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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. CF Montreal: Five Takeaways

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4 years ago

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Orlando City struck first in Wednesday night’s 1-1 draw vs. Montreal but couldn’t close the deal, splitting the points in a crucial Eastern Conference playoff race match. The Lions could end up regretting not taking all three points at home with two games left at Exploria Stadium — against the top two teams in the conference — along with trips to Columbus and Montreal down the stretch. Other results from the midweek games prevented the dropped points from being as costly as they could have been, but that was also a missed opportunity to improve positioning by leaping Philadelphia.

What did we learn from a frustrating result on a night the Lions perhaps deserved more?

Close, But No Cigar

If there’s one phrase that sums up Orlando City’s offense against Montreal Wednesday night it’s the one in the subhead above. The Lions were so close to scoring a number of times, especially in the first half, but couldn’t quite knock the door down until Chris Mueller’s goal in the 45th minute. One goal against Montreal wasn’t enough like it was Saturday night in Cincinnati. Some of the credit for that has to go to the visitors, who blocked or deflected several Orlando shots. One of those deflections cost Junior Urso a goal as the shot smacked off the crossbar. Another cost Ruan a potential winning goal. Ruan had to go for that loose ball in the box although had he left it, Nani was lurking with a head of steam (and a much better eye for goal). Daryl Dike headed a Benji Michel cross just over the crossbar in the first half and Mauricio Pereyra found space at the top of the box but guided his shot just left of the goal. Orlando has struggled to finish in games throughout the season and that lack of sharpness costs points in games like this.

Boxed In

As the clock wound down after Montreal equalized, the visitors were only too happy to accept their point and stay patient in case an opportunity came to break in transition for a winner. Montreal’s five-man back line and tightly compacted lines took away space and forced Orlando to be perfect to play through during the closing minutes, and the Lions couldn’t be perfect. Again, you have to credit the other side sometimes. Montreal has come to Orlando twice and played two solid matches, taking four of a possible six points out of Exploria Stadium. The Lions had their chances earlier in the game to prevent the bunker from being a problem late, when legs were heavy. By not finishing, it allowed Montreal to go into its shell to preserve a needed road point.

Papi Went for It

Anyone who says Orlando City was happy with a draw last night will have to fight me. Oscar Pareja wanted those three points and his substitutions showed that. Pareja brought on Nani, Alexandre Pato, Tesho Akindele, and Silvester van der Water in an effort to put fresh legs on the pitch to go for the win. While it didn’t work out, putting those particular players out there against a defense that had been forced to work hard for much of the game was a sound strategy. Nani could have had another iconic, game-winning moment if he’d been able to get Ruan to leave him that juicy rebound of the Dike effort in the 76th minute.

One Foot Won’t Work

With the way Mueller has struggled offensively throughout the season, some people have been calling for more of van der Water in the starting lineup. The Dutchman has shown some flashes of brilliance and a magical left foot at times in 2021 and looks to have a solid future in the game. But teams have seen him on film and there’s an obvious flaw in his game. Van der Water is a one-footed player. He’s not the only one. As a Manchester United fan, I used to become frustrated with Antonio Valencia at right back because when teams overplayed his strong foot, he was largely useless and didn’t know what to do, so he’d pass back and reset the whole attack rather than cut in on his weaker foot — often when numbers were advantageous to do so. Former Lion Mohamed El-Munir was mainly a one-footed left back in his time in Orlando.

On Wednesday, van der Water’s introduction made the Lions easier to defend on the right. Mueller could go either direction and was unpredictable. But van der Water wouldn’t go right. Kamal Miller knew this and overplayed him to his left side. Often this forced van der Water to play negative balls backward to reset the attack, but sometimes the Dutchman simply forced something on his left foot and conceded possession as a result. Other teams will do this, so he’s going to have to start using his right foot more or swap sides so he can get into wide areas and play balls in for his teammates.

Cash-ing In

It had been a long wait for a Mueller goal. Last year’s most dangerous Lion has had a rocky 2021 season and only last night did he equal his career-low season in goals, scoring his third to match his rookie year of 2018. It was great to see him get the monkey off his back and he scored what should have been a morale-boosting goal heading into halftime. That’s not the way it ultimately played out but Mueller goals are a critical piece of the offense that the team has been missing in 2021, so hopefully that was the start of a hot streak for the Money Badger.

Mueller now has three goals and five assists in 2021 after piling up 10 goals and seven assists in four fewer games a year ago. It became clear in last night’s postgame press conference that this has been a difficult season for Mueller, who sounded like he’d rather be in Scotland with his new team and is only here because the Lions couldn’t work out a deal with the SPL side to their liking to release him early.

“I can’t imagine that you are aware of what’s been going on with me, obviously, in my situation with the club, so ultimately I think that makes things a bit more difficult,” Mueller told the media. “But, nonetheless, I’ve just continued to push myself every day and continue to try and be positive and be happy where I can help the team, and just jump in and support my teammates, be there for my teammates, be there for myself, learn a lot about myself through what’s been, like I said, a tough process for me to handle everything that’s been going on.”

Mueller has been one of the most memorable and hard-working players Orlando City has had since joining MLS and his time with the club is almost over. He’s a popular player and the fans will miss him. It’s tough to see a second fan favorite — and yes, Cyle Larin was a fan favorite until the manner of his exit soured part of the fan base on him — in a situation with Orlando City that clearly isn’t making him happy. The front office must do a better job of being a player-friendly organization. While the club shouldn’t just give away top assets for nothing, it also shouldn’t have come to that. Unhappy players don’t play their best and we’ve seen a perfect example of that this year.

We’ll see if Mueller can put aside his off-the-field feelings about his exit in the team’s final playoff push and end on a hot streak.

That’s what I saw on Wednesday night. What stood out to you? Let us know in the comments.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/22/25

Pedro Gallese earns recognition, Americans in midweek action, English promotion update, and more.

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6 hours ago

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April 22, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Well it wasn’t the worst weekend that Orlando soccer has ever had, but it certainly wasn’t the best either. Fortunately, all three of Orlando’s teams will be back in action soon, so there’s no need to dwell on the past too much. Let’s take a moment to wish a happy birthday to the Orlando Pride’s Brianna Martinez, as well as to Kaká! Now, it’s time to turn our attention to today’s links.

Pedro Gallese Earns Weekly Recognition

Pedro Gallese kept a third clean sheet in a row and Orlando City’s third clean sheet of the year in the team’s scoreless draw on the road against CF Montreal. In recognition of his efforts during the match, Gallese was named to the bench of the latest edition of the MLS Team of the Matchday. El Pulpo made six saves to blank a Montreal team that intently searched for a breakthrough, and made a couple of truly excellent second half stops that kept the score level. Congrats to Pedro and keep up the good work!

Americans in Midweek Action

A number of Americans will be playing games during the working week, and there are some big matches to keep an eye on. The main event is on Wednesday, when Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan face Inter Milan in the second leg of the Coppa Italia semifinal, which is tied 1-1 after the first leg. Also on Wednesday, Chris Richards, Matt Turner, and Crystal Palace will play Arsenal in the Premier League. Thursday then has Malik Tillman, Richy Ledezma, and PSV Eindhoven playing FC Twente in the Eredivisie, while Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis play Valladolid in La Liga action.

English Promotion Update

Following results in the EFL Championship on Monday, Leeds United and Burnley have both secured promotion to the Premier League for next season. Both teams won their respective games and are each on 94 points, and with just two matches left, third-placed Sheffield United has no way to catch them. The other promoted side will be determined after the promotion playoffs, which would feature Sheffield United, Sunderland, Bristol City, and Coventry City if the season ended today. Meanwhile in League One, Wrexham’s 2-1 victory over Blackpool meant the Dragons retook second place and the automatic promotion spot that comes with it. If they beat Charlton on Sunday and Wycombe Wanderers drop points against Leyton Orient, then Wrexham would secure promotion to the Championship.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

Transfer rumors continue to fly thick and fast as we approach the business end of most European seasons, so let’s take a look at a few items worth catching up on. Manchester United is said to be keen on signing 17-year-old Argentine Franco Mastantuono from River Plate. Liverpool is reportedly interested in signing winger Ademola Lookman from Atalanta, although the Reds would likely face competition from several other Premier League teams. Finally, Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro has revealed that he and Xabi Alonso have a gentleman’s agreement that if a team the Spaniard used to play for is interested in hiring him as its coach, then the club will not hinder the process. The statement has led to renewed speculation that Alonso will be named Real Madrid coach if Carlo Ancelotti leaves in the summer.

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

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Orlando City

Orlando City’s Focus On Youth Development Showing In The First Team

Orlando City is seeing more and more players promoted from the academy, through OCB, and into the first team.

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1 day ago

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April 21, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City began its academy in the USL Pro days with the goal of developing players for the first team. It took nearly a decade to begin seeing youth development bear fruit, but it’s becoming apparent early in the 2025 season.

Prior to 2019, Orlando City signed four players to Homegrown Player contracts. Tommy Redding, Tyler Turner, and Harrison Heath never played in the academy and the other, Mason Stajduhar, developed primarily at Chargers Soccer Club in Tampa.

Orlando City signed arguably its first true Homegrown Player when the club inked Benji Michel to a first-team contract. The following off-season, the Lions added David Loera and Jordan Bender. Mikey Halliday signed in July 2020. All of the players came through the academy before signing first-team deals. 

So what changed?

Part of it was the growth of the academy. It takes several years to begin producing players. Another major factor was the hiring of Luiz Muzzi on Dec. 18, 2019. Muzzi came from FC Dallas, a club known for promoting from its academy. He brought in Ricardo Moreira, who shares his vision of developing young talent for the first team.

And it’s not only Muzzi and Moreira. Former Orlando City head coach Adrian Heath rarely attended OCB games. James O’Connor only went to one, and that was to see his former teammate, Dennis Chin, who was playing with the opposing Richmond Kickers. The Orlando City boss left when Chin came off.

Oscar Pareja and other first-team coaches have been at several games, far more than their predecessors. That’s largely to do with the games’ location at the training facility, which is another factor in OCB’s development. The 2019 team trained over 40 miles away from the first team. The move to Kissimmee has the first team, OCB, and the development academy under one roof. It’s another display of the club’s more recent commitment to youth development.

Undoubtedly, the transformation of OCB under Muzzi and Moreira has also impacted Homegrown talent coming through. The team’s 2016 and 2017 rosters were primarily made up of first-team reserves and USL lifers. The 2019 team had many players from the Soccer Institute at Montverde Academy (SIMA), many of which were young but ineligible for Homegrown status.

Things began to change in 2020. The roster shifted to include more academy players and that’s only grown. This year, 15 OCB players came out of the academy, two were drafted, and eight are outside signings on MLS NEXT Pro deals. Other than Jhon Solis and first-team goalkeeper Carlos Mercado, everyone to appear for the team is 23 years old or younger.

The focus on giving OCB spots to academy graduates is now seen in the first team. Players like Thomas Williams, Javier Otero, Alex Freeman, Colin Guske, and Gustavo Caraballo have been regulars on the MLS team sheet. Injuries to first-team regulars has seen them receiving regular playing time.

The poster boy for this change is Freeman. The right back came out of the academy and spent a couple of years at OCB before signing his first-team contract. He won the starting role early in the 2025 regular season.

Many players joined the club later in their development, but we’re seeing some come through having been nearly fully developed at the Orlando City Academy. Guske and Caraballo joined at 13 years old, the youngest age group of the development academy. Both signed first-team deals for this year.

The midfield duo continue to play with OCB most games but are also on the first-team roster almost weekly. The only reason they weren’t in Montreal Saturday night is because they were helping the club’s U-18 team reach (and then win) the Generation Adidas Cup final.

With Muzzi and Moreira at the helm, more players continue to come through. U-18 captain and OCB starter Jackson Platts appears to be well on his way to a first-team contract. So does fellow U-18 and OCB starting forward Justin Ellis.

This past weekend saw another academy product make his first-team debut. Zakaria Taifi took over at right back for OCB when Freeman moved up to the first team this year. Signing a short-term deal Saturday, he came on as a late substitute to help the 10-man Lions see out the scoreless draw.

First-team absences have provided opportunities for many young players. If several weren’t at the Generation Adidas Cup, it could be more. Regardless, the last few years have shown a big step forward for the club.

The shift in recent years is more than the pride of seeing local kids representing the hometown team. They’ve been an essential part of the 2025 campaign. The club hasn’t had to use a short bench or dip into outside emergency signings. Instead, the Lions call up kids they know, making it easier to seamlessly place them into the team.

There will be times where several injuries will occur to experienced players. Orlando City is prepared for this more now than ever before, and it’s because of the players coming through the academy and playing with OCB. We’re already seeing it early in this 2025 season.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/21/25

Another scoreless draw for Orlando City, a home loss for the Pride, a championship for the OCSC U-18 squad, and more.

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1 day ago

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April 21, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope you all had a great holiday weekend with family and friends. I managed to watch a few soccer games while work kept me busy. Our Lions picked up another draw for the third week in a row, the Pride lost, and OCB was off this weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Draw CF Montreal on the Road

Orlando City and CF Montreal split the points in a scoreless draw at Stade Saputo on Saturday. It’s the third consecutive week that the Lions could not get a win with another scoreless draw. It’s the second straight match that Orlando had to play down a man as Rafael Santos was sent off in the second half after receiving a second yellow card. Still, the Lions extended their unbeaten run to six matches and are seventh in the Eastern Conference table with 13 points. After the match, Major League Soccer issued a statement after being informed a fan used discriminatory language towards a player during the match.

Orlando City will return to Inter&Co Stadium Saturday to take on Atlanta United.

Orlando City Signs Two Players to Short-Term Deals

Before Saturday’s match against CF Montreal, Orlando City announced the club had signed defender Zakaria Taifi and midfielder Riyon Tori to short-term contracts. Both players were on the bench for Saturday’s match. Tori did not play, but Taifi came off the bench late in the second half to make his MLS debut. Tori has played with OCB and has made three appearances. Taifi has made 42 appearances, starting 21 matches for OCB, scoring one goal and adding three assists.

Orlando City Signs Four Assistant Coaches to New Contracts

Orlando City announced on Friday that the club has renewed the contracts of First Assistant Coach Diego Torres, Second Assistant Coach Martin Perelman, Goalkeeper Coach Cesar Baena, and Fitness & Performance Coach Fabian Bazan. This news comes just days after the club announced that Head Coach Oscar Pareja will remain with the Lions under a new three-year contract through the 2028 MLS season. Together, the coaching staff has played a key part in the recent success of the Lions over the last five seasons, making five consecutive MLS Playoff appearances, two appearances in the Concacaf Champions Cup, and winning the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The Lions also set club records for wins and points, scoring 308 goals across all competitions with a plus-44 goal differential in 202 competitive matches.

Pride Fall to Washington Spirit at Home

The Orlando Pride fell to the Washington Spirit 1-0 at Inter&Co Stadium Saturday to suffer their first loss of the season. The Pride dominated most of the match, but in the 63rd minute, Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse gave the ball away in front of the goal, and Gift Monday capitalized to score the winning goal for the Spirit. Late in the second half, it looked like the Pride had scored the equalizer; however, after video review, it was determined that Kylie Nadaner backed into Aubrey Kingsbury on the play, impeding the goalkeeper from catching the ball, and the tying goal was waved off. With the Kansas City Current’s win over the Houston Dash over the weekend, Orlando drops to second in the NWSL table. The Pride will return to action Friday at Inter&Co Stadium to face Angel City FC.

Orlando City U-18 Team Wins Generation Adidas Cup Championship

The Orlando City U-18 and U-16 squads played over the weekend in playoff matches in the Generation Adidas Cup at IMG Academy. In the quarterfinals on Friday, Omar Robbana scored the lone goal in the U-18 squad’s 1-0 win over Real Salt Lake.

The U-18 squad followed that up by defeating Santos Laguna 3-0 in the semifinals. Justin Ellis scored twice and Gustavo Caraballo added a goal.

On Sunday, Caraballo scored the winning goal in extra time to seal a 2-1 victory over the Colorado Rapids in the U-18 Championship final.

On Friday, the U-16 team defeated Bayern Munich 1-0 in the quarterfinals.

The U-16 squad defeated the New England Revolution 4-3 on penalties after a scoreless draw in the semifinals on Saturday.

The U-16 squad’s run for a championship trophy came to an end with a 3-1 loss to Inter Miami in the U-16 Championship final on Sunday.

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That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.

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