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Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Final Score 4-3 as Sutter and Colmán Save the Lions

The Lions blew a late 3-2 lead but Sutter’s blast from outside the box off of Josué Colmán restored Orlando’s advantage.

Published

8 years ago

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Carlos Romero, The Mane Land

Orlando City is on the board. The Lions got a brace from Dom Dwyer in his season debut in a chippy 4-3 win over the New York Red Bulls (2-2-0, 6 points). The disappointing Easter weekend crowd of 23,257 was treated to an edgy game with plenty of offense, as Orlando (1-2-1, 4 points) fought back from two deficits and overcame a late equalizer.

Will Johnson and Josué Colmán also scored for the Lions, although the latter was originally credited to Scott Sutter. It was the Paraguayan’s first MLS goal even though he knew little about it, as Sutter’s blast hit Colmán on the way toward the net. The Lions improved to 3-4-1 in the all-time series, and 2-1-1 at home (2-0-0 at Orlando City Stadium).

“Really pleased from an effort and commitment point of view, no doubt,” Head Coach Jason Kreis said after the game.

“They came out hot and they came to play,” said Sacha Kljestan, who faced his old team for the first time. “I think we started a little bit slow and it took us some time to grow into the game but I’m really happy we got the win.”

Here’s the lineup Kreis started:

The visitors used a lineup filled with familiar faces, including center backs Tommy Redding and Aurelien Collin, and striker Carlos Rivas — all former Lions.

The game started poorly for the hosts, with Florian Valot scoring his first MLS goal in just the seventh minute, nodding home a perfectly placed cross from Kaku that just cleared Mohamed El-Munir’s head. The Lions were on the back foot already.

Orlando settled down and got back into the game, equalizing eight minutes later. Kljestan unlocked the defense with a ball that sent Justin Meram to the end line. The Iraqi international slipped his pass by Collin to a waiting Johnson, who tapped it in to make it 1-1.

Kljestan nearly helped the Lions take a lead in the 23rd minute with a set piece delivery that cleared Lamine Sané’s head by just inches. Just a touch would have made it 2-1. Instead, it was New York regaining the lead a minute later.

A turnover by rookie Cam Lindley in the midfield gave the ball to Valot, who slotted a through ball for Derrick Etienne. Sané didn’t quite have the pace to get there first, and Etienne fired a shot that nutmegged Joe Bendik and deflected in off his leg — a shot he’ll want back.

Orlando came right back at New York, quickly earning a corner in the 26th minute. A minute later, after Meram won a second corner in quick succession, the Lions leveled the score again. Yoshimar Yotun sent in a dangerous near-post ball that Dwyer got the side of his head onto and it was suddenly 2-2. Red Bulls goalkeeper Luis Robles wanted a foul, as Dwyer had a hold of his shirt and muscled his way to his first goal of the year. Orlando City Stadium was treated to its first Dom flip of the year as well.

“I managed to get myself in front of Robles, and I don’t really know what part of my body it went off — the back of my head — but a goal’s a goal,” Dwyer said.

The game was already physical, but it got even more chippy from that point, with the biggest battle being waged between Dwyer and Collin. The two former teammates at Sporting Kansas City were in in each other’s face all day, with Collin getting booked once and perhaps lucky not to have received a second yellow moments later after sending Dom sprawling.

As much as the game was physical, it didn’t keep the match from being a wide-open affair. Sané made a vital 1-v-1 challenge to win the ball in his own penalty area, and when the Lions countered, Robles had to be quick off his line to keep Yotun from reaching it first and having a clear chance at goal. Yotun, for his part, seemed a bit off his game, misplaying a cross right onto his feet in the box in the 42nd minute. El-Munir then sent the ball over the net upon regaining possession.

Just before the half, the Red Bulls got a set piece, which Collin weakly nodded wide of goal. Lindley also was shaken up after an altercation with Red Bulls midfielder Kaku, who took exception to some jawing and light pushing with the rookie and swept his legs out from beneath him. None of the officials saw the play.

The teams went to the locker room tied at 2-2, with nearly exactly 50/50 possession and seven shots apiece (3-3 on target).

Just three minutes after the restart, the Lions took their first lead of the season. Dwyer made a heads-up run on a throw-in and El-Munir delivered a great throw to spring him into the box. Dwyer smashed it with his left and beat Robles to make it 3-2.

“Super to have [Dwyer] back,” Kreis said. “Tactically he gives us a little bit more of a true number nine and we’ve been kind of playing without one for the first three matches. So to have a true target there — a player there who is going to finish things — is real nice for us. Big, big credit to him for taking his goals.”

Rivas nearly pulled that goal back in the 51st when he rocketed one just wide of the far post.

Once the second half settled in a bit more, Orlando switched up to a 4-2-3-1 formation. With Lindley out at halftime for Colmán, Johnson and Yotun played in the defensive midfield behind Meram, Kljestan, and the Paraguayan teenager, with Dwyer up top alone.

Orlando got a set piece and Johnson’s shot was saved in the 59th minute. Kljestan poked the ball to Yotun, who stopped it and teed it up for Johnson, whose shot took a deflection. The ricochet took enough steam off the ball for Robles to correct his positioning and collect it. Yotun got down the left in the 61st and fired a shot but it was right at the Red Bulls keeper.

Chris Mueller came on for a cramping Dwyer in the 65th minute. Moments later, Amro Tarek pulled up with an injury and was eventually subbed out for RJ Allen, so the Lions were suddenly down to their emergency center back as Bradley Wright-Phillips checked in for New York.

Mueller nearly gave the Lions some insurance in the 73rd minute. Robles made a diving fingertip save to prevent the rookie’s first MLS goal after he nodded down a perfect Kljestan cross. A minute later, Meram headed the ball into the net but the flag was up. Orlando continued to press for insurance. Kemar Lawrence broke up a 3-v-2 Orlando break in the 77th minute.

An ill-advised foul on Johnson provided the Red Bulls with a chance to equalize and the visitors did. The free kick to the back post was nodded home by Aaron Long, who beat Sané with a tug and a shove and left the defender on the ground, asking why no foul was given.

But the Lions didn’t hang their heads after Long’s 82nd-minute goal. Orlando came right back on the attack and Mueller found himself in the box, trying to split two defenders. As he cut between the two, Valot swept at the ball and got Mueller’s right leg but no penalty was given. Still, Orlando kept fighting.

Off a throw-in, Kljestan found a wide-open Sutter on the far side of the field. Sutter took a touch and blasted a shot from outside the box that deflected off Colmán and beat Robles to make it 4-3 in the 86th minute.

From that point on, Orlando did well to hold possession, with Mueller, Yotun, and Colmán working well to keep the ball in the right corner to use up much of the remaining clock.

Finally, the whistle blew on City’s first win of the season. It was a deserved three points, with the Lions holding 54.4% of the possession, out-shooting the Red Bulls, 14-10 (8-4 on target), and passing at 71% compared to New York’s 66%.

“I wasn’t expecting a 4-3 game. Those don’t come around very often,” said Kljestan. “I’m glad we came out on the winning side.”

“Hard-fought win,” Kreis said. “Really, really difficult to get that result today for a lot of reasons. Big, big credit to all the players that participated in that match and put their absolute best foot forward, because I think without 100 percent commitment, we don’t walk out of there with all three points.”

Orlando City will host the Portland Timbers next Sunday.

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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

9 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: 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

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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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