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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.

Published

5 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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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. San Diego FC: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Lions welcome San Diego FC to Orlando for the first meeting ever between the two clubs.

Published

2 hours ago

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September 5, 2026

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Image of Joran Gerbet playing against Minnesota United.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to your match preview and live thread for a Saturday night matchup between Orlando City (7-11-4, 25 points) and San Diego FC (8-8-6, 30 points) at Inter.co Stadium in Orlando (7:30 p.m., Apple TV). It’s the first-ever meeting between these two teams from different conferences

Here’s what you need to know ahead of the match.

History

As mentioned above, tonight’s meeting between the Lions and San Diego is the first in the series history, so there is no history. The Lions are 2-2-1 against Western Conference teams this season, which means little to nothing in this particular match, and San Diego is going to be Orlando City’s final opponent from the opposite conference in MLS regular-season play this season.

Overview

The Lions are coming off a wild 3-3 road draw at Minnesota United a week ago, in which Daryl Dike and Antoine Griezmann scored on either side of halftime on Orlando’s first two shot attempts to put their team up 2-0 in the 64th minute. Minnesota stormed back with three goals off defensive errors in a four-minute span to take a late 3-2 lead. Just when the Loons appeared to be headed for all three points, Tyrese Spicer scored in stoppage time, forcing Minnesota to split the points. Orlando has a modest 1-0-1 unbeaten streak entering tonight, and the Lions are 5-4-2 at home in 2026.

San Diego is coming off a 3-1 home win over the LA Galaxy despite having Jeppe Tverskov sent off. Tonight’s visitors have won two straight games, but both were at home. They lost their last home game 3-1 at Portland on Aug. 19 and are 2-5-3 away from home this season.

The key for Orlando City tonight will be to mark Anders Dreyer, which is far easier said than done, as he has emerged as one of the league’s best playmakers. His eight goals and 11 assists give him 19 total goal contributions to lead his team. Marcus Ingvartsen is Dreyer’s favorite teammate to combine with, as the Danish forward has converted 11 times, leading San Diego in goals, and has added five assists. However, Ingvartsen is listed as out with a lower body injury. Midfielder Onni Valakari has chipped in four goals and seven assists.

“We respect San Diego, but as well we prepare our game,” Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman said ahead of the match. “We know how strong we are, especially at home, so now we go.”

Orlando City will be without Braian Ojeda (foot) and Adrian Marin (thigh), while Bernardo Rhein (thigh), has been upgraded to questionable. San Diego will be without the aforementioned Ingvartsen (lower body) and Tverskov (suspension).

Match Content

Projected Lineups:

Orlando City (4-4-2)

Goalkeeper: Maxime Crepeau.

Defenders: Zakaria Taifi, Robin Jansson, David Brekalo, Griffin Dorsey.

Midfielders: Ivan Angulo, Joran Gerbet, Eduard Atuesta, Antoine Griezmann.

Forwards: Justin Ellis, Daryl Dike.

San Diego FC (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: C.J. dos Santos.

Defenders: Kieran Sargeant, Ian Murphy, Manu Duah, Oscar Verhoeven.

Midfielders: Gabriel Pirani, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, Anibal Godoy.

Forwards: Elias Achouri, Onni Valakari, Anders Dreyer.

Referees:

REF: Joe Dickerson.
AR1: Corey Parker.
AR2: Justin Howard.
4TH: Rodrigo Albuquerque.
VAR: Daniel Radford.
AVAR: Jeff Muschik.

How to Watch

Match Time: 7:30 p.m.

Venue: Inter.co Stadium — Orlando.

TV/Streaming: Apple TV.

Radio: AM 810 FOX Sports Radio Orlando (English), Mega 97.1 FM (Spanish), Nossa Rádio 1160 AM-WRLZ (Portuguese).

Social Media: For rapid reaction and live updates, follow us on Bluesky Social at @themaneland.bsky.social or follow Orlando City’s official Twitter (@OrlandoCitySC) or Bluesky (@OrlandoCitySC) feed.

Enjoy the match. Go City!

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. San Diego FC: Three Keys to Victory

Here’s what Orlando needs to do in order to return to winning ways against San Diego.

Published

1 day ago

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September 4, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

After the disappointment of two dropped points against Minnesota on Saturday, Orlando City is back home with an opportunity to get things back on track. The Lions need to keep picking up points if they want to keep pace in an increasingly crowded Eastern Conference, and Saturday’s game is a good chance to start September off on the right note. San Diego FC stands in the way of that good start, and what follows are three things that I believe Orlando needs to do in order to emerge victorious from this game.

Stay Strong on the Left

The left side of the defense has been a question mark for the Lions for much of the year. Adrian Marin, Bernardo Rhein, and Zakaria Taifi have all spent time at left back lately and have done so with varying degrees of success. Regardless of who suits up there on Saturday, that area of the field will be under scrutiny once again, since they’ll be tasked with stopping San Diego right winger Anders Dreyer. He has eight goals and 11 assists in 21 appearances this year, has played 60 key passes during that time, and is generally the lynchpin through which the San Diego offense operates. He hasn’t quite been on the same pace that saw him bag 19 goals and 19 assists in the regular season last year, but with four goal contributions in his last three MLS appearances, he’s extremely capable of wreaking havoc from the wing. A lot of the goals OCSC has conceded lately have come down the left side of the defense, and if that area of the field can’t be taken care of better, the Lions will likely be in for a difficult night.

Do Damage in Transition

Orlando’s current style of positionless, fluid, attacking soccer is at its best when it comes up against teams that want to come out and play. It struggles mightily against defensive bunkers but shines when the Lions can get out and run, target open spaces, and combine with teammates in unexpected areas. Fortunately for OCSC (in theory), San Diego is a team that likes to have the ball, as it has the highest average possession in the league. That means the Lions will have opportunities to force turnovers and break the other way at pace. In order to make that happen though, OCSC will need to be both disciplined and effective when it comes to applying its press. Then, if/when the Lions win the ball, correct decision-making and clinical execution in the final third will be key to avoid letting any chances slip through their fingers (paws?).

Clean Up the Self-Inflicted Errors

Orlando has dealt with more than its fair share of general defensive struggles this year, but avoidable errors have been a particular problem in recent weeks. Whether it’s been an ill-advised challenge, passing to the opposition in the defensive third, or leaving men unmarked in the box, unnecessary mistakes have cost OCSC points time and again. Against lesser opposition it hasn’t always mattered, as the Lions were able to rescue three points against Real Salt Lake, but if Orlando wants to make a playoff push, it needs to make a habit of playing cleaner games, plain and simple. San Diego is a good team with dangerous offensive players, and Saturday’s visitors will very likely take advantage of any opportunities that the Lions gift-wrap for them. Keeping things mistake-free will go a long way.

We’ve got ample proof this season that nothing is guaranteed, but if the Lions can lock down the left side of the defense, make hay in transition moments, and limit unforced errors, then they should be in a good position to take all three points from Saturday’s game. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 9/4/26

Martin Ojeda details his recovery from injury, Anna Moorhouse loaned to Manchester City, Orlando City’s U.S. Open Cup journey, and more.

Published

1 day ago

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September 4, 2026

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Image of Martin Ojeda celebrating a goal against New England.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Three straight days of Orlando soccer starts tonight with Orlando City B’s road match against Inter Miami II at 7 p.m. Hopefully, Orlando’s teams do well over the next few days as crunch time is upon us when it comes to making the playoffs, especially for MLS NEXT Pro. For now though, let’s jump right into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Orlando City Prepares for San Diego FC

Orlando City will take on San Diego FC on Saturday in the first-ever game between the two clubs, and one of the storylines to keep an eye on is how much Martin Ojeda plays as he works his way back from injury. The Designated Player came off the bench late in Orlando’s 3-3 draw against Minnesota United in his first appearance since May 23. Not often injured, Ojeda spoke on how being off the field for over a month has shifted his perspective while training to return.

“You learn to value the moment much more. You learn to value every training session because, when you’re training on your own and you’re not available to your teammates, you feel uncomfortable,” Ojeda said. “You value being healthy more. It’s like everything in life. When you feel good, you live life almost on autopilot, so to speak. You go to work, you go home, you come back, you sleep. However, when you or someone close to you goes through an illness or something like that, you value the moment much more and become more conscious of what you’re experiencing.”

Pride Loan Anna Moorhouse to Manchester City

The Orlando Pride loaned goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse to Manchester City through January of 2027. Moorhouse joined the Pride prior to the 2022 season and helped the club win both the NWSL Championship and Shield in 2024. However, she has struggled this year alongside the rest of the Pride’s defense. Moorhouse hasn’t played in the past two games for the Pride, with Cosette Morche starting in her place. Her current contract with the Pride lasts through the 2027 NWSL season, so we’ll have to wait and see what her future with the club is when the loan ends.

Orlando City’s U.S. Open Cup Journey

Between the World Cup, regular season, and Leagues Cup this summer, it can be easy to forget that Orlando City is still in contention to win this year’s U.S. Open Cup. The Lions are in the semifinals of the tournament after crushing Atlanta United 4-1 in the quarterfinals back on May 19. The Lions won much tighter affairs prior to that win, with Javier Otero coming up with seven saves in a 1-0 win over FC Naples and Zakaria Taifi scoring in stoppage time to beat the New England Revolution 4-3 in the following match. Orlando will be on the road for its semifinal match against the Columbus Crew on Sept. 16, but the offense has received a boost due to the arrivals of Antoine Griezmann and Daryl Dike this summer.

MLS Transfer News Roundup

MLS signings continue to pour in as teams look to improve their squads for the rest of this season and beyond. The Colorado Rapids signed Ghanaian winger Ibrahim Sadiq from AZ Alkmaar, where he recorded 18 goals and seven assists in 85 appearances across three seasons with the Dutch club. San Diego also added an attacker by signing forward Cedric Bakambu, who joins as a free agent after playing at Real Betis. As for other notable moves from across the league, Real Salt Lake signed winger Dusan Zagar as an MLS U22 Initiative player, forward Lyle Foster joined the Houston Dynamo on loan, and the Columbus Crew continued to improve on offense by signing Moroccan winger Anass Zaroury on loan from Panathinaikos.

Free Kicks

  • Former Orlando Pride player Christina Burkenroad is retiring from professional soccer and Monterrey will have Saturday’s game against Toluca be a send-off match for her.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

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