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Orlando City vs. Santos Laguna, Leagues Cup: Final Score 1-0 as Toothless Lions Knocked Out of the Tournament

A sloppy performance against a good Santos side results in Orlando City’s quick exit from the Leagues Cup.

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5 years ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City’s first foray into international competition could have gone better. The Lions nearly scored in the game’s opening seconds, then wasted numerous opportunities before falling 1-0 to Santos Laguna at Exploria Stadium in the Leagues Cup quarterfinals. Santos advances to play the Seattle Sounders in the semifinals.

The Lions struggled with their touch and passing accuracy all over the pitch, but especially in the midfield and attacking third and managed to get only two shots on frame on 13 attempts.

“Obviously frustrated with the result, but not with the way the boys played today, and the team, I think they showed a lot of personality tonight,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “Especially in the first half, where we created those options and we could have walked out of the game with a different result.”

Pareja started pretty much a full-strength lineup (minus a few injured players), with Mason Stajduhar in goal behind a first-team back line of Joao Moutinho, Robin Jansson, Antonio Carlos, and Ruan. Junior Urso and Andres Perea patrolled the central midfield, with Mauricio Pereyra and Chris Mueller facilitating the attack to Nani and Tesho Akindele.

The Lions nearly scored in the opening seconds, getting the ball down the left before Pereyra cut a pass back across the box. It was a bit of a stretch for Mueller to get on it but he was able to direct a shot on target that eluded goalkeeper Gibran Lajud but was cleared off the line by Ronaldo Prieto, sliding across the front of goal.

“If (Mueller) put the ball in there, I believe that would have been a very different game,” Carlos said.

Nani fired over the bar two minutes later after a good pass from Mueller.

The visitors got their first chance in the fifth minute on a shot from Prieto that was partially blocked by the defense and easily scooped up by Stajduhar. A minute later, however, Urso made a bad back pass that was picked off by Juan Ferney Otero at the top of the area, but Stajduhar made a good save.

Nani fizzed a shot just over the bar in the 10th minute off a well-worked short corner as the Lions continued to look dangerous early. Urso tried a long-range effort four minutes later but his shot skipped about five yards wide of the left post.

Orlando nearly got caught on the counter in the 21st minute when Jansson made a run forward into the area before the play broke down. Santos had a 3-on-2 break but Prieto fired off target from just outside the area.

After a couple of set pieces for Santos didn’t amount to much, the Lions got another good opportunity, working the ball to the left side in the 28th minute. Moutinho’s cross found an open Ruan on the right but the fullback’s header was off target.

It was a costly miss, because two minutes later, the visitors opened the scoring.

Winning the ball in the middle of the pitch, a player knocked Antonio Carlos to the ground, but referee Selvin Brown allowed play to continue and Santos Laguna took advantage.

Diego Valdes sent the ball left to Otero, who cut inside and took a shot that skipped a few yards in front of Stajduhar. The bounce, and the spin on the ball, made the shot tough to handle for the young keeper. Stajduhar got a hand to it but couldn’t keep Otero’s shot out and Santos took the lead at the 30-minute mark.

Orlando tried to pull it right back. Ruan sent a cross from right to left in the 34th that Akindele got a foot to, sending it back toward the right post, but it floated just high, skipping off the top of the crossbar.

That was the last decent chance of the half and the visitors took their 1-0 lead into the break. Shots were even at 8-8 but Santos got more on target (3-1). Orlando held more possession (52.1%-47.9%), while Santos won more corners (2-1) and passed more accurately (79.4%-78.6%).

“I thought, especially the first couple minutes we had two really good chances. Chris had a good one, Luis (Nani) had a good one,” Akindele said. “And then after that, we just couldn’t break them down too much. I thought we did well at building out. Our midfielders brought us up into the middle third, and then the final third, but we were just unable to find that final pass sometimes tonight, and I don’t think we created enough shots on target that we would expect from ourselves with the quality that we have.”

The second half was an uphill battle. Santos played more defensively after the goal and that continued in the second half, with the visitors dropping their midfielders to take away space. Orlando was able to get into decent positions but either couldn’t get the final ball right or got swarmed trying to find the next pass. Often the play was too deliberate and the team rarely moved the ball with the one-touch passing that it has used so effectively at times over the past two seasons.

“There (were) some moments in the sequence where the connection needed to be faster,” Pareja said. “We needed to move the ball faster in order to get an advance, or a numerical superiority, and having the numerical superiority in the last third when you play faster, it gives you a better option. We didn’t create those. Not in the volume that we used to have against other teams. Give the credit to Santos. They have good defenders and they recovered or retrieved it fast. But we could have finished those sequences in a better speed, and probably that would open a better option for us.”

Pereyra tried his luck from outside the area in the 48th minute but the shot was deflected out for a corner by the defense. Nani tried a long-range effort in the 64th minute but Lajud fought it off on what turned out to be the final shot on target of the night by Orlando.

The Lions won a number of corner kicks, getting six in the second half after earning only one in the opening 45 minutes. However, they never really created anything off of them.

Substitute Silvester van der Water freed himself up for a shot just outside the area in the 81st minute, but his blast sailed just over the bar. That was the last decent chance for either side in the second half. Santos didn’t do much with their second-half chances on the counter, sending four of the team’s five shot attempts well off target.

A visibly angry and frustrated Urso was shown a straight red card at the end of the match for screaming at the referee.

Both teams finished with 13 shots, with Santos getting more on target (4-2). The Lions had more corners (7-6), more possession (53.2%-46.8%), and slightly better passing accuracy (80.7%-79.8%), but just didn’t have any ruthlessness in the final third.

As well organized as Santos is defensively, it was always an uphill battle after falling behind in the first half.

“I thought we played pretty well overall, and maybe we just needed to score a goal early in the game when we kind of had the momentum with us,” Akindele said.

“I think it’s a game that is going to make us grow,” Pareja said.

The Lions return to league play next Wednesday, Aug. 18 when they travel to Tennessee to take on Nashville SC.

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Lion Links: 8/14/26

Tahir Reid-Brown traded to St. Louis City, Orlando City unveils new kit, Lions host FC Cincinnati Saturday night, and more.

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56 minutes ago

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August 14, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! It’s been a hectic week, but we’ve thankfully reached the tail end of it and there’s plenty of Orlando soccer awaiting us tomorrow. Beyond working and keeping every finger crossed for Orlando’s teams on Saturday, I plan on catching up on the new season of Ted Lasso. But for now, let’s get to the links!

Tahir Reid-Brown Traded to St. Louis City

Orlando City traded defender Tahir Reid-Brown to St. Louis City in exchange for $150,000 in 2027 General Allocation Money, with another $300,000 in GAM heading Orlando’s way if conditions are met. The 20-year-old climbed the ranks of Orlando’s academy over the years and was signed as the club’s 15th Homegrown Player in January of 2024. Bernardo Rhein’s rise to the first team limited Reid-Brown’s playing time, so hopefully he’ll be able to get more minutes and continue to improve in St. Louis.

Orlando City Reveals New Third Kit

Orlando City unveiled its new “Orlando Original” kit, which is the club’s first third kit since joining MLS. The design is a nice mix of elements from Orlando’s USL days and the city’s hosting of 1994 FIFA World Cup games, while paying tribute to the original Orlando Lions. I didn’t expect it to be quite as red as it is, but I like it, along with the soccer ball pattern that mirrors the match ball from that World Cup. The logo is a bit odd and the sponsor being on the lower back of the kit even odder, but I’m excited to see what it looks like when the Lions wear them on Saturday. Speaking of which…

Orlando City Hosts FC Cincinnati on Saturday

The Lions are back in action on Saturday with a home game against FC Cincinnati in one of the more enticing MLS matchups this weekend. Both teams have conceded goals like a sieve this season, setting up a potential shootout given the talented attacking players expected to take the field. Antoine Griezmann has improved the Lions since joining this summer and hopefully forwards like Marco Pasalic, Justin Ellis, and Daryl Dike can step up and give Orlando an edge against a Cincinnati offense that boasts Evander, Kevin Denkey, and Pavel Bucha.

MLS Transfer News Roundup

The Houston Dynamo are reportedly set to transfer Ezequiel Ponce to Elche in La Liga. Houston signed Ponce for a club-record transfer fee in 2024 and he led Houston with 10 goals last season. However, he has yet to score this season despite starting in 17 games. His departure should open the door even wider for former Lion Duncan McGuire to make an impact.

🟠 Sources: Elche finalizing a deal to acquire forward Ezequiel Ponce from the Houston Dynamo.Dynamo acquired Duncan McGuire earlier this summer, the current starter at center forward.

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2026-08-13T17:21:04.138Z

Elsewhere in the league, the New England Revolution bolstered their defense by adding Tylon Smith on loan from Queens Park Rangers, LAFC signed 23-year-old forward Armando Sieb from Bayern Munich, and midfielder Aziel Jackson is already back in MLS on loan with Minnesota United from Jagiellonia Bialystok. Rangers reportedly made a $10 million bid for Portland Timbers forward Kevin Kelsy, who has scored nine goals so far this season.

🇻🇪 Sources: Rangers submit a bid in the region of $10m for Portland Timbers forward Kevin Kelsy.Timbers aren't looking to sell and Kelsy isn't pushing to leave. The 22-year-old Venezuela int'l has 9g/2a in 994 mins this season.Rangers not the only club tracking him.

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2026-08-13T22:41:05.904Z

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That’s all I have for you this time. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Atletico de San Luis: Five Takeaways

Here’s what we learned from Orlando City’s draw with San Luis.

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19 hours ago

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August 13, 2026

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Image of Tiago celebrating a goal with Justin Ellis against Atlanta.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper.

Orlando City hosted Atletico San Luis in the third Leagues Cup match at Inter.co Stadium Wednesday night. The match ended in a 2-2 draw with the Lions winning the shootout 5-3. It was a match between a team that was already eliminated and one that was all but eliminated. Naturally, that meant multiple goals scored. Here are my five takeaways from the match.

Everyone Gets a Start

If you’ve been starting regularly for Orlando City, then you get a break because this starting lineup was full of youngsters, the recently returned, and the positionally displaced. Given that the Lions needed to win by at least four goals and get help from other results to advance in the tournament, resting the regular starters was probably the best decision interim head coach Martin Perelman has made since taking over. It’s no secret I’m not a fan of Leagues Cup — U.S. Open Cup for life — so I’m not heartbroken that the Lions get to focus on the regular season and the Open Cup.

Dike Strikes

It had been1,723 days (or about four years, eight months, and 20 days) since Daryl Dike last scored a goal for Orlando City. It’s also been that long since his last start for the Lions. That all changed when he started Wednesday’s match and then put in the first goal of the night. In the 31st minute of the match, Tiago’s header was spilled by the keeper right to the feet of Dike, who calmly put it in the back of the net. It’s the type of goal that a prototypical striker like Dike gets in position to make. It was his 20th goal as a Lion with many more hopefully to come.

El Capitan Cartagena

Wilder Cartagena was given the captain’s armband to start the match and he did his usual good job as a defensive midfielder, making things difficult for the opposition, stopping attacks before they could develop. When needed, his was in his own box blocking shots, or on the other end putting in service for the offense, such as the cross to Tiago that eventually resulted in Dike’s goal. He was also six inches from a banger of a goal in the first half, but the goalkeeper got a piece and it deflected off the outside of the left post.

Terrific Tiago

Tiago was everywhere on the left side of the attack for Orlando City. He was causing all kinds of problems for the San Luis defense. The Brazilian youngster made end line runs to put in crosses, provided passes into the box, and had the header that Dike put into the back of the net. He also provided the assist to Justin Ellis for the second goal of the match. He made a run down the left into the box, turned, found Ellis coming across from the right, and put the ball right on his head. It was an excellent match for the Brazilian.

Griezmann Needs to be Greedy

Antione Griezmann should not have been on the pitch. There was no good reason for him to make an appearance in this match other than he probably wanted to do so. Sadly, he had two opportunities to score after coming on but was decidedly too unselfish. I get that he is trying to raise the level of play for his teammates, but this is Orlando City not Atletico Madrid. The level of his teammates is not the same. The first instance he had a one on one with the keeper on the left and tried to square it to Ellis who had defenders around him rather than taking the shot himself. The second time was when Gustavo Caraballo forced the keeper to come almost all the way out to midfield to stop a breakaway. Griezmann followed up the challenge and had the opportunity to put in a long distance shot over the retreating keeper. Instead, he squared the ball to absolutely nobody, turning it over, which ended with the equalizer from San Luis. Hopefully, it’s a lesson learned for the veteran.

That is what I saw in Orlando City’s draw with Atletico de San Luis. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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Orlando City

Orlando City Drops 2026 Archive Collection Third Kit

Orlando City’s long-anticipated third kit is here.

Published

21 hours ago

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August 13, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City has a third kit for the first time since joining Major League Soccer. The club unveiled its new “Orlando Original” third kit today as part of the final Adidas x MLS Archive
Collection release of the year. According to the club, the new kit, which is predominantly red, “celebrates the city’s rich soccer heritage by combining elements from the club’s history with inspiration from the 1994 World Cup, which brought the global game to Orlando.”

The Lions will wear these new kits for the first time on Saturday against FC Cincinnati.

“Soccer has been part of Orlando’s identity for decades, and this kit is a tribute to the moments
that helped build that legacy,” Orlando City Chief Marketing Officer Pedro Araujo said in a club press release . “From the city’s role as a host of the 1994 World Cup to the championship teams that laid the foundation for our club, the Archive Collection celebrates the people and milestones that shaped Orlando soccer and inspires the next generation of supporters to carry that tradition forward.”

While many fans have been waiting for a red kit that mirrored the club’s old red kit from the USL days, the shade is not quite the same as the 2011 USL Championship team’s kit, and a glaring difference is that instead of the club’s jersey sponsor across the front, the shirt features a wordmark that says “Lions” to pay tribute to the old Orlando Lions from the 1980s. The kit also uses design elements inspired by the 1994 World Cup match ball, reminding fans that the City Beautiful was a host city and placed a soccer ball on top of City Hall, and an Adidas World Cup ball pattern.

The original MLS logo is on the back of the neck and the crest features the tri-lion crest as another throwback to the original Orlando City kits. Jersey sponsor Orlando Health’s logo is placed on the lower back of the shirt.

The 2026 Archive Collection kit is available now at MLSStore.com and OCMobileShop.com, and will be available at The Den at Inter.co Stadium starting Friday. Fans can also purchase the kit at tonight’s launch party at the stadium, which starts at 7 p.m. and is free to the public. The club will screen Orlando City’s 2011 USL championship match, club legends will be on hand, and fans will have photo ops with the championship trophy. Society XXI members can enter as early as 6:30 p.m.

Here’s what the new kit looks like:

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