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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Chicago Fire: Final Score 1-0 as Benji Michel’s Goal Lifts Lions to Victory

The Lions are unbeaten in five league matches after a much-needed win over the Chicago Fire.

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4 years ago

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

The Orlando City offense continues to struggle, but one goal was enough on a wet night at Exploria Stadium. Benji Michel’s second-half strike off a turnover forced by Tesho Akindele was the difference as Orlando City (9-4-7, 34 points) beat the Chicago Fire (5-11-5, 20 points) 1-0. Mason Stajduhar got his first career MLS shutout.

With the win, the Lions’ unbeaten streak grew to five straight matches (2-0-3) and it snapped a string of three consecutive 1-1 draws. Orlando improved to 4-5-5 in the all-time series against the Fire, and 2-2-3 at home. The Lions leapfrogged idle Nashville to climb back into second place in the Eastern Conference, while the Fire fell to 0-7-1 on the road in 2021.

“Another fantastic performance for the boys, especially for what they are getting through,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “Competing and winning those three points means a lot for the players, for the club, for all.”

Pareja’s lineup included Stajduhar in goal and despite Pedro Gallese making the bench, although it was Adam Grinwis who came out for warmups. Joao Mouthino, Robin Jansson, Antonio Carlos, and Ruan made up the back line behind a central midfield of Junior Urso and Joey DeZart, as Andres Perea was again missing from the match day roster despite not being listed on the availability report. Michel and Silvester van der Water played the facilitator roles, with Nani returning to the starting lineup with Akindele up top. Mauricio Pereyra got the night off.

After an inclement weather delay of about 45 minutes, the teams took to the pitch. The wet ball and constant rain made play a bit sloppy and sluggish at times but both teams had chances.

The first good opportunity came Orlando’s way. Van der Water cut from right to left and hit a shot that crashed off the left post and trickled back across the face of goal but stayed out in the 11th minute.

Chicago’s first good look came on a cross from the right in the 15th minute that Stanislav Ivanov headed wide.

The Lions suffered yet another injury blow at the half-hour mark. Nani signaled to the bench that he couldn’t continue and Chris Mueller subbed on in his place.

Stajduhar made a good save in the 33rd minute on Ivanov, who was Chicago’s most dangerous player in the opening half.

A minute later, Ruan sent in a good cross and Mueller went up and got it but he headed it right at Fire goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth.

Akindele got forward after a Chicago corner attempt in the 38th minute and appeared to be pulled down just outside the area. Referee Tim Ford played on and eventually went to the monitor to review it. He determined there was no denial of a goal-scoring opportunity by Mauricio Pineda.

Van der Water was clipped from behind cutting between players in the 45th minute and then took a nasty accidental stomp but there was no foul given. Orlando did get a free kick a few minutes later as van der Water was fouled yet again from behind. The Fire cleared the entry ball, which fell to Jansson, but the defender fired his shot just over the bar in stoppage time. Michel then headed over moments later on the last chance of the half.

Chicago had more shot attempts in the half (8-7) and each team got one on target. Chicago had a 2-0 edge in corners taken and was the more accurate passing team (87.3%-84.8%), while Orlando held a slim margin in possession (50.2%-49.8%).

The Lions had a good opportunity just after the restart, with Urso getting his head on a cross from Mueller in the 49th minute, but Shuttleworth was there to make the save. But just two minutes later, the Lions broke through.

Akindele pressured and dispossessed Pineda, feeding the ball to Michel. The Homegrown forward stepped up to the top of the area and fired a shot past Shuttleworth just inside the left post to make it 1-0 in the 51st minute. It was Akindele’s career-high fifth assist on the season and Michel’s fourth goal of the 2021 campaign.

“I give all my credit to Tesho,” Michel said. “His work ethic, his relentless running, pressing the center back and (to) be able to nick the ball away from him, pick his pocket, and that just left me through on goal. And I knew this was probably my only chance to score, so I knew I had to be clinical and put the ball in the back of the net.”

“Sometimes it’s normal in the game, you see just the ones who score goals or the ones who make the pretty plays here and there,” Pareja said of the play Akindele made to set up the goal. “The value of the tactical movement and the tactical generosity of the players is what refreshes my soul. I can’t leave more content than seeing these guys giving all that they have for the tactical part of the game. This is a game that needs effort, collectively, and that is one of the most beautiful — in my opinion — attitude that the boys can have.”

The Lions looked to add to their lead in the 55th minute when van der Water made a great turn and pass to open up the defense. The ball ended up with Moutinho on the left but he fired his shot wide.

Akindele and van der Water played a good 1-2 pass that ended with the Dutchman firing wide off his weaker right foot as he tried to toe poke it home in the 64th.

Down the stretch it was a series of set pieces and long throws for Chicago but Orlando did just about enough to deal with the crosses, and when the Lions couldn’t win the ball in the air, Stajduhar was there to make the play. He made a big stop in the 81st minute on a curler by Robert Beric that looked to be headed inside the far post.

He made another important save in stoppage time off a corner kick that was redirected on goal through traffic, punching it away at the last second.

To help see the game out, Homegrown midfielder Raul Aguilera Jr. made his MLS debut, coming on for DeZart in the 85th minute.

Chicago fired more shots (18-11), got more on target (5-3), earned more corners (11-5), passed more accurately (86.1%-84.3%), and held more possession (54.5%-45.5%) on the night, but the Lions held the advantage in the only statistic that mattered — goals.

“It was a tough game. It was a lot of back and forth there,” DeZart said. “We try to impose ourselves but they were trying to do the same and that’s how it played out, but towards the end of the first half and the second half we started to figure it out. And I’m just glad we got the win.”

“Overall I thought our behavior was very good and what we want,” Pareja said. “We created our sequences. We created our chances. We would like to be more precise, as we have been saying, on scoring goals and obviously not suffering that much, but I’m proud of this group.

“A special night for the youngsters in Orlando, where Mason and Raul stood up today and showed their presence and the development of our academy here.”

Orlando City will host Inter Miami next Friday night in its next match, which is just two days after Nani and Pedro Gallese are scheduled to take part in the MLS All-Star Game in Los Angeles.

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Opinion

Likes and Dislikes from the Fifth Week of Orlando City Preseason

Let’s examine some good and some bad from this week of Orlando City’s preseason preparations.

Published

6 hours ago

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February 13, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

We’ve (almost) made it to the end of another week, with Orlando City’s final preseason match against the Colorado Rapids looming large Saturday night. The season opener will be here before you know it, and things will only speed up from there. For the final time this preseason, let’s take a look back at the week that was and talk about what I liked, and what I didn’t.

Likes

A New Signing

Orlando City announced the long-awaited signing of Brazilian center back Iago on Saturday, making him the third and presumably final MLS U22 Initiative arrival of the off-season. While he’s only 20 years old, he’s likely to be one of the two starting center backs on opening day alongside David Brekalo, so him getting a couple weeks of preseason to get settled in is vital. It of course would have been ideal for him to have even more time, but transfer dealings with Brazilian clubs rarely seem to be straightforward affairs, and two weeks is better than none at all. Crucially, Iago played over 5,000 minutes for Flamengo’s senior and U-20 sides, so he’s no stranger to the professional game, and hopefully that helps him to hit the ground running as a Lion.

A New Kit

Continuing the trend of shiny new things, the Lions unveiled their new away kit on Tuesday. It’s a gold jersey with purple shorts that’s been dubbed the ‘Sunken Treasure’ kit, and it’s the club’s first jersey to heavily use the team’s secondary color of gold. All things considered, I quite like the new threads. As with a lot of jerseys these days, the finer details like the Lion in the background of the front and the two patches, won’t be visible unless you’re up close to it. That being said, those details look pretty nice in the close-up shots of the jersey that the club provided, and when viewed from a distance, the shirt is striking. I also like the decision to go with purple shorts, as I think going with gold all the way would be a bit too much.

Dislikes

All Quiet on the Rumor Front

Things have gone a little quiet when it comes to transfer rumors regarding Orlando City. The club still has a Designated Player slot that it intends to use on an attacker, but we haven’t seen any hints as far as who the brass might be looking at. It’s not necessarily a reason to panic, as the team has made it a habit to be methodical in the transfer window and hasn’t been afraid to take its time pursuing players it thinks will be the right fit, rather than rushing business and potentially making an unwise signing as a result. All the same, it’s always nice to hear that a specific name is being pursued, particularly when OCSC still has a DP slot burning a hole in its proverbial pocket in addition to some areas of the field that need to be strengthened with additional depth. I trust the business to get done and done well, but I’m also not going to pretend I wouldn’t love a juicy signing rumor or two right about now.

With a little luck, next week will bring a couple of positive transfer rumors and three points to start the season off on a strong note. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 2/13/26

Hannah Anderson challenging herself in Orlando, Luana called up by Brazil, broadcasting changes ahead of MLS season, and more.

Published

10 hours ago

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February 13, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Today is Friday the 13th, so make sure to steer clear of black cats, ladders, and any other bad omens out there. Orlando City’s season opener is next weekend and the last thing we need to do is accumulate bad luck before the Lions take the field. Let’s keep our fingers crossed and dive into today’s links!

Hannah Anderson Prepares for First Season in Orlando

Defender Hannah Anderson was drafted by the Chicago Stars in the third round of the 2024 NWSL Draft and spent two seasons there before the Pride traded for her in January for $70,000 in intraleague funds. Chicago conceded twice as many goals as Orlando last season, and now Anderson is challenging herself with an opportunity to improve as a defender with the Pride.

“I don’t really look at it as pressure, I think it’s an opportunity,” she said. “The challenge is what’s going to help me grow. When you’re never challenged, you can’t grow. It’s kind of like how you see that challenge. Yeah, it could be pressure, but I also think it’s exciting to be a part of a group that’s been there, because the experience will help you get there again.”

The 24-year-old also spoke on what it’s like to go up against Orlando’s attacking stars in training, as well as her decision to join the Pride while engaged to Chicago Cubs pitcher Jack Neely. With Emily Sams on the other side of the country, hopefully Anderson can have a breakout year to help fill the void.

Luana Returns to Brazil National Team

Orlando Pride midfielder Luana was called up for Brazil’s friendlies against Costa Rica, Venezuela, and Mexico in a few weeks. It’s great to see her back with the national team after all she’s been through and Head Coach Arthur Elias spoke on her return.

“Calling up Luana is a joy, but the greater joy was when she overcame cancer, a disease diagnosed during a period with the National Team. It was a huge shock for all of us. Luana has an incredible history in football, she is a woman of great strength, who showed this and set many examples for those around her,” he celebrated.

She will bring some experience to a Brazil roster that doesn’t include any other Pride players, although former Pride player Adriana was called up. Brazil has already secured qualification for the 2027 Women’s World Cup as its host, so the focus will be on playing quality opponents until then.

Getting Ready for More MLS on Apple TV

We’re gearing up for the fourth MLS season streamed through Apple TV and the biggest difference this time around is that MLS Season Pass is a thing of the past. It’s a major boon for fans, as all games will be through an Apple TV subscription rather than a separate platform at an additional cost. For those of us who like to watch MLS games at our favorite bar, an agreement with EverPass Media should increase the reach of the league in commercial venues. Saturday night matches with increased production value, announcers returning to the actual stadiums to call games, and the removal of the Spanish version of MLS 360 are some of the other notable changes heading into this season.

Nottingham Forest Fires Manager…Again

Just a day after Thomas Franks was fired by Tottenham, Nottingham Forest sacked Sean Dyche following the club’s scoreless draw with Wolverhampton this week. Dyche joined the club in October and was just nominated for Manager of the Month for his team’s results in January. However, Forest is just three points above the relegation zone and has now fired its third coach of the season. Vitor Pereira will reportedly replace Dyche as the club’s fourth coach of the season, which would be a league record. ESPN dove into how English Premier League teams that made multiple firings in the same season performed and it’s grim news for Forest.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau went under the microscope to field a variety of questions. I’m pretty interested in why Duncan McGuire would be the first person he’d call if he found a dead body in his hotel room.
  • Construction is underway at Camping World Stadium as it begins its $400 million renovation to expand seating and improve the facilities.

That’s all I have for you on this fine Friday. I hope you all have a lucky day and that all of your Valentine’s Day plans this weekend go off without a hitch!

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Orlando City

Ranking Orlando City’s MLS Away Kits

Where does the new Sunken Treasure kit rank all time?

Published

1 day ago

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February 12, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

With the release of Orlando City’s newest away kit, I thought it appropriate to rank all of the Lions’ MLS-era away kits to see how the new “Sunken Treasure” kit stacks up against those from the past. As I said last year regarding the home kit rankings, I’m no fashion guru, but I do know what I like.

I welcome everyone’s opinions on this topic, but since I’m writing the article, I get final say. Let’s rank Orlando City’s away kits.

Seventh Place

The Heart and Soul kit has the misfortune of coming in last place in the rankings. It is not a bad or ugly kit, I just think the others are better. For me, it’s the stark shoulder separation that I don’t like. It feels disjointed, like the color on the front was an add-on or that someone forgot to extend it up to the rest of the kit. While I don’t mind the three stripes being oriented front to back on just one side, I like the more traditional two-sided Adidas stripes formation.

Sixth Place

The look of the second-ever away kit was so close to being fantastic. First the good. The purple sleeves look great, especially with the gold ring near the cuff. And seeing the original Orlando Health logo certainly brings back memories. Now the not so good. I always prefer to have the Adidas stripes on the shoulder, though they’re not horrible running down the sides. The faux collar is the downfall of this kit. If it had a real collar it would be much higher up the rankings.

Fifth Place

The Sunshine Kit brought the first splash of color other than purple to the away kit. The way it blended into — or more accurately out of — the purple shorts looked very good. It also didn’t have the cutoff shoulder feel of the Heart and Soul kit. In fact, we get the traditional stripes with a ringer around the collar. It’s a nice touch.

Fourth Place

There is definitely something to be said about an almost completely white kit. The Origin Kit was so clean that it only needed two colors. Even the crest is monochromatic purple rather than the usual gold, purple, and white. Purple-accented Adidas stripes, cuff rings and a thin ringer at the V-neck are the only splashes of color to be found. It’s the type of kit you can wear out to a nice dinner. Just don’t order the spaghetti.

Third Place

You never forget your first…away kit. The amount of thought that went into the Inaugural City kit is impressive. It is seemingly simple and straightforward but full of little details. I love the overlapping collar with just a bit of gold. The Adidas stripes in the proper place and the original Orlando Health logo make this the classic it deserves to be. It might be at third place in the rankings, but it will always be the first.

Second Place

The new Sunken Treasure kit is striking. It is the first kit that uses gold as the primary color. The sublimated lion head is picturesque in detail. The Adidas stripes are in the right place, and the triple stripe at the cuffs and neckline are a nice touch. Paired with the purple shirts, I know that this is going to be a sought-after jersey for years to come. My only personal issue is I don’t look good in yellow. However, as I said on The Mane Land PawedCast, I will reserve final judgment on my potential purchase of the kit until I see it in person. I also want to add that the social media release of the kit was very well done.

https://twitter.com/OrlandoCitySC/status/2021252822549807290

First Place

As much as I like the new kit, it will be hard to ever top the Legacy Kit. We have the return of the Three Lions crest and the red color from the USL days. The very light purple used as the primary color is subtle, original, and looks really good. I like the three-color combo and button on the collar. The matching shorts bring the whole thing together like The Dude’s rug. This is such a departure from normal away kits that I literally have it framed on my wall.

There you have it. As for the kits, I’d love to hear how you rank them in the comments below. For now, you can select the spot where you’d place the Sunken Treasure kit in the poll below. Vamos Orlando!

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