Connect with us

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. New York City FC: Final Score 2-0 as Lions’ Slide Continues

Pigeons complete the sweep of the Lions, who pounded the woodwork all night but couldn’t put one in.

Published

on

Carlos Romero, The Mane Land

Orlando City’s drought against New York City FC (13-4-4, 43 points) has reached four games and the Lions have been outscored 10-0 in that span after a 2-0 loss at Orlando City Stadium. OCSC (7-13-1) hit the woodwork multiple times but couldn’t get anything inside the perimeter of the goal frame, and conceded twice off first-half giveaways to continue the theme of matches against the club’s fellow 2015 expansion brethren.

“The biggest thing for me is I’ll never make excuses,” James O’Connor said after the game. “The easy thing for me to do is come out and say we’ve hit the post four times and there’s something to that, but equally, for me, there shouldn’t be a disparity between the first half and second half.

“When you look at the first half…I don’t think that’s what we want. Second half, it’s a lot closer to what we’re looking at. We’re starting to get the intensity, we’re starting to do the things that we want to do with some lovely movement. Overall, throughout the 90 minutes, there’s some lovely passages of play, but I’m serious, I want to win. And this is really frustrating for myself, for the staff, and for the players. We’re not just saying it. We want to win, and when you don’t win it’s really frustrating.”

O’Connor didn’t make many tweaks from the team that played against Columbus on Saturday.

New York tested Earl Edwards Jr. early, and he passed the first test. Maxi Moralez broke in off a bad back pass from PC that Chris Schuler couldn’t handle. Moralez fired a shot that Edwards saved, but it came right back to the NYC attacker and he got a second chance. Earl took that one off his foot to keep the game scoreless at the five-minute mark.

Orlando’s first good look came in the 18th minute when PC sneaked into the left side of the box and the ball found him, but his shot was blocked behind for a corner. New York City FC cleared the set piece cross but the Lions recycled the ball into the area and Yoshimar Yotún fired over the bar from a tight angle.

Jesus Medina’s free kick in the 27th minute nearly found its way in, but Edwards got a touch on it and sent it off the woodwork, bailing out Cristian Higuita, who had committed an unnecessary foul out near the right sideline.

The Lions’ best opportunity in the half came at the 38-minute mark when Yotún blasted a shot from distance that smashed off the crossbar. It ended up being a costly couple of inches for Orlando.

NYCFC got on the board off a weird pinball play when no one seemed able to get a good touch on the ball. PC ended up sending a clearance attempt off an attacking player and nearly put it into his own net. Edwards may have gotten just a touch on it to send it off the post but Moralez was the first to react to score the opener at the 40-minute mark.

Just as it looked like the Lions would trail 1-0 at the break, Yotún committed a costly turnover in the defensive half. Anton Tinnerholm roasted PC and fired just inside the far post to make it 2-0 at the break.

The visitors held 58% of the first-half possession, out-shot the Lions, 10-4 (5-0 on goal), and out-passed Orlando, 88%-76%

The game didn’t change much after halftime, except Orlando City held the ball better, spent more time in the attacking half, and hit the woodwork more often, ringing the posts/crossbar three more times in the second period.

Sacha Kljestan started the second half by passing up a shooting opportunity in the 47th minute, instead opting to pass the ball wide from the top of the area. That happened just before an ugly looking collision between Ben Sweat and RJ Allen, but both players were able to continue on.

Yotún hit the right post in the 61st minute as Orlando again narrowly missed an opportunity to get on the board. It was a golden opportunity for the Peruvian, who slipped inside and just couldn’t beat the woodwork on the near side.

“We get them on the ropes but we can’t deliver that final punch,” Will Johnson said. “That’s just kind of where we are right now and we’re working toward being a little more like them and being more clinical.”

Two minutes later, Kljestan sent a gorgeous ball to spring Dom Dwyer in on goal but he had to take it with his right foot and Sean Johnson made the save.

A minute after Dom’s chance, Higuita headed wide and then was kicked and barrel rolled by Alexander Callens, but nothing was given.

The Lions continued to chase the game and Schuler hit a shot off Sweat that caught the crossbar in the 78th minute. Four minutes later, Orlando City went down a man when Shane O’Neill — a bright spot again for most of the game — was late on a challenge and was sent off. He was initially booked by referee Robert Sibiga, but after consultation with the assistant referee, he pulled out the red card, so O’Neill will miss the match Sunday.

As the clock wound down, substitute Josué Colmán slipped into the box and fired a shot that Sweat again deflected onto the crossbar in the 89th minute. A minute later, New York City should have made it three goals on the night but Medina missed his sliding chance all alone at the back post.

The Lions evened up the possession in the second half, holding it for 57% after halftime and 49% for the match. City out-shot NYCFC for the game, 21-14 (5-5 on target), and an 85.4% passing rate in the second half allowed the Lions to end up at 81% for the game to New York City’s 87%.

“I think when you look at the performance in the first half and second half, it’s there for everyone to see,” O’Connor said. “The second half we came out and we had lots of opportunities and hit the crossbar whatever number of times. Big moments just don’t seem to be dropping for us but there shouldn’t be such a disparity in performance between the first and second half.”

“There’s opportunities to score goals in both halves and there’s opportunities to prevent both goals from happening and we didn’t do enough on either end of the spectrum, so you come away frustrated,” Johnson said.


The Lions will try to bounce back Sunday night on the road against the LA Galaxy.

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Three Keys to Victory

What does Orlando City need to do to earn a second victory in a row at home this Saturday?

Published

on

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City is coming off its first win of the MLS regular season and will look to carry that momentum into Saturday night’s Eastern Conference matchup against the New York Red Bulls. The Lions will have several players back from international duty, making Oscar Pareja’s job a bit easier, although some of them will be on short rest. What does Orlando City need to do to earn all three points against the Red Bulls?

Stop Morgan

Lewis Morgan has been on a tear this season with five goals in five matches. That is more than every Orlando City player combined so far this season. The Red Bulls were held scoreless in two matches, meaning those five goals have come in three matches, with Morgan scoring a hat trick against Inter Miami. I love that he took it to the Herons like that, but I’m going to need him to cool off a bit against the Lions.

If Orlando City is to stop Morgan it will take excellent defending from the Lions’ back line and of course Pedro Gallese, who is returning from international duty. Orlando City also gets Wilder Cartagena and David Brekalo back, meaning more of the first choice lineup will be available to keep a clean sheet. With the match at home, earning a clean sheet is all the more important.

Proper Rest and Preperation

It might seem silly to say, but having more than a few days between matches is conducive to earning points. When Orlando City was participating in the Concacaf Champions Cup, the Lions never had time to properly recover or train with a game plan for the next match. Now, the Lions are able to do so, and the result against Austin FC reflects that.

Pareja is a top level MLS coach. We know that he has a plan for about the first 20 minutes of any match, and then makes adjustments throughout the remainder of the match. Even so, many of those adjustments have been planned out prior to the match. That, paired with a more rested roster, allows the Lions to be the protagonists Pareja wants them to be.

Shots, Shots, Shots

Orlando City was able to create plenty of chances against Austin FC, and will need to do so again against the Red Bulls. The Lions took 22 shots Saturday night, with eight on target, and they put two in the back of the net against Austin. Hopefully, Orlando City can be more efficient going forward, but if you don’t create opportunities, you won’t score.

The Red Bulls have some decent defenders who Orlando City will have to deal with, including fullback John Tolkin and Carlos Coronel at keeper. If the Lions can pass even close to the way they did against Austin, the opportunities will come, and if that is the case, hopefully the goals will come. Orlando City still has a sizable goal deficit, thanks to the early part of the season, that can only be corrected with more goals on the other end.


That is what I will be looking for this Saturday night at Inter&Co Stadium. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/28/24

Getting to know Rafael Santos, Orlando Pride prepare for Chicago, Midge Purce out for the season, and more.

Published

on

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope the work week has been treating you well as we gear up for another weekend of soccer. March flew by for me and April is shaping up to be a pretty busy month as well. In other news, I’m looking into adopting a cat and gathering the supplies to make that happen. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Getting to Know Rafael Santos

Orlando City left back Rafael Santos was the latest Lion to field questions as part of the club’s video series for fans to learn more about its players. The 26-year-old spoke about the decision process behind joining Orlando and playing outside of Brazil for the first time in his career after five years with Cruzeiro. He’s brought his attack-minded style of play to the team, particularly in terms of providing lethal crossing from the wing. Make sure to check out the full video as Santos also shared photos of his newborn and showcased his skill with a cavaquinho.

Orlando Pride Prepare to Host Chicago

After a pair of draws to start their season, the Orlando Pride will have a chance to claim their first win of the season when they host the Chicago Red Stars tomorrow night at 6 p.m. Head Coach Seb Hines spoke about how the Pride have shown plenty of resilience so far this young season. The team managed to secure a point in last week’s 1-1 draw with Angel City FC despite a patchwork back line due to injuries. That defense will likely have its hands full against Mallory Swanson and a Chicago team that won both of its first two games. Hines spoke about how the Pride are preparing for Chicago and how they will need the home crowd to bring the support tomorrow night.

Sophia Smith Signs Record-Breaking New Deal

American forward Sophia Smith signed a new contract with the Portland Thorns that will make her the highest-paid NWSL player, according to the club. The new deal will last through the 2025 season, with an option for 2026 as well. The 23-year-old was drafted by the Thorns with the first overall pick in the 2020 NWSL Draft and has gone on to score 34 regular-season goals. Smith re-signed with the club in 2022 and was set to become a free agent following this season, but will instead stay in Portland.

Midge Purce Out for NWSL Season

NJ/NY Gotham FC forward Midge Purce will miss the remainder of the NWSL season after tearing her ACL. The 28-year-old will undergo surgery and suffered the injury in her team’s 1-0 victory over the Portland Thorns this past weekend. She’s been with Gotham since 2020 and assisted on both goals in her team’s 2-1 win in the 2023 NWSL Championship. It’s a tough blow for the United States Women’s National Team too, as she will not be representing the U.S. during this summer’s Olympics in France.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City B’s match against Carolina Core FC on April 14 has been rescheduled.

That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/27/24

Bally Sports will broadcast Orlando Pride matches, Pride players called up, USWNT announces SheBelieves Cup roster, and more.

Published

on

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Hello, Mane Landers. I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I attended my friend’s wedding this past weekend and have been getting myself back into work mode by covering high school tennis this week. There is plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Bally Sports Will Broadcast Select Orlando Pride Matches

Bally Sports was announced as the new local television partner for the Orlando Pride. There will be 13 select Pride matches broadcast this season across Bally Sports Florida, Bally Sports Sun, and on the Bally Sports app. The partnership will begin this Friday, with the Orlando Soccer Insider show taking place before the kickoff of the Pride’s home match against the Chicago Red Stars at 7 p.m. The show will be broadcast on Bally Sports Florida, and then you can switch to the Bally Sports app to watch Friday’s match. Below are all the select matches that will be broadcast on Bally Sports this season.

Brazilian Orlando Pride Players Called Up

The Orlando Pride’s Marta, Angelina, and Luana were all called up by Brazil for next month’s SheBelieves Cup. Brazil heads into this tournament after a solid showing in the Concacaf W Gold Cup. The format is different for this year’s SheBelieves Cup, as there will only be four matches instead of six. Brazil’s first match of the tournament will be a semifinal on April 6 against Canada in Atlanta.

USWNT Announces Roster for SheBelieves Cup

United States Women’s National Team interim head coach Twila Kilgore announced the 23-player roster for the 2024 SheBelieves Cup matches next month. The USWNT has won this competition four consecutive times since 2020, and is going for a seventh title in 2024. Of those called up, 19 players on this squad were part of the team that won the Concacaf W Gold Cup earlier this month. San Diego Wave forward Jaedyn Shaw, the Concacaf W Gold Cup’s MVP, is back on the roster after she led the USWNT with four goals. The squad also includes familiar names like former Pride forward Alex Morgan, Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman, and Olympique Lyon midfielder Lindsey Horan. Mallory Swanson and Catarina Macario return to the squad after being sidelined with injuries. The USWNT will begin its quest to defend its SheBelieves Cup title when it faces Japan on April 6 in Atlanta.

MLS Referees Agree to New CBA

After a lockout that resulted in Major League Soccer starting the season with replacement referees, the Professional Soccer Referees Association voted to ratify a new collective bargaining agreement with the Professional Referee Organization. The new CBA is a seven-year deal that runs through January of 2031. This deal will also include significant pay raises for referees, assistant referees, and video assistant referees. The PRO referees will return to the pitch for this weekend’s MLS matches.

Ukraine, Georgia, and Poland Qualify for Euro 2024

Ukraine has qualified for this summer’s Euros after edging out Iceland 2-1 in its playoff final, with Mykhaylo Mudryk scoring the winning goal in the second half. Georgia eliminated Greece 4-2 on penalties after a 2-2 draw to book a spot in the tournament as well. Georgia qualifies for its first major tournament after coming up short in 2020. Poland also needed penalties to qualify, with goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny making the final save against Daniel James to beat Wales 5-4 on penalties after a scoreless draw.

Free Kicks


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

Continue Reading

Trending