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Orlando City vs. FC Cincinnati: Final Score 3-0 as Lions Pick Up First Win of the Season

Tesho Akindele, Nani, and Junior Urso gave the Lions more than enough offense for a dub and El Pulpo kept a clean sheet.

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4 years ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Tesho Akindele, Nani, and Junior Urso provided the goals and Pedro Gallese wasn’t called on to make a single save, as Orlando City dominated FC Cincinnat 3-0 at Exploria Stadium. The Lions (1-0-2, 5 points) turned in a good performance to get their first win of the season and remain unbeaten (2-0-1) in the all-time series against FCC (0-2-1, 1 point).

“Very good game for us, very solid performance,” Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “The best part of the game was that we found the net — something that we were missing in the last two games, where we did a very good performance also but we were missing that final touch. In today’s game we did it. We were more precise and that makes us happy.”

Pareja’s lineup included Gallese in his customary spot between the sticks behind a back line of Kyle Smith, Rodrigo Schlegel, Antonio Carlos, and Ruan. Mauricio Pereyra slotted into the midfield with Urso and Sebas Mendez behind an attacking force of Nani, Akindele, and Chris Mueller.

It took just over 30 seconds for Orlando to take the lead. Akindele was the first to reach a wayward back pass and slotted home to score the fastest goal in Orlando City’s MLS history. The only other first-minute goals in the club’s history came in the USL days, as both Dom Dwyer and Kevin Molino accomplished the feat in 2013.

“It’s super important for sure,” Akindele said of scoring early. “I mean, think of it from their point of view. They just lost last week, a big loss, and then they come out this week and they’re down right away. It’s tough. I’ve been in that position where something like that’s happened. I know it’s tough mentally. So, we knew that we had a mental edge right there. We had the fans behind us, we have momentum, we’re feeling good. They’re playing in the heat. So I think at that point we kind of have a lot of things on our side.”

“It meant a lot, especially because I felt the boys in the locker room trying to come up with intensity and and setting the tone of the game,” Pareja said of the early goal.

The Lions’ bright start continued with Urso heading just over the bar three minutes in. Akindele nearly had a brace in the 15th when a deflected cross from Smith just cleared the Cincinnati defense but the ball took a big bounce right in front of Tesho, who bodied it to himself, but he couldn’t keep his shot down.

Nani doubled the lead in the 19th minute with a vintage Nani moment. He faked right, shedding Cincinnati’s Yuya Kubo, then came left again and fired a screamer past Przemysław Tytoń to make it 2-0.

The second goal seemed to wake Cincinnati up and the visitors fashioned a chance off a free kick conceded near the right corner. The cross came in and found Nick Hagglund, who headed just wide in the 22nd minute.

A minute later, Nani nearly made it three for the Lions, getting his head to a Mueller cross but hitting the left post with it. Pereyra nearly slipped in behind in the 26th minute but the play was broken up from behind and the Uruguayan needed a visit from the trainers, although he did continue.

That broke Orlando’s momentum and Cincinnati started playing more directly, trying to lob balls over the defense for well-timed runs by Brenner. A corner in the 36th minute found Tom Petterson’s head at the back post, but again the free chance was nodded wide.

Cincinnati should have scored in the 38th minute when a long ball sprung Álvaro Barreal, who made a nice run. Gallese charged off his line but couldn’t get close to Barreal, but El Pulpo’s presence forced an errant shot by the Cincinnati man.

Orlando settled down a bit after that and fashioned some opportunities. Mueller cleared himself on the left and fired for the back post but couldn’t get enough curl on his shot in the 42nd minute in the final decent look for either side in the opening period.

“Oscar told us the last two games to score the goal. If we have one or two chances we have to score, and we missed that,” Urso said. “So, we talked about that last game. We said when we play against Cincinnati they have to pay the bill. Of course, we respect all teams in the league, but that’s the football. That’s the soccer. So we had talked about that. Today we have to win so today Cincinnati paid the bill. We scored the goals — more than one. That’s important too. I think today Oscar…he’s happy, I think.”

Orlando City attempted more shots (9-4), shots on goal (2-0), and held a slight edge in possession (51.1%-48.9%) in the first half. Both teams earned two corners, and Cincinnati was a bit sharper passing (87.8%-84.2%) but had very few pass attempts in the final third.

The Lions tried to get back on the front foot immediately after the break, with Mueller ripping a shot that was blocked behind for a corner in the 47th. Schlegel headed a shot on target off the ensuing set piece but it was right at Tyton.

Brenner nearly pulled a goal back out of nowhere in the 50th, sending a long range shot just wide of Gallese’s far post.

A minute later, Mueller again let ‘er rip, this time on the volley, sending his screamer just wide of the far post at the other end.

Nani smashed a gorgeous shot in the 63rd to force a good save by Tyton. Mendez ripped a shot just wide moments later. Ruan cut inside and fired a shot that Tyton saved in the 74th as the Lions continued to generate most of the game’s attack and looked to put the game to bed.

Orlando did just that in the 80th minute. Nani sent a back-post cross that second-half sub Andres Perea headed back across the box. It fell for sub Benji Michel, who turned, but he put the ball right on Urso’s foot and the Bear slipped a shot inside the left post to make it 3-0.

Hagglund headed wide on a corner shortly thereafter, but the visitors didn’t cause too much of a fuss for the rest of the match. Joao Moutinho subbed on late, seeing his first game action since last August. After a late shot attempt just wide by Silvester van der Water, the game was over.

Orlando attempted more shots (22-7), got more on target (5-0), and held more possession (52.5%-47.5%). Both teams earned four corners and Cincinnati maintained a slight edge in passing accuracy (88.5%-87.6%).

With his second clean sheet of 2021, Gallese now has five as a Lion, tying Tally Hall for third on the team’s all-time list since joining MLS. El Pulpo trails just Brian Rowe (8) and career leader Joe Bendik (13). But it was the offense that stole the show on this night.

“Just getting that first win and especially getting a win with a few goals, it feels really good, Akindele said. “Maybe kind of takes some pressure off of the team, maybe the forwards especially. So that was huge from us.”

“Congratulations to the group. Congratulations to the fans as well, for the first win of the year and hopefully can can do many more,” said Pareja.

The Lions remain at home for their next game, hosting New York City FC next Saturday at 6 p.m.

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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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17 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: 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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