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Orlando City vs. Seattle Sounders: Final Score 2-1 as Heavily Rotated Lions Fall on the Road

A completely different starting XI can’t get it done on the road.

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Well, that was certainly a soccer match. Orlando City (3-6-3, 12 points) lost its third consecutive game and is winless in its last four after a 2-1 loss to the Seattle Sounders (7-1-4, 25 points) at CenturyLink Field. With the loss, the Lions remain winless in five meetings (0-4-1) against the Sounders. The hosts improved to 6-0-2 at home this season.

Shockingly, I can’t say I was full of confidence when the Orlando City lineup came out an hour before kicking off against the Sounders. We all knew to expect some rotation because of the Lions having three matches in three different cities in an eight-day span. The keyword, however, is “some.” No one could have reasonably predicted an entirely different starting XI, including the MLS debut of Greg Ranjitsingh in goal.

Having said that, and considering that the Sounders put out a nearly full-strength lineup, things certainly should have been worse. Orlando City entered the match having conceded six goals in the first 15 minutes of games, the worst tally in Major League Soccer. On the flip side, Seattle led MLS with six goals scored in the opening 15 minutes.

As those initial 15 minutes passed, the Lions looked better than expected. The men in purple were maintaining around 40% possession, not terrible for a squad of bench players on the road against one of the league’s best teams. Sacha Kljestan took a slow-moving shot from distance in the ninth minute that went wide of the goal. Ranjitsingh came off his line decisively to grab a couple of crosses Seattle players put into the box. Then the 19th minute came, and it brought a Raul Ruidiaz goal for the Sounders with it.

Left back Brad Smith made a run into the box and was not shut down by Orlando City right back Kyle Smith. He then sent a nicely weighted cross rolling in front of the goal right to Ruidiaz’s foot. An unmarked Ruidiaz slotted it past Ranjitsingh and the Sounders went up 1-0.

In the 22nd minute, Uri Rosell took a shot from distance that, similarly to Kljestan’s earlier attempt, was wide and left of the goal. Rookie forward Santiago Patino made an excellent run down the left flank in the 24th, but was cleanly tackled by Seattle center back Roman Torres. Fellow rookie Benji Michel made a run down the right a few minutes later that resulted in a corner for the Lions. Midfielder Dillon Powers put a Carlos Rivas-style shot a mile into the stands after nothing was doing on the corner.

Surprisingly, the Sounders looked content with the one-goal lead for the last 20 minutes of the first half, though Orlando’s possession climbed closer to 50% as the half progressed. Rosell took another shot from 25 yards out in the 43rd minute, sending it over the crossbar. Seattle had one more chance to add a goal before the half when Brad Smith sent a cross right to the head of Jordan Morris. Morris tried to bounce it off the turf and ended up watching the ball skyrocket over the bar.

Seattle took its 1-0 lead to the locker room, leading in shots (7-4), shots on goal (2-0), passing accuracy (87%-83%), and possession (53.4%-46.6%).

Neither side made any changes at the half, and the Sounders came out pressing at the start of the second half, ready to maintain or build on the one-goal advantage. Young Designated Player Josué Colmán provided a chance for the Lions when he put in a good through ball to Danilo Acosta, who subsequently had his shot blocked. Morris went down with what appeared to be a hamstring injury, forcing Seattle Head Coach Brian Schmetzer to pull him out for Handwalla Bwana in the 53rd minute.

Sounders midfielder Cristian Roldan got past Orlando City center back Lamine Sane in the 56th minute to take a shot directly at Ranjitsingh. Ruidiaz couldn’t bring down an over-the top-pass from Bwana at minute 60, allowing Ranjitsingh the time to come out and make the save. Seattle right back Kelvin Leerdam decided to get in on the action in the 62nd minute, shooting from right outside the 18-yard box just over the bar.

Lions Head Coach James O’Connor had seen enough of Patino by the 63rd minute and subbed him out for Dom Dwyer. Harry Shipp took a shot that went right over the bar again in the 67th, then came off immediately after, when Schmetzer brought in Nouhou Tolo. Apparently, that change sparked something for the Sounders, as Bwana scored a minute later to make it 2-0 to Seattle. The play started from a turnover on a loose touch by Powers in the midfield and then Acosta lost Bwana in the box. The always astute Nicolas Lodeiro saw that, so he crossed a beautiful ball into the six-yard box that Bwana only had to redirect into the back of Ranjitsingh’s net.

A five-minute discussion and video review followed the goal to check for a handball on Lodeiro, but the goal was allowed. The goal was finally confirmed in the 73rd minute.

O’Connor subbed on Chris Mueller for Colmán during the video review delay. Mueller looked to make an impact off the ensuing kickoff. Bwana gave the ball away to Kljestan, not far from the top of Seattle’s 18. The midfielder then passed to Mueller just above the six-yard box, but he fluffed the shot, sending it high.

Mueller made up for it in the 75th. He made a run to the top of the 18 and took a low, driven shot past Stefan Frei and into the bottom right corner of Seattle’s goal to make it 2-1. The goal snapped a 327-minute scoring drought for Orlando City and it was the first goal scored by a Lion other than Nani in 534 minutes.

In the 84th minute, Ranjitsingh quickly came way off his line to clear a dangerous through ball. He did the same thing again four minutes later. The 85th minute saw O’Connor sub in Joao Moutinho for Acosta, followed by a Seattle sub of Alex Roldan for Smith a minute later.

It looked like the Sounders made it 3-1 in the third minute of stoppage time. Orlando City center back Shane O’Neill hit a header straight up into the air and then had a terrible moment that led to Ruidiaz scoring. Thankfully, the goal was instantly called back for an obvious handball on the Seattle striker. The Lions had a couple of other crosses find their way into Seattle’s box during the last five minutes of the long stoppage to no avail.

Seattle finished with a 14-10 advantage in shots (3-1 on target), and slightly more possession (50.7%-49.3%), with the teams each completing 84% of their passes.


Unfortunately, the 2-1 loss means Orlando City will return home on Sunday with no points from the two-game road trip. Hopefully, that will be all the motivation the team needs to take all three points in the team’s first ever meeting against FC Cincinnati. The match kicks off at 3 p.m.

Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/28/24

Getting to know Rafael Santos, Orlando Pride prepare for Chicago, Midge Purce out for the season, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope the work week has been treating you well as we gear up for another weekend of soccer. March flew by for me and April is shaping up to be a pretty busy month as well. In other news, I’m looking into adopting a cat and gathering the supplies to make that happen. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Getting to Know Rafael Santos

Orlando City left back Rafael Santos was the latest Lion to field questions as part of the club’s video series for fans to learn more about its players. The 26-year-old spoke about the decision process behind joining Orlando and playing outside of Brazil for the first time in his career after five years with Cruzeiro. He’s brought his attack-minded style of play to the team, particularly in terms of providing lethal crossing from the wing. Make sure to check out the full video as Santos also shared photos of his newborn and showcased his skill with a cavaquinho.

Orlando Pride Prepare to Host Chicago

After a pair of draws to start their season, the Orlando Pride will have a chance to claim their first win of the season when they host the Chicago Red Stars tomorrow night at 6 p.m. Head Coach Seb Hines spoke about how the Pride have shown plenty of resilience so far this young season. The team managed to secure a point in last week’s 1-1 draw with Angel City FC despite a patchwork back line due to injuries. That defense will likely have its hands full against Mallory Swanson and a Chicago team that won both of its first two games. Hines spoke about how the Pride are preparing for Chicago and how they will need the home crowd to bring the support tomorrow night.

Sophia Smith Signs Record-Breaking New Deal

American forward Sophia Smith signed a new contract with the Portland Thorns that will make her the highest-paid NWSL player, according to the club. The new deal will last through the 2025 season, with an option for 2026 as well. The 23-year-old was drafted by the Thorns with the first overall pick in the 2020 NWSL Draft and has gone on to score 34 regular-season goals. Smith re-signed with the club in 2022 and was set to become a free agent following this season, but will instead stay in Portland.

Midge Purce Out for NWSL Season

NJ/NY Gotham FC forward Midge Purce will miss the remainder of the NWSL season after tearing her ACL. The 28-year-old will undergo surgery and suffered the injury in her team’s 1-0 victory over the Portland Thorns this past weekend. She’s been with Gotham since 2020 and assisted on both goals in her team’s 2-1 win in the 2023 NWSL Championship. It’s a tough blow for the United States Women’s National Team too, as she will not be representing the U.S. during this summer’s Olympics in France.

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  • Orlando City B’s match against Carolina Core FC on April 14 has been rescheduled.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/27/24

Bally Sports will broadcast Orlando Pride matches, Pride players called up, USWNT announces SheBelieves Cup roster, and more.

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Hello, Mane Landers. I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I attended my friend’s wedding this past weekend and have been getting myself back into work mode by covering high school tennis this week. There is plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Bally Sports Will Broadcast Select Orlando Pride Matches

Bally Sports was announced as the new local television partner for the Orlando Pride. There will be 13 select Pride matches broadcast this season across Bally Sports Florida, Bally Sports Sun, and on the Bally Sports app. The partnership will begin this Friday, with the Orlando Soccer Insider show taking place before the kickoff of the Pride’s home match against the Chicago Red Stars at 7 p.m. The show will be broadcast on Bally Sports Florida, and then you can switch to the Bally Sports app to watch Friday’s match. Below are all the select matches that will be broadcast on Bally Sports this season.

Brazilian Orlando Pride Players Called Up

The Orlando Pride’s Marta, Angelina, and Luana were all called up by Brazil for next month’s SheBelieves Cup. Brazil heads into this tournament after a solid showing in the Concacaf W Gold Cup. The format is different for this year’s SheBelieves Cup, as there will only be four matches instead of six. Brazil’s first match of the tournament will be a semifinal on April 6 against Canada in Atlanta.

USWNT Announces Roster for SheBelieves Cup

United States Women’s National Team interim head coach Twila Kilgore announced the 23-player roster for the 2024 SheBelieves Cup matches next month. The USWNT has won this competition four consecutive times since 2020, and is going for a seventh title in 2024. Of those called up, 19 players on this squad were part of the team that won the Concacaf W Gold Cup earlier this month. San Diego Wave forward Jaedyn Shaw, the Concacaf W Gold Cup’s MVP, is back on the roster after she led the USWNT with four goals. The squad also includes familiar names like former Pride forward Alex Morgan, Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman, and Olympique Lyon midfielder Lindsey Horan. Mallory Swanson and Catarina Macario return to the squad after being sidelined with injuries. The USWNT will begin its quest to defend its SheBelieves Cup title when it faces Japan on April 6 in Atlanta.

MLS Referees Agree to New CBA

After a lockout that resulted in Major League Soccer starting the season with replacement referees, the Professional Soccer Referees Association voted to ratify a new collective bargaining agreement with the Professional Referee Organization. The new CBA is a seven-year deal that runs through January of 2031. This deal will also include significant pay raises for referees, assistant referees, and video assistant referees. The PRO referees will return to the pitch for this weekend’s MLS matches.

Ukraine, Georgia, and Poland Qualify for Euro 2024

Ukraine has qualified for this summer’s Euros after edging out Iceland 2-1 in its playoff final, with Mykhaylo Mudryk scoring the winning goal in the second half. Georgia eliminated Greece 4-2 on penalties after a 2-2 draw to book a spot in the tournament as well. Georgia qualifies for its first major tournament after coming up short in 2020. Poland also needed penalties to qualify, with goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny making the final save against Daniel James to beat Wales 5-4 on penalties after a scoreless draw.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/26/24

Jack Lynn named to MLS Team of the Matchday bench, Nico Lodeiro and Marta up for weekly awards, USMNT stock watch, and more.

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Happy Tuesday, everyone! It was an enjoyable weekend for fans of Orlando soccer as the Lions got in the win column, the Pride stayed unbeaten, and Orlando City B picked up two points by way of a shootout win. As usual, we have plenty to discuss this morning, so let’s dive in.

Jack Lynn Makes Team of the Matchday Bench

Jack Lynn’s efforts in Orlando City’s 2-0 win over Austin FC have earned him a spot on the bench in the latest edition of the MLS Team of the Matchday. Lynn opened the scoring with a well-finished header in the first half, a tally which was also his very first for the senior side. Aside from his goal, he took another shot that was off target, completed 77% of his passes, and recorded 21 touches. The performance earned him a 6 out of 10 grade from Sean Rollins in his player grades from the match. Lynn’s inclusion in the TotM is well deserved, and hopefully it’s the first of many!

Orlando Players Up for Weekly Honors

Nico Lodeiro’s free kick during Orlando City’s win has been nominated for the MLS Goal of the Matchday. In the 64th minute, with the Lions holding a 1-0 lead, courtesy of Lynn’s goal, the good guys were awarded a free kick due to a handball on the edge of the box. Lodeiro proceeded to deliver the goods, scoring his first league goal for OCSC with a powerful, bending effort that Brad Stuver was unable to keep out of the top corner. Make sure you go and vote for Nico to win this week’s award!

He wasn’t the only Orlando player who had an impressive goal either, as the Orlando Pride’s Marta has been nominated for the National Women’s Soccer League Goal of the Week. It was a well-deserved nomination too, as she leveled the score and rescued a point for the Pride in spectacular fashion. With time ticking down in the 88th minute, she expertly volleyed in a corner kick at home. Go and vote for her to win the honor!

Post-Nations League Stock Watch

Several United States Men’s National Team players either boosted or hurt their stock over the course of last week’s Concacaf Nations League matches. Guys like Giovanni Reyna and Tyler Adams turned in impactful and timely performances. Reyna was named the best player of the tournament at a time when minutes at the club level are tough to come by, while Adams looked great as he continues to work his way back from a long injury layoff. Joe Scally and Folarin Balogun struggled though, with Scally being hooked at halftime against Jamaica and Balogun having a relatively quiet two games while fellow striker Haji Wright was the hero against Jamaica. Nobody’s stock dropped more than Mexico’s though, which has now gone seven games without beating the U.S., and hasn’t scored in almost 500 minutes. *Insert eagle screech here*

Big Names Missing for Euro 2024

The club season won’t be over for a couple more months, but there are a number of big stars who we either already know won’t be appearing at this summer’s Euro 2024, or who have a race against the clock in order to feature. The Real Madrid duo of David Alaba and Thibaut Courtois will both miss the tournament through injury, although Courtois’ rocky relationship with Belgium manager Domenico Tedesco means he may not have been called up anyway. Sven Botman will be unavailable for the Netherlands due to an ACL tear. Ivan Perisic suffered the same fate, sidelining him for Croatia. Then there are the cases of Sandro Tonali and Paul Pogba, who are unavailable for Italy and France, respectively, due to suspensions for off-field issues.

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  • Happy National Athletic Training Month from one AT (me) to another!
  • The young Yanks engineered a late comeback to earn a 2-2 draw with France, with Cade Cowell scoring the equalizer.
  • A vote has reportedly taken place on a new tentative agreeement between PRO and the PSRA.
  • LAFC has reportedly sent a formal contract offer for Olivier Giroud to join the Western Conference side once the Serie A season concludes.

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

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