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Orlando City vs. Atlanta United: Final Score 4-0 as Lions Drop Eighth Straight League Contest

The downward spiral continues for Orlando City after another loss, this time at the hands of the top team in MLS.

Published

8 years ago

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Orlando City was in a tough spot on Saturday night. The Lions were looking to put an end to a seven-game league losing streak, but they were challenged to do it against the top club in the MLS table, Atlanta United (11-3-4, 37 points), on the road in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Those aren’t exactly the ingredients for a turnaround performance, but stranger things have happened.

Well, they didn’t happen on Saturday. Orlando (6-10-1, 19 points) left Atlanta with its eighth straight MLS loss, this time a 4-0 loss led by a brace from Miguel Almiron.

Bobby Murphy stuck with the 3-4-3, opting to play defensively and look for counter-attack opportunities.

Atlanta United didn’t let City hang around and build confidence at all, getting the party started right out of the gate in the third minute, thanks to the right foot of Josef Martinez. Orlando’s plan to absorb pressure quickly backfired as Julian Gressel played a pretty, curling ball in from the right flank that found its way past Amro Tarek and Lamine Sane before connecting with the on-running Martinez, who slotted it home into the bottom corner as he slid to ground. Joe Bendik had virtually no chance to stop it, and Atlanta went ahead very early.

The mission for the Lions very quickly became to withstand the onslaught, as United looked threatening after the early goal and appeared ready to bust the match wide open a number of times. After a careless Orlando turnover in minute five, Atlanta hit on the counter and missed a chance to make it 2-0 when a streaking Martinez played a low cross from the left that rolled all the way across the face of goal without finding a red and black foot. Once again, in minute 12, United created a dangerous situation that the Lions were fortunate to get out of when Almiron played a ball across the face of goal that deflected behind the goal off Jonathan Spector’s leg.

Things continued in the same vein for a while, with Orlando City playing on the back foot and Atlanta looking by far the more dangerous side. There were moments in the first half where the Lions appeared listless, reeling from their seven-game skid and deflated even more by Atlanta’s early goal. Things improved a bit toward the end of the half, however, and the Lions were actually a bit unlucky to go into the break a goal down.

In minute 38, Chris Mueller won a corner after corralling the ball off a set piece, spinning away from a defender, and sending the ball towards goal before it was deflected out behind for a corner. On the resulting corner, Mueller got a head on the ball that fell in the six-yard box for Spector, whose shot was deflected by Guzan and bounced around for Tarek to charge onto. The center back couldn’t put it home, however, as former Lion Mikey Ambrose got to it first and cleared it off the line. On the ensuing corner, Guzan charged out to punch the in-swinging cross but misjudged its path as he was beaten in the air by Tarek, whose header sailed just wide of the right post, and Atlanta escaped the sequence unscathed.

Will Johnson got a chance at a header at the death of the half after Hector Villalba turned it over and Tarek took advantage and sent a ball in from the left side. Johnson’s header looped over the bar, however, and the half ended 1-0 to Atlanta.

The Lions may have steadied the ship (relatively) in the first half, but a team like Atlanta, which is the highest-scoring club in MLS, can flip a game on its head quickly. A few minutes into the second half, that’s exactly what happened.

After Mueller and Tarek managed to get to the end line in the box for Orlando on back-to-back sequences, the latter managed to win a corner. The set piece went awry when Johnson whiffed on a pass and United was out on the break, and a few seconds later Almiron made it 2-0 after slotting past Bendik. Martinez had received the ball near midfield, charged forward, and dished the assist.

Just two minutes later, Ezequiel Barco made it 3-0, putting back a rebound after Almiron curled one onto the crossbar, and the rout that felt close early in the game was officially on.

Almiron put a bow on the win for Atlanta in the 78th minute when he beat a stumbling Spector and got himself into another 1-v-1 situation with Bendik, which he converted with a five-hole finish between Bendik’s legs from an acute angle.

Almiron was denied a hat trick by a Mohamed El-Munir block on a breakaway in the 85th minute and the AR’s flag was up anyway.

The Lions just couldn’t get on the scoreboard, missing a couple chances toward the end of the first half and blowing their most clear-cut chance of the night in minute 61 as well. After Uri Rosell fired a shot from distance that a diving Guzan parried back in front of goal, Johnson was unable to simply slot home into the resulting open net, instead scuffing it wide of the goal. So it went for Orlando on the evening, continuing the long run of futility that has now seen the Lions outscored 23-5 on aggregate since a loss to Atlanta started the losing streak in May. The shutout this week was the third on the spin for Orlando, which ties the club’s record.

Saturday’s match was the last that Orlando will play under Interim Head Coach Bobby Murphy, as new hire James O’Connor will take the reins and look to get things back on track following the dismissal of former Head Coach Jason Kreis. Murphy went 0-2-0 in MLS play and saw his team out-scored 6-0, but he did manage to get the team into the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals with a penalty shootout win.

Orlando City’s last league win came way back on May 6 against Real Salt Lake.

Things could yet get worse before they get better for the Lions, who travel to Los Angeles next Saturday to face a tough LAFC side.

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. FC Naples, U.S. Open Cup: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Lions start their run in the 2026 U.S. Open Cup on the road but inside the state at FC Naples.

Published

8 hours ago

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April 15, 2026

By

Image of Martin Ojeda and Ivan Angulo celebrating a goal against Montreal.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to your match thread for a Wednesday night Round of 32 U.S. Open Cup matchup between Orlando City and FC Naples at the Paradise Coast Sports Complex (7 p.m., Paramount+) in Naples. This is the first time the Lions will face the USL League One side in any competition.

Here’s what you need to know ahead of the match.

History

There is literally no history between these teams. I just told you above that they’ve never met. You didn’t forget, did you?

As far as the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is concerned, the Lions have a lengthy history, including winning the competition in 2022. Orlando City is 17-9-5 all-time in the competition, 9-5-5 since becoming an MLS side. Away from Orlando, the Lions are 6-6-2 on the road in the U.S. Open Cup, 3-2-2 since joining Major League Soccer.

FC Naples, which began play in 2025, is an outstanding 4-0-1 in U.S. Open Cup play, with the only blemish being a penalty shootout loss to the Tampa Bay Rowdies in 2025, which set up Orlando City’s road match in the I-4 Derby last year.

Overview

The Lions are coming off a 1-1 road draw against the Columbus Crew on Sunday. It was a welcome change from the 5-0 and 6-0 road wins the club racked up in three previous away outings, however, it was not a victory and Orlando City has been outscored 17-1 outside the City Beautiful, posting a 0-3-1 road record.

FC Naples is coming off a 2-0 home win over Sarasota Paradise. The USL League One side sits atop the league table at 4-1-1 with all four victories coming via shutout. Naples is 3-1-1 at home this year in league play and 5-1-1 in all competitions. That includes its two previous U.S. Open Cup matches — a 3-0 win over Red Force FC on March 18 and another 3-0 win over FC America CFL Spurs on March 31.

Christopher Garcia, a 23-year-old winger from El Paso, TX, is the club’s top scorer with three goals in six league matches. He also leads FC Naples in assists with three. Forward Dominick Bachstein is just behind with two goals. Bachstein scored a goal in Naples’ last U.S. Open Cup victory, becoming the sixth different goal scorer for the club in the competition.

To start their 2026 U.S. Open Cup run off on the right foot, the Lions must avoid taking the USL League One side lightly. Naples will be at home, riding a wave of confidence from previous results, and eager to show it can compete with an MLS side — especially one struggling the way Orlando City has this year so far. Interim coach Martin Perelman will likely play a combination of young players and veterans, and it was a bit surprising to see both of the team’s Designated Players and captain Robin Jansson in social media pictures of the team boarding the plane on Tuesday. The Lions could use a confidence-building win, and perhaps that’s the idea. To do that, they’ll have to beat Edward Delgado, the goalkeeper leading USL League One in shutouts (4).

The Lions will be without Wilder Cartagena (thigh) and Joran Gerbet (knee). It’s unknown if Duncan McGuire will be available after being a late scratch over the weekend.

Match Content

Official Lineups:

Orlando City (3-4-3)

Goalkeeper: Javier Otero.

Defenders: Adrian Marin, Nolan Miller, David Brekalo.

Wingbacks/Midfielders: Tahir Reid-Brown, Luis Otavio, Braian Ojeda, Zakaria Taifi.

Forwards: Yutaro Tsukada, Justin Ellis, Tyrese Spicer.

Bench: Maxime Crepeau, Colin Guske, Eduard Atuesta, Ivan Angulo, Martin Ojeda, Marco Pasalic, Tiago.

FC Naples (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: Edward Delgado.

Defenders: Julian Cisneros, Joshua Yoder, Luca Mastrantonio, Max Glasser.

Midfielders: Kevin O’Connor, Marc Torrellas, Aiden Mesias.

Forwards: Jayden Onen, Raul Miglietti, Chris Garcia.

Bench: Joshua Grant, Hudson Gay, Tristen Rose, Ian Cerro, Juan Osorio, Taylor Gray, Dominick Bachstein.

How to Watch

Match Time: 7 p.m.

Venue: Paradise Coast Sports Complex — Naples.

TV/Streaming: Paramount+.

Social Media: For rapid reaction and live updates, follow us on Bluesky Social at @themaneland.bsky.social or follow Orlando City’s official Twitter (@OrlandoCitySC) or Bluesky (@OrlandoCitySC) feed.

Enjoy the match. Go City!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/15/26

Orlando City visits FC Naples, Champions League results, World Cup news, and more.

Published

12 hours ago

on

April 15, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s our first tax day with out Kyle “The Tax Man” Smith, but hopefully we’ll still get everything filed on time. What wasn’t in time to be included today was the USWNT friendly against Japan last night since it kicked off at 10 p.m. We will have more on that match tomorrow. Most importantly, it’s match day for Orlando City, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City’s Open Cup Begins

Orlando City is in Naples for the club’s opening match of the 2026 U.S. Open Cup. The Lions are facing USL League One side FC Naples tonight. FC Naples is a good team that currently sits first in USL League One. We can expect a few veterans to make an appearance, but we will likely see younger players like Zakaria Taifi. The team is expecting a sold-out crowd for the home team. Taifi shared his thoughts with the media ahead of the match.

Crocker to Saudi Arabia

Matt Crocker is no longer the sporting director of the U.S. Soccer Federation after taking a similar position with the Saudi Arabia soccer federation. Crocker is the person responsible for bringing in Emma Hayes and Mauricio Pochettino. The main part of his job was implementing a top-to-bottom alignment of the “U.S. Way” across all levels in the U. S. Soccer system. Saudi Arabia reportedly presented an offer that Crocker could not refuse. The timing is interesting given the World Cup is only about two months away.

Champions League Results

It was an eventful day in the UEFA Champions League. Soon-to-be Orlando City attacker Antoine Greizmann’s Atletico Madrid got past Barcelona 3-2 on aggregate to advance to the semifinals. The USMNT’s Johnny Cardoso made a late appearance to help defend the result. Much to my chagrin, PSG ousted Liverpool 2-0 (4-0 on aggregate). The other two matches are later today with Bayern Munich taking on Real Madrid and Arsenal facing Sporting CP.

World Cup News

Do you remember the feeling you had when it was announced that the World Cup would once again be played in the United States? I remember thinking how cool it was going to be to go to a match even if it meant driving hours to do so. How naive I was. A lot of the news is more like this story about the NJ Transit raising the cost of train tickets seven fold.

Several venues are also not allowing tailgating at the games, including matches at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA. We also now know the full list of referees from all six soccer confederations.

Free Kicks

  • Javier Mascherano is out at Inter Miami. I really hope this sends Inter Miami into a tailspin for the rest of the season, though I doubt it will.

That will do it for today. Check back tonight for our coverage of Orlando City’s U.S. Open Cup match. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/14/26

Americans in midweek action, USWNT set to run it back against Japan, Concacaf Champions Cup preview, and more.

Published

1 day ago

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April 14, 2026

By

Image of Martin Perelman celebrating his first MLS win as coach.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone. We’ve got an extremely busy week ahead of us, as the United States Women’s National Team plays two matches, Orlando City plays in the U.S. Open Cup and Major League Soccer, and Orlando City B is back home after falling at Chattanooga on Saturday. All of that action means we’ve got a lot to discuss this morning, so let’s have a look at the links.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans taking part in matches this week so let’s check in on some of the biggest ones. Things got started on Monday as Brenden Aaronson picked up an assist on the winning goal in Leeds United’s 2-1 win over Manchester United. Tuesday sees Atletico Madrid try to preserve its 2-0 aggregate lead over Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League, although Johnny Cardoso is out injured. Tuesday also has Alejandro Zendejas and Club America facing Nashville SC in the Concacaf Champions Cup, with the tie level at 0-0. Thursday has Chris Richards and Crystal Palace trying to protect a 3-0 lead over Fiorentina in the UEFA Conference League. Things finish up on Friday when Haji Wright and Coventry City travel to Blackburn Rovers in the EFL Championship.

USWNT vs. Japan Part II: Electric Boogaloo

The United States Women’s National Team will play the second of three matches against Japan tonight, with this contest set to take place in Seattle after Saturday’s 2-1 win in San Jose. The first match was all about Rose Lavelle as she scored one goal for the USWNT and assisted on the other, but there are some other areas to watch in this one. Manager Emma Hayes will likely ring the rotations after just two days of rest, so someone other than Lavelle will need to step up and be the difference maker. It was good to see the Yanks pick up a victory after losing to Japan in the 2025 SheBelieves Cup, but goalkeeper Claudia Dickey had to make six saves on the night, and Hayes will likely want a stingier performance from the back line. Kickoff is set for 10 pm tonight.

Concacaf Champions Cup Preview

As mentioned earlier, the Concacaf Champions Cup is back tonight, and there are several MLS teams attempting to book passage through to the semifinals. LAFC is in the best position, as it holds a 3-0 lead over Cruz Azul, although the second leg will be played in Mexico. Regardless, grabbing even one away goal should be enough to see the California-based side through to the semis. Nashville is level at 0-0 with Club America but has a tough task ahead with the second leg set to be played at the Azteca. The Seattle Sounders are down 2-0 to Tigres but will play the second leg at Lumen Field and will need their home field advantage to pay off. The LA Galaxy got roughed up 4-2 by Toluca in the first leg but did score two away goals. You’d bet on the Galaxy to score in the comfortable confines of Dignity Health Sports Park, but the trick is going to be holding Toluca scoreless for just the second time in the last 14 matches across all competitions.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

The summer transfer window will be upon us before we know it, so it’s important to stay abreast of all the current rumors. Bayern Munich has reportedly held talks with Anthony Gordon’s representatives about a summer move, although no contact has been made with Newcastle United as of yet. Speaking of Newcastle United, the Magpies could reportedly be involved in a swap deal with Manchester United that would see Manuel Ugarte join Newcastle while Sandro Tonali moves the other way. Moving to Ligue 1, Ousmane Dembele is reportedly stalling on signing a new contract with Paris Saint-Germain, and whispers are starting about a move to Saudi Arabia or the Premier League. Finally, Endrick’s loan spell at Lyon has seen him record eight goal contributions in 11 league games, and Real Madrid is reportedly prepared to sell Gonzalo Garcia in order to make room for the Brazilian in the Spanish capital.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City dropped one spot to no.27 in ESPN.com’s MLS power rankings.
  • Winners from MLS matchday seven include Julian Hall and German Berterame, while Mikey Varas and Emmanuel Latte Lath found themselves on the other end of the spectrum.
  • A horrible break for the Columbus Crew has been confirmed, as Wessam Abou Ali tore his ACL in Sunday’s match.

That’s all I’ve got for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!

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