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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.

Published

7 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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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/7/26

Orlando City players on international duty, the Pride hire some coaches, the USMNT defeats Canada, and more.

Published

13 hours ago

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October 7, 2026

By

Image of Justin Ellis playing the ball against Charlotte.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. What an international break it was for the USMNT, going undefeated in four matches by defeating Peru, Chile, Mexico, and Canada. The Yanks outscored their opponents 12-3 across the four matches, with Orlando City’s Justin Ellis scoring two goals in his two starts. There’s plenty to digest today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Players on International Duty

Several Orlando City players were on international duty on Tuesday, including Ellis for the USMNT. He scored a goal against Canada (see below) but also picked up a knock that saw him limping for all too long and forcing him off at halftime. Hopefully, he will be able to go this weekend for Orlando City. Marco Pasalic did not get any minutes for Croatia in the team’s 2-1 loss to Spain. Meanwhile, David Brekalo got the start and played the entire match for Slovenia in a 2-1 win over Scotland.

Orlando Pride Add to Coaching Staff

The Orlando Pride hired Mykell Bates and Lewis Amos as assistant coaches and Brian Periman as goalkeeper coach. The trio joins interim head coach Yolanda Thomas’s coaching staff, and the timing of these hires is interesting, given there are only three matches remaining in the season and there’s been no indication that the interim tag is being removed from Thomas. These hirings raise a lot of questions, like, are these short term signings through the end of the season? If not, do they indicate Thomas will be given the permanent position, or are have they been hired knowing there is another head coaching announcement coming?

USMNT Defeats Canada

If you thought a match between the U.S. and Canada wouldn’t be very Concacaf-y, you’d be wrong. So many non-calls, lots of chippiness, and a few injuries proved otherwise. Fortunately, the USMNT was able to see out a 1-0 victory following a goal from Orlando City’s Ellis that gave the Yanks the lead in the 29th minute.

Oh, what could have been if Alex Freeman stayed in Orlando. The win capped a successful run for the start of Maurcio Pochettino’s new contract. We also saw a ton of younger players across the four matches, including three appearances from Ellis.

USWNT to Face Spain

The USMNT is done for the moment, but now we get to see how the USWNT does in a pair of friendlies against reigning FIFA Women’s World Cup champion Spain. NWSL Golden Boot leader Ashley Sanchez is getting back up to speed with the team after she was called up for the pair of friendlies. As was previously reported, Naomi Girma is out due to injury, but Emma Hayes intends to work with Chelsea to manage her recovery. A new camp means opportunities for different players, so which players’ stock is up or down?

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That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the Orlando City match on Saturday. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/6/26

International call-ups for Pride players, scouting report on Canada, roster changes for the USWNT, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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October 6, 2026

By

Image of Solai Washington attacking against Chicago.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Justin Glatt

Good morning, everyone. The end of the men’s international break is almost upon us, but the women’s break will immediately follow. That means that Orlando City will return to play on Saturday, while the Orlando Pride will have some time off before their next game. We’ve got plenty to talk about this morning, so let’s get into the links.

Orlando Pride International Call-Ups

Three more Orlando Pride players have been called to represent their nations during the October international window, joining Oihane, who will be with Spain for its matches against the USWNT. First up is Barbra Banda, who will represent Zambia in the team’s Olympic qualifying games against Uganda.

Then there’s Jacquie Ovalle and Solai Washington, who will be facing off against each other in back-to-back games. Ovalle has been called up for Mexico, while Washington will represent Jamaica.

At the U-23 level, Ally Lemos will be with the U.S. and Sanne Lekven will be with Norway during this window.

Scouting Canada

The United States Men’s National Team will play its final game of the October international window when it takes on Canada tonight in Saint Paul, MN. Jesse Marsch’s current roster has a number of notable absences, including Alphonso Davies, Jayden Nelson, Alistair Johnson, and Ismael Kone; while Derek Cornelius, Jeevan Badwal, and Alfie Jones left the team during the break because of injuries. Canada typically sets up in a 4-4-2 and will employ a high press paired with a vertical style of play that aims to win the ball and then quickly get it forward to the team’s dangerous attackers. Jonathan David and Tany Oluwaseyi provide that danger up front, while Stephen Eustaquio runs things in the middle, and Richie Laryea provides danger up and down the left flank.

United States Women’s National Team Roster Tweaks

The United States Women’s National Team has made a pair of changes to the squad that will take on Spain in a pair of friendlies this month. Utah Royals defender Kate Del Fava has been named as the replacement for the injured Naomi Girma, after it was announced last week that the center back would be unavailable for this window. Del Fava was going to be one of the overage players at the USWNT U-23 training camp also taking place this month, but now has an opportunity to make her first appearance for the senior side. Additionally, midfielder Jaelin Howell will replace Sam Coffey, after the latter was injured during Manchester City’s win over the weekend. Howell has made six appearances for the USWNT, with the most recent one coming in a 2-0 victory over Italy during the team’s final game of 2025.

UEFA Nations League Roundup

Monday marked the penultimate round of UEFA Nations League play during the current international window, and we were treated to some doozies. The highlight of the day was a five-goal thriller that saw France score four goals in the final 15 minutes to overturn a one goal deficit and beat Belgium 4-1 at the Stade de France. Italy knocked off Turkiye 3-1 to climb to second place in Group A1, while the result sees Turkiye remain winless and anchored to the bottom of the table. Finally, Ukraine looked to have rescued a point with Roman Yaremchuk’s 83rd-minute goal, only for Mark Csinger to bag a winner for Hungary just two minutes later. The 2-1 result means Hungary is second in Group B2 with seven points, while Ukraine is third with four points.

Free Kicks

  • The Pride dropped three spots to no.13 in ESPN.com’s NWSL power rankings.
  • Alex Freeman flexed his pipes and sang Happy Birthday to USMNT coach Jesus Perez during Monday’s training session.

That’s all I’ve got for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/5/26

Pride fall to San Diego Wave, Tyrese Spicer has successful foot surgery, USMNT beats Mexico, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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October 5, 2026

By

Image of Haley McCutcheon wearing a protective mask on her face playing against San Diego.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Justin Glatt

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been busy at work covering high school soccer and flag football throughout the week. We only had the Pride in action over the weekend, but we’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Pride Fall to San Diego Wave at Home

The Orlando Pride fell 2-1 to the San Diego Wave on Friday at Inter.co Stadium in the latest in a series of games that they had to have. Orlando trailed 2-0 in the first half, conceding twice on defensive errors. In the second half, Barbra Banda pulled the Pride within one after she buried a penalty kick that she won herself. However, it wasn’t enough, as Orlando couldn’t find a late equalizer and San Diego took all three points. The Pride are off this weekend due to the international break but will return to action on Oct. 18 to face the Houston Dash on the road.

Tyrese Spicer Has Successful Foot Surgery

Orlando City forward Tyrese Spicer underwent successful foot surgery to repair a Jones fracture in his right foot, the club announced on Friday. Spicer had suffered the injury while away on international duty with Trinidad & Tobago in a Concacaf Nations League match against Haiti on Sept. 24. We at The Mane Land wish Spicer a speedy recovery, but his 2026 MLS season is likely over.

USMNT Shuts Out Mexico in Friendly

The U.S. Men’s National Team defeated Mexico 3-0 on Saturday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ. Orlando City forward Justin Ellis came off the bench to make his second USMNT appearance in the second half, playing 25 minutes. Former Lion Alex Freeman started and played 90 minutes. Julian Hall scored the opener in the first half for the Yanks. In the second half, Cavan Sullivan doubled the Americans’ lead to become the USMNT’s youngest scorer in team history just four days after Mathis Albert set that mark with his goal against Chile on Tuesday. Malik Tillman added the final goal as the Yanks have won three consecutive matches during the international break. The USMNT will close out this round of friendlies on Tuesday, taking on Canada at Allianz Field in Saint Paul, MN.

Other Lions on International Duty

Multiple Orlando City players represented their national teams over the weekend during the international break. Forward Marco Pasalic was on the bench but did not play for Croatia in a 7-0 defeat to England in a UEFA Nations League match on Saturday. Croatia will face Spain on Tuesday. Lions defender David Brekalo was on the bench but came on after halftime and played 45 minutes for Slovenia in a 2-1 defeat to Switzerland in the UEFA Nations League. Slovenia will take on Scotland on Tuesday. Midfielder Wilder Cartagena started and played 45 minutes for Peru, while former Lion Yoshimar Yotun was also in action in a 2-0 loss to Canada in a friendly. Peru will play Colombia on Tuesday in another friendly match.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City forward Yutaro Tsukada, who is on loan at Rhode Island FC, notched another assist over the weekend in a 3-1 win against Brooklyn FC in the USL Championship.
  • Check out this piece on the Orlando City website featuring Head of Player Care Pedro Cox and Team Administrator Danny Quesada, who help welcome new players and their families, get acquainted with the club, ensure their needs are met, and thrive off the field.
  • The Lions were at Osceola Heritage Park on Saturday and spent time with the Orlando City U-12 squad during training.

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

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