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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Atlanta United: Final Score 4-1 as Lions Flatten Five Stripes

The goals returned, as four different Lions scored for Orlando City.

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4 years ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

After four matches without a win (0-1-3), the goals finally returned in buckets to Orlando as the Lions thumped Atlanta United, 4-1 at Exploria Stadium. Daryl Dike, Chris Mueller, Tesho Akindele, and Matheus Aias — his first in MLS — scored the goals, with the Lions (9-3-8, 35 points) finishing an unbeaten four-game set against Atlanta (5-12-4, 19 points) for the 2020 season.

Orlando won twice and drew twice without a loss across the four meetings. Tonight’s win was Orlando’s first at home against the Five Stripes, improving to 1-4-1 at home in the all-time series.

“It’s certainly a game that means a lot for our franchise,” Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “First, beating Atlanta, but secondly to see the boys performing so well as a group. Tonight the urgency for us to win those three points [was] big.”

Pareja’s lineup included Pedro Gallese in goal behind a back line of Kamal Miller, Robin Jansson, Antonio Carlos, and Ruan. The midfield featured Nani, Joey DeZart, Junior Urso, and Mueller behind an attacking duo of Akindele and Dike. Neither Uri Rosell — who came off the MLS Injury Report — nor Mauricio Pereyra were on the bench.

Orlando City started the match looking sluggish and indecisive, turning the ball over needlessly and failing to recognize where teammates were going. It was a curious start to the match, but the Lions eventually settled in.

Before that could happen, Atlanta fashioned a few good opportunities, including some early set pieces. Gallese made a diving stop in the third minute on a free kick shot by Ezequiel Barco. Then Barco got free on a counter created by an Orlando turnover in the 13th and was wide open but hit a soft shot right at Gallese.

Fernando Meza headed over the goal on a corner kick in the 16th minute as Atlanta continued to get the game’s only shots. Three minutes later, Jurgen Damm cut in from right to left and curled a shot just inches wide of the far post.

Pareja said that the team was set up tonight to allow Atlanta time on the ball so the Lions could find opportunities to get behind on the counter.

“We knew that with the formation that we had today, it was more planning to be a team who can counter,” Pareja said. “And today the initiative for us to have the ball, it was not as consistent as we’re used to. The boys absorbed that pressure when Atlanta came to us and had possession and started just getting some chances, but we knew that they were going to give us opportunities in the space that was behind them. And that was exactly what happened in the first half.”

Orlando City finally got a shot off in the 23rd minute when Akindele hit Dike in stride. The shot deflected wide off a defender but the referee didn’t see the deflection and awarded a goal kick.

The Lions finally broke through in the 29th minute. Ruan cut in from the right and made a great pass to set up Dike in the middle. The rookie turned brilliantly away from pressure to free himself and fired home his sixth goal of the season.

“Today we might have focused a little bit harder in front of the goal, and you know, dealt with some of those chances better,” Dike said. “I think that’s something that we’ve been kind of stressing — that we need to take advantage of all the chances that we create because I mean every single game we’re creating these chances, and now we just need to start finding the back of the net, which, luckily tonight it was something that was falling for us.”

Orlando nearly doubled the lead two minutes later. Atlanta gifted the Lions a corner kick with an awful back pass for Brad Guzan that was well off target. The ball fell at Urso’s feet and he fired just wide of the far post in the 31st minute.

Dike sliced through seemingly the entire Atlanta defense moments later, then fed Akindele for an apparent goal, but the referee blew the whistle and called an agonizingly soft foul on the rookie striker, who did very little wrong. The Lions were flying at that point. Nani had a shot blocked soon after that from the top of the area and then fizzed a pass to Akindele in the 37th. Tesho fired but had his shot well saved by a diving Guzan.

The final action of the half produced the second goal. Mueller was fouled by Laurence Wyke to set up a free kick in stoppage time. Cash took the free kick himself, beat the wall and buried a brilliant shot inside the near post to make it 2-0. It was his team-leading ninth goal of the year.

“It kind of gave us the momentum to continue our play into the second half,” Dike said of Mueller’s goal. “Obviously, phenomenal goal as it was, it lifted the team. I think sometimes maybe we’ve fallen a little bit asleep after our first [goal] but I think today we did a really good job of keeping the momentum going.”

That was it for the opening period. Orlando was out-shot 11-7 in the first half, but the Lions had a 3-2 edge in shots on target. Atlanta had more corners (3-1) and more possession (55.1%-44.9%), and both teams were accurate with 88% of their passes in the first half.

The Five Stripes tried to jump on Orlando quickly after the break but couldn’t muster much in the final third aside from some shots off target from distance. It took Orlando about seven minutes to settle in again and start to get chances in transition. Urso fired wide in the 51st after the Lions cleared a corner kick opportunity and a minute later Ruan nearly picked out Dike in front with a chipped cross.

The lead bulged to 3-0 in the 60th minute when Dike found Akindele in front and with his last involvement of the match the Canadian beat Guzan before subbing off for Andres Perea.

Orlando kept turning around the Atlanta attack and getting chances. Substitute Benji Michel fired on target from a tight angle, but Guzan made the save in the 67th minute. Four minutes later, Michel fed Perea for what should have been a goal but the 19-year-old Colombian sprayed his shot just wide of the far post.

Aias entered the match in the 79th minute for Dike, and Alexander Alvarado made his MLS/Orlando City debut at the same time, coming on for Mueller. Both newcomers played a role in the Lions’ final goal of the night.

However, Atlanta pulled one back before that happened. Marcelino Moreno was able to find Cubo Torres on a corner kick cross in the 87th minute. Torres got inside of Miller and Jansson couldn’t quite get up high enough to prevent the cross from finding its target. Torres’ header went off of Gallese from point-blank range and into the net to make it 3-1.

But Orlando had the last laugh. Alvarado was fouled by Mohammed Adams in the 91st minute just outside the Atlanta penalty area. Mendez fired a shot with the ensuing free kick and it hit an Atlanta defender, bounced off of Aias and trickled in behind Guzan, who was left leaning the wrong way. Aias’ goal was his first in MLS in only his second appearance and in about his 12th or so minute of play, although he knew little about it.

“It’s been a little over three months since I last really played and got a lot of minutes,” Aias said through an interpreter. “It was a great goal because I haven’t scored in a while. It’s my girl’s birthday, so to be able to do that today, it was just a great win for a team that’s working really hard and we’re happy to get the win here at home.”

The Lions ended up out-shooting Atlanta, 15-14 (6-3 on goal). Atlanta won more corners (9-2) and held more possession for the game (54.4%-45.6%). Both teams passed at an 89% rate.

City now has three matches left in the regular season. Orlando cannot win the Supporters’ Shield, because even winning out would only get the Lions even on points with Philadelphia. The first tiebreaker is wins and the best Orlando can do is win 12, while Philly has already amassed 13.

But tonight’s win was a much-needed step toward finishing in the top four and getting a home playoff game. City pulled level with Columbus on points but the Crew have one more win, setting up a huge match next Wednesday in Orlando. New York City lurks just two points behind the Lions with Orlando holding an extra game in hand.

Orlando City’s next match will be Sunday at Red Bull Arena when the Lions visit the Montreal Impact in their temporary home at 7:30 p.m.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 12/26/24

Joran Gerbet earns recognition, Pierre Da Silva’s new club, Gaston Gimenez leaves the Chicago Fire, and more.

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26 minutes ago

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December 26, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope all who celebrate it had a nice Christmas without any major incidents and plenty of fun with friends and family. If you’re celebrating other holidays, hopefully your Hannukah is off to a great start or you’ve been waiting for Kwanzaa, it’s finally here, so enjoy! There’s officially less than a week left in the year, and I, for one, can’t wait to bid farewell to 2024. Let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Orlando City’s Joran Gerbet Included Among Top College Players

Top Drawer Soccer handed out accolades following the college soccer season and Orlando City draft pick Joran Gerbet was named to its Best XI second team. The Lions selected him in the first round of the draft and it’s nice to see him earn some recognition after a solid senior season with Clemson. Gerbet also ranked 17th in Top Drawer Soccer‘s top 100 players from the past season. Denver midfielder Sam Bassett, who was not eligible for the MLS SuperDraft, claimed the top spot and was named Player of the Year as well. Freshman of the Year went to Ransford Gyan, who was Gerbet’s teammate in Clemson’s midfield.

Pierre Da Silva Signs With Cusco FC

Former Lion Pierre Da Silva is plying his trade in Peru these days and has signed with Cusco FC in the country’s top flight. Da Silva, who was primarily an OCB player but made three first-team appearances, hasn’t been with Orlando City since 2019, when he and the club agreed to part ways that summer. The winger then went on to join Memphis 901, Miami FC, and Forward Madison before heading to Peru to join Universidad César Vallejo this year. His club was relegated, but he will remain in Liga 1 with a Cusco team that qualified for the Copa Sudamericana. It’s always nice to get an update on what a former Lion is up to these days, and hopefully his second year in Peru goes better than his first.

Chicago Fire Terminate Gaston Gimenez’s Contract

Midfielder Gaston Gimenez is no longer with the Chicago Fire after he and the club mutually agreed to terminate his contract. Gimenez has been with the Fire since joining the club in 2020, and this move opens up a Designated Player spot for the Fire as well. It will be a needed fresh start of sorts for the Fire, as they hired Gregg Berhalter as head coach this off-season. The Fire finished at the bottom of the Eastern Conference and only scored 40 goals in 2024, so being able to add some firepower is useful for Chicago to prepare for 2025.

Diving Into Club Color Origins

If you’ve ever wanted to know the soccer equivalent to “How the Leopard Got Its Spots,” ESPN provided a cool guide that explores the origins behind club colors from around the world. It’s filled with fun tidbits ranging from theories on why Corinthians swapped from beige to white to how Juventus was set to wear red jerseys with white trim, but a wrong order delivered the iconic black-and-white stripes instead. The interactive article lets you check out jerseys from each club over the years to see how they evolved. Maybe it’s the latent Christmas consumerism still in my veins, but I would love a coffee table book of this kind of content.

Free Kicks

  • Valencia has hired Carlos Corberan from West Brom as its next head coach after firing Ruben Baraja earlier this week. The Spanish club is fighting to avoid relegation in La Liga with only 12 points from 17 matches this season.
  • Sporting CP has reportedly fired Joao Pereira, with Rui Borges set to become the next head coach.
  • We have plenty of Boxing Day action to enjoy today, but a few players spoke on the difficulties of training on Christmas or traveling with their teams rather than spending the holiday with their families.
  • Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou bemoaned how the expanded UEFA Champions League is complicating the transfer window as he aims to bring in reinforcements.
  • Oscar, who has spent the past eight seasons with Shanghai Port, is returning to Sao Paulo on a three-year contract. The 33-year-old started his professional career with Sao Paulo in 2008.

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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Lion Links

Lion Links: 12/25/24

Orlando Pride make everyone’s ‘nice’ list, the USMNT’s new attitude, Boxing Day matches, and more.

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1 day ago

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December 25, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Merry Christmas and happy Hanukkah, Mane Landers! One of the great things about soccer is that unlike other sports, there are matches being played somewhere nearly every day of the year. It truly is something for which I’m grateful. That also means there’s soccer news even on a big holiday, making my job here a bit easier. As such, let’s get to the links.

Orlando Pride Still Tops

It doesn’t matter what list you mention when it comes to women’s soccer, the Orlando Pride will be on it. If you follow women’s soccer — and I don’t know why you wouldn’t — 2024 brought plenty of gifts. Obviously, Marta lifting a pair of trophies was big news in the world of women’s soccer. The arrival of Barbra Banda and Temwa Chawinga to the NWSL was also pretty significant. Enjoy all of this as long as you can. I know I will.

USMNT Savageness

Weston McKennie is loving the attitude that Mauricio Pochettino is bringing to the USMNT. Some have felt that the U.S. has played too timidly before his arrival. Now, McKennie feels he’s bringing a savageness and a bit of South American attitude to the team. Previously, the USMNT was known for being physical if not technical. Perhaps McKennie and his generation can bring both to the table.

Premier League Holiday Cheer

Thursday is a big matchday in the English Premier League. If you’re lucky enough to not have to go to work, there will be plenty of Boxing Day matches to enjoy. Liverpool is top of the table this Christmas, in large part to the efforts of Mo Salah, who became the first player in Premier League history to reach double figures for goals and assists before Christmas.

Given it’s the holiday season, I’m certain that all the EPL clubs want something in their stockings. Of course, if you’re not adding pieces you might fall behind. There are players that each club could add to help in the pursuit of glory.

Rioters Sentenced

Five of the 60 people detained after riots outside the UEFA Europa League match between the Dutch side Ajax and Israel’s Maccabi Tel-Aviv in November have been sentenced by an Amsterdam District Court. The perpetrators’ punishment ran from community service to six months in prison. The altercation took place between pro-Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli football fans. Five people were sent to the hospital and 20 others sustained minor injuries. I truly wish this type of thing would stop at soccer matches — or anywhere for that matter.

Free Kicks

That will do it for today. If you celebrate Christmas, I hope you had a wonderful time giving and receiving gifts this morning. If Hanukkah is your thing, enjoy all eight days and nights. Kwanzaa? Enjoy every day from Thursday through Jan. 1. Festivus celebrators, you should already have done your feats of strength and airing of grievances. If you don’t celebrate any particular holidays, I hope you had a peaceful, relaxing morning. Just know that we here at The Mane Land are grateful for the gift of your readership.

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Orlando City

Top 10 Moments of 2024: Facundo Torres Breaks Lions’ All-Time Goal Record

In our No. 8 moment of the year, Facundo Torres sets a new Orlando City career record for goals scored.

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2 days ago

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December 24, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

As we count down to the new year of 2025 — which will be Orlando City’s 11th in MLS, the Orlando Pride’s 10th in the NWSL, and OCB’s third in MLS NEXT Pro — and say goodbye to 2024, it’s time to look back at the club’s 10 best moments of the year as selected by The Mane Land staff via vote.

The 2024 season will always be a bittersweet one when it comes to remembering the contributions of Uruguayan winger Facundo Torres. He once again started the season slowly before locking in over the summer and dazzling crowds, befuddling opponents, and doing impressive things with a soccer ball on behalf of Orlando City SC.

He helped the team get to the second round of the Concacaf Champions League/Cup and to the Eastern Conference final — the first time the club accomplished either achievement. Then he left, transferring to Palmeiras just days before Christmas. He may be gone, but the transfer funds and open Designated Player slot the sale brought the club may yet make for even more success on the field in the seasons to come.

Torres put together another brilliant season, starting by scoring a brace in the team’s Champions Cup opener against Cavalry FC on Feb. 21. Here’s the first of those goals:

He added a nice header later to put the game away. The brace had many fans dreaming that he wouldn’t take until the summer to get into a groove during his third year in Orlando like he did in his first two seasons. But then he didn’t score again in the run of play until the fourth minute of a May 29 road game against the Chicago Fire. That isn’t to say he didn’t find the net in March or April. He scored from the penalty spot once in each of those months — at Tigres March 12 and at Montreal April 20 — but it wasn’t the hot start fans were hoping for.

Torres did, however, settle in eventually and had himself a season. In fact, he broke Cyle Larin’s club record for most goals in a season across all competitions, by hitting the net 20 times in 2024. He scored 14 times in the regular season, twice in the MLS Cup playoffs, three times in Champions Cup play, and once in Leagues Cup. That doesn’t even count his made penalties in the postgame shootouts against Cruz Azul or Charlotte FC (in Game 3).

As usual, he did most of his damage in the second half of the year, when he helped the club put together a remarkable run of form that lifted the Lions from near the bottom of the conference to fourth place by season’s end. During the team’s final 17 games, Torres scored 11 of his 14 regular-season goals and posted three braces. The light switch seemed to be flipped in the first game of the second half of Orlando City’s 2024 season. After just three goals in the first 17 games — one in the run of play and two from the penalty spot (he also missed a penalty for the first time in his career in Game 17 against LAFC) — Torres scored three goals in the next two matches, helping the Lions to a comeback draw at Charlotte and a 4-2 home win over the Chicago Fire, setting the tone for an 11-4-2 run in the second half.

His torrid run of form had him climbing the club’s scoring list all summer and that culminated in reaching the pinnacle of the team’s MLS era on Oct. 2, when he did this in the 57th minute at home against the Philadelphia Union:

As Torres goals go, it wasn’t one of his prettiest or most impressive, but it was his 45th as a Lion across all competitions, passing Larin’s career mark for Orlando City’s MLS era. It also helped propel the Lions to a 2-1 win over the Union, putting the team on the cusp of clinching home field in the first round of the playoffs. It was also Torres’ last regular-season goal with Orlando City. Bittersweet.

However, the Las Piedras, Uruguay, native wasn’t finished scoring in 2024. He notched the first goal of Orlando’s postseason run in the 32nd minute against Charlotte FC at home on Oct. 27 in a 2-0 win. Torres placed himself in the right spot at the right time, taking advantage of a deflected Rafael Santos cross that fell in front of him in the box. The winger blasted it off the underside of the crossbar and into the back of the net to open the scoring.

The goal drew him level with Dom Dwyer for the club’s all-time career goals mark when combining Orlando City’s USL and MLS eras.

He should have claimed that record for himself in Game 2 of the Charlotte series when he fired home in stoppage time on the road, but the flag came up for Nico Lodeiro being offside in the buildup — incorrectly, per the offside modeling Twitter account.

While the offside modeling site is hardly official, it illustrates how close the play was. Many teams tend to get the benefit of those types of calls and the flags stay down, but Orlando is generally not one of those teams.

However, he took sole possession of the record one match later, breaking the tie with Dwyer in the 12th minute of stoppage time of Game 3. The Lions trailed 1-0 and the season was on the brink when Duncan McGuire was pulled down in the box on a late set piece, injuring himself to the point he had off-season surgery to repair the labrum and rotator cuff in his shoulder. Torres took the ball and stepped to the spot to face one of the best goalkeepers in MLS, Kristijan Kahlina. The Croatian read Torres well and made the stop, but he couldn’t control the rebound. Torres got to it quickly, kept his composure, and fired it home to level the match.

It was not only an important strike, but it was also his 47th and final goal for Orlando City across all competitions, although he also calmly scored his penalty in the ensuing shootout to help send the Lions through to the conference semifinals against Atlanta United.

It’s fitting that Torres’ final Orlando City goal was such an important one, as he’s been such a big part of the team’s success over the past three seasons. He departed the club officially on Dec. 20 for a club-record transfer fee after scoring a total of 47 goals across all competitions. He added 25 assists in his time in purple, amassing a club-record 72 career goal contributions.

In a three-year Orlando career that was filled with highlight-reel plays, Torres brought a lot of joy to the club’s fans during his stay. His ascendance to the top of the club’s MLS and combined scoring lists is worthy of inclusion as one of our top moments of the season.

Come back through New Year’s Eve as we count down the remainder of the top 10 moments of 2024 for Orlando City, the Orlando Pride, and OCB.

Previous Top Moments of 2024

10. Orlando City’s massive second-half surge clinches top-four spot in Eastern Conference.

9. The Orlando Pride sign Zambian international striker Barbra Banda ahead of the 2024 season.

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