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Orlando City vs. Vancouver Whitecaps: Final Score 5-2 as Shorthanded Lions Fall on the Road

A wasteful first half and a second half sending off doomed the Lions to their fifth straight loss in league play.

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7 years ago

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Deon Cooper, The Mane Land

Less than a month ago, Orlando City fans were enjoying a six-game winning streak and the Lions were charging towards the top of the Eastern Conference table. Now, after a 5-2 beat-down at the hands of the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday, City is reeling from five straight losses and is flirting with a dip below the red line.

Saturday night’s loss came over 3,000 miles from home in British Columbia, and the lopsided score was due in large part to the Lions facing the final half hour-plus of the match down a man following the questionable sending off of Mohamed El-Munir. The Caps ran riot late against 10-man Orlando, and Kei Kamara led the way with a brace in the win for Vancouver. Orlando fell to 0-3-1 in four MLS matches against the Whitecaps.

The first half was a familiar refrain for Orlando City (6-7-1, 19 points), which controlled the possession and out-shot Vancouver (6-5-5, 23 points) only to find itself on the wrong end of a 1-0 scoreline at the break.

The Lions were unable to find an end product and saw chances from Will Johnson, Sacha Kljestan, and Chris Mueller go unfinished, with Kljestan’s 1-v-1 opportunity feeling particularly wasteful. The Caps, meanwhile, took advantage of a clear-cut chance off an Orlando giveaway in minute 36, when Kamara put Vancouver up 1-0 with a finish on the counter after Cristian Higuita gave the ball away near midfield. Alphonso Davies gained possession off Higuita’s mishap and, after a long gallop up the left side, proceeded to pull one back for Kamara for the right-footed finish past Joe Bendik.

City ultimately went into the locker room down a goal despite owning the edge in shots (8-4), possession (57%-43%), and passing percentage (86%-81%).

Vancouver (6-5-5, 23 points) came out of the break on the front foot, however, creating a couple of chances in the first two minutes of the second half. None of the early chances amounted to anything, and after Josué Colmán sent a free kick high and wide, and Justin Meram was dispossessed in the box to waste a ball into the Vancouver area, things got a lot tougher for Orlando in minute 58.

Jake Nerwinski was making his way up the right flank when El-Munir — who was booked in the first half — made a challenge from behind in an effort to separate the right back from the ball. The contact that ensued probably constituted a foul, but it hardly seemed worthy of a yellow. Regardless, El-Munir was shown his second yellow in harsh fashion and the Lions went down to 10 men with over half an hour remaining. El-Munir will miss the next two matches due to both the sending off and yellow card accumulation.

Despite the setback, Orlando City didn’t take long to flip the momentum on its head. Following a 63rd-minute substitution that put Dom Dwyer on the pitch in place of Higuita, the Lions leveled things up on a Kljestan goal that was assisted by Tony Rocha. Rocha sent in a pretty ball from the left side that Kljestan finished nicely across the face of goal, but a run from Colmán was what set it all up. The Paraguayan made a nice turn in the middle of the park and charged forward on the left, beating several defenders before dishing the Rocha on the right wing.

The shorthanded Lions had managed to make a game of it, but it didn’t take long for things to unravel for the 10-man side as the floodgates opened for Vancouver.

It started in the 76th minute when a scramble in the box led to a low, hard shot from the edge of the box that Bendik stopped but couldn’t manage to corral. The rebound went straight to Davies, who tapped in to give the Caps a 2-1 advantage. That lead grew in the 85th minute after Amro Tarek made a sliding challenge on Yordy Reyna in the 84th minute and caught Reyna’s foot studs up in the box. The penalty wasn’t initially awarded, but after a quick review the ruling was changed and Kamara coolly slotted home from the spot for his second goal of the evening and a 3-1 Vancouver advantage.

Things only got worse from there as the snowball continued to roll downhill against a tired, undermanned Orlando City side. The Caps were getting out on the break often, and after Kamara made a charging run up the left side in the 87th minute and played a ball across the box, Reyna tapped home for a 4-1 lead. That lead grew again to 5-1 when Nicolás Mezquida fired past Bendik into the corner after yet another run out by Vancouver against a gassed City defense.

Dwyer made the scoreboard look a little better when he tucked one home in the 94th minute. It was Dwyer’s first appearance since May 13, so it was perhaps a silver lining that he looked healthy and quickly got back to his scoring ways with goal No. 7 on the season.

Saturday night’s match was the third of four straight away from home for Orlando, which will take on Montreal on Wednesday to close out that stretch. It’s a stretch that hasn’t been kind to the Lions so far outside of a U.S. Open Cup win over an inferior Miami United side, but the final match of the trip offers hope against an 11th-place Montreal side.

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Lion Links: 4/18/25

Orlando City set to play the Tampa Bay Rowdies, Lions reach Generation Adidas Cup semifinals, Angel City hires Alexander Straus, and more.

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2 hours ago

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April 18, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday! I hope today finds you well as we gear up for another Saturday filled with soccer to enjoy. I don’t have many plans this Easter weekend beyond working, catching soccer when I can, and playing Baldur’s Gate 3 for the first time if I find some spare hours. Let’s dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Orlando City Learns U.S. Open Cup Opponents

Orlando City’s 2025 U.S. Open Cup campaign will begin on the road against the Tampa Bay Rowdies on May 7 at 7:30 p.m. in what will be the latest edition of the I-4 Derby. It will be Orlando’s first game of this year’s tournament, while the Rowdies joined in the previous round and got past FC Naples in penalties. The Rowdies have lost four of their five games so far this season in the USL Championship and fired Robbie Neilson as head coach earlier this month. The Lions also notably would have hosting priority if they reach the round of 16, where they will play either Nashville SC or the Chattanooga Red Wolves.

Here’s the full schedule for the round of 32, which includes some interesting matchups across the country. The Tacoma Defiance are the only MLS NEXT Pro side left and will face the Portland Timbers, while the New York Red Bulls will have a long road trip to take on the Colorado Springs Switchbacks.

Lions Advance to Generation Adidas Cup Semifinals

Orlando City’s U-18 team beat Real Salt Lake 1-0 in the Generation Adidas Cup to secure a spot in the semifinals. The Young Lions have won four of their five games of the tournament and will take on Santos Laguna in the semifinal on Saturday. The winner of that match will face whichever team becomes victorious in the other semifinal between Atlanta United and the Colorado Rapids.

The U-16 team’s run in the Premier bracket is also going strong after a 1-0 win over Bayern Munich, and Orlando will take on the New England Revolution in the semifinals on Saturday.

Angel City FC Hires Alexander Straus

Bayern Munich’s Alexander Straus was named Angel City FC’s next head coach and will officially join the club on June 1. The Norwegian coach has won back-to-back Bundesliga titles and has Bayern positioned well to make it three straight this season. He’ll join an Angel City team that’s unbeaten in its first four games of the season under interim head coach Sam Laity, who will stay on as an assistant coach once Straus joins.

Europa League Quarterfinals End In Dramatic Fashion

Old Trafford hosted one of the wildest games in Europa League history, with Manchester United and Lyon battling for a spot in the quarterfinals. United scored twice in the first half, then conceded twice in the second, sending the game to extra time. Lyon took the lead despite being a man down and then the teams traded penalty kicks as the madness continued. Casemiro orchestrated Manchester’s victory in the end, assisting on two late goals within a minute of each other to beat Lyon 5-4 and advance. This United fan pretty much sums up just how much of a rollercoaster this match was.

There was also drama in Italy, as Lazio came back in the second leg to force extra time against Bodo/Glimt. The match went to penalties and Bodo/Glimt goalkeeper Nikitka Haikin denied former New York City FC player Taty Castellanos from the spot to book his team’s place in the semifinals. Although Tottenham was without Son Heung-Min, it got the job done in a 1-0 road win against Eintracht Frankfurt, while Athletic Club beat Rangers 2-0 in Spain to advance as well. In the semifinals, Tottenham will face Bodo/Glimt and Manchester United will take on Athletic Club.

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

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Orlando City

Orlando City at CF Montreal: Three Keys to Victory

What do the Lions need to do to earn all three points on the road against Montreal?

Published

23 hours ago

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April 17, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City heads to the Great White North to take on CF Montreal. The Canadian squad sits in last place in not just the Eastern Conference but also the entire MLS, with only two points from a pair of draws. To say it’s not been a good start to the season is an understatement. Of course, it’s exactly that type of situation that makes it feel like a trap. What does Orlando City need to do to take all three points against CF Montreal?

Designated Goal Scorers

What do you do if you haven’t scored a goal in the last two matches? You play a team that has given up 13 goals in eight matches with a -9 goal differential. Montreal doesn’t have the worst defense in the league — I’m looking at you, D.C. United — but it’s not far off. That presents an opportunity for Orlando City to get back on track when it comes to scoring goals.

Through the first six matches of the season, Orlando City was leading the league in scoring with 15 goals. Over the last two matches, the spigot has dried up. The Lions must seize on this opportunity to create and finish their chances. Much like earlier in the season, I want to see Luis Muriel, Martin Ojeda, and Marco Pasalic lead the way. If anyone can get the first goal, then I’m hopeful the dam will break and the scoring drought will be over.

Keep it Clean

There is some good news of late when it comes to the Orlando City defense. The club has two clean sheets over the last two matches, and that is without Cesar Araujo. There is also some bad news, given Rodrigo Schlegel will be serving his red card suspension this match. That means David Brekalo will move back to center back with Robin Jansson, and Oscar Pareja will have to employ either Rafael Santos or Kyle Smith at left back. Santos has been less than good so far this season.

Montreal has scored a paltry four goals so far in 2025, but two of them have come from striker Prince Owusu. The defense will also need to deal with Caden Clark facilitating in the midfield. I get that this isn’t a prolific attack. Montreal has not looked very good this season and is looking for both its first win and its first points of any sort at home. That means the hosts may be desperate for a result, and desperate is often dangerous. How well the defense does — in particular, how well Santos does if he plays — may determine if Montreal is able to break out of its slump. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.

Give the Midfield Time

Before the last match, I was a little worried about the midfield. Having both Araujo and Eduard Atuesta out at the same time seemed to be a concern. Now, after seeing how well Joran Gerbet and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson worked together against the New York Red Bulls, I’m way less worried. If Araujo and Atuesta need a little more time to get fully healthy, then let them. The Franco/Icelandic combo seems to be a potent one.

Of course, if the normal starters are ready, then by all means bring them back, but maybe not until the 60th minute. Perhaps Pareja could even mix and match. One never knows how yellow card suspensions or minor injuries will affect player availability. This is a good match for Gerbet and Thorhallsson to work their magic.

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: 4/17/25

Oscar Pareja signs new contract with Orlando City, Orlando Pride prepare for the Washington Spirit, Orlando’s youth teams win, and more.

Published

1 day ago

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April 17, 2025

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I can’t believe we’re already into the back half of April and Easter is right around the corner. There’s plenty of soccer to enjoy between now and then and we also have the draw for the U.S. Open Cup’s round of 32 this morning at 9:15. MLS teams are finally joining the fray, so we’ll see where the chips fall for Orlando City. Let’s get to the links!

Oscar Pareja Signs New Contract

Orlando City and Head Coach Oscar Pareja have agreed to a new three-year contract that will keep him in the City Beautiful through 2028. Pareja was hired as Orlando’s fourth head coach in its MLS era back in December of 2019 and he’s led the Lions to the playoffs in all five seasons he’s been at the helm.  Under Pareja, the Lions won the U.S. Open Cup in 2022, set club records in points and wins in 2023, and reached the Eastern Conference final for the first time last year. This year was the final one on the contract he signed in December of 2023, so it’s nice to know Pareja will be sticking around in the future.

Orlando Pride Prepare for the Washington Spirit

The Orlando Pride will look to make it five wins in a row when they host the Washington Spirit on Saturday in another rematch of last year’s final. While this is the first match between Orlando and Washington this season, the two clashed in the NWSL Challenge Cup on March 7 and the Spirit lifted the trophy after a penalty shootout. Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on how the team has grown since that game and has benefitted from depth and consistency carried over from last year.

Orlando City Youth Teams Win in Bradenton

Orlando City’s U-18 team won in the Generation Adidas Cup’s round of 16, beating St. Louis City 1-0 to advance to the quarterfinals. The Young Lions remain unbeaten in that age group and will take on a Real Salt Lake team that also won its group and just beat Toronto FC in a penalty shootout following a scoreless draw.

Orlando’s U-16 squad didn’t qualify for the Championship bracket, but still advanced in the Premier bracket. After a 1-1 draw with Toronto, Orlando prevailed in the ensuing penalty shootout and will play Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals.

UEFA Champions League Semifinals Are Set

The quarterfinals for this year’s UEFA Champions League are over and only four teams remain in the tournament. Arsenal secured its spot in the semifinals after an impressive 2-1 road win against Real Madrid that included two assists from Mikel Merino. The Spanish club couldn’t muster its usual magic in the tournament and forward Kylian Mbappe exited in the second half due to injury. In Italy, Inter Milan held on for a 2-2 draw against Bayern to advance on aggregate, with defender Benjamin Pavard scoring a crucial goal for Inter against his old team. The semifinals will take place at the end of the month and will feature Arsenal taking on Paris Saint-Germain and Inter going up against Barcelona.

Free Kicks

  • Our thoughts go out to the friends and family of former FC Cincinnati player Aaron Boupendza, who died after falling from the 11th floor of a building in China.
  • The Chicago Fire are reportedly strongly interested in signing star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne on a free transfer. If any Western Conference teams could join the hunt for him, that would be great.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

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