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Intelligence Report: Orlando City at New England Revolution

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8 years ago

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Orlando City may be officially eliminated from playoff contention, but there are still four more matches left in the 2018 season for Head Coach James O’Connor to build on. This weekend, the Lions fly to New England to take on Brad Friedel’s Revolution in a rematch of their wild 3-3 draw back in August.

Like Orlando, the Revs have struggled to get results, collecting just six points since these teams last met. Returning to provide an update on all things New England is Jake Catanese of SB Nation’s The Bent Musket. You can also find my answers to his questions over at TBM.

Last time we spoke, the Revs were occupying a playoff spot. Since then, New England’s record is 1-5-3. What’s gone wrong?

Jake Catanese: It would be easier to list the things that have gone right if I could actually think of anything. New England is mostly just bad right now. If we go back a month further from that 3-3 draw with Orlando and include the Revs’ results from July as well, New England is on a 1-8-5 stretch since a 3-2 win on June 30 at home vs. D.C. United.

Defensively, the Revs have stabilized a bit with the addition of Michael Mancienne at center back but left back remains a revolving door entered by whoever Brad Friedel thinks is the hottest at the position. Currently that’s the play-making midfielder Kelyn Rowe. The problem is despite the defense being slightly better, it’s still giving up tons of chances and while the Revs have mostly avoided getting blown out they’ve been getting badly outplayed.

The Revs offense has struggled as Freidel tinkers with his starting group in search of answers. Changing around the midfield pairings hasn’t helped as New England continues to give the ball away in possession a lot, which doesn’t relieve pressure from the defense. Goals have dried up from Teal Bunbury and the striker position in general as well, though Cristian Penilla broke double digit goals on the year with two in his last three games. It’s not surprising that the last two games Teal scored in (the previous D.C. win and the last game with Orlando) and Brian Wright’s first MLS goal against NYC (a 1-0 road win) were positive results for the Revs.

Overall, the Revs still lack the Jermaine Jones Designated Player type that got them back to the MLS Cup in 2014. New England also needed another left back in the summer window to replace the injured Chris Tierney and couldn’t even make that addition. The early season success of the high press faded into a repeat of last year’s lackluster season finish and likely another year without a postseason appearance

With 2018 winding down, what’s the general consensus in the Northeast about Brad Friedel’s first year at the helm?

JC: Personally, Brad Friedel has the same issue that his predecessor Jay Heaps had which is an organization and front office that can’t/won’t/doesn’t sign legitimate DP players to make the team better. At best, the Revs are going to be no better than a fifth or sixth placed team until that changes.

Now, how much of the current Revs malaise is on Friedel currently? Certainly he’s not helping the situation with some of the lineups he puts out that don’t feature Diego Fagundez or Kelyn Rowe in the midfield, because the Revs offense looks completely lost without one of those attackers up front. I certainly think Friedel is trying his best but it’s hard to say right now that he’s a net positive for the Revs.

Hopefully he can learn something about the youngsters on the roster in the final month of the year and start figuring out what he needs to do this off-season to get the Revs back on a positive track and into the playoffs.

New England is still technically alive for a playoff spot but would need a lot of help to achieve it. Is there an eye on 2019 or will the Revs field their best until the very end?

JC: I don’t know what the Revs’ best lineup is right now, but certainly I would like to get a look at more of the kids. Brandon Bye has had some solid shifts at fullback and could be a solid depth piece. Homegrown Players Zach Herivaux and Issac Angking deserve as many minutes as they can get for these final games. Angking in particular had a bright debut at Yankee Stadium in that 1-0 win against NYCFC but has been battling an undisclosed illness all year.

Rookies Mark Segbers and Nicolas Samayoa have only USL loan minutes to their name now but certainly could see action when the Revs are mathematically eliminated. Brian Wright getting another start up top would also be fine, especially with the Revs looking to find a positive combination in the attacking group that has struggled in the second half. Perhaps seeing Bunbury return to his winger role with Wright up top is something to try this month.

What injuries/suspensions/call-ups will keep players out this weekend and what is your projected lineup and predicted final score?

JC: Both Chris Tierney (ACL) and Andrew Farrell (hamstring) are listed as out on the injury report, which means more of Bye and Rowe at fullback for sure. Antonio Delamea (Slovenia) and Zach Herivaux (Haiti) are with their respective national teams, which means the Revs are very thin at the back if the exile of fullback Gabriel Somi and center back Claude Dielna continues.

Lineup 4-2-3-1: Matt Turner; Kelyn Rowe, Michael Mancienne, Jalil Anibaba, Brandon Bye; Luis Caicedo, Scott Caldwell; Cristian Penilla, Diego Fagundez, Teal Bunbury; Brian Wright.

You know what, that idea of putting Bunbury on the wing again seems like a fine idea since the Revs have struggled to find a wing partner for Penilla all year. Juan Agudelo could start, but he’s been far better off the bench this year. 

As always, I predict a 2-2 draw and chaos because that’s usually what these two teams provide.

Thanks again to Jake for taking the time to give us an update on the Revolution.

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. San Diego FC: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Lions welcome San Diego FC to Orlando for the first meeting ever between the two clubs.

Published

11 hours ago

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September 5, 2026

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Image of Joran Gerbet playing against Minnesota United.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to your match preview and live thread for a Saturday night matchup between Orlando City (7-11-4, 25 points) and San Diego FC (8-8-6, 30 points) at Inter.co Stadium in Orlando (7:30 p.m., Apple TV). It’s the first-ever meeting between these two teams from different conferences

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

History

As mentioned above, tonight’s meeting between the Lions and San Diego is the first in the series history, so there is no history. The Lions are 2-2-1 against Western Conference teams this season, which means little to nothing in this particular match, and San Diego is going to be Orlando City’s final opponent from the opposite conference in MLS regular-season play this season.

Overview

The Lions are coming off a wild 3-3 road draw at Minnesota United a week ago, in which Daryl Dike and Antoine Griezmann scored on either side of halftime on Orlando’s first two shot attempts to put their team up 2-0 in the 64th minute. Minnesota stormed back with three goals off defensive errors in a four-minute span to take a late 3-2 lead. Just when the Loons appeared to be headed for all three points, Tyrese Spicer scored in stoppage time, forcing Minnesota to split the points. Orlando has a modest 1-0-1 unbeaten streak entering tonight, and the Lions are 5-4-2 at home in 2026.

San Diego is coming off a 3-1 home win over the LA Galaxy despite having Jeppe Tverskov sent off. Tonight’s visitors have won two straight games, but both were at home. They lost their last home game 3-1 at Portland on Aug. 19 and are 2-5-3 away from home this season.

The key for Orlando City tonight will be to mark Anders Dreyer, which is far easier said than done, as he has emerged as one of the league’s best playmakers. His eight goals and 11 assists give him 19 total goal contributions to lead his team. Marcus Ingvartsen is Dreyer’s favorite teammate to combine with, as the Danish forward has converted 11 times, leading San Diego in goals, and has added five assists. However, Ingvartsen is listed as out with a lower body injury. Midfielder Onni Valakari has chipped in four goals and seven assists.

“We respect San Diego, but as well we prepare our game,” Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman said ahead of the match. “We know how strong we are, especially at home, so now we go.”

Orlando City will be without Braian Ojeda (foot) and Adrian Marin (thigh), while Bernardo Rhein (thigh), has been upgraded to questionable. San Diego will be without the aforementioned Ingvartsen (lower body) and Tverskov (suspension).

Match Content

Official Lineups:

Orlando City (4-4-2)

Goalkeeper: Maxime Crepeau.

Defenders: Bernardo Rhein, Robin Jansson, David Brekalo, Griffin Dorsey.

Midfielders: Ivan Angulo, Joran Gerbet, Eduard Atuesta, Justin Ellis.

Forwards: Antoine Griezmann, Daryl Dike.

Bench: Javier Otero, Zakaria Taifi, Iago, Wilder Cartagena, Luis Otavio, Tiago, Marco Pasalic, Martin Ojeda, Tyrese Spicer.

San Diego FC (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: C.J. dos Santos.

Defenders: Kieran Sargeant, Ian Murphy, Manu Duah, Oscar Verhoeven.

Midfielders: Gabriel Pirani, Anibal Godoy, Alejandro Alvarado.

Forwards: Elias Achouri, Onni Valakari, Anders Dreyer.

Bench: Duran Ferree, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, Christopher McVey, Bryan Zamble, David Vazquez, Ian Pilcher, Alex Mighten, Bryce Duke, Amahl Pellegrino.

Referees:

REF: Joe Dickerson.
AR1: Corey Parker.
AR2: Justin Howard.
4TH: Rodrigo Albuquerque.
VAR: Daniel Radford.
AVAR: Jeff Muschik.

How to Watch

Match Time: 7:30 p.m.

Venue: Inter.co Stadium — Orlando.

TV/Streaming: Apple TV.

Radio: AM 810 FOX Sports Radio Orlando (English), Mega 97.1 FM (Spanish), Nossa Rádio 1160 AM-WRLZ (Portuguese).

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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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. San Diego FC: Three Keys to Victory

Here’s what Orlando needs to do in order to return to winning ways against San Diego.

Published

1 day ago

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September 4, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

After the disappointment of two dropped points against Minnesota on Saturday, Orlando City is back home with an opportunity to get things back on track. The Lions need to keep picking up points if they want to keep pace in an increasingly crowded Eastern Conference, and Saturday’s game is a good chance to start September off on the right note. San Diego FC stands in the way of that good start, and what follows are three things that I believe Orlando needs to do in order to emerge victorious from this game.

Stay Strong on the Left

The left side of the defense has been a question mark for the Lions for much of the year. Adrian Marin, Bernardo Rhein, and Zakaria Taifi have all spent time at left back lately and have done so with varying degrees of success. Regardless of who suits up there on Saturday, that area of the field will be under scrutiny once again, since they’ll be tasked with stopping San Diego right winger Anders Dreyer. He has eight goals and 11 assists in 21 appearances this year, has played 60 key passes during that time, and is generally the lynchpin through which the San Diego offense operates. He hasn’t quite been on the same pace that saw him bag 19 goals and 19 assists in the regular season last year, but with four goal contributions in his last three MLS appearances, he’s extremely capable of wreaking havoc from the wing. A lot of the goals OCSC has conceded lately have come down the left side of the defense, and if that area of the field can’t be taken care of better, the Lions will likely be in for a difficult night.

Do Damage in Transition

Orlando’s current style of positionless, fluid, attacking soccer is at its best when it comes up against teams that want to come out and play. It struggles mightily against defensive bunkers but shines when the Lions can get out and run, target open spaces, and combine with teammates in unexpected areas. Fortunately for OCSC (in theory), San Diego is a team that likes to have the ball, as it has the highest average possession in the league. That means the Lions will have opportunities to force turnovers and break the other way at pace. In order to make that happen though, OCSC will need to be both disciplined and effective when it comes to applying its press. Then, if/when the Lions win the ball, correct decision-making and clinical execution in the final third will be key to avoid letting any chances slip through their fingers (paws?).

Clean Up the Self-Inflicted Errors

Orlando has dealt with more than its fair share of general defensive struggles this year, but avoidable errors have been a particular problem in recent weeks. Whether it’s been an ill-advised challenge, passing to the opposition in the defensive third, or leaving men unmarked in the box, unnecessary mistakes have cost OCSC points time and again. Against lesser opposition it hasn’t always mattered, as the Lions were able to rescue three points against Real Salt Lake, but if Orlando wants to make a playoff push, it needs to make a habit of playing cleaner games, plain and simple. San Diego is a good team with dangerous offensive players, and Saturday’s visitors will very likely take advantage of any opportunities that the Lions gift-wrap for them. Keeping things mistake-free will go a long way.

We’ve got ample proof this season that nothing is guaranteed, but if the Lions can lock down the left side of the defense, make hay in transition moments, and limit unforced errors, then they should be in a good position to take all three points from Saturday’s game. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 9/4/26

Martin Ojeda details his recovery from injury, Anna Moorhouse loaned to Manchester City, Orlando City’s U.S. Open Cup journey, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

September 4, 2026

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Image of Martin Ojeda celebrating a goal against New England.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Three straight days of Orlando soccer starts tonight with Orlando City B’s road match against Inter Miami II at 7 p.m. Hopefully, Orlando’s teams do well over the next few days as crunch time is upon us when it comes to making the playoffs, especially for MLS NEXT Pro. For now though, let’s jump right into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Orlando City Prepares for San Diego FC

Orlando City will take on San Diego FC on Saturday in the first-ever game between the two clubs, and one of the storylines to keep an eye on is how much Martin Ojeda plays as he works his way back from injury. The Designated Player came off the bench late in Orlando’s 3-3 draw against Minnesota United in his first appearance since May 23. Not often injured, Ojeda spoke on how being off the field for over a month has shifted his perspective while training to return.

“You learn to value the moment much more. You learn to value every training session because, when you’re training on your own and you’re not available to your teammates, you feel uncomfortable,” Ojeda said. “You value being healthy more. It’s like everything in life. When you feel good, you live life almost on autopilot, so to speak. You go to work, you go home, you come back, you sleep. However, when you or someone close to you goes through an illness or something like that, you value the moment much more and become more conscious of what you’re experiencing.”

Pride Loan Anna Moorhouse to Manchester City

The Orlando Pride loaned goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse to Manchester City through January of 2027. Moorhouse joined the Pride prior to the 2022 season and helped the club win both the NWSL Championship and Shield in 2024. However, she has struggled this year alongside the rest of the Pride’s defense. Moorhouse hasn’t played in the past two games for the Pride, with Cosette Morche starting in her place. Her current contract with the Pride lasts through the 2027 NWSL season, so we’ll have to wait and see what her future with the club is when the loan ends.

Orlando City’s U.S. Open Cup Journey

Between the World Cup, regular season, and Leagues Cup this summer, it can be easy to forget that Orlando City is still in contention to win this year’s U.S. Open Cup. The Lions are in the semifinals of the tournament after crushing Atlanta United 4-1 in the quarterfinals back on May 19. The Lions won much tighter affairs prior to that win, with Javier Otero coming up with seven saves in a 1-0 win over FC Naples and Zakaria Taifi scoring in stoppage time to beat the New England Revolution 4-3 in the following match. Orlando will be on the road for its semifinal match against the Columbus Crew on Sept. 16, but the offense has received a boost due to the arrivals of Antoine Griezmann and Daryl Dike this summer.

MLS Transfer News Roundup

MLS signings continue to pour in as teams look to improve their squads for the rest of this season and beyond. The Colorado Rapids signed Ghanaian winger Ibrahim Sadiq from AZ Alkmaar, where he recorded 18 goals and seven assists in 85 appearances across three seasons with the Dutch club. San Diego also added an attacker by signing forward Cedric Bakambu, who joins as a free agent after playing at Real Betis. As for other notable moves from across the league, Real Salt Lake signed winger Dusan Zagar as an MLS U22 Initiative player, forward Lyle Foster joined the Houston Dynamo on loan, and the Columbus Crew continued to improve on offense by signing Moroccan winger Anass Zaroury on loan from Panathinaikos.

Free Kicks

  • Former Orlando Pride player Christina Burkenroad is retiring from professional soccer and Monterrey will have Saturday’s game against Toluca be a send-off match for her.

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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