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Orlando City vs. Inter Miami CF: Five Takeaways

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4 years ago

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Orlando City finished a brutal stretch of three matches in seven days with a rivalry match Friday night in South Florida. The Lions had dispatched Toronto FC and the San Jose Earthquakes — the latter in a twice-delayed and rain-soaked affair Tuesday night. With little energy left in their legs, it was a tall task to go on the road and beat an emotionally charged Inter Miami team that was playing with a recent tragedy in their community on their minds.

But the lads in purple found a way to dig deep, even after falling behind in the final half hour, and got the job done. Chris Mueller and Nani provided just enough magic to get over the finish line in an exhausting week and left the Lions to a 2-1 win at Miami — their first road victory in the Tropic Thunder series.

Let’s take a look at what went into that.

Lions Showed Mental Toughness

This Orlando City side showed what it’s made of at Miami. It would have been easy for a team playing its third match in a week to capitulate after going down a goal in the late stages of the second half on the road. But the Lions refused to do that and they didn’t settle for a draw once Mueller had tied the match. Orlando kept coming, winning a couple of set pieces and throwing bodies around in the box, looking for the winner. Both Nani and Mueller said after the game that getting the win was important because of the large number of fans who drove down to South Florida to attend the match. The whole team showed that on the field despite their tired legs.

Nani is in Impeccable Form

Orlando City’s 34-year-old captain wasn’t at his best for the entire match, but he still found two moments of quality that turned the game completely around. Nani played 245 minutes this week. He’d played 234 of those minutes when he latched onto a gorgeous long ball from Robin Jansson and sent it perfectly into Chris Mueller’s path with his first touch. He’d played 241 minutes on the week when he split two defenders with a rocket of a shot that he placed perfectly in the far, upper corner of the net. He’d tried a couple similar attempts earlier in the game and wasn’t able to pull them off. But with the game on the line, the captain’s mental fortitude, desire to win, and outstanding form came together at the right time.

Nani amassed three goals and three assists this past week and he had at least one direct goal involvement in each of the three matches. In just eight appearances in 2021, he has already equaled his six-goal output from his 19 matches a year ago.

Tired Bear

Midfielder Junior Urso didn’t look like his usual, energetic self in this match. That’s to be expected. Urso covers a lot of ground and at age 32, it’s a lot to ask of the Brazilian to play three games in a week. But with Sebas Mendez away and Uri Rosell not yet 90-minute match fit, Urso was once again tasked with partnering with Andres Perea in central midfield. Although Urso did a lot of things well, he was visibly gassed before the end of the first half. He was second-quickest to several balls that he’d normally win and he made some uncharacteristically sloppy passes even when not under pressure. Finally, Urso’s mind could no longer will his body to do the things he needed to do. Shortly before Miami’s goal, he hesitated on a simple pass from Jansson, allowing the opposition to run past him and pick it off. Moments later, he was unable to stay with Gonzalo Higuain and left him enough space to smash a hard, low shot just inside the left post for the opener. Oscar Pareja subbed off Urso 10 minutes later, but by then it was probably 20 minutes later than it should have been.

Papi Knows His Stuff

Despite leaving Urso in too long — and it’s hard to blame Pareja for that, given the roster’s current circumstances — Orlando City’s gaffer once again showed his mind for the game. Knowing his team needed fresh legs and a spark after a lifeless first half, Pareja wasted no time getting Mueller and Benji Michel on, subbing them at halftime for the ineffective Silvester van der Water and Mauricio Pereyra, who is nursing a minor knock that has obviously been hampering him. Those changes almost immediately turned the game in Orlando’s favor.

Higuain’s goal was against the run of play, as the Lions had the better of things in the second half. Pareja reads the game and uses his bench well. He’s a good tactician and great at keeping his players focused, which is why he quietly slipped past Adrian Heath on Orlando City’s all-time MLS win list on Friday, winning his 17th regular-season match in just 33 attempts. He hasn’t even coached the equivalent of a full MLS regular season yet and is only four wins away from catching Jason Kreis’ club record of 21 managerial wins in the regular season.

Homegrown Heroics

Michael Halliday looks like a player with a bright future after the last two matches. While his timing and crossing ability in the offensive end still need some polishing, the teenager went toe-to-toe with veteran Brek Shea and mostly kept him quiet. He won 60% of his duels and didn’t commit a foul despite being under a lot of pressure in the first half. Halliday finished with a tackle, an interception, and two clearances, and appears to be growing in confidence. With Ruan still out and Joao Moutinho apparently out again, it’s nice to see an academy product ready to step in and start learning on the job without being a liability.

Those are the five things that stood out to me in Orlando’s win at Miami. What did you notice?

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Lion Links: 6/5/25

MLS All-Star voting update, Kerry Abello shines with USWNT, Sergio Zapata earns recognition, and more.

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16 hours ago

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June 5, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this week has been treating you well as we enjoy some international soccer and prepare for the return of NWSL action this weekend. Before we jump right into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City B midfielder Dylan Judelson!

Pair of Lions Lead MLS All-Star Voting

Voting for this year’s MLS All-Star Game remains underway and an update was provided on which players are leading at each position. Orlando City defender Alex Freeman leads all right backs as he enjoys a breakout season. I was aware of the buzz he’s been getting this year, but it’s still surprising to see a Lion as an All-Star frontrunner. What’s even more surprising is that Pedro Gallese leads the voting for goalkeepers. The Peruvian made a rough gaffe last week, but has otherwise had a stellar season with Orlando that’s included seven clean sheets. Voting will close on June 11, so make sure to get those votes in before then.

Kerry Abello Impresses With USMNT

Orlando Pride defender Kerry Abello made her first appearance for the United States Women’s National Team Tuesday, playing every minute of the 4-0 win over Jamaica. The versatility she’s shown with the Pride translated well in Head Coach Emma Hayes’ system, as she was able to hold things down defensively and contribute to the attack as well. Abello could end up bringing solid depth to the USWNT as Hayes figures out the team’s future core of players. Enjoy this video from the USWNT that provides a look behind the scenes of Abello’s international debut.

Sergio Zapata Named Player of the Month

Sergio Zapata scored a whopping 11 goals for Orlando City’s U-19 team over the course of just four matches in May, winning the honor of MLS NEXT Player of the Month. He had three hat tricks last month, including one against Hoosier Premier at MLS NEXT Fest. Zapata committed to Cornell, so hopefully we’ll get to see him tear it up in the Ivy League over the next couple of years.

Zack Steffen Sustains Knee Injury

Goalkeeper Zack Steffen injured his knee at the United States Men’s National Team’s training camp and will reportedly miss this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup. It’s rough news for the 30-year-old, as he was expected to compete with Matt Turner for the starting job with the USMNT. He’s been having a great season with the Colorado Rapids and returned to the club for further evaluation on the injury.

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That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/4/25

USWNT wins as Abello gets first cap, Orlando Pride’s Concacaf W Champions Cup draw, Club World Cup in Orlando, and more.

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2 days ago

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June 4, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Tuesday was a busy soccer day, especially on the women’s side. We have plenty of Orlando Pride news, and the USWNT secured yet another victory. I’m hoping the good vibes continue since I’ll be coming down to Orlando for the Pride’s match this Saturday. If you’re going to the match, let me know, as I’d love to meet as many of our readers as possible. For now, let’s get to the links.

USWNT Blanks Jamaica

The USWNT defeated Jamaica 4-0 in a friendly at Energizer Park in St. Louis. The Orlando Pride’s Kerry Abello got her first start and her first cap in the match. She went the full 90 minutes and almost had her first international goal in the second half, but the chance went a bit wide of the right post. Ally Sentnor and Lynn Biyendolo each scored a brace as the U.S. rolled to an easy win.

Pride Internationals

Abello wasn’t the only Pride player to make an international appearance. Marta returned to international duty for Brazil getting the start and the captain’s armband in a 2-1 win over Japan. Both Grace Chanda and Barbra Banda started for Zambia in the 2-0 loss to South Africa in the Three Nations Challenge. Congratulations are also due to Zara Chavoshi, who earned her first cap with the Canadian Women’s National Team in the match against Haiti.

Concacaf W Champions Cup Draw

The Concacaf W Champions Cup draw happened yesterday and the Orlando Pride are in Group A with Club America Femenil, CF Pachuca Femenil, LD Alajuelense, and Chorrillo FC. Group B consists of NJ/NY Gotham FC, the Washington Spirit, CF Monterrey Femenil, Vancouver Rise FC Academy, and Alianza Women FC. The competition kicks off Aug. 19-21.

FIFA Loves Orlando

FIFA President Gianni Infantino sat for an interview with Jamie Seh of WKMG Orlando. Infantino spoke about the upcoming Club World Cup matches at Inter&Co Stadium and Camping World Stadium. FIFA loves Orlando enough for the city to host the Club World Cup, but not the actual World Cup. Here is the schedule for the matches in Orlando. We will be bringing you coverage of these matches.

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That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the return of the Orlando Pride this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/3/25

Orlando City B announces signings, details of Concacaf W Champions Cup, UEFA Nations League preview, and more.

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3 days ago

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June 3, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Good morning, everyone. It’s been a pretty brutal last two games for Orlando City, there’s no getting around that fact. While it’s never fun to not have the team in action, a two-week break between games maybe isn’t the worst thing in this particular case. Even though it’ll be a minute before the Lions are back in action, we still have plenty of things to talk about, so let’s get into today’s links.

Orlando City B Announces Signings

Orlando City B announced on Monday that it has signed Clovis Archange and Jackson Platts to MLS NEXT Pro contracts. The pair are graduates of the Orlando City Development Academy and were part of the team that won the U-18 Generation Adidas Cup earlier this year. The 18-year-old Platts captained the team in the final, while Archange was named as one of the players to watch before the tournament started. They’ve both featured for their countries at the youth level, with Platts appearing for the United States U-16 and U-18 teams, and Archange suiting up for Canada’s U-17 side. Congratulations to both players!

Concacaf Announces W Champions Cup Details

Concacaf has named the 10 teams that will participate 2025-2026 Concacaf W Champions Cup and has announced the pots for tonight’s draw. The Orlando Pride are one of three American teams participating in the second year of the competition, and have been placed into Pot 2. Teams will be divided into two groups of five, with each team facing every club in its group once, and the top two sides from each group then advancing to the semifinals. The winner gets a spot in the 2027 FIFA Women’s Champions Cup, and the FIFA Women’s Club World Cup, which is set to be held for the first time in 2028. The draw takes place tonight at 8 p.m.

UEFA Nations League Preview

The UEFA Nations League returns this week, with the semifinals set for tomorrow and Thursday, and the third-place game and final taking place on Sunday. Things get started on Wednesday afternoon with Germany facing off against Portugal in Munich. Germany put away Italy 5-4 on aggregate in the quarterfinals to get to the semis for the first time, while Portugal beat Denmark 5-2, and is hunting for its second Nations League trophy. Thursday has Spain taking on France in Stuttgart. The Spanish beat the Netherlands on penalties in the semis to get here, while France took out Croatia on penalties to punch its ticket. There’s plenty of recent history in this one as these teams also met in the semifinals of Euro 2024 last year, with Spain claiming a 2-1 win.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

The transfer rumor mill has kicked into full swing, so let’s catch up on some of the big talking points. Starting in England, Manchester United has reportedly increased its interest in Brian Mbuemo, with the Brentford forward said to also be interested in moving to the club. There are said to be a number of Premier League teams interested in signing Southampton midfielder Tyler Dibling after his team was relegated to the Championship this season. Jobe Bellingham will reportedly follow in his brother Jude’s footsteps, as he’s reportedly decided to join Borussia Dortmund. Finally, Inter Milan is reportedly interested in signing Marcus Rashford as the Italians look to rebuild the squad following a brutal defeat in the UEFA Champions League final.

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  • Here’s a first look at Alex Freeman in his USMNT kit:

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

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