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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. FC Cincinnati: Final Score 1-1 as Lions Eliminated from Postseason Contention

Benji Michel’s goal in stoppage time rescues a point but the Lions are now winless in seven games.

Published

5 years ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City’s winless skid reached seven games (0-3-4) after a 1-1 draw to expansion FC Cincinnati at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati. However, Orlando’s result ended up being meaningless with New England clinching the final playoff spot at home against New York City FC and eliminating the Lions from postseason contention.

Benji Michel’s stoppage-time goal lifted the Lions (9-14-10, 37 points) out of an embarrassing loss to the expansion side, and gives FC Cincinnati (6-22-5, 23 points) the new MLS record for most goals conceded in a season, with 75 — with one match left to play. Allan Cruz had Cincinnati ahead for much of the game before that late equalizer, when the hosts started to sag deep and absorb pressure in an effort to cling to the one-goal lead (sound familiar?).

James O’Connor was no doubt happy to have Joao Moutinho back in the starting lineup, giving him his preferred back line along with Robin Jansson, Lamine Sané, and Ruan. Will Johnson and Sebas Mendez joined Mauricio Pereyra in the midfield, with Nani, Dom Dwyer, and Tesho Akindele up top.

From the opening kick, Orlando City wasn’t good enough. The Lions couldn’t string passes together, failed to move quickly enough, telegraphed opportunities to allow the hosts a chance to cut them out, and gave too much space to attackers in the box.

Orlando’s first decent attack came in the ninth minute when Nani unlocked the defense with a superb ball to Akindele on the right. But the break melted down when the Canadian’s cross for Dwyer was well behind the striker.

Emmanuel Ledesma barely missed picking out the far corner with a curling effort a minute later, as he was given far too much space at the top of the area.

Disaster struck at the 13-minute mark when Moutinho pulled up lame with an apparent leg injury and had to be subbed off for Kyle Smith, making it a short return for the Portuguese fullback.

Rowe was called into action in the 25th minute after a quick Cincinnati throw-in. After Akindele passed the ball to no one and out of play, the restart was taken quickly and only a good stop by Rowe kept the hosts from opening the scoring.

Johnson smashed an outside-boot effort just wide in the 30th minute as Orlando went through about a five-minute good spell of possession and buildup.

Six minutes later, a ball played into the area found Akindele, who flicked the ball to get past goalkeeper Przemyslaw Tyton but then couldn’t direct his second touch on frame as he ran out of room at the goalpost and his effort was just wide.

Cincinnati came right back down the field and forced two saves from Rowe. The first was from Roland Lamah’s blast that the goalkeeper parried off his own crossbar and out. Cincinnati sent it back into the middle where Cruz flicked one toward goal but Rowe caught it.

Four minutes later, the hosts opened the scoring. Mendez turned the ball over on one of his now well-known “kick the ball back where it came from with the first touch” efforts and Cincinnati countered. Orlando momentarily fought the counter off but got caught on the recycle, as Cruz ended up with the ball all alone in front and he easily slotted home in the 40th minute.

There were shouts for a penalty from Cincinnati late in the half but no clear and obvious error was found and the half ended 1-0.

Cincinnati led in shots (9-4), shots on goal (4-0), and passing accuracy (83%-80%), while Orlando held a bit more of the possession (54%-46%). Aside from chances and shots on target, the biggest discrepancy between the sides was fouls, with Orlando being called nine times to Cincinnati’s three.

The Lions came out with a lot more intensity in the second half but fantastic goalkeeping helped Cincinnati hold the lead. Tyton denied two excellent shots by Dwyer in the second half and nearly did enough to keep his team in front.

Pereyra did well to send Nani down the left flank in the 48th minute, but the captain couldn’t quite cut his cross back enough to find Dwyer and Tyton collected. Two minutes later, Dwyer sent a point-blank header on target from a Pereyra cross that forced a great reaction save from Tyton to keep it out.

Orlando kept coming, with Ruan fizzing a cross just a bit too far out in front of Dwyer in the 51st minute. Johnson then blasted a shot that appeared to be headed in but deflected off a defender and out for a corner kick in the 54th minute. Nani then fizzed a cross through the area off a short corner give-and-go with Pereyra, which was just out of Dwyer’s reach and no one made a back-post run for the easy tap-in.

Nani found Dwyer again in the 67th minute and the striker made a nice move to stop the ball with his heel, shook his defender, then turned and fired a shot labeled for the corner but Tyton again got down to make the save.

Cincinnati was content to sit back, stay organized, and absorb pressure, resulting in more opportunities for the Lions. If this sounds familiar and if it sounds like a recipe for disaster, it’s only because you’ve seen it several times this season, only the other way around. So the Lions kept coming.

Johnson made a nice run, then made a cheeky no-look flick to Dwyer in the box. Dwyer tried to smash it out of midair but got under the ball and it skied over the bar. Three minutes later, Nani smashed a header just wide. In the 88th, Johnson again continued his run into the area and had a free header off a cross but he mistimed his jump and it sailed high.

Just when it looked like the breakthrough wouldn’t come, it did. Nani sent in a cross nearly a full minute into stoppage time that Dwyer got his head to and nodded backward. Second-half sub Michel ran onto it and smashed home his fourth goal of his rookie season to level the match. Dwyer and Nani each got an assist, giving the captain double figures in helpers (10) this season to go with his team-leading 12 goals.

Both teams had half-chances to find a late winner, but Cincinnati had the best opportunity, as the Lions got caught out and Ledesma ended up behind the defense. Jansson did just enough to put him off, and Ledesma dragged his shot wide in the 95th minute. Mueller then won a corner at the other end but it was cleared and the final whistle blew.

Orlando ended the season series 1-0-1 against FC Cincinnati, despite being out-shot (16-13) and having fewer shots on target (7-3) and a worse passing accuracy (83%-78%). Orlando managed more possession (54.6%-45.4%), largely due to Cincinnati sitting back in the final half hour of the match.

With Columbus beating the Philadelphia Union, the Lions fell to 11th place in the Eastern Conference, so…hey, better draft position, right?

With New England’s 2-0 win over New York City FC tonight, Orlando City will finish up its season at home next Sunday against the Chicago Fire at 4 p.m. ET.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/21/25

Orlando Pride release preseason camp roster, scouting Costa Rica, women’s soccer transfer grades, and more.

Published

16 hours ago

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January 21, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone! If you had yesterday off for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, then I hope you enjoyed some restful time off. If not, then I hope you got your week started off on a good and productive note. There’s a lot going on around here this week as the United States Men’s National Team is in town, and Orlando City will play its first preseason match on Saturday. That means we have plenty to discuss, so let’s dig into today’s links.

Orlando Pride Drop Preseason Roster

Monday might have been a holiday but the Orlando Pride were busy, as they announced the roster for their upcoming preseason camp. Almost all of the usual suspects from the 2024 season are back, as the Pride return 98% of the player-minutes from last season and every single scorer. Mariana Larroquette is on the list although she’s currently on loan in Argentina, and Amanda Allen is likewise included after her loan at Lexington Sporting Club was terminated due to a torn labrum. The biggest intrigue comes from the trio of non-roster invitees: goalkeeper DeAira Jackson, midfielder Aryssa Mahrt, and forward Simone Jackson.

Scouting Costa Rica

The USMNT takes on Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium to wrap up the team’s annual January camp. Like the U.S., Costa Rica is bringing a roster devoid of the majority of its important players. Costa Rica also has a new manager at the helm in Miguel Herrera, who will take charge of the team for the very first time on Wednesday. Herrera typically lines his teams up in a 5-3-2 where the wingbacks take on a very important role and the team looks to hit on the counter while staying compact at the back. This will be the last time we see the USMNT in action until the Concacaf Nations League semifinals in early March.

Women’s Soccer January Transfer Grades

January has been a busy time for transfers in the women’s soccer world, so which teams have done the best business? Well, the Orlando Pride received an A grade for signing Marta to a new two-year deal, retaining a player who helped the team win its first ever trophies. Liverpool got an A for signing Julia Bartel on loan from Chelsea. Leicester City made an interesting call by transferring goalkeeper Lize Kop to Tottenham despite just being a point above the relegation zone. The Foxes get a C for the move, while Spurs get a B+ for adding a capable netminder.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans taking part in some very important games over the course of this week. Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus face Club Brugge today in the UEFA Champions League, while Ricardo Pepi, Richy Ledezma, Esmir Bajraktarević, Malik Tillman and PSV Eindhoven take on Crvena Zvezda in the same competition. Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan will play Girona in the UCL on Wednesday, while Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic take on Young Boys. On Friday, John Tolkin could make his Bundesliga debut when his new team, Holstein Kiel, travels to face Wolfsburg.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando Pride players reported for their preseason physicals on Monday.
  • Meanwhile, Orlando City took on the dreaded beep test during Monday’s training session.

That’s all I have for you today. Vamos Orlando!

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Orlando City

Striker Suddenly a Position of Need for Orlando City

Departures and a key injury mean Orlando City needs a striker heading into the 2025 MLS season.

Published

2 days ago

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January 20, 2025

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Image Courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City reached the Eastern Conference Final for the first time in 2024, a milestone for the club. The core of the team was locked up through the 2025 season, so there was no reason to believe it needed to add much this off-season. Unfortunately, injuries and departures have created a serious problem for the team.

The group of forwards last year consisted of Duncan McGuire, Ramiro Enrique, and Jack Lynn. McGuire scored 15 goals in 2023 and was expected to depart for Blackburn Rovers before a clerical error allowed the Lions to keep their target man. The team’s primary striker scored 11 goals in 37 games — the same number as the previous season — but split time starting with Enrique. The Argentinian improved greatly in 2024, increasing his total goal tally from four to 12. Even Lynn showed tremendous improvement last year, playing a greater role in the team and scoring his first two MLS goals.

The future also seemed bright for the Orlando City forwards because of their ages. Lynn is the oldest of the trio at just 25 years old. Meanwhile, McGuire and Enrique are only 23, so there was no reason to believe this group couldn’t produce this coming season.

The problem at striker began in the postseason when McGuire was pulled down by Charlotte FC midfielder Djibril Diani in the final first round game of the playoffs. McGuire suffered a shoulder injury during the challenge that required surgery on Dec. 13. It’s expected that the striker could take four to five months to return to action, possibly leaving him out until May or June.

Another blow to Orlando’s attack occurred Saturday when Lynn surprisingly announced his retirement from professional soccer. In just over a month, Orlando City went from having three strikers to having just one as preseason training starts.

With McGuire injured and Lynn gone, one option would be to have Designated Player Luis Muriel play up top. However, the Colombian prefers to play a more withdrawn position and proved to be effective in that role last year. Since Head Coach Oscar Pareja prefers to play a 4-2-3-1 formation, the Lions need someone up top to control the ball and involve the midfielders in the attack. That’s not Muriel’s game.

The result of these issues is that nobody is currently behind Enrique when the season begins. If the Argentinian gets tired, hurt, or simply needs rest, Pareja is limited in his options. 

Whether there was a lack of strikers or a lack of goals from the position previously, that problem was resolved by the club’s all-time leading goal scorer. Facundo Torres scored 20 goals in 2024, becoming the first player in Orlando City’s MLS history and the second player in club history to do so. He went on to set a new club record for total goals of 47.

However, Orlando City sold its best player to Brazilian side Palmeiras on Dec. 20. It was a gut punch to fans as Torres had signed a new contract on Jan. 10, 2024 that ran through the 2026 season. There had been talk for the last couple of years that the attacker would look for a move to Europe and rumors of a move to South America arose this off-season. Still, it created a huge gap the club has to fill.

There are players on the roster that can make up for the injury and departures. Martin Ojeda had a strong season in 2024, finishing with seven goals and 13 assists. His seven goals ranked fourth on the team and his 13 assists topped the squad alongside Nico Lodeiro. Muriel came on strong later in the season, finishing with five goals and eight assists. But those numbers are a long way from the 20 goals that Torres tallied last year.

Even if you consider all goal contributions, Ojeda and Muriel fall well short of Torres. Ojeda had a total of 20 goal contributions in 2024 while Muriel had 13. In addition to Torres’s 20 goals, he added nine assists for a team-leading 29 goal contributions.

All of this information leads to one undeniable fact — Orlando City needs to sign a striker prior to the season. And there’s not much time for Luiz Muzzi to act. The European transfer window closes on Feb. 3 and many MLS teams have already been filling similar needs. With the season starting in just over a month, the options will be limited if the Lions don’t do something soon.

After the best postseason finish in Orlando City’s MLS history, things were looking good heading into 2025. While the back line and most of the midfield is returning, McGuire’s injury and the departure of Torres and Lynn have left the Lions in a tough spot offensively. If they don’t do something in the next couple of weeks, it could be a long 2025.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/20/25

Orlando City signs Nicolas Rodriguez, Jack Lynn announces retirement, USMNT defeats Venezuela in friendly, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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January 20, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope you’re all having a good holiday weekend as we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Over the past week, I’ve been working and covering high school ice hockey. It will be a busy week in Orlando, with the United States Men’s National Team’s match against Costa Rica on Wednesday and Orlando City’s first preseason match against Atletico Mineiro on Saturday. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Signs Nicolas Rodriguez

Orlando City announced on Friday that the club has signed forward Nicolas Rodriguez from Fortaleza CEIF in Colombia’s top flight. The deal is through the 2027 season, with a club option for 2028, and Rodriguez will occupy a MLS U22 Initiative slot. Rodriguez made 19 appearances for Fortaleza, recording 1,607 minutes, five goals, and three assists during the 2024 Primera A Clausura season. The Lions add a young attacking player the club can develop and Rodriguez can play on the right wing, the right side of a three-man midfield, or in the No. 10 spot.

Jack Lynn Announces Retirement

Orlando City forward Jack Lynn announced his retirement from professional soccer on Saturday. Lynn was drafted by Orlando in the first round of the 2022 MLS SuperDraft. He became a regular starter for Orlando City B, scoring a team-record 38 goals in over three seasons with the MLS NEXT Pro side. Lynn also won the Golden Boot with 19 goals during the 2023 season and became the first OCB player to be named MLS NEXT Pro MVP. He played sparingly with the first team, but he scored twice last season as his role increased. The Lions will likely look to add another striker for more depth up top.

Orlando Pride Acquire Allocation Money in Trade

On Friday, the Orlando Pride announced that the club has acquired $50,000 in Allocation Money from the Washington Spirit. In exchange, the Pride sent the Spirit a 2025 international roster spot. The Pride will face the Spirit in the NWSL Challenge Cup final on March 7 at Inter&Co Stadium.

USMNT Defeats Venezuela in Friendly

The USMNT defeated Venezuela 3-1 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday in a friendly. Jack McGlynn and Patrick Agyemang scored in the first half to give the USMNT a 2-0 lead just before halftime. Matko Milijevic scored the third goal for the Americans in the second half, with Venezuela pulling one back thanks to a goal from Jorge Yriarte. Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has led the USMNT to winning four out of its first five matches since he took charge last September. The USMNT’s next match will be against Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium.

Alyssa Naeher Named U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year

On Saturday, goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher was voted 2024 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year. Naeher won 40% of the vote, while defender Naomi Girma finished in second with 32%. In her final year with the USWNT, Naeher ended 2024 with 18 starts, playing 1,170 minutes and only conceding 11 goals. She played a crucial role with clutch saves to help the USWNT win the 2024 SheBelieves Cup, 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup, and gold at the Olympics in Paris. Naeher is the second goalkeeper to win the award since Hope Solo won it in 2009.

Free Kicks

  • Manchester City forward Erling Haaland has reached an agreement with the club on a record-breaking contract that extends his deal through 2034.

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

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