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Orlando City vs. Toronto FC: Final Score 1-0 as Shorthanded Lions Extend Unbeaten Streak

Lions are unbeaten in six to start the season after Tesho Akindele’s goal buried Toronto FC.

Published

5 years ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

For the second straight week, an early Orlando City goal was enough to win a 1-0 nailbiter as Tesho Akindele’s strike lifted the Lions to a 1-0 win over Toronto FC (1-3-2, 5 points) at Exploria Stadium. Pedro Gallese got his fourth shutout of the year and Orlando (3-0-3, 12 points) extended its best-ever MLS unbeaten streak to start the season to six games.

With the win — just Orlando’s third ever against Toronto — the Lions improved to 3-8-2 in the all-time series (3-4-0 at home). It was Orlando City’s first win over Toronto since July 14, 2018.

“Great three points against a very good rival,” Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “I think today we showed a lot of character. We’re learning how to suffer the moments where the other team is having the better initiative. We could have been more polished to finish but we have to realize that Toronto had some options too and that just highlights the performance of our team defense.”

Without the suspended Nani, and without starting fullbacks Ruan and Joao Moutinho in the lineup, Pareja went with a back line of Rodrigo Schlegel, Robin Jansson, Antonio Carlos, and Kyle Smith in front of goalkeeper Gallese. Junior Urso and Sebas Mendez patrolled central midfield behind an attacking group of Silvester van der Water — his first MLS start — Mauricio Pereyra, and Chris Mueller, with Akindele up top.

Pareja said that Ruan is getting close to returning but wasn’t quite ready and Moutinho had some soreness this week so they held him out as a precaution.

A cagey start to the game saw the two teams playing between the penalty areas, searching for space against the other team’s pressure. The first good look nearly fell to Toronto but the offside flag came up. Instead, van der Water nearly opened the scoring with a cheeky chip attempt from distance over Alex Bono, but the shot was wide of the target in the eighth minute. Four minutes later, the Dutchman set up a goal for someone else.

Taking the ball on the right side, van der Water sent a gorgeous cross into the box where both Urso and Akindele were making unmarked runs. The cross found Akindele, who nodded home his second goal of the season in the 12th minute. It was van der Water’s first assist with Orlando.

“I want always to give that ball with my left foot,” van der Water said of his pass to Akindele. “And this moment, I think, was a good moment in the game. It was a special moment of course and we train a lot about this. I’m really happy with the assist.”

A minute after the goal, van der Water had a go from the top of the area but his shot was blocked.

Toronto started growing in the game and finding some space, mainly down the wings. Yeferson Soteldo and Richie Laryea gave Smith and Schlegel fits. A shot from the top of the area was deflected and Gallese stuck out a foot to make a vital save in the 24th minute after the quick change of direction.

Mueller did well to get down the left side in the 30th minute and picked out a perfect pass to van der Water in the middle but the shot was sent straight at Bono.

Two minutes later, Toronto nearly scored. Soteldo got down the left side and beat the fallen Carlos, then chipped the ball to himself over Gallese before sending a shot toward goal that Jansson blocked. Schlegel cleaned up the loose change.

“In that situation I saw that the ball went behind the back line and Pedro went out, so I just tried to cover up behind him in case he was doing something like a chip or something to get through Pedro,” Jansson said. “But I feel like we’re trying to just back up each other, wherever on the field, so that’s the way we do it.”

In the 35th minute, Urso lost the ball in midfield but hustled back in time to block a shot from Jozy Altidore.

Toronto sent a shot over the bar from distance off a short corner kick late in stoppage time and the Lions held their 1-0 advantage at halftime.

Toronto had more shots (7-4), with each team getting two on target. The Reds had more corners (3-1), while the Lions held more possession (54.9%-45.1%) and were more accurate in passing (83.5%-78.8%).

Toronto came out on the front foot to start the second half, looking to equalize quickly, with Kemar Lawrence firing over the bar and Michael Bradley sending a shot wide in the opening minutes of the second period.

The Lions then settled down a bit and created some chances with Akindele getting clear for a shot but firing wide in the 49th minute, and Urso sending a shot off target in the 53rd.

The Reds then began pushing higher and creating some turnovers in the middle of the pitch with quick double-teams that Orlando was slow to play out of.

Still, Orlando didn’t allow many scoring opportunities despite Soteldo and Laryea creating problems on the flanks. Soteldo himself fired 14 crosses into the Orlando area, but only five of those found a teammate and none of them could fight through their defender to equalize.

The Lions should have put the game away in the 68th minute. A good ball over the top sprung Akindele behind the defense but Chris Mavinga hustled back and did just enough to body Tesho while he was trying to shoot and the chance fizzled.

Toronto nearly leveled the game in the 71st minute when substitute Jacob Shaffelburg got to the end line with just enough space to thread a seeing-eye shot along the line past Gallese but Schlegel was there to save it off the line.

The game opened up quite a bit as the Reds threw numbers forward and left gaps for Orlando to get into. Pereyra tried a tight-angle shot from the right in the 72nd minute but Bono was alert to it and made the save. Smith got forward and somehow found himself in the middle of the pitch for a cheeky pass from Urso in the 79th minute. Smith turned and fired but hit the shot at Bono.

Orlando City again should have put the game away in the 84th. Second-half sub Andres Perea sent fellow substitute Benji Michel in behind down the left for an opportunity and the Homegrown Player nearly found a hole. But Bono got enough of it to fight it off for a corner.

Carlos got his head on the ensuing corner but hit his shot just inches over the bar.

After those chances, Toronto did everything it could to tie the match but just couldn’t get anything past El Pulpo.

In the 90th minute, Shaffelburg had a lot of net to shoot at but missed after Gallese had stopped a shot by Ayo Akinola. As the six minutes of stoppage time wound down, Gallese made two big saves and the Lions cleared a last-gasp Toronto corner kick to claim the three points.

Toronto out-shot Orlando 18-10 (6-5 on target), and had more corners (9-4). The Lions held a slight edge in possession (50.6%-49.4%) and were more accurate passers (81.9%-78.9%).

“I think the boys have done a great job on taking care of the details, especially defending the last third when the other team is throwing a lot of numbers in,” Pareja said. “They’re being very generous with each other and helping each other and covering when it’s needed. We’re happy to see a team with that solidness. We would love to have games where we can play more comfortable.”

“I feel like we have been very mature, and we have developed,” Jansson said. “We are better closing down games in a way, but still today we got a lot of pressure. They found a lot of ways to get shots and create in the attack. So, from this game, I think we need to take with us that we need to keep the ball a little bit better, to rest with it in the second half. So, we need to be a little bit smarter there, but otherwise it’s wonderful to get the three points and the clean sheet again.”

The Lions head out on the road next Saturday for a date with the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena. The team will then be off until June 19.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/20/26

New signing for the Orlando Pride, MLS transfer happenings, Americans in midweek action, and more.

Published

19 hours ago

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January 20, 2026

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Image of the Orlando Pride starting XI prior to the 2025 NWSL semifinal against Gotham FC.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone. If you were lucky enough to have Monday off from work, I hope you’re feeling rested and ready to tackle the week. If you weren’t so fortunate, take solace in the fact that you’re one day closer to the weekend. We’ve got plenty to discuss this morning, but before we get into the links, we want to welcome Josh Simon as a subscriber member of The Mane Land . If you’d like to subscribe and receive extra perks, please consider signing up at our Buy Me a Coffee site (or just check it out and swee what’s on offer) at buymeacoffee.com/themaneland. OK, now let’s get into the links!

Orlando Pride Add a Forward

The Orlando Pride kicked off the week by announcing the signing of Jamaican international forward Solai Washington on Monday afternoon. The 20-year-old FSU product joins on a deal that runs through the 2027 season and contains a mutual option for the 2028 campaign. At the international level, Washington has played five times for Jamaica, including three appearances at the 2023 Women’s World Cup when she was only 17. While she has yet to make her professional debut, she’s a young player with plenty of upside, and the Pride have been sorely in need of depth when it comes to the team’s group of attackers. She’s got some excellent players to learn from, and a contract that runs through next season means she should have a couple of years to do so. Welcome to Orlando!

MLS Transfer Roundup

With the beginning of the new Major League Soccer season drawing nearer by the day, the transfer business in and around the league is showing no signs of slowing down. We begin with Inter Miami, which has fully signed Tadeo Allende from Celta Vigo after he spent 2025 on loan with the Herons. Allende is now under contract through June of 2030. Next, there’s the Houston Dynamo, who Tom Bogert says are finalizing the signing of Mateusz Bogusz from Cruz Azul that has been rumored for awhile now.

Mr. Scoops also says that LAFC is putting the final touches on a deal to acquire midfielder Amin Boudri as an MLS U22 Initiative signing.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a whole slew of Americans who will be playing games during the working week, and the Champions League is a recurring theme. Things get going later today when Malik Tillman and Bayer Leverkusen take on Real Madrid, while Folarin Balogun’s Monaco side hits the road to face Real Madrid. Wednesday has Yunus Musah and Atalanta squaring off against Athletic Bilbao, while Tim Weah and Marseille host Liverpool. Attention shifts to the Europa League on Thursday when Auston Trusty and Celtic visit Bologna, while Tanner Tessman and Lyon face Young Boys. Things wrap up on Friday when Damion Downs and Hamburg play James Sands and St. Pauli in the Bundesliga, while West Brom and former Lion Daryl Dike have a road game against Patrick Agyemang and Derby County in the Championship.

AFCON Final Fallout

Saying that the AFCON final was a chaotic affair is an understatement, and now that the dust is settling after the end of the tournament, some of the fallout from the match is beginning to be felt. FIFA President Gianni Infantino criticized the scenes at the final as “unacceptable” and stated his belief that the Confederation of African Football will take disciplinary measures. The Royal Moroccan Football Federation stated that it will file complaints with both FIFA and CAF regarding the bulk of Senegal’s team withdrawing to the locker room after Morocco was given a late penalty kick. Senegal coach Pape Thiaw could be in line to receive match bans for his role in leading Senegal’s players off the field, although its unknown whether any ban would only be for CAF competitions or would come into play at this summer’s World Cup.

Free Kicks

  • Former Lion Cesar Araujo looks to be close to joining a new team.
  • Senegal’s backup goalkeeper didn’t play in the AFCON final but was still extremely active during the game.
  • Charalampos Kostoulas scored a ridiculous goal to help Brighton and Hove Albion rescue a late point against Bournemouth.

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

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Orlando City

Orlando City’s Three Biggest Current Roster Questions

What are the three most concerning issues for Orlando City this preseason?

Published

2 days ago

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January 19, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City has begun its preseason training as the 2026 MLS season nears. The last few weeks have seen signings and departures that have given fans a closer look at what the team will look like when the Lions take on the New York Red Bulls on Feb. 21.

In some cases, the team has made moves that will secure positions that were questionable during the off-season. The two most notable are the signing of Maxime Crepeau as the starting goalkeeper and Martin Ojeda signing a new deal through the 2028-2029 season.

But there are also some questions still to be answered. Let’s take a look at some of the most concerning issues with the current roster.

Who Will Start at Left Back?

Rafael Santos became Orlando City’s starting left back for the 2023 MLS season after the departure of Joao Moutinho.  The Brazilian was a regular in the lineup until early last season when he was relegated to the bench in favor of David Brekalo. The club ended up trading Santos to the Colorado Rapids on Aug. 15, 2025.

Despite not being a natural left back, Brekalo started in the position for the majority of last season until the final three games, when Adrian Marin started in the role. Brekalo started two of the last three games at center back and was away on international duty for the other.

Marin was less than impressive in his first starts for the club. Even though he’s really a center back, Brekalo seemed better at the position than the newer arrival. However, that might not be an option this season and isn’t an ideal situation in any case.

Orlando City sold starting center back Rodrigo Schlegel to Atlas FC on Dec. 16. The decision seemingly forces Brekalo back into the center of the field, where he’ll start alongside club captain Robin Jansson. Even if the club complete the rumored acquisition of Brazilian defender Iago, the departures of both Schlegel and Thomas Williams mean Brekalo will likely need to play his natural position.

That leaves the question of what to do at left back. At this point, Marin starting makes the left back position the weakest of the four. The club doesn’t have any dependable options after Kyle Smith departed the club this off-season. Right now, it will be either Marin or Brekalo, which will cause concerns at the position or leave depth issues at center back. Regardless, it’s an issue that needs to be addressed as the season gets closer.

However, it bears mentioning that Marin had to adjust midseason to a new team on a new continent. It’ll be up to him to settle in during preseason camp and be ready when the season starts.

What Will Happen With Alex Freeman?

The left fullback position isn’t the only potential problem on the back line. A Homegrown product that came through the Orlando City academy and Orlando City B, Freeman made himself a household name last year. The right back quickly took the starting role from Dagur Dan Thorhallsson and started at right back for the U.S. National Team over the summer.

However, his stellar play has also led to interest from clubs overseas. Freeman has publicly stated his desire to play in Europe and he’s currently on a club option year for 2026. If he refuses to re-sign with the club, Orlando City might look to sell him before the European transfer window closes in early February or this summer in the MLS secondary transfer window to avoid losing the 21-year-old for free.

That would leave the Lions with a very serious problem at right back. The Lions traded Thorhallsson to CF Montreal this off-season and, as previously stated, Smith is gone as well. At this point, the starter if Freeman departs would probably be Zakaria Taifi. While the 20-year-old has shown quality for OCB and the first team, he’s still raw with little MLS experience.

As of now, Freeman will be the starter when the season begins and could end up extending his contract with the club, especially since playing in MLS hasn’t hindered his ability to get into the senior national team. But if contract negotiations don’t look positive in the near future, the club will have to figure out what to do with the future of that position.

Will Duncan  McGuire Solidify His Spot Up Top?

The defensive midfield and attacking midfield positions are pretty well set for the 2026 campaign. However, there are definitely some questions when it comes to who will play up top.

The position wasn’t exactly in a great state late in the 2025 season. The two top goal scorers on the team last year were midfielders in Ojeda and Marco Pasalic. Luis Muriel and Ramiro Enrique both scored in double digits in all competitions, but neither is with the club anymore.

The Lions sold Enrique to Saudi side Al-Kholood on Sept. 8, and sold Muriel to Colombia’s Atletico Junior on Jan. 15. That leaves McGuire as the club’s only striker with any considerable experience.

A first-round pick in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft, McGuire had a strong rookie campaign that saw him score 15 goals in 37 appearances in all competitions. He nearly left the club following the season — even traveling to England to finalize the deal — but a clerical error on Blackburn Rovers’ part saw the move fall through.

McGuire’s contributions dipped slightly in 2024 as he scored 11 goals in 37 appearances and it got worse when he suffered a shoulder injury in the first round of the playoffs that required surgery.

The 2025 season was McGuire’s worst since turning professional as he sustained an injury to his other shoulder and watched Muriel and Enrique carry the attacking position until Enrique’s departure. Even when Oscar Pareja put two players up top, he usually paired Ojeda with Muriel rather than McGuire. McGuire only appeared 23 times in 2025 with seven starts in all competitions, scoring just three goals. However, with Muriel’s departure this off-season, McGuire is the only experienced natural striker on the roster.

The main question for McGuire this season will be his health. The attacker has had trouble staying on the field with the back-to-back shoulder injuries. The recent departures and lack of additions into the squad mean he’ll likely be expected to start when the season begins. It could be a bounce back season if he can stay healthy.

However, that’s still a big question. In the meantime, the club still needs depth at that position, regardless of McGuire’s health. It’s something that must be addressed during the preseason. The club does, however, have an open Designated Player slot available.

This off-season has been somewhat troubling for Orlando City fans. The club saw some key departures and not enough additions to feel confident about the upcoming season, but there is still a month before opening day.

As the team goes through preseason training and the first regular-season game gets closer, there are still some issues that must be addressed if the team wants to improve on last year’s disappointing finish. These three questions are the most concerning.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/19/25

Lions signs Harvey Sarajian, Orlando City’s latest transfer rumor, Pride sign three players, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

January 19, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope you all had a good holiday weekend as we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. I’ve been staying busy at work and checked out the 2026 Chicago Cubs Convention over the weekend. Before we get started, let’s all wish OCB’s Titus Sandy Jr. a happy birthday. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Signs First-Round Pick Harvey Sarajian

Orlando City announced Friday that the club has signed 2026 MLS SuperDraft first-round pick Harvey Sarajian to a first-team contract. The deal runs through the 2027-2028 MLS season, with three additional club option years that could keep him in Orlando through 2030-2031. The Naples native began his collegiate career at Georgia Southern before transferring to Wake Forest last year. He scored two goals and added two assists in 17 games last season for the Demon Deacons, but his side fell to SMU in the ACC Tournament and failed to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. Sarajian will likely be a reserve for MLS games this year and develop his game with Orlando City B in MLS NEXT Pro.

Lions Reportedly in Negotiations to Sign Brazilian Defender

According to Tom Bogert of The Athletic, Orlando City is reportedly in negotiations to sign 20-year-old center back Iago from Flamengo in Brazil’s Serie A.

https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/2012983324361343248

Iago joined the club in 2024 and has played for the Flamengo U-20 squad, making 10 appearances and scoring six goals. He has also made five appearances for Flamengo’s first team, scoring one goal across all competitions. According to another report, the two sides have been in negotiations for the last 10 days, and the transfer fee is reportedly $3.5 million. Iago has exceeded the age limit for Flamengo’s U-20 side, and his contract expires at the end of the year as the club looks to sell the defender.

https://twitter.com/JulioMiguelNeto/status/2012974189527855558

Orlando Pride Sign Three Players to One-Year Deals

The Orlando Pride announced Friday that the club has signed forward Seven Castain, goalkeeper Cara Martin, and defender Nicole Payne to one-year contracts for the 2026 NWSL season. Castain spent four seasons playing collegiate soccer at Texas Christian University. She earned 2025 United Soccer Coaches All-America first-team honors, was a MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist, and tied the school’s single-season goals record with 17 in her senior season. Martin played college soccer at Georgetown University, where she was named Big East Goalkeeper of the Year, starting 23 games in her senior season, and recording eight shutouts and 59 saves. Payne was a free agent and had previously played for the Portland Thorns and Paris Saint-Germain.

MLS Transfer News Roundup

There is plenty of transfer moves from the past few days. Austin FC has reportedly submitted a transfer bid to acquire former Lion Facundo Torres from Palmeiras. A week ago, Torres was linked with a potential move to Benfica. Orlando City would receive a 15% sell-on percentage if the transfer move is finalized.

https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/2012264099913085209

St. Louis City is reportedly finalizing a deal to sign Mamadou Mbacke Fall from Barcelona.

https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/2012626458376646923

Toronto FC has signed goalkeeper William Yabrough to a contract through the 2026 season with an option through June 2027. Real Salt Lake has acquired Lukas Engel from EFL Championship side Middlesbrough. Engel is under contract through December 2028 with an option for 2028-2029. New York City FC announced the club has loaned defender Mitja Ilenic to Polish side Rakow Czestochowa through December 2026. Lastly, the San Jose Earthquakes announced that defender Nick Lima has retired from professional soccer after nine seasons in Major League Soccer.

Rose Lavelle, Lilly Earn U.S. Soccer Recognition

The U.S. Soccer Federation announced its 2025 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year and Young Female Player of the Year Award Friday. NJ/NY Gotham FC midfielder Rose Lavelle was voted 2025 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year. Lavelle scored the lone goal to help Gotham FC defeat the Washington Spirit to win the 2025 NWSL Championship, earning match MVP honors. She returned to the U.S. Women’s National Team last June and had six caps and one goal contribution in each of those matches. She beat out Sam Coffey and Catarina Macario for the award. Lavelle’s teammate, Lilly Reale, was voted the 2025 U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year. The 22-year-old defender made 29 appearances last season in the NWSL, played 2,217 minutes, and was named the NWSL Rookie of the Year. Reale had five caps for the USWNT and recorded one assist in her debut against Ireland last summer. She won 48% of the total vote, beating out Jordyn Bugg and Micayla Johnson.

Senegal Wins 2025 Africa Cup of Nations

Senegal beat host Morocco 1-0 after extra time to win the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title for the second time in five years. The match saw drama late in the second half when Morocco was awarded a controversial penalty kick in stoppage time. Senegal Men’s National Team manager Pape Thiaw instructed his team to leave the pitch. Players from both teams argued over the controversial VAR penalty call, and violent altercations ensued between Senegal supporters and Moroccan authorities. After a 15-minute delay, the Senegal players returned to the pitch, and Brahim Diaz saw his Panenka penalty attempt easily saved, keeping the match scoreless and sending it to extra time. Pape Gueye scored the winning goal for Senegal, while Morocco missed out on ending its 50-year wait for a continental title on home soil.

Free Kicks

  • Our Lions have been busy at preseason training camp over the weekend, working on their conditioning.
https://twitter.com/OrlandoCitySC/status/2013004943645413401
  • Orlando City gave new signings Braian Ojeda and Maxime Crepeau a warm welcome at Inter&Co Stadium.
https://twitter.com/OrlandoCitySC/status/2012585711128510914
https://twitter.com/OrlandoCitySC/status/2012948099820302473

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

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