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Orlando City vs. Toronto FC: Five Takeaways

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4 years ago

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The Lions got their first road win ever against Toronto FC and weirdly enough it came at home. Due to the pandemic forcing the Reds to camp out and play in Central Florida, Saturday’s match at Exploria Stadium was technically considered a home game for TFC even though it was held in Orlando City’s home building.

Orlando came roaring out of the gate to take a quick 2-0 lead, only to watch that evaporate before the half ended. The Lions played like the better side in the second half but couldn’t quite find the final connection until a wayward Auro Jr. pass was picked off by Junior Urso late. Urso played a give-and-go with Chris Mueller and the Bear scored the game winner in a thrilling 3-2 Orlando win.

Here’s what I took away from the match:

An Emotional Win

Oscar Pareja, Tesho Akindele, and Urso all talked after the game about how difficult this week has been for the team, as their thoughts are with teammate Rodrigo Schlegel, who lost his father and has been back home with his family in Argentina. The Lions came out flying and scored the first two goals early. After the first, there was a celebration with Schlegel’s jersey on the sideline as the Lions showed the love and respect they have for the young defender. Urso said the team pushed hard to get the win in the final 15 minutes despite being tired and dealing with a humid, midsummer, Orlando night. Urso said he was the one who initiated the Schlegel celebration, so it was only fitting that the Bear scored the game-winning goal. After blowing a 2-0 lead, this is the type of game that past Orlando teams might have lost. The team showed great resolve in getting the win on Schlegel’s behalf.

Tesho Akindele is in the Form of his Life

Orlando City’s Canadian striker has scored three goals and added three assists in his last six games, including one of each goal contribution Saturday night. As Tesho told us on the Mane Land PawedCast on June 9, Pareja has been emphasizing making the smart decision with the ball in the final third. Akindele has taken that to heart and has three assists this season as a result — one off his career high of four, which he set back in 2016, which took him 31 games to do. He’s already matched his goal output from last season in nine fewer appearances and he’s been efficient doing it. His three goals have come on 12 shots (six on target), so he’s scoring on a quarter of his total shots and on half of his shots on goal. Akindele is on pace to potentially finish with his second double-digit goal season in three years with Orlando. He’s also raised his passing percentage this year to 80.3% (so far). If he maintains that throughout the season it would be a new career high.

Kyle Smith Illustrated the Duality of Man

El Soldado/The Accountant has raised his game in 2021 in an obvious way. However, he played with a bit of a split personality against Toronto. Defensively, he was an important factor. Everyone took note of his goal-line clearance in the second half. No doubt it was a vital moment in the match. But it was another defensive play that caught my attention. Orlando had just taken a set piece and Toronto looked to counter. The Reds had a significant numeric advantage as Richie Laryea busted down the left side of Toronto’s attack with four teammates with him and only three Orlando defenders in position to do anything. Smith was patient, held his position, and dispossessed Laryea at the top of the penalty area to thwart the chance.

However, on the offensive end, Smith just couldn’t seem to provide what the team needed. He was fine in possession, but in the final third there were issues. A couple of times he had bad first touches and Orlando lost its advantage as he went to track down the ball. There were a couple of opportunities to play guys in early but he held the ball. And some of his crosses were just curiously off the mark. And then there was his volley attempt, that looked a lot like some of my fairway shots as it squirted way off the mark. In my mind, Smith’s play in the attacking third didn’t live up to his play in the defensive third on Saturday.

It’s Good to Have Nani Back

Even though I think Toronto did an overall good job of marking Nani, the captain still found his moments of magic in his return from a two-game suspension. His header for Orlando’s second goal was well-placed and in the second half he sent several dangerous crosses into the area. While teammates weren’t able to get onto some of them — deeming them “inaccurate” crosses on the stat sheet — these were often whipped balls that just needed a touch. I credit Chris Mavinga and Omar Gonzalez in turning a few of those crosses into inaccurate ones by doing enough on their end to ensure no Lion got to those balls. Nani also drew a couple of free kicks and created space for his teammates.

Good First Outing for the new Backup

It’s easy to point at two goals against and suggest Brandon Austin had a tough first night as an MLS goalkeeper in game action, but I didn’t see it that way. He allowed two goals on 2.74 expected goals (xG), so he performed pretty well relative to the chances Toronto created. He could have perhaps controlled the rebound that led to the first TFC goal better, but I don’t think he could have done much about the second. He finished with two saves and his distribution was on point. There were, however a few bumps and that’s to be expected in his first match. A cross late in the game surprised Robin Jansson, who let it go through, figuring his goalkeeper had it covered, but Austin, in fact, did not. When Jansson turned around and saw that former Lion Dom Dwyer had nearly scored an equalizer, he appeared surprised that there had been a chance of that happening. Austin’s communication with his teammates will improve as Pedro Gallese continues to be away for Copa America and now that he’s got a match on film, he can work with Orlando City Goalkeeper Coach César Baena on the areas in which he needs to improve. Pareja lauded Austin’s preparation for the match in his post-game press conference. Remember, Austin is only 22. That’s a baby in goalkeeper years.

Those are the things that stood out to me in Orlando City’s 3-2 road victory all the way up in…[/checks notes]…err…downtown Orlando. What did you notice?

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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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