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Orlando City vs. Nashville SC: Final Score 1-1 as Lions Finish Road Trip with a Result

Benji Michel’s goal was canceled out by Randall Leal as the teams split the points in Tennessee.

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4 years ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Benji Michel scored a stunning goal-of-the-year candidate in the first half, but another early goal conceded in the second half cost Orlando City two points in a 1-1 draw against Nashville SC at Nissan Stadium. The Lions (4-2-3, 15 points) had a two-game winning streak snapped by Nashville (2-4-2, 8 points) but are now unbeaten in three, finishing a two-game road swing with four out of six possible points.

“The first half was very good,” Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “The second half, when we started the first 10-15 minutes I think they were more aggressive. That was a mistake that kept us out of getting the three points but we’ll take it. This is a long journey, I’ve said many times, and the boys are proud and they will keep going and prepare for the next one.”

Pareja’s starting lineup surprisingly included several players who have played every match or nearly each one. Pedro Gallese took his usual spot in goal behind the usual center back pairing of Robin Jansson and Antonio Carlos, with Ruan at right back and Kamal Miller stepping in for Joao Moutinho. Junior Urso joined Uri Rosell in central midfield, with an attacking midfield of Robinho, Mauricio Pereyra, and Michel. Daryl Dike started his fourth consecutive game — all in a 12-day stretch — up top. Tesho Akindele returned to the game day lineup on the bench, while Nani was left off the team sheet completely.

The first half hour was dominated by Orlando City in terms of possession, but Nashville controlled the ball for most of the first half’s final 15 minutes. The Lions didn’t allow many good looks at goal and Carlos and Jansson did a good job of vacuuming up balls that were intended for striker Dominique Badji.

On the other end, the absence of Moutinho was noticeable as the bulk of the dangerous play came from Ruan and Michel on the right side. Robinho did what he could on the left but he didn’t have the fullback support on his side that Orlando City is used to. Still, the Lions looked like they were getting closer and closer to creating something and finally broke through in the 17th minute.

The play started with Ruan throwing it in from the right. Pereyra got a foot on the throw-in and popped it up over Dax McCarty, playing it forward. Michel muscled Anibal Godoy out of his way. He took possession, found himself in space, then unleashed a blast from outside the box that Joe Willis had no chance of stopping.

“I received the ball and I turned in the pocket,” Michel said of the buildup to his goal. “I tried to look for a pass but I saw no one, so, might as well just shoot it and see what happens. Finally I was able to score my first goal this year, so you know that takes a lot of pressure off my shoulders.”

“Benji has energy, desire, commitment. Benji’s willing to learn a new position where he’s feeling more comfortable playing between the lines in tight spaces,” Pareja said.

Pereyra nearly sent Michel into the area in the 24th minute, but his first touch was heavy and Nashville’s defense was able to clear. Urso then sent a great seeing-eye ball through for Ruan racing into the area, but the Brazilian fullback couldn’t control the pass.

The hosts finally got some possession time late in the half but didn’t generate too much, sending in a few crosses and winning a couple of set pieces. Gallese stopped Randall Leal’s shot in the 42nd minute and Carlos made a vital stop to deny a cross getting in a minute later, and the opening half faded to an end.

Nashville led in shots (4-2), with each team getting one on target. The Lions held 56% of the possession in the opening half and out-passed Nashville, 88%-85%.

The hosts knotted the game at 1-1 just after the break. Miller strayed inside and then got beat for pace on a quick one-two, with Leal getting in behind the Canadian, taking a pass from Hany Mukhtar, and beating Gallese from point-blank range.

“I think Nashville had a good energy in those first 10 minutes or so,” Pareja said.

“I think as a team we were caught off guard a little bit and they just took advantage,” Miller said. “I was there. I felt like I could have done better to have my man on that one-two there. We’ll go back to training and look at the video and fix that next week.”

Nashville kept coming, earning a couple of quick corners and a free kick in succession, and Pareja went to his bench for some fresh troops, bringing on Chris Mueller, Andres Perea, and Akindele. Although the subs helped to even out the possession a bit, it took a few minutes for them to settle in and Badji forced Gallese to make a save in the 57th minute.

Orlando started getting back on the ball and in the attacking third after that, winning a series of corners. But Nashville’s tall center backs cleaned up anything dangerous. The Lions nearly got a fortuitous bounce for all their hard work in the 65th minute, when McCarty blocked a cross, sending it toward goal. However, the ball hit off the outside of the post and skipped out for a corner.

Akindele got to a long ball over the top in the 70th and sent a back-heel to a wide open Michel but the second-year player had a moment of indecision instead of firing a shot and the Nashville defense closed him down and dispossessed him.

Second-half sub Kyle Smith got in down the left side in the 74th minute and fired a shot but it was right at Willis. David Accam followed by sending a shot right at Gallese in the 76th minute.

The Lions continued to seem the more likely team to score as time wound down. A cross from Smith into the box in the 84th minute deflected and fell for Urso, who fired a shot at point-blank range but for the third time in two weeks, Willis robbed the Bear from in close.

That was the last good opportunity of the match and after three minutes of stoppage time, each team took home a point. The hosts led in shots (8-7) and shots on goal (4-3), but Orlando held more possession (58.4%) and passed better (90%-86%), winning more corners (10-5) as well.

“A point on the road is never easy and we got a point from it so you can’t complain,” Michel said. “We wanted three points but we were able to dig out one point.”

“We always talk about walking away from every game with a result, so we’re happy to get a result,” Miller said. “But overall, we feel like we had the better of the game and some points were probably left here. So, overall it’s mixed feelings after the game.”

Orlando City is right back in action Saturday night when the Lions host Atlanta United at 8 p.m. It will be Orlando’s fifth match in 15 days.

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Orlando City

How Orlando City’s Offense Stacks Up Against What Atlanta Does Defensively

How Orlando City has performed against teams playing with three or four defenders, and how that may influence the playoff game against Atlanta United.

Published

10 hours ago

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November 21, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

The most famous quote about real estate is that “there are three things that matter in property: location, location, location.” Soccer coaches also like to think in threes, especially when it comes to points, but for a soccer coach, the three things that matter might be the rhyming triplet “formation, formation, formation,” as that is where they will have the biggest influence on every game that their team plays.

Throughout his tenure as head coach, Óscar Pareja has preferred to use a 4-2-3-1 as his formation (fbref.com’s lineup data shows that the Lions primarily played a 4-2-3-1 in 65% of their MLS matches this season, and 79% of their MLS matches during the last three seasons). The Lions have lined up in a 4-2-3-1 during each of their last 14 games, and my confidence level is strong to quite strong (can you believe Meet the Parents came out 24 years ago?) that they will do so once again on Sunday when they host Atlanta United.

Atlanta United also prefers to deploy a 4-2-3-1, but was less consistent than Orlando City this season during MLS play, as evidenced by the chart below that shows how Atlanta lined up this season:

The purpose of this image is a table to show how Atlanta United lined up in 2024 (mostly in a 4-2-3-1 but also in one of six other formations).

I am relying on the coders at Opta for their evaluation of the formation, as I do not watch a lot of Atlanta United matches (sounds terrible), but though Atlanta primarily played with four defenders in more than two-thirds of its matches, during the last two matches it played a 3-5-2, the only two matches all season in which interim coach Rob Valentino rolled out that formation. I suspect that the formation change was related partially to playing Inter Miami and trying to defend the Herons’ dynamic offense and partially due to an injury suffered by defender Brooks Lennon in the first game of that series. So, while Atlanta primarily played four in the back for most of the season, there is a good chance it will roll with what worked against Florida’s second-best MLS team when it plays Florida’s best MLS team this weekend.

Now, if you want to read more about Atlanta, then you can read our match preview, which will drop Sunday morning, but I want to look at how Orlando did against teams that play similar styles. Looking only at MLS games, the table below shows how Orlando City performed against different back line structures this season (the left side is how the Lions’ opponents lined up, the right side is how Orlando City performed against opponents in those formations):

Table embedded as an image showing Orlando City doing best in goal differential in 12 games against three-man back lines, second best against four-man back lines, and having played once against a five-man back line (a 1-1 draw).

Orlando City earned slightly more points per game — the stat that matters most — against teams that played four in the back, but the Lions had a better average goal differential when teams played three in the back. Atlanta will likely deploy one of those two formations. In both games against Orlando City this season, Sunday’s visitors went with a 4-2-3-1, but as mentioned earlier, they used three in the back in each of their last two matches, so it really could be either.

Soccer is not like baseball, where players primarily stay in the same spot throughout the game, so some of these stats have to be taken with a grain of salt, as players are not always rigidly in the same position throughout a match. A team may also primarily play with four in the back but switch to three when chasing a game, or five when trying to protect against a late goal.

That said, using the data around Orlando City’s opponents’ general formations, here are the attacking groups who played the most frequently against four defenders during the 24 MLS games where Opta coded the opponents as using a defensive group of four:

Table embedded as an image showing the most frequently used lineups against teams who deploy four defenders. The most frequently used attacking group has a plus eight goal differential for the season.

It is a little ominous that the main starting group, shown in row one, has played 666 MLS minutes against back lines of four this season, but do I like that green goal differential of +8 in those minutes, which is a strong +1.08 per 90 minutes. I like that goal differential more than I like all the things that Cardi B, Bad Bunny, and J Balvin like on their song that is creatively named “I Like It.” Coincidentally, when people ask me what I think about that song, I say, “I like it.” I am very creative.

If we look at the lineups that Orlando City has used against back lines of three defenders then there are some pretty major differences in personnel groupings, but it must be noted that more than half of the games against teams playing three in the back came early in the season, when Ramiro Enrique was unavailable to play. Enrique, my presumed starter at striker, has played fewer than three games’ worth of minutes (265 total) against back lines of three this season, and only 28 minutes with the main starting group, which ranks 13th among all the attacking lineups for minutes played against three defenders. That group scored one goal in their 28 minutes together though, for a robust 3.21 goals-scored-per-90-minutes average.

While the team as a whole has been successful against three-man back lines, I do not expect any of the lineups shown in the table below to play more than a few minutes together this weekend, though the first row and the last row are strong groups and had a lot of success.

Table embedded as an image showing the most frequently used lineups against teams who deploy three defenders. The most frequently used attacking group has a plus three goal differential for the season.

I am sure that all week long the Orlando City coaching staff has been going back and forth on whether it is more likely that Atlanta reverts to its most commonly used four in the back, or if the Five Stripes try for three wins in a row with three in the back. I would prefer that Atlanta plays with zero defenders and goalkeeper Brad Guzan wears a blindfold, but I think that is unlikely to be the case.

Even though Atlanta defeated Orlando City both times while in a 4-2-3-1, based on available personnel and recent results, I believe that the team will come out in a 3-5-2 in Inter&Co Stadium in the conference semifinal. Good things come in threes, and Orlando City’s best offensive production this season has been against three defenders, so I am going to be hoping that this continues, and in the third game against Atlanta the Lions grab the three points. Three’s company!

Well, it is a playoff game, so there are no actual points at stake, but you know what I meant.

Vamos Orlando!

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Orlando City vs. Atlanta United: Three Keys to Victory

What do the Lions need to do to get a victory to advance to the Eastern Conference final?

Published

12 hours ago

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November 21, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City continues its playoff journey against Atlanta United Sunday at Inter&Co Stadium. The Lions are coming off an emotional penalty shootout win over Charlotte FC in their best-of-three, first-round series. Likewise, Atlanta United stunned everyone by taking out Inter Miami to advance in its own best-of-three matchup. Now, the rivals meet in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

What does Orlando City need to do to get past Atlanta United to advance to the Easter Conference final?

Beat Guzan

Brad Guzan made 16 saves over Atlanta’s three matches against Inter Miami, including seven in the 3-2 win on the road in Game 3. The 40-year-old former USMNT keeper is in excellent form and is a big reason why the Five Stripes are facing Orlando City. Converting chances against Guzan will be crucial to earning a result. There have been times this season when the Lions have struggled to convert their chances. Despite that, the team has done enough offensively to get to this point. Facundo Torres, Martin Ojeda, Duncan McGuire, Ramiro Enrique, and others have contributed and will need to do so this weekend.

Cartagena is Essential

Orlando City lost twice to Atlanta United during the regular season. What is interesting, and perhaps relevant, is that Wilder Cartagena was out for both of those matches. Cartagena was shown a straight red in the match against Minnesota United prior to the first match against Atlanta way back in March. He was shown a yellow card in the match against FC Cincinnati and then served a yellow card accumulation suspension for the final match of the season against Atlanta. Fortunately for Orlando City, Cartagena will be available for the match this weekend. I’ve mentioned before the importance of Cartagena to Orlando City’s success. When he and Cesar Araujo are on the field together, the defense is simply better. Cartagena is frankly one of the better defensive midfielders in MLS. Atlanta scored five goals in the series against Miami, and Orlando will need to keep the visitors from having that kind of offensive success.

Overcome the Past

That darn international break in the middle of the playoffs is something I don’t love. More precisely, I don’t like it because Orlando City often struggles after a break. It would have been nice if Orlando City could have ridden the momentum from the penalty kick victory into the Atlanta match, but that’s not to be. Now is the time for Orlando City to break some bad habits, including turning around its historical lack of success against Atlanta, and tendency to struggle in the first match after a break. Oscar Pareja needs to have the players in the right frame of mind, and the players need to execute the plan. A full house of supporters can also make a difference. Given it’s a Sunday afternoon match, there’s no reason not to pack the house.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/21/24

Marta’s chance to shine in NWSL Championship, NWSL and MLS award winners announced, 2025 SheBelieves Cup details, and more.

Published

15 hours ago

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November 21, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve been spending most of this week plotting out some holiday shopping to make things a little less stressful for myself over the next few weeks. A big weekend filled with Orlando soccer awaits us, so make sure to get any errands or obligations out of the way sooner rather than later. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Spotlight Falls On Marta in NWSL Championship

There are plenty of storylines heading into Saturday’s NWSL Championship between the Orlando Pride and Washington Spirit, including Marta’s opportunity to put an exclamation point on what has been an excellent season for the Pride. Orlando has been enjoying the fruits of its labor this season after a rebuild over the past few years that’s included plenty of change in the City Beautiful. Marta has been a constant, however, enduring some difficult seasons since joining the Pride and adapting her game She’s scored in both of the Pride’s playoff games so far and has a chance to author a storybook ending on Saturday.

Ann-Katrin Berger Named NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year

NJ/NY Gotham FC goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger was named 2024 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year, beating out the Pride’s Anna Moorhouse and Utah Royals FC’s Mandy Haught for the honor. It was Berger’s first year in the NWSL and she’s the first European player to win the award. She only conceded 16 goals across her 22 matches for Gotham this season and was a key reason behind her team’s success. I’m not too surprised that Moorhouse did not win, considering how solid the Pride’s defense was as a whole, but this won’t take anything away from a record-breaking season for her.

Wilfried Nancy Named MLS Coach of the Year

Columbus Crew Head Coach Wilfried Nancy was voted 2024 MLS Coach of the Year after a historic season in which the Crew set club records in both points and goals. The Crew also won the Leagues Cup this summer and their 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup campaign included advancing past Tigres and Monterrey en route to the final. This is Nancy’s first time being named Coach of the Year and he has been a finalist for the award every year since 2021. The Frenchman received 40.02% of the vote, winning the award over Inter Miami’s Gerardo Martino and Colorado Rapids Head Coach Chris Armas.

2025 SheBelieves Cup Details Unveiled

The 10th annual SheBelieves Cup will take place next year and the tournament will return to its usual format where each of the four teams plays each other once. The United States Women’s National Team will host Japan, Colombia, and Australia in February in what should be an exciting tournament. The U.S. will take on Colombia on Feb. 20 in Houston before facing Australia in Arizona on Feb. 23 and finishing the tournament on Feb. 26 against Japan at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego. These games will also be the first domestic games of 2025 for the USWNT as it prepares to qualify for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.

Eric Quill Named FC Dallas Head Coach

FC Dallas announced that Eric Quill will become the team’s next head coach. Quill joins Dallas after a great year with New Mexico United that included trips to the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals and USL Championship Western Conference semifinals. It’s also a reunion of sorts for Quill, as he previously coached North Texas SC and was named USL League One Coach of the Year with the club in 2019. Dallas missed out on the playoffs this season, with Peter Luccin coaching the team on an interim basis after the firing of Nico Estevez in June.

Free Kicks

  • District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser challenged Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer to a bet involving this weekend’s NWSL Championship, with embarrassing lightshows on the line.

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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