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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Colorado Rapids: Final Score 2-1 as Lions Come Back Again

After falling behind, Cristian Higuita and Yoshimar Yotún bring the Cardiac Cats back with second-half goals.

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7 years ago

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Carlos Romero, The Mane Land

The large traveling contingent of Orlando City fans were treated to another Cardiac Cats performance with the Lions coming back to win 2-1 over the Colorado Rapids at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. The announced crowd of 15,702 saw the Rapids take a first-half lead on Dominique Badji’s goal, but Cristian Higuita’s rocket and Yoshimar Yotún’s penalty-kick goal turned the game around and the Lions held on after some nervy late moments.

Orlando City (5-2-1, 16 points) has won its fifth straight game for just the second time in its MLS existence — the league’s longest such streak this season. The Lions handed Colorado (2-3-2, 8 points) its first home loss and improved to 3-0-1 in the series, while winning consecutive road matches for the first time since September of 2015.

Jason Kreis made only one change from last weekend against San Jose, moving Justin Meram into the starting lineup for Stefano Pinho. On the bench, he swapped out former Rapids midfielder Dillon Powers for Richie Laryea.

The Lions started the match sluggishly, spending the first five minutes in their own end, as Colorado pressed high and Orlando failed to string accurate passes together. The Rapids worked for five corner kicks between the 16th and 25th minutes, and there were some nervy minutes as the Lions tried to clear the ball cleanly, but Colorado was unable to find the net with any of them, although Tommy Smith did head one off the post.

Enzo Martinez blasted one from 30 yards out that forced Joe Bendik to parry over the bar.

But the breakthrough started in Colorado’s own end. Badji made a run off the two center backs and Martinez found him over the top as both Lamine Sané and Amro Tarek raised their hands to appeal for offside. The flag stayed down and Bendik got himself caught in between, as he didn’t have enough time to come out but he tried to anyway. Meanwhile, Sané loafed back expecting the call that never came and Badji slotted the ball into the lower right corner. Badji’s score was the first for the Rapids in four meetings with Orlando City.

Whether the play was offside or not, referee José Carlos Rivero never went over to the monitor to review it.

The goal seemed to wake Orlando up, however. After Sané made a good 1-v-1 stop in his own penalty area on Joe Mason at the 32-minute mark, the Lions started to see more and more of the possession.

Chris Mueller started seeing more of the ball and his run forward in the 35th minute broke down when his give-and-go pass attempt to Dom Dwyer was just a tad off line. Two minutes later, Dwyer had a 2-v-1 but his cross for Justin Meram was blocked and Mueller subsequently won a corner. The Lions took it short and got no scoring chance out of their first set piece opportunity of the game. Sigh. #BanShortCorners

In the 39th minute, Meram took a pass at the top of the box and blasted a shot that Jack Price blocked. Yotún followed with a try from at least 35 yards out, but it was well off target. A minute later, Meram centered the ball for Sacha Kljestan, who missed the Lions’ best chance of the half, smashing the ball straight at goalkeeper Zac MacMath, when either side would have produced an equalizer.

Two minutes after that, Kljestan found Dwyer, but the ball wouldn’t settle for him as he tried to cut inside the defender on to his left foot. The ball deflected to Kljestan while bouncing and he couldn’t keep his half-volley attempt on frame. Orlando’s final opportunity of the half came in the 45th minute, when Mueller made a superb turn and crossed in for Dwyer. The ball cleared MacMath, but Dwyer was undercut by Deklan Wynne and he couldn’t get on top of the cross to head it on frame. No foul was given, but then no foul for handball was given on the other end when the ball inadvertently hit Sané’s hand.

The teams went to the break with Colorado leading. Each team had six shots (4-1 on target for the Rapids), Orlando held 56% possession.

Orlando City was the more aggressive and comfortable side through most of the second half. Will Johnson came forward and blasted a shot on goal four minutes after the restart but MacMath was able to save it off the bounce without spilling it. Two minutes later, Meram destroyed a ball that MacMath fought off the goal post to keep the snakebitten City winger off the score sheet.

But just one minute after that, the Lions equalized. Kljestan intercepted a clearance in space at the top of the area and dished off for Higuita, who blasted one into the upper right corner to knot the game at 1-1 in the 52nd minute. Higuita’s goal was Orlando’s first in Colorado since joining MLS, albeit in only two trips there.

Orlando nearly found a break to take the lead in the 55th minute when Mueller unlocked the defense with a pass for Dwyer, but it had just a bit too much mustard on it and Dom couldn’t run it down. Meram fired over the bar two minutes later, and Mueller’s ball for Dwyer was too high off the ground to be controlled in the 61st minute. By the time Dom settled it, the defense had made a sliding tackle to dispossess him as the striker was winding up for the shot.

From that point on, Colorado made a series of fouls in what had already been a physical game, with several Rapids booked. In the midst of that, Sané nearly gifted the Rapids a goal when he ignored an open Johnson and instead made an awful back pass intended for Bendik that was intercepted by Yannick Boli, forcing Joe to make a point-blank save.

In the 76th minute, it was one foul too many for Colorado as Dillon Serna clipped Yotún as Meram played him in with a back heel pass to set up a possible 2-v-1 with Dwyer. Before Yoshi could reach the ball, Serna clipped his leg and sent him to the turf for a penalty.

Yotún took the spot kick himself and sent MacMath the wrong way, but it’s doubtful the Rapids’ keeper could have stopped it if he guessed correctly, as the Peruvian blasted it confidently into the inside netting just inside the right post. The 77th-minute strike pushed Orlando into the lead for the first time.

Yotún’s goal served as a wake-up for Colorado, as the Rapids started threading in passes, finding heads with crosses, and just generally being extremely dangerous for the remainder of the match. Serna ripped a laser shot wide in the 80th minute and a minute later Bendik had to get off his line quickly to beat Boli to a ball over the top.

Mueller could have put the game out of reach in the 82nd, as Meram slipped him down the right side of the penalty area. The rookie’s first touch took him a bit wider and then he fired wide of the near post on what could have been the insurance marker.

The Rapids got the ball in behind in the 87th minute but it was knocked wide for a goal kick, then Serna sent another rocket over the bar on a Tarek turnover in the 88th. In the 92nd minute, Serna thought he’d tied the game when he slipped through the defense but Mohamed El-Munir came out of nowhere to make a sliding block of the shot with Bendik well beaten.

Two more glancing headers went wide in the 93rd and 96th minutes, and the whistle finally blew on Orlando City’s fifth consecutive victory.

The late flurry allowed the Rapids to out-shoot the Lions, 16-12 (and 6-5 on target). Orlando held 56% of the possession and completed 82% of its passes compared to Colorado’s 79%. The concerning thing would be the 11-1 advantage the Rapids enjoyed on corner kicks.

Still, it’s a road win in a difficult environment, and not a game previous Orlando City teams would have likely won. With tougher opponents on the horizon, any away win is a good one, and Orlando will need to continue to work on dead ball situations and fix a few things the Rapids were able to do before more talented teams start doing those things.

The Lions return to action next Sunday at home against Real Salt Lake at 5 p.m. ET.

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Orlando City

Orlando City Releases Full 2025 Preseason Schedule

The Lions will face three MLS sides, a Brazilian Serie A club, a USL Championship team, and a Canadian Premier League side this preseason.

Published

8 hours ago

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January 24, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

On the eve of Orlando City’s first preseason friendly of the team’s 2025 camp — and 11 days into training — the club has released its full schedule for the remainder of the preseason. The Lions will play six matches, calling two of them “friendlies” and the other four “scrimmages,” but they all amount to competitive minutes for the squad ahead of the 2025 MLS regular season.

Two of the games are open to the general public, including Saturday’s FC Series friendly against Atletico Mineiro and the Feb. 14 preseason finale against Inter Miami at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. In addition, season ticket members can access a preseason scrimmage against CF Montreal on Feb. 8. Club staff will reach out to season ticket members with the details for that game. The other three scrimmages will be closed door.

The preseason schedule is similar this year to what the club has had for the last several years under Oscar Pareja, with mostly closed scrimmages and a mixture of MLS and other assorted competition.

After facing the Brazil Serie A side on Saturday, the Lions will head to Mexico for a week of training and team bonding, with one scrimmage against Forge FC from the Canadian Premier League. Orlando City will play three MLS clubs in the preseason, along with one team each from the Canadian Premier League and the USL Championship.

Orlando City will kick off its 2025 regular season at home against the Philadelphia Union at Inter&Co Stadium on Saturday, Feb. 22 at 7:30 p.m.

2025 Orlando City Preseason Schedule

  • Saturday, Jan. 25 — Preseason friendly vs. Atletico Mineiro at Inter&Co Stadium
  • Sunday, Jan. 26 — Preseason camp opens in Mexico
  • Tuesday, Jan. 28 — Preseason scrimmage vs. Forge FC (Closed Door)
  • Wednesday, Feb. 5 — Preseason scrimmage vs. Atlanta United (Closed Door)
  • Saturday, Feb. 8 — Preseason scrimmage vs. CF Montreal (Season Ticket Members Exclusive Match)
  • Tuesday, Feb. 11 — Preseason scrimmage vs. Rhode Island FC (Closed Door)
  • Friday, Feb. 14 — Preseason friendly vs. Inter Miami at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/24/25

Cesar Araujo will reportedly stay in Orlando, USMNT takeaways, MLS transfer news, and much more.

Published

11 hours ago

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January 24, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday! It should be a pretty decent weekend with plenty of soccer to enjoy both in Orlando and abroad. Orlando City’s first preseason game is Saturday against Atletico Mineiro at Inter&Co Stadium. While I won’t be in attendance, I’m looking forward to learning how they do. But for now, let’s jump into today’s links!

Cesar Araujo Will Reportedly Stay in Orlando

There have been rumors and reports swirling around regarding midfielder Cesar Araujo leaving Orlando City this off-season. However, the 23-year-old will reportedly stay in Orlando for the 2025 season according to Tom Bogert. Uruguayan club Nacional has reportedly been trying to sign Araujo while he has a year left on his contract.

Sources: Cesar Araujo to stay at Orlando City.Nacional tried to sign him this winter but plan is for Araujo to stay. One year left on his contract and Orlando will still work on a new contract but know the team is better if he stays. Prioritizing 2025 over small transfer fee.

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2025-01-24T01:07:39.303Z

It makes all the sense in the world for Orlando to want to keep Araujo in the center of its midfield for 2025. He’s been incredible since joining Orlando back in 2022 and has been integral to the club’s success in recent years. Clubs were always going to come knocking for Araujo’s talents, but I expect it would take a hefty offer for the Lions to let him go before his contract is up.

Takeaways From USMNT January Camp

While the United States Men’s National Team’s January camp usually isn’t too impactful, this year’s edition had some extra intrigue due to some standout performances across the two friendly wins. Zack Steffen had a statement game against Costa Rica, making a few sensational saves to secure a clean sheet. He needed a game like that to stay in the mix for the starting job after a rough season with the Colorado Rapids. Striker Patrick Agyemang played his first two USMNT games this month and scored in both, making the most of his opportunity. Diego Luna taking an elbow to the face and coming back out to assist on the team’s first goal against Costa Rica is also the kind of moment that could earn him more looks in the future.

MLS Transfer News Roundup

MLS teams other than Orlando City continue to make moves ahead of the 2025 season. The exodus from FC Dallas rolls on, as Alan Velasco was officially transferred to Boca Juniors in Argentina for a reported $12 million transfer fee. Dallas also traded center back Nkosi Tafari to LAFC in exchange for $300,000 in 2026 General Allocation Money and an international roster slot.

The Karol Swiderski era in Charlotte is over, as the club transferred him to Panathinaikos for a reported transfer fee of $2 million. Real Salt Lake added a young striker, signing 20-year-old Ariath Piol from MacArthur FC in Australia. Nashville SC signed American goalkeeper Brian Schwake from CD Castellon in Spain’s second division to provide more depth behind Joe Willis. Austin FC’s busy off-season continued by signing Zan Kolmanic to a new contract through 2026. The club is also reportedly closer to signing forward Myrto Uzuni for a club-record fee.

Europa League First Phase Nears Conclusion

Lazio is the only team to guarantee a spot in the Europa League’s round of 16 so far, doing so after a 3-1 win over Real Sociedad. English clubs Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur edged closer to securing a spot. A late winner from Bruno Fernandes gave United a 2-1 victory against Rangers, while Tottenham beat Hoffenheim 3-2 thanks to a brace from Heung-Min Son. The upset of the round belonged to Latvian club FK RFS, which took down Ajax in a 1-0 win at home. Eintracht Frankfurt, Union Saint-Gilloise, and Midtjylland also picked up wins this week. This phase of the tournament will wrap up with 18 games on Thursday.

Free Kicks

  • Bay FC bought out Deyna Castellanos’ contract, with the midfielder joining the Portland Thorns as a free agent soon after.
  • After a vote approving funds to repair Al Lang Stadium, the Tampa Bay Rowdies announced that they will play there for their upcoming USL Championship season.

That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/23/25

Orlando City signs Thomas Williams to new contract, Orlando Pride schedule revealed, USMNT wins against Costa Rica, and more.

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1 day ago

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January 23, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

I hope you all are staying warm as we deal with cold weather across Florida. It’s at least been nice to break out some of my heavier blankets and forgotten hot cocoa packets I’ve had stored away. My cat has also been curling up next to me more, which is always a plus. Still, not shivering while waiting for my car to warm up would be great. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Thomas Williams Signs New Orlando City Contract

Orlando City center back Thomas Williams signed a new contract with the club that lasts through 2026, with an option for 2027 as well. Williams joined the club’s academy back in 2015 and became the youngest Homegrown Player in club history when he signed a first-team contract at 16 years old in 2021. The 20-year-old hasn’t featured much for the first team, and he’ll likely spend most of this year with Orlando City B for consistent playing time. Hopefully Williams can take a step forward in his development and provide the Lions some helpful depth at center back in the event of injuries.

Orlando Pride 2025 Season Schedule Unveiled

The NWSL announced its 2025 season schedule Wednesday, and the Orlando Pride will start their title defense season at home against the Chicago Red Stars on March 14. Their first road game will be the following weekend on March 23 against NJ/NY Gotham FC. Decision Day returns to the schedule this year, with all 14 clubs in action on Nov. 2. The Pride will close out their regular season at home that day against the Seattle Reign, with the postseason set to begin on Nov. 7. There’s also a break in the schedule in July, with no regular-season games scheduled due to international tournaments like the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and Copa America Femenina.

USMNT Shuts Out Costa Rica in Orlando

The United States Men’s National Team beat Costa Rica 3-0 at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando Wednesday night to stay perfect at the home of the Lions and Pride at 7-0-0. Goalkeeper Zack Steffen truly earned his clean sheet, coming up with some great saves to deny Costa Rica. It was also a solid attacking performance from the Yanks, and Patrick Agyemang put a bow on what’s been a great month for him with his second goal in as many games. Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has some time to assess things before the USMNT plays Panama in the Concacaf Nations League semifinals on March 20

Keeping Up With MLS Transfer News

San Diego FC added another Designated Player ahead of its inaugural season, signing Danish winger Anders Dreyer from Anderlecht for a transfer fee reportedly near $5 million. He recorded 31 goals and 23 assists in 87 appearances across all competitions for Anderlecht and joins San Diego on a three-year deal. Charlotte FC officially added Wilfried Zaha on loan from Galatasaray. He’ll occupy a DP spot and the loan lasts through Jan. 16, 2026, with an option to extend it through June of that year as well.

LAFC made a trade with its rival to strengthen its midfield, acquiring Mark Delgado from the LA Galaxy in exchange for $400,000 in General Allocation Money. The Portland Timbers signed Venezuelan forward Kevin Kelsy from Shakhtar Donetsk as an MLS U22 Initiative player, with FC Cincinnati receiving GAM for his discovery rights. Real Salt Lake, which signed Mason Stajduhar from Orlando City earlier this month, continued to make changes to its goalkeeping group. The club signed veteran goalkeeper Rafael Cabral as a free agent and transferred 19-year-old American Gavin Beavers to Brondby IF in Denmark.

UEFA Champions League Roundup

The penultimate round of the UEFA Champions League’s league phase wrapped up this week. Paris Saint-Germain beat Manchester City 4-2 in the heavyweight matchup of the round, with all six goals coming in the second half. Joao Neves gave PSG the lead in the 78th minute before Goncalo Ramos put the game on ice in stoppage time. City now needs to win its final game against Club Brugge on Wednesday in order to advance.

Real Madrid cruised to a 5-1 win against RB Salzburg to advance, with both Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr. scoring braces. Celtic also booked its spot in the next round after a 1-0 win against Young Boys. Feyenoord pulled off an upset by winning 3-0 against Bayern Munich as well. Elsewhere in the tournament, AC Milan won 1-0 at home against Girona, Arsenal beat Dinamo Zagreb 3-0, and RB Leipzig did well in a 2-1 victory over Sporting CP.

Free Kicks

  • American goalkeeper Michelle Betos announced her retirement from professional soccer after a career that included winning the 2016 NWSL Shield with the Portland Thorns and the 2023 NWSL Championship with Gotham. Betos was also named NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year with the Thorns in 2015.
  • Arsenal and Chelsea are among the multiple clubs reportedly keeping an eye on American forward Trinity Rodman, whose contract with the Washington Spirit ends after this year.
https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/1882171400481542482

That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a great Thursday and rest of your week!

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