Connect with us

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Houston Dynamo: Final Score 0-0 as Lions Held Scoreless for Third Straight Game

Orlando City is now 1-16-3 in its last 20 matches.

Published

7 years ago

on

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Orlando City (7-18-4, 25 points) continued a couple of trends tonight after drawing against the Houston Dynamo (8-13-8, 32 points), 0-0, in front of 23,723 fans in Orlando City Stadium. No Orlando City player has ever scored a goal against a Texas team in MLS — the lone goal for Orlando was a Tyler Deric own goal against Houston in a 1-0 Orlando City win in 2015. Orlando has now also failed to score in three straight games dating back to Sept. 1 off of Scott Sutter’s 91st-minute equalizer against the Philadelphia Union.

The Lions did break their losing streak, snapping it at just two, although this now makes one win in the last 20 matches for Orlando (1-16-3). The Lions also managed just their second clean sheet of the season, and the first since April 13 — a 2-0 win over the Union.

“I think there were some lovely passages of play,” Orlando City Head Coach James O’Connor said. “I think the intensity was better. I think the final third just eluded us today. I thought we had some half-decent chances. I thought we were the better team tonight. Obviously, some positives, keeping the clean sheet gives us a strong foundation to hopefully go on and build from.”

The starting XI that came out was one that former head coach Jason Kreis wished he had, but injuries forced him to go different routes. The back four was the ideal first choice since the off-season, with Mohamed El-Munir and Sutter as fullbacks and Jonathan Spector and Lamine Sané — who made his first start since June 30 — as center backs. This forced Carlos Ascues to move into a defensive midfield role, partnering with Uri Rosell. 

The biggest surprise was in net. Joe Bendik was on the bench, but instead of Earl Edwards taking the starting role, Adam Grinwis made his first ever MLS start. Edwards was out of the 18 due to a “coaches decision.” Grinwis had a great debut, picking up a clean sheet, making three total saves, and was a key part in helping the Lions earn a point.

“There were some nerves, definitely,” Grinwis said. “Once the whistle blew it was the same game that I’ve always played. I’ve played on this field a lot of times. I’ve actually had my debut with Saint Louis FC last year in a 0-0 draw against OCB so it was kind of cool to come back here and make my MLS debut and have a similar result.”

The first exciting part of the match came in the 15th minute. Grinwis received a ball off a Dynamo player and took his time controlling it outside the box as Romell Quioto closed in on him. Grinwis got back into the box and fell on it. Quioto kicked it away, then put the ball into the back of the net. It was originally ruled a goal on the field, but the decision got reversed after a video review and Grinwis was lucky to still have his clean sheet. 

“I felt like I got on top of it and all of a sudden it squeaked out,” said Grinwis. “I was confused because I thought I had control of it. I really wasn’t concerned about it. Obviously, it’s a nervy moment and I’m sorry for everyone else that had to go through that with me but that would’ve been a real black eye on the debut so I’m really happy that justice was served on that one.”

In the 24th minute, the Lions connected on a good bit of passing that brought Orlando City from inside its own third into an attacking area, before a turnover ended the threat. Houston went on the counter and Spector made a perfect tackle on Quioto just outside the 18. However, referee Baldomero Toledo called a foul and gave Spector a yellow for added measure. On the free kick, Quioto hit the ball right into the wall. 

In the 31st, the Lions had their best scoring chance of the half. Rosell popped a ball over the top for Ascues, who cut it back for Sacha Kljestan. Sacha hit it toward the net, forcing a diving save from Joe Willis.

Towards the end of the half, the Lions had a few chances. Yoshimar Yotún played a good through ball to Kljestan, who slid but didn’t make good connection on it. El-Munir played a good ball in to Dom Dwyer, but the striker’s header went over the bar. In the 41st minute, Will Johnson tried a shot from distance that forced Willis to make a diving save. Two minutes later, Yoshi, from the right wing, put a great ball in but Dwyer could not control it.

The first half ended with no goals. Orlando looked comfortable for much of the half and had a few good passing spells. When Houston got the ball, the Dynamo were quick to counter and almost caught the Lions a few times. Orlando had more possession (54%-46%), shots (6-4), shots on target (3-1), and corners (2-1), but continuously stalled in the final third. The play was good in non-threatening areas, yet when Orlando got into scoring positions the play became too slow and too predictable, combined with a poor half from Dwyer. 

“I think tonight we had a lot of good passages of play and we did trouble their back four,” said Spector. “Maybe just the final decision or the final ball was lacking a little bit of quality but at times we were able to cut through them from back-to-front.”

The second half started the same way as the first ended, but even fewer chances were created from each team. The ball was played largely in the middle of the field and neither team was able to break into the attacking areas. Houston sat back and defended, then went on the counter. Orlando held possession, built the play up, but was still too slow into the final third. 

The best chance for Houston in the game came in the 58th minute. Quioto made a good run and got one-on-one with Grinwis. The ‘keeper stayed big, closed down the angle, and made a one-handed save. Houston got the ball back and shot toward the open net as Grinwis ran back into position but Spector was there to make the save with a diving header.

Orlando’s first shot on target in the second half came in the 70th minute. Yotún put an out-swinging corner right to Dwyer on the top of the six-yard box. It was a powerful redirect, but the header went right into the hands of Willis. The Yoshi-Dwyer connection was attempted again three minutes later. Yotún hit a ball over the top of Houston’s defense but it was too powerful, and Dwyer couldn’t bring it down. 

The last 15 minutes of the game, Houston finally started get into the attack. The Dynamo had a couple of corners, but the Lions were able to defend them. Just after the 80th minute, Orlando had three corners in a row but was unable to get any shots off from them. 

In the 90th minute it looked – for a moment – like the Cardiac Cats were back. Stefano Pinho played a great ball to Yoshi that started a counter. The Peruvian got down the field, cut inside, and passed it back to Pinho. The Brazilian took a shot right at the Houston defender, though, and the chance was over. 

“The positive is the clean sheet,” O’Connor said. “That’s the second this year and it’s nice to get that and it gives a platform to hopefully spring from. I think that the movement in the midfield was good and we created some openings. On another night I think we get maybe a few decisions that maybe, I don’t want to say too much, but I think on another night we get little more luck. And equally the decision making in the final third can we just get the last bit off quality to go finish it off.”

The match ended goalless but Orlando City led in almost every statistical category. The Lions finished with more shots on target (4-3), passes (446-376), possession (54%-46%), and corners (7-4). Orlando also had a very impressive passing accuracy percentage of 88%, but the team struggled once when it entered the final third of the field.

Orlando City has next week off and then plays again on Oct. 6 against FC Dallas in Toyota Stadium.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/14/26

The Orlando Pride hire a new GM, Luis Muriel departure rumors heat up, USMNT news, and more.

Published

24 hours ago

on

January 14, 2026

By

Image of Luis Muriel bringing the ball forward against the LA Galaxy.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It has felt like the off-season has been in slow motion despite several signings. Recent developments make it feel like things are going to start speeding up. So keep your head up as the preseason is underway, and the season is just around the corner. For now, let’s get to the links.

Orlando Pride Name Caitlin Carducci VP & GM

The Orlando Pride hired Caitlin Carducci as the club’s new vice president of soccer operations and general manager. Carducci was most recently the general manager for the Kansas City Current. Like the recently departed Haley Carter, Carducci is proven commodity, having built trophy-winning teams. She has an impressive resume, having worked at multiple levels of soccer including with U.S. Soccer, the NWSL, and as an attorney and former compliance officer. This is a move that proves the commitment of the Wilf family regarding the Orlando Pride.

Muriel Exit Rumors Heat Up

It’s one of those things where everyone knows something is coming, but we still have to wait for it to actually happen (see Carlos Coronel). It’s a known secret that Orlando City and Luis Muriel want to mutually move on from each other, and now it looks like it might be happening. Of course, we don’t have anything confirmed by the club yet, but when Tom Bogert posts something like this, it’s usually a good indication.

USMNT News

Josh Sargent has been doing very well with Norwich City scoring 13, 16, and 15 goals for the Canaries in the last few seasons. Now, he may be on his way to MLS as Toronto FC is trying to bring him to North America for an $18 million fee. In other news, Timothy Weah spoke out about the costs of World Cup tickets being too high. It’s not exactly a hot take, but good on him for addressing the issue.

NWSL Notes

Now that the Orlando Pride have a new general manager, we eagerly await the new player signings. Until then, let’s check out other NWSL happenings. Seattle Reign FC signed head coach Laura Harvey to a new contract through the 2028 season. Angel City decided that having Emily Sams wasn’t enough, so the club signed rookie forward Riley Tiernan to a contract extension through the 2028 season. The disturbing trend of Brazilian players signing with clubs other than Orlando City continued, as Ludmila was traded by Chicago to the San Diego Wave for $800,000 in transfer fee funds and up to an additional $200,000 in conditional transfer fee. She signed a three-year contract with the club.

Free Kicks

  • I think we may get the 2026 NWSL season schedule on Thursday, but I’m just speculating.
  • It’s called the City Beautiful for a reason.
  • Orlando City had a special guest at training, as Brazilian legend Zico stopped by to visit.

That will do it for today. Check back with The Mane Land as there’s going to be plenty of news as the new seasons for Orlando City and the Orlando Pride get closer. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Opinion

An Orlando City 2026 Preseason Wishlist

Here are three things that I’m hoping to see during Orlando City’s preseason preparations.

Published

2 days ago

on

January 13, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

The preseason has begun, and we know about Orlando City’s four tuneup matches during the 2026 training camp. The season opener is just over six weeks away on Feb. 21. This seems like a good time to discuss a few things that I’m hoping for from this edition of the Lions’ preseason.

A Clean Bill of Health

I would trade every other item on this list if it means getting through the preseason without any injury setbacks like the one the Lions experienced last year. When Wilder Cartagena tore his left Achilles tendon against Atletico Mineiro on Jan. 25, it broke up the previously established and successful duo of himself and Cesar Araujo and had a big impact on the start of the season. Of course, OCSC pivoted magnificently as Eduard Atuesta was signed just a little over two weeks later on Feb. 10, but the timing of Cartagena’s injury and Atuesta’s subsequent arrival meant that he was playing catch-up when it came to integrating with his new teammates. The Colombian still put together a solid season with seven assists (good for third-best on the team), but not having Cartagena in 2025 was a blow, particularly when considering his versatility in being able to play at midfield or center back. If the Lions can get to opening day this year with no repeats of that incident or Yutaro Tuskada’s 2025 season-ending knee injury, then I’ll be a very happy man.

Timely Reinforcements

It’s been pretty well established that more additions need to be made to the roster before it’s ready for opening day. Luis Muriel is likely about to be moved and at least one striker will be needed to replace him, while convincing arguments can be made for signing a left back, a couple of center backs, and a right back. Not only would I love those signings to be made, but there’s also a lot to be said for any new arrivals to join up with the team sooner rather than later. Some of that is out of the Lions’ hands, particularly in the case of using the Designated Player spot if/when Muriel exits, but the more time any new faces have to begin integrating with their new teammates, the better. Of course, there’s also something to be said for Orlando doing its homework and ensuring that it makes the correct call when pulling the trigger on a new signing, but with how tough the Eastern Conference was last year, a fine balance is going to need to be struck between patience and urgency to ensure OCSC isn’t playing catchup in the standings.

Continued Chances for Young Players

It’s no secret that a big storyline for Orlando City during 2025 was the eye-wateringly fast rise of Alex Freeman. He’s a shining example of what MLS teams want to get out of their academies — rising up through the youth systems, starring for the reserve side, earning a spot on the first team, and going even farther beyond that. The big question now is whether or not other young players can follow in his footsteps. It would be unreasonable to expect other Young Lions to hit the heights that Freeman did in 2025, but there’s no reason that guys like Gustavo Caraballo, Tahir Reid-Brown, and Colin Guske can’t earn some more minutes after making their debuts last season. Likewise, as Sean Rollins noted several days ago, there are some current Orlando City B players who could realistically make their senior debuts this year. That process begins during the preseason, when the coaching staff is trying to get a good sense of what it has to work with, and if any of the youngsters show well, then Oscar Pareja and his staff have shown themselves to be more than willing to hand them opportunities. Hopefully, some of the more promising young faces get plenty of chances to prove themselves.

There you have it. If Orlando City can keep everyone healthy, get new signings in the door sooner rather than later, and hand promising youngsters the chance to show what they can do, then I’ll be a happy man during this preseason. Keep your fingers crossed, people. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/13/26

Orlando City opens preseason training, Orlando City B signs a striker, MLS transfer news, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

January 13, 2026

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Good morning, everyone! As strange (and soon) as it seems, we’ve now got day one of Orlando City’s preseason in the rearview mirror. The season opener will be here before we know it, but for now we’ve got a lot of things to talk through today. Let’s wish a happy birthday to OCSC goalkeeping coach Cesar Baena, and get started on today’s links!

Orlando City Begins Preseason Training

Things looked a little different than they did the last few years when Orlando City opened preseason training on Monday. The new faces include Maxime Crepeau, Braian Ojeda, and Tiago, but the team is more than ready to get to work despite the off-season changes. Oscar Pareja says the club has high expectations for the year and took a moment to acknowledge all the people at the club who helped make the Lions into a playoff staple over the last six seasons, saying, “We’re ready to keep pushing with this journey, and it looks different, for sure, because we have had those players who have been here for many years and have brought a long, big, big history here. So again, our respect to them, and we promise that we will keep pushing together, because the most important thing is the team.” Of the new signings, Luis Otavio was the only one not present at Monday’s training, while several Orlando City B players were training with the first team, with Justin Ellis, Titus Sandy Jr., and Juan Rojas among them.

OCB Adds Brazilian Striker

Not to be outshone by the senior side, Orlando City B got the week started on a strong note by announcing the signing of striker Pedro Leao from Flamengo’s U-20 team. Leao came up through Flamengo’s academy before making his debut for the U-20 team in August of 2024. He then proceeded to score 20 goals and provide six assists in over 3,000 minutes for the U-20 side, and helped it win the 2024-2025 iteration of the U-20 Intercontinental Cup. The striker was also called up three times to represent Brazil’s U-16 side, logging three assists across those friendly matches. Welcome to Orlando!

MLS Transfer Moves

With the beginning of the Major League Soccer season creeping closer and closer, teams are completing transfer business in every direction you look. We start with FC Cincinnati, which has signed free agent forward Tom Barlow on a contract that runs through the end of 2027. Continuing the theme of free agent signings, the New York Red Bulls have signed defender Robert Voloder, with the former Sporting Kansas City player joining on a deal that runs through the end of 2028. The Houston Dynamo signed midfielder Agustin Bouzat from Velez Sarsfield on a deal that runs through June 2028 and has an option through June 2029. Up north, 38-year-old Maxi Moralez is back yet again for New York City FC, as he has signed a new contract that runs through the 2026 season. Finally, the San Jose Earthquakes are said to be closing in on a deal to sign Timo Werner as a Designated Player.

Americans in Midweek Action

As usual, a number of American players will be in action during the working week, so let’s take a look at some of the matchups. Things get going today when Malik Tillman and Bayer Leverkusen travel to Hamburger SV in Bundesliga action. Gio Reyna, Joe Scally, and Borussia Monchengladbach hit the road to take on Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga on Wednesday, while Kevin Paredes and Wolfsburg host James Sands’ St. Pauli side in the same competition. Thursday has Christian Pulisic and AC Milan in a road tilt against Como in Serie A play, and the week finishes up Friday with Folarin Balogun and Monaco squaring off against Lorient in Ligue 1.

Free Kicks

  • Check out some of the scenes from the first day of preseason training.

That’s all I’ve got for today. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Trending