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Intelligence Report: Orlando City vs. Atlanta United

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Well guys, we made it. I haven’t written one of these since November, but it’s finally the day before match day once again, which means I get to once again bring you a preview of Orlando City’s opposition from the viewpoint of a fellow SBNation blog.

This week, Orlando kicks off its 2021 season against Atlanta United, so I spoke with Dirty South Soccer’s David McFarland. As usual, he was very informative and helped bring us up to speed on what the Five Stripes look like this year. I also answered a few of his questions about OCSC, which you can find over at their place.

Obviously you don’t have a ton to go on with Atlanta only having played 2 competitive games under Gabriel Heinze, but how has the team looked so far?

David McFarland: We’ve seen three distinct forms of Atlanta United so far. The first 40 minutes in the first leg against Alajuelense was the best Atlanta has played since February 2020 (though that doesn’t mean much), with the Five Stripes dominating possession and circulating the ball with precision and speed for what felt like the first time in forever. Brad Guzan’s straight red card meant Atlanta had to bunker, but the Five Stripes held their own despite constant Alajuelense pressure.

The second leg then featured an overarching theme of sloppiness and overall disjointed play. In other words, exactly as you would expect a team with as many new faces as we have to play in its second game under a brand-new head coach. Growing pains are expected, and I think it will take at least a month for the best version of this team to appear. Still, the positive signs are there and some of the new signings already look more than capable. Orlando has probably felt similar, but it’s a great relief to finally see Atlanta United following a path again after last season’s aimless wandering.

You guys are getting Josef Martinez back after he missed last season through injury, which is obviously a huge deal on the field, but what do you think his return does for the team from a mental standpoint?

DM: Not only does Josef provide the goals, but he’s the heart and soul of Atlanta. When he went down injured last season, the team went down with him in a way. His emotion and passion were sorely missed in a dismal 2020 season, but now that he’s back Atlanta is already one step closer to re-finding its heights. It may still be a while before he’s back at 100% physically, but half the battle is already won just seeing him out on the pitch.

Tell me about how the roster has changed from last year. What were the biggest departures and arrivals?

DM: The one constant from the last couple of years in Atlanta has been major roster overhauls, and 2021 continued the tradition. Long-time stalwarts like Eric Remedi and Franco Escobar departed, while Fernando Meza was shipped out after only one season. Several other fringe players departed as well. The big signings were Santiago Sosa, Franco Ibarra, Alan Franco, and Ronald Hernandez. Sosa cost several million dollars to River Plate, but the midfielder looks the real deal so far. He’s splayed frequent long balls throughout the midfield but has a physical edge to his game as well. The Argentine already looks to be a penciled-in starter. 

Ibarra is also a U-22 midfielder albeit a few steps behind Sosa in the development process. We may not see the best of him this season, but I’m excited to see him grow. Franco is a 24-year-old center-back brought in to solve Atlanta’s defensive issues and has high expectations thanks to his Designated Player deal. Hernandez is a right back on loan from Aberdeen and a bit of an unknown, but if he clicks under Heinze he could be one of the better fullbacks in MLS.

Are there any injuries or suspensions that will keep players unavailable for selection? What is your projected starting lineup and score prediction?

DM: I see Gabriel Heinze lining up in a 4-3-3 with Brad Guzan in goal, George Bello, Anton Walkes, Miles Robinson, and Brooks Lennon across the back line, while Santiago Sosa, Emerson Hyndman, and Marcelino Moreno will make up the midfield. The front three could have Ezequiel Barco and Jurgen Damm flanking Lisandro Lopez.

New center back Alan Franco is dealing with paperwork issues, Ronald Hernandez hasn’t made a match day squad yet, and Josef Martinez started Tuesday and is unlikely to get the nod again so soon. The only other question mark is whether Damm or Jake Mulraney starts after both were less than convincing against Alajuelense. I think Damm is the better option with his speed, but Mulraney seems a more natural fit for Heinze’s style of play.

As for the score, I’ll go with a 1-0 win for Atlanta. Would I really put any money on that happening? No. But is it possible? Yeah, I’d say so. The Five Stripes’ defense was their strong suit against Alajuelense, and if Atlanta snatches a lead, a rusty Orlando attack could struggle to find a way through. But first and foremost Atlanta has to improve from its second leg performance to even dream of a result.


Big thanks as always to David for a great briefing on a new-look Atlanta team. Vamos Orlando!

Opinion

Predicting Orlando City’s June Results

It’s time to take a glimpse into the future and predict how Orlando City will fare during the month of June.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

We’re almost to the end of what’s been an extremely packed month of May for Orlando City. After the conclusion of Saturday’s match against the Chicago Fire, the Lions will have played nine matches in the span of 28 days. OCSC has basically played a match every three days, which is an absurd pace. Other than two recent blemishes, Orlando has mostly handled it exceedingly well though, and June presents a much lighter schedule for our brave heroes.

The Lions play just three games next month and will have two weeks off between Saturday’s match against the Fire and their next game. Without any further ado, I will now attempt to peer into the crystal ball and predict the results of Orlando’s three games in June.

Saturday, June 14 — at Colorado Rapids

Orlando will return to action after a two-week layoff by hopping on the purple plane and flying west to take on Colorado. The Rapids are currently eighth in a crowded Western conference table with 22 points, and they are 10 points off the Vancouver Whitecaps at the top of the table. They’ve put together a pretty even season so far with a record of 6-6-4 (W-L-D). The biggest problem for Colorado has been scoring goals, as the Rapids only have 18 goals in 16 games and have been held scoreless five times in the league. They have this week off, and won’t return to action until June 7, when they host Austin FC. I give Orlando City the edge in this match, and hopefully that extra rest will help the good guys hang tough at altitude. The Lions have been defensively sound recently — when they’ve had all 11 men on the field — while also still being able to put the ball in the back of the net several times a game. Shutting down Djordje Mihailovic is going to be key, but I like Orlando’s chances given its recent form and the fact that the Lions will be well rested.

Prediction: Orlando City 3-1 Colorado Rapids.


Wednesday, June 25 — at St. Louis City

I refuse to capitalize every letter in “City” in St. Louis City’s name, because frankly I think it’s a ridiculous stylistic choice. The team also hasn’t been very good this year, so it doesn’t deserve me catering to it in that manner. St. Louis is currently 2-8-5 and only truly woeful campaigns by CF Montreal and the LA Galaxy are saving it from leading the Wooden Spoon race with 11 points. It makes Colorado look like an offensive juggernaut, as it’s only scored 11 goals in 15 games. St. Louis isn’t bad defensively, as it’s only conceded 20 goals, but it’s always going to be a struggle when you average scoring just 0.73 goals a game. Its form was enough to get Head Coach Olof Mellberg fired, and he lasted just over six months on the job. The club hasn’t won since a March 15 match against the Galaxy and has a tricky upcoming slate, with a home match against the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday, an away game against the Portland Timbers on June 8, and a home match against the Galaxy on June 14. With a week and a half between the Colorado match and this one, I once again like Orlando City in this game. Unless St. Louis can find its shooting boots, I don’t see it offering much threat against a rested Orlando defense that has come on strong since a shaky start to the year.

Prediction: Orlando City 2-0 St. Louis City.


Saturday, June 28 — vs. FC Cincinnati

OCSC wraps up June by returning home to play one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference on short rest. It isn’t ideal, but it isn’t the worst thing in the world either. Cincy has been good this year, compiling a record of 9-4-3 and 30 points to sit second in the East. New signings Evander and Kevin Denkey have been as good as you would expect, as Evander has seven goals and five assists in 14 appearances, and Denkey has nine goals in 15 games. As a team, Cincinnati has scored 24 goals and conceded 22, so it’s been a balanced campaign to this point. It’ll be coming to the end of a stretch of three straight road games, as Cincy will be away to the New England Revolution on June 14 and then at CF Montreal on June 25, so it’ll also be traveling on short rest. That said, aside from the Philadelphia Union, Cincy is the toughest team the Lions will have faced in MLS play, and stopping both Evander and Denkey is far from an easy task. This reeks of a draw that has a couple of goals for each team, so that’s what I’ll be going with.

Prediction: Orlando City 2-2 FC Cincinnati.


There you have it. I’ve scrutinized the tea leaves and you now know what the path ahead holds for the Lions. Be sure to check back in at the end of June so you can marvel at how stunningly accurate my forecast was. Until then, feel free to either disagree or tell me how crystal clear my visions are down in the comments. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 5/30/25

Orlando City players called up, Orlando Pride sign Simone Jackson, USWNT gets ready to play China, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday! It’s been a bit of a brutal week, but we’ve made it through. Our reward is an exciting weekend of soccer to enjoy to close out the month. I’ll be spending most of the weekend working, but it should still be a nice next few days. Let’s dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world.

Lions Called Up For International Duty

Orlando City goalkeeper Pedro Gallese was predictably called up for Peru’s CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers. Peru is ninth in the standings and will take on Colombia June 6 before hosting Ecuador on June 10.

Defender David Brekalo was called up by Slovenian for a pair of friendlies against Luxembourg and Bosnia and Herzegovina. These matches will help prepare Slovenia for World Cup qualifying this fall against Sweden, Switzerland, and Kosovo.

A few Young Lions are also heading to Europe for the UEFA Friendship Cup in Switzerland. The U.S. will represent Concacaf at the U-18 tournament, and OCB players Justin Ellis, Colin Guske, and Jackson Platts were called up for it.

Orlando Pride Sign Simone Jackson

The Orlando Pride signed forward Simone Jackson to a contract through the 2028 season. Jackson played at the University of Southern California for four years, recording 22 goals and 13 assists in 75 games, and trained with the Pride during the preseason. Internationally, she’s represented the U.S. at various youth levels and scored a goal in the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. The 22-year-old gives Orlando some helpful depth up front and can develop her game learning from some of the best attackers in the sport as well.

USWNT Prepares For Friendly Against China

The United States Women’s National Team will take on China Saturday at Allianz Field in St. Paul, MN in the first of two friendlies during this international window. Orlando Pride defenders Emily Sams and Kerry Abello were both called up to join a young roster as the team builds a foundation before the 2027 Women’s World Cup. Goalkeeper will continue to be a position to watch, as opportunity knocks for Phallon Tullis-Joyce, Mandy McGlynn, and Claudia Dickey to stake a claim as the team’s starter. Following this match, the USWNT will take on Jamaica in St. Louis on Tuesday before a pair of friendlies against Ireland later in June.

Denver’s NWSL Team Hires First General Manager

Denver’s NWSL team hired Curt Johnson to serve as the club’s first general manager. He will have the opportunity to build the team’s roster and staff from the ground up before the team takes the field as an expansion side in 2026. Johnson left the North Carolina Courage in December and was the chief soccer officer when the club dominated the league in 2018 and 2019. It looks like a solid hire in my opinion and I’m interested to see what kind of team he puts together in Denver.

Free Kicks


That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Chicago Fire: Three Keys to Victory

What do the Lions need to do to secure a victory against Chicago at home?

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City ends May the way it began, with a match against the Chicago Fire. The Lions are coming off a wild and disappointing match against rival Atlanta United. I always worry about a team after such an emotional outing, and on short rest to boot, especially since the Fire were off during the midweek. How the team reacts will determine the result. What does Orlando City need to do to take all three points from Chicago at home?

Defend this House

Much like the last time, Orlando City will need to deal with Hugo Cuypers and the rest of Chicago’s attack. The Lions likely won’t get the benefit of having Chris Brady sent off in the 36th minute again, meaning they will need to defend more attacks for a longer time. In the last match, Chicago took 16 shots, putting eight of those on target. Limiting those chances will be critical.

I expect to see Alex Freeman, Rodrigo Schlegel, Robin Jansson, and David Brekalo starting on the back line despite having done so Wednesday night. No cheap giveaways, no errant arms away from the body in the box, just solid defending for 90 plus minutes. The Lions will have to do it without Cesar Araujo, thanks to his sending off against Atlanta. I think they can, but it will be more difficult without him.

Atuesta Ahoy

Eduard Atuesta played the full 90 minutes against the Portland Timbers, and then played limited minutes against Atlanta United. I completely agreed with that strategy, because he did not need to be playing too many minutes so soon after returning. He is also working back to full fitness. He will be rested for this home match, and the pitch conditions will be much better.

We were reminded of how good he is in the attacking midfield in that match against Portland. I need him to provide those slicing passes through tiny windows against the Chicago defense. Joran Gerbet has proven to be a steal in the draft, but he doesn’t yet have that extra bit of quality you see from Atuesta. Look for him to break Chicago’s lines.

Early and Often

Orlando City will come in on three days rest, whereas Chicago will be on six days rest. This match will also be the Lions’ ninth match in May — their seventh in the league and two more in the U.S. Open Cup. To say that tired legs will be a concern is an understatement. As such, Orlando City needs to jump out to an early lead as it did against Atlanta.

Fortunately, there was more rotation in the attack on Wednesday for Orlando City with Ramiro Enrique getting the start. That means Luis Muriel will be fresh for a start on the much nicer grass at Inter&Co Stadium. I’ll take a goal from Muriel, or frankly any Orlando player. Heck, Jansson is due for one, right? Multiple goals will likely be needed to secure a victory.


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

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