Connect with us

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Chicago Fire: Final Score 1-0 as Benji Michel’s Goal Lifts Lions to Victory

The Lions are unbeaten in five league matches after a much-needed win over the Chicago Fire.

Published

5 years ago

on

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

The Orlando City offense continues to struggle, but one goal was enough on a wet night at Exploria Stadium. Benji Michel’s second-half strike off a turnover forced by Tesho Akindele was the difference as Orlando City (9-4-7, 34 points) beat the Chicago Fire (5-11-5, 20 points) 1-0. Mason Stajduhar got his first career MLS shutout.

With the win, the Lions’ unbeaten streak grew to five straight matches (2-0-3) and it snapped a string of three consecutive 1-1 draws. Orlando improved to 4-5-5 in the all-time series against the Fire, and 2-2-3 at home. The Lions leapfrogged idle Nashville to climb back into second place in the Eastern Conference, while the Fire fell to 0-7-1 on the road in 2021.

“Another fantastic performance for the boys, especially for what they are getting through,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “Competing and winning those three points means a lot for the players, for the club, for all.”

Pareja’s lineup included Stajduhar in goal and despite Pedro Gallese making the bench, although it was Adam Grinwis who came out for warmups. Joao Mouthino, Robin Jansson, Antonio Carlos, and Ruan made up the back line behind a central midfield of Junior Urso and Joey DeZart, as Andres Perea was again missing from the match day roster despite not being listed on the availability report. Michel and Silvester van der Water played the facilitator roles, with Nani returning to the starting lineup with Akindele up top. Mauricio Pereyra got the night off.

After an inclement weather delay of about 45 minutes, the teams took to the pitch. The wet ball and constant rain made play a bit sloppy and sluggish at times but both teams had chances.

The first good opportunity came Orlando’s way. Van der Water cut from right to left and hit a shot that crashed off the left post and trickled back across the face of goal but stayed out in the 11th minute.

Chicago’s first good look came on a cross from the right in the 15th minute that Stanislav Ivanov headed wide.

The Lions suffered yet another injury blow at the half-hour mark. Nani signaled to the bench that he couldn’t continue and Chris Mueller subbed on in his place.

Stajduhar made a good save in the 33rd minute on Ivanov, who was Chicago’s most dangerous player in the opening half.

A minute later, Ruan sent in a good cross and Mueller went up and got it but he headed it right at Fire goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth.

Akindele got forward after a Chicago corner attempt in the 38th minute and appeared to be pulled down just outside the area. Referee Tim Ford played on and eventually went to the monitor to review it. He determined there was no denial of a goal-scoring opportunity by Mauricio Pineda.

Van der Water was clipped from behind cutting between players in the 45th minute and then took a nasty accidental stomp but there was no foul given. Orlando did get a free kick a few minutes later as van der Water was fouled yet again from behind. The Fire cleared the entry ball, which fell to Jansson, but the defender fired his shot just over the bar in stoppage time. Michel then headed over moments later on the last chance of the half.

Chicago had more shot attempts in the half (8-7) and each team got one on target. Chicago had a 2-0 edge in corners taken and was the more accurate passing team (87.3%-84.8%), while Orlando held a slim margin in possession (50.2%-49.8%).

The Lions had a good opportunity just after the restart, with Urso getting his head on a cross from Mueller in the 49th minute, but Shuttleworth was there to make the save. But just two minutes later, the Lions broke through.

Akindele pressured and dispossessed Pineda, feeding the ball to Michel. The Homegrown forward stepped up to the top of the area and fired a shot past Shuttleworth just inside the left post to make it 1-0 in the 51st minute. It was Akindele’s career-high fifth assist on the season and Michel’s fourth goal of the 2021 campaign.

“I give all my credit to Tesho,” Michel said. “His work ethic, his relentless running, pressing the center back and (to) be able to nick the ball away from him, pick his pocket, and that just left me through on goal. And I knew this was probably my only chance to score, so I knew I had to be clinical and put the ball in the back of the net.”

“Sometimes it’s normal in the game, you see just the ones who score goals or the ones who make the pretty plays here and there,” Pareja said of the play Akindele made to set up the goal. “The value of the tactical movement and the tactical generosity of the players is what refreshes my soul. I can’t leave more content than seeing these guys giving all that they have for the tactical part of the game. This is a game that needs effort, collectively, and that is one of the most beautiful — in my opinion — attitude that the boys can have.”

The Lions looked to add to their lead in the 55th minute when van der Water made a great turn and pass to open up the defense. The ball ended up with Moutinho on the left but he fired his shot wide.

Akindele and van der Water played a good 1-2 pass that ended with the Dutchman firing wide off his weaker right foot as he tried to toe poke it home in the 64th.

Down the stretch it was a series of set pieces and long throws for Chicago but Orlando did just about enough to deal with the crosses, and when the Lions couldn’t win the ball in the air, Stajduhar was there to make the play. He made a big stop in the 81st minute on a curler by Robert Beric that looked to be headed inside the far post.

He made another important save in stoppage time off a corner kick that was redirected on goal through traffic, punching it away at the last second.

To help see the game out, Homegrown midfielder Raul Aguilera Jr. made his MLS debut, coming on for DeZart in the 85th minute.

Chicago fired more shots (18-11), got more on target (5-3), earned more corners (11-5), passed more accurately (86.1%-84.3%), and held more possession (54.5%-45.5%) on the night, but the Lions held the advantage in the only statistic that mattered — goals.

“It was a tough game. It was a lot of back and forth there,” DeZart said. “We try to impose ourselves but they were trying to do the same and that’s how it played out, but towards the end of the first half and the second half we started to figure it out. And I’m just glad we got the win.”

“Overall I thought our behavior was very good and what we want,” Pareja said. “We created our sequences. We created our chances. We would like to be more precise, as we have been saying, on scoring goals and obviously not suffering that much, but I’m proud of this group.

“A special night for the youngsters in Orlando, where Mason and Raul stood up today and showed their presence and the development of our academy here.”

Orlando City will host Inter Miami next Friday night in its next match, which is just two days after Nani and Pedro Gallese are scheduled to take part in the MLS All-Star Game in Los Angeles.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Orlando City

Flashback Friday: July 4, 2023 vs. Toronto FC

Let’s rewind to an Independence Day affair that had plenty of offensive fireworks.

Published

3 days ago

on

July 3, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

The United States Men’s National Team picked up a gritty, resilient 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32 on Wednesday, and will now face Belgium in a rematch of the 2014 World Cup Round of 16 next Monday. While we patiently wait for that game, it’s time to continue our Friday tradition of revisiting some classic Orlando City games from years past.

Last week, we rewound to a high octane affair against the Chicago Fire in late June 2022, that saw the Lions douse Chicago’s flames and pick up a much-needed 4-2 victory. Today, let’s hop in the time machine and travel back to Independence Day 2023, when Toronto FC came to town.

At the time of Toronto’s visit, things were going relatively smoothly for OCSC. The team was riding a three-match unbeaten streak and had scored five goals across those three games. Oscar Pareja lined up his team in its customary 4-2-3-1, with Pedro Gallese in goal; a back line of Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Antonio Carlos, and Kyle Smith; Wilder Cartagena and Cesar Araujo in the double pivot; Ivan Angulo, Mauricio Pereyra, and Facundo Torres in the attacking midfield; and Duncan McGuire up top.

Orlando very nearly got a goal a little under 10 minutes into the game. Former OCSC goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh knocked down a cross in front of the net, and while Pereyra was first to the ball, he could only blast it over the bar with the goal at his mercy. Fortunately, that miss would not come back to haunt the Lions, who bagged the game’s first goal in the 16th minute. Angulo sucked defenders toward him on the left edge of the box before releasing Santos out wide. The fullback played a peach of a first-time, curling cross to the back post, where Araujo was waiting to power a diving header into the side netting at the far post for his first league goal.

That goal broke the game open, and Orlando got another goal six minutes later to double the advantage. It initially looked like a carbon copy of the first goal, with Santos out in space on the left side of the box, sending in a curled cross. The ball deflected off a defender and came in low toward the goal. Ranjitsingh waited for the ball instead of going to claim it, and that allowed McGuire to nip in front of him and get a touch on the ball to sneak it in at the near post.

Orlando nearly got even more goals inside the half hour, with Torres and McGuire both going close in quick succession. Federico Bernardeschi smashed a shot off the post in the 28th minute, and the Lions seemed to be losing focus a little bit, with the hydration break a welcome pause in play when it came. OCSC came out of the pause well, and Pereyra put Angulo through in the 36th minute, but the Colombian couldn’t bring the ball under control and fashion a shooting chance.

Orlando led in every meaningful statistical category at halftime. The Lions had more possession (55.8%-44.2%), shots (6-2), shots on goal (2-0), corners (4-2), and passing accuracy (89.5%-85%). Most importantly, they led 2-0 on the scoreboard.

Toronto tried to change things at halftime by introducing three substitutes, but Orlando settled back into the game quickly and negated the efforts of interim TFC manager Terry Dunfield. Angulo and Torres forced Ranjitsingh into a pair of saves in the 53rd and 55th minutes, and the Lions tried to press their advantage by sending on Ramiro Enrique and Martin Ojeda in the 57th minute for McGuire and Pereyra.

The game then changed in a big way in the 62nd minute. Cartagena and Bernardeschi exchanged words after a turnover, and the Italian winger put Cartagena on the ground with the help of a little theatrics from the midfielder. Bernardeschi had already been yellow carded in the 47th minute for a foul on Smith, and the altercation with Wilder saw him receive a second yellow and his marching orders to go along with it.

With TFC down to 10 men, the Lions started to tee off at goal. Ojeda came close to getting the team’s third in the 69th minute, with Enrique doing the same in the 71st but missing just wide. When the goal finally came, it was from the unlikely foot of Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, who had been subbed into the game alongside Ercan Kara in the 68th minute.

Thorhallsson made a great run behind the defense in the 77th minute, and Araujo picked him out well. Ranjitsingh came out to try to play sweeper-keeper, but DDT beat him to the ball easily, touched it around the former Lion, and rolled it into the empty net to score his first MLS goal and make it 3-0.

Toronto had a halfway decent chance to pull one back in the 82nd minute, but Brandon Servania’s long-distance attempt at chipping Gallese ended up missing high and settling on the roof of the net. Kara then iced the game in the 84th minute. Araujo fired a pass to Ojeda at the top of the box, and even though he had trouble bringing it under control, he had the presence of mind to backheel it toward goal for the big Austrian to pounce on and fire a low, hard shot into the net for 4-0.

Ojeda nearly got a goal of his own two minutes later but had a great effort saved in what was the last truly dangerous moment of the game.

As was the case at halftime, when the final whistle blew, the Lions had created plenty of fireworks on both the scoreboard and the stat sheet. OCSC finished with more possession (59.6%-40.4%), shots (18-6), shots on target (9-0), corners (8-2), and passing accuracy (91%-84.8%).

Marcus Mitchell had Player Grades for this one, and he named Araujo the Man of the Match with a grade of 8 out of 10 for his one-goal/one-assist effort. The other high performers on the night were Antonio Carlos, and Cartagena, who each graded out at 7.5 out of 10.

That’ll do it for this week’s trip down memory lane. We’ve been getting spoiled lately, with Orlando putting up four goals in back-to-back time machine games, and it’s made for an enjoyable glimpse into years gone by. With any luck, next week’s edition will be similarly entertaining. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/3/26

Orlando Pride visit Angel City tonight, NWSL free agents to watch, Portugal and Spain advance, and more.

Published

3 days ago

on

July 3, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! I don’t have many plans this holiday weekend beyond enjoying some soccer and indulging myself in a few hot dogs to celebrate. It should be a fun weekend, but make sure to stay safe out there if you plan on setting off any fireworks. For now though, let’s get to the links!

Orlando Pride Take On Angel City FC Tonight

The NWSL resumes today and the Orlando Pride will play against Angel City FC at 10 p.m. in their first match since a 3-1 win over Bay FC on May 29. That win capped off a six-game month for the Pride, including a stretch of three straight road games. Meanwhile, Angel City parted ways with Alex Straus over the break after only winning once in May, and tonight’s match will be Leif Gunnar Smerud’s first since being named interim head coach. It can be tough playing an opponent with a new coach, but hopefully the Pride can bring all three points back to Orlando.

Top NWSL Free Agents to Watch

Free agency is officially underway in the NWSL and the list of players with contracts expiring at the end of the year includes some of the league’s best players. Orlando Pride star Marta was listed as one of the top free agents to watch, though I would be pretty shocked if she plays for another NWSL club if she leaves Orlando after this season. Leicy Santos, Debinha, and Rose Lavelle are other skilled attackers who will become free agents, but Gotham FC goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger is sure to have plenty of clubs reaching out for her talents as well.

Portugal and Spain Advance in World Cup

This World Cup hasn’t been short on excitement and that continued with Portugal’s 2-1 win against Croatia. After a scoreless first half, Croatia took the lead thanks to a goal from Ivan Perisic, but Cristiano Ronaldo equalized from the penalty spot and the game was moments away from heading to extra time. Goncalo Ramos gave Portugal the goal it needed to advance deep in stoppage time, but Croatia nearly came back with a goal that was disallowed due to an offside call. Spain cruised to a 3-0 win against Austria to book its spot in the round of 16 as well. Mikel Oyarzabal scored twice for his second brace of the tournament, with Marc Cucurella assisting on both of his goals. Spain and Portugal will square off in the next round in what should be a fantastic match. Switzerland and Algeria kicked off late.

The round of 32 wraps up today with a trio of matches, starting with Egypt’s game against Australia. Cape Verde will then look to shock the world when it plays Argentina, and the late game will be between Colombia and Ghana.

Columbus Crew Sign New Designated Player

The Columbus Crew have signed Spanish midfielder Brais Mendez to a Designated Player contract through the 2028-2029 season with a club option for the 2029-2030 season. Mendez has spent the past four La Liga seasons with Real Sociedad, recording 33 goals and 24 assists in 166 appearances. He gives the crew some additional firepower as reports swirl regarding Diego Rossi’s departure for CF Monterrey. While maybe not in the same headline-grabbing tier of MLS summer signings like Antoine Griezmann or Robert Lewandowski, Mendez is a big addition to the league as the Eastern Conference arms race continues.

Free Kicks

  • CF Montreal sent $2.1 million in General Allocation Money to Austin FC in exchange for midfielder Dani Pereira. Selected with the first overall pick in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft, Pereira has contributed six goals and 23 assists in 165 appearances across all competitions for Austin.
  • Real Salt Lake reportedly rejected a transfer bid around $3.5 million from CF Monterrey for midfielder Diego Luna.
  • American winger Emma Sears reportedly requested a trade from Racing Louisville, although the club is not reportedly interested in a midseason transfer.
  • The United States Men’s National Team’s win over Bosnia and Herzegovina had record viewership. Understandably so, too, as I spent most of the match pacing around my living room.

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

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/2/26

USMNT shuts out Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kat Asman loaned to Denver Summit FC, MLS transfer news, and more.

Published

4 days ago

on

July 2, 2026

By

Image of Pride goalkeeper Kat Asman
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Wednesday nights are starting to feel magical. Orlando City has thrived this year when playing on Wednesdays, and now the United States Men’s National Team has provided us with a reason to tackle this Thursday at full force. Before we dive into that result and the rest of today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City defender Tahir Reid-Brown!

USMNT Survives Red Card to Advance

The U.S. won 2-0 against Bosnia and Herzegovina in an emotional rollercoaster of a match in the World Cup’s round of 32. Folarin Balogun got the U.S. on the board at a crucial time right before halftime by scoring his third goal of the tournament. But the game flipped on its head in the second half when Balogun was shown a harsh red card by the referee after video review for a foul when he accidentally came down on the back of an opponent’s foot. The Yanks fought hard to make up for the difference of being down a player and doubled their lead after earning a free kick right outside the box. Malik Tillman’s shot went up and over the wall and into the net for a goal U.S. fans will be replaying over and over again.

The U.S. did well to grind out the win after that second goal, with former Lion Alex Freeman doing his part on defense to help shut out Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was a memorable win, and now the U.S. will turn its focus to its round-of-16 matchup against Belgium on Monday.

Pride Loan Goalkeeper Kat Asman to Denver Summit

The Orlando Pride loaned goalkeeper Kat Asman to the Denver Summit for the remainder of the 2026 NWSL season. Asman is coming off of a loan with Lexington SC in the Gainbridge Super League, where she played every minute of the season to help Lexington win the title. She posted 11 clean sheets with Lexington last season and won the league’s Golden Glove as well. Asman has yet to make an appearance for the Pride since joining prior to the 2025 season, and her contract expires at the end of the season. She now heads to Denver, where Abby Smith has done well in goal as the expansion team’s starter.

MLS Transfer News Roundup

Real Salt Lake sent $625,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) to Atlanta United in exchange for winger Saba Lobjanidze and a third-round pick in the 2028 MLS SuperDraft, with another $100,000 in GAM going Atlanta’s way if he re-signs with Real Salt Lake. The Columbus Crew fully acquired defender Andres Herrera from River Plate after an extended loan, signing him to a contract through the 2028-2029 season. The LA Galaxy transferred defender Mauricio Cuevas to Santos Laguna, the New England Revolution added forward Wilson Harris, and Sporting Kansas City signed center back Moises Mosquera from FC Juarez. The San Jose Earthquakes are reportedly close to signing Scottish goalkeeper Angus Gunn, with Daniel heading to FC Dallas in a trade if that happens. It’s somewhat surprising considering Daniel has done well to help San Jose only concede 15 goals this season.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Sources: San Jose Earthquakes closing in on a deal to sign Scotland int'l GK Angus Gunn.🇧🇷 Sources: FC Dallas has agreed to a deal to acquire GK Daniel from San Jose.➕ Daniel trade is contingent on Gunn signing being formalized.

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2026-07-01T16:34:02.297Z

European Nations Move On After Dramatic Comebacks

This World Cup continues to deliver thrilling games during this new round-of-32 phase. Senegal looked certain to go through to the next round until Belgium scored a pair of goals after the 85th minute to knot the game at 2-2 and send it into extra time. The game was decided by a penalty, but not in a shootout, as a foul in the box resulted in Youri Tielemans scoring from the spot to give Belgium the victory. In Atlanta, Harry Kane scored twice to rescue England in a 2-1 win over the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Brian Cipanga gave the Congo an early lead, but Kane struck twice in the second half, with his winner being one of the best goals of the tournament so far.

England is now set to face Mexico at the Azteca on Sunday in what should be a great game. As for today’s action, Orlando City winger Marco Pasalic and Croatia will take on Portugal in a matchup between European heavyweights. The winner of that match will face whoever prevails today between Spain and Austria, with Switzerland and Algeria squaring off in the late night match.

Free Kicks

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

Continue Reading

Trending