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Orlando City vs. New England Revolution: Five Takeaways

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4 years ago

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Orlando City hosted the New England Revolution in the team’s second-ever playoff match, with a spot in the Eastern Conference final on the line. In the end, it was a frustrating, ill-disciplined game that saw Orlando’s incredible season come to its conclusion. Here are my takeaways from the Lions’ final match of 2020.

Unlucky In The First Half

Out of the gate, Orlando City was on the front foot. The Lions dominated possession for much of the first half, especially the first 20 minutes, but they couldn’t capitalize on their early success. They never really asked much of Matt Turner, and got caught on the counter and conceded a penalty for an early goal completely against the run of play. The second goal was more of the same, Orlando held the ball, created a few half chances, but weren’t threatening enough before getting caught on the counter, although they’ll feel hard done by for not getting a foul call at the other end when Nani was dispossessed. 

For all of their positive possession play, they lacked the quality in the final third to make things happen. Nani was sloppy at times, while Daryl Dike and Chris Mueller were largely ineffective for stretches once again. Nani made up for his mistake with a brilliant ball that created Junior Urso’s goal, and things looked solid. 

It was a good first half. Orlando had chances and possession, and was unlucky that New England was more clinical in the final third. There was no reason to expect Orlando couldn’t win this game, but that’s not how things went down.

Moutinho And Ruan Were Desperately Missed

Orlando City hasn’t been the same team without Joao Moutinho at left back, and losing Ruan in this game was another huge blow. Not having that offensive threat from fullback hurt this team. While I like Kamal Miller and Kyle Smith a lot, they have provided next to nothing offensively. Both Ruan and Moutinho provide a real threat out wide with their quality on the ball and ability to cross. They also provide more in transition with their pace, especially Ruan. Without that pacey outlet, Orlando struggled at times to push the game and expose the Revolution in transition. Without help from deep, Nani and Mueller were basically on an island, and they couldn’t muster enough individual brilliance to compensate. 

If Orlando had a healthy Moutinho and not-suspended Ruan, this is a complete team, and losing one of the best fullback pairings in all of MLS severely handicapped the Lions.

Frustration Got to Orlando 

The second half was downright embarrassing at times. The discipline issues that plagued the second half last week — namely Ruan completely losing his cool — came back to bite Orlando in a big way against the Revolution. It started early, with yellow cards against Dike and Antonio Carlos, and while carding those players felt a little unfair, the energy of Orlando City wasn’t good.

There was an obvious frustration and anger that was largely unchecked from this point on that put a nasty stain on the match. With Matt Polster running in transition, Mauricio Pereyra made a late, reckless challenge that caught Polster’s leg with his studs. While it didn’t seem malicious, it was undeniably a red card and an uncharacteristically poor play from Pereyra. It was a sloppy tackle that was completely unnecessary and ended up costing his team dearly.

Nani could’ve been sent off in the fallout of Mauricio’s red card as well, with his badgering of the official going beyond what should be acceptable. I understand how frustrating it is to have an officiating decision have such a big impact on the game. I understand that Orlando has felt hard done by the referees really their entire existence. But this level of dissent and immaturity was hard to watch. 

The Lions weren’t rejuvenated from this point on, making more mistakes, though nothing as frustrating, and weren’t able to create any real chances, except a penalty kick. Somehow someway, New England threw a spiraling Orlando team a bone by fouling Dike in the box, setting up a Nani penalty. Unfortunately, it was a lackluster strike from Nani — credit to Turner for a nice save, but it was still a poor spot kick — and the chance was gone. 

Orlando was on the front foot for most of this game, but it was a lack of composure or discipline that did the Lions in. When your best players are making mistakes like this and the overall energy of the game is that negative, it’s impossible to get anything going. New England played a good game with relatively few mistakes and great contributions from their best players, but Orlando lost more than the Revolution won.

Strikers Fail To Impress

As the game wound down and Orlando was running out of time to equalize, Oscar Pareja threw the kitchen sink at New England, subbing on two strikers, Benji Michel and Tesho Akindele, to compliment Dike in attack. While it was a noble move putting on extra forwards, it did very little. The two substitutions combined for one shot on target in their near 20 minutes of game time, and while their pace was a welcome addition, they didn’t contribute much in the way of possession or chances. None of the strikers, including Dike, who went the full 90, completed more than six passes, and nobody registered a shot on target.

There were positives, with Dike making several nice moves, including drawing the penalty, but it was a poor display from a forward group who had played well for much of the season.

Brian Rowe Was Solid

It was a big story coming into the match, but the goalkeeper situation for Orlando City was a non-factor. Brian Rowe stepped in for the suspended Pedro Gallese and put in a solid shift. He only made three saves and allowed three goals, but the saves were good and the goals weren’t all on him. He nearly made a catastrophic mistake while being pressured on the ball, but he had the quality to escape the press and keep Orlando in the game. 

This isn’t really a surprise given how well he’s played in the past, but it’s nice to know that Orlando has a viable second option between the pipes. Hopefully next season it’ll be a unit of Gallese and Rowe once again.

What takes did I miss from a frustrating end to the year? Comment your takes from Sunday’s game below.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/21/25

Orlando Pride release preseason camp roster, scouting Costa Rica, women’s soccer transfer grades, and more.

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18 hours ago

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January 21, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone! If you had yesterday off for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, then I hope you enjoyed some restful time off. If not, then I hope you got your week started off on a good and productive note. There’s a lot going on around here this week as the United States Men’s National Team is in town, and Orlando City will play its first preseason match on Saturday. That means we have plenty to discuss, so let’s dig into today’s links.

Orlando Pride Drop Preseason Roster

Monday might have been a holiday but the Orlando Pride were busy, as they announced the roster for their upcoming preseason camp. Almost all of the usual suspects from the 2024 season are back, as the Pride return 98% of the player-minutes from last season and every single scorer. Mariana Larroquette is on the list although she’s currently on loan in Argentina, and Amanda Allen is likewise included after her loan at Lexington Sporting Club was terminated due to a torn labrum. The biggest intrigue comes from the trio of non-roster invitees: goalkeeper DeAira Jackson, midfielder Aryssa Mahrt, and forward Simone Jackson.

Scouting Costa Rica

The USMNT takes on Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium to wrap up the team’s annual January camp. Like the U.S., Costa Rica is bringing a roster devoid of the majority of its important players. Costa Rica also has a new manager at the helm in Miguel Herrera, who will take charge of the team for the very first time on Wednesday. Herrera typically lines his teams up in a 5-3-2 where the wingbacks take on a very important role and the team looks to hit on the counter while staying compact at the back. This will be the last time we see the USMNT in action until the Concacaf Nations League semifinals in early March.

Women’s Soccer January Transfer Grades

January has been a busy time for transfers in the women’s soccer world, so which teams have done the best business? Well, the Orlando Pride received an A grade for signing Marta to a new two-year deal, retaining a player who helped the team win its first ever trophies. Liverpool got an A for signing Julia Bartel on loan from Chelsea. Leicester City made an interesting call by transferring goalkeeper Lize Kop to Tottenham despite just being a point above the relegation zone. The Foxes get a C for the move, while Spurs get a B+ for adding a capable netminder.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans taking part in some very important games over the course of this week. Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus face Club Brugge today in the UEFA Champions League, while Ricardo Pepi, Richy Ledezma, Esmir Bajraktarević, Malik Tillman and PSV Eindhoven take on Crvena Zvezda in the same competition. Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan will play Girona in the UCL on Wednesday, while Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic take on Young Boys. On Friday, John Tolkin could make his Bundesliga debut when his new team, Holstein Kiel, travels to face Wolfsburg.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando Pride players reported for their preseason physicals on Monday.
  • Meanwhile, Orlando City took on the dreaded beep test during Monday’s training session.

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

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Orlando City

Striker Suddenly a Position of Need for Orlando City

Departures and a key injury mean Orlando City needs a striker heading into the 2025 MLS season.

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2 days ago

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January 20, 2025

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Image Courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City reached the Eastern Conference Final for the first time in 2024, a milestone for the club. The core of the team was locked up through the 2025 season, so there was no reason to believe it needed to add much this off-season. Unfortunately, injuries and departures have created a serious problem for the team.

The group of forwards last year consisted of Duncan McGuire, Ramiro Enrique, and Jack Lynn. McGuire scored 15 goals in 2023 and was expected to depart for Blackburn Rovers before a clerical error allowed the Lions to keep their target man. The team’s primary striker scored 11 goals in 37 games — the same number as the previous season — but split time starting with Enrique. The Argentinian improved greatly in 2024, increasing his total goal tally from four to 12. Even Lynn showed tremendous improvement last year, playing a greater role in the team and scoring his first two MLS goals.

The future also seemed bright for the Orlando City forwards because of their ages. Lynn is the oldest of the trio at just 25 years old. Meanwhile, McGuire and Enrique are only 23, so there was no reason to believe this group couldn’t produce this coming season.

The problem at striker began in the postseason when McGuire was pulled down by Charlotte FC midfielder Djibril Diani in the final first round game of the playoffs. McGuire suffered a shoulder injury during the challenge that required surgery on Dec. 13. It’s expected that the striker could take four to five months to return to action, possibly leaving him out until May or June.

Another blow to Orlando’s attack occurred Saturday when Lynn surprisingly announced his retirement from professional soccer. In just over a month, Orlando City went from having three strikers to having just one as preseason training starts.

With McGuire injured and Lynn gone, one option would be to have Designated Player Luis Muriel play up top. However, the Colombian prefers to play a more withdrawn position and proved to be effective in that role last year. Since Head Coach Oscar Pareja prefers to play a 4-2-3-1 formation, the Lions need someone up top to control the ball and involve the midfielders in the attack. That’s not Muriel’s game.

The result of these issues is that nobody is currently behind Enrique when the season begins. If the Argentinian gets tired, hurt, or simply needs rest, Pareja is limited in his options. 

Whether there was a lack of strikers or a lack of goals from the position previously, that problem was resolved by the club’s all-time leading goal scorer. Facundo Torres scored 20 goals in 2024, becoming the first player in Orlando City’s MLS history and the second player in club history to do so. He went on to set a new club record for total goals of 47.

However, Orlando City sold its best player to Brazilian side Palmeiras on Dec. 20. It was a gut punch to fans as Torres had signed a new contract on Jan. 10, 2024 that ran through the 2026 season. There had been talk for the last couple of years that the attacker would look for a move to Europe and rumors of a move to South America arose this off-season. Still, it created a huge gap the club has to fill.

There are players on the roster that can make up for the injury and departures. Martin Ojeda had a strong season in 2024, finishing with seven goals and 13 assists. His seven goals ranked fourth on the team and his 13 assists topped the squad alongside Nico Lodeiro. Muriel came on strong later in the season, finishing with five goals and eight assists. But those numbers are a long way from the 20 goals that Torres tallied last year.

Even if you consider all goal contributions, Ojeda and Muriel fall well short of Torres. Ojeda had a total of 20 goal contributions in 2024 while Muriel had 13. In addition to Torres’s 20 goals, he added nine assists for a team-leading 29 goal contributions.

All of this information leads to one undeniable fact — Orlando City needs to sign a striker prior to the season. And there’s not much time for Luiz Muzzi to act. The European transfer window closes on Feb. 3 and many MLS teams have already been filling similar needs. With the season starting in just over a month, the options will be limited if the Lions don’t do something soon.

After the best postseason finish in Orlando City’s MLS history, things were looking good heading into 2025. While the back line and most of the midfield is returning, McGuire’s injury and the departure of Torres and Lynn have left the Lions in a tough spot offensively. If they don’t do something in the next couple of weeks, it could be a long 2025.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/20/25

Orlando City signs Nicolas Rodriguez, Jack Lynn announces retirement, USMNT defeats Venezuela in friendly, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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January 20, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope you’re all having a good holiday weekend as we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Over the past week, I’ve been working and covering high school ice hockey. It will be a busy week in Orlando, with the United States Men’s National Team’s match against Costa Rica on Wednesday and Orlando City’s first preseason match against Atletico Mineiro on Saturday. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Signs Nicolas Rodriguez

Orlando City announced on Friday that the club has signed forward Nicolas Rodriguez from Fortaleza CEIF in Colombia’s top flight. The deal is through the 2027 season, with a club option for 2028, and Rodriguez will occupy a MLS U22 Initiative slot. Rodriguez made 19 appearances for Fortaleza, recording 1,607 minutes, five goals, and three assists during the 2024 Primera A Clausura season. The Lions add a young attacking player the club can develop and Rodriguez can play on the right wing, the right side of a three-man midfield, or in the No. 10 spot.

Jack Lynn Announces Retirement

Orlando City forward Jack Lynn announced his retirement from professional soccer on Saturday. Lynn was drafted by Orlando in the first round of the 2022 MLS SuperDraft. He became a regular starter for Orlando City B, scoring a team-record 38 goals in over three seasons with the MLS NEXT Pro side. Lynn also won the Golden Boot with 19 goals during the 2023 season and became the first OCB player to be named MLS NEXT Pro MVP. He played sparingly with the first team, but he scored twice last season as his role increased. The Lions will likely look to add another striker for more depth up top.

Orlando Pride Acquire Allocation Money in Trade

On Friday, the Orlando Pride announced that the club has acquired $50,000 in Allocation Money from the Washington Spirit. In exchange, the Pride sent the Spirit a 2025 international roster spot. The Pride will face the Spirit in the NWSL Challenge Cup final on March 7 at Inter&Co Stadium.

USMNT Defeats Venezuela in Friendly

The USMNT defeated Venezuela 3-1 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday in a friendly. Jack McGlynn and Patrick Agyemang scored in the first half to give the USMNT a 2-0 lead just before halftime. Matko Milijevic scored the third goal for the Americans in the second half, with Venezuela pulling one back thanks to a goal from Jorge Yriarte. Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has led the USMNT to winning four out of its first five matches since he took charge last September. The USMNT’s next match will be against Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium.

Alyssa Naeher Named U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year

On Saturday, goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher was voted 2024 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year. Naeher won 40% of the vote, while defender Naomi Girma finished in second with 32%. In her final year with the USWNT, Naeher ended 2024 with 18 starts, playing 1,170 minutes and only conceding 11 goals. She played a crucial role with clutch saves to help the USWNT win the 2024 SheBelieves Cup, 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup, and gold at the Olympics in Paris. Naeher is the second goalkeeper to win the award since Hope Solo won it in 2009.

Free Kicks

  • Manchester City forward Erling Haaland has reached an agreement with the club on a record-breaking contract that extends his deal through 2034.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.

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