Connect with us

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. FC Cincinnati: Final Score 2-1 as Wasteful Lions Beaten at Home

Published

3 years ago

on

It was a wasteful night for Orlando City at Exploria Stadium. Despite dominating the stat sheet, the Lions (1-1-1, 4 points) couldn’t find the goals to beat an FC Cincinnati (1-2-0, 3 points) team that had not scored entering the match and fell 2-1 at home. It was FC Cincinnati’s first win in the series.

Brandon Vazquez’s brace accounted for the first two goals Orlando allowed this season and they were enough to offset Junior Urso’s first-half goal for the Lions. At the other end, goalkeeper Alec Kann made several big saves to help his team win its first match of the year.

“Difficult accepting that we didn’t get a result tonight,” Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “Obviously you can’t hide that feeling, especially after the effort that the boys (gave) during the game. The boys tried from every single angle in the first half and the second half and we were not effective putting the ball in the back of the net. This is the game. You get points when you score goals.”

Pareja made just two lineup changes from last Saturday at Chicago. Pedro Gallese took up his customary spot in goal behind a back line of Joao Moutinho, Robin Jansson — returning from suspension — Antonio Carlos, and Ruan. Cesar Araujo and Urso started in central midfield behind an attacking midfield line of Alexandre Pato, Mauricio Pereyra, and Facundo Torres. Designated Player striker Ercan Kara got his first MLS start at the top of the formation.

Orlando City controlled much of the first half but Cincinnati looked dangerous in transition. Vazquez sliced a shot across the front of goal that skipped just wide of the far post in the eighth minute.

The Lions got their first opportunity in the 10th minute when Carlos played a ball to Ruan over the top down the right side. The fullback sent in a cross for Kara that was flicked toward goal but the shot was blocked by a defender.

Yuya Kubo skied a shot well over the frame in the 12th minute but Cincinnati found an opener a minute later. Alvas Powell sent a ball across the midfield that found its way to Luciano Acosta. The midfielder slipped Vazquez in behind the defense and he beat Gallese 1-v-1 to make it 1-0 in the 13th minute. It was Cincinnati’s first goal of the season and the first conceded by Orlando in 2022.

The Lions got back on the front foot but the visitors dug in deep and made it difficult. Torres shook loose on the left in the 16th minute but he was at a severe angle and his shot was wide. A minute later, Torres sent in a great cross that Pato got his head onto but Kann made his first outstanding save of the game. It wasn’t his last.

In the 22nd minute, Pato found Kara in front and Kann made an outstanding save on the Orlando DP’s header. Two minutes later, Moutinho got to the end line and sent in a dangerous cross at the top of the six. Kara was sandwiched between two defenders and couldn’t redirect it in. He was down for a moment grabbing his leg, but was able to continue.

Carlos sent a header on frame on a set piece in the 26th minute but Kann again made a great save to keep the Lions off the board.

Orlando’s equalizer came in the 42nd minute. Torres sent a cross in from the left and Urso headed it into the left bottom corner of the net to make it 1-1.

That was the last scoring chance of the half and the teams went to the locker room knotted up.

Orlando City had more possession (65.7%-34.3%), better passing accuracy (82.5%-72.5%), and had more corners (3-1), shots (8-4), and shots on target (5-1).

The Lions came out of the locker room strong, winning an early corner. The ball pinged around off the set piece and someone in the scrum sent a looping shot toward the back post that missed wide.

Vazquez nearly scored his second goal in the 51st minute off a Cincinnati corner. A cross in from the flag found Vazquez, who nodded it toward the lower left corner of the goal. Gallese was able to get across and keep it out. A foul prevented the visitors from getting a rebound opportunity.

But just two minutes later, Vazquez completed his brace. A ball down the left side found Dominique Badji. Ruan did well to run the forward down but rather than play safely he went in for a shoulder-to-shoulder challenge and was knocked down. That allowed Badji to cross in for an easy Vazquez header, making it 2-1 in the 53rd minute.

The visitors nearly put the game away in the 58th. A set piece from distance was headed back across the area. Kubo had a free run at it but sent his header wide of goal.

Orlando settled back into the match and controlled most of the second half the way it had done in the first, but Cincinnati stayed compact defensively and fouled every time Orlando beat someone to minimize the Lions’ attacking threat.

Pereyra went for goal from distance in the 60th minute but missed the target badly. Pato fizzed a shot just over the bar from roughly the same spot in the 62nd.

The Lions got caught up the field in the 64th minute and Vazquez nearly completed his hat trick. He tracked down a ball, splitting the Orlando center backs and Gallese was well out of his net. The goalkeeper came out and made himself big, but Vazquez got his shot through. Luckily, the shot sliced wide.

Benji Michel came on for Araujo and was active in the match but wasn’t able to turn the tide. He won a couple of corners but the service was poor and the Lions wasted the set pieces. Pato sent Michel down the right with a beautiful pass in the 83rd but the winger smashed his shot into the outside netting.

Carlos got his head to a corner kick cross in the 85th and once again Kann made a sparkling save to keep preserve his team’s lead. The rebound fell behind the onrushing Michel at the back post and Cincinnati was able to clear.

A couple of poor Ruan crosses late in the match wasted some potential opportunities to equalize. The right back sent the first one weakly into the side netting from just inside the right edge of the penalty area in the 88th minute. He overcooked one out for a goal kick from the wing in the 91st.

In between, substitute Sebas Mendez and Jansson were able to keep the deficit at just one goal by making vital sliding blocks to break up a Cincinnati counter.

The best chance to equalize came in the fourth minute of stoppage time. A cross into the box deflected to an oncoming Pereyra. It was on his weaker left foot and the midfielder sent his shot high and wide left on yet another wasted opportunity.

The whistle blew just shy of the five minutes of stoppage indicated, despite the fact that Kann was booked for time wasting during the added minutes.

FC Cincinnati led on the scoreboard despite Orlando City’s advantages in shots (17-9), shots on target (6-3), possession (69.4%-30.6%), corners (7-2), and passing accuracy (84.6%-63.1%).

The Lions continue to send a high percentage of shots off target or get them blocked — a trend that has been a problem through three matches so far.

“I would like to have that answer,” Pareja said of his team’s wasted opportunities in front of goal. “I think in this game, when you are in the last 20 or 30 yards, when you’re getting closer, everything is tighter, and you have to have composure, for sure. You have to have the talent and the quality. And sometimes you have to be lucky too. There are things to work on for sure.”

“I feel like we played a very good game. Even though they executed their game plan really well, and they were good on the counters,” Moutinho said. “They had a few balls in behind and they really hurt us when they had a chance. And that’s what football is all about, I guess. But yeah. Very disappointed. I feel like we should have won the game.”

“I do really want to remark (on) the character that the boys had today,” Pareja said. “Unfortunately we couldn’t get the result but I saw this team fighting all the time and that’s the spirit that we want to have with this team.”

The Lions head out on the road for the next two matches, starting with a Saturday afternoon tilt at the L.A. Galaxy next Wednesday.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Orlando City

Ranking Orlando City’s Home Kits

Where does the new Perfect Storm kit rank all time?

Published

7 hours ago

on

February 13, 2025

By

Photo Courtesy of Orlando City / Mark Thor

Orlando City dropped the newest home kit yesterday. As such, I thought it appropriate to rank all of the MLS-era home kits for the Lions to see how the new “Perfect Storm” kit stacks up against those from the past. I will be the first to admit I’m no fashion guru, but I do know what I like.

We all get to have our own opinions on this type of thing, but since I’m writing the article, I get final say. Let’s rank Orlando City’s home kits.

Sixth Place

Photo of Chris Mueller wearing the Bring the Noise kit.

The 2019-2020 “Bring the Noise” kit starts things off in sixth place. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this kit, but it is pretty plain for it’s moniker. The shoulder stripes don’t stand out because they are black, the pattern is…fine, and it’s the first to sport the new Orlando Health logo. Putting it in sixth doesn’t mean I don’t like it or that there’s something wrong about it. It just means I like the other kits better.

Fifth Place

Kaka wearing the City Kit.

The 2015-2016 inaugural home kit — known as the “City Kit” — comes in at the fifth spot on the list. Consideration was given for it being the original kit of the MLS era, though that isn’t all it has going for it. The old school Orlando Health logo with the swirly circle,and the gold overlap collar contrasted with the white Adidas stripes…love it. You never forget your first, and this kit is no exception.

Fourth Place

A close-up photo of the Perfect Storm kit.

The new 2025-2026 “Perfect Storm” debuts in fourth place on our list. To be fair, I have not yet seen it in person, but I’m comfortable with the assessment. There are some things to like on the kit. I like the idea of each kit being unique because the pattern is random. That means your kit is really your kit. There’s a throwback element with the gold on the collar while using white trim for the logos and the shoulder stripes. The pattern is a little busy for me, but I get what they are going for with it. Not a bad addition for anyone’s collection.

Third Place

Benji Michel and friends wearing the Thick 'N Thin kit.

The 2021-2022 “Thick N Thin” kit has a lot going for it at the third spot on the list. I like the dark purple at the top, and the two-button collar is very cool. I like the consistency of the white trim around the sleeves with the white logos and shoulder stripes. There’s also the fact that this is the kit Orlando City wore when the Lions lifted the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup trophy. Throw in a cowboy hat and it’s a classic.

Second Place

Kyle Smith photo in "The Wall" kit.

The 2023-2024 “The Wall” kit is absolutely outstanding. The bricks in the wall pattern representing the supporters’ section at Inter&Co Stadium (Exploria at the time) is a great tribute. The all-gold trim pieces on the shoulder stripes, the collar, the Adidas logo, and the sleeves look amazing. This kit is refined with a royal look. Like Kyle Smith, I give this kit two thumbs up. That’s why it’s number two on our list.

First Place

Kaka posing with an award while wearing the collared jersey from 2017 and 2018.

The 2017-2018 home kit was so cool that they didn’t even need to give it a nickname. Whenever I want to let someone know which one I’m talking about I say it’s the one with the collar. This was the first kit to use gold on the shoulder stripes. The heathered material is different than any other kit, and the fact that it has a collar means you can wear it to work without getting in trouble.

It was also the first kit in the — at that time — Orlando City Stadium which is why it has the longitude and latitude coordinates for the stadium on the sleeve. This is one of the best kits ever produced for any club in my opinion. That is why it tops off our list in the number one spot.

There you have it. In case you’re wondering I will most likely be getting the new Perfect Storm kit for myself. As for the rankings, that’s just one man’s opinion on the topic, and I’d love to hear how you rank them in the comments below. For now, you can select the spot where you’d place the Perfect Storm kit in the poll below. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 2/13/25

Orlando City unveils 2025 primary kit, Orlando Pride sign two players to short-term contracts, FC Dallas signs Luciano Acosta, and more.

Published

11 hours ago

on

February 13, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

How’s it going, Mane Landers? It’s been a fairly busy week for me, but it’s at least made the week fly by as we get another day closer to the return of Orlando soccer. In the meantime, I’m knocking out some more books for my reading goal this year and have a bachelor party of all things to attend this Valentine’s Day weekend. But for now, let’s dive into today’s links!

Meet Orlando City’s Perfect Storm Kit

We now know the new primary jersey Orlando City will wear for the 2025 season, as the club revealed the “Perfect Storm” kit. The most notable feature is that each jersey will have a unique design of the purple storm pattern meant to reflect Central Florida weather. It also features Orlando’s area code on the back of the neck arranged to look like a lightning bolt, which is a nice touch. Ultimately, I think I like the previous The Wall kit a bit more, but I do like the colors and how easily you can tell the difference between each jersey. It’s available now online and you can also head to Inter&Co Stadium to pick it up in person.

Orlando Pride Sign Two Non-Roster Invitees

The Orlando Pride signed midfielder Aryssa Mahrt and goalkeeper DeAira Jackson to short-term contracts ahead of the 2025 season. Both were non-roster invitees at Orlando’s preseason camp this year and fill a couple of active roster spots for the time being. Mahrt joins the Pride after recording 21 goals and 15 assists across 62 matches at the University of Wisconsin, leading the Badgers with 10 goals last year. As for Jackson, she had nine shutouts last year with Grand Canyon University and was named 2024 WAC Goalkeeper of the Year. She had a total of 16 clean sheets during her two seasons at Grand Canyon, breaking the school record.

Luciano Acosta Heads to FC Dallas

Midfielder Luciano Acosta was officially traded by FC Cincinnati to FC Dallas in exchange for just $5 million and up to another $1 million if performance-based metrics are reached. Cincinnati will also retain a percentage if Acosta is traded within MLS for cash in the future. The 30-year-old is one of the best playmakers in the league and had 14 goals and 19 assists last season. He now joins a Dallas team that missed the playoffs last year and bid farewell to Jesus Ferreira, Alan Velasco, and Paul Arriola in the time since.

As for Cincinnati, it will reportedly replace Acosta with Portland Timbers star Evander for $12 million, along with add-ons. Evander’s 19 assists last season was tied with Acosta for the league’s most, and he had a whopping 15 goals as well. The dominos continue to fall from there, as the Timbers are reportedly close to signing David da Costa from RC Lens for a $6 million transfer fee. Gosh, if only Orlando City had a major sale this winter so that it could get in on this kind of spending as well.

More MLS 2025 Kits Revealed

Orlando City isn’t the only club showcasing its new kit this week, as several clubs across the league shared new looks. My favorite of the bunch belongs to Portland, which celebrated its 50th anniversary with a green and gold design using a tree ring pattern to literally show the club’s age. I also like the Columbus Crew’s oozing “Goosebumps” kit designed by Columbus native R.L. Stine that has a slime pattern when under UV light.

The New England Revolution’s new secondary kit looks nice but feels like something plucked from Nigeria’s cutting room floor. LAFC’s 2025 kit is as blindingly white and gold as expected, and FC Dallas’ lacks red for something called “The Inferno” kit, apart from a hellish version of its badge that I do like. While the shades of pink in Inter Miami’s new primary reminds me of someone mixing red into a load of white laundry, my least favorite kit so far belongs to the Philadelphia Union. The yellow meant to represent electricity just isn’t bold enough in my opinion. I’ve seen some people say it looks like streaks of urine in snow and it’s difficult to see anything else after that.

Free Kicks

  • Retired defensive midfielders Dax McCarty and Osvaldo Alonso are two of the five new faces joining the MLS Season Pass broadcasting team for 2025. Former Lion Miguel Gallardo will remain part of the Spanish language coverage as an analyst.
  • The LA Galaxy officially acquired Christian Ramirez from the Crew in exchange for up to $500,000 in General Allocation Money. The 33-year-old has scored eight goals in the past two seasons.
  • Christian Pulisic stated he’s focused on his play on the field amid reports that AC Milan is nearing a contract extension with him through 2028 that would include a hefty pay raise.
  • In the UEFA Champions League, Club Brugge beat Atalanta 2-1, thanks to a penalty kick in stoppage time; Benfica won 1-0 against Monaco; Bayern Munich beat Celtic 2-1; and Feyenoord managed to win 1-0 over AC Milan in the rain in Rotterdam.
  • Here’s what to watch for in today’s slate of Europa League action. The first leg between Porto and Roma should be a close affair in Portugal, while Galatasaray will be without suspended forward Victor Osimhen when it takes on AZ Alkmaar.
  • Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United Kingdom revealed that alcohol will not be sold at the 2034 World Cup, including at hotels.
  • The final Merseyside derby match at Goodison Park was a memorable one for the home fans, as Everton’s James Tarkowski scored a late equalizer to draw 2-2 against Liverpool. After the final whistle, four people were sent off, including Liverpool manager Arne Slot.
  • The U-17 USMNT took care of St. Kitts & Nevis 7-0 and has now outscored its opposition 29-0 through two matches. The Baby Nats will face Cuba Saturday. The U.S. would win the group with a draw or better.

That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a fantastic Thursday and rest of your week!

Continue Reading

Orlando City

Orlando City Unveils New Perfect Storm Kit Ahead of 2025 MLS Season

The Lions’ new kits are meant to represent the uniqueness and intensity of the Central Florida weather.

Published

1 day ago

on

February 12, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City unveiled the club’s new home “Perfect Storm” kit today. The new home purple kit is meant to evoke the intensity of the Central Florida weather, and features a lightning bolt (called a “thunderbolt” by the club) made out of the Orlando area code, 407, on the back of the neck and a jocktag with a doppler radar storm icon. Per the club, no two kits will have the exact same pattern.

The Perfect Storm kit will be available on MLSStore.com and on OCMobileShop.com, with pick-up at The Den at Inter&Co Stadium starting Thursday during regular business hours.

“This kit is a tribute to our fans who have supported us day in and day out, through everything, rain or shine,” said Orlando City Chief Marketing Officer Pedro Araujo in a club press release. “It is also inspired by our players’ ability to thrive in adverse weather conditions, and a reminder that Inter&Co Stadium is one of the toughest environments in Major League Soccer for visiting teams to compete in.”

The Perfect Storm Kit will be first available to fans at the club’s official jersey launch tonight at 6 p.m. at Canvas (1401 Florida Mall Ave.). Fans can purchase the new shirt and have it customized. The first 200 fans in attendance to purchase the new kit will receive an exclusive CITYiD patch

The Lions will first wear the new kit at their home opener against the Philadelphia Union on Saturday, Feb. 22.

Here are some shots of the new kit:

Continue Reading

Trending