Hello, Mane Landers! It was a good weekend for our teams as both Orlando City and the Pride won their respective matches. I was busy at Under Armour all weekend, as well as managing the broadcast operations for the NISA league’s matches. There is plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Pick Up Key Road Win at Philadelphia Union

On Saturday, Orlando City held on for a 3-2 win on the road against the Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park. Luis Muriel scored his first two MLS goals for the Lions, and Duncan McGuire added one. Nico Lodeiro had an assist on all three goals for the Lions, recording his 15th career multi-assist game. Orlando snapped its two-game losing streak and three-match winless skid. 

It was a very tense match, with Orlando City enduring a Robin Jansson injury, two penalties for the Union — in which Daniel Gazdag converted one but got his second attempt saved by Pedro Gallese — and 19 minutes of stoppage time to hang on for the win. Orlando City moves up to 11th in the Eastern Conference with 12 points. The Lions will have a quick turnaround with a match Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium against Inter Miami.

Luis Muriel Discusses His First Goals for Lions

Orlando City forward Luis Muriel shared some insight on what it meant to him to finally score for the Lions in their recent matchup against the Philadelphia Union over the weekend. 

“It’s been a long time coming. I’ve been waiting for that to happen,” Muriel said post-match through a translator.

“I think the adaptation of the league was something that I was really trying to get as quickly as possible. … My teammates and this group are just so hard-working, so to be able to have that and have them pushing me is great.”

Muriel delivered two goals for the Lions in their 3-2 win over the Union. Orlando Head Coach Oscar Pareja stated that scoring those two goals is very important for Muriel’s confidence and that he hopes this is just the start. 

Pride Win at Home against Bay FC

The Orlando Pride won their sixth straight match on Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium against NWSL newcomers Bay FC with a 1-0 win. Adriana’s first-half penalty conversion was the lone goal in this match, as the Pride got their ninth straight result this season. The Pride remain undefeated in league play, keeping their unbeaten streak alive at nine matches. The Pride are tied with the Kansas City Current for first place in the NWSL table with 21 points. Orlando will head out west Sunday to take on Seattle Reign FC.

MLS Weekend Roundup

We had Rivalry Week in matchday 13 action in Major League Soccer. Let’s start in Ohio with FC Cincinnati pulling out a 2-1 win against rival Columbus Crew. Cincinnati had never beaten the Crew in Columbus and avenged its playoff loss from last season. St. Louis City defeated the Chicago Fire 3-1, with Joao Klauss scoring twice. FC Dallas edged past Austin FC 2-1, and the Houston Dynamo also won 2-1 against Sporting Kansas City. The San Jose Earthquakes, New York City FC, Inter Miami, and D.C. United all won their matches with a 3-2 scoreline over Colorado Rapids, Toronto FC, CF Montreal, and Atlanta United, respectively. Christian Benteke scored three goals for D.C. United. Charlotte FC won 1-0 over Nashville SC, the New York Red Bulls won 4-2 against the New England Revolution, and LAFC cruised past Vancouver Whitecaps with a 3-0 win. The LA Galaxy and Real Salt Lake match ended in a 2-2 draw, and the lone Sunday matchup was the Cascadia Cup, which saw the Seattle Sounders edge past the Portland Timbers 2-1. 

EPL Title Race to go to Final Day; Burnley Relegated

Manchester City crushed Fulham 4-0 on Saturday, while Arsenal defeated Manchester United 1-0 on Sunday to take the Premier League title race to the final day. Arsenal is in first with 86 points while Manchester City is second with 85 points. Manchester City plays at Tottenham tomorrow and will close out its season finale against West Ham, while Arsenal faces Everton. Burnley lost 2-1 to Tottenham over the weekend and joins Sheffield United in being relegated to the EFL Championship. Luton Town needs help, needing a win at Fulham and a Nottingham Forest loss to Burnley, and making up an inferior goal difference, which stands at 12, to avoid relegation on the final day of the Premier League season this Sunday.

Free Kicks

• USMNT midfielder Christian Pulisic scored twice for AC Milan over the weekend, snapping the team’s six-match winless streak with a 5-1 victory over Cagliari.
• Manchester United Women cruised past Tottenham with a 4-0 win to seal their first English Women’s FA Cup trophy. 
• Bayer Leverkusen shut out VfL Bochum 5-0 and extended its unbeaten run to 50 consecutive matches across all competitions. 
• Bologna has secured its first UEFA Champions League appearance at the expense of AS Roma’s 2-1 loss to Atalanta. 
• FC. St. Pauli has clinched promotion to the Bundesliga for the first time in 13 years after a 3-1 win against VfL Osnabruck.
• FC United of Manchester won 4-0 against the Prague Raptors to win the Fenix Trophy for the second time in three years. 

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

Great googly moogly, that was the dictionary definition of a stressful game! Orlando City conceded yet another early goal, but scored three straight and hung on by the skin of its teeth to run out of Subaru Park 3-2 winners over the Philadelphia Union. Let’s take a look at how each individual Lion performed in a wildly eventful affair on the north bank of the Delaware River.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 7.5 — Gallese was left largely helpless on Philadelphia’s early goal, as the defenders in front of him allowed the ball to get into the box in a good shooting position. He made an excellent save from open play in each half, with the first keeping Philadelphia from doubling its lead, and the second stopping what would have been the equalizing goal. His best of the night was reserved as the clock ticked down though, as he saved Daniel Gazdag’s late penalty to preserve Orlando’s slim lead, getting revenge for Gazdag’s earlier tally from the spot. His 67% passing accuracy left a little to be desired, but he finished with four saves and ultimately preserved three big points for the good guys.

D, Robin Jansson, 6 — Jansson was his typically steady self during his time on the field. Like the rest of his partners in defense, he probably could have been quicker to close down on the Union’s first goal, but frankly no outfield Lion will want to watch that goal back, given the ease with which the whole team was carved open on the recycled ball in. Jansson’s final numbers include one block, six clearances, one tackle, three completed long balls on 11 attempts, 59% passing accuracy, and one aerial duel won. The big news though, was Jansson’s night ending early after suffering what looked to be a non-contact injury.

D, Wilder Cartagena, 6.5 — Deployed as the middle center back of the 3-5-2, the Peruvian did pretty damn well considering the unfamiliar position in which he found himself. Like Jansson and the rest of the team, he didn’t cover himself in glory on the first goal, but he looked more comfortable afterwards. He recorded six clearances, two tackles, three blocks, two completed long balls on four tries, and a team-best 87% passing accuracy, while committing a foul. He also took two shots, one of which was off target and one that was blocked.

D, David Brekalo, 6.5 — The Slovenian was the only true center back that OCSC finished the game with, and he put in a solid shift during this one. He provided the glue on the back line, and even found himself leading the break at one point in the second half. He totaled two interceptions, five clearances, one shot which was off target, and 68% passing accuracy while drawing one foul.

WB, Ivan Angulo, 6 — Angulo wasn’t as involved as he usually is offensively when the team lines up in a 4-2-3-1, he had to do a lot of tracking back as one of the wide midfielders/wingbacks. Still, he completed two dribbles and passed with 79% accuracy on the night, and committed one foul while not recording any defensive statistics. He was perhaps softly penalized for a foul at the back post that gave Philadelphia a chance to tie the game, but if his marking had been better then he wouldn’t have been in that position to begin with. His biggest contribution on the night was the hustle play that resulted in a steal in the attacking third that led to Luis Muriel’s first goal. Angulo got a secondary assist on the play, finding Nico Lodeiro, who in turn gave the ball to the Colombian for the strike.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 6.5 — Araujo was asked to provide the steel in midfield with Cartagena dropped deeper playing center back. He did just that and finished the game with one interception, one block, three clearances, a foul committed and a foul drawn, a yellow card, a completed dribble, and a passing accuracy of 96%. He didn’t do a lot of sexy things, but a lot of his dirty work went into the Lions getting the result in this one.

MF, Martin Ojeda, 5 — It wasn’t Ojeda’s busiest night in an Orlando City shirt, but he kept the ball moving from his place in the middle of the park. Defensively, he committed two fouls and recorded two clearances, while going forward he took one shot, which was off target, completed two long balls (on two attempts) and two key passes, passed with 80% accuracy, and won an aerial duel. He was the man sacrificed for Dagur Dan Thorhallsson as Oscar Pareja tried to make his team more defensive to protect what was a 3-1 lead at the time.

MF, Nico Lodeiro, 8 — It was a positively commanding performance from Lodeiro in midfield, as he assisted on all three of Orlando City’s goals. He didn’t have a ton to do with the second goal, but was directly responsible for creating the first and third by way of a great cross and an inch-perfect through ball, respectively. He was unlucky to be called for the handball that got Philly back into the game, as the flick happened from close range and there wasn’t much he could do about it. One of his three shots was off target, while the other two were blocked, and he passed with 87% accuracy, provided a team-high four key passes, had three assists, and completed two crosses, two long balls (on three attempts), and a through ball. On many other nights he would have been Man of the Match, and if he keeps turning in performances like that then he’ll surely have the award coming his way before too long.

WB/MF, Facundo Torres, 6 — As has been the case for much of this season, Facu struggled to really make his mark on the game. He was unlucky that the ball which found him in the fifth minute was just a little too far in front of him, and he could only hit the post while stretching for it. That was his last major involvement though, and while he wasn’t bad, he also wasn’t the talismanic force that we know he can be. Some of that likely had to do with extra defensive responsibilities, as he started the game at left wingback in the 3-5-2, moving into the attack in the 61st minute when Thorhallsson replaced Ojeda. Torres had two clearances and one off-target shot. He also drew three fouls, completed three long balls (out of four attempts), passed with 78% accuracy, and won four aerial duels, which might be the weirdest statistic of the night.

F, Luis Muriel, 8.5 (MotM) — This game was Muriel’s coming-out-party in a big way, and each of his goals were sublimely taken in their own right. The first showcased pure power and elite placement as he hit a howitzer with his left foot into the top corner at the far post from outside the box, while his second was all about the awareness to let the ball run across his body, a great touch to set himself up, and a cool and precise finish low into the side netting with his right foot. His night finished with three shots, two of which were on target, two goals, a game-high five completed dribbles, two tackles, two key passes, and 83% passing accuracy. He wasn’t as heavily involved in the second half as he was in the first, but every time the ball came to him while he was on the field, he was brimming with danger. It’s a well-deserved Man of the Match award, and hopefully the first of many.

F, Duncan McGuire, 6.5 — McGuire got things going for the Lions with a well-taken header, but he also did a ton of dirty work when it came to hold-up play and giving Orlando a physical outlet to clear its lines. Like Muriel, he wasn’t quite as involved in the second half, but he ran his guts out for the full 108-ish minutes of play, and he constantly stretched the Union’s back line. Offensively, he put both of his shots on target, scored the aforementioned goal, completed 71% of his passes, provided two key passes, completed one cross and one long ball (on three attempts), and drew a foul. On defense, he recorded one clearance, one interception, and one foul committed, while winning four aerial duels.

Substitutes

WB, Dagur Dan Thorhallson (61′), 6 — The Icelandic midfielder was brought on for Ojeda and settled into the game nicely at right wingback. He didn’t record any offensive statistics, but finished with three clearances and a block, while committing one foul and accurately delivering 71% of his passes.

D, Kyle Smith (65′), 6.5 — Smith entered the fray for the injured Jansson, and delivered a steady performance in the Swede’s stead. The Accountant completed 75% of his passes, won two aerial duels, made one block, and was the third Lion to record six clearances. Depending on how Pareja decides to line up in the future, Smith is a guy we may be seeing a lot more of going forward.

MF, Felipe (85′), N/A — Brought on in the dying minutes of regulation, Felipe didn’t get enough time to earn a fair grade. He also didn’t stuff the stat sheet, as he completed one long ball on his lone attempt, accurately delivered both of his two passes, and made one clearance. I couldn’t help but laugh at the timing of his substitution, as it came almost immediately after Damion Lowe started to get hot under the collar, and it almost seemed as if Pareja jumped at the chance to send on the Lions’ resident shithouser. He did his job and helped see the game out.

What did you think of the individual performances from this wild win up in Pennsylvania? Be sure to have your say down in the comments, and cast your vote for who should be Man of the Match. Vamos Orlando!

Orlando City conceded first once again but fought valiantly on the road against the Philadelphia Union to earn a much-needed three points with a 3-2 victory. The match saw three first-half goals and an Orlando City Designated Player open his scoring account before a wild finish on a field where the Lions now won back-to-back matches for the first time in club history. Here are my five takeaways from the match.

Who Needs Fullbacks?

Due to injury and suspension, Head Coach Oscar Pareja elected to roll out a 3-5-2 lineup for the match. With Rafael Santos and Tahir Reid-Brown out and Michael Halliday picking up a knock late in the week, the fullback position was thin. Dagur Dan Thorhallsson was available after clearing concussion protocol, but he started the game on the bench, as did Kyle Smith. Pareja used his wingers as wingbacks and dropped Wilder Cartagena to center back in an unorthodox formation.

I wasn’t sure that I was a fan of it as Orlando City conceded early in the match once again (more on that below), but as the match progressed, I became less and less skeptical. The formation seemed like it allowed Orlando the opportunity to quickly get numbers forward in a meaningful way that it has not been able to do in recent matches. Additionally, it seemed as if the formation allowed for better spacing on the field.

Another Early Goal Conceded

Despite a bright start in the opening minutes, the Lions conceded first again and found themselves playing catch-up. This time the early goal came from a broken play, as Orlando looked to counter off a set piece clearance, but couldn’t gain control of the ball while streaming forward. That caused confusion for the Orlando City defense when the Union recovered it and gave Mikael Uhre a relatively easy path to goal. Orlando City was able to punch back quickly — then eventually took the lead and never relinquished it — but the trend of giving up early goals continues to be a concern.

The Lions Responded

Orlando City could have rolled over and gave up after falling behind again, but instead the team continued to press and found the equalizing goal nine minutes after conceding. Nico Lodeiro took a pass from Luis Muriel and got to the end line on the left side of goal before placing a perfectly weighted cross to the leaping forehead of Duncan McGuire. It was McGuire’s fifth goal of the year. The Orlando attack seemed to be reinvigorated after getting level and asked a lot of questions of the Philadelphia back line over the final 25 minutes of the first half.

Muriel Opens His Account

Much has been made about the lack of goal scoring from Designated Player Luis Muriel during the infancy of his career in Major League Soccer. While one game is a small sample size, Muriel’s performance Saturday night was a sign that fan concerns about signing him may be premature. Muriel opened his MLS and Orlando City account with an absolute fireball of a shot from just outside the 18-yard box. As if to say, “Are you not entertained?” Muriel opened the second half with a quick run behind the defense, taking a pass from Lodeiro and slotting home his second goal of the match. It was ultimately the game winner. Scoring a brace in a victory for Orlando City — added to his secondary assist on McGuire’s goal — has to be a huge relief for Muriel and hopefully is a sign of more good things to come.

Lions Overcome Late Adversity

Despite all the good that came out of the match, there are about eight minutes of game time just past the hour mark that I would love to forget. In that time, Orlando City lost captain Robin Jansson to injury. Jansson ultimately required the stretcher to exit the field — a sight no one ever wants to see. The Swede has been the heart of the team for some time, and if this knock requires an extended rehab, then it will be a serious blow for Orlando City.

To make matters worse, the stoppage allowed referee Timothy Ford plenty of time to review the buildup of the play and, after he looked at the replay, he awarded Philadelphia a penalty for a handball on Lodeiro. Daniel Gazdag, who had never missed a penalty in his MLS career, sent Pedro Gallese the wrong way, bringing the home squad within a goal with lots of time left to find an equalizer.

Bonus Takeaway: Gallese Stands Tall

I couldn’t end this article without talking about the biggest moment of the night. In the 87th minute, Kai Wagner played a long cross through the box from left to right, where Ivan Angulo was running back to cover Nathan Harriel. There was contact, and both players went down. Ford pointed to the penalty spot, although it was a soft call. This time, Ford opted not to see the play for himself, and once again Gazdag stood over the ball at the spot. The Union’s talisman went left this time, but Gallese did an excellent job to read Gazdag and parry away the attempt. He then collected himself and made himself as big as possible, as Gazdag sent the rebound over the net. It preserved Orlando’s lead late and should do wonders for Gallese’s confidence moving forward.

That is how I saw things in a strong win for Orlando City on the road. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.