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Orlando City vs. Nashville SC: Final Score 3-2 as Lions Melt Down and Concede Twice Late

Orlando loses its first home game of the year after two late headers turn the game around at the end.

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4 years ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City managed to concede three times — twice after the 88th minute — to a Nashville SC team that has struggled to put the ball in the net all season. With the meltdown, the Lions (11-4-8, 41 points) blew a late 2-1 lead and fell at Exploria Stadium for the first time all season, 3-2. Hany Mukhtar scored in the 88th minute and a completely unmarked Jhonder Cádiz added another in the 93rd minute to undo the lead over Nashville (8-7-8, 32 points) that Daryl Dike and Nani had provided.

It was Orlando’s first ever loss to Nashville in three meetings (1-1-1), snapped a three-game winning streak, and knocked the Lions down to fourth place in the final regular-season standings. The Cádiz goal was particularly troubling because it came on a late free kick that was drawn on a bit of a dive by Matt LaGrassa and because the forward was left completely unmarked just in front of goal. Orlando has had an ongoing problem with conceding late set piece goals and it bit them again in the home finale.

With the quick turnaround at the end, Orlando missed its opportunity to equal its most wins and most points in an MLS season and the Lions enter the postseason after one of the team’s worst letdowns since joining Major League Soccer.

“Obviously the game did not end the way we wanted,” Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “We have to sharpen things, especially in those key moments of concentration. And it has been something that we have been working on. We will keep doing it.”

Pareja shuffled his lineup a bit, starting Brian Rowe in goal behind a back line of Kyle Smith, Robin Jansson, Antonio Carlos, and Ruan. Jordan Bender got his first MLS start in the midfield with Mauricio Pereyra suspended due to yellow card accumulation, alongside Junior Urso, Andres Perea, and Chris Mueller. Dike returned to the starting lineup to lead the attack, along with Nani.

The Lions started quickly, getting into the box just seconds after the whistle. Mueller tried to free himself for a shot inside the first minute and went down under contact but nothing was given. But moments later, the Lions created a turnover and scored in transition.

Mueller dribbled at Nashville’s back line before dishing off to Dike on his right. The big rookie set his feet and blasted a pinpoint accurate shot from the right side off the left post and in to make it 1-0 in the fourth minute with his eighth goal of the season.

Orlando City continued to try to pick through the stingy Nashville defense. Ruan cut inside in the ninth minute and tried to pick out a streaking Nani but his pass was just a bit off line and the defense sent it out for a corner. Three minutes later, Perea was set up in space at the top of the area but skied his shot well over the bar on an effort which he should have done better on.

Nashville forced a save in the 18th off a corner kick when the Lions cleared it to the top corner of the area and Dax McCarty fired right at Rowe. Orlando had set its defense deep to deal with Walker Zimmerman and Dave Romney and left the top of the area unguarded. That came into play on the tying goal two minutes later.

The Lions cleared another set piece in the 20th minute but could only get the ball just outside the area, where Daniel Lovitz picked it up with time and space and sent a long-range effort into the corner of the net past Rowe to tie the match at 1-1.

The game got chippy shortly after that, with Nashville picking up two quick yellow cards in succession in the 28th and 29th minutes. Derrick Jones was booked for a foul on Junior Urso, and then moments later, Anibal Godoy was booked for a hand across Nani’s face that left the Orlando captain with a bloodied lip.

The Lions nearly regained the lead in the 33rd minute when Bender crossed a ball in for Dike. The rookie headed it on goal and picked out a good spot but he couldn’t get much power on it and that gave Joe Willis just enough time to make a diving save.

McCarty was booked for holding up Mueller in the 37th minute and was extremely lucky not to pick up a second yellow card in the 40th on a rough challenge on Perea. The veteran player may have gotten the benefit of the doubt with referee David Gantar on the play, but Orlando’s players were incensed, particularly Jansson, who ran about 30 yards to argue about it.

That was it for the first-half chances and the teams went to the break tied at 1-1. First half shots were level at 5-5 and shots on target were also the same (2-2). Nashville led in corners (2-1), while Orlando City held more possession (53.1%-46.9%) and was more accurate in passing (88%-86%).

Tesho Akindele subbed on at the half for Bender and the Lions immediately pressed for a go-ahead goal. Nani sent a nice cross in for Akindele in the 49th but the defense arrived just in time to nod it out of harm’s way. Mueller had a shot blocked at the top of the area a minute later and Nani fizzed a long-range effort over the bar in the 52nd.

Nashville tried to hit back just after that with a Derrick Jones drive that Rowe was able to fight off.

Orlando regained the lead in the 60th after Kyle Smith was fouled just outside the area. Nani lined up the free kick and sent a beauty over the wall and just inside the near post to make it 2-1. It was the captain’s sixth goal of the year.

Mueller nearly found an insurance goal in the 63rd with a shot from the top of the box that Willis got a hand on to push just wide of the post.

The ensuing corner kick pinged around the box and fell at Carlos’ feet. The defender was able to turn with a couple of quick touches and fired a shot wide with his left foot.

Both teams started to substitute over the next 15 minutes without many looks at goal on either end. Nashville couldn’t get on a free kick in the 73rd and Ruan sent a left-footed shot wide in the 76th minute. Ruan sent a floater headed inside the back post in the 81st, but Willis got a hand to it.

Rowe made a save on a shot from the left in the 85th that looked to be headed inside the back post. Just after that, Orlando made a final sub, sending midfielder Joey DeZart on for Nani, rather than sending on an extra center back to play five at the back as we’ve seen in other matches this season.

The Nashville comeback started in the 88th out of seemingly nothing. Alex Muyl had the ball in the left corner with Ruan defending and sent an inch-perfect cross into the area that sailed just inches over Carlos, who had drifted too far away from Hany Mukhtar. The German easily nodded the cross into the back of the net to make it 2-2.

The Lions tried to pull that goal right back Ruan drew a foul just to the right of the box. Second-half sub Sebas Mendez played a short pass on the ground to Perea who fired a shot just over the crossbar in the 90th minute.

A few minutes later, LaGrassa left his feet after feeling light contact high from Smith and Gantar gave the foul. Mukhtar took the free kick and sent his cross into the box where Cádiz was unmarked. It appeared that Ruan and Smith were left on the back side to defend Muyl and Cádiz, with both Carlos and DeZart dealing with Dave Romney. Muyl appeared to wall off Ruan from getting to Cádiz, leaving him free in front of goal. Rowe got in position in time, but the header had too much power and got through him for the winning goal.

“It was just kind of two plays tonight that that decided that game,” Rowe said. “It’s just kind of fine tuning those little things.”

“There is much more we can do, for sure,” Pareja said about late lapses on set pieces. “It is our responsibility to prepare the boys and their responsibility obviously just to solve those problems, especially when teams are coming at the end with set plays, a corner, or something like that. For sure we will keep doing it. I think today it is even more painful because the game meant a lot.”

The Lions had no time to equalize because seconds later the game was over, as Gantar gave no extra time beyond the original four minutes of stoppage time originally given.

Orlando had more shot attempts (13-11), but Nashville got more on goal (6-4). The visitors won more corners (6-3), while the Lions held more possession (51.9%-48.1%) and was more accurate passing the ball (84%-83%).

The Lions fell at home in their home finale for the second straight year. Orlando is 3-3-0 in home finales and just 1-5-0 in regular-season finales since joining MLS in 2015.

“It’s tough to swallow this game,” Rowe said. “It hurts, but I think we need to reiterate that it doesn’t take away from what we’ve accomplished this year so far.”

“It was a game [that] brought moments where we were frustrated, especially the way it ended,” Pareja said. “But we can’t forget what the boys have done during this year. They qualified in the playoffs, they qualified in the best four in a tough conference, and they’ll be ready for playoffs.”

That’s it for the regular season, but unlike in years past, it won’t be the Lions’ last match of the year. The playoffs lie ahead. Orlando City will face New York City FC at home with the day and time to be announced.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/24/25

Orlando Pride prepare for Angel City FC, MLS deadline day deals, OCB slips in power rankings, and more.

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2 hours ago

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April 24, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

How’s it going, Mane Landers? It’s been a few days since a rough weekend for Orlando City and the Orlando Pride. Time heals all wounds, but let’s also hope it heals offenses considering both teams were shut out. Let’s go ahead and manifest some good officiating this weekend as well while we’re at it. That might be a tall order, but I’m feeling optimistic. Let’s get to the links!

Orlando Pride Prepare for Angel City FC

The Orlando Pride will look to bounce back when they welcome Angel City FC to the City Beautiful for a home game Friday night. Orlando lost its first game of the year and first home game since 2023 last week against the Washington Spirit, falling 1-0. Angel City is also coming off of its first loss of the season, falling 4-0 at home to NJ/NY Gotham FC at home. Pride defender Kerry Abello spoke on how the Pride will need to create better chances compared to last week as they prepare to right the ship with a home victory.

Orlando City B Drops a Spot in Power Rankings

Although OCB fell from third to fourth in the latest MLS NEXT Pro power rankings, the Young Lions are solidly in the top five teams in the league. OCB was on a bye last weekend, so not moving too much in the rankings can be expected. While the Young Lions fell 3-2 in their last league game against Inter Miami II, spirits are likely high with the team due to the Orlando City U-18 team’s success in the Generation Adidas Cup. Let’s hope the Young Lions can ride that momentum into Sunday night’s match with New York Red Bulls II.

MLS Deadline Day Transfer News

The MLS transfer deadline day has come and gone and there were some notable moves to catch up on. Real Salt Lake’s deal with Boavista for forward Robert Bozenik reportedly collapsed, but the club still added striker William Agada from Sporting Kansas City in exchange for $500,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money and another $350,000 in GAM if he re-signs. Inter Miami traded winger Robert Taylor to Austin FC in exchange for up to $750,000 in GAM, with only $50,000 of that being conditional. Atlanta United traded winger Xande Silva to St. Louis City SC for up to $250,000 in GAM as well.

The Houston Dynamo also have a new forward, signing Toyosi Olusanya from Scottish club St. Mirren. The New England Revolution traded Noel Buck to the San Jose Earthquakes for up to $650,000 in cold, hard cash, reuniting the 20-year-old with Bruce Arena. Frankie Amaya is back in MLS, joining LAFC on loan from Toluca. As of this writing, Minnesota United are reportedly in hot pursuit of Miami’s Julian Gressel.

Sources: Minnesota United in advanced talks to acquire Julian Gressel from Inter Miami.Nothing done yet. Still details to figure out. Optimism something gets done, but not there yet.

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2025-04-24T00:25:26.971Z

Keeping Up With the Americans Abroad

The race for a place in the English Premier League is heating up in the EFL Championship and Americans are right in the thick of it. Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United have already secured promotion, along with Burnley. Forward Haji Wright has scored 12 goals for Coventry City this season, and his club currently holds the final playoff spot. Midfielder Aidan Morris and Middlesbrough are three points behind, while former Lion Daryl Dike and West Brom will need to win their remaining two matches for a shot at sneaking in.

In Italy, Christian Pulisic started in AC Milan’s 3-0 victory over rival Inter to book a spot in the Italian Cup final on May 14. Fellow American Yunus Musah was an unused substitute. Catarina Macario scored twice and Mia Fishel added a goal as well in Chelsea’s 4-0 win against Crystal Palace, helping their team get ever closer to winning its sixth straight Women’s Super League title.

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That’s it for today’s links! Make sure to stay hydrated out there as we get closer and closer to summer. Have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/23/25

The Orlando Pride drop, OCSC Academy awards, USMNT characters, and more.

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1 day ago

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April 23, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. This weekend we have the most convenient schedule, with the Orlando Pride playing Friday night, Orlando City on Saturday night, and Orlando City B on Sunday night. It’s nice knowing what I’ll be doing each night. Now, I just need all three teams to get back on the winning side of things. Until then, let’s get to the links.

Bad Pride, Good Pride

It might have been the dumbest way to lose a match against the Washington Spirit, but — actually nevermind, there is no “but” about it. We can, however, decide to move forward rather than dwell on it after today. Unsurprisingly, the Pride dropped in the all-knowing power rankings. All for XI only dropped the Pride one spot to No. 2 since everyone has a bad day now and again. The CBS power ranking dropped the team to No. 3. That was the “bad.” The “good” is that we can revisit the puppies that showed up at Inter&Co Stadium. The loss still hurts, but it’s hard to stay mad after looking at the puppies.

The (OCSC) Academy Awards

Assuming you read Lion Links on Monday morning (or listened to The Mane Land PawedCast this week) you know that the Orlando City SC Academy U-18 team won the Generation Adidas Cup. Now we know that three of the very young Lions — Gustavo Caraballo, Jackson Platts, and Justin Ellis — were named to the U18 Best XI. Additionally, Caraballo and Ellis earned MVP and Top Scorer awards, respectively. It was truly the bright spot of an otherwise forgettable weekend.

Pochettino Prepares

The USMNT did not do well in the Concacaf Nations League, falling to Panama and then Canada in the third place match. Now, U.S. Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has to prepare the team for the Gold Cup. Pochettino said that he needs the “right characters” on the squad, whether they are the most talented or not. He also spoke of the need for the players to fight for the badge and the flag. Former USMNT coach Bruce Arena said Pochettino may not be the right man for the job because he’s not an American. The USMNT’s next matches are friendlies against Turkiye and Switzerland on June 7 and June 10, respectively.

MLS Transfer News

The Columbus Crew are making moves. The club received $250,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) from the Houston Dynamo in exchange for a 2025 international roster slot. The club then sent DeJuan Jones to the San Jose Earthquakes for $425,000 in GAM and a 2025 international roster slot. Elsewhere, Sporting Kansas City acquired forward Santiago Muñoz on loan from Liga MX side Santos Laguna.

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That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the full slate of matches coming up.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/22/25

Pedro Gallese earns recognition, Americans in midweek action, English promotion update, and more.

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2 days ago

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April 22, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Well it wasn’t the worst weekend that Orlando soccer has ever had, but it certainly wasn’t the best either. Fortunately, all three of Orlando’s teams will be back in action soon, so there’s no need to dwell on the past too much. Let’s take a moment to wish a happy birthday to the Orlando Pride’s Brianna Martinez, as well as to Kaká! Now, it’s time to turn our attention to today’s links.

Pedro Gallese Earns Weekly Recognition

Pedro Gallese kept a third clean sheet in a row and Orlando City’s third clean sheet of the year in the team’s scoreless draw on the road against CF Montreal. In recognition of his efforts during the match, Gallese was named to the bench of the latest edition of the MLS Team of the Matchday. El Pulpo made six saves to blank a Montreal team that intently searched for a breakthrough, and made a couple of truly excellent second half stops that kept the score level. Congrats to Pedro and keep up the good work!

Americans in Midweek Action

A number of Americans will be playing games during the working week, and there are some big matches to keep an eye on. The main event is on Wednesday, when Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan face Inter Milan in the second leg of the Coppa Italia semifinal, which is tied 1-1 after the first leg. Also on Wednesday, Chris Richards, Matt Turner, and Crystal Palace will play Arsenal in the Premier League. Thursday then has Malik Tillman, Richy Ledezma, and PSV Eindhoven playing FC Twente in the Eredivisie, while Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis play Valladolid in La Liga action.

English Promotion Update

Following results in the EFL Championship on Monday, Leeds United and Burnley have both secured promotion to the Premier League for next season. Both teams won their respective games and are each on 94 points, and with just two matches left, third-placed Sheffield United has no way to catch them. The other promoted side will be determined after the promotion playoffs, which would feature Sheffield United, Sunderland, Bristol City, and Coventry City if the season ended today. Meanwhile in League One, Wrexham’s 2-1 victory over Blackpool meant the Dragons retook second place and the automatic promotion spot that comes with it. If they beat Charlton on Sunday and Wycombe Wanderers drop points against Leyton Orient, then Wrexham would secure promotion to the Championship.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

Transfer rumors continue to fly thick and fast as we approach the business end of most European seasons, so let’s take a look at a few items worth catching up on. Manchester United is said to be keen on signing 17-year-old Argentine Franco Mastantuono from River Plate. Liverpool is reportedly interested in signing winger Ademola Lookman from Atalanta, although the Reds would likely face competition from several other Premier League teams. Finally, Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro has revealed that he and Xabi Alonso have a gentleman’s agreement that if a team the Spaniard used to play for is interested in hiring him as its coach, then the club will not hinder the process. The statement has led to renewed speculation that Alonso will be named Real Madrid coach if Carlo Ancelotti leaves in the summer.

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That’s all I have for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!

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