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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Philadelphia Union: Final Score 2-2 as Lions Come From Behind Then Blow Late Lead

A draw feels good if you win the point late, but bad when you throw two points away late.

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5 years ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Major League Soccer ordered that last night’s postponed match at Talen Energy Stadium be played the next day, and it was apparent that the Lions weren’t willing participants. After an extra night in Philadelphia, Orlando City came out of the gate lethargic, fell behind early, came from behind to take the lead late, and then threw that lead away even later in a crazy 2-2 draw against the Union.

Marco Fabian put the hosts ahead early, but Dom Dwyer’s incredible header drew the Lions level on a free kick delivery by second-half sub Nani. Santiago Patino came on for Dwyer and scored what appeared to be the game winner with his first touch, only to see Kacper Przybylko score in the 90th minute to steal two of those three points away from the Lions.

Orlando (6-9-4, 22 points) is winless (0-1-1) in July after a 4-1 run in June in all competitions. The Lions simply got overmatched and outclassed by Philadelphia (10-5-6, 36 points) for much of the game, but made the most of some late set pieces to at least be in position for a road win over the Eastern Conference’s top team. Orlando City has now taken points in six of 10 road matches this season.

James O’Connor stayed with the lineup announced Saturday night.

Orlando City hadn’t even yet possessed the ball from the opening kickoff when Fabian opened the scoring in the fourth minute. After the Union pinged the ball around the back for a while, they advanced down their right side and Fafa Picault was given plenty of space to cross in for Fabian — under zero pressure himself in the area from Alex De John — to just help into the corner of the goal with a slight nod.

Orlando should have equalized in the seventh minute. Uri Rosell sent a ball that fell for Dwyer’s perfectly timed run, but the striker needed a few steps to control it. Jack Elliott closed him down just as he prepared to fire and looked to bother Dwyer just enough to fire it at Andre Blake, who saved it easily.

Carlos Ascues gifted the ball to Philadelphia with a turnover and Przybylko came forward, cut across the back line and fired a shot past Shane O’Neill that Brian Rowe saved.

Haris Medunjanin fired a shot just a foot wide in the 19th minute after finding too much room at the top of the half circle.

Around the half-hour mark Orlando changed to a 4-3-3, moving O’Neill out to right back and pushing Kyle Smith up into the midfield. The Lions got a bit more possession but it didn’t really change things much, aside from calming the Union threat a bit. Orlando still never looked a threat to score or even to be able to get into position to become dangerous at all.

Fabian tried a long-range effort at the 30-minute mark but it wasn’t close to the target. A minute later, Danilo Acosta found Dwyer up top with a long cross but the forward headed well over the target under pressure from former Lion Aurelien Collin.

The last decent chance of the opening period went to Philadelphia off a corner in the 35th minute Przybylko had the ball fall at his feet on a corner kick scrum and fired on target but Rowe tipped it over.

The lethargic half finally came to an end with the hosts still holding their early 1-0 lead. Shots were in favor of Philadelphia, 7-2 (3-1 on target). The Union held a whopping 64% of the possession, which had been as high as 75% around 20 minutes into the match, and Philly out-passed the Lions, 89%-80%.

The second half started out with a couple of half chances for Orlando. Smith drilled a shot from distance way over the crossbar, and then Acosta crossed in behind Dwyer, who tried a bicycle kick but could only pop it up.

After that, the Union had a protracted spell of possession that ended with a shot by Picault that Rowe stopped in the 54th minute. Philadelphia didn’t stop coming, however, with Medunjanin firing over the bar again in the 57th minute and then Picault firing a cross from Przybylko straight at Rowe in the 58th.

On one of Orlando’s rare buildups, Dwyer found space outside the box, turned, and fired a laser just wide to the right of goal in the 60th.

The game changed in the 64th minute when Nani subbed on for O’Neill, who had a tough game after several hard collisions. O’Neill went to the locker room and Smith dropped from the midfield to right back.

Two minutes later, Benji Michel made a nice run up the right side, holding off Kai Wagner, who eventually fouled him, setting up a free kick from long range out on the right. Nani stepped up to deliver the set piece and picked out Dwyer, who redirected the cross inside the far post with the back of his head to makt it 1-1 in the 67th minute.

It was Dwyer’s second goal in his last three appearances, with the lone scoreless game being Wednesday when he got a run-out while his team was down two men.

With the score tied and both teams a bit tired, O’Connor brought on Chris Mueller for Michel in the 74th minute and Santiago Patino for Dwyer in the 80th, just after a Smith cross attempt had been knocked out for a corner. Nani delivered a ball into the box that Mueller nodded toward goal, but right at Blake, who fought it off. Patino swooped in and tapped home the rebound with his first touch to make it 2-1 with just nine minutes left in normal time. It was the rookie’s first MLS goal.

Philadelphia made some offense-for-defense subs and curiously won a free kick after Ascues cleanly cleared the ball in front of Collin, who was ducking down to try to head a low bounce. Collin bundled into Ascues after the Peruvian had cleared the ball and a free kick in a dangerous spot was awarded to the Union. Fortunately, Medunjanin’s free kick was blocked by the wall and Alejandro Bedoya headed the cross from the ensuing corner kick over the bar after Rowe had fallen down on the play.

The hosts leveled the game in the 90th minute. Philadelphia overloaded the right side of Orlando’s defense and made the most of it. Patino collapsed on Anthony Fontana, who was already covered by Mueller. Fontana slipped a pass to Matthew Real on his right and Smith was forced to step up, leaving space for Przybylko to run into, out-pacing Ascues with his run. Real found Przybylko, who slotted into the far corner to tie the game.

The Lions still had plenty to do to lock down that point in the five minutes of stoppage time. The added time only produced one clear-cut chance but it was a doozy and it was for the Union.

Real was all alone on the left after a throw-in and sent in a dangerous cross met by the head of an onrushing Elliott. Rowe made the save of the game to keep it out with a strong left hand and preserved the point for Orlando.

The Lions were out-shot, 21-7 (7-4 on target), out-possessed (62%-38%), and out-passed (89%-77%), but Philadelphia couldn’t out-score them. Considering City trailed the game for an hour and didn’t appear to present any real threat for much of the match, the point is perhaps fortunate, but it will feel to the team like points lost due to the 90th-minute equalizer.

The Lions are back in action at home on Wednesday night in U.S. Open Cup action when New York City FC visits Exploria Stadium. Orlando hosts Columbus next Saturday as the Lions try to get back on track in league play.

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Orlando City

Orlando City Experiencing Its Golden Age of Offense

Facundo Torres and Duncan McGuire are leading Orlando City to its best offensive seasons.

Published

4 hours ago

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October 14, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

For most of Orlando City’s MLS history, finding multiple reliable goal scorers has been a struggle. As a result, the team has often been further down the league in goals scored, decreasing its goal difference. However, the duo of Facundo Torres and Duncan McGuire has changed that trend and provided the Lions with their best offensive seasons.

Orlando City drafted Cyle Larin with the first pick of the 2015 MLS SuperDraft and he quickly became a reliable source of goals. The Canadian international scored a team-record 18 goals across all competitions in his rookie year, and then scored 14 in the following season.

Larin’s production dipped slightly in 2017, scoring 12 goals, and the striker departed following that season. Orlando City has struggled to find someone that can provide the same scoring threat since. Over the next five years, only Nani and Chris Mueller scored double-digit goals in multiple seasons, each doing so twice. Prior to 2023, four other players scored double-digit goals in one season, as Dom Dwyer did it in 2018, Tesho Akindele in 2019, Daryl Dike in 2021, and Ercan Kara in 2022.

The lack of consistent goal production changed in 2022 when the club signed Facundo Torres from Uruguayan side Penarol. The young Designated Player made an immediate impact for his new team, scoring 13 goals in all competitions, including a brace in the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup final to lift the Lions to their first major trophy.

Torres and Kara combined for an impressive 25 goals that season. Unfortunately, the pair didn’t have much support and the Lions only scored 44 goals in 2022. However, that changed the following year when Orlando City drafted former Creighton striker and Hermann Trophy winner Duncan McGuire.

Torres increased his goal tally to 14 in his second season in Orlando and McGuire netted a team-high 15 in his rookie campaign. The 29 goals scored by the pair were the most by two Orlando City players in an MLS season, topping the 28 goals scored by Larin and Kaká in 2015.

The goal tally has increased in 2024, with Torres scoring a career-high 18 goals, McGuire adding 11, and Ramiro Enrique chipping in with 11 of his own across all competitions. It’s the first time an Orlando City team — including the USL Pro era — has had three players score double-digit goals in one year. It’s also the first time in club history Orlando has had multiple double-digit goal scorers in three consecutive years.

The production by multiple players has seen a significant increase in goals scored by the Lions over the past two seasons. After netting only 44 league goals in 2022, Orlando City scored 55 times in 2023, tying the team’s MLS record previously set in 2016. The Lions surpassed that number this year by scoring 58 goals with one game remaining in the regular season.

The club’s record-setting scoring output comes at a time when Orlando City is playing some of its best defense in its MLS history. The 2023 squad only conceded 39 goals, the fewest in a 34-game season. While it has conceded nine more this year, it’s the second-fewest goals conceded in a season, tying the 2021 team.

The past two seasons have seen Orlando City set new club records in the MLS era for highest goal difference in a 34-game season. The only two years in which the Lions had a positive goal difference prior to 2023 was in a shortened 2020 season, when they were +15 and in 2021 when they were +2. They set a new record in 2023 by finishing +16 and are +10 this year.

The increase in goals and goal difference has resulted in better performances throughout the season. The team set a new club record with 63 points last season, placing second in the Supporters’ Shield standings. Orlando has amassed 52 points so far this season, the club’s second-highest point total since joining MLS.

While the play of the back line has contributed to the team’s recent success, goal production has been the catalyst. For the first time in its history, Orlando City has two reliable goal scorers who have produced in back-to-back seasons. The result is the best back-to-back seasons in the club’s MLS history.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/14/24

Getting to know Martin Ojeda, Orlando Pride unbeaten run ends, USMNT beats Panama, and more.

Published

7 hours ago

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October 14, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you over the holiday weekend. I’ve been busy working at Under Armour and finishing up stream monitoring for an NISA Playoff semifinal match in California. Let’s also wish a happy birthday to Orlando City B forward Wilfredo Rivera. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links. 

Getting to Know Martin Ojeda

Orlando City midfielder Martin Ojeda was featured as part of the club’s video series to learn more about the players. In the video, Ojeda gave insight into his beginnings playing soccer when he was three years old and playing for his neighborhood club in South America. He also discussed his style of play, focusing on the attack, creating opportunities, and stating that there is always room to improve. You can check out the rest of the video below.

Pride Unbeaten Run Ends in Loss to Thorns

The Orlando Pride suffered their first loss of the NWSL season on Friday, falling 2-0 to the Portland Thorns. Morgan Weaver and Christine Sinclair scored for the Thorns to seal the win and end Orlando’s 24-match unbeaten streak dating back to Oct. 6 of last season. Despite the loss, the Pride remain in first place in the NWSL table with 57 points after winning the NWSL Shield a week ago. The next match for the Pride will be on Sunday on the road against NJ/NY Gotham FC.

Keys to Success in Orlando Pride Turnaround

The Athletic ($) took a deep dive into the process that led to the Orlando Pride turnaround this season. The article begins with the Pride joining the NWSL in 2016, their up-and-down seasons, and how recent changes in the last couple of years have set the foundation for the club’s success in 2024. It also shared some unique insights from interviews with staff and players and how the club was eager to make changes after finishing in the bottom half of the table for the last five seasons. The most interesting takeaway for me from reading the article was Head Coach Seb Hines speaking on the process of changing the culture of the club, building that underdog mindset, and how he keeps his players motivated. Although the 24-match unbeaten streak is over, the Pride are breaking records this season and won their first trophy. There’s been plenty to be excited about for the Pride this season, and hopefully they will carry this momentum into the playoffs and make a deep run.

USMNT Defeats Panama in Mauricio Pochettino’s Coaching Debut

The U.S. Men’s National Team defeated Panama 2-0 on Saturday at Q2 Stadium, securing the first win in Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino’s debut in a friendly. Yunus Musah and Ricardo Pepi scored the USMNT’s goals in the second half to secure the victory. Matt Turner started in goal, and Christian Pulisic added an assist to set up Musah’s goal. The USMNT will face Mexico in Guadalajara on Tuesday. Pulisic, Pepi, and Weston McKennie will miss the match to return to their respective European clubs. Marlon Fossey and Zack Steffen will also return to their clubs.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City goalkeeper Pedro Gallese earned a clean sheet on international duty as his Peru side defeated Uruguay 1-0 in a CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying match on Friday. Wilder Cartagena and Facundo Torres did not play in the match.
  • Orlando Pride midfielder Angelina and forward Adriana were called up to the Brazil Women’s National Team for friendlies against Colombia on Oct. 26 and Oct. 29.
  • Sports Illustrated listed five MLS players that could move abroad this off-season, mentioning Orlando City’s Facundo Torres and Duncan McGuire as potential targets.
  • Angel City FC forward Christen Press scored her first goal in 28 months over the weekend in a 1-1 draw against the North Carolina Courage. Press had been sidelined due to an ACL injury requiring four surgeries before returning to action.
  • Kansas City Current forward Temwa Chawinga broke an NWSL record after scoring her 19th goal of the season in a 1-0 win over Bay FC over the weekend.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/11/24

Orlando Pride in Portland, U.S. men and women news, international upsets, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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October 11, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Milton has finally made its way out of Florida, though many of us will be dealing with the aftermath for a while. We hope that you and yours are safe and that the damage is minimal. I know that many are still without power — which is why I’m writing Lion Links today instead of Marcus Mitchell. Fortunately, the Orlando Pride play in Portland tonight, although it will be a late one. Let’s get to the links.

Pride in Portland

The Orlando Pride may be the NWSL Shield winners, but with three matches left in the regular season, the job is not done. Now, the club will take on the Portland Thorns. The Thorns haven’t been great as of late, but Providence Park is a tough place to play. While the club is focused on the upcoming playoffs, the Pride still want to finish undefeated in the regular season. Portland, like many clubs, are fighting for a playoff spot.

USWNT Players in the News

Lindsey Horan didn’t have the best Olympics in my opinion, but she is doing very well in her start to Lyon’s season. She’s scored five goals in four matches to help Lyon top the table. Back home, Crystal Dunn is being honored by Empowerment on the East River hosted by Black Players for Change.

USMNT in Action

The USMNT plays its first match under Mauricio Pochettino Saturday night against Panama, and you can watch it on multiple platforms. There are no conflicts of interest this go-around, but next year, some players will need to choose between playing in the Club World Cup or the Gold Cup.

International Results

Orlando City, and all the other teams and leagues, aren’t playing right now due to an international break. The matches have already begun. Perhaps the biggest news was Greece’s stunning 2-1 win over England. The victory puts Greece atop Group B2 in the UEFA Nations League competition.

Over in Group A2, Italy blew a two-goal lead to draw Belgium 2-2. There were plenty of other results, including Erling Haaland becoming his country’s all-time top scorer after scoring a brace in Norway’s 3-0 win over Slovenia. If you want to catch more matches, here’s where you can watch.

Free Kicks

That will do it for today. Check back tonight for our Pride match recap, and follow The Mane Land on Twitter during the match. Vamos Orlando!

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