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Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Final Score 2-1 as Sloppy Lions Get Swept

It wasn’t the sharpest night for the Lions, who just couldn’t find the final bit of quality in losing their second game to the Red Bulls in 2021.

Published

5 years ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City will be happy to have seen the last of the New York Red Bulls this regular season. The Lions (6-2-3, 21 points) were sloppy and wasteful in a 2-1 loss to New York (5-5-1, 16 points) at Exploria Stadium, getting swept in the two-game season series by identical scorelines.

The Lions could have climbed to the top of the Eastern Conference with a win after New England dropped points, but the team conceded a late goal and missed a first-half Mauricio Pereyra penalty. Chris Mueller’s second-half goal tied the match after an early Cristian Casseres Jr. goal put the visitors on top, but Fabio Gomes Netto’s winner late sent the wet crowd of 19,009 home unhappy.

“Obviously sad with the result but with our heads very high with the effort of the players,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “But we accept it. I think we need to move forward. It’s a quick turnaround with a game in the middle of the week.”

It was New York’s first road win of the season.

Pareja started Brandon Austin in goal behind a back line of Kyle Smith, Robin Jansson, Antonio Carlos, and Michael Halliday. Junior Urso and Andres Perea started in central midfield with Pereyra and Mueller feeding the attack to Nani and Daryl Dike up top.

The Red Bulls took advantage of an early mistake by Orlando by doing what they do — scoring a transition goal off a defensive end turnover. The ball cycled to Casseres Jr. on the right and the defense overplayed him to the outside, so he cut back inside and curled a ball into the far side of the net to make it 1-0 in the sixth minute.

Carlos went down in the 10th minute while Pereyra was winning a free kick near the left corner of the box. He signaled for a substitute but Rodrigo Schlegel wasn’t ready yet so he stayed on for the set piece. Carlos scored on the set piece but was called for a foul. He went down after the call and was subbed off officially in the 14th minute.

The Lions started getting more of the ball and creating some opportunities but couldn’t quite cash in. Mueller smashed a shot in the 16th minute that was heading in but Carlos Coronel made a good diving save to keep Orlando scoreless. Two minutes later, Halliday fired just wide off a corner kick. Pereyra fired on target in the 26th minute but it was no trouble for Coronel. Seconds later, Mueller fired a shot just over the bar.

The best chance to tie the match in the first half came late in the half when Pereyra drew a foul in the box for an Orlando penalty. The Uruguayan took the penalty himself but Coronel guessed correctly to his left and Pereyra’s shot was at an easy height for the goalkeeper to make the stop.

The Lions got one more good look in stoppage time, with Dike heading over the bar on a good cross into the area. Despite getting some good looks, the Lions went to the break trailing.

The Red Bulls out-shot Orlando 7-6 in the first half, although the Lions had more on goal (3-2). Orlando held more possession (58.6%-41.4%), had more corners (3-1) and passed more accurately, but the passing wasn’t terribly accurate despite the Lions’ 78.2%-73.3% advantage, especially in the final third.

Orlando’s second half didn’t start much better than the first, as the Red Bulls had a lot of possession in the attacking third and the Lions struggled to accurately play the ball out of their own half. A giveaway by Perea in the 50th minute could have been fatal but the shot went over the bar.

The first good look of the second half for Orlando came in the 53rd minute when Urso slipped Dike in behind the defense. Dike tried to slip it under Coronel, who came off his line and made the save and it just didn’t look like the Lions’ night at that point.

It was a New York mistake that let Orlando back in the game. Defender Sean Nealis decided to try to dribble the ball past Dike, but the Orlando forward had no trouble dispossessing him and poking the ball to an onrushing Pereyra. The Uruguayan found Mueller on his left and Cash sent a perfect shot under the bar to tie the game at 1-1 in the 59th minute.

After the Orlando goal the game settled into a bit of a stalemate for about the next 10 minutes. New York looked the likelier side to score the second goal as the Lions continued to make silly mistakes in possession, forcing passes and trying to split double (and sometimes triple) teams against the Red Bulls’ press.

Patryk Klimala fired just inches wide in transition in the 72nd minute.

Orlando’s best chance to take the lead came in the 79th minute when Nani got the ball on the left and fired a shot on target. The captain’s chance was too close to Coronel, who made the save and then started the play the other way for the winning goal.

The Lions’ two center backs closed together to stop Klimala, but in doing so, Schlegel left Fabio to Halliday while helping Jansson, who appeared to be in good position. Klimala was was able to get a pass through to Fabio, who held off Halliday and beat Austin to make it 2-1.

“I think it was a counter for them, it was a quick transition,” Schlegel said. “And as they were bringing the ball up, they sort of came into the middle and (were) trying to play into the middle, so I stepped up to try and cover, and they were able to get it behind me and, frankly, their number nine just finished really well.”

“On the last goal I would say that it’s a lack of coordination when we have to step and cover,” Pareja said. “They don’t go around much, but through the middle they put a lot of numbers, so as you have to be concentrated on those small passes and short diagonals. And that’s why they found that goal. They made a good movement there where we were off, and in no time they scored that second goal.”

Orlando wasn’t threatening much in the final 10 minutes due to careless passes and poor decision-making. Dike ignored a run by substitute Silvester van der Water on one attack opportunity and Nani ignored an outlet pass to Benji Michel in his own half in stoppage time and lost the ball when three Red Bulls converged on him. Uri Rosell got a last gasp shot attempt off deep in stoppage time but missed the net.

New York out-shot Orlando 18-13, but the Lions got more on target (6-4). Corners were even at four apiece, with Orlando holding an advantage in possession (55.2%-44.8%) and the Red Bulls edging the Lions in passing accuracy (75.4%-76.1%).

“Obviously disappointed,” Austin said after the loss. “We wanted to keep that winning streak going. Tough game. I think there were chances where we definitely had opportunities to get more out of the game. Credit to New York, they came up with a game plan and they executed it quite well.”

The Lions will try to bounce back Wednesday night on the road at the Chicago Fire.

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Lion Links

Lion Links 9/22/26

Cosette Morche up for weekly honors, lessons from matchday 27, key players in the UEFA Women’s Champions League, and more.

Published

6 hours ago

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September 22, 2026

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Image of Cosette Morche during her NWSL debut vs. Washington.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Good morning, everyone. It was a terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad weekend for Orlando’s three soccer teams, as they all lost and did so by an aggregate score of 12-5. Fortunately, we’ve got lots to talk about this morning, so let’s not dwell any further on the horror show that was the weekend slate, and instead dive into today’s links.

Cosette Morche up for Weekly Honors

Despite the Orlando Pride falling at home against the Portland Thorns, a bright spot has emerged from the game in the form of Cosette Morche being nominated for the NWSL Save of the Week. She made a fantastic triple save in the 17th minute to frustrate both Sophia Wilson and Pietra Tordin and keep the score at 1-0. Unfortunately, the Pride went on to lose 4-1, but Morche continued a trend of strong performances in net since taking over for the loaned-out Anna Moorhouse. Make sure you go vote for her to win!

Lessons from Matchday 27

Matchday 27 is in the books for Major League Soccer, and there are plenty of things to be learned from the weekend’s action. A number of young players called up by the United States Men’s National Team turned in impressive performances, as Cavan Sullivan had a goal and an assist, Frankie Westfield and Neil Pierre helped Sullivan and the Union overturn a 4-3 deficit against Sporting Kansas City, and Julian Hall scored the winner in the Hudson River Derby. Elsewhere, Nashville clinched a playoff spot and did so in style by knocking off a good Chicago Fire team 3-0. Finally, St Louis City beat Toronto FC 3-1 and now has a mind-boggling 16-game unbeaten streak in the league that grows to 18 games unbeaten in all competitions.

Women’s Champions League Key Players

The UEFA Women’s Champions League kicks off today, so this is an excellent time to familiarize yourself with some of the most important players in the competition. Some of them may be familiar to you already, like Real Madrid’s Colombian attacker Linda Caicedo or Chelsea midfielder Lauren James. Midfielder Patri Guijarro will be an important piece for Barcelona following the summer departures of Alexia Putellas and Salma Paralluelo, while Annamaria Serturini, Remina Chiba, and Redondo are in a similar situation for Juventus. Finally, there are players on less heralded teams, like Uka Modesta for Austria Wien and Lowiese Seynhaeve for OH Leuven.

Granit Xhaka Dropped by Switzerland

We finish our main story section today with an odd one, as Granit Xhaka has been left out of the latest Switzerland squad after he admitted to using a fake COVID-19 vaccination certificate. Amid an investigation into a Swiss doctor who was allegedly producing false certificates for unvaccinated individuals, Xhaka has admitted to using falsified paperwork. Not only has he been left out of the Swiss squad, but he could also face legal repercussions, and the player confirmed that he is currently in the process of speaking to the authorities. Xhaka is Switzerland’s all-time leader in appearances, and has been a key member of the team for a number of years.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City somehow rose two spots to no.10 in ESPN.com’s MLS power rankings.
  • The Orlando Pride held fast at no. 12 in the same outlet’s NWSL power rankings.
  • For better or worse, Orlando City will be back in the red kits for Saturday’s match against the Philadelphia Union.

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

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. New England Revolution: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s road loss to the New England Revolution?

Published

1 day ago

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September 21, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City was minutes away from drawing the New England Revolution Saturday night, which would’ve been a big point in the Lions’ quest for the postseason. But two second-half injury-time goals saw that point dissipate. Instead, they followed their U.S. Open Cup semifinal defeat with a crushing 4-2 loss.

Let’s take a look at how the individual players fared in the disappointing result.

Starters

GK, Maxime Crepeau, 5 — None of the four goals were specifically Crepeau’s fault, with one being a deflection and the other three coming from poor defense. But the goalkeeper’s four goals conceded matched his number of saves. It can also be argued he should’ve come out earlier on some of the goals to cut down the attacker’s angle. In addition to his four goals conceded and four saves, he ended the game with 39 touches and completed 74.1% of his 27 passes, including seven of his 14 long balls.

D, Bernardo Rhein, 5.5 — The teenager got the start at left back in this game, touching the ball 58 times. He completed 83.3% of his 42 passes, but neither of his two long balls nor his lone cross. Defensively, Rhein recorded a tackle and a blocked shot before being replaced in the 77th minute by Harvey Sarajian in an attacking change.

D, Robin Jansson, 5.5 — The Orlando City captain had 65 touches in this game and completed 98.1% of his 53 passes, including three of his four long balls. Defensively, he had an interception, a team-high six clearances, and an aerial duel won. But his age showed as he was unable to keep up with the counterattacks the other way. While it wasn’t a bad game for Jansson, I can’t give a higher grade to a key component of a back line that conceded four times.

D, David Brekalo, 5.5 — Jansson’s center back partner had 52 touches and completed 95% of his 40 passes, including one of his two long balls. He took one shot in the game, but it was off target. Defensively, Brekalo recorded a tackle and six clearances, and won two aerial balls. Similar to Jansson, Brekalo wasn’t necessarily bad, but was part of a center back pairing that helped concede four goals.

D, Ivan Angulo, 6 — Angulo started this game at right back and moved to left wing and left back as the game progressed. As you would expect, the Colombian pushed forward quite a bit. He ended the game with 69 touches and completed 81.3% of his 48 passes, including one of his three long balls. His most impactful play came in the 62nd minute, when he shielded his defender to tuck away the Lions’ first goal, cutting the deficit to 2-1. That was his lone shot of the night. Defensively, he added five tackles and two interceptions, providing one of the team’s best performances.

MF, Tyrese Spicer, 5 — In the team’s third game in eight days, Spicer got the start in the midfield. He touched the ball 20 times and completed 72.7% of his 11 passes, including his lone long ball. Other than that, he did little offensively before being replaced by Zakaria Taifi at halftime, allowing Angulo to go forward. Defensively, he added a tackle and an interception, but the Lions could’ve used much more from the speedster.

MF, Joran Gerbet, 6 — Gerbet once again was in the lineup for the Lions, playing his typical defensive midfield role. The Frenchman had a team-high 72 touches and completed 98.5% of his 67 passes, including two key passes and both of his long balls. The midfielder’s only shot was blocked, but it bounced off Peyton Miller’s hand for a penalty. He also contributed defensively with a tackle and an interception. Gerbet was replaced by Tiago in second-half stoppage time to bring on an attacker after the team fell behind again.

MF, Luis Otavio, 5.5 — The quick turnaround gave Otavio a chance to start, though he only played 45 minutes. The Brazilian had 21 touches and completed 94.1% of his 17 passes, including one of his two long balls. He didn’t contribute any shots in the attack and only recorded a clearance defensively in what was a rather forgettable performance. His night ended at halftime when he was taken off for regular starter Eduard Atuesta.

MF, Marco Pasalic, 5.5 — With Antoine Griezmann injured, Pasalic got a rare start. He touched the ball 35 times and completed 91.7% of his 24 passes, including one of his two long balls. The attacking midfielder took two shots and put one on target. Defensively, he recorded two tackles and a clearance before being replaced by Daryl Dike in the 71st minute.

F, Martin Ojeda, 6 (MotM) — Ojeda is starting to look more like his old self since returning from injury and was the primary attacker for the Lions in this game. The Argentinian had 59 touches and completed 79.6% of his 44 passes, including a key pass, two of his three long balls, and two of his four crosses. He also put two of his three shots on target. Ojeda was instrumental in the attacking movement that ended with Angulo’s goal, working a give-and-go straight up the middle with Justin Ellis. In the 88th minute, he converted the game-tying penalty, keeping his record from the spot perfect and pulling him to within one goal of Facundo Torres for the club record. He was the best player for me and earned my Man of the Match.

F, Justin Ellis, 5.5 — Ellis was active in this game, touching the ball 67 times and completing 76.1% of his 46 passes, including one of his two long balls and one of his two crosses. His only shot was off target. The forward added two tackles in his last game before heading out on international duty.

Substitutes

D, Zakaria Taifi, 5.5 (45’) — Taifi came on at halftime for Spicer, allowing Angulo to move forward into his natural position. The Homegrown Player had 24 touches in his 45 minutes while completing 85.7% of his 14 passes. He had three key passes, completed his lone cross, and didn’t complete either of his two long balls. The defender didn’t do anything else offensively, but added a tackle and a clearance.

MF, Eduard Atuesta, 5.5 (45’) — A regular starter, Atuesta got the first half off before coming on for Otavio. The Colombian touched the ball 41 times and completed 94.1% of his 34 passes, including a key pass and two of his three long balls, but neither of his two crosses. Additionally, his only shot was on target. Defensivley, Atuesta didn’t record any statistics.

F, Daryl Dike, 4.5 (71’) — Dike came on for Pasalic in the 71st minue with the Lions looking for a goal. It was another disappointing performance for the striker, who only had six touches and completed two of his four passes. Despite coming on to score, his only shot was off target and he didn’t contribute anything defensively.

F, Harvey Sarajian, 5 (77’) — Sarajian came on for Rhein in the 77th minute, another move aimed towards finding an equalizer. The rookie had seven touches in 13 minutes while completing 83.3% of his six passes. Sarajian also didn’t contribute much in this game, failing to take a shot or build an attack.

MF, Tiago, N/A (90+5’) — Tiago came on in the dying minutes for Gerbet after Orlando CIty fell behind again. The attacker only recorded three touches, completed his lone pass, and drew a foul in his brief stint on the field.

That’s how I saw the individual performances in this disappointing loss. Let us know how you saw the game in the comments below, and don’t forget to vote on your Man of the Match.

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Lion Links: 9/21/26

All of Orlando’s soccer teams lose, Lions unveil Vinicius Nogueira, and more.

Published

1 day ago

on

September 21, 2026

By

Image of Martin Ojeda playing the ball against Inter Miami.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been staying busy at work over the weekend. Let’s wish a happy belated birthday to Orlando Pride defender Cori Dyke, who turned 26 on Sunday, and a happy birthday to Orlando City defender Bernardo Rhein, who turns 19 today. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Concede Two Late Goals in Loss at New England

Orlando City fell 4-2 to the New England Revolution on the road on Saturday at Gillette Stadium, conceding twice in stoppage time to drop a point. After trailing 2-0, the Lions came back with second-half goals from Ivan Angulo and Martin Ojeda, with the latter from the penalty spot just before the 90 minutes were up. However, in stoppage time, the Lions imploded, with Peyton Miller and Carles Gil closing out the night with two goals each for the Revolution. The loss snapped Orlando’s five-game unbeaten streak in league play, and the Lions left Foxborough with no points instead of at least one. Orlando City will be back on the road for its next match on Saturday against the Philadelphia Union.

Lions Unveil Vinicius Nogueira

Orlando City unveiled left back Vinicius Nogueira on Friday with a photo shoot at Inter.co Stadium.

The Lions signed Nogueira on Aug. 27 on loan from Bulgarian First League side PFC Ludogorets through the end of the 2027 MLS Sprint Season, with an option to make the move permanent. The 24-year-old Brazilian was on the bench during Orlando City’s match against the New England Revolution on Saturday but did not play.

Pride Fall at home to Portland Thorns

The Orlando Pride lost 4-1 to the Portland Thorns on Saturday at Inter.co Stadium, and while the team is still mathematically alive for the postseason, the home defeat made things even more of a longshot than they were. The Pride started slowly and were down 2-0 before Ally Lemos pulled one back in the first half. Orlando missed several scoring chances, and in the second half, Portland scored two goals to put the match away. Orlando will travel to the West Coast to take on Bay FC on Sunday.

OCB Falls to Atlanta United 2 on Decision Day

Orlando City B lost 4-2 to Atlanta United 2 on Decision Day Sunday at Osceola County Stadium, falling all the way to 10th and out of the playoff places. Atlanta struck first early before Issah Haruna tied it up for the Young Lions. However, Atlanta got an own goal when Tristan Himes punched a set piece deliver in off Harvey Sarajian to retake the lead, and Ignacio Saurez-Couri added another to make it 3-1. Justin Hylton scored for OCB to cut the deficit to one before halftime. In the second half, Dominik Chong-Qui scored the final goal to secure Atlanta’s win. For the Young Lions, the season ends in disappointment again, missing the MLS NEXT Pro postseason for the second straight season.

Free Kicks

  • Just two days after Gabi Nunes and the Orlando Pride mutually agreed to part ways on Wednesday, Nunes signed with Liga F side Atletico de Madrid Femenino on Friday.
  • New York City FC is reportedly signing defender Matt Miazga after he was waived by FC Cincinnati earlier this month.

🇺🇸 BREAKING: NYCFC set to sign center back Matt Miazga, per sources.- Miazga waived by FC Cincinnati earlier this month- Miazga, 31, is former MLS Defender of the Year. Boosts defensive options for NYCFC down the stretchwww.nytimes.com/athletic/760…

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2026-09-18T13:17:04.926Z

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

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