Connect with us

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Atlanta United: Final Score 1-1 as Wasteful Lions Squander Lots of Chances

The Lions can’t make it two straight wins over Atlanta only due to a lack of sharpness in front of goal and an unnecessary late turnover.

Published

6 years ago

on

Carlos Romero, The Mane Land

Some draws feel like wins and others feel like losses. Tonight’s 1-1 draw at Exploria Stadium will go firmly into the latter for Orlando City. The Lions (4-2-4, 16 points) squandered numerous scoring chances throughout the game and made a deadly late turnover that gave Atlanta United (3-4-2, 11 points) the possession needed to steal a point late. Benji Michel put the Lions ahead in first-half stoppage time, but Adam Jahn’s header in second-half stoppage gave the visitors a point they had no business taking home.

Where a point might have once felt good against Atlanta, it certainly doesn’t tonight as the Lions owned this match and simply threw away far too many good opportunities to put it away. Orlando City is now 1-6-3 in the all-time series against Atlanta (1-7-3 in all competitions), and the Lions got their first ever point at home against the Five Stripes, “improving” to 0-4-1 at Exploria Stadium in the series.

“We have to put the games away when we can,” Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match, referring to the team’s lack of finishing. “It’s an ongoing process but the players know deep inside that they had a great game today. But we’re not there yet and we’re going to keep working.”

Pareja’s starting XI included Pedro Gallese in goal as usual, with Kamal Miller filling in for the injured Joao Moutinho at left back, alongside Robin Jansson, Antonio Carlos, and Ruan. Uri Rosell and Sebas Mendez manned the central midfield with attacking midfielders Chris Mueller, Michel, and Mauricio Pereyra. Daryl Dike started up top.

Atlanta started the match pressing frantically to try to turn the Lions over, but Orlando handled it well and kept most of the ball for the opening 10 minutes. Mendez was set up nicely at the top of the area in the fourth minute, but he popped his shot high into the air and over the goal. The Lions looked to have a good counter going shortly after that, but Ruan sent his cross into the seats.

Once Atlanta got the ball, the Five Stripes started to keep it and hold onto it, probing for scoring chances. Orlando got whistled for several fouls to set up free kicks, helping the Five Stripes get set pieces, but they weren’t able to do much with them.

Mueller found some space outside the area in the middle in the 17th minute but didn’t get all of his shot, giving Brad Guzan an easy save.

Gallese made a save on Cubo Torres in the 27th minute after Mendez gambled during a double-team and ran past the Atlanta striker, igniting the opposition’s break.

After two weak shot attempts earlier in the game, Mendez nearly scored in the 34th minute, redirecting a cross from Michel toward the near post. Guzan stuck out a foot at the last second to make a vital save.

Orlando kept creating chances off of turnovers but not doing much with them. Mueller sent a great inside-out cross through the area for Michel in the 37th minute but Benji fired wide under heavy pressure from the defense. His shouts for a penalty went unheeded by the referee.

In the 39th minute, Orlando worked the ball up the left side and Mueller was fouled behind the play. With Dike on the ball and Orlando seemingly poised for an excellent scoring chance, the referee stopped play for no apparent reason and pulled the play back for a free kick. Carlos headed wide on the ensuing free kick.

Michel got inside in the 44th minute but he couldn’t get his shot on target and another chance was wasted. But the Lions finally broke through in first-half stoppage time.

A corner kick cross fell in the box and Dike was the first to react, spinning and firing toward goal. The shot was going to go wide but instead it hit Michel and deflected past Guzan to make it 1-0. Atlanta appealed for an offside call but Anton Walkes was clearly keeping Michel onside and the Lions took a lead into the break. It was Michel’s second goal in as many games and Dike’s third assist of the season.

Orlando finished the first half leading in shots (11-3), shots on goal (3-2), and passing percentage (81%-76%), but Atlanta held more possession (52.2%).

The Lions nearly conceded right out of the locker room again, which has been an issue this season. Torres headed just wide from in front, as Carlos had followed his man across the formation in the buildup, but his teammates failed to adequately cover for him.

Orlando City then created two more opportunities in the 50th but wasted them. On the first, Ruan made mincemeat of his defender at the end line but saw his cross cut out and on the second Michel nearly got in behind but George Bello made a last-ditch tackle to deny the shot.

Gallese comfortably denied Ezequiel Barco’s free kick attempt in the 62nd minute.

In the 67th minute, Orlando again failed to convert an excellent chance. Mueller sent Michel in to the area and the second-year player waited to make a decision, taking an extra touch. By the time he decided to shoot, Michel scuffed the shot and a golden opportunity didn’t even threaten Guzan in goal.

Nani, who entered the game as a second-half substitute, nearly doubled the lead in the 79th on a free kick after Junior Urso was taken down on the counter. Nani — who Pareja said hadn’t been starting the last couple of matches due to some inflammation in his groin — fired a shot off the left post. Urso got a touch on the rebound’s high bounce, with a gaping wide net, but he couldn’t make good contact with it and the Atlanta defense cleared it before it could cross the line.

Jahn nearly tied the game a minute later, splitting the two center backs and getting his head to a cross but he hit it at Gallese, who was well positioned to make the save.

The Lions appeared to be in control and comfortable as time wound down but a turnover changed the game’s outcome in stoppage time. Miller played a dangerous pass up the middle rather than safely to the side, where his teammates were directing him to go. His pass instead went straight into the feet of Emerson Hyndman, giving up possession unnecessarily. Atlanta poured numbers forward and the ball cycled over to the left to late sub Jake Mulraney, who fired in a cross. Miller ended up on Jahn and failed to deal with the forward, who got up and smashed a header into the corner where Gallese couldn’t reach it, tying the game in the 92nd minute.

Orlando fashioned one more good chance as Nani got to a bit of an off-line pass and toe-poked it across for Ruan on the right. Ruan had a good look but fizzed his shot wide of Guzan’s goal and time ran out moments later.

The Lions out-shot Atlanta 15-9, but the visitors were sharper, getting more on target (6-4). Atlanta’s passing improved while Orlando’s tailed off, with the Five Stripes finishing with an 85%-83% advantage to go along with 55.9% of the possession.

Dike called the 1-1 final “a pretty frustrating result.”

“You know, we fought really hard the entire game we had a lot of a lot of chances to go and finish,” he said. “I mean, you know, things aren’t always going to bounce your way. So, you know, on to the next one. I think maybe historically you know, the rivalry here, Atlanta sometimes might have come out on top and I think it says a lot about the expectations we have on ourselves that a draw isn’t enough for us anymore — that we expect to win every single game.”

“This week we just need to have a good week of practice, prepare for Miami, and then put this game behind us,” said Kyle Smith.

“Now we have a week to prepare our game against Miami, which is a tough rival also,” Pareja said. “But for sure is going to help us to recover some of the players because it has been tough activity for them with no resting.”

There’s just one match left on the schedule as announced so far, with the Lions hosting Inter Miami next Saturday at 7:30 p.m. to close Phase 1.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Orlando City

Orlando City vs Atlanta United: Final Score 3-2 as Lions Secure First Win in Atlanta Since 2023

Orlando puts five goals in the net, three for themselves and two for Atlanta, in a tight road win thanks to Antoine Griezmann’s brace.

Published

2 hours ago

on

September 9, 2026

By

Image of Ivan Angulo controlling the ball between two Atlanta defenders.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Even though Atlanta jumped out to an early lead off an own goal, Antoine Griezmann continued his torrid play since joining Orlando City with a brace to secure the win. Ivan Angulo picked up a goal as well as Orlando (9-11-4, 31 points) continued its march up the standings and held off Atlanta (6-14-4, 22 points) which is trying to make its own push in the Eastern Conference.

“We got into the last part of the season, the most stressful, beautiful, and important moment of the season. We’re ready to go,” Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman said after the game. “We will fight with our weapons: our organization, the talent of our players, and the effort.”

Perelman made one change to the lineup, giving Martin Ojeda his first start since returning from injury. Maxime Crepeau started in goal behind a back line of Bernardo Rhein, Robin Jansson, David Brekalo, and Griffin Dorsey. Joran Gerbet and Eduard Atuesta started in central midfield between wingers Ivan Angulo and Justin Ellis with Antoine Griezmann and Martin Ojeda up front.

The teams exchanged pleasantries for the first five minutes with each wasting a cross opportunity. In the seventh minute, Atlanta played a short corner and the ensuing cross found the Paulo Diaz’s head. He knocked it in front of goal, where Breel Embolo, pirouetting in the air, knocked it into the path of Brekalo, who deflected the ball into the goal. The goal was reviewed for offside, but it was ruled that Angulo kept Atlanta onside on the set piece.

Miguel Almiron found himself open at the top of the box four minutes later but laced his shot wide. After some back-and-forth, Ojeda found himself one-on-one versus Five Stripes goalkeeper Lucas Hoyos but couldn’t get the shot around him.

That repeated itself at the 19-minute mark as Jansson sent a through ball onto a streaking Ojeda, but he took it too wide with a heavy touch and bounced his shot off Hoyos. On the recycle, Ojeda sent a blazing cross right across the mouth of goal, but Dorsey’s tap-in from point-blank range went high off his weaker left foot.

In the 22nd minute, Almiron found himself alone down the left side and switched the ball to Embolo going down the right. Embolo gathered it and then rocketed a shot to the near post, but Crepeau was there to knock it away.

After some good opportunities went to waste, Orlando found the equalizer on a half chance 26 minutes in. Gerbet played a give-and-go with Dorsey and, with the return ball, the midfielder sent a sharp ball to the front of the goal, where Griezmann slid in to deflect it through Hoyos.

The teams settled down a bit after those opening salvos and played a bit more conservatively. Finally, at the 37-minute mark, Tomas Jacob found himself open on the right and put a paced cross toward the goal mouth and a waiting Embolo, but Jansson cleared it out. The teams continued to be very slow in their buildup and generated nothing over the next few minutes. Atlanta tried to break loose on a long clearance in the 42nd minute, and Brekalo missed on a tackle, tripping an open Embolo and earning the first yellow card of the match.

These recaps usually capture dangerous moments as they happen. This game just did not have much of that. Whether it was fatigue with both teams having played in the heat of Florida on Saturday or playing not to give the opponent anything, the two sides passed the ball around and failed to generate anything the rest of the half.

Orlando City led at the half in shots (7-6), shots on goal (3-1), passing accuracy (89%-85%), and possession (58%-42%). Atlanta had one more corner (5-4).

Both sides sent in a substitute to start the second half. Orlando brought in Zakaria Taifi for Dorsey and Atlanta brought in Adrian Gill for Jay Fortune. Neither substitute changed the complexion of the game as both teams continued their cagey play.

Finally, in the 59th minute, Jansson played a ball over the top to Ojeda, who drew out Hoyos and tapped the ball over to Angulo, who knocked in his second goal of the season into the empty net. It was originally declared offside by the assistant referee, but the video assistant referee called for a review and the referee correclty overturned the offside decision.

Atlanta brought in Luke Brennan for Tristan Muyumba at the 64-minute mark. Atlanta then started to respond with two dangerous crosses that led to shots, but both plays were offside. Jacob picked up a yellow card 67 minutes in with a harsh challenge from behind Rhein in Orlando’s penalty area.

Perelman tried to inject some energy in the 71st minute with Tyrese Spicer replacing Rhein. Two minutes later, Wilder Cartagena came on for Ojeda. Cartagena was involved in Orlando’s next goal, so Perelman’s choice was rewarded.

Cartagena turned over Atlanta right outside the penalty box and laid the ball off to Griezmann. He ran a give-and-go with Ellis, took the return pass from the teenager, and passed the ball by Hoyos for his brace.

With his second brace of the season, Griezmann is on a four-game goal-scoring streak and has scored six goals in those last four games.

Both sides substituted after the goal. Atlanta brought on Sergio Santos, Fafa Picault, and Enea Mihaj for Embolo, Paulo Diaz, and Aleksey Miranchuk. Orlando substituted Iago on for Brekalo.

Atlanta had a chance in the 90th minute. Ellis picked up a yellow card for holding back Santos. On the ensuing free kick, Almiron put it at the back post to Elias Baez, who headed it across the mouth. Crepeau missed the save and the ball bounced toward the goal line where Griezmann cleared it off the line by a whisker.

Headed balls showed up again as stoppage time wound down. Seven minutes into added time, Mihaj headed the ball off a cross toward the goal mouth again, only this time it deflected off an unsuspecting Spicer and went right into the goal. Even in a close 3-2 game, Orlando scored all five. The Lions withstood nine minutes of injury time and claimed all three points on the road.

The two teams tied in shots at 14 apiece. Orlando City finished ahead in shots on target (7-2), possession (55%-45%), and passing accuracy (89%-86%). Atlanta kept its lead in corners (7-5).

“We played a good game. We controlled it except for the last 10 minutes and the first 10,” said Gerbet. “We felt the first goal wasn’t good for the team. We felt a little bit slow.”

Orlando City hosts Toronto FC Saturday night at Inter.co Stadium before traveling to Columbus for the U.S. Open Cup semifinal matchup against the Crew on Wednesday.

Continue Reading

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Atlanta United: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Lions head north to Atlanta for a midweek rivalry matchup.

Published

14 hours ago

on

September 9, 2026

By

Image of Martin Ojeda taking a shot against Atlanta.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to your match thread for a Wednesday night matchup between Orlando City (8-11-4, 28 points) and Atlanta United (6-13-4, 22 points) at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (7:30 p.m., Apple TV). It’s the second of the two MLS regular-season meetings between the Eastern Conference rivals and the third matchup between them in 2026 in all competitions.

Here’s what you need to know ahead of tonight’s match.

History

The Lions are 5-11-8 in the all-time series against Atlanta in league play and 2-5-4 on the road. Orlando City is 7-12-8 against tonight’s opponents in all competitions (regular season, playoffs, and U.S. Open Cup).

Orlando City and Atlanta United met most recently on May 19 in the 2026 U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals, with the Lions mauling the Five Stripes 4-1 in Orlando. David Brekalo, Griffin Dorsey, and Tiago provided the offense, with the latter scoring a brace to more than offset Atlanta’s late goal by Emmanuel Latte Lath that spoiled the shutout.

That U.S. Open Cup game came just three nights after the sides played to a 1-1 draw — also in Orlando. Dorsey gave Orlando the lead early but the Lions squandered chances to extend their advantage, allowing Jay Fortune’s late goal to steal a point for the visitors.

The Lions led 2-1 in Atlanta on May 28, 2025, on goals by Cesar Araujo and Ramiro Enrique to more than offset Alexey Miranchuk’s goal. However, Araujo foolishly got himself sent off by getting his hands up in the face of an opponent. The Five Stripes turned the game around on Bartosz Slisz’s goal with seven minutes remaining in normal time and Jamal Thiare’s winner deep in stoppage time in a 3-2 victory for Atlanta. The teams had met in Orlando a month earlier on April 26, and the Lions prevailed 3-0 on goals by Luis Muriel (from the penalty spot), Alex Freeman, and Marco Pasalic.

The rivals met in the 2024 Eastern Conference semifinals, with the Lions eking out a 1-0 home victory on Nov. 24. Enrique provided the game’s only goal, and the Orlando defense was dominant, allowing the visitors just seven total shot attempts — none on target. That win pushed the Lions into their first-ever conference final.

Prior to their postseason meeting, these two teams met on Decision Day 2024, with Atlanta scoring two early goals and holding on for a 2-1 win on Oct. 9. Saba Lobjanidze and Thiare gave the visitors an early lead. Martin Ojeda pulled one back and Duncan McGuire appeared to tie the game late, but the latter goal was overturned on video review for a handball. The teams also met at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on March 17, 2024, when Orlando City fell 2-0 on goals by Lobjanidze and Giorgos Giakoumakis.

The last meeting of 2023 took place at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with Orlando City capturing a 2-1 away win. Atlanta took the lead through Caleb Wiley, but Antonio Carlos and McGuire scored to lead the Lions’ comeback. The southeast rivals also met in Orlando on May 27, 2023, at Exploria Stadium and played to a 1-1 draw. It was a heartbreaking dropped two points for the Lions, who took the lead through Kyle Smith at the half-hour mark and held that advantage until four minutes from full time, when Tyler Wolff equalized.

Atlanta went 1-0-1 in the season series in 2022. On Sept. 14 at Exploria Stadium the Five Stripes won 1-0 on a Thiago Almada goal despite the Lions out-shooting Atlanta 20-10. The sides played to a 1-1 draw in their first meeting of that year on July 22 in Atlanta. Mauricio Pereyra’s beautiful free kick gave Orlando the lead. Juan Jose Purata equalized in the second half, and Atlanta bombarded Orlando the majority of the game, outshooting the Lions 18-3 in the match.

Orlando had a six-match unbeaten streak in the series (3-0-3) snapped on Sept. 10, 2021, as the Five Stripes won 3-0 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. George Campbell and Ezequiel Barco scored for Atlanta, sandwiched around a Daryl Dike own goal to hand Gonzalo Pineda his first win as manager for United.

The second of three 2021 meetings took place July 30 at Exploria Stadium with the Five Stripes taking the lead twice on goals by Josef Martinez and Marcelino Moreno, but the Lions not only fought back twice on strikes by Smith and Silvester van der Water, but Nani scored a late game winner by heading in VDW’s cross in Orlando City’s 3-2 win. The first meeting of that season between the two rivals came on opening day — April 17 — and they played to a 0-0 draw.

The final meeting of 2020 took place on Oct. 28, when Orlando City ran away with a 4-1 win at Exploria Stadium. Dike, Chris Mueller, Tesho Akindele, and Matheus Aias scored the goals for the Lions, with Cubo Torres preventing a shutout with a late goal for the visitors. Prior to that, the teams met in Atlanta on Oct. 7, 2020 and played to a 0-0 draw. Robinho and Nani each hit the woodwork and Brad Guzan stood on his head to prevent Orlando from taking a deserved three points in that one. Brian Rowe held down the fort at the other end to earn a shutout in Pedro Gallese’s absence.

Back on Sept. 5, 2020, a late, unforced turnover by Kamal Miller led to Adam Jahn’s 92nd-minute tying goal that offset a Benji Michel strike in a 1-1 draw at Exploria Stadium. Orlando City finally got on the board in the series against Atlanta United with a 3-1 road win on Aug. 29, 2020. Junior Urso, Mueller, and Nani supplied the offense to more than counter a Brooks Lennon headed goal. That three-goal explosion snapped a three-match scoreless streak against the Five Stripes for Orlando.

Orlando City created an incredible 17 scoring chances on Aug. 23, 2019, yet finished none of them in a 1-0 home loss. Martinez scored the game’s only goal in the second half. Only 17 days earlier at Exploria Stadium, Orlando also failed to score and lost 2-0 to Atlanta, getting bounced from the U.S. Open Cup semifinals. On Mother’s Day of 2019, Atlanta United claimed a 1-0 win at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Pity Martinez scored the goal.

Atlanta won at Orlando City Stadium on Aug. 24, 2018 by a 2-1 final score. Leandro Gonzalez Pirez bundled home a rebound off Joe Bendik, who misplayed Barco’s free kick to open the scoring just 21 minutes in. Scott Sutter tied the game just before the half, but Josef Martinez broke the deadlock in the second half, with only 16 minutes remaining in normal time.

Atlanta easily claimed the June 30, 2018 meeting at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, 4-0. Josef Martinez and Barco each scored a goal and Miguel Almiron added a brace. Orlando lost the first matchup of 2018, 2-1, on May 13. An early penalty on a Cristian Higuita foul gave the visitors a leg up on a Josef Martinez goal from the spot and Barco doubled the lead before halftime. Justin Meram scored his first goal as a Lion to pull one back, but Orlando could get no closer. The unfortunate ending included a shower of debris coming out of the stands due to dissatisfaction with referee Alan Kelly’s decisions that night.

Hector Villalba’s two late goals in the first two meetings turned what could have been an Orlando draw and a win into a loss and a draw. The two teams kicked off their series with Orlando suffering a late 1-0 loss at home on July 21, 2017. Villalba found the net late. He then scored a stoppage-time tally to rescue a 1-1 draw for Atlanta in the second meeting on July 29, 2017. Kaká scored one of his best goals as a Lion in that match to provide Orlando’s lone score.

Orlando City became the first visiting team to take any points out of Mercedes-Benz Stadium with a 3-3 draw in Atlanta that September. Dom Dwyer scored his first brace as a Lion (in MLS, anyway) and also assisted on Cyle Larin’s goal. Josef Martinez’s hat trick spoiled Orlando’s bid to take all three points.

Overview

The Lions are coming off a 1-0 victory over San Diego FC on Saturday in the first meeting between the two clubs. Antoine Griezmann provided the game’s only goal in the first half, while Ivan Angulo frustratingly blew a sitter in the second half that could have provided some breathing room. Orlando’s defense played well, allowing few chances to get the shutout. That win gave Orlando City a modest three-game unbeaten streak (2-0-1), with the draw coming on the road at Minnesota United in a match the Lions controlled until a three-goal lapse on defense. It was a costly dropped two points and underscored the team’s paltry 2-7-2 road record this season.

Atlanta enters tonight winless in its last two games (0-1-1), but came from behind to draw Inter Miami 2-2 on the road Saturday night. The tying goal was supplied by new Designated Player Breel Embolo from the penalty spot. The Five Stripes also added Mauricio Amaro, Paulo Díaz, and Júnior Alonso looking to retool a team that was recently in the Eastern Conference basement but is now five points behind the final playoff spot. Atlanta United is 4-6-1 at home this season.

Orlando City’s defense will have to keep tabs on Embolo, Almiron, and Miranchuk in particular, but the Lions can’t switch off in their own end regardless of who is on the pitch and what the score is.

The Lions will be without Adrian Marin (thigh) and Braian Ojeda (foot), while Atlanta will be missing Giuliano Galoppo (not due to injury) and Cooper Sanchez (concussion protocol), while Steven Alzate (illness) is questionable.

Match Content

Official Lineups

Orlando City (4-4-2)

Goalkeeper: Maxime Crepeau.

Defenders: Bernardo Rhein, Robin Jansson, David Brekalo, Griffin Dorsey.

Midfielders: Ivan Angulo, Joran Gerbet, Eduard Atuesta, Justin Ellis.

Forwards: Antoine Griezmann, Martin Ojeda.

Bench: Javier Otero, Zakaria Taifi, Iago, Wilder Cartagena, Luis Otavio, Tiago, Marco Pasalic, Tyrese Spicer, Daryl Dike.

Atlanta United (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: Lucas Hoyos.

Defenders: Elias Baez, Junior Alonso, Paulo Diaz, Tomas Jacob.

Midfielders: Mauricio Amaro, Tristan Muyumba, Jay Fortune.

Forward: Miguel Almiron, Aleksey Miranchuk, Breel Embolo.

Bench: Jayden Hibbert, Enea Mihaj, Matthew Edwards, Will Reilly, Adrian Gill, Cayman Togashi, Sergio Santos, Fafa Picault, Luke Brennan.

Referees:

REF: Armando Villarreal.
AR1: Adam Wienckowski.
AR2: Kevin Lock.
4TH: Amin Hadzic.
VAR: Younes Marrakchi.
AVAR: Jason White.

How to Watch

Match Time: 7:30 p.m.

Venue: Mercedez-Benz Stadium — Atlanta.

TV/Streaming: Apple TV.

Radio: AM 810 FOX Sports Radio Orlando (English), Mega 97.1 FM (Spanish), Nossa Rádio 1160 AM-WRLZ (Portuguese).

Social Media: For rapid reaction and live updates, follow us on Bluesky Social at @themaneland.bsky.social or follow Orlando City’s official Twitter (@OrlandoCitySC) or Bluesky (@OrlandoCitySC) feed.

Enjoy the match. Go City!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 9/9/26

Orlando City plays Atlanta, Griezmann gets fined, Banda a Ballon d’Or contender, and more.

Published

17 hours ago

on

September 9, 2026

By

Image of Antoine Griezmann taking a set piece against Monterrey in Leagues Cup action.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s also match day for Orlando City. The fixture congestion is back for the next couple of weeks which means plenty of opportunity to watch the Lions in action. I’m looking forward to seeing Martin Ojeda fully integrate back into the offense with Antione Griezmann. We will have more match prep later today, but for now, let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Heads to Atlanta

Orlando City is headed north to take on Atlanta United tonight. Both teams have been playing better of late, but this is still an opportunity for the Lions to get all three points from a rival on the road. Atlanta has struggled to score goals this season, and Orlando City’s offensive weapons are many, and the team is rising up the MLS power rankings, thanks to the win over San Diego FC. It’s a double match week, so it will be interesting to see how Atlanta rotates players based on availability.

Grizi Gets Fined

The MLS Disciplinary Committee has fined Orlando City’s Antoine Griezmann an undisclosed amount for violating the League’s policy regarding throwing/kicking an object toward fans in the match against San Diego FC. Here is the “incident” in case you missed it during the match.

If the fine was more than a dollar, it was too much. That’s not true, a dollar is also too much.

Pride in the News

The Orlando Pride made history in the 3-1 win over the Houston Dash. The victory made Yolanda Thomas the first Black woman in a head coach’s role in NWSL history, and only the fourth female coach to win their first-ever NWSL match in charge. It also comes as no surprise that Barbra Banda is a nominee for the Women’s Ballon d’Or.

Pochettino’s Big Plans

Mauricio Pochettino wants to make the USMNT one of the “most powerful” international teams in the world. That is a pretty ambitious goal, though I like the high aspirations. Pochettino is now in charge of the procedural and developmental sides of the game. He will have some time to experiment before the next World Cup, including utilizing more MLS homegrowns.

Free Kicks

  • Marco Pasalic has been called up to the Croatian National Team for the UEFA Nations League matches later this month and in the first part of October. Croatia will be playing Czechia, England, and Spain.
  • Ivan Angulo will be sporting a new look at the match tonight. Hopefully it helps him score goals on his breakaway opportunities.

That will do it for today. You can follow The Mane Land on Bluesky for live match updates and we will also have a recap of the match tonight and more coverage tomorrow. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Trending