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Orlando City vs. New York City FC, Preseason: Final Score 2-1 as Akindele and Mueller Lead Lions to Victory

The Lions opened the Orlando City Invitational with a win over the Pigeons.

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6 years ago

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Scott Carnevale, The Mane Land

New York City FC scored first against the run of play but the Lions came back to win 2-1 at Orlando City Stadium on the first day of the Orlando City Invitational. Tesho Akindele and Chris Mueller scored for Orlando, which notched more than one goal in a game for the first time all preseason. It was also the first time the Lions have scored against the Pigeons since 2017.

Sacha Kljestan, Will Johnson, and Sebas Mendez combined to control the middle of the pitch most of the night and the Lions dictated the tempo and flow of the game nearly from start to finish.

“I thought the quality at times was very good,” Head Coach James O’Connor said. “We wanted to try to get 90 minutes into the guys. I thought you could see there was really positive reaction. The players deserve enormous credit. They worked exceptionally hard through preseason. For a lot of them that was their first (full) 90 minutes. So to put in that level of performance after all the work they’ve done is a testament and they deserve enormous credit for that.”

O’Connor’s lineup included rumored new signing Brian Rowe at goalkeeper, behind a three-man back line of Kamal Miller, Alex De John, and Shane O’Neill. Wingbacks Danny Acosta and Ruan flanked a midfield of Kljestan, Johnson, and Mendez, while Akindele and Mueller — sporting his new number nine shirt — manned the forward line.

Orlando City controlled the first half with the exception of only a few scattered moments.

The Lions fashioned the first decent chance of the night just four minutes in. Kljestan fed a good through ball to Akindele on the right but his near-post effort was saved by Sean Johnson. Kljestan himself had a go from the left side of the box two minutes later, but Johnson made another diving save to keep the game scoreless.

Mueller had a shot blocked in the 12th minute from the top of the area and Acosta sent a dangerous cross through the six that no one could latch onto. Kljestan, who had a great half, blasted a shot from outside the area two minutes later but Johnson got across and got a hand on it to keep the game scoreless. Orlando took the ensuing corner short, and Mendez fired a shot right at the New York City FC keeper. Ruan got through on an excellent ball from Kljestan a moment later, but the flag was up as the speedy right back left early.

Ruan used that speed to get to a long ball over the top a couple minutes later and sizzled a cross through the area that was cut out for a corner kick. Miller got his head on the ensuing cross but hit his shot right at Johnson in the 23rd minute.

New York City took the lead at the half-hour mark, completely against the run of play. Maxi Moralez fired from around 30 yards out and got his shot up and over Rowe from distance to make it 1-0. It was NYCFC’s first shot of the match.

The visitors then saw a Jonathan Lewis shot blocked and scored again three minutes later but the flag had come up well before the shot. That was about all of New York’s attack for the first half.

Akindele tied the game in the 34th minute. Acosta sent a cross into the area that Kljestan nodded across the face of goal. Tesho was there to redirect it into the net to make it 1-1.

“I think the most important thing today was our press,” Akindele said. “Our press was really on and I think that kind of set the stage for the rest of the attack, because they were just scrambling to get out of their half in the first place. We were winning the ball in their half and then creating chances quickly.”

Three minutes later, Mendez won the ball in the defensive half and was taken out by Jesus Medina. The referee played advantage and Orlando made it pay off. Kljestan found Akindele, who sent the ball to Mueller, who then dribbled into the left side of the box and scorched one inside the near post to make it 2-1.

“The defender just kind of kept backing away and it was kind of a 2-v-1 (with Akindele) so as I was approaching the goal, I just kept coming a little bit closer,” Mueller said. “Usually from there the back-post finish is usually the one that’s on, but I saw the goalie shift a little bit and I just slotted it to the near side. I got to give (Akindele) credit for the goal because he dragged that defender with him away from me.”

“I was just trying to get up there and help him,” Akindele said of Mueller. “Luckily, he didn’t need me and I was just happy that he was able to score the goal. But I think he would do the same for me. Everybody’s got to work hard to create chances for everyone else.”

The Lions took their deserved lead into the locker room at halftime as they controlled the majority of first-half play.

The second half was more evenly played and New York City looked more dangerous on the counterattack. Still, Orlando seemed more likely to score from the run of play, winning several more corner kick opportunities. Mueller was pulled down by Lewis in the 58th minute, earning the NYCFC/USMNT forward a booking. Kljestan hit the ensuing free kick off the top of the wall and out for a corner, but nothing came of it.

Mueller got a free header on an Acosta cross in the 65th minute and missed the net by inches, as the Lions nearly found a third goal. It looked like it would be a costly miss moments later when the visitors flashed a cross through Orlando’s penalty area that hit off either a defender or the post and barely stayed out.

Ten minutes later, Lewis went down in the area trying to win a penalty and saw his second yellow card of the night — this time for simulation. As a result, he was sent off and New York City was forced to play with 10 the rest of the way.

Orlando played out the string with lots of passing. Ruan picked up a cramp late and was replaced by OCB teenager Jordan Bender, but aside from that, the final 15 minutes went by uneventfully and the Lions held on for the win.

“There’s a couple of areas we can be sharper at. We could be crisper at,” O’Connor said. “But I think overall if you look at where we started from…to see the understanding of attacking and defensive principles was very, very encouraging.”

The Lions improved to 2-1-1 on the preseason. Orlando City will host the New England Revolution on Wednesday in Round 2 of the Orlando City Invitational at 7:30 p.m.

In the early game, Minnesota United got a gift howler from New England goalkeeper Brad Knighton and beat the Revolution, 1-0. Miguel Ibarra took away a bad touch outside the area by Knighton in the second half, rounded the keeper and passed the ball into the net for the game’s only score. The Loons nearly doubled the lead moments later when Revs defender Michael Mancienne deflected a Romain Metanire cross off his own goal post. New England couldn’t find an equalizer and the Loons won the first match in Orlando City Invitational history.

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Orlando City

Orlando City at CF Montreal: Three Keys to Victory

What do the Lions need to do to earn all three points on the road against Montreal?

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7 hours ago

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April 17, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City heads to the Great White North to take on CF Montreal. The Canadian squad sits in last place in not just the Eastern Conference but also the entire MLS, with only two points from a pair of draws. To say it’s not been a good start to the season is an understatement. Of course, it’s exactly that type of situation that makes it feel like a trap. What does Orlando City need to do to take all three points against CF Montreal?

Designated Goal Scorers

What do you do if you haven’t scored a goal in the last two matches? You play a team that has given up 13 goals in eight matches with a -9 goal differential. Montreal doesn’t have the worst defense in the league — I’m looking at you, D.C. United — but it’s not far off. That presents an opportunity for Orlando City to get back on track when it comes to scoring goals.

Through the first six matches of the season, Orlando City was leading the league in scoring with 15 goals. Over the last two matches, the spigot has dried up. The Lions must seize on this opportunity to create and finish their chances. Much like earlier in the season, I want to see Luis Muriel, Martin Ojeda, and Marco Pasalic lead the way. If anyone can get the first goal, then I’m hopeful the dam will break and the scoring drought will be over.

Keep it Clean

There is some good news of late when it comes to the Orlando City defense. The club has two clean sheets over the last two matches, and that is without Cesar Araujo. There is also some bad news, given Rodrigo Schlegel will be serving his red card suspension this match. That means David Brekalo will move back to center back with Robin Jansson, and Oscar Pareja will have to employ either Rafael Santos or Kyle Smith at left back. Santos has been less than good so far this season.

Montreal has scored a paltry four goals so far in 2025, but two of them have come from striker Prince Owusu. The defense will also need to deal with Caden Clark facilitating in the midfield. I get that this isn’t a prolific attack. Montreal has not looked very good this season and is looking for both its first win and its first points of any sort at home. That means the hosts may be desperate for a result, and desperate is often dangerous. How well the defense does — in particular, how well Santos does if he plays — may determine if Montreal is able to break out of its slump. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.

Give the Midfield Time

Before the last match, I was a little worried about the midfield. Having both Araujo and Eduard Atuesta out at the same time seemed to be a concern. Now, after seeing how well Joran Gerbet and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson worked together against the New York Red Bulls, I’m way less worried. If Araujo and Atuesta need a little more time to get fully healthy, then let them. The Franco/Icelandic combo seems to be a potent one.

Of course, if the normal starters are ready, then by all means bring them back, but maybe not until the 60th minute. Perhaps Pareja could even mix and match. One never knows how yellow card suspensions or minor injuries will affect player availability. This is a good match for Gerbet and Thorhallsson to work their magic.

That is what I will be looking for Saturday night. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 4/17/25

Oscar Pareja signs new contract with Orlando City, Orlando Pride prepare for the Washington Spirit, Orlando’s youth teams win, and more.

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11 hours ago

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April 17, 2025

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I can’t believe we’re already into the back half of April and Easter is right around the corner. There’s plenty of soccer to enjoy between now and then and we also have the draw for the U.S. Open Cup’s round of 32 this morning at 9:15. MLS teams are finally joining the fray, so we’ll see where the chips fall for Orlando City. Let’s get to the links!

Oscar Pareja Signs New Contract

Orlando City and Head Coach Oscar Pareja have agreed to a new three-year contract that will keep him in the City Beautiful through 2028. Pareja was hired as Orlando’s fourth head coach in its MLS era back in December of 2019 and he’s led the Lions to the playoffs in all five seasons he’s been at the helm.  Under Pareja, the Lions won the U.S. Open Cup in 2022, set club records in points and wins in 2023, and reached the Eastern Conference final for the first time last year. This year was the final one on the contract he signed in December of 2023, so it’s nice to know Pareja will be sticking around in the future.

Orlando Pride Prepare for the Washington Spirit

The Orlando Pride will look to make it five wins in a row when they host the Washington Spirit on Saturday in another rematch of last year’s final. While this is the first match between Orlando and Washington this season, the two clashed in the NWSL Challenge Cup on March 7 and the Spirit lifted the trophy after a penalty shootout. Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on how the team has grown since that game and has benefitted from depth and consistency carried over from last year.

Orlando City Youth Teams Win in Bradenton

Orlando City’s U-18 team won in the Generation Adidas Cup’s round of 16, beating St. Louis City 1-0 to advance to the quarterfinals. The Young Lions remain unbeaten in that age group and will take on a Real Salt Lake team that also won its group and just beat Toronto FC in a penalty shootout following a scoreless draw.

Orlando’s U-16 squad didn’t qualify for the Championship bracket, but still advanced in the Premier bracket. After a 1-1 draw with Toronto, Orlando prevailed in the ensuing penalty shootout and will play Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals.

UEFA Champions League Semifinals Are Set

The quarterfinals for this year’s UEFA Champions League are over and only four teams remain in the tournament. Arsenal secured its spot in the semifinals after an impressive 2-1 road win against Real Madrid that included two assists from Mikel Merino. The Spanish club couldn’t muster its usual magic in the tournament and forward Kylian Mbappe exited in the second half due to injury. In Italy, Inter Milan held on for a 2-2 draw against Bayern to advance on aggregate, with defender Benjamin Pavard scoring a crucial goal for Inter against his old team. The semifinals will take place at the end of the month and will feature Arsenal taking on Paris Saint-Germain and Inter going up against Barcelona.

Free Kicks

  • Our thoughts go out to the friends and family of former FC Cincinnati player Aaron Boupendza, who died after falling from the 11th floor of a building in China.
  • The Chicago Fire are reportedly strongly interested in signing star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne on a free transfer. If any Western Conference teams could join the hunt for him, that would be great.

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

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Orlando City

Orlando City Extends Oscar Pareja’s Contract through 2028

The most successful coach in Orlando City’s MLS history has signed on for another three seasons.

Published

21 hours ago

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April 16, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Orlando City SC announced today that the club and Head Coach Oscar Pareja have come to terms on a new three-year contract through 2028. The winningest head coach in club history, Pareja’s previous two-year contract was scheduled to expire after the 2025 season. With the Lions off to a 3-2-3 start, and coming off the deepest MLS Cup playoff run in the organization’s history — the 2024 Eastern Conference final — the club locked down the veteran coach

“Throughout his career, Oscar has proven to be a coach deeply committed not only to winning and competing for championships, but also to building teams that fans can proudly rally behind,” Orlando City Owner and Chairman Mark Wilf said in a club press release. “Here in Orlando, he’s shown that same passion and dedication — taking immense pride in representing our club with integrity and driving us closer each year to our ultimate goal of winning it all. His unwavering positivity and focus have helped shape a culture grounded in respect and ambition. We’re thrilled to have Oscar continue leading us forward in the City Beautiful.” 

Pareja has led Orlando City to a record of 89-59-55 across all competitions in 203 matches, reaching the playoffs in each of his seasons at the helm of OCSC. He also won the team’s first MLS-era trophy by leading the Lions to the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title, and he’s guided the club to its first two appearances in Concacaf Champions League/Cup and to the MLS is Back Tournament final in 2020.

With 176 MLS victories, Pareja is No. 5 on the league’s all-time wins list. He ranks second among all active coaches. Orlando City initially hired Pareja, 56, as head coach on Dec. 4, 2019. He succeeded James O’Connor, Jason Kreis, and Adrian Heath as OCSC head coaches in the club’s MLS era. Prior to joining the Lions, Pareja spent one season in Liga MX with Club Tijuana after five successful seasons as head coach at FC Dallas. Pareja started his MLS head coaching career with the Colorado Rapids in 2012, leading the ‘Pids for two seasons, including a playoff appearance in 2013. He also coached the U.S. U-17 Men’s National Team from 2007-2008. 

“First and foremost, I want to express my deepest gratitude to Mark Wilf, his family, the entire ownership group, and our executive board for their continued trust in the vision and culture we’ve built over the years,” Pareja said in the club’s release. “Their unwavering support is the foundation of everything we strive to achieve each day. Above all, I’m profoundly thankful to our incredible fans and the dedicated staff who pour their hearts into making Orlando City such a remarkable club. Together, we’ve grown stronger with each passing season, moving steadily closer to our shared ambition of bringing more trophies home to this great city. I remain deeply inspired by what lies ahead and look forward to continuing this journey in pursuit of more championships.” 

As a player, Pareja spent 1987-1995 with Independiente Medellin in his native Colombia as a midfielder, appearing in 263 matches and scoring 18 goals. He moved to Deportivo Cali, where he scored 11 more goals in 122 games from 1995-1998 and then joined the New England Revolution, appearing in 13 games that year. He finished his playing career with FC Dallas, scoring 13 goals in 170 appearances from 1998-2005. He also earned 11 caps from 1991 to 1996 with Colombia’s national team, scoring three goals.

What It Means for Orlando City

As I wrote when Pareja re-signed in December of 2023: quite simply, it means the Lions retain their most successful coach since joining Major League Soccer. Pareja has created a culture and an identity that was lacking at the club prior to his arrival. While it’s common for players to say the team feels like a family and a city feels like “home,” the Lions have walked that walk during Pareja’s tenure in the City Beautiful.

Pareja’s challenge for the upcoming season is to improve upon the club’s deepest run in the playoffs and perhaps the fourth-place finish the Lions enjoyed in 2024. That’s not an easy task, and it shouldn’t be held against him if he can’t reach those lofty heights.

In the short term, Pareja’s job is to get the team scoring goals again while maintaining the high defensive standards set over the last two matches.

Pareja’s tenure with Orlando City will ultimately be measured in trophies. So far, he’s won one of them. That’s more than everyone who came before him won with Orlando in the MLS era, but it’s understandable for fans and ownership to ask for more.

Oscar Pareja’s Coaching Record at Orlando City (W-L-D)

Major League Soccer Regular Season: 167 games, 74-48-45
MLS Playoffs: 12 games, 5-6-1 (Note: MLS considers draws losses if they happen in the best-of-three round but if it goes to penalties in a single-elimination game, it’s a draw.)
U.S. Open Cup: 7 games, 4-1-2
Concacaf Champions League/Cup: 6 games, 2-1-3
Leagues Cup: 7 games, 2-2-3
MLS is Back Knockout Stages: 4 games, 2-1-1

Total: 203 games coached, 89-59-55

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