Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Montreal Impact, Preseason: Final Score 1-0 as Nani’s Masterful Free Kick Lifts Lions
The first open preseason match goes the Lions’ way thanks to the captain’s sweet free kick.

Nani scored on a free kick in the first half to lift the Lions to a 1-0 win over the Montreal Impact at Exploria Stadium in Orlando City’s first open preseason game of 2020. It wasn’t a perfect game by any means, and there will be plenty to clean up, but the team got the W.
“The thing that I liked the most is that I saw a team there, with a ball and without it,” Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “And we’re going to build slowly. It’s normal at this point. We would like many more things better, but we are very content with what we see today,”
Pareja’s starting lineup was Pedro Gallese; Kamal Miller, Rodrigo Schlegel, Antonio Carlos, Ruan; Uri Rosell, Junior Urso, Benji Michel; Mauricio Pereyra, Dom Dwyer, and Nani. The team took on a 3-4-3 look in the attack, with Ruan playing higher than his fellow defenders, who fanned out with Miller out left and Carlos on the right, and with Schlegel in the center. Michel played like a wingback on the left, with Rosell next to him, but sometimes swapping with Urso, and Ruan out right. Pereyra, Dwyer, and Nani patrolled the top of the formation and switched places fluidly in the opening half.
Defensively, Ruan sagged back and the back four tightened up, with Urso and Rosell adding support and everyone tracking back to help.
The first half was a defensive-minded affair with very few scoring opportunities for either side. The teams took a while to settle in, and any progress up the field was ultimately undone by a pass offline. The first shot attempt didn’t come until the 11th minute, when Dwyer got his head to a cross from Rosell in traffic, but it hit Michel and was cleared.
Montreal got a free kick after a Rosell turnover near midfield as Miller committed a tactical foul and took down Orji Okwonkwo, drawing a yellow card. Sapher Taider took the free kick from about 25 yards out, but Gallese made the save comfortably in the 16th minute.
In the 19th minute, Pereyra fired a shot over the bar and in the 28th Dwyer did well to get a piece of a bending cross from Ruan but sent it just wide of goal.
Montreal nearly opened the scoring in the 36th minute as the Impact took the ball down Orlando’s left flank and a ball deflected across the area. A Montreal player shot from close range but Gallese made the save.
“It shows the pedigree, that he has,” Pareja said of his goalkeeper. “And you know the keepers are to stop the ball that we need the most.”
Two minutes later, a nice passing combination sent Nani to the top of the area where he was taken down, setting up a free kick from about 20 yards out. The captain stood over the ball along with Dwyer and Pereyra, but it was Nani who struck it — and struck it well — sending it past Evan Bush to make it 1-0 in the 39th minute.
That was the last decent chance for either side in the opening 45 minutes and the Lions took their lead into the break.
The second half was much less fluid from both teams and there weren’t as many clear-cut chances for Orlando, with Montreal nearly taking advantage of a few mistakes by the Lions. Nani gave the ball away in the 51st minute, leading to a shot by Romell Quioto that was well saved by Gallese. Quioto fired just wide in the 60th from the left side, trying to find the inside of the far post after Ruan gave the ball away in his defensive third.
Montreal should have equalized in the 74th minute when Ballou Tabla was able to sneak in past the defense on the right to get onto a cross, but he fired his shot over Gallese’s goal. The Impact’s best chance came in the 85th minute when Maxi Urruti seemingly weaved through the entire Orlando team and struck a shot off the left post.
Orlando had several half chances to put the game away but couldn’t connect the final ball after getting behind the Montreal defense. Second-half sub Chris Mueller forced a save by Bush in the 90th and the goalkeeper spilled it, but Tesho Akindele couldn’t quite get onto it for the put-back. Moments later, Mueller got down the left side again, but his cutback pass was picked off before David Loera could get there.
After several nervy moments in stoppage time, the whistle blew on a 1-0 victory.
“I think Montreal just moved the ball well and the last 10-15 minutes they created problems for us,” Pareja said. “But we were disciplined and I see the boys battling and trying to win the game despite it being a friendly game.”
“My biggest takeaway is that we got a W,” Michel said. “We can see what we’ve been working on in training all of preseason, the way we want to play and we move the ball and it’s showing in our play. And we were able to get the result. We just need to build off of that, not stay comfortable, and stay hungry.”
Orlando City
Orlando City, Nico Lodeiro Mutually Agree to Terminate Contract
The club is off the hook for an $800,000 salary and the Uruguayan midfielder is free to pursue other opportunities.

Veteran midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro’s days as a Lion are over. Orlando City announced that the club and player have mutually agreed to terminate Lodeiro’s contract, allowing him to become a free agent. Per the club, Orlando City has utilized one of its two buyouts for 2025 in this transaction.
Tom Bogert reported Monday that a deal was in the works for Lodeiro to join the Houston Dynamo, and this move paves the way for that to happen. As he was going to be out of contract after the season anyway, the Lions had limited options to sell the midfielder and in the end opted to free up room under the cap, allowing the player to move on to a situation where he could get more minutes.
“This was certainly a difficult decision as Nico has been a great addition to the team since joining us at the beginning of last season,” Orlando City Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi said in a club press release. “Ultimately, we feel this is the best move for both the team and Nico at this time. Nico has integrated in such a seamless way that it feels like he’s been part of our club for much longer than just one season. On top of being a tremendous player and teammate, Nico is a fantastic human being. Our doors will always be open to Nico, and we hope he can one day rejoin us and be an integral part of the Club’s future.”
Orlando City signed Lodeiro as a free agent on Jan. 4, 2024, after his stellar eight-year run with the Seattle Sounders. The hope was that he would step in and elevate a position that had been occupied by previous captain Mauricio Pereyra. Lodeiro managed 16 starts and played in all 34 regular-season matches for the Lions in 2024, but he was displaced in the starting lineup by Martin Ojeda. That relegated Lodeiro to coming off the bench in the second half in most of his appearances from August onward. His final start in the regular season came July 20, 2024, vs. New York City FC, and his last start in any competition was July 26 in Leagues Cup play against CF Montreal.
The 35-year-old leaves Orlando after 34 regular-season appearances (16 starts). He logged 1,697 minutes in the regular season, scoring one goal and contributing 11 assists, which matched his third-highest total in MLS. He attempted 36 shots and put 10 of them on target. Lodeiro completed 87.5% of his passes, which was his best-ever completion percentage in an MLS season, as he delivered 1,215 of 1,389 accurately. He also recorded 46 key passes, 20 completed long balls, and 20 successful crosses. On defense, he notched 36 tackles, 14 interceptions, eight clearances, and three blocks.
In addition to appearing in every regular-season match, Lodeiro saw the field in each of Orlando’s five postseason games — all as a substitute — and played 58 minutes. He did not record any goal contributions or shots, although he had the assist on a would-be Facundo Torres winner in Game 2 against Charlotte FC which was ultimately ruled offside. He completed 77.4% of his passes and accurately delivered two key passes, two crosses, and two long balls. Defensively, he made three tackles and chipped in with a clearance.
Nico appeared in all four of OCSC’s Concacaf Champions Cup matches, starting both games against Tigres and coming on as a sub in both legs against Cavalry FC for a total of 270 minutes. He took four shots (one on target), and provided a goal and an assist in the home game against Cavalry. He completed 86% of his passes and provided one key pass and the aforementioned assist. Defensively, he contributed two tackles and one clearance.
He also started one of the Lions’ Leagues Cup matches and came on as a substitute in the other two, for three total appearances, amassing 83 minutes. He did not score on his four shots (one on target), but he provided an assist in the 4-1 win over CF Montreal. He passed with 81.5% accuracy, completed one cross, and provided three key passes.
What It Means for Orlando City
Lodeiro’s departure after just one season in Orlando clears an $800,000 salary from the books, which is too sizable a contract for a player who would have been a bench player when the team had its full complement of starting players. Lodeiro is still a useful player, as evidenced by his double-digit assist totals a year ago, but he has clearly lost some pace and some of his effectiveness in the box. His goal-scoring has dropped off dramatically in recent years, although he is still a threat on set pieces, as shown by his free kick goal late in the CF Montreal preseason match on Feb. 8.
Ultimately, Lodeiro helped the Lions bridge the gap at the No. 10 spot between Pereyra and Ojeda claiming the job. Ojeda continues to show growth in that position and is coming off a one-goal, one-assist performance Friday against Inter Miami in preseason action. His departure will mean there isn’t an ideal backup for Ojeda on the current squad, although that role could be filled by Luis Muriel or Eduard Atuesta if need be.
If Houston completes the signing of Lodeiro, it would put the Uruguayan on a team that isn’t scheduled to face Orlando City this season.
Orlando City
Orlando City Trades Homegrown Right Back Michael Halliday to the Houston Dynamo
Orlando City has acquired a first-round draft pick in 2026 for fullback Michael Halliday.

Orlando City announced today that the club has traded Homegrown right back Michael Halliday to the Houston Dynamo for the club’s natural first-round pick in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft. The move ends the Apopka native’s stay with his hometown club, which started in 2016 when he joined the academy. It’s the second time this year that the club has traded away a long-serving Homegrown player, having sent backup goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar to Real Salt Lake on Jan. 15.
Tom Bogert first broke the news Monday that a deal for Halliday was in the works between Orlando and Houston, and now it has been completed. The club will also retain a sell-on percentage in the event Houston transfers Halliday to another club.
The 22-year-old defender signed as the club’s eighth-ever Homegrown Player on July 15, 2020, coming out of the academy. At the time of his signing, he was the youngest player to sign for the club since Tommy Redding in 2014 at 17 years, five months, and 23 days.
He initially joined the club in 2016, playing for the U-13 side and made his way up the academy ranks, eventually reaching the U-19 team before making his professional debut for OCB on Aug. 1, 2020. He made seven appearances for the Young Lions that year with six starts and 561 minutes, recording an assist. He was an unused substitute three times for the first team in 2020.
Halliday’s first appearance for the first team came on May 29, 2021 in a 2-1 loss to the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena. He bounced between the first and second teams over the next four years, making 12 total appearances for OCB with 11 starts and 966 minutes, recording just the one assist. He made 43 appearances for the MLS side with 18 starts, recording 1,841 minutes with two assists.
The right back recently signed a new contract with the club on Jan. 16, 2024. It was a two-year deal that was to keep him in town through the 2025 season with club options for 2026 and 2027.
However, the Apopka native saw a significant decrease in playing time in 2024. After appearing 21 times with 12 starts in 2023, he only made seven appearances with one start in all competitions last season.
Halliday received his first season grade by The Mane Land in 2023, reaching the threshold with 1,109 minutes of action. After getting a 5.5 out of 10 for the season, he didn’t play enough to receive a grade in 2024.
In addition to his club play, Halliday has found a place with the U.S. Men’s National Team youth setup. He began playing with the U-20 national team in 2022, was a member of the 2022 Concacaf U-20 Championship team, and played four games at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
What It Means for Orlando City
Halliday was primarily a right back for Oscar Pareja’s side. He started the 2023 season on the right with Luca Petrasso on the left. However, both were soon supplanted. Dagur Dan Thorhallsson took over for Halliday and Rafael Santos took over for Petrasso. The left back also left the club following the 2024 season.
This trade might say more about another player than it does about Halliday. The club signed 20-year-old right back Alex Freeman to a Homegrown deal on Feb. 15, 2022. The defender has been playing with OCB for the last couple of years but saw significant minutes this preseason. The club might see more possibilities with the younger right back moving forward. Halliday had seemingly slipped to fourth on the depth chart at right back behind Thorhallsson, Kyle Smith, and Freeman.
After the club traded Stajduhar, Halliday became the longest-tenured Homegrown player at the club. With his departure, that designation now belongs to center back Thomas Williams, who signed a Homegrown contract on June 15, 2021, and a new two-year contract earlier this offseason.
This move gives Halliday an opportunity to compete for more minutes to further his professional development. The full value of the trade for Orlando remains to be seen and will depend on how the club uses the draft pick and whether a future Halliday transfer brings any cash back to OCSC.
Orlando City
Wilder Cartagena Officially Out for the 2025 Season After Surgery
The Peruvian midfielder will miss all of the 2025 season after surgery to repair his left Achilles tendon.

The worst fears about Wilder Cartagena’s injury have come to pass, as the standout central midfielder will miss the entire 2025 season after undergoing surgery to repair his left Achilles tendon. The Peruvian international suffered the injury in Orlando City’s preseason opener against Atletico Mineiro on Jan. 25 and had surgery at the end of last month, per his Twitter account.
Orlando City confirmed today that the injury will keep him out throughout the 2025 campaign and the Lions have placed Cartagena on the Season-Ending Injury list. The procedure was performed by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Steven Choung at the Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute in Orlando on Jan. 29.
“These are the first days for Wilder on the road of a long recovery process and we’re thankful for our partners at Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute and their amazing care,” said Director of Medical & Performance Gonzalo Rodríguez in a club press release. “We plan to fully support Wilder during his recovery process and help him get stronger and we look forward to seeing him back and fully healthy.”
Orlando City initially acquired Cartagena on loan through the 2022 MLS season. After a successful end of the year, the club exercised the option to extend the loan through the 2023 season. He became a key player in the starting lineup for the Lions that season, resulting in the club signing him to a permanent deal on Dec. 14, 2024.
The 30-year-old native of Lima, Peru, is coming off a solid season. He appeared in 27 matches during the regular season (25 starts), playing 2,192 minutes. He did not score a goal but recorded an assist on his 24 total shots, putting eight on target. He completed 89% of his passes with 16 key passes, one successful cross, and 25 completed long balls. On the defensive side, he recorded 76 tackles, 20 interceptions, 42 clearances, and nine blocks. He committed a team-leading 48 fouls, suffered 28, and received seven yellow cards and one red card, which he picked up after the conclusion of the game against Minnesota United.
During the playoffs, Cartagena started all five matches, playing 431 minutes with no goals or assists. He took two shots, putting one on target, and he completed 87.2% of his passes with one key pass. Defensively, he recorded nine tackles, four interceptions, 11 clearances, and one block. He drew eight fouls and committed nine, and he was booked twice, with both being yellow cards.
In his first three seasons in Orlando, Cartagena has one goal and three assists in 59 games (52 starts). More importantly, he has formed one of the more cohesive central midfield partnerships in the league with Cesar Araujo.
What It Means for Orlando City
The Lions not only free up a spot on the senior roster by placing Cartagena on the Season-Ending Injury List, but the club could sign a replacement without taking a double salary cap hit. If Orlando signs a player prior to the roster freeze date (Sept. 12, 2025) and designates that player officially as an injury replacement for Cartagena, then as long as that player does not make more than the Peruvian’s compensation of $520,250 the club will not eat Cartagena’s salary budget charge.
Losing Cartagena is a blow to the team’s defense, as he has become one of the most reliable defensive midfielders in the league. His absence could be mitigated by Eduard Atuesta’s arrival. Atuesta is a better passer and has more attacking talent, so if Atuesta can play near Cartagena’s level on the defensive end, it would be huge for the Lions. However, it is unlikely Atuesta would be as adept at dropping into the back line and becoming a third center back when circumstances warrant it as Cartagena did last season to great effect.
Cartagena’s injury is unfortunate, but hopefully he’ll make a full recovery, which would give the Lions some coverage in case Araujo departs as was rumored throughout the off-season.
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