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Orlando City vs. Philadelphia Union: Final Score 2-2 as Sutter Scores Late to Rescue Draw

Lions fell behind late but responded to earn a point.

Published

6 years ago

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

It looked like it was going to be the same story as most of the season. Orlando City (7-16-3, 24 points) was playing well, but couldn’t capitalize on its chances, and allowed a late goal to lose the match. This was almost the situation tonight, as the Philadelphia Union (12-12-3, 40 points) scored the go-ahead goal in the 88th minute. The Lions kept their heads up and Scott Sutter scored his second goal in as many games just three minutes later to rescue a draw in front of 22,912 fans in Orlando City Stadium.

“Obviously, the finish was, well, pleasing that we ended up getting a point so late on,” Orlando City Head Coach James O’Connor said. “The one aspect that disappointed me was our movement. I think Chris Mueller, [Stéfano] Pinho, and the subs when they came on gave us a good bit of energy and burst, but when you concede a goal in the 88th minute and then get a goal to get back into it, it’s fantastic. So great credit to the players for fighting back and getting a point there at the end.”

O’Connor, celebrating his 39th birthday, made a few surprises with his starting XI. Carlos Ascues moved from the midfield into the back line. To make room for this, Jonathan Spector started as the left back, with Shane O’Neill and Sutter filling in the rest of the back line. Mueller began the game on the bench, and Cristian Higuita started at right wing. Sacha Kljestan and Yoshimar Yotún returned to the lineup after both missed the previous two games.

 

This lineup led to there essentially being no left midfielder for Orlando. Yotún continuously moved to the middle of the field. When this happens, the left back should typically push up the field and make an overlapping run, but due to Spector’s lack of pace, there was nobody to make that run tonight. To compensate for this, Sutter often got high up the field on the other side and it looked like Orlando was playing a three-back system while on the attack, at times.

It was all Philly to start the match and the Union got off two shots in the first five minutes, with a few more chances. Then, in the eighth minute, Sutter and Will Johnson played down the right wing with each other and won a free kick. Yotún took the service and Dwyer did the rest to put the Lions up, 1-0. 

The goal gave Orlando momentum but it only lasted for about two minutes or so, and the game stared to level out until the Union won a corner in the 23rd minute. It was a good routine, straight from the training ground. Alejandro Bedoya, after losing Johnson, was left wide open at the back post. Fortunately for Orlando, Bedoya somehow missed the frame completely. 

The Lions immediately went on the counter and should have gone up 2-0. Spector played a good long ball that just missed the outstretched leg of Dwyer. The ball fell to Higuita, who had the goal wide open because Andre Blake was on the ground trying to defend Dwyer, but the Colombian hit the post and it somehow fell right into the hands of Blake. 

Philly made the most of the lucky moment and tied the game in the 32nd minute. Borek Dockal had time and space and put in a cross to the back post. Cory Burke outmuscled O’Neill and headed the ball into the back of the net. Immediately after the goal Orlando almost went down 2-1 when Fabrice-Jean Picault hit the crossbar. 

There were not many more chances in the remainder of the first half. Orlando City held a good amount of possession but it was all in its own half and not threatening. The Lions looked to try to build out of the back and not force anything, which led to many backward passes. 

The game went into halftime tied 1-1 with Orlando holding 55% possession. Philly out-shot the Lions (9-4) and Orlando’s sole shot on goal ended up in the back of the net. Almost every attack in the first 45 minutes came through Yoshi and he finished as the only Lion to create a chance — he had four — and 89% passing accuracy on 27 passes. 

The second half started out pretty slowly, as both teams started to feel each other out again. The Union had more chances though, and Orlando struggled to get into the other half of the field. The few times that the Lions did break across the center line, poor decisions led to turnovers. Philadelphia had a couple of chances but could not direct the ball on frame.

“I think the energy levels need to be better, need to be higher,” O’Connor said. “In the second half there needs to be way more movement. Our expectation is for the guy with the ball to come up with something and he should have four, five options and that’s something we need to do a way better job at. I think decision making, and when to keep the ball, at times, particularly in the second half, we give it up way too cheaply.”

A few of the Union’s chances came from bad plays by Higuita, almost gifting the visitors a goal, and he was replaced in the 57th minute by Josué Colmán. Higuita had an excellent first half, so this drop in performance was surprising. The team as a whole was poor coming out in the second half, and O’Connor stressed that the energy needed to be higher.

“I think there was a drop in energy all across the field [to start the second half],” said Dwyer. “It’s hot, it’s tough conditions — but I don’t think that’s an excuse for it. We were working through the game and there were moments when we slowed down a little bit and we showed a lot of fight and character to come back in the end.”

A scary moment came just after the hour mark. Ascues played the ball back to Bendik after a goal kick. Burke was right there and nearly put Bendik’s clearance in the back of the net. Philly was able get the ball back but the shot was poor and Bendik caught it. Orlando quickly got down the field and had a chance but Kljestan’s pass to Dwyer was too long. 

After the Union played a midweek game it would be expected that they would be the team that was tired. However, that was not the case, and for the last 30 minutes Orlando was on its back heels. Yoshi particularly looked gassed, with good reason. He was the best player on the field tonight for the Lions and hasn’t played a game since Aug. 4. O’Connor opted to keep the Peruvian in the game, however, and subbed out Kljestan and Johnson for Mueller and Pinho in the 76th minute. 

“The role of the substitute is really important,” said O’Connor. “You need a sub to come in and impact the game. Sometimes you’re winning it and you expect a sub to come in and help out defensively. I thought Chris [Mueller] did an exceptional job going forward and defending. Josué [Colmán] showed glimpses of movement. Pinho at times was a threat. It’s pleasing to see players coming on and impacting the game.”

The game started to pick up after this and there were a good chances for both teams. First, the Union had a free kick from about 25 yards out but hit the wall. Orlando got down to the other end, but Pinho couldn’t get on the end of Yoshi’s cross. Yotún had a shot around the 80th minute that was hit one hundred miles an hour but missed wide of the net. 

In the 85th minute, there were cries around the stadium for a penalty kick. Dwyer got a shot away and missed and Auston Trusty was right on him. Dwyer went down but it looked like a nominal amount of contact happened after the shot and it was a good no-call from Chris Penso. 

As the game was inching closer and closer to a draw, Picault created something out of nothing and put the visitors up 2-1 in the 88th minute. Picault got by Yotún and Uri Rosell and shot. The ball deflected off of O’Neill, and caught Bendik on the wrong foot ending in the back of the net. 

Three minutes after the goal, a long ball fell to Colmán. He tried some nifty footwork before playing it off to an overlapping Sutter. The right back hit it first time and the ball beat Andre Blake and ended up in the back of the net to tie the game at 2-2.

“At the end of it we are happy that we got a draw,” Sutter said. “it’s definitely not the result that we wanted, not the result that we expected. I think we invest a lot in the moment and get a little back in return and I think we controlled the game for large patches of the game and one or two half chances gives them goals and in the end we managed to get a goal and we are lucky to get a point.”

It looked like the Lions might get another goal and earn their first win since July but it would not be so. Dywer was called offside, and after a few turnovers Penso blew the full-time whistle and the players looked gutted not to win this match.

Orlando finished the game with 53% possession. The Lions had 11 shots but only three were on target. Yoshi led the team with seven chances created, 88 touches, and 58 passes in his return.

“[One point] is not enough,” Sutter said. “Football is only fun if you win and you’re playing. If you don’t play, you’re not happy and if you don’t win you’re not happy. We’re not winning. I haven’t gone to The Wall and raised my hands like we won, like we did at the beginning of the season, and that hurts. that’s what we’re here for, that’s what we train for everyday, and at the moment it’s just disappointing.”

The Lions have won just one time in the last 17 games (1-14-2) and will try to get back in the win column next Saturday night at Sporting Kansas City. They’ll have to do it without Yotún, Mohamed El-Munir, and Amro Tarek, who will all be away on international duty.

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Orlando City

Intelligence Report: Orlando City vs. FC Cincinnati

Get all the inside information you need ahead of Orlando’s match with FC Cincinnati.

Published

9 hours ago

on

May 3, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Another Orlando City matchday looms large this weekend, as the Lions will try to put Saturday’s thoroughly dispiriting loss behind them. They’ll have a tough task ahead of them though, as they welcome an FC Cincinnati team to town that currently sits second in the Eastern Conference.

A match against FCC means I spoke with Justin Blair of the always excellent Cincinnati Soccer Talk. As always, Justin was very helpful in getting us all caught up on Cincy before tomorrow’s match.

The nine goals conceded by FC Cincinnati are tied for the fewest given up by any team in the league. What’s been working so well for FCC defensively so far?

Justin Blair:  In 2023, FC Cincinnati was tied for fourth in goals conceded with 39 allowed (Orlando, NYCFC, and RBNY). This season is continuing that impressive trajectory. The addition of Miles Robinson, arguably the best MLS center back, was a home run signing for FCC. Robinson joins 2023 Defensive Player of the Year Matt Miazga as the feature center back duo. But Pat Noonan’s system asks for three in the back and has been plugged with a rotation of players that have kept the defense stout. I have to mention that central defensive midfielder Obinna Nwobodo is arguably the most underrated player in all of MLS. He is an extremely skilled player that flies around and acts as a catch-all in front of the back line. 

Brandon Vazquez departed in the off-season for Monterrey. In his absence, who has Cincy turned to for goal scoring?

JB: Brandon Vazquez is a tremendous striker for FCC and has been solid for Rayados with 10 goals in 22 appearances. But his form never hit stride in 2023. He had nine goals across all MLS competitions, which was down from a career high of 18 goals in 2022. FCC had to find goals in other places last season, so they aren’t exactly in uncharted waters. So far in 2024, reigning MLS MVP Lucho Acosta has been carrying the load with four goals and five assists. Yuya Kubo, who I affectionately call FCC’s Swiss Army knife, has seen recent minutes at the forward position. Kubo’s confidence on the ball and chemistry with Acosta has seen him score three goals in a short amount of time. Surprisingly, FCC’s star Designated Player striker Aaron Boupendza has fallen in the graces of the squad and hasn’t hit consistent minutes this season.

Run me through some of the other arrivals and departures that took place during the off-season. Who are a few names to watch out for?

JB: Well FCC’s off-season was a doozy to say the least. Several departures include the previously mentioned Vazquez, along with Sanitago Arias, Yerson Mosquera (loan), Alvaro Barreal, Dominique Badji, Junior Moreno, and Ray Gaddis — all of whom played significant minutes for the orange and blue during their 2023 Supporters’ Shield season. For incoming players, GM Chris Albright brought in Robinson, Pavel Bucha, Luca Orellano, Kipp Keller, and Corey Baird during the off-season. The additions of DeAndre Yedlin and Yamil Asad have also worked their way into the matchday rotation. Every piece added has felt like an upgrade or at least a comparable replacement. This is, of course, with the exception of replacing Vazquez.

FCC (recently) announced the loan signing of target striker Kevin Kelsy from Shakhtar Donetsk. The young loanee is sure to see considerable minutes with FCC but will likely not feature in the match versus Orlando City. I would keep an eye on Orellano for FCC. The left wingback is the heir apparent to Barreal that is so critical for Cincinnati’s ability to progress the ball from the midfield into the attacking third. Orellano is clean with his touches and can serve up line-splitting through balls that are perfectly weighted.

Will any players be unavailable due to injury, suspension, etc.? What is your projected starting XI and score prediction?

JB: Unavailable players might include Yedlin (hip), goalkeeper Roman Celentano (ankle), forward Sergio Santos (leg), and center back Nick Hagglund (knee). It seems uncertain if either or all will miss minutes in the match versus Orlando but most likely to participate would be Celentano, who was a late scratch versus Colorado on Saturday. 

Starting XI (3-5-2): Roman Celentano (Alec Kann); Bret Halsey (DeAndre Yedlin), Miles Robinson, Matt Miazga, Ian Murphy, Luca Orellano; Obinna Nwobodo, Pavel Bucha, Lucho Acosta; Yuya Kubo, Corey Baird.

Score Prediction: Oscar Pareja seems to have Pat Noonan’s system figured out. FCC also struggles to find wins against Orlando City. I’m going to go with a 1-1 draw when the final whistle sounds. 

Thanks again to Justin for the great info on FCC. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 5/3/24

MLS roster profiles revealed, Marta’s best moments, Kelley O’Hara announces her retirement, and more.

Published

13 hours ago

on

May 3, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Happy Friday! We’ve reached the homestretch of the week and I couldn’t be happier. A busy weekend awaits me, but I’m hoping for some quiet, nice moments to offset some of the hustle and bustle. It’s also another weekend packed with Orlando soccer to enjoy, so make sure to plan your next couple of days accordingly. But for now, let’s get to the links!

MLS Unveils Club Roster Details

There’s a little more transparency in Major League Soccer after the league released helpful snapshots of each club that detail the composition of each roster. From Designated Players and MLS U22 Initiative Players to international roster slots and contract lengths, the graphics are easy to comprehend and give a nice look behind the curtain on each team. Using this, we can see that Orlando City midfielder Cesar Araujo no longer takes up a U22 Initiative slot and that the team also has an open international roster slot. It should be a fairly nice reference guide for fans moving forward, as well as a way to check out how other MLS teams are building their rosters.

Emily Sams Earns Recognition as Potential USWNT Player

Orlando Pride defender Emily Sams was mentioned as one of the top 20 eligible Americans who have yet to make an appearance with the United States Women’s National Team according to Pro Soccer Wire. The shout out is well deserved, as Sams has helped anchor a Pride defense that’s only given up seven goals this season. Only time will tell if Sams will earn a call-up once Emma Hayes is at the helm of the USWNT, but it does feel inevitable given how she’s been playing. Other notable players on the list include Ajax’s Lily Yohannes, Washington Spirit rookie Croix Bethune, and Angel City FC defender Sarah Gorden.

Marta’s Top Moments

All For XI compiled some of the best moments from Marta’s career into a tidy top five. Considering how prolific she has been for Brazil over the years, it was nice to see a pair of goals from her time with the Pride receive some recognition. Both of those moments were from 2018, with her free kick to equalize against the Seattle Reign placing fifth and her solo effort to stun the Spirit taking third. It’s fitting though that the top moment on the list showcases the impact she’s had off the field, as it’s Marta’s emotional speech after Brazil’s exit in the 2019 World Cup.

Kelley O’Hara Will Retire After 2024 Season

USWNT defender Kelley O’Hara announced that she will retire from professional soccer following the 2024 season. Over the course of her international career, she’s played in four World Cups, three Olympic Games, and was named to the FIFA FIFPro World XI in 2019. O’Hara has played in every NWSL season since the league’s inception, winning the title with the Spirit in 2021 and again with NJ/NY Gotham FC last year. She joined Gotham as the first free agent signing in NWSL history and she is set to close out her illustrious career there.

Free Kicks

  • Curve Fragrances was named the official fragrance partner of Orlando City. As part of the partnership, there will be giveaways and product sampling at select games this season.
  • Wrexham’s women’s squad for The Soccer Tournament this summer will include a trio of former Pride players, with Bridget Callahan, Danica Evans, and Nickolette Driesse all taking part. I can’t wait to see if Callahan will make SkoRed a rallying cry at the tournament.
  • Orlando City won’t have to contend with FC Cincinnati forward Aaron Boupendza tomorrow, as he will miss the next six to eight weeks due to a broken jaw suffered in an off-field incident.
  • The Europa League semifinals are underway and Bayer Leverkusen extended its unbeaten run to 47 games after a 2-0 road win against Roma. In the other matchup, Atalanta and Marseille drew 1-1 in France.
  • American midfielder Johnny Cardoso hasn’t been with Real Betis for long, but he’s doing well enough that Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, and Borussia Dortmund are among the clubs reportedly interested in signing the 22-year-old.
  • Lucas Hernandez suffered an ACL injury in Paris Saint-Germain’s loss to Borussia Dortmund and will miss out on this summer’s Euros with France.
  • Reims and Will Still have mutually agreed to part ways, with the coach leaving now despite just having three games left in the Ligue 1 season. It will be interesting to see where the 31-year-old coaches next, as he had a notable 19-game unbeaten stretch with Reims last season.
  • Here’s a detailed dive into the obstacles Everton has faced in recent years, as well as how the club has avoided relegation amid another difficult 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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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. FC Cincinnati: Three Keys to Victory

What does Orlando City need to do to ensure a victory over FC Cincinnati Saturday at home?

Published

1 day ago

on

May 2, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City looks to bounce back from the disappointing 2-1 loss to Toronto FC Saturday night at Inter&Co Stadium. Cincinnati has twice as many points as Orlando City and more than twice as many wins. FCC has only scored one more goal than Orlando City, but with only nine goals conceded compared to Orlando City’s 17, it’s easy to see why Cincinnati is sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference.

What I’m trying to say is that the task doesn’t get any easier this weekend. What does Orlando City need to do to secure all three points at home against FC Cincinnati?

Accost Acosta

Cincinnati’s attack revolves around Luciano Acosta. The attacking midfielder has four goals and five assists so far this season. To put that into perspective, Duncan McGuire — Orlando City’s leading scorer — also has four goals but only one assist. If we look at the Lions’ attacking midfielders, Facundo Torres has one goal and one assist, Ivan Angulo and Nico Lodeiro both have one goal and two assists, and Martin Ojeda has zero goals and only one assist. Luis Muriel is still at double zeroes.

The defensive midfield and the back line must do everything possible to mark him out of the match. It’s not enough to keep him from scoring, they must also keep him from setting up chances for his teammates. Most importantly, the defense must do that for 90 minutes plus stoppage time. There is no room for the mental lapses we’ve seen throughout the first part of this season.

Break Through

Cincinnati is stingy on defense. As I mentioned above, the club has only allowed nine goals this season. The back line is formidable with the likes of Matt Miazga, Miles Robinson, and Ian Murphy. On the wings are DeAndre Yedlin and Luca Orellano. This is a tough defense, and whether it is McGuire or Muriel who gets the start, they must find the spaces in between.

Just as importantly, Torres, Angulo, Ojeda, and Lodeiro — depending on who is in at any given moment — must be able to thread the passes in for McGuire, Muriel, or each other to create quality chances. On top of that, the Lions must convert on those chances, which is not something that has been a strength so far this season. If the Orlando City defense continues to give up cheap goals, then the offense will need to one-up the competition when it comes to scoring.

Deal with an Unknown

FC Cincinnati recently signed Venezuelan forward Kevin Kelsy from Ukrainian Premier League club Shakhtar Donetsk. Kelsy comes in as an MLS U22 Initiative player and is eligible to play against Orlando City. Even though Kelsy is only 19, he has 68 professional appearances, including UEFA Champions Leagues matches. At 6-foot-3, he can be a challenge for defenders, especially in the air.

Kelsy hasn’t had much time with the team, but he could be a second-half substitution for Cincinnati. Given that Orlando City just gave up two late headers against Toronto FC, the back line will need to be careful that Kelsy doesn’t hurt the Lions in the same manner — especially if he comes on late when legs and minds are tired.

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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