Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Atlanta United: Final Score 0-0 as Lions Open Season with Another Draw
Lions generated some good chances on opening day, but just couldn’t get the last touch quite right.

Orlando City generated better opportunities in a defensive struggle on opening day against Atlanta United, but ultimately had to settle for a 0-0 draw at Exploria Stadium. The Lions drew on opening day for the sixth time in seven years, with the only non-draw coming 2017 when they beat New York City FC in the first game ever at Exploria.
With the draw, Orlando is unbeaten in its last five games against Atlanta United, and is now 2-6-5 (W-L-D) in the all-time series in league play and 2-7-5 in all competitions. Orlando City starts the season 0-0-1 yet again.
“Good match. It was back and forth,” Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “In the second half, I think we had more balance. In the middle we started just creating more numerical superiority and I did like the team. But the game was intense. We found a good team in front of us and we’re going to take the point and start our season this way.”
Pareja did not have Uri Rosell or Robin Jansson (both have the dreaded lower body injury), so Pedro Gallese looked out at a back line of Kyle Smith, Rodrigo Schlegel, Antonio Carlos, and Ruan. Sebas Mendez and Junior Urso played central midfield, with Nani, Chris Mueller, Tesho Akindele, and Alexandre Pato as attacking options.

The first half looked like a typical opening game. There were good passages of play but things broke down when players tried to read the game and thread passes in tighter spaces in the final third. There were fouls on both ends that Jair Marrufo let go, which perhaps prevented some chances as well, as the veteran referee was not in the mood to blow the whistle early in this one.
Orlando got an opportunity 15 minutes in when Urso was sent into the box but he took an extra touch and that allowed the defense to knock the ball away for a corner. Four minutes later, Ruan cut inside and had a shot blocked which would have fallen to Mueller had he not been knocked down. Marrufo wasn’t interested in making a call. Urso fired well over the bar in the 25th minute as the Lions continued to lack sharpness in the final third, and link-up play with Pato too often seemed to be two players looking for something different.
Pato nearly got behind the defense in the 28th minute, but he had his run cut off just outside the box. Again, Marrufo wasn’t interested. Nani got the first shot on goal in the game when the Atlanta defense gave him too much space and his shot was headed inside the right post but Brad Guzan made the save.
Smith conceded a couple of free kicks after a bright start, allowing Atlanta a few set piece opportunities but nothing came of them. An Atlanta shot was deflected wide from the top of the box to set up a corner and the entry ball was headed wide by Marcelino Moreno.
Urso and Mueller each failed to get a header on target from set pieces as the first half wound down and the last good opportunity saw Jake Mulraney cut inside and fire a shot that Gallese saved comfortably on Atlanta’s first shot on target.
Atlanta had more shots (6-5), with each team getting one on target, won more corners (4-2), held more possession (59.1%-40.9%), and passed more accurately (88.5%-84.7%).
“The nerves were kind of there in the first half,” Mueller said. “It was, you know, pretty frantic. It was all over the place.”
Andres Perea came on for Akindele after the halftime break and Orlando looked more fluid in the attack. Atlanta continued to have more of the ball, which was fine with the Lions, who did a good job of keeping everything wide and preventing the visitors from generating much of a threat.
Perea’s first touch nearly opened the scoring. Mueller centered a pass to him and Perea fired but his shot was straight at Guzan, who made the save. Moments later, Ruan zigzagged down the right side and won a corner. Carlos got his head to the cross but hit it straight down and it bounced wide of goal. Perea then tried to pick out Pato in the box in the 51st minute but the Atlanta defense was able to knock it away before it could find the Brazilian.
“In the second half we (were) much more balanced in the middle,” Pareja said. “We need a player who can mix the energy there, who can bring us some legs too. Andres knows how to do it. He has a lot of glue, he has a lot of range, and we needed to stop his number five (Santiago Sosa), who is a key player for them and Andres did that job. So we cut that connection and we started increasing ours, and stretching Pato as the number nine as well. It just gave us some space and more creativity in that part of the field, and that’s that’s why we created the best options in the game.”
Atlanta’s first look came in the 57th minute when George Bello jumped into the play and got into the box. Schlegel came over to pressure him and the fullback’s shot went wide.
Mendez nearly got in alone in the box three minutes later but Guzan came off his line to smother the ball first. Two minutes later, Orlando nearly scored. The ball was pinging around with Pato and Mendez in front of goal, and it was the midfielder who ended up trying a spinning shot but he hit it wide. Had Pato been able to get there instead it was likely a goal.
Both teams started substituting between the 60th and 75th minutes, trying to find an edge to take control of the game. Benji Michel came on for Nani on the Orlando side.
The Lions came closest to scoring in the 72nd minute, when a cross from Mueller on the left found Pato in the middle. The Brazilian shot with his first touch and his attempt came off a defender and then hit the outstretched arm of Guzan, who scrambled on top of the rebound as it was rolling toward the goal line.
Pato went down with an injury in the 78th minute on a play without contact. He jumped to avoid what could have been an absolutely devastating tackle at the top of the box and went down after he landed, holding the back of his knee. He was able to walk off under his own power but was forced out of the game, making way for Silvester van der Water’s MLS debut.
“Good game for Alex,” Pareja said of Pato’s debut. “That commitment that he has with his team. He tried to create from that zone where we put him in the first half. I think we could find those spaces and then he is very crafty with the ball and created some chances for us. Second half as well, when we stretched him as a number nine. We had the best of him, put him in front of the goal twice. The doctors will evaluate what happened. We don’t have the diagnosis yet.”
Josef Martinez came on for Atlanta but didn’t do much. He did get onto a set piece but headed it well wide of goal on the last decent look for either side. In the end, the two southeast rivals had to settle for a point apiece.
Each team fired 11 shots and got three on target. Atlanta held more possession (59.7%-40.3%), had more corners (4-3), and was more accurate in passing (88%-82.2%).
“I think it was good to get back out there and try and catch some of our rhythm,” Mueller said. “I think it was obviously difficult conditions, just with the heat and everything. I think that we lacked a little bit of quality moving forward and in our positioning. I think that it would be really helpful for us to look at the film and see the areas where we can improve for next week, but overall it felt nice to get back out there and get some minutes under our legs and we’re definitely looking to build on that moving forward.”
The Lions will head out on the road for their second game, traveling to face Sporting Kansas City next Friday at 8 p.m. ET.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 10/2/23
Orlando City’s trophy aspirations, the Orlando Pride playoff hunt, OCB falls to Columbus Crew 2, and more.

Merry Monday morning, Mane Landers! Though I’m still reveling in the huge win over CF Montreal, I’m also looking ahead to a big week for both Orlando City and the Orlando Pride. It’s such a great time of the year with MLS and NWSL matches, plus the European leagues, and American football. So much to watch, so little sleep to be had. Let’s get to the links.
Lions Looking for Hardware
Orlando City set a record for wins and points in a season with the win over CF Montreal on Saturday night. Hopefully it’s a record that will be extended over the final three matches of the regular season. The coaches and the players certainly think that Orlando City has an opportunity to win the MLS Cup. Where the Lions finish in the standings will go a long way towards reaching the final and that all starts Wednesday night.
The Pride’s Playoff Push
The Orlando Pride continue their push to make the NWSL playoffs for the first time since the 2017 season with a trip across the country to take on Angel City FC later tonight. It is the first of two away matches this week — the last road games of the regular season. The Pride sit just above Angel City in the standings with the clubs in seventh and eighth places, respectively. The game will be Marta’s 100th match over all competitions. Securing three points over Angel City would make a big difference in the Pride’s race to the playoffs. Keep an eye out for our preview later today.
OCB Penalized Out of the Playoffs
On The Mane Land PawedCast, we often describe Orlando City B matches as being “drunk.” OCB’s 2-1 playoff loss to Columbus Crew 2 will definitely be described as such. There were three red cards, two penalties, and Jack Lynn didn’t score a goal for once. There were some questionable calls by both the refs and by OCB Head Coach Martin Perelman, but conceding only from the penalty spot while outscoring the hosts in the run of play won’t (and shouldn’t) sit well with the Young Lions. While the result is disappointing, one should remember that OCB is a development squad, and one that made the playoffs to boot.
USMNT Players in Action Abroad
USMNT players made some noise this weekend. Christian Pulisic played 82 minutes and scored AC Milan’s winning goal in the club’s 2-0 victory over Lazio. It was one of two shots on target for the American. Striker Folarin Balogun missed not one, but two penalty shots in Monaco’s match against Marseille. Fortunately, Balogun scored an equalizer in the run of play and his teammate secured the 3-2 win. The win moves Monaco to the top of Ligue 1.
Over in the Eredivisie, Malik Tillman got his first start for PSV. Tillman provided an assist and scored the game winner late in second-half stoppage time to give PSV a 3-1 win over FC Volendam. It was a Man of the Match performance by the American. In less good news, Tyler Adams will miss more time with AFC Bournemouth as he has had a setback with his hamstring injury. How long he will be out is still to be determined.
Free Kicks
- The San Diego Wave are the first NWSL team to secure a playoff spot thanks in part to Alex Morgan’s goal in the Wave’s 2-0 victory over the Portland Thorns.
- FSU women’s soccer remained undefeated over two matches this week. The first match saw the Noles equalize in the literal last second in a 3-3 draw with North Carolina. The second match was a 2-0 win over The University of Miami.
- Mia Fishel made her debut for Chelsea and scored a goal for her new club in a 2-1 win over Tottenham. Her great start comes only a week or so after her USWNT debut.
- Matt Turner is a golf fan, but he didn’t get drawn into commenting on the U.S. Ryder Cup loss to England. Smart move considering he plays for Nottingham Forest in England.
- Christian Pulisic’s dad wasn’t quite as animated as others following his son’s goal for AC Milan. I’m not saying he wasn’t happy, but he definitely stayed cool and calm.
That will do it for today. It’s a busy week coming up with Pride matches tonight and on Friday, and the Lions playing on Wednesday and Saturday. Check back for all of our coverage of your favorite teams. Vamos Orlando!
Orlando City
Orlando City vs. CF Montreal: Player Grades and Man of the Match
How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando’s 3-0 home win over CF Montreal?

Orlando City returned to its winning ways with a convincing 3-0 victory at home against CF Montreal. An own goal by Montreal goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois got the scoring started in the first half. Facundo Torres and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson each scored nice team goals in the second half as the Lions cruised to victory against a Montreal side that hasn’t won since Aug. 26. The win set club records for both most points (54) and most wins (15) in a season since the Lions joined MLS in 2015.
Here’s how I saw each individual performance in Orlando’s dominant win at Exploria Stadium.
Starters
GK, Pedro Gallese, 6.5 — The Peruvian had one of his quietest nights of the season and didn’t have to make a save until the second half. That first save was a great one though, as he parried away a sudden shot from Mason Toye with little room to spare in the 76th minute. His only other save was an easy catch shortly after off of a Mathieu Choiniere from outside the area. Gallese completed 61.8% of his 34 passes and seven of his 20 long balls found their man. El Pulpo likely won’t have many complaints about a slow night at the office as he earned his ninth clean sheet of the season, which ties his high in an MLS season, set last year.
D, Rafael Santos, 7.5 — The Brazilian left back was dangerous from start to finish in one of his best games as a Lion. He notched his third assist of the campaign with a low cross that zipped through traffic and found fellow fullback Thorhallsson’s run. It was a chance he sparked himself by winning the ball in the midfield before booking it out wide. His cross on the first goal was just as good, as he was both patient and clinical to find Torres open in the box. Of his four crosses, two were successful and the misses had some venom on them as well. He also completed three of his five long balls and had 51 passes at an 82.4% success rate. Santos was defensively sound, leading the Lions with four tackles, making an interception as well, and winning two of his three aerial duels. Santos flourished once Orlando had its wingers switch sides, allowing him to work in tandem with Torres with overlapping runs and room to work.
D, Robin Jansson, 7 — The Beefy Swede was as strong as always in the center of Orlando’s defense, although he didn’t have to put out as many fires in this one thanks to his defensive midfielders. Jansson had a tackle, an interception, and a clearance as he broke up plays and kept Montreal’s offense in check. His only miscue was a worrying turnover in the second half that he promptly rectified with a surgical sliding tackle in the box. A few charges forward and connecting on four of his nine long balls kept Montreal’s defense on its toes as well. He completed 86% of his 50 passes and didn’t commit a single foul in an efficient outing.
D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 7 — Schlegel bounced back from a few underwhelming recent performances with a solid game in this shutout. His four clearances were the most on the team and he won both of his aerial duels. The center back also had a tackle and blocked a shot to make sure Montreal couldn’t get back in the match. His 62 passes were the second-most on the team and he completed 88.7% of them, while also succeeding on two of his four long balls. It was nice to see him calm, cool, and collected as he continues to fill in for Antonio Carlos.
D, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, 7.5 — Thorhallsson got the start again at right back and spent plenty of time in Orlando’s attack. That was more than evident shortly after halftime, when he made a superb run to bury a ball that skipped across the front of goal to double Orlando’s lead. He was credited with one shot (on target) but what must have been ruled a cross from a tight angle also appeared to be an on-target shot. The versatile player is improving with each match played at right back and completed all but one of his 33 passes for an excellent 97% success rate. Although neither of his two crosses were accurate, his lone long ball found its mark and he had a key pass as well. Defensively, he had just one interception, which is in part because of how much time he spent in the thick of things on offense. It was a great game from Thorhallsson, who was subbed out in the 82nd minute for Michael Halliday.
MF, Cesar Araujo, 7.5 — Araujo was a Swiss army knife of sorts for Orlando, doing a little bit of everything to give the Lions an edge all over the field. The 22-year-old directed traffic while on the ball, covered for his defenders as needed, and won a team-high four fouls. His lone shot was a headed effort that went wide, but he got involved on offense by succeeding on four of his nine long balls, with two of those marked as key passes. Araujo’s 76 touches were the most on the team and he was accurate on 88.1% of his 59 passes. He served the role of defensive midfielder well, helping out with two tackles, an interception, a clearance, and plenty of pressure to make life as difficult as possible for Montreal.
MF, Wilder Cartagena, 7.5 — Cartagena did well on both sides of the ball. The Peruvian was credited with an assist for springing Ivan Angulo forward on the third goal, and he had a key pass for setting Torres up for a chance on the volley soon after that with a quick ball out wide. He almost had a goal himself when a free kick found him open in the box, but his header went high for his only shot of the evening. Cartagena’s 63 passes were the most on the team and he completed 93.7% of them while also connecting on four of his five long balls. Defensively, Cartagena didn’t give Montreal’s players much breathing room and blocked a shot.
MF, Ivan Angulo, 6 — The winger struggled when attacking for a majority of his time on the field before coming off in the 64th minute. A lack of vision and execution while on the ball, particularly in the first half, led to some squandered chances that Orlando didn’t end up regretting in the end. Both of his shots were in quick succession, the first saved in a chance he should have done better with and the second fired wide from outside the box with better options available. He scored an easy header on a play from an obviously offside Torres that was correctly flagged after the ball went in. It was far from horrendous from the Colombian though, as he often put himself in good positions to jump on errant passes, provide an outlet for teammates, or demand attention from Montreal’s defenders. His assist came in the second half after he made a nicely timed run and then unselfishly laid the ball off for Torres rather than going for goal himself. It salvaged a fairly forgettable performance that included 38 touches and 28 passes at a strong 89.3% success rate, and an inaccurate cross.
MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 6.5 — The captain was often swarmed when on the ball and had little room to make some of the backbreaking passes he’s shown over the years. He completed four of his five long balls, one of his three crosses, and 83.7% of his 43 passes. Pereyra didn’t have any shots himself, but had two key passes and did well as a facilitator in tight areas to keep Orlando in possession. His free kick that found Cartagena’s head in the box was a good one and he was subbed off for fresher legs while leading.
MF, Facundo Torres, 8 (MotM) — Torres played like a man possessed, doing everything right and more in a dominant performance. Torres’ first of a team-high four shots (two on target) ended up with the ball in the back of the net, as his strike hit the post and then bounced off Sirois and in for an own goal. On his goal, he did well to control Angulo’s pass and slot it past Sirois for his 13th of the season. His movement in the buildup of Thorhallsson’s goal was also commendable, as he made a good run, quickly circled back onside, then slowed the pace of the play down for Santos to make his overlapping run before feeding him. Between those attacking moments and chasing down opponents while up three goals, it was easy to see why European teams are keeping an eye on him. He completed 82.8% of his 29 passes and connected on two of his four crosses, while both of his long ball attempts were unsuccessful. It’s hard to believe he only had 44 touches given the massive impact he had on the field.
F, Duncan McGuire, 7 — The rookie put in a strong performance up top and was credited with an assist for a subtle touch on Thorhallsson’s goal. McGuire made a cutting run to peel Gabriele Corbo towards the end line and then flicked Santos’s cross into the path of charging runs by Angulo and Thorhallsson. He also chested down a long ball from Gallese to Cartagena in transition to help set up Torres’ goal. His only shot of the match was flicked wide, but he had two key passes and showed some prowess in making small passes in the box for his teammates to have open looks. He had 19 touches and 12 passes at a 58.3% success rate, doing well enough in terms of hold-up. McGuire made great runs to keep defenders on their toes, applied pressure to pin Montreal in its own half, and helped out defensively by blocking a shot and clearing the ball on a corner kick.
Substitutes
MF, Martin Ojeda (64′), 6.5 — Ojeda came off the bench with Orlando up three goals and did his part in keeping Montreal’s defense honest, even if he didn’t wind up on the scoresheet. He completed all 15 of his passes and was accurate on both of his long balls. His only shot of the game was an attempt to get the better of Sirois from a tight angle in the box, but the goalkeeper came up with the save. All in all, it was an efficient outing from the Designated Player off the bench.
F, Ramiro Enrique (64′), 6.5 — Enrique came on alongside Ojeda and brought plenty of energy with him to keep the Lions in the driver’s seat. Both of Enrique’s shots were from outside the box, with one blocked and the other saved by Sirois. He completed four of his seven passes and finished the game with 13 touches. Despite his size, he won two of his three aerial duels as well. Enrique received a curious yellow card after beating Nathan Saliba to a sliding challenge and winning the ball.
MF, Gaston Gonzalez (75′), 6 — The winger received some more minutes and did well enough while on the field. He had eight touches and completed all three of his passes. Although he didn’t have any shots, crosses, or long balls, he did record a key pass for setting up a shot for Enrique. He didn’t make many runs forward, likely due to Orlando’s lead, but looked strong on the ball when he did and wasn’t afraid to take defenders on.
D, Michael Halliday (82′), N/A — The right back replaced Thorhallsson and did well on both sides of the ball. Halliday made a few sprints upfield to give Orlando’s attack another option, but was resolute on the defensive end, even though he didn’t record any stats for his efforts there. He was accurate on three of his four passes and finished with seven touches.
MF, Junior Urso (83′), N/A — The Bear made another cameo off the bench for Orlando. He had six touches and was successful on four of his six passes. Urso wasn’t on the field long enough to warrant a grade, but it was nice to see him get a run out at Explorias Stadium with just one home game remaining.
That’s how I saw the individual performances by the Lions. Let me know where you agree and disagree in the comments below and make sure to vote for your Man of the Match in our poll below.
Orlando City
Orlando City vs. CF Montreal: Five Takeaways
Here’s what we learned from Orlando City’s 3-0 win at home against CF Montreal.

Orlando City defeated CF Montreal 3-0 on a beautiful night at Exploria Stadium. The win gave Orlando City the club record for wins and points scored with three matches still to be played. The Lions remain in second place in the Eastern Conference and are sitting on 15 wins with 54 points. Here are my five takeaways from the record setting win over the Club Foots.
A Rare Sighting
Orlando City did something that the club usually does not do. The Lions scored a goal in the first half. Orlando City controlled the match from the start with the lion’s share of the possession. It finally paid off in the 19th minute when Cesar Araujo played Rafael Santos up the left side. Santos took one touch and then put a cross into the box for a well-positioned Facundo Torres, who put it past Jonathan Sirois. Unfortunately for Torres, the ball bounced off the post and then off of Sirois and into the net for an Orlando City lead. It was rightly given as an own goal, though it will be a Torres goal in my heart.
Missed Opportunities
Yes, Orlando City scored a first-half goal. However, there were so many more chances the club didn’t finish in the first 45 minutes. The Lions officially had four shots in the first half, though Ivan Angulo’s headed goal didn’t count because of an offside call. The first touch of several players wasn’t great, which stopped some nice build-up play from Orlando City. Fortunately, it didn’t come back to haunt the Lions in the end.
I’m a Dagur Dan Man
Dagur Dan Thorhallsson has taken the starting right back position and is not giving it back. He did well on the defensive side, but it’s his play up the wing that I think Oscar Pareja really likes. Thorhallsson is naturally a winger and he showed how effective he can be in the attack for Orlando City. He provided crosses, key passes, and of course the second Orlando City goal. Thorhallsson did what he was supposed to do on that goal. He was at the back post and just tapped it in when the ball found its way though everyone else.
Torres Makes Good
Torres may have not been credited with the first goal, but he made Orlando City’s third goal look easy. To be fair, it was easy. Unlike too many opportunities earlier in the match, Angulo followed the advice of Ted Lasso and made the extra pass. In this case, it was a perfect cross to Torres, who was so alone he had time to settle the ball and then take his time to put it past Sirois into the bottom left corner. Torres is getting hot when Orlando City needs him to do so, and he proved it again against CF Montreal.
Subs, Subs, Subs
With another match this coming Wednesday at Nashville and another next Saturday against the New England Revolution, getting the starters some rest was important. Scoring three goals before the 60th minute allowed Pareja to utilize all his substitutes to get Mauricio Pereyra, Duncan McGuire, Torres, Thorhallson, and Angulo some rest. As Orlando City fights for home field advantage in the playoffs, those minutes will be key to the Lions’ ability to have more performances like Saturday night.
That’s what I took away from Orlando City’s 3-0 win over CF Montreal. Let me know your thoughts on the match in the comments below.
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