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Intelligence Report: Orlando City vs. New England Revolution

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4 years ago

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After a midweek contest on Wednesday, it’s a short week for Orlando City. The Lions only have four games left in the regular season, and with Atlanta and Montreal both breathing down the Lions’ necks, the team needs to finish the year strong. OCSC will have a chance to do just that on Sunday when it welcomes the New England Revolution to Exploria Stadium.

Ahead of this one I once again spoke to Jake Catanese, one of the editors over at SBNation’s The Bent Musket. As usual, Jake gave us some excellent insight into how New England has been since these two teams last met. I also answered some of his questions, which you can find over at their place.

Potentially the only area for concern in New England’s otherwise stellar season is defensive play. The Revs only have one clean sheet in their last seven games, although they’re still undefeated during that stretch. Does the defense worry you at all, or is New England good enough offensively that you aren’t too concerned?

Jake Catanese: Individually, a fairly young back line of all former draft picks in Andrew Farrell, Henry Kessler, DeJuan Jones, and Brandon Bye have been pretty solid this year. As a unit however, there’s been a lot of lapses in concentration that have led to a lot of big chances and were it not for the ridiculous, godlike form of one Matt Turner for most of the year, the Revs might not be having the historical season they’re having now.

Found Polster’s comments interesting, here’s the entire quote and there will be more to come on @TheBentMusket #NERevs https://t.co/Vjvpdf9Rgb pic.twitter.com/i98ucu5sdg

— Sam Minton (@sam_minton22) October 19, 2021

Obviously when we are talking about a team with an MVP candidate like Carles Gil and two double-digit DP goal scorers in Adam Buksa and Gustavo Bou, the defense is sometimes going to take a backseat to the headlines. The defense hasn’t been bad. In fact, for the majority of games, a lot of the time it’s stellar. The fullbacks get forward and combine well in the attack, Matt Polster and Andrew Farrell’s experience and knowledge put out a lot of fires, and Kessler’s mastery of the Concacaf Dark Arts has been, at least for Revs fans, spectacular to watch.

Can the Revs win MLS Cup with this squad? Absolutely. Can they win MLS Cup with this defense and Turner in their current form? Yes, but it will be much harder to do so. They have a few weeks and a couple of long rests to sort things out. 

Bruce Arena recently said that right back Brandon Bye needs to improve. What have you seen from Bye lately that can be better?

JC: Arena was criticizing Bye in particular on a couple of goals where he got caught ball watching as his mark tucked home a goal. Against Chicago, I think this occurred right after the Revs took the lead for the first time and conceding right after scoring has been an issue for the Revs this year. Going back to Matt Polster’s comments above, this is the mentality he’s talking about — the Revs taking the foot off the gas or getting complacent for a moment is going to cost them in a much bigger match next month.

Overall, Bye has improved considerably this year. His crossing in the final third has been drastically more dangerous, especially the low ones he hits through the box. This was arguably his biggest weakness, but also a surprising one as a former wide midfielder in college. Both he and Jones are still fourth- and third-year pros, respectively, despite their consistent presence in the Revs’ lineup over the last few seasons. Jones has taken the next step as far as being a two-way player and, while Bye has been consistent and has been improving…I think Bruce and Revs fans alike would like to see Brandon make a similar leap into one of MLS’ best right backs.

Orlando and New England were in the same boat with the last international window, and had a two-week gap in between games. Has there been any rust from the layoff or do the Revs look as imperious as ever?

JC: I wouldn’t say the Revs looked great against the Chicago Fire over the weekend, but like Matt Turner, a less-than-stellar day at the office for the Revs is still a pretty darn good day overall this year. With Adam Buksa and Tajon Buchanan returning from international duty, the Revs trotted out their familiar 4-4-2 diamond but just couldn’t get the same impact without both DP strikers up top until Buksa got into the game later.

That being said, their second goal from Gil to Bou was a highlight reel affair, there just weren’t enough of those moments against a Fire team that has given the Revs fits all year. I know Bruce has to rotate the squad based on the fixture congestion and international breaks, but I would have liked to have seen a 4-2-3-1 look from the Revs to stretch the field for Bou up top rather than giving him a true striker partner. We’ll see if Bruce goes with his preferred diamond and a top lineup after a midweek game in DC.

Are there any injuries, suspensions, or call-ups that will keep players unavailable for selection? What is your projected starting lineup and score prediction?

JC: The Revs don’t have anyone on the injury list currently, and the starting lineup will depend heavily on any needed rotation coming off midweek game and also the result. I know Bruce doesn’t want to say it, but I think part of him really, really does want to beat Bob Bradley’s LAFC team points record…but he’s also wise to not force the issue.

Matt Polster is unavailable due to yellow card suspension, which is really interesting because he’s their best ball-winning CDM type. Trying to guess a diamond midfield lineup without Polster is hard but…

Matt Turner; DeJuan Jones, Henry Kessler, Andrew Farrell, A.J. DeLaGarza; Wiflrid Kaptoum, Arnor Traustason, Tajon Buchanan, Carles Gil; Gustavo Bou, Adam Buksa.

(Prediction not provided).

Thanks to Jake for the great information on New England, as always. Vamos Orlando!

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Orlando City

Orlando City Signs First-Round Pick Harvey Sarajian

The Lions have signed their first pick of the 2026 MLS SuperDraft to a first-team contract.

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2 days ago

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January 16, 2026

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Image of Harvey Sarajian and Ricardo Moreira posing with an Orlando City jersey.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City announced today that the club has signed first-round selection Harvey Sarajian through the 2027-2028 MLS season, with three additional club option years that could keep him in purple through 2030-2031. The 20-year-old attacking midfielder, who will soon turn 21, officially joins the first team after multiple departures in the team’s attack.

“We’re really excited to bring Harvey into the fold,” Orlando City General Manager and Sporting Director Ricardo Moreira said in a club press release. “He’s a player we identified early in the draft process as someone who fits our style and developmental pathway. Adding young talent like Harvey is an important part of building depth and ensuring long-term success as we continue into the next iteration of our competitive cycle.”

The Lions selected Sarajian with the fifth overall pick in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft out of Wake Forest University. It was the first of four picks Orlando City made in the first round this year, and Sarajian is the first of the group to be signed.

The Naples, FL, native, who will wear No. 23 this season, began his collegiate career at Georgia Southern in 2024 before transferring to Wake Forest in 2025. He earned Sun Belt Freshman of the Year and All-Southeast Region second-team honors his first year before joining one the nation’s top programs.

The 6-foot-2 sophomore scored two goals and added two assists in 17 games last season while putting six of his 19 shots on frame (31.6%). It was a down year for the Demon Deacons, who lost in the first round of the ACC Tournament to SMU and didn’t qualify for the NCAA Tournament.

In his two years of collegiate action, Sarajian played 34 games (31 starts), recording 1,921 minutes. He scored six goals and had eight assists for the two schools.

What It Means for Orlando City

Sarajian’s signing is all about development as he likely won’t see much time for the first team in 2026. His primary position is in the number 10 role, a spot already occupied by Martin Ojeda. He can also play on either wing, potentially backing up Ivan Angulo and Marco Pasalic.

In all likelihood, Sarajian will be at most a reserve for MLS games and will see most of his time with Orlando City B in MLS NEXT Pro. His status on the club will probably be like that of former Lion draftee Shak Mohammed, a fellow former first-round draft pick that plays a similar style and left the club this off-season.

The attacker will only be 21 years old when the season begins, so he still has a lot of room to improve. He wasn’t a star at Wake Forest, so the Orlando City brass clearly sees this as a long-term project who will hopefully pay dividends down the road. If not, the club likely feels comfortable with the attacking options coming through the academy and OCB, like Justin Ellis and Justin Hylton.

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Opinion

Likes and Dislikes from the First Week of Orlando City’s Preseason

There were good and bad things to take away from Orlando City’s first week back at work.

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2 days ago

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January 16, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

It seems strange to write considering it feels like the 2025 MLS season only ended yesterday, but week one of Orlando City’s preseason is (almost) fully in the books. With that being the case, let’s talk about the week that was and discuss some good things and not-so-good things about it.

Likes

Married to Martin

Orlando City announced on Thursday that it signed Martin Ojeda to a contract extension that runs through the 2028-2029 season. Given that the Argentine no. 10 had a record-breaking 2025 season, and the fact that there were some rumblings online about interest from Palmeiras and other teams, this is an extremely welcome piece of news. Ojeda was the straw that stirred Orlando City’s drink last year, and losing him after his breakout year would have been a huge blow, despite what undoubtedly would have been a tidy little transfer fee. Instead, Orlando’s talisman is locked down for the long term, and it was also good to hear him speak about how happy his family has been in the City Beautiful.

Moving on From Muriel

On the opposite side of the coin, the Lions also announced on Thursday that the team has sold Luis Muriel to Colombian side Junior FC. Like Ojeda, this is a key move for the club to make as it moves off a Designated Player whose time here probably can’t be called a failure, but certainly can’t be called an outright success either. The forward’s wildly fluctuating inconsistency was what made his time in Orlando so frustrating, because it isn’t like he wasn’t capable of performing at a high level in MLS. One has only to look at his two league performances against Inter Miami during the 2025 season to see that. Ultimately though, he wasn’t consistently clinical enough in front of goal, and he was off form more than he was on. His departure frees up a precious Designated Player slot that OCSC really needs to nail if it wants to have a more successful campaign this year, and we can now enjoy speculating about which player the front office decides to use it on.

Returning Faces

It did my heart good to see the formerly injured duo of Yutaro Tsukada and Wilder Cartagena back training with the full team after suffering season-ending injuries during the 2025 preseason. Cartagena tore his Achilles tendon in the first friendly of the year against Atletico Mineiro, while Tsukada tore his ACL during a friendly with CF Montreal, and both injuries changed Orlando’s season before it even started. The team lost a starting defensive midfielder in Cartagena and a depth piece who had shown promise with Orlando City B when it came to Tsukada, and the year started on a somber note as a result. Not only is it good for the outlook of the team to have them back, but it’s just great for the players themselves to be able to get back out there, and hopefully they’re both able to rebound well this season.

Dislikes

Dearth of Open Practices & Friendlies

Technically we found out about this last week when the preseason schedule was announced, but I just think the lack of open practices and friendlies this year is a damn shame. None of the Lions’ preseason games are open to the general public, and there are no opportunities to go watch the team train. While I do think it’s good that the final preseason match is at least open to season ticket members, as they do deserve something for their extra commitment, it just seems like a missed opportunity. Given how many new faces will be on the team this year, having open practices and friendlies is a great way to get fans excited about the new arrivals and build anticipation for the upcoming season. I have no doubt that the club had its reasons for structuring the preparations in the way it did, but I can’t help feeling disappointed regardless.

All in all it was a pretty good first week of preseason preparations, and I think that’s evidenced in the fact that I could only find one (slightly nitpicky) thing to dislike. Hopefully, the rest of the weeks leading up to the regular season are in the same vein. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/16/26

Orlando City re-signs Martin Ojeda, Luis Muriel officially joins Atletico Junior, Orlando Pride’s 2026 season schedule announced, and more.

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2 days ago

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January 16, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday! While it feels a little wrong to complain about cold weather here in Florida while other people are shoveling snow up north, I sure can’t wait for things to warm up. I plan on hunkering down with blankets and books over the next few days while putting the candle warmer I got for Christmas through its paces. It was a busy week for Orlando soccer news, so let’s dive right into the links!

Martin Ojeda Re-Signs With Orlando City

The Lions re-signed Designated Player Martin Ojeda to a new contract that will last through the 2028-2029 season with a club option for the 2029-2030 season. Orlando just exercised the option on Ojeda’s previous contract following the 2025 season, but wasted no time securing his services for the foreseeable future. The Argentine attacker is the club’s all-time leader when it comes to goal contributions, recording 33 goals and 42 assists in 130 appearances across all competitions in the time since joining Orlando before the 2023 season. He was phenomenal last season in particular, providing 31 goal contributions as the team’s best player. This decision comes amid buzz that European and Brazilian clubs were interested in signing him, so it’s nice to see Orlando was able to get a deal done.

Luis Muriel Transferred to Atletico Junior

Orlando City transferred forward Luis Muriel to Atletico Junior in Colombia’s top flight officially on Thursday, opening up a Designated Player slot in the process. This move has been reported on throughout the off-season and seems to be positive for all parties involved. Muriel joined Orlando ahead of the 2024 season and scored 17 goals and provided 18 assists in 84 appearances across all competitions. While his time as a Lion may be looked back at as underwhelming given his Designated Player status, his performance last August when he scored a hat trick against Necaxa in the Leagues Cup and then a brace against rival Inter Miami will be hard to forget. The Lions now get the chance to reload their Designated Player slot with someone who can bring a more consistent impact to the team.

Orlando Pride 2026 Schedule Unveiled

The 2025 NWSL season schedule is out and the Orlando Pride will open their season at home against the Seattle Reign on March 15. The Pride will play 30 games over the course of the longest regular season in league history, playing the other 15 teams twice as part of a balanced schedule. Following their season opener, the Pride will host Denver Summit FC on March 20 in the club’s first-ever match against the expansion side. Orlando’s first match against the other expansion club, Boston Legacy FC, will be on the road on May 12, with Boston playing in Orlando for the first time on July 15. The Pride’s final game of the regular season will be on Nov. 1 against the Reign.

A notable new addition this season is Victory+, a free streaming service that has partnered with the league and will broadcast many games this year. The Pride will have nine games streamed on Victory+, including the first four games of their season.

Benjamin Cremaschi Named U.S. Soccer Young Male Player of the Year

Florida native Benjamin Cremaschi was voted as the 2025 U.S. Soccer Young Male Player of the Year. The 20-year-old captained the U.S. at last year’s U-20 World Cup in Chile, scoring five goals in the tournament to win the Golden Boot. He started in all five U.S. matches, helping the team win 3-0 against both France and Italy before falling in the quarterfinals to the eventual champion, Morocco. At the club level, Cremaschi was loaned from Inter Miami to Parma in September and has made three appearances there.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda and Zambia were drawn into a star-studded group alongside Nigeria, Malawi, and Egypt in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, which kicks off in March. The four semifinalists of the tournament will earn qualification for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
  • Sporting Kansas City signed forward Calvin Harris as a free agent, with the contract lasting through June of 2027. Harris was drafted second overall by FC Cincinnati in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft and has spent the past three years with the Colorado Rapids.
  • Brazilian club Vasco da Gama has reportedly signed Brenner from Udinese. The 26-year-old spent half of last year on loan with FC Cincinnati, and Cincy was in talks with him following the expiration of the loan regarding his return to the club.

That’s all I have for you this time around. Make sure to stay nice and warm out there and I hope you all have a fantastic Friday!

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