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Orlando City vs. New York City FC: Final Score 5-0 as Makeshift Lions Lineup Gets Run Off the Pitch

Things didn’t seem likely to go Orlando City’s way from the moment the team sheet dropped.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City played a clear B team against New York City FC at Yankee Stadium and when teams do that in Major League Soccer, they generally get killed. So it was with the Lions, as they were run off the tiny pitch at Yankee Stadium, losing 5-0 at NYCFC.

Orlando City (7-4-4, 25 points) has just one win in its last five matches, while a New York City FC (7-5-2, 23 points) club that had been struggling to score goals ran rampant. Not only did Orlando take its third loss in five and suffer its worst loss under Head Coach Oscar Pareja, but the Lions also lost a lot of ground in the goal differential column. Orlando lost more ground to New England.

“Very difficult game,” Pareja said. “I think New York from the first minutes started just getting space. We couldn’t find a way to match the game. What I can tell you is our team is intact and we will bounce back. We go with no excuses. Tonight nothing bounced our way. We didn’t play well. We couldn’t put passes together. We have commitment with ourselves, and we will look in the mirror to see what needs to be better.”

Pareja went with the makeshiftiest of makeshift lineups. With Mauricio Pereyra suspended due to yellow card accumulation, Alexandre Pato apparently still out — despite having trained with the club for the last couple of weeks — and Nani and Chris Mueller not on the game-day roster, the bench featured two goalkeepers and five defenders, along with little-used Homegrown midfielder David Loera.

This lineup never seemed likely to get a result and was never close to getting one in this match.

Pedro Gallese started in goal behind a back line of Emmanuel Mas — making his first MLS appearance/start — Rodrigo Schlegel, Antonio Carlos, and Kyle Smith. Joey DeZart stepped into the starting central midfield with Uri Rosell, with Alexander Alvarado getting his first MLS start, along with Andres Perea in the facilitator roles for Benji Michel and Silvester van der Water at the top of the attack.

“We had a different look today with some different players,” Pareja said. “We had some challenges, but we’re not going to talk about those challenges, because I don’t want to make it sound like an excuse and we’re not going to have any excuse.”

It was Orlando’s first league game without Nani, Pereyra, or Junior Urso in the starting lineup since Aug. 3, 2019 and the first league game without any of them on the team sheet since July 18, 2019. It showed.

As one might reasonably expect from such a disjointed lineup, there was no cohesion going forward. The Lions were not able to string passes together in the attacking half, and when they did, there were heavy touches that allowed New York City FC to take the ball away or there was confusion between players not knowing where to put the next ball. On a few occasions when everything else went right, a player would slip on the Yankee Stadium turf at the critical moment to spoil the buildup.

Maxi Moralez had the first good opportunity of the game in the 14th minute, heading wide off a cross from Keaton Parks. Orlando was well positioned for the cross, but the diminutive Moralez was able to get in front of his defender to get his head to it.

Ismael Tajouri-Shradi should have scored in the 17th minute but sent his shot wide. Mas did just enough to bother him to force the error. Two minutes later, no one closed down Moralez just outside the area and he sent a back-post ball that hit the top of the goal frame.

The Lions got their only good chance of the first half in the 20th minute. Perea sent van der Water in down the left and the Dutchman fired a blast on target but right at goalkeeper Luis Barraza, who made the save but spilled it. The defense came to his rescue and knocked it out for a corner.

The ensuing cross skipped into the box but NYCFC found the handle first and cleared.

After the water break, just past the half-hour mark, the Pigeons started circling. New York City FC started taking advantage of Orlando sagging from the wide areas and started fizzing in dangerous low crosses. In the 35th minute, Gallese made a spectacular point-blank save on Tajouri-Shradi and he did the same a minute later against Valentin Castellanos.

The breakthrough came in the 40th minute. A routine ball was sent forward for Castellanos, who grabbed Carlos, pushed him backward about five yards, and wrapped his arm around him. As a result, Carlos was off balance when he tried to clear and swung and missed the ball, hitting Castellanos instead. Medina picked up the loose ball and smashed a shot just under the crossbar to open the scoring. Carlos was booked on a play that easily could have been blown dead and ended in a yellow to Castellanos, but instead the hosts led 1-0.

Watch how far Castellanos moves Carlos on this play.

Had that not counted, it would hardly have kept NYCFC from winning the game easily, but it was the first leak in the dam for Orlando City.

DeZart freed himself for a shot in stoppage time but sent his effort well off target and that was the last decent look of the half.

NYCFC led in shots (10-3), shots on target (4-1), possession (57.8%-42.2%), and passing accuracy (80.8%-71.%). Each team had two corners.

Pareja made two changes at the break. He sent Ruan on for Smith, giving El Soldado his first minutes of rest all season. He also put Robin Jansson on for van der Water, moving to three at the back.

The Lions should have tied the match two minutes after the restart. Michel got down the right and crossed in to Perea just two yards in front of goal, but the shot was hit right at Barraza for an easy save. The Lions are left to wonder how the game might have unfolded had Perea knotted the score at the start of the second period, giving the inexperienced lineup some confidence.

Instead, NYCFC seized control of the match.

Jansson misplayed Castellanos in the 50th, allowing the forward to get around him for a shot, but Gallese snared the chip attempt out of the air. Things got worse after that.

Tajouri-Shradi doubled the lead in the 53rd minute, isolating against Schlegel on the edge of the box. Mas was inside and couldn’t get over to help and Rosell slipped trying to close down, allowing the attacking player to smash a shot that Gallese perhaps should have parried away. The shot went through him and in to make it 2-0.

Moralez tried to chip Gallese in the 55th minute from long range, but the Peruvian scrambled back to make the save. Gallese made another big save in the 63rd minute to deny Castellanos. A minute later, Moralez was left completely unmarked at the back post but hit his volley attempt wide.

Orlando finally looked to get out on the break in the 65th as a long throw found Michel down the left channel behind the defense. He turned toward goal, saw no options and ended up losing the ball trying to pass back.

Seconds later, Moralez crushed any hope of getting a point out of the match, pushing the lead to 3-0.

The closest the Lions came to scoring in the final half hour was a Maxime Chanot header that came dangerously close to being an own goal in the 72nd minute.

Malte Amundsen made it 4-0 in the 79th minute on a give-and-go that looked obvious on television but the Lions were slow to cover it.

Castellanos added a fifth just three minutes later off the rebound of another spectacular Gallese save.

Despite the big lead and Orlando playing five at the back, as well as defensive-minded players in the midfield, New York City FC just kept generating chances. Gallese was obviously struggling health-wise late in the match after a collision with Thiago during a clearance made him land awkwardly. But eventually the game mercifully came to an end.

New York City FC dominated the stat sheet, out-shooting the Lions 23-5 (15-3 on target), holding way more possession (61.1%-38.9%), earning more corners (6-5), and passing much more accurately (84%-74.8%).

“Just overall it was not a good game,” Carlos said through a club interpreter. “Everything that could go wrong went wrong. It was a day that the team couldn’t string together two passes. We’re  going to get back to training and start working on all of the things that went wrong today.”

“How do we advance past this and how do we correct the mistakes that we had today is we just wake up tomorrow and automatically turn the page and look at getting ready for this weekend’s game, obviously hoping to change the outcome,” Mas said through a club interpreter.


The Lions have a lot of soul searching to do before kicking off back-to-back rivalry matches at home on Friday when Atlanta United visits Exploria Stadium.

Opinion

Likes and Dislikes from this Week of Orlando City’s Preseason

Let’s talk through some of the good and bad from this week of the Lions’ preseason preparations.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Just like that, another week of Orlando City’s preseason is in the books. We’ll be staring down the barrel of the season opener before we know it, but let’s make sure we take the time to stop and reflect on some good and some not-so-good things that took place this week.

Likes

Marco Pasalic Arrives

Orlando City is back up to three Designated Players after the club completed the signing of Croatian winger Marco Pasalic. It’s a piece of business that has been rumored for awhile now but took some time to get done and across the line. Between Pasalic and the previous signing of Nicolas Rodriguez, the Lions have got bodies to fill the right wing position. While neither is likely to be able to immediately replace the production of Facundo Torres on their own, they’re both young and will have the chance to grow their games and show what they can do.

Season Ticket Member Match

OCSC will take on CF Montreal Saturday in a preseason scrimmage which is an event exclusive to season ticket holders. This is the sort of thing that I, along with my fellow season ticket members on staff, love to see. An event that rewards you for that membership and does so by giving you an extra peek at the team before everyone else. It might not be some wildly extravagant event, but it doesn’t need to be. The club has formed a habit of designating one of the preseason scrimmages a season-ticket-members-only event, and for my money, it’s been a good call.

Dislikes

Closed Door Scrimmage Radio Silence

This feels a little nitpicky, as closed-door scrimmages are by their very nature, closed door. The whole point of them is to not have a ton of access and insight about what’s going on, and teams will often agree beforehand about what level of information, if any, will make its way out to the public afterwards. We know that Orlando took on Atlanta United in a preseason scrimmage Wednesday, and we know that Alex Freeman put in a goal from a header, thanks to a post from the club on the website formerly known as Twitter, but that’s about it. It feels greedy to ask for information from something we weren’t guaranteed to get any from in the first place, but the brief taste has me wanting more, damnit.

Depth Still a Worry at Several Positions

As stated above, getting Pasalic in the door means that the Lions now have the winger slots fairly well stocked, but there are still other areas on the field that could use some reinforcement. The most crucial of those remains defensive midfielder, and although the rumored arrival of Eduard Atuesta would help considerably, I’m not counting him as a Lion until pen has been put to paper. If he does get signed, that still leaves striker and fullback perilously thin when it comes to guys who are proven MLS-caliber players, and the first game of the season is just shy of two weeks from now. There’s still time to do business, but the clock continues to tick.


What jumped out at you from this week of OCSC’s preseason? Be sure to have your say down in the comments. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 2/7/25

Angelina called up by Brazil, MLS transfer news, dual-sport performance center announced for Portland women’s teams, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday! The groundhog may have seen his shadow earlier this week, but winter feels pretty much over and done with here in Florida. Hopefully this nice weather lasts a while before we reach the part of the year where it becomes unbearable to exist outside due to the heat. Let’s jump right into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Angelina Called Up By Brazil

You’ll need a translation tool for the full details, but Orlando Pride midfielder Angelina was one of 30 players called up by Brazil for a training camp in Rio de Janeiro. The 25-year-old was a key part of Orlando’s historic season last year, bringing stability to the midfield and giving Orlando’s attack an edge as well.

Brazil’s camp will last from Feb. 17-26 as the team begins preparations for this summer’s Copa America. Adriana, who was recently transferred from the Pride to Al Qadsiah FC in Saudi Arabia, was also called up by Head Coach Arthur Elias.

MLS Transfer News Roundup

The New York Red Bulls bolstered their back line by adding a pair of defenders. They signed left back Marcelo Morales from Universidad de Chile, inking the 21-year-old to a three-year deal. Center back Tim Parker officially returned to the Red Bulls as well, signing a one-year contract. In other news involving Orlando City’s Eastern Conference foes, the Philadelphia Union signed Jovan Lukic from FK Spartak Subotica in Serbia’s top flight, FC Cincinnati loaned defender Alvaro Barreal to Santos FC, and CF Montreal signed 21-year-old defender Dante Sealy to a two-year deal.

Joint Facility Announced For Portland Thorns and WNBA Team

Plans for a dual-sport performance center to serve both the Portland Thorns and the city’s future WNBA team were announced by RAJ Sports, the ownership group behind both teams. The initial phase of the facility will reportedly cost around $75 million, with a goal for the soccer and shared side of things to be completed before the Thorns’ 2026 season and the basketball portions done before the WNBA team’s inaugural season begins that summer. It will feature two full-sized basketball courts, two soccer pitches, dressing rooms for each team, and a shared dining room with a chef and nutritionist. It’s pretty great to see this kind of investment put towards women’s sports and I hope this sparks similar projects across the country.

Keeping Up With the Americans Abroad

There’s a new American playing in Europe to keep an eye out for, as FC Koln striker Damion Downs had a statement game against Bayer Leverkusen in the German Cup quarterfinals. His team lost in extra time, but the 20-year-old had a goal and an assist. Downs has eight goals and four assists this season and could land on USMNT Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino’s radar.

As for how other Americans did this week, Yunus Musah started and Christian Pulisic came off the bench in AC Milan’s 3-1 win against AS Roma to reach the Coppa Italia semifinals. Defenders Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty both played every minute of Celtic’s 6-0 win over Dundee FC. It wasn’t all good news for Americans abroad though, as Jordan Pefok had to be stretchered off in his first game with Stade de Reims after just joining the French team this week.

Free Kicks

  • Enjoy this moment of captains Robin Jansson and Marta hanging out during the preseason.

That’s all I have for you on this fine Friday. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your week!

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Lion Links

Orlando City’s Potential Roster Flexibility

Will Oscar Pareja stick with his traditional formation or try something new in 2025?

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Image courtesy of Orlando City / Jeremy Reper

Orlando City may have just signed Marco Pasalic, but there are still holes in this squad and plenty of questions to go with them. We are still hoping that the club will sign some more players, but time is running short. Given what we currently know, how can Oscar Pareja deploy the players he currently has on hand?

3-5-2

A back line of Rodrigo Schlegel, Robin Jansson, and David Brekalo sounds quite appealing. While the three would be a good group to defend in front of Pedro Gallese, what happens when one of them gets hurt? What happens when they simply need to rest? Does Oscar then switch formations? Is Kyle Smith coming off the bench as a center back?

Moving up the pitch, Wilder Cartagena’s injury was the impetus for me to consider the 3-5-2 formation. This allows Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, Michael Halliday, or Rafael Santos to push forward a bit to assist with the defense in front of the back three, depending on who is playing. That gives Cesar Araujo some cover in the center of the pitch. It also allows one or the other to push into the attack depending on the opponent.

The two attacking midfielders can be any combination of Martin Ojeda, Ivan Angulo, Nicolas Rodriguez, and the newly signed Pasalic. Along with Nico Lodeiro, this formation allows for a little bit of depth, even if it’s one of the few position groups that can make that claim.

Looking at the front of the formation, running a 3-5-2 allows Ramiro Enrique and Luis Muriel to play up top together. This won’t be much of a problem, since Muriel tends to drop a little deeper and Enrique isn’t afraid to make runs into the box. If they can develop some chemistry, it could be an effective attack. The issue comes when one is hurt or needs a break. Until Duncan McGuire is able to return, Pareja would need to change formation. Additionally, I’m not certain how well Muriel can play the traditional striker role.

4-3-3

If Pareja implemented a 4-3-3 formation, he’d be able to employ a back line that has everyone returning. Position battles between Brekalo and Schlegel, and Halliday fighting to return to the starting lineup over Thorhallsson are good problems to have. No real issues here.

Moving up top, I could see Angulo on the left, Enrique in the middle and either Muriel or Ojeda on the right until Pasalic is ready. In the midfield, either Muriel or Ojeda could be facilitating inside with Araujo in defense. The third piece is tougher to pin down. Most likely we’d see Rodriguez there but I still think this is the most problematic of the potential formations, and I don’t expect we’ll see it.

4-2-3-1

Traditionally, Pareja likes to utilize the 4-2-3-1 formation, so that’s what he’s most likely going to do. Of course, the linchpin of the whole thing is the defensive midfield pairing of Wilder Cartagena and Cesar Araujo. We don’t know if the Lions will bring in Eduard Atuesta to help in the midfield, so we will go with what we have for the moment.

No issue with the back line as mentioned above for Pareja. It’s the replacement for Cartagena that presents an issue. Sure, Lodeiro could play more defensively, with Araujo ranging side to side behind him. Or, Pareja can move Thorhallsson into the defensive midfield and put Halliday at right back. The difficulty, once again, comes down to depth. I suppose Kyle Smith could also be utilized if needed.

The attacking midfield has many more options. Between Angulo, Ojeda, Muriel, Rodriguez, and Pasalic, there are plenty of options depending on who is healthy. With the first three acclimated to MLS, Rodriguez and Pasalic have time to adjust to their new surroundings.

That leaves Enrique up top. He proved he can do the job, but I still think Orlando City would be better served to find a big striker to own the starting role. If the plan is to run Enrique until McGuire is ready to return, while Muriel fills in occasionally, I’m not sure that’s the best way to go.


Should Pareja stick to his modus operandi or branch out a little this season? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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