutes.

“It doesn’t look good for Kevin at the minute. We’ll have a better idea on Monday,” Heath said after the game.

Meram nearly gave Orlando the lead at the 52-minute mark but his shot took a slight deflection and fizzed just left of goal. The ensuing corner kick by Will Johnson found Amro Tarek’s head, but Lampson made a fingertip save on the goal line to keep the game level.

Mueller was bundled over from behind in the box two minutes later while setting himself for a shot in a good area but Stoica saw nothing wrong with the challenge despite loud calls for a penalty by the Lions. Lindley fired wide from above the box in the 64th as Orlando continued to look for a go-ahead goal.

Minnesota started to get a bit more of the game after that. Johnson’s corner service cleared everyone and the Loons countered but Sam Nicholson’s cross was just a tad too far in front of Finlay. Just after the 70th minute, Jonathan Spector had back-to-back clearances on set pieces that prevented Minnesota from taking the lead, but it didn’t last long.

As the Lions pressed for a winner, the Loons countered again and this time it paid off. Scott Sutter allowed the attack to get in behind him and second-half sub Miguel Ibarra sent a perfect cross for Finlay to knock in for the eventual game winner.

“In transition on the counterattack I thought we could cause some trouble and that’s the way it proved,” Heath said.

“If we lose the ball in bad spots then the transition will be on to hurt us. So it’s a little bit about not losing the ball in those kind of spots, not taking too much risk when the ball’s in the midfield third, and the other part is, can we recognize those situations quicker to transition defensively quicker,” Kreis said.

This time there were no last-minute heroics. Meram fired a blast that Lampson fought off for a corner in the 90th minute. The ensuing set piece from Johnson came off Tarek in the middle and had Lampson beat, but Ibson cleared it off the line with some last-ditch defending to preserve the Minnesota lead.

After a couple of scary counters where it looked like the Loons might get a third, the final whistle blew on a disappointing 2-1 home loss. Orlando City finished with a 19-10 shots advantage but got only two on target to Minnesota’s three. The Lions couldn’t take advantage of 59% of the possession and an 82%-74% passing accuracy.

“We’ve got to continue to draw the positives out of the performance and I think we have to continue to learn about ourselves,” Kreis said. “And after a night like tonight I think we need to take a look at ourselves and figure out what it is we need to improve upon this year and just keep doing that. Because we’ve got a brand new group of players together. It’s going to take some time. And, all in all, I still think it was lots of positive performances out there but in the end we didn’t quite have the quality to score the goals.”

The Lions take to the road for the first time in 2018 when they visit New York City FC’s awful baseball diamond next Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET.

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Orlando City

Striker Suddenly a Position of Need for Orlando City

Departures and a key injury mean Orlando City needs a striker heading into the 2025 MLS season.

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6 hours ago

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January 20, 2025

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Image Courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City reached the Eastern Conference Final for the first time in 2024, a milestone for the club. The core of the team was locked up through the 2025 season, so there was no reason to believe it needed to add much this off-season. Unfortunately, injuries and departures have created a serious problem for the team.

The group of forwards last year consisted of Duncan McGuire, Ramiro Enrique, and Jack Lynn. McGuire scored 15 goals in 2023 and was expected to depart for Blackburn Rovers before a clerical error allowed the Lions to keep their target man. The team’s primary striker scored 11 goals in 37 games — the same number as the previous season — but split time starting with Enrique. The Argentinian improved greatly in 2024, increasing his total goal tally from four to 12. Even Lynn showed tremendous improvement last year, playing a greater role in the team and scoring his first two MLS goals.

The future also seemed bright for the Orlando City forwards because of their ages. Lynn is the oldest of the trio at just 25 years old. Meanwhile, McGuire and Enrique are only 23, so there was no reason to believe this group couldn’t produce this coming season.

The problem at striker began in the postseason when McGuire was pulled down by Charlotte FC midfielder Djibril Diani in the final first round game of the playoffs. McGuire suffered a shoulder injury during the challenge that required surgery on Dec. 13. It’s expected that the striker could take four to five months to return to action, possibly leaving him out until May or June.

Another blow to Orlando’s attack occurred Saturday when Lynn surprisingly announced his retirement from professional soccer. In just over a month, Orlando City went from having three strikers to having just one as preseason training starts.

With McGuire injured and Lynn gone, one option would be to have Designated Player Luis Muriel play up top. However, the Colombian prefers to play a more withdrawn position and proved to be effective in that role last year. Since Head Coach Oscar Pareja prefers to play a 4-2-3-1 formation, the Lions need someone up top to control the ball and involve the midfielders in the attack. That’s not Muriel’s game.

The result of these issues is that nobody is currently behind Enrique when the season begins. If the Argentinian gets tired, hurt, or simply needs rest, Pareja is limited in his options. 

Whether there was a lack of strikers or a lack of goals from the position previously, that problem was resolved by the club’s all-time leading goal scorer. Facundo Torres scored 20 goals in 2024, becoming the first player in Orlando City’s MLS history and the second player in club history to do so. He went on to set a new club record for total goals of 47.

However, Orlando City sold its best player to Brazilian side Palmeiras on Dec. 20. It was a gut punch to fans as Torres had signed a new contract on Jan. 10, 2024 that ran through the 2026 season. There had been talk for the last couple of years that the attacker would look for a move to Europe and rumors of a move to South America arose this off-season. Still, it created a huge gap the club has to fill.

There are players on the roster that can make up for the injury and departures. Martin Ojeda had a strong season in 2024, finishing with seven goals and 13 assists. His seven goals ranked fourth on the team and his 13 assists topped the squad alongside Nico Lodeiro. Muriel came on strong later in the season, finishing with five goals and eight assists. But those numbers are a long way from the 20 goals that Torres tallied last year.

Even if you consider all goal contributions, Ojeda and Muriel fall well short of Torres. Ojeda had a total of 20 goal contributions in 2024 while Muriel had 13. In addition to Torres’s 20 goals, he added nine assists for a team-leading 29 goal contributions.

All of this information leads to one undeniable fact — Orlando City needs to sign a striker prior to the season. And there’s not much time for Luiz Muzzi to act. The European transfer window closes on Feb. 3 and many MLS teams have already been filling similar needs. With the season starting in just over a month, the options will be limited if the Lions don’t do something soon.

After the best postseason finish in Orlando City’s MLS history, things were looking good heading into 2025. While the back line and most of the midfield is returning, McGuire’s injury and the departure of Torres and Lynn have left the Lions in a tough spot offensively. If they don’t do something in the next couple of weeks, it could be a long 2025.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/20/25

Orlando City signs Nicolas Rodriguez, Jack Lynn announces retirement, USMNT defeats Venezuela in friendly, and more.

Published

9 hours ago

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January 20, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope you’re all having a good holiday weekend as we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Over the past week, I’ve been working and covering high school ice hockey. It will be a busy week in Orlando, with the United States Men’s National Team’s match against Costa Rica on Wednesday and Orlando City’s first preseason match against Atletico Mineiro on Saturday. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Signs Nicolas Rodriguez

Orlando City announced on Friday that the club has signed forward Nicolas Rodriguez from Fortaleza CEIF in Colombia’s top flight. The deal is through the 2027 season, with a club option for 2028, and Rodriguez will occupy a MLS U22 Initiative slot. Rodriguez made 19 appearances for Fortaleza, recording 1,607 minutes, five goals, and three assists during the 2024 Primera A Clausura season. The Lions add a young attacking player the club can develop and Rodriguez can play on the right wing, the right side of a three-man midfield, or in the No. 10 spot.

Jack Lynn Announces Retirement

Orlando City forward Jack Lynn announced his retirement from professional soccer on Saturday. Lynn was drafted by Orlando in the first round of the 2022 MLS SuperDraft. He became a regular starter for Orlando City B, scoring a team-record 38 goals in over three seasons with the MLS NEXT Pro side. Lynn also won the Golden Boot with 19 goals during the 2023 season and became the first OCB player to be named MLS NEXT Pro MVP. He played sparingly with the first team, but he scored twice last season as his role increased. The Lions will likely look to add another striker for more depth up top.

Orlando Pride Acquire Allocation Money in Trade

On Friday, the Orlando Pride announced that the club has acquired $50,000 in Allocation Money from the Washington Spirit. In exchange, the Pride sent the Spirit a 2025 international roster spot. The Pride will face the Spirit in the NWSL Challenge Cup final on March 7 at Inter&Co Stadium.

USMNT Defeats Venezuela in Friendly

The USMNT defeated Venezuela 3-1 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday in a friendly. Jack McGlynn and Patrick Agyemang scored in the first half to give the USMNT a 2-0 lead just before halftime. Matko Milijevic scored the third goal for the Americans in the second half, with Venezuela pulling one back thanks to a goal from Jorge Yriarte. Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has led the USMNT to winning four out of its first five matches since he took charge last September. The USMNT’s next match will be against Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium.

Alyssa Naeher Named U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year

On Saturday, goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher was voted 2024 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year. Naeher won 40% of the vote, while defender Naomi Girma finished in second with 32%. In her final year with the USWNT, Naeher ended 2024 with 18 starts, playing 1,170 minutes and only conceding 11 goals. She played a crucial role with clutch saves to help the USWNT win the 2024 SheBelieves Cup, 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup, and gold at the Olympics in Paris. Naeher is the second goalkeeper to win the award since Hope Solo won it in 2009.

Free Kicks

  • Manchester City forward Erling Haaland has reached an agreement with the club on a record-breaking contract that extends his deal through 2034.

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

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Orlando City

Michael Halliday Looks to Establish Himself in 2025

Can the Orlando native challenge for minutes and starts during the upcoming season?

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1 day ago

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January 19, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City signed Homegrown defender Michael Halliday on July 15, 2020. At the time, Halliday was the club’s eighth Homegrown signing and was only 17 years old. A year ago almost to the day, on Jan. 16, 2024, Orlando City announced that the club had agreed to a new contract for the right back running through the 2025 season with club options for 2026 and 2027. After a somewhat lost season during 2024, the question now for Halliday is whether or not he will be able to establish himself as a viable part of the Orlando City rotation.

During the 2021 and 2022 seasons, Halliday saw sparse playing time, logging a total of six and five regular-season matches, respectively. Halliday failed to earn an end-of-the-season grade from The Mane Land staff during his first two seasons with the senior team due to not meeting the minimum requirement of minutes played in a season. The 2023 season demonstrated flashes of the potential that the coaching and technical staff saw from Halliday, as it was by far his best year in the purple and gold. He took part in 18 regular-season matches, playing a total of 847 minutes and providing two assists on the season, earning himself a 5.5 year-end grade from The Mane Land. The 2023 campaign also saw the young Lion called up to the United States’ FIFA U-20 World Cup squad, a sign that Halliday possesses the ability to log meaningful minutes.

As mentioned earlier, 2024 was a somewhat lost season for Mikey as he suffered several injuries, and his playing time was limited to just 102 minutes across six games in regular-season play. The larger current roadblock in front of Halliday, however, is Dagur Dan Thorhallsson. The Icelandic international usurped Halliday’s spot in the starting lineup in 2023 after the Homegrown went out with a knock he sustained during the summer months. After that point, Halliday has not been able to crack the starting 11 again while Thorhallsson has been healthy, and even at times during last season, Halliday found himself losing out on minutes to veteran Kyle Smith.

Head Coach Oscar Pareja likes his fullbacks to get up into the attack, and much of the success that Orlando has enjoyed over the last few seasons offensively has come from the likes of Ruan creating chaos with his speed and, now, the creativity and passing provided by Thorhallsson. Halliday’s lack of consistency in his defending and with his crossing attempts has been somewhat of an Achilles heel for the defender, and if he plans to fight for a starting position this season then he must show improved metrics in those areas.

The 2025 season is shaping up to be a potential make-or-break year for the soon-to-be 22-year-old and will likely determine whether or not he will continue his professional soccer career in the City Beautiful. The best-case scenario for Halliday will be to showcase meaningful development in his game this season on the offensive side of the pitch and to maintain a sound defensive presence. If that happens, then Orlando City will likely exercise the team’s option, as the defender is still considered a young product. It does not look for the time being as if he will swipe the starting role away from Thorhallsson, but as the latter is beginning to receive more recognition from his national team, there may be meaningful moments when Halliday will be called upon. He just needs to stay ready.

Do you think that Halliday will be able to play his way back into form with Orlando City? What are your expectations of the young Homegrown Player in 2025? Let us know in the comments below and as always, vamos Orlando!

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