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Orlando City vs. CF Montreal: Five Takeaways

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3 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: 1/21/25

Orlando Pride release preseason camp roster, scouting Costa Rica, women’s soccer transfer grades, and more.

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16 hours ago

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January 21, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone! If you had yesterday off for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, then I hope you enjoyed some restful time off. If not, then I hope you got your week started off on a good and productive note. There’s a lot going on around here this week as the United States Men’s National Team is in town, and Orlando City will play its first preseason match on Saturday. That means we have plenty to discuss, so let’s dig into today’s links.

Orlando Pride Drop Preseason Roster

Monday might have been a holiday but the Orlando Pride were busy, as they announced the roster for their upcoming preseason camp. Almost all of the usual suspects from the 2024 season are back, as the Pride return 98% of the player-minutes from last season and every single scorer. Mariana Larroquette is on the list although she’s currently on loan in Argentina, and Amanda Allen is likewise included after her loan at Lexington Sporting Club was terminated due to a torn labrum. The biggest intrigue comes from the trio of non-roster invitees: goalkeeper DeAira Jackson, midfielder Aryssa Mahrt, and forward Simone Jackson.

Scouting Costa Rica

The USMNT takes on Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium to wrap up the team’s annual January camp. Like the U.S., Costa Rica is bringing a roster devoid of the majority of its important players. Costa Rica also has a new manager at the helm in Miguel Herrera, who will take charge of the team for the very first time on Wednesday. Herrera typically lines his teams up in a 5-3-2 where the wingbacks take on a very important role and the team looks to hit on the counter while staying compact at the back. This will be the last time we see the USMNT in action until the Concacaf Nations League semifinals in early March.

Women’s Soccer January Transfer Grades

January has been a busy time for transfers in the women’s soccer world, so which teams have done the best business? Well, the Orlando Pride received an A grade for signing Marta to a new two-year deal, retaining a player who helped the team win its first ever trophies. Liverpool got an A for signing Julia Bartel on loan from Chelsea. Leicester City made an interesting call by transferring goalkeeper Lize Kop to Tottenham despite just being a point above the relegation zone. The Foxes get a C for the move, while Spurs get a B+ for adding a capable netminder.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans taking part in some very important games over the course of this week. Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus face Club Brugge today in the UEFA Champions League, while Ricardo Pepi, Richy Ledezma, Esmir Bajraktarević, Malik Tillman and PSV Eindhoven take on Crvena Zvezda in the same competition. Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan will play Girona in the UCL on Wednesday, while Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic take on Young Boys. On Friday, John Tolkin could make his Bundesliga debut when his new team, Holstein Kiel, travels to face Wolfsburg.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando Pride players reported for their preseason physicals on Monday.
  • Meanwhile, Orlando City took on the dreaded beep test during Monday’s training session.

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

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Orlando City

Striker Suddenly a Position of Need for Orlando City

Departures and a key injury mean Orlando City needs a striker heading into the 2025 MLS season.

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2 days ago

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January 20, 2025

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Image Courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City reached the Eastern Conference Final for the first time in 2024, a milestone for the club. The core of the team was locked up through the 2025 season, so there was no reason to believe it needed to add much this off-season. Unfortunately, injuries and departures have created a serious problem for the team.

The group of forwards last year consisted of Duncan McGuire, Ramiro Enrique, and Jack Lynn. McGuire scored 15 goals in 2023 and was expected to depart for Blackburn Rovers before a clerical error allowed the Lions to keep their target man. The team’s primary striker scored 11 goals in 37 games — the same number as the previous season — but split time starting with Enrique. The Argentinian improved greatly in 2024, increasing his total goal tally from four to 12. Even Lynn showed tremendous improvement last year, playing a greater role in the team and scoring his first two MLS goals.

The future also seemed bright for the Orlando City forwards because of their ages. Lynn is the oldest of the trio at just 25 years old. Meanwhile, McGuire and Enrique are only 23, so there was no reason to believe this group couldn’t produce this coming season.

The problem at striker began in the postseason when McGuire was pulled down by Charlotte FC midfielder Djibril Diani in the final first round game of the playoffs. McGuire suffered a shoulder injury during the challenge that required surgery on Dec. 13. It’s expected that the striker could take four to five months to return to action, possibly leaving him out until May or June.

Another blow to Orlando’s attack occurred Saturday when Lynn surprisingly announced his retirement from professional soccer. In just over a month, Orlando City went from having three strikers to having just one as preseason training starts.

With McGuire injured and Lynn gone, one option would be to have Designated Player Luis Muriel play up top. However, the Colombian prefers to play a more withdrawn position and proved to be effective in that role last year. Since Head Coach Oscar Pareja prefers to play a 4-2-3-1 formation, the Lions need someone up top to control the ball and involve the midfielders in the attack. That’s not Muriel’s game.

The result of these issues is that nobody is currently behind Enrique when the season begins. If the Argentinian gets tired, hurt, or simply needs rest, Pareja is limited in his options. 

Whether there was a lack of strikers or a lack of goals from the position previously, that problem was resolved by the club’s all-time leading goal scorer. Facundo Torres scored 20 goals in 2024, becoming the first player in Orlando City’s MLS history and the second player in club history to do so. He went on to set a new club record for total goals of 47.

However, Orlando City sold its best player to Brazilian side Palmeiras on Dec. 20. It was a gut punch to fans as Torres had signed a new contract on Jan. 10, 2024 that ran through the 2026 season. There had been talk for the last couple of years that the attacker would look for a move to Europe and rumors of a move to South America arose this off-season. Still, it created a huge gap the club has to fill.

There are players on the roster that can make up for the injury and departures. Martin Ojeda had a strong season in 2024, finishing with seven goals and 13 assists. His seven goals ranked fourth on the team and his 13 assists topped the squad alongside Nico Lodeiro. Muriel came on strong later in the season, finishing with five goals and eight assists. But those numbers are a long way from the 20 goals that Torres tallied last year.

Even if you consider all goal contributions, Ojeda and Muriel fall well short of Torres. Ojeda had a total of 20 goal contributions in 2024 while Muriel had 13. In addition to Torres’s 20 goals, he added nine assists for a team-leading 29 goal contributions.

All of this information leads to one undeniable fact — Orlando City needs to sign a striker prior to the season. And there’s not much time for Luiz Muzzi to act. The European transfer window closes on Feb. 3 and many MLS teams have already been filling similar needs. With the season starting in just over a month, the options will be limited if the Lions don’t do something soon.

After the best postseason finish in Orlando City’s MLS history, things were looking good heading into 2025. While the back line and most of the midfield is returning, McGuire’s injury and the departure of Torres and Lynn have left the Lions in a tough spot offensively. If they don’t do something in the next couple of weeks, it could be a long 2025.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/20/25

Orlando City signs Nicolas Rodriguez, Jack Lynn announces retirement, USMNT defeats Venezuela in friendly, and more.

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2 days ago

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January 20, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope you’re all having a good holiday weekend as we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Over the past week, I’ve been working and covering high school ice hockey. It will be a busy week in Orlando, with the United States Men’s National Team’s match against Costa Rica on Wednesday and Orlando City’s first preseason match against Atletico Mineiro on Saturday. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Signs Nicolas Rodriguez

Orlando City announced on Friday that the club has signed forward Nicolas Rodriguez from Fortaleza CEIF in Colombia’s top flight. The deal is through the 2027 season, with a club option for 2028, and Rodriguez will occupy a MLS U22 Initiative slot. Rodriguez made 19 appearances for Fortaleza, recording 1,607 minutes, five goals, and three assists during the 2024 Primera A Clausura season. The Lions add a young attacking player the club can develop and Rodriguez can play on the right wing, the right side of a three-man midfield, or in the No. 10 spot.

Jack Lynn Announces Retirement

Orlando City forward Jack Lynn announced his retirement from professional soccer on Saturday. Lynn was drafted by Orlando in the first round of the 2022 MLS SuperDraft. He became a regular starter for Orlando City B, scoring a team-record 38 goals in over three seasons with the MLS NEXT Pro side. Lynn also won the Golden Boot with 19 goals during the 2023 season and became the first OCB player to be named MLS NEXT Pro MVP. He played sparingly with the first team, but he scored twice last season as his role increased. The Lions will likely look to add another striker for more depth up top.

Orlando Pride Acquire Allocation Money in Trade

On Friday, the Orlando Pride announced that the club has acquired $50,000 in Allocation Money from the Washington Spirit. In exchange, the Pride sent the Spirit a 2025 international roster spot. The Pride will face the Spirit in the NWSL Challenge Cup final on March 7 at Inter&Co Stadium.

USMNT Defeats Venezuela in Friendly

The USMNT defeated Venezuela 3-1 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday in a friendly. Jack McGlynn and Patrick Agyemang scored in the first half to give the USMNT a 2-0 lead just before halftime. Matko Milijevic scored the third goal for the Americans in the second half, with Venezuela pulling one back thanks to a goal from Jorge Yriarte. Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has led the USMNT to winning four out of its first five matches since he took charge last September. The USMNT’s next match will be against Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium.

Alyssa Naeher Named U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year

On Saturday, goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher was voted 2024 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year. Naeher won 40% of the vote, while defender Naomi Girma finished in second with 32%. In her final year with the USWNT, Naeher ended 2024 with 18 starts, playing 1,170 minutes and only conceding 11 goals. She played a crucial role with clutch saves to help the USWNT win the 2024 SheBelieves Cup, 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup, and gold at the Olympics in Paris. Naeher is the second goalkeeper to win the award since Hope Solo won it in 2009.

Free Kicks

  • Manchester City forward Erling Haaland has reached an agreement with the club on a record-breaking contract that extends his deal through 2034.

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

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