Orlando City
Orlando City vs. San Jose Earthquakes: Final Score 3-2 as Lions Win Fourth Straight
Dom Dwyer and Chris Mueller scored again.
Orlando City kept it rolling. A sellout crowd of 25,527 watched as the Lions climbed into a second-place tie (for the moment) in the Eastern Conference with a 3-2 win at Orlando City Stadium. Chris Mueller, Sacha Kljestan, and Dom Dwyer each scored, and Yoshimar Yotun added two assists.
It was the first win in the series for either team, as Orlando City (4-2-1, 13 points) improved to 1-0-3 all time against the Earthquakes (1-3-2, 5 points). The win could have been more lopsided, with Orlando missing out on several good opportunities, and Justin Meram missing a penalty. The Lions led 3-0 in the second half before allowing a pair of goals off set pieces to Florian Jungwirth.
“Another night that I think the fans got their money’s worth. Another night that the coach gets a few more gray hairs,” Head Coach Jason Kreis said after the match. “But really, really pleased. Four wins in a row. Really, really pleased with three wins in a row at home. And I think we’re moving in a very positive direction. That’s the good news. The bad news is that we still have a way to go.”
Kreis stuck with the lineup that finished the Philadelphia game, a 4-2-3-1 with Will Johnson at right back, Cristian Higuita next to Yotun in central midfield, an attacking midfield line of Mueller, Kljestan, and Stefano Pinho, and Dwyer up top.
It took Orlando just over a minute to take the lead. A gorgeous long cross-field pass from Yotun found its way to Mueller, and the rookie shrugged off Shea Salinas, took the ball into the penalty area, and found the corner to make it 1-0. Mueller’s goal was his third in as many games and it was the fastest goal to start a game for Orlando City since the club joined MLS.
“(Yoshi) gets overlooked a lot, I feel like,” Mueller said. “He’s just unbelievable in the middle of the field. The balls that he’s finding me on is just next level, so my hat goes off to him. He had a great performance and it makes it easy when you’ve got guys like that giving you the ball.
“Chris made a fantastic individual effort,” Dwyer said of Mueller’s goal. “He’s coming on leaps and bounds every week so we’re very happy with him right now and very excited.”
Dwyer tried to double the lead 10 minutes later, getting into the box on the end of a long ball from Joe Bendik. Andrew Tarbell made a one-handed stop and it came off the woodwork. The rebound fell perfectly for Pinho but the Brazilian whiffed on the shot and the chance evaporated.
San Jose started seeing more of the possession for about the next 15 minutes and earning a series of corner kicks but the Lions were able to navigate those set-piece opportunities and retain the lead. Dwyer again nearly doubled the lead when he was sent into the box by Kljestan and fired a shot that deflected just inches wide of the far post in the 30th minute. Two minutes later, Pinho turned down a shot opportunity at the top of the box, worked in a bit deeper and got his shot blocked.
But three minutes later, Yotun sent another long ball that resulted in Orlando’s second goal. His ball found Mueller again on the right. The rookie waited until Tarbell committed and fed the ball toward goal, where Kljestan made a sliding effort to tap the ball in, putting the Lions up, 2-0 in the 35th minute. Mueller picked up his first MLS assist on the play.
“I heard (Kljestan),” Mueller said of his unselfish play. “It’s 100% a goal if you pass that ball. Probably could have scored it myself but the chance is slim. If I give that ball to Sacha, it’s a goal every time.”
“The key is Dom is able to bring down the first ball and hold off the center back and then I think he finds Yoshi, who finds Chris,” Kljestan said. “Chris looked up and saw me and I didn’t know if he was going to pass it or not. I think most young guys would take the shot themselves. But he knew if he laid it across in a good pass, it was an easy tap-in. He knows I would do the same for him and, yeah, I probably would have killed him if he would have shot and missed at that point, but unbelievable pass.”
The Quakes nearly pulled that goal right back. Danny Hoesen’s shot smashed off the woodwork a minute later and a second effort on goal was headed away by Amro Tarek. Four minutes later, Bendik made a save on a shot through traffic by Jungwirth. He spilled the save but was able to pounce on the ball before a San Jose player could arrive.
In the final minutes of the first half, the Lions missed out on a few great chances to put the game away. Pinho slipped trying to get onto a cross in front of an open net. Moments later, Yotun went in alone on a defender but tried to make one move too many and lost the ball.
Orlando held just 47% of the first-half possession, with both teams attempting five shots (Orlando had three on target to San Jose’s one). Both teams passed well, with the Lions connecting on 85% and the Quakes on 87%.
Much of the second half was played between the two penalty areas, as Orlando looked to slow play down and take the air out of the ball. Each team squandered some early set pieces after the break.
San Jose got its best opportunity to pull within 2-1 when Hoesen spun inside of Tarek in the 67th minute but fired his shot over the crossbar. It was an expensive miss, as the Lions extended the lead to 3-0 just two minutes later.
Second-half substitute Meram split the defense with a pass for Dwyer, who took a touch to round Tarbell and fire his 100th professional goal into the empty net. It was Dom’s fifth goal in his four games played this season, extending his scoring streak.
“It was a fantastic pass. Justin’s a threat whether it’s scoring goals or setting up goals,” Dwyer said of the play that sent him through. “Once he can get this monkey off his back and get that first one, i think the floodgates will open for him. I think he’s a very, very talented player and there’s a lot more to come from him.”
Yotun unleashed Mueller again in the 74th minute and the rookie got into the box, but his cross was cut out by the defense. Shortly after that, San Jose found a way into the game.
A corner kick found Chris Wondolowski, who headed on goal. Bendik got a hand to it to push it off the goal frame, but it bounced perfectly for Jungwirth to finish, putting the Earthquakes on the board in the 78th minute.
The Lions kept coming, however. Johnson got forward from his right back spot and smashed a shot that Tarbell fought off in the 79th minute to keep his team in the match. Three minutes later, Kljestan sent his set piece attempt over the crossbar.
It looked like City would put the game away when Dwyer was taken down in the box by Anibal Godoy, earning a penalty. Meram was given the opportunity to score his first goal as a Lion and stepped up to the spot. He took a very short approach and fired, but he left his shot too close to Tarbell, who got a hand on it to keep it out in the 86th minute.
The Earthquakes, to their credit, kept pressing and eventually got another Jungwirth goal off a corner — this time on a header from Magnus Eriksson’s service in stoppage time.
“For me, defending dead-ball situations is a matter of commitment, organization and focus,” Kreis said. “And I would say to give up the number of dead ball goals we have this year, we’re extremely disappointed with that. But it’s not just the coaches. I just walked out of the locker room and we have some people in there that are very, very disappointed not to have obtained all of our objectives tonight. Clearly a shutout at home is one of the objectives that we’ve had and haven’t accomplished yet.”
That was as close as the Quakes could get, and after more than four minutes of injury time, the final whistle blew on Orlando’s fourth straight victory and third consecutive win at home.
Orlando finished with 51% of the possession and both teams fired 11 shots (Orlando with six on target to San Jose’s three). The Lions passed at an 84.4% clip to San Jose’s 85.5%.
“We were a little bit disappointed to concede,” Dwyer said. “It wasn’t quite the complete performance, but we got the job done. We got all three points.”
The Lions will be back in action next Sunday as they face the Rapids in Colorado at 4 p.m. ET.
Orlando City
Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Player Grades and Man of the Match
How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s 1-0 loss in the Eastern Conference final?
Every loss stings, but season-ending playoff losses hurt the most, and unfortunately Orlando City felt that deep sting Saturday night, losing 1-0 to the New York Red Bulls and falling one game short of advancing to MLS Cup. The Lions simply did not have it offensively, again, and it led to the Red Bulls celebrating a smash-and-grab victory on the field of Inter&Co Stadium after the final whistle. Ugh, I did not like typing that at all.
I have my purple pen out and I am ready to issue some grades, so here we go. Let’s take a look at how Orlando City’s players rated individually in their Eastern Conference final matchup.
Starters
GK, Pedro Gallese, 6 — There was not a lot for Gallese to do during this match, as while the Red Bulls did pose a threat offensively, they only managed seven shots and just one shot on goal, a well placed header off the post that no goalkeeper would have saved. Gallese made a great play to snuff out a late breakaway, coming well out of his box and making a sliding block with his body to keep the score 1-0, but aside from that, most of his game contributions were in distribution, and he did not have his finest game in that area, connecting on only 61.5% of his passes and only six of his 16 long-ball attempts.
D, Rafael Santos, 6 — The Brazilian left back gave a strong effort, but was just was unable to make a major impact on the game. Orlando City attacked up the left side 45% of the time, but despite having so much possession and so many touches (a team-leading 88, 21 more than the next highest player), Santos passed at just a 68.8% rate, only completed one long ball and did not have any successful crosses in seven attempts. Some of those crosses were good, but New York kept them from reaching their targets. Defensively, he chipped in four clearances. In the attacking end, Santos fired one of Orlando City’s nine shots and registered one of the team’s meager three shots on target and drew two fouls without committing any.
D, Robin Jansson, 6.5 — Jansson was solid in the back, providing his standard steady defending in partnership with Rodrigo Schlegel, and helping to limit the Red Bulls from getting any shots on target during the run of play. As the Lions began to chase the game in the second half and found themselves stretched, he made several excellent defensive recovery runs to track back and win it back, though when he did get the ball back I thought too often he settled for just launching the ball forward instead of trying to work the ball up the field out of the back. He blocked two shots and finished with two clearances. He completed 78.3% of his passes, a number which was limited by connecting on just six of 15 long balls.
D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6.5 — As is his trademark, Schlegel was intense and engaged for the full 90 minutes and left everything on the field. He and Jansson did an excellent job protecting the center of the box, limiting the Red Bulls to very few scoring opportunities through the middle of the field. Schlegel picked up a yellow card for a professional foul late in the game, but at that time the Lions were stretched and chasing the game and if not for his foul New York may have put the game away. The Argentine was the best passer of the back four (89.7% and 1/1 on long balls) and provided three clearances.
D, Dagur Dan Thórhallson, 6 — Orlando City played primarily down the left side of the field during the Icelandic defender’s time on the field, and so despite playing 60 minutes, he only had 24 touches and did not contribute much offensively with those touches. Thorhallsson passed at a 75% rate without attempting a long ball or creating a scoring chance. On the defensive side he led the team with five clearances, but overall it was a quiet night for Thórhallson, and he was removed in an offense for defense substitution in the 61st minute.
MF, César Araujo, 6.5 —Araujo played a solid match in the middle of the field, completing 94.2% of his passes, winning a team-leading four aerial duels, drawing two fouls, blocking one shot, and making one interception. I thought he was far closer to his usual standard than his midfield partner Wilder Cartagena, but despite his work rate and contributions, he was removed late in the game for Jack Lynn, as the Lions needed to throw all of their attacking players onto the field to try to find an equalizer.
MF, Wilder Cartagena, 5 — Cartagena picked the worst night to have perhaps his poorest performance of the season, as he was not the dominant player in the middle of the field that we saw in nearly every game. Everything seemed a step slow for the Peruvian midfielder and his touch was off as well, he only completed 79.4% of his passes, only the fourth time all season he was under 80%. The goal scored by the Red Bulls happened right behind him, and it appeared to me that it was his man who came in unmarked while he was watching the ball instead seeing both ball and man. Cartagena was subbed off in the 71st minute for Nico Lodeiro in a like for like substitution. His best moment was sending a great ball down the left for Martin Ojeda, setting up a golden opportunity for Facundo Torres. It was one of the Peruvian’s three successful long balls on six attempts. Defensively, he blocked a shot and had one interception.
MF, Iván Angulo, 5.5 — I don’t want to overly castigate Angulo for his foul that led to the game’s only goal, but it was a completely unnecessary one, and in a game against a team that struggles to score from open play, there was no excuse for giving the Red Bulls a cheaply earned set piece opportunity. That said, it is not Angulo’s fault that Cartagena did not stay with his man on the free kick (or perhaps got confused about whether someone behind him was supposed to pick up that runner — only the Lions know for sure), but without that foul, there would have been no dangerous cross in the first place. That was the moment of the match, but it was only one moment, and Angulo brought a lot to the table during the rest of that match. His speed up the left side created chances, he completed 90.5% of his passes, and the Colombian also showed his versatility by stepping back into a right back/right wingback role late in the match as Orlando City tried everything to get as many attacking players on the field as possible. I think he left everything on the field before being subbed out in the 88th minute for Kyle Smith, but I wish he had also left his hands down when trying to double the ball in the 47th minute. Angulo attempted one shot that was just wide, registered one key pass, and recorded one clearance.
MF, Martín Ojeda, 7 (MotM) — Ojeda made the offensive play of the game for Orlando City, making a great run up the left side to get onto Cartagena’s well-placed pass, drawing two defenders out of the middle, and playing a perfect cross to a wide-open Facundo Torres. On another night he would have added an assist to his ledger and the rest of the game could have played out completely differently. Ojeda was all over the field for the Lions, making plays all across the attacking third and leading the team with three chances created. In a departure from the normal substitution pattern, he stayed on the field when Luis Muriel entered the game and deservedly so, as I felt he was Orlando City’s most impactful player throughout the match. Ojeda passed at a 77.8% clip, including the aforementioned three key passes, two of his three long balls, and three successful crosses on 15 attempts. His lone shot attempt wasn’t on frame. The Argentine added a clearance on the defensive end.
MF, Facundo Torres, 6 — Torres was active, but he did not have the precision that he showed during the late summer run and will rue the huge chance he missed in the 32nd minute, one that certainly would have changed the entire tenor of the game. I was surprised he chose to shoot to his right instead of his left, as Torres is an outstanding shooter to his left when attacking from the right, and he left his shot far too close to Carlos Coronel for an easy save. The Uruguayan did get another shot on goal on a header late in the match, but it also did not trouble Coronel, and though he drew a team-leading three fouls, none of them led to any great chances for Orlando City. The Lions attacked down the right side on only 24% of their possessions, and with their focus on going left, Torres had few chances on his preferred right side to cut back into the middle to cause havoc. The enduring memory from this game for Torres will be that missed opportunity, one that I think he generally scores for more often than not, but alas on this night it was not to be. Aside from that, he passed at a 78.2% rate, completing one of his two crosses and one of his two long balls, but he surprisingly did not register a key pass. Torres also didn’t register any defensive stats.
F, Ramiro Enrique, 7 — Orlando City followed its usual substitution pattern and removed Enrique after 61 minutes for Duncan McGuire, but I wish Oscar Pareja had found a way to keep him on the field instead, because I thought he was one of the two Lions (along with Ojeda) playing the best during his minutes on the field. He drew a team-leading three fouls to match Torres in that department and was constantly making darting runs all over the attacking third of the field. He made a great hustle play to create one of Orlando City’s best opportunities, but rather than shooting, he tried to finesse past a defender to get a better angle and the chance fell apart. Enrique’s only shot attempt was not on target, and he passed at 77.8% accuracy on just nine attempts without a key pass or attempting a long ball or a cross. He won three aerials and chipped in defensively with a team-high two tackles and an interception.
Substitutes
MF, Luis Muriel (61′), 6.5 — Muriel once again changed the game once he stepped on the field, helping to ratchet up Orlando City’s attack, but despite playing several high-level passes, nothing ended up coming from any the plays he initiated. Muriel also had a half-chance late in the game that he badly mishit, skying a ball high and to the right, so much so that it actually stayed in bounds due to all the back and sidespin on the ball. Even though Orlando City’s best chance came before Muriel entered the game I thought the offense looked better when he was on the field, and I walked out of the stadium wishing that he had come on right after New York had scored, as he clearly grasped the urgency and played like it throughout his time on the field. Muriel completed 90% of his 20 passes, including a key pass and a completed long ball on his lone attempt, but his one cross attempt did not meet the target. Neither of his two shots hit the target either, but he added a tackle on the defensive side.
F, Duncan McGuire (61′), 6 — The most impressive play McGuire made while on the field was a full-field sprint back on defense to break up a counterattack, and while that was a big play to prevent a possible doubling of the lead, you generally want a striker’s most impressive play to come while attacking the opponent’s goal, not defending their own. McGuire got one shot off, attempting to finish on a ball played beautifully over the top by Muriel, but he could not get his body turned enough and the ball went harmlessly into the stands off his weaker left foot. The effort was there on Saturday night, but the final product was not. He completed six of his nine passes (66.7%) without a key pass, long ball, or cross. He won an aerial but contributed no defensive statistics.
MF, Nico Lodeiro, (71’), 6.5 — The Uruguayan came on around his usual time, but with the Lions playing from behind, he was asked to play differently than he has in recent appearances off the bench. By the end of the game he was playing as the sole defensive midfielder, with Orlando City throwing everyone forwards in hopes of tying the game. I thought he was excellent off the bench and that he outplayed Cartagena, the man he replaced in the lineup, completing 84.9% of his 33 passes, including his only long-ball attempt, however, he did not create a scoring chance or complete a cross. He added a tackle on the defensive side.
MF, Kyle Smith, (88’), N/A — By the time Smith entered, Orlando City was no longer in a standard formation, so Smith debatably came in as a right back or possibly as a right midfielder when he entered the game in the 88th minute. It really did not matter though, as he only had time for four touches and two attempted crosses, neither of which led to significant opportunities for the offense, and he didn’t play long enough to fairly warrant a grade.
F, Jack Lynn, (88’), N/A — Lynn made his first appearance of the playoffs as Orlando City was desperately chasing the game, but only had one touch and really did not have the opportunity to influence the game at all.
That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando City’s 1-0 playoff loss. Let us know what you thought of the game in the comments below and don’t forget to vote on the Man of the Match.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 12/2/24
Orlando City’s playoff run ends, Barbra Banda nominated for Best FIFA Women’s Player, USWNT draws against England, and more.
Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all of you had a good Thanksgiving weekend spent with your family and loved ones. Under Armour kept me busy all weekend, along with working at Wrigley Field for the Northwestern and Illinois college football game. Let’s all wish Orlando City goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar a happy birthday! It was frustrating to see Orlando City’s season end over the weekend, but let’s get to the links to catch up on all of the action.
Lions Fall to the New York Red Bulls in MLS Playoffs
Orlando City’s 2024 MLS playoff run ended on Saturday after a 1-0 loss to the New York Red Bulls at Inter&Co Stadium in the Eastern Conference final. Andres Reyes scored the lone goal to seal the win for the Red Bulls to advance to the MLS Cup final for the second time in club history. It’s the second time this postseason that the Lions have been shut out. Orlando didn’t beat the Red Bulls at all this year, drawing 1-1 at home and falling 1-0 on the road during the regular season prior to this playoff match. Orlando’s 2024 season ends just one round before reaching what would have been its first MLS Cup final appearance. Considering how Orlando’s season started, turning things around to finish as one of the final four teams in the playoffs gives the Lions something to build on next year.
Barbra Banda Nominated for Best FIFA Women’s Player Award
Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda has been nominated for the 2024 Best FIFA Women’s Player Award. Banda is coming off a stellar season in her first year with the Pride, leading the club with 17 goals and scoring the winning goal against the Washington Spirit to seal Orlando’s first NWSL Championship title. She scored a hat trick for Zambia in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris against Australia as well. USWNT players Sophia Smith, Lindsey Horan, Mallory Swanson, and Trinity Rodman are also in contention for the award. Other notable players nominated are last year’s winner, Aitana Bonmati, Chelsea defender Lucy Bronze, and Jamaican forward Khadija Shaw.
LA Galaxy Beat Seattle Sounders to Reach MLS Cup Final
In the Western Conference final, the LA Galaxy defeated the Seattle Sounders 1-0 on Saturday at Dignity Health Sports Park. Dejan Joveljic scored a late goal in the second half to seal the win for the Galaxy and clinch a spot in the MLS Cup final. Joveljic has scored five goals in the postseason and the Galaxy return to the MLS Cup final for the first time since 2014. Riqui Puig added the assist on Joveljic’s goal and has three assists and four goals this postseason. Unfortunately, Puig suffered a torn ACL in his left knee during the match and will miss the final when the Galaxy host the Red Bulls on Saturday.
USWNT and England Play to Scoreless Draw in Friendly
On Saturday, the United States Women’s National Team fought to a scoreless draw against England in front of a record crowd at Wembley Stadium. The USWNT thought it had scored a goal in the second half courtesy of Lindsey Horan, but it was waved off due to offside. The USWNT was also given a penalty kick after it appeared defender Alex Greenwood handled the ball, but the decision was overturned after video review. The USWNT will travel to The Hague to take on the Netherlands Tuesday at ADO Den Haag Stadium at 2:45 p.m. for the team’s final match to close out the year.
Scouting Report on the Netherlands
Stars and Stripes FC unveiled its scouting report on the Netherlands. The USWNT will face the Dutch for the 12th time, winning eight of the first 11 meetings. Their last matchup was a 1-1 draw in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup group stage. Some notable names on the Dutch roster include forward Chasity Grant, goalkeeper Lize Kop, and defender Dominique Janssen. Kop is known for her quickness to get to the ground and possesses the physical strength to absorb contact from her opponents when going after aerial balls. Veteran defender Danielle van de Donk is another player to keep an eye out for, as she can still provide a spark and identify gaps in the opposition’s defense. Even though this is a friendly, this match will provide another test for Head Coach Emma Hayes to give opportunities to the younger players while building chemistry for the squad.
Free Kicks
- Orlando Pride midfielder Angelina and forward Adriana were both in action for Brazil in a friendly on Sunday. Brazil won 2-1 over Australia.
- Christian Pulisic added an assist over the weekend to help AC Milan defeat Empoli 3-0 and extend its unbeaten run to six matches across all competitions.
- The match between Fiorentina and Inter Milan was suspended in the first half after midfielder Edoardo Bove collapsed during the match and was rushed to the hospital. The match was abandoned shortly afterward.
- Bayern Munich defender and Canadian national team captain Alphonso Davies has been banned from driving in Germany for one month after being found to be driving under the influence of alcohol.
- Bayern Munich forward Harry Kane strained his hamstring during Saturday’s match against Borussia Dortmund and had to be subbed off in the first half. The club didn’t indicate when he could return.
- Despite being down to 10 men early in the first half, Botafogo defeated Atletico Mineiro 3-1 to win its first Copa Libertadores title.
- Manchester City was defeated by Liverpool 2-0 on Sunday, extending its winless streak to seven matches across all competitions.
- Toronto FC Head Coach John Herdman resigned over the weekend, leaving the club after just 15 months.
- Saudi Arabia is reportedly set to host the 2034 World Cup, which would be played in the winter months. FIFA is expected to announce the hosts of the 2030 and 2034 World Cups on Dec. 11.
- That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday and I’ll see you next time.
Orlando City
Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Five Takeaways
Here’s what we learned from Orlando City’s disappointing playoff exit against the Red Bulls.
Orlando City looked to advance to the MLS Cup final as the club hosted the Eastern Conference final for the first time in its history. Unfortunately, for the sold-out crowd at Inter&Co Stadium, the Lions came up just short and lost a 1-0 defensive battle to the New York Red Bulls. Getting to the Eastern Conference final is no small achievement, but the loss likely leaves many with a sense of “what if,” as the postseason finally has arrived. What follows are our final five takeaways of the Lions’ 10th year in MLS.
Bland Start
For a team that usually does not dominate possession, the Red Bulls came out of the gate on the front foot and likely surprised Orlando City with their early aggression. The Red Bulls started the game with the type of drive and desire that I would have assumed to see from Orlando City as the results during the playoff run where OCSC has been the aggressor were far more desirable. Instead, Orlando looked content to let the visitors dictate the pace of the game and attempted to find attacks on the counter. While there were some such chances, they proved unsuccessful.
Lack of Connectivity
Throughout the match, Orlando committed many careless giveaways. Several of these came in the team’s defensive third throughout the first quarter hour of play, but as the game wore on, some promising buildups collapsed with errant passes in the attacking half. The Lions’ passing rate in the first half was below 75%, which is uncharacteristic of their usual quality. While New York’s pressure was responsible for some of that, Orlando City players looked at times like they expected different runs or positioning from their teammates once they started to enter the final third.
Golden Opportunity Missed
Orlando City grew into the first half and started to inject more of its preferred style of play as the game hit the half-hour mark. Orlando’s best chance came in the 32nd minute when a pass from Wilder Cartagena released Designated Player Martin Ojeda down the left side of the field. Ojeda did well to run onto the ball with pace and draw the remaining two Red Bulls defenders toward him before squaring a pass for fellow DP Facundo Torres. The Uruguayan had time and space in the box to pick out a spot, but he may have felt rushed and fired his shot far too close to goalkeeper Carlos Coronel. Torres will likely lament his shot placement and a missed opportunity that could have put his team ahead before halftime. It was a relatively easy save for the goalkeeper, and in that moment, one would expect a player of Torres’ quality to do better after Orlando had executed a perfect buildup.
One is Enough
It is ironic that the deciding and lone goal of the match came from a set piece, as Orlando was one of the league’s best during the year in not conceding goals from set pieces. The shocking moment came before most fans were likely back in their seats from their halftime beverage run and bathroom breaks. Ivan Angulo committed an unnecessary foul on the right side of the penalty box, setting up a free kick by the left-footed John Tolkin. The kick had plenty of pace and was swinging in toward the far post. Andres Reyes made an unimpeded run to the post as the Orlando City defense left him completely unmarked. Reyes made good contact with his free header, leaving no chance for Pedro Gallese to make a save. It was New York’s only shot on target of the night, meaning the Orlando defense allowed just one shot on target — and 14 total shot attempts — in the team’s final two playoff games of 2024.
No Late Magic Off the Bench
The final 45 minutes plus stoppage time of game play after the breakthrough goal involved Orlando sending on every attacking component that the coaching staff could muster, looking for an equalizer. Duncan McGuire, Luis Muriel, Jack Lynn, and Nico Lodeiro all entered the match as second-half substitutes, looking to change the outcome. The Lions were unable to muster many successful looks, as New York looked to pack in the defense and grind out the game. Ultimately, with no goal to show for their efforts and by allowing the NYRB to score on their only shot attempt on target, the Lions came up just a little short of advancing to the clubs’ first-ever MLS Cup final.
Those are our takeaways from a 1-0 home playoff loss to the New York Red Bulls. The 2024 season will be remembered as a long and winding one, which started in Victoria, British Columbia and ended with the first conference final appearance in team history. Let us know what your takeaways were in the comments below and as always, vamos Orlando!
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