Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Columbus Crew: Final Score 1-0 as Benji Michel Lifts Weary Lions to Sweep of Crew
The Lions get a late goal from the rookie to grind out a victory.

Benji Michel’s 84th-minute goal — the rookie’s first in MLS play — was Orlando City’s only shot on target of the night, but it was just enough to lift the Lions to a 1-0 win over the Columbus Crew at Exploria Stadium. Orlando (7-9-4, 25 points) completed the season sweep of the Crew (5-14-2, 17 points) although the game was far from perfect, due in large part to it being the team’s third match in a single calendar week.
Orlando did not allow a single goal in the two meetings against the Crew, holding on late after conceding a tying goal in the 90th minute last Sunday and in the 96th minute on Wednesday. This time, the Lions held on and kept their fifth clean sheet of the season. The Crew has now lost five straight, are winless in nine (0-8-1) and have won just once in the last 15 matches (1-13-1).
“Massive, massive win for us tonight,” said Head Coach James O’Connor after the match. “I think we showed another great side, very positive, to be able to show that kind of toughness. I don’t think we played particularly well. I thought we looked very tired, which we knew. We expected that, so I think in a game like that, with the emotion of the other night we were always very wary of just what kind of energy we were going to have. So, we needed to have some grit. And I thought the boys showed tremendous character tonight.”
O’Connor made only four changes from Wednesday’s U.S. Open Cup lineup, keeping Tesho Akindele and Chris Mueller up top, Sebas Mendez and Will Johnson in the midfield, and Ruan, Lamine Sané, and Robin Jansson on the back line. Brian Rowe returned to the starting lineup, with Adam Grinwis on the bench instead of Greg Ranjitsingh. Kamal Miller replaced Kyle Smith at left back, Carlos Ascues replaced Sacha Kljestan in the midfield, and Michel replaced Nani, who was unavailable as a precautionary measure due to food poisoning.
Columbus saw much of the possession in the opening half hour, fashioning the game’s first chance five minutes in. Pedro Santos torched Miller down the flank and sent in a ball for Gyasi Zardes, who rattled the crossbar with his shot.
Orlando’s only shot attempt of the first half came in the 11th minute when Miller smashed a shot just a little wide of the left post.
Much of Orlando’s attack came on the counter but the Lions were wasteful, missing open teammates or keeping their heads down and dribbling into traffic. Akindele had opportunities to find Michel and Mueller in the area but the former was cut out by the defense and the latter was too far out in front and all he could do was dribble a weak deflection in toward former teammate Joe Bendik.
Much of the half was spent in Orlando’s end setting up for corner kicks. Columbus got seven such opportunities in the first half, but poor service was a problem for the visitors.
Neither team got a shot on target in the opening half, with Columbus holding a 6-1 advantage in attempts. The Crew held 56% of the possession and out-passed the Lions, 85%-83%.
The Lions were a tiny bit better in the second half, notching three shots and conceding only five, but still had a big hole in the midfield, sagging back defensively and trying to spring counters that never quite materialized. While the sagging midfield and the quality of central defenders Sané and Jansson prevented the Crew from generating much of a threat, the Orlando attack was nearly nonexistent. As a result, the visitors seemed the more likely team to score.
Without any grip in the center of the pitch, O’Connor’s option to bring on Dom Dwyer as a substitute was unlikely to bear fruit, but the fatigue of the week was apparent. Santiago Patino came on for Will Johnson and the team switched to a 4-2-3-1 for a bit, but that went away when Uri Rosell checked in for Akindele in the 78th minute.
Before leaving, Akindele created a chance by sending a ball in for Patino, but the shot was deflected away for a corner in the 73rd.
Patino brought some much-needed energy to the proceedings, winning balls in his own defensive third and generating a bit of hold-up play down the right.
In the 84th minute, the game finally turned Orlando’s way. Sané sent a fabulous ball up the right sideline for Ruan to run onto. The speedy fullback got past the defense and fizzed an inch-perfect cross for the onrushing Michel to slam home to break the scoreless deadlock.
Michel called his first MLS goal “a dream come true,” scoring it in front of The Wall.
“I just knew right away I had to get there, because I know Ruan,” said the Homegrown Player of his thoughts on seeing Sané serve the ball up the right wing. “He’s a pacey player and I knew he was going to get to the ball, so I had to make sure I went to the first post. I knew the ball was coming and I got my chance.”
Orlando then had to see the game out and the Crew threw numbers forward and generated a few good chances. Harrison Afful forced Rowe to make a diving save in the 88th minute as the visitors finally put their first shot on target.
After that, Zardes got a couple of free headers but couldn’t place them on frame. The first he headed directly into the ground and it bounced over the crossbar. The second was a lot closer, as Jansson tried desperately to hold him off.
After a nervy six minutes of stoppage time — which included the sending off of Dwyer for throwing an elbow up that caught Josh Williams — the final whistle blew on three hard-fought points for the Lions.
“It was a good battle,” Miller said. “Towards the end, Columbus brought everything.”
“Really, to be able to defend, put their bodies on the line, and the guys who have played so many minutes, to be able to push like that, is fantastic,” O’Connor said. “Great commitment from the players tonight.”
After conceding late goals twice this week already, Miller said the Lions were desperate to keep that from happening again.
“You could just tell (by) everyone’s demeanor and attitude and the tone in everyone’s voice, that we were not going to let that happen tonight, especially in front of our home fans who supported us the whole way,” Miller said. “We owed it to them and to ourselves not to let anyone slip.”
The Crew out-shot Orlando City, 11-4 (1-1 on target), possessed the ball 56.6% of the time, and was the better passing side (86%-83%), earning 10 corners to one for the Lions. But Michel’s blast was the game’s lone score and it was a gritty effort for a team playing its third match of the week. The Lions improved to 4-5-3 in the all-time series against the Crew (3-2-2 at home).
The Lions will finally get a breather. Kind of. Orlando City plays again in five days…at Portland.
Orlando City
Orlando City Relies on Starters More Than Any Other MLS Team
An analysis of Óscar Pareja’s early lineup choices and substitution patterns and how that compares to the 2024 season.

Legendary swordsman Inigo Montoya, a man who is not lefthanded, once opened a conversation by asking the Dread Pirate Roberts if, by any chance, he had six fingers on his right hand. Nobody will need to prepare to die by the end of this column, but I will ask a similar question: I don’t mean to pry, but did you by any chance happen to realize that we are already more than one-sixth of the way through the MLS regular season? Six fingers, one-sixth of the season…close enough. Let’s go.
Time flies when you are having fun, and somehow Orlando City has already played 540 minutes of MLS soccer this season. I consider 500 minutes played to be a cutoff amount when looking at player and lineup performance, and with the conclusion of the most recent game in Los Angeles, the team has now surpassed that 500-minute threshold.
In looking at the opening 540 minutes, I was surprised to see how much continuity I found in the minutes played, considering how many injuries the Lions have had to work around during these first six games. In just the first six games, Orlando City has already had full games missed due to injury by César Araujo (1), David Brekalo (2), Robin Jansson (2), Duncan McGuire (3) and Nico Rodriguez (5). Brekalo and Pedro Gallese both missed a game for international duty as well. McGuire was not expected back during the first set of games, but all of those other players, with the possible exception of Rodriguez, were expected to contribute during the early part of the season.
These absences led to games where the substitutes list was full of players who will play big minutes for Orlando City B this year, but not players who Óscar Pareja was likely to turn to off the bench unless the game was out of hand or he was absolutely desperate. According to Opta’s tracking through the opening six games, Orlando City ranks last in MLS in the average minutes played by its substitutes, as the average amount of time per appearance for the players off the bench for the Lions is only 12 minutes. For context, 16 teams have an average amount of time per substitute appearance of 20 minutes or greater, and Inter Miami and Toronto are tied with a league-leading 27 minutes per substitute appearance.
The interesting thing about those two teams, Miami and Toronto, is that Miami leads the league in points per match with 2.6 and Toronto is second from the bottom with a scant 0.33 points per match. I think a lot of this data will even out over time, as right now there are several teams, including Miami, that are playing in multiple competitions and trying to keep players fresh for all of their matches.
When it comes to Orlando City, however, that is not the case, and thus far there has just been the standard one game per week on six consecutive Saturdays. The players are rested for each game. The issue has just been that Pareja has not had the depth and variety of players he thought he would have to bring off the bench to protect a lead or chase a deficit.
We often joke in articles or on The Mane Land PawedCast about how “Óscar gonna Óscar,” and once he finds a lineup he likes, he sticks with it. Even with all the injuries he has somehow managed to do this again this season, as you can see from the chart below. I started tracking lineup data last season, and even though the 2025 season is only six games old and there have been so many absences from key players this season, it was striking to see that the 11-man lineup that has played the most minutes together this season already outranks all but two lineups from the entire 2024 MLS season (including the five playoff games!):

Now, it is a little unfair to the one 2025 lineup on the above chart that it has such a negative goal differential per 90 minutes, because if it is only the 10 field players, with goalkeeper excluded, then that lineup has played 215 minutes together and has a +0.84 goal differential per 90 minutes. That group is +4 with Javier Otero in net in 74 minutes together, and removing the goalkeepers from the calculation turns that negative goal differential into a positive.
What that also tells us, however, is that when it comes to the 10 field players, Pareja has played the same unit in the field for 40% (215/540) of the team’s minutes already. Granted it is early in the season, but after six MLS games last season, the lineup that had played together the most had played a grand total of 74 minutes together (14% of all minutes). The top five most used lineups in last season’s opening six MLS games combined to play 302 minutes, or 56% of all minutes, and in 2025 it is 402 minutes, or 80%. My math, and everyone else’s math, says that is a much higher percentage and indicates that the team is focused on continuity early.
That continuity thus far this season has paid dividends, with the Lions earning 10 points from the first six games, twice as nice as last season’s five points after the first six games. Last year, the team was balancing midweek Concacaf Champions Cup games in addition to injuries and an international break during the opening weeks of the MLS season, so there were some good reasons for the lineup rotation and the slow start. This year’s squad will have to navigate two upcoming cup tournaments in the coming months, and so we likely will see a lot of new lineup configurations or more rotation once the U.S. Open Cup starts in May and then again when Leagues Cup starts in July.
Thus far though, Pareja has been able to stick with his starters deep into matches, and has only given playing time to 20 players, which is tied for third fewest across all of MLS. Fan bases often clamor for the coach to “play the kids,” but while Pareja has had young and inexperienced players on the senior roster for every game, he really has only given significant minutes to Alex Freeman from the group of players that could be referred to as “the kids.” Gustavo Caraballo has played nine minutes, which is incredible for a 16-year-old (15-year-old Cavan Sullivan of Philadelphia is the only player younger than Caraballo to have played this season, and he has also played only nine minutes), and new signing Nico Rodriguez (20 years old) has played 11 minutes, but the next three youngest players to play are all at least 22 and were with the senior club last season (Otero and Ramiro Enrique) or came to the club after four seasons of college soccer (23-year-old, but nearly 24-year-old, Joran Gerbet).
The team’s record thus far shows that Pareja has been right to limit the minutes to the small group of players he trusts, and with one game per week for the next six weeks it will be interesting to see if the early trend of starters playing long minutes and only a few players getting all the minutes off the bench continues. The next match is on the road against Philadelphia, which so rudely came into Orlando and defeated the Lions 4-2 in the season opener, and my expectation is that while we likely will not see any players make their season debut in this game, I do think we will see a different starting lineup than the season opener and probably a different one than the game last weekend against the Galaxy.
No matter who the Lions go with, I am sure they will want to avenge the season-opening loss and bring three points back home to Orlando.
As we wish.
Vamos Orlando!
Orlando City
Orlando City at Philadelphia Union: Three Keys to Victory
What do the Lions need to do to earn all three points on the road against Philly?

Orlando City is on the road yet again, this time heading to Pennsylvania to take on the Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park Saturday night. The Lions will look to get a second road win in a row after the smash-and-grab victory against the LA Galaxy. Things don’t get any easier with the Union sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference, but a win would catapult Orlando City above Philadelphia in the standings. Here’s what Orlando City needs to do to earn all three points against the Philadelphia Union.
Tie up Tai
Tai Baribo leads the way-too-early-to-call Golden Boot race with six goals in five matches. The Union striker has taken 13 shots, putting eight on target and the aforementioned six in the back of the net. He scored a brace in the season opener against Orlando to bag a third of those goals. It’s a pretty easy call to say stopping the league leader in goals is an important part of shutting down the Philadelphia attack.
It will be up to Cesar Araujo and whichever center back pairing we get to shut Baribo down. Of course, he’s not the only one the Lions need to worry about since the Union also have striker Mikael Uhre, and midfielders Daniel Gazdag and Jovan Lukic providing goals and assists. The point is that Philadelphia is second only to the Lions in offensive production with 13 goals compared to Orlando City’s 15 goals.
Formation Change
In the last match against the LA Galaxy, the Lions struggled to get things going with Luis Muriel up top, Ojeda at the No. 10 spot and Ivan Angulo on the left. Once Duncan McGuire came on, Muriel shifted back, Ojeda went wide, and Angulo subbed off. That really opened up the attack and allowed the Lions to get the two goals needed to secure the victory.
Perhaps Oscar Pareja could start things off like that against Philadelphia. Angulo hasn’t been great the last few matches, and perhaps some time on the bench will get his head straight. McGuire is still early in his return from injury, but Ramiro Enrique can start up top with Big Dunc coming in later as he has the last few matches. I think making this change could help Orlando City get an early goal on the road.
Vengeance is Thine
When the two teams met on opening day, the Union dropped four goals on Orlando City in Inter&Co Stadium. You would think it a completely dominating performance, but the Lions actually had more shots, more shots on target, and more possession than the Union. Philadelphia simply put each of its four shots on target past Pedro Gallese. That type of luck is unlikely to happen again.
Since that time, the Orlando City defense has stiffened — at least a little bit — and the team has been more difficult to break down. I’m not saying the defense is as stalwart as last season, but it has improved. Orlando City needs to use that four-goal drubbing at the hands of the Union to galvanize the defense to enact revenge with a multi-goal victory of its own.
That is what I will be looking for Saturday night. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/3/25
Martin Ojeda in the MLS MVP mix early, Orlando Pride players won’t play for Zambia this window, Tierna Davidson out for the NWSL season, and more.

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this week has been going well for you as we gear up for a busy Saturday filled to the brim with soccer to enjoy. Despite my blender’s protests, I’ve finally figured out how to make frozen coconut mojitos and plan on having those get me through the rest of the week. Before we dive into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy 28th birthday to Orlando City legend Rodrigo Schlegel!
Martin Ojeda’s MVP Credentials
Orlando City’s Martin Ojeda placed second in Sacha Kljestan’s MLS MVP power rankings this week. With four goals and three assists so far this season, Ojeda leads the league in goal contributions and is a major reason why the Lions have scored a league-high 15 goals. It’s great to see the 26-year-old take the reins of the offense after Facundo Torres’ departure. Inter Miami’s Luis Suarez tops Kljestan’s rankings, despite only having a goal in five games this season. Tai Baribo, Evander, and Lionel Messi round out the top five in what could be an interesting MVP race this year.
Pride Players Won’t Join Zambia For International Duty
Zambia will be without four NWSL players when it takes part in the Yongchuan International Tournament in China this month. Along with Bay FC forward Rachael Kundananji, Orlando Pride trio Barbra Banda, Grace Chanda, and Prisca Chilufya were withdrawn from international duty, with the Football Association of Zambia stating it was due to additional travel measures by the current U.S. administration. FAZ General Secretary Reuben Kamanga expects the quartet to be available for future matches and both Banda and Kundananji played in friendlies in Zambia in February. Restrictions like this may limit the appeal of the NWSL to foreign players in the future.
Fan Banned For Hateful Language Towards Banda
NJ/NY Gotham FC announced that the fan who directed hateful language towards Banda has been banned following an investigation that included interviewing witnesses and reviewing security footage. The incident took place at the Pride’s match against Gotham on March 23 at Sports Illustrated Stadium. The fan was found to be in violation of the NWSL Code of Conduct and their season ticket was revoked as well. Gotham also encouraged fans to report inappropriate behavior through the team’s encrypted text message service to inform the stadium’s incident management team.
USWNT Defender Tierna Davidson Out for the NWSL Season
American center back Tierna Davidson will miss the remainder of the 2025 NWSL season after tearing the ACL in her left knee in the club’s draw against the Houston Dash. It’s tough news for her, Gotham, and the United States Women’s National Team, as she captains the NWSL club and featured heavily in the Olympics last year. Davidson sustained an ACL injury in her right knee back in 2022, which contributed to her missing out on the 2023 World Cup. Gisele Thompson replaced Davidson for the USWNT’s upcoming friendlies with Brazil, and Pride defender Emily Sams will likely receive more playing time as the team prepares for the 2027 World Cup.
Free Kicks
- Orlando City received $100,000 in General Allocation Money in exchange for former academy goalkeeper Zack Campagnolo’s Homegrown Player rights. The Lions will receive another $100,000 in GAM if conditions are met, and they retain a sell-on percentage if Campagnolo is transferred.
- San Diego FC added Milan Iloski on loan from FC Nordsjaelland in Denmark through July of this year. Iloski is a San Diego native and won the USL Golden Boot for Orange County SC in 2022.
- New England Revolution midfielder Carles Gil won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his free kick against the New York Red Bulls.
- El Farolito SC, which is named after a burrito chain and bar local to San Francisco, has reached the third round of the U.S. Open Cup for the second straight year. The National Premier Soccer League side took down Monterey Bay FC to reach this point of the tournament.
- Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid 1-0 to book its ticket to the Copa del Rey final, where it will face rival Real Madrid on April 26.
That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a terrific Thursday and rest of your week!
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