Connect with us

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. KR Reykjavik: Five Takeaways

Published

4 years ago

on

Orlando City bounced back from its lone preseason loss with a comfortable 3-1 win over Icelandic side KR Reykjavik on Tuesday night at Exploria Stadium. All the scoring took place in the first half and the Lions looked good moving the ball quickly and unlocking the Reykjavik defense to create scoring opportunities.

Here’s what stood out to me in the match:

Moutinho’s Magical Left Foot

Joao Moutinho can flat out cross the ball. Within the first 70 seconds of the match he put a goal on a plate for Nani by dropping a cross right on his foot from the left flank. About two minutes later he nearly set up Daryl Dike for a goal with a similar cross. In all, Moutinho had four or five exceptional crosses and a few others that were pretty good. If the young Portuguese fullback can stay healthy and cross the ball like that, it will go a long way toward helping the Lions score more goals in 2020. It’s probably not a coincidence that the team went 0-4-4 down the stretch without him last year. Well, mostly without him. He did manage 14 minutes at Cincinnati before sustaining another injury in the penultimate game.

Dike Looks the Part

It was our first glimpse of the rookie and Dike is indeed a physically imposing player. Orlando City’s No. 5 overall selection in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft is raw but you can see his potential immediately. As Oscar Pareja said after the match last night, Dike is so big that it’s easy to forget you’re looking at an under-20 player and he has a lot of developing yet to come. Still, his large frame allows him to hold up play well. He’s savvy enough to work with his teammates to produce better scoring opportunities rather than trying to always turn and take on his defender. He also seems to read the ball in the air well. It would be a mistake to expect a lot from him this season, because he’s still very raw, but the talent and physical attributes certainly appear to be there.

“His presence is important,” Pareja said. “I was very happy to see him want so bad to score and get that taste of a first division match.”

Surprise Start for Dezart

So far, Dike is the only Orlando City 2020 draftee under contract, due to his Generation Adidas deal. But if last night is any indication, a contract could be on the way for former Wake Forest midfielder Joey Dezart. The first of three second-round picks for the Lions (No. 31 overall) got a start last night with Uri Rosell and Nani in the midfield and, although it wasn’t a perfect night, Dezart showed a lot in his runout. Dezart moved the ball quickly and decisively and did his part to win the ball back and to connect passes to unlock the defense. In one sequence he turned the ball over with an ill-advised pass but then did well to hustle and win it right back, using his size and strength to box out a Reykjavik player in the process.

“Joey looked mature too,” Pareja said. “He just got a lot of minutes today with Oriol (Rosell) that will help him to grow.”

Benji is Better

To me, Benji Michel was the best player on the pitch in the first half of the game. He passed well, defended, made smart, well-timed runs, put away his best chance on goal, and drew a foul that led to Reykjavik’s goalkeeper committing a red card foul for denial of a goal-scoring opportunity. The development we saw at the end of 2019 seems to be continuing for the second-year Homegrown Player. That said, there’s still room for some growth for the 22-year-old. His play wasn’t as sharp in the second half and he seemed to have some moments where he briefly switched off. If Michel plays this season like he did in the first half last night, no one should worry about the Lions’ ability to score goals whether Dom Dwyer is in the lineup or not.

Nani: Still Nani

If Michel was the best player on the pitch for the first 45 minutes, Nani was — as you’d expect — the class of the field for the full match. A good save by Omar Einarsson was all that prevented the captain from scoring a hat trick and he had to settle instead for just a brace. He didn’t have to do much on his first goal, just sticking out a foot to redirect Moutinho’s cross into the net, but his smart run and knowledge of where to be certainly helped. His second goal was vintage Nani. He played the ball forward to Chris Mueller and continued up field while Mueller looked inside to beat his man, then he just beat Einarsson to the ball on the return pass and tapped it with just enough on it to get it over the line before the defense could arrive and clear it.

He also smashed a howitzer shot just over the bar and stung Einarsson’s palms with a swerving effort. The captain was all over the field, dropping deep to start the offense as a deep-lying playmaker one minute, then getting up the wings or working the ball into the box in the middle in the attack. There were still a few too many careless passes as he tries the sublime sometimes when something more basic will do, but it’s fair to say that his fearlessness to try training ground passes in match conditions is part of what makes him who he is.

Bonus Takeaway: Under Pressure

KR Reykjavik got back into the game by turning up the pressure and using three players to try to trap the ball along the sideline. This was effective for about 10 to 15 minutes in the first half, as the visitors were able to force a few turnovers out of Moutinho and Dezart along the sideline. It led to the only Reykjavik goal and another opportunity that could have tied the match. When I asked Pareja about it after the game, he said he spoke to the team about how to handle that press at halftime and that the players were angry about allowing that goal. It’s noteworthy that the press was successful against some of the younger players on the team, who will go on and learn from the experience.

“It’s something that will come with repetition,” Pareja said. “The players know. They were mad at themselves and recognize that they needed to do better. But that also just tells us that for the opponents it was a serious game and we’ll take that as a growing pain.”

Those are the things that I noticed from last night’s win. What did you see that impressed or worried you? Let us know in the comments below.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/10/24

Orlando City hits the road, Angelina has a successful knee procedure, Europa League final is set, and more.

Published

1 hour ago

on

May 10, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday! I don’t have many plans for the weekend beyond working and looking after my friend’s cat, but I’m hoping it’s a fairly relaxing next few days. Both Orlando City and the Orlando Pride are in action tomorrow night, so make sure to plan your weekend accordingly. For now, let’s get to today’s links!

Orlando City Prepares for the Philadelphia Union

After a tough loss at home to FC Cincinnati, Orlando City hits the road for a tough match against the Philadelphia Union tomorrow night. The Lions showed plenty of fight in that loss, which included a red card to Rodrigo Schlegel and injuries to both Dagur Dan Thorhallsson and Rafael Santos. Head Coach Oscar Pareja spoke about the matchup against the Union and stated that Thorhallsson is in concussion protocol and that both he and Santos are day-to-day heading into this match.

The Lions at least won’t have to worry about Philadelphia forward Julian Carranza in this match, as he will miss it due to yellow card accumulation. Both teams have struggled in recent weeks, with the Lions winless in their last three games and the Union winless in their last four. Orlando managed to beat the Union on the road last year and will need to do it again to climb up the Eastern Conference standings.

Angelina Will Be Evaluated Weekly for Return

Orlando Pride midfielder Angelina had a successful arthroscopic procedure on her knee and will be evaluated by the club’s medical team for a return to the field on a week-to-week basis. She suffered the injury late in the Pride’s 4-1 win over the North Carolina Courage, and rookie Ally Lemos filled in for her in the team’s 1-0 win against Racing Louisville. Angelina signed with the Pride this past off-season and has been a major reason why the Pride are undefeated in 2024. The Brazilian has done well on both sides of the ball and has a goal and an assist to her name so far, while bringing stability to the midfield. Hopefully, she returns to the Pride’s midfield sooner rather than later.

Philadelphia Union Sign 14-Year-Old Cavan Sullivan

The Philadelphia Union have a penchant for developing young players and have now signed 14-year-old midfielder Cavan Sullivan to a Homegrown Player contract that will last through 2028. Sullivan, who is the brother of Quinn Sullivan, is now the fifth-youngest signing in MLS history. He excelled in the past two Generation Adidas Cups with the Union and made his debut for Philadelphia Union II earlier this year. When he turns 18, he will reportedly be transferred to Manchester City as well, so it will be interesting to see how he does in MLS until then.

Leverkusen and Atalanta Reach Europa League Final

Bayer Leverkusen and Atalanta both got the job done in second legs at home to advance to the Europa League final. The match in Germany between Leverkusen and Roma was a wild one, with Leverkusen managing yet another late comeback to draw 2-2 and advance on aggregate after winning the first leg. The draw extended Leverkusen’s unbeaten streak to 49 games and it can secure a treble by the end of the month. In the other semifinal, Atalanta cruised to a 3-0 win over Marseille. The Italian club will have a chance at silverware in the Coppa Italia final against Juventus on May 15 before the Europa League final on May 22 in Ireland.

Free Kicks

  • Enjoy these sights and sounds from the Pride’s gritty win over Racing Louisville.
  • Olivier Renard is no longer the vice president and chief sporting officer of CF Montreal, with the two sides agreeing to part ways.
  • PSV Eindhoven reportedly won’t be exercising the option to sign American right back Sergino Dest, who joined the Dutch club on loan from Barcelona last year.

That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

Continue Reading

Orlando City

Orlando City at Philadelphia Union: Three Keys to Victory

What does Orlando City need to do to earn all three points on the road at Philadelphia?

Published

22 hours ago

on

May 9, 2024

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Orlando City travels to the City of Brotherly Love hoping to get back on the winning track against the Philadelphia Union. The Union are currently in eighth place in the Eastern Conference with 14 points, and have a 3-2-5 record overall. However, the Union are 1-2-1 at home. Subaru Park hasn’t been the fortress it was in 2023 — though Orlando City did give them their first home loss last season.

Of course, the Lions are riding a two-match losing streak heading into this match. What does Orlando City need to do to take all three points from the Union on the road?

Defense, Defense, Defense

The Union have scored 19 goals so far this season and over half of them have come from Daniel Gazdag (6), and Julian Carranza (4). Obviously, stopping those two is a priority. However, the Union also have excellent midfielders in Alejandro Bedoya and Jack McGlynn — the two players that scored in the Union’s last match against DC United.

I feel like a broken record, but Orlando City’s defense needs to stop making the dumb mistakes that have resulted in way too many goals this season. Philadelphia’s attackers will punish the Lions if that is allowed to happen yet again. So please, for the sake of my sanity, stop giving up the stupid goals.

Score Some *%$#ing Goals

The Union have given up 16 goals so far this season. Philadelphia is not some impenetrable defense, meaning the Lions should have chances to score against the Union. The bigger questions is: Will Orlando City find the back of the net? The dearth of goals so far this season is a great source of frustration for all who support this club. It’s not necessarily the shots that go in — though that does stink — but the missed opportunities.

Orlando City has had more passes/crosses just past a toe or just over a head, and more bobbled balls at a player’s feet than I care to count this season. The missed opportunities are a good reason for the results we’ve seen. I’ve spent plenty of time wishing for Facundo Torres, Luis Muriel, and Martin Ojeda to start scoring. Now, I’ll be happy with any player putting it in the back of the net. Robin Jansson header? Yes, please. Michael Halliday deflects it in with his face? I’ll take it. Own goal by the opposition? Bring it on. Just score some darn goals.

Find the Formula

I’m not certain why it’s taking Oscar Pareja so long to figure out the balance for this club. Most of the players from last season are there, but for some reason the recipe is off. There are a few new players and there have been some injuries to deal with, but the switch needs to be flipped. Pareja needs to figure out which players can turn it around.

It might be the players who haven’t made the necessary adjustments. Perhaps it’s just bad luck. Regardless, every coach and player needs to pull it together to get the ship righted. Preseason expectations might need to be adjusted, but we can still hold out hope for a turnaround. This weekend against the Union is a perfect time for that to start.

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

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/9/24

Get to know Wilder Cartagena, Orlando Pride get ready for Bay FC, Orlando City B wins, and more.

Published

1 day ago

on

May 9, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this week hasn’t been too hectic for you. There’s been plenty of soccer to enjoy over the past few days and I’m looking forward to the weekend slate of games as well. But for now, let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Learning More About Wilder Cartagena

Orlando City midfielder Wilder Cartagena was the latest Lion to field questions for fans to learn more about the players. The 29-year-old discussed growing up playing soccer in Peru as a child, as well as having to spend time away from family and friends to fulfill his dreams as a professional player. Cartagena also talked about how important his friendship with Pedro Gallese is, as the two have played together at both the club level and internationally with Peru. It’s a fun interview and I’m glad we have Cartagena here in Orlando.

Pride Prepare to Host Bay FC

The Orlando Pride are on a five-game win streak and will look to make it six when they take on Bay FC for the first time ever on Saturday. Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on the difficulty of the team’s past few matches, along with the importance of getting wins in those games. Bay FC is in 12th in the standings, but Hines noted how this week’s opponent has plenty of talented attackers. Saturday’s match could be a tough one for Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse, and she talked about the team’s grit and determination to close out games for points this season. Moorhouse also credited her back line for the Pride’s three shutouts this season.

OCB Secures First Win at Home

It took a few games, but Orlando City B won at Osceola Heritage Park for the first time this season after a 3-1 win over New York Red Bulls II. The Young Lions didn’t make it easy on themselves, but ultimately held on for the win after scoring twice early on. It’s nice for OCB to put another tally in the win column to climb up the conference standings. The Young Lions will be back in action next Wednesday with a road match against Columbus Crew 2.

Champions League Final is Set

The semifinal matchup between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich lived up to expectations, with Real Madrid advancing after a dramatic finish. Bayern was up to the task on the road and took the lead in the second half thanks to a goal from Alphonso Davies. But Real Madrid did what it always does, with Joselu scoring two late goals in quick succession. Bayern nearly had an equalizer, but a player was ruled offside and it couldn’t be checked as the flag was raised and whistle blown before the attack fully played out. It all sets up for a final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund on June 1 at Wembley Stadium. Dortmund will be the clear underdog, but the German club has proven capable of taking down some of Europe’s best this tournament.

Free Kicks

  • St. Louis City is reportedly interested in signing Marco Reus once his contract with Dortmund ends this summer, although talks are just in the preliminary stage at this point.
  • Not a single Pride player was named to the NWSL’s Best XI of the Month for the months of April and May. While I can see the reasoning behind each inclusion, it’s crazy that Angelina, Marta, Summer Yates, or Emily Sams didn’t earn a spot in the eyes of the league’s voters.
  • American midfielder Keyrol Figueroa has signed with Liverpool’s first team. The 17-year-old has risen through the ranks of Liverpool’s youth system and scored seven goals for the U.S. in the 2023 Concacaf U-17 Championship.
  • Luis Rubiales will face trial for one count of sexual assault for kissing Jenni Hermoso and a count of coercion for his actions in the aftermath. The former head coach of the Spanish women’s national team, Jorge Vilda, is also accused of coercion, along with Sporting Director Albert Luque and the federation’s head of marketing, Ruben Rivera.

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

Continue Reading

Trending