Orlando City
Orlando City vs. New York City FC: Final Score 2-2 as Lions Rally From Two Down
Another controversial video review goes against Orlando City late.
Orlando City recovered from giving up two first-half goals but could have won had yet another controversial video review not gone against the Lions. Maxime Chanot’s handball on a Dom Dwyer attempt was not called and then not overturned on video review, as the Lions drew New York City FC 2-2 at Orlando City Stadium. The Lions (0-0-1, 1 point) snapped a four-game losing streak to NYCFC (0-0-1, 1 point) and are now 5-5-3 in the all-time series.
“We felt we didn’t deserve to be two-nil down, but we were two-nil down,” said Head Coach James O’Connor after the game. “So, like we said, you either sit and feel sorry for yourself or you get out and you keep believing and you keep pushing and you keep doing the things that we’d spoken about. And I think we were very unfortunate not to go on and win the game at the end. I think there was some kind of controversy or some handball or something, so we go from two-nil down to having a real opportunity to go and win the game.”
O’Connor opted to start mainly the same team that faced NYCFC two weeks ago in the Orlando City Invitational. With Nani having missed a few days of training and flying back a day before the match, the Portuguese star began the game on the bench. He was alongside Dwyer, who was fit enough to be available but not 90-minute match fit after missing the bulk of preseason. Lamine Sané didn’t even make the 18, as O’Connor’s back line featured rookie Kamal Miller, newcomer Alex De John, and Shane O’Neill.
City began the game with good spells of possession but the Lions weren’t really able to generate a lot of clear-cut chances, as the New York City defense and midfield kept the lads in purple away from goalkeeper Sean Johnson. Still, the first shot of the half came five minutes in when Will Johnson fired just inches wide of the post.
New York scored in the 13th minute through Ebenezer Ofori, who was given too much space about 25 yards out, straight above the penalty area. Sebas Mendez was slow to close Ofori down and his shot was hit with power and was well placed just inside Brian Rowe’s post to make it 1-0.
Chris Mueller should have tied the game two minutes later. He was slipped into the top of the area by O’Neill and had either side to choose from but he fired wide of the right post in a chance he’ll no doubt want back.
A minute later, Sacha Kljestan shot from just inside the top of the area but didn’t get all of it and hit it right at Sean Johnson.
Will Johnson (no relation) took a nice layoff pass from Kljestan above the area in the 25th minute but got under it and fired well over the bar, as the Lions missed the net on seven of their eight first-half shot attempts. Eventually the attack started to become just lumping the ball over the top for Tesho Akindele, but he was a lone wolf against three defenders most times, and that was never going to work.
Assistant referee Kevin Klinger appeared to pull a hamstring late in the half and had to switch out with the fourth official in an incident you don’t see every day.
Orlando was lucky not to give up a goal in the 41st minute when Chanot’s free header on a corner kick was sent wide of goal. But the Pigeons got a second just before halftime through Alexander Ring, who took a pass from Alexandru Mitrita, which nutmegged De John, and got in behind the defense before beating Rowe to make it 2-0.
Minutes later, the first half mercifully ended. Orlando City held 62% of the possession to just 38% for NYCFC, but the Lions had little purpose in their attack, despite also being the better passing side (82%-75%). Shots were 8-6 Orlando (1-3 on target, however).
“I thought we were extremely unlucky to be going in two-nil down,” O’Connor said. “I think when you look at the balance of play first half, we had a lot of possession, we were camped in their half, we had multiple good opportunities — I think we were all a little frustrated to go in two-nil down.”
The tide turned in the second half, but it took a few minutes. Kyle Smith had the first good opportunity of the second half, forcing a good Sean Johnson save in the 51st minute. De John got under the cross on the ensuing corner and couldn’t direct Mueller’s pass on frame, as it was just a bit high.
But Mueller pulled the Lions back into the game in the 59th minute. After Kljestan was pulled down out on the left side, just above the penalty area, Mueller stepped up to the ball. The second-year player delivered a dangerous ball into the box that took a bounce and found its way inside the back post. The delivery forced Sean Johnson to decide between playing the oncoming attackers or the ball, and he could only watch as Mueller made it 2-1.
“I just wanted to put it into a dangerous area,” Mueller said. “And I made sure that if no one got a touch onto it, it would creep into that back post area and that’s exactly what ended up happening. So it was good to get the team back into the game.”
Mueller’s goal was the first scored by any Lion in a competitive game against NYCFC since Cyle Larin’s second goal in a 2-1 win on April 23, 2017.
The teams battled back and forth, mostly in the middle of the pitch, for the next 10 minutes or so, and then the game changed again when O’Connor sent Dwyer and Nani onto the pitch in exchange for Smith and Mendez.
“You could hear it, couldn’t you, in the stadium?” Mueller said when asked if he could feel the energy change when Nani and Dwyer checked in. “It got pretty loud in the stadium and I think that just gave us a little bit of an extra boost. Guys were getting tired and they came on and they created a very nice goal together. It was awesome.”
Just five minutes after coming on, Nani — on one of his first few touches as a Lion — unlocked the NYCFC defense with one long pass, sending Dwyer behind the back line on the left. Dom drew Johnson over toward him and slipped a centering pass to Akindele, who tapped it in to open his Orlando City account.
“I thought they came in and they made a huge impact,” Akindele said of Nani and Dwyer entering the game. “I think one of Nani’s first touches was the pass to set Dom through. One of Dom’s first touches was an assist. So that just shows the quality they bring and the depth we have up top.”
Akindele had to leave the game after the goal but said he was just cramping up due to the heat and the effort put into the match.
“I was like, happy (after scoring the goal), but then my body was cramping, so it was kind of weird,” he said, laughing. “I was trying to be like real happy and celebrate but I couldn’t. So, next time maybe I’ll have a better celebration.”
With the game tied, Orlando looked for the winner and it appeared the Lions had their chance to grab it in the 80th minute. Mueller sent in a good cross that Dwyer knocked toward goal. The ball hit Chanot’s arm and Dwyer emphatically screamed for a penalty. Once there was a stop in play, video assistant referee Jose Carlos Rivero buzzed down to referee Baldomero Toledo, who stopped the game and reviewed the play on a monitor.
Although replays show Chanot’s hand out away from his body and moving in a way so as to block the flight of the ball, Toledo did not overturn the play and no penalty was awarded. Following the game, the game officials issued this statement to the pool reporter covering the game:
“The VAR recommended a review for a potential handling in the penalty area. After review, the referee determined that the defender did not deliberately handle the ball.”
O’Connor clarified that he hadn’t seen a good replay of the incident in the box but several players had told him it was a clear-cut handball.
The Pigeons had one more good opportunity, but Rowe was able to deny Mitrita from a tight angle late in the game, and, after 90 minutes plus four minutes of stoppage time, neither team had a win.
Shots for the match were even at 13 apiece, with New York City putting six on frame to Orlando’s four. The Lions held 58% of the possession to NYCFC’s 42%, and Orlando connected on 80% of its passes to the visitors’ 73%.
“I felt like overall the team’s performance was really good. It definitely hurts not to get the three points on the first day but I think that we showed a lot of character fighting back.,” Mueller said.
“I think it’s cool to see the response but obviously you don’t want to put yourself in a position where we go down at all,” Akindele said. “And to be honest, I think that start to finish, I think we outplayed them. I think they had two chances against the run of play that they did really well, that they took advantage of, but honestly I think we completely outplayed them.”
Nani said after the game that he was feeling the effects of the travel but he hopes to be able to start “after a very good week of training.” O’Connor said he went through several instances in his mind of when he’d bring in Nani and Dwyer, who hadn’t trained much with the team this preseason.
“I think if I’m being honest I didn’t envision the two lads getting the minutes that they did,” O’Connor said of his plan on when to use Nani and Dwyer. “But I knew in the back of my mind if we needed a goal or we needed something to change the game, then them two were going to go on. They both deserve a lot of credit because they’ve not done a lot of training. To go on and impact the game like they did, some of the play and the heart that they showed was really encouraging.”
With yet another first-game draw, the Lions are now 1-0-4 in their opening day matches since joining the league.
Orlando City will be back in action next Saturday at the Chicago Fire. Game time is 1 p.m.
Orlando City
Orlando City Adds Four Players in 2025 MLS SuperDraft
The Lions add a pair of Clemson Tigers, bolstering all three levels of the squad with a midfielder, two defenders, and a forward.
Major League Soccer held its annual SuperDraft today, and while the decision not to broadcast or stream it made it a bit of an exercise in frustration for many fans, ultimately, we learned the results. Orlando City’s day began by staying put in the No. 27 overall slot in Round 1 and selecting Clemson midfielder Joran Gerbet. The Lions added a second Clemson Tiger with their first selection of the second round (No. 46 overall), selecting center back Titus Sandy, Jr. Orlando finished the second round by taking Indiana forward Collins Oduro at No. 57 overall, and finished out the day by picking Marshall defender Takahiro Fujita in Round 3 (No. 87 overall).
Gerbet, a native of Valence, France, began his highly decorated collegiate career at Oregon State University, playing two seasons before transferring to Clemson for his final two years. He was a 2024 Mac Hermann Trophy semifinalist, ACC Midfielder of the Year, a first-team United Soccer Coaches All-American, and earned United Soccer Coaches First Team All-South Region honors. He was also a first-team All-ACC selection and made the All-ACC Tournament Team as a senior.
The 5-foot-11 midfielder helped lead the Tigers to a national championship in 2023 after Clemson won the ACC Tournament, in which Gerbet was named to the All-ACC Tournament Team. He was a third-team All-ACC selection in 2023, a member of the Academic All-ACC Team, and earned United Soccer Coaches Second Team All-South Region honors. While at Oregon State, Gerbet was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year and was an All-Pac-12 First Team selection in 2022. He was Pac-12 Freshman of the Year in 2021 as well as a First Team All-Pac-12 Team and Second Team All-Far West Region selection. Top Drawer Soccer placed him on the site’s Freshman Best XI first team.
Gerbet, 23, played in 78 games (76 starts), logging 6,708 minutes over the course of his college career. He scored 12 goals and added 15 assists. Of those, 10 goals and 11 assists came in 42 appearances (40 starts) with the Tigers in his final two years. So, while he played in six more games at Clemson, starting four more and playing 236 more minutes, his offensive numbers still took a big jump.
That could be natural development from a younger player to a more experienced one, but it could also be that the Tigers placed him in a more advantageous role, as he attempted 14 shots and put five on target in two years at Oregon State before firing 54 and putting 18 on target at Clemson.
As a senior, Gerbet scored on all four of his penalty kick attempts — the only four he attempted in his college career.
It appears Gerbet projects as a No. 8 at the professional level, but perhaps with some attacking upside. The Lions parted ways with 2024 draft pick Jeorgio Kocevski after the season, and Gerbet figures to possibly take his roster spot. He may see time with OCB in 2025 if he can earn a contract.
This isn’t the best highlight reel, but it’s the best we saw.
The Lions used the pick they got from Real Salt Lake when they traded Benji Michel’s re-entry right to select Sandy, a 6-foot center back from Charlotte, NC, who played his entire four-year college career with Clemson.
Sandy, 22, played in 48 matches, starting 24, with 17 of those starts coming his senior season. He played 2,520 minutes and did not score a goal with the Tigers, but he did manage four assists — all in his final year. He attempted five shots and put two on target for his entire career.
Along with his teammate, Gerbet, Sandy was part of the Tigers team in 2023 that won the ACC and NCAA tournaments. He earned 2023 Academic All-ACC honors.
As a second-round pick, he’s statistically a longshot to make the first team, but the Lions will give him a long look in camp, and if he shows promise, he could be signed and sent to OCB to see if he can continue to develop his game. Center back is an area of need for Orlando, and if Sandy can show enough, he may be able to land a deal with a strong camp.
Here’s some video on Sandy:
Toward the bottom of the second round, Orlando selected Oduro, a 5-foot-7 Ghanaian forward out of Indiana, the co-Big Ten champions in 2024. The 20-year-old played only two seasons with the Hoosiers before entering the SuperDraft, appearing in 44 games (41 starts) and playing 3,062 minutes. Oduro scored eight goals and added seven assists, firing 92 shots in those two seasons and putting 33 on target. Four of his eight goals were game winners.
He also helped the Hoosiers win the Big Ten regular season in 2023, making him a two-time conference champion, and he and his teammates won the 2023 Big Ten Tournament as well. He was a Top Drawer Soccer Best XI Freshman Team honoree following the 2023 season, a 2023 Big Ten All-Freshman Team member, and a 2024 Academic All-Big Ten selection.
Before arriving at Indiana, Oduro captained The Phelps School as a prep player, where he was named Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year in 2022 and the PrepSoccer.com Philadelphia Area Player of the Year.
If Sandy is a longshot to make the team, Oduro may be even a longer shot. As a younger player, he’s a good candidate to see if he can develop with the MLS NEXT Pro side.
Finally, the Lions grabbed another defender in Fujita, a 6-foot-2 Japanese-born defender out of 2024 national runner-up, Marshall. Like Oduro, Fujita is a younger player, coming out of college after his sophomore year. He was part of a Thundering Herd defense that kept 11 clean sheets and conceded only 20 goals this season en route to the NCAA final.
Fujita, 20, appeared in 40 matches in his two seasons at Marshall, starting 27 games and playing 2,423 minutes. He scored one goal and added four assists in his two years, attempting 23 shots and putting seven on target.
This is another player the club may try to develop at OCB.
Orlando City
Orlando City Sells Facundo Torres to Palmeiras
The Facundo Torres era in Orlando comes to an official end with his transfer to Palmeiras in Brazil’s Serie A.
The Facundo Torres era with Orlando City officially ended today with the club announcing his transfer to Brazilian Serie A side Palmeiras for what was described as a club-record fee. While that fee was not disclosed by the club, reports indicate it to be around the $12-million mark and as high as $14 million with add-ons. The Uruguayan winger departs as the Lions’ all-time goal-scoring leader both in the MLS era and the combined USL and MLS eras and leaves a difficult hole for the front office to fill.
“Today I say goodbye to a club that marked an unforgettable stage in my career and in my life, my first experience as a professional away from home,” Torres said in a club press release. “Thank you to the staff, my teammates and all the people who are part of this club for the constant support and trust from the first day. I leave with pride for what we achieved together and with the satisfaction of having left my mark on this club that will always be special to me. I wish you the greatest success in the future. Thank you for everything, Orlando. I’ll miss you.”
Torres joined Orlando City as a Young Designated Player on Jan. 24, 2022 from Peñarol, the club in Montevideo, Uruguay, where he made the jump from youth academy player to professional. After transitioning from a YDP to a standard Designated Player, Torres signed a new contract Jan. 10 of this year through the 2026 season with options for 2027 and 2028. It seemed Torres had embraced the city and the club and was making a commitment to being an Orlando City leader for years to come, but things can, and do, change, and now his time in purple has come to an end.
His impact on the club has been a big one, as he not only has been an offensive leader in his three seasons in Orlando, but helped the Lions win their first trophy in the club’s MLS era in the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup championship run. His contributions helped Orlando City reach the playoffs each of the last three years, including a run to this year’s Eastern Conference final and a second-place finish in the 2023 Supporters’ Shield standings.
In his three seasons as a Lion, the 24-year-old made 123 appearances (113 starts) across all competitions. He scored a club-record 47 goals, breaking Cyle Larin’s MLS-era mark and Dom Dwyer’s combined USL-MLS record, and added 25 assists. He also holds the club’s record for goals in all competitions in one season (20), which he set this year, and career goal contributions (72). His 14 MLS goals in the regular season were a career high, and at just 24 years old, Torres seemed capable of continuing to develop and improve.
While his value to Orlando City’s roster is evident, the winger was purchased from Peñarol for a reported club-record $7.5 million, so if the reports are even close to accurate, Orlando City could hardly afford to nearly double what it paid for the Designated Player. It would be one of the league’s top 10 transfers in terms of money received and a good bit of business by the club.
“First, we want to thank Facu for everything he has done for this club. He has been involved in so many great moments and successes during his time here that will leave a lasting legacy in our history,” Orlando City Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi said in a club press release. “Because of that success, Facu has generated the attention of the global market, and this is a move that, at this time, makes sense for both Facundo and Orlando City. Not only does this continue a great and established relationship with a successful club in Palmeiras, but it shows our success in developing young talent into world stars. We want to thank Facu again for his hard work and everything he has helped bring to our Club and our fans during his time in Orlando. We wish him the best as he takes these next steps in his career.”
The relationship with Palmeiras that Muzzi mentions includes the successful inbound transfers of former Orlando center back Antonio Carlos — one of the best defenders in club history — and current starting winger Ivan Angulo. Along with Orlando City and MLS, Palmeiras announced today’s transfer on social media. After seeing Torres in purple for three years, his new colors may seem a bit jarring to Orlando City fans.
While it may seem strange to sell Torres to a Brazilian club instead of a European side, it makes a bit more sense recently. Brazilian clubs have been active in the transfer market as buyers from MLS sides, including the hefty price Atlanta’s Thiago Almada brought the Georgia-based club earlier this year, which reportedly set a new league record at about $21 million. Torres could still end up in Europe if he can continue developing his game, but for now he’s closer to home, which he will no doubt welcome every time the Uruguayan National Team calls him up for international duty.
What It Means for Orlando City
In short, the Lions have to go shopping, but they’ve got a good chunk of change to do that with after the sale of Torres. They also have an open Designated Player slot. Torres has scored a lot of goals in three seasons, and the club will need to replace his production. It won’t be easy to do that, but there is plenty of money available. Not only is there a lot coming back for Torres’ sale, but MLS revealed this week that Orlando City is sitting on one of the league’s larger piles of General Allocation Money. There is no financial impediment to improving the squad.
There are multiple ways to do that. With Martin Ojeda and Luis Muriel capable of being providers, the Lions could invest in an elite striker, which would make some sense in the short term, with Duncan McGuire likely out until at least mid-May and possibly until late June. Current starter Ramiro Enrique is developing nicely, but if the club can go out and get a consistent 15-goal scorer — and there’s no reason Orlando can’t do that — it can replace Torres’ offense.
Oscar Pareja could deploy an attacking midfield line of Muriel, Ojeda, and Angulo with a new DP center forward. The club could also invest in an elite No. 10 and move Ojeda and/or Muriel into Torres’ former position.
The Lions have not been players in the inbound transfer market yet this off-season, with the Torres sale a necessary first step. But now the pressure is on the front office not just to continue the club’s run of five consecutive postseason appearances, but to find a way to elevate the squad so it can reach the next level.
Orlando City
2024 Orlando City Season in Review: Nico Lodeiro
Let’s take a look at how the Uruguayan midfielder performed during his first year with the Lions.
Orlando City signed midfielder Nico Lodeiro back on Jan. 4. After spending all of his eight-year MLS career with the Seattle Sounders, he joined an Orlando team that had a big hole to fill in the attacking midfield after the departure of former captain Mauricio Pereyra. Despite his age and not occupying a Designated Player spot, it was widely assumed that the Uruguayan was intended to slot into his countryman’s spot in the starting lineup, and his eye for goal had the potential to help the Lions’ attack.
Let’s take a look back at Lodeiro’s first season wearing Orlando City purple.
Statistical Breakdown
Lodeiro appeared in each one of Orlando City’s 34 regular-season games, starting 16 of those and logging 1,697 minutes. He scored one goal in the regular season and contributed 11 assists, which matched his third-highest total in MLS. He attempted 36 shots and put 10 of them on target. He completed 87.5% of his passes, which was his best-ever completion percentage in an MLS season, as he delivered 1,215 of 1,389 accurately. He also recorded 46 key passes, 20 completed long balls, and 20 successful crosses. On defense, he notched 36 tackles, 14 interceptions, eight clearances, and three blocks. He committed 17 fouls and received two yellow cards, while drawing 29 fouls from the opposition.
Lodeiro appeared in each of Orlando’s five postseason games as a substitute, and recorded 58 minutes on the field. He did not record any goal contributions or shots, although he had the assist on a would-be Facundo Torres winner in Game 2 against Charlotte FC which was ultimately ruled offside. He completed 77.4% of his passes, and accurately delivered two key passes, two crosses, and two long balls. Defensively, he made three tackles, chipped in with a clearance, and committed one foul, for which he was not booked, whild drawing two on his opponents.
Nico appeared in all four of OCSC’s Concacaf Champions Cup matches, starting both matches against Tigres and coming on as a sub in both legs against Cavalry FC for a total of 270 minutes. He took four shots (one on target), and provided a goal and an assist in the home game against Cavalry. He completed 86% of his passes and provided one key pass and the aforementioned assist. Defensively, he contributed two tackles and one clearance while committing four fouls, picking up one yellow card, and drawing five fouls from the opposition.
He also started one of the Lions’ Leagues Cup matches and came on as a substitute in the other two, for three total appearances, amassing 83 minutes in the process. He did not score on his four shots (one on target), but he provided an assist in the 4-1 win over CF Montreal. He passed with 81.5% accuracy, completed one cross, and provided three key passes. He drew five fouls, committed one of his own, and was not booked.
Best Game
There are a couple of candidates for Nico’s best game, but in the end I had to go with the 3-2 away win over the Philadelphia Union. Lodeiro got the start in an unconventional 3-5-2 formation and was central to everything Orlando did on offense.
Following things breaking down after a corner kick, he played in a great left-footed cross from the end line which Duncan McGuire headed home to tie the game at 1-1.
He turned provider again just before halftime, as he flicked a pass to Luis Muriel, who then proceeded to cut in on his left foot and unleash a rocket into the top corner to give Orlando the lead.
The Uruguayan then helped put the game away just after halftime, as he half-volleyed a perfectly weighted through ball for Muriel, who calmly rolled the ball into the far corner.
Lodeiro’s offensive stat line in that game read three shots (one off target, two blocked), three assists, a team-high four key passes, and one through ball while drawing one foul. He passed with 85% accuracy and connected on two crosses and two long balls. Defensively, he had two tackles, one interception, one clearance, and one block, while committing one foul for which he was not booked. In our Player Grades piece, yours truly graded him an 8 out of 10, with only Luis Muriel’s 8.5 out of 10 preventing him from taking the Man of the Match award.
2024 Final Grade
The Mane Land staff awarded Lodeiro a composite grade of 6.5 out of 10 for his first season in an Orlando City uniform. The 13 assists that he provided across all competitions set a new club record and showcased what made him so devastating during all his years in Seattle. He didn’t provide a ton of threat on goal himself though, which was disappointing, considering he was no stranger to finding the back of the net with his previous team.
2025 Outlook
Lodeiro’s performances this season triggered an option year in his contract, so he’s slated to be back with the team next year. It wasn’t necessarily a bad season for him, particularly considering he’s 35 and played a lot of years on the unyielding turf of Lumen Field. Still, he was presumably brought in to take over Pereyra’s starting spot and wasn’t able to cement his hold on it, so there’s some disappointment there. He remains a great passer of the ball as evidenced by his assist numbers, but one league goal is a disappointing return, although it’s worth noting that he had one goal and one fewer assist for Seattle in MLS play during the 2023 season, despite playing almost 800 more minutes. Whether he starts consistently or not, he’s still got the quality to change games as a sub, and if he starts banging in a few goals, then he could make a reasonable case to see more time in the starting XI.
Previous Season in Review Articles (Date Posted)
Orlando City Adds Four Players in 2025 MLS SuperDraft
2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Adriana
Orlando City Sells Facundo Torres to Palmeiras
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Orlando City7 days ago2024 Orlando City Season in Review: Facundo Torres
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Orlando City2 weeks ago2024 Orlando City Season in Review: Mason Stajduhar
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Orlando City2 weeks ago2024 Orlando City Season in Review: Yutaro Tsukada
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Podcasts2 weeks agoPawedCast Episode 459: Orlando City Roster Decisions and Facundo Torres Gone?
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Orlando City2 weeks ago2024 Orlando City Season in Review: Javier Otero
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