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Orlando City

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

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3 years ago

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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.

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Opinion

Orlando City Needs a Strong Start from its Defense

The defense will need to come together quickly in 2025 for Orlando City to avoid another slow start to the season.

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3 hours ago

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January 25, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

The opening day of the 2025 Major League Soccer season is less than 30 days, and Orlando City is preparing for the opener against Philadelphia. With a full slate of preseason matches that recently dropped, the 2025 Lions will soon take to the field to put the final touches on preparing various tactics for the season ahead. That starts today with a friendly against Atletico Mineiro.

While there are numerous questions regarding the offensive side of the pitch for Orlando City, the defense should be an area of strength for OCSC as the season begins, and it may need to be, as any new attacking pieces brought in this late in the off-season will need time to settle in.

Starting with the dynamic duo of Cesar Araujo and Wilder Cartagena, Orlando once again will have the good fortune of fielding one of the best defensive midfield pairings in all of MLS. While both Araujo and Cartagena are technically sound and strong defenders on their own, there is a noticeable difference in overall team defense when they both play together. Araujo, who has recently been the target of transfer speculation, is now expected to be locked into Orlando City purple for the upcoming season. He and Cartagena have demonstrated a great ability to take opposing star players out of the game plan, and there is little question regarding their importance when it comes to the successful start of the season.

Moving back toward the goal, Orlando City also returns a complete back line consisting of captain Robin Jansson, Rafael Santos, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, and either David Brekalo or Rodrigo Schlegel. The tactics employed by Head Coach Oscar Pareja call for the fullbacks to get into the offensive flow as often as the game allows, and both Thorhallsson and Santos have shown that they are capable of attacking. While that part of their game is a bonus, their ability to get back and defend — especially against the counter — will be an early skill to watch as the season begins.

At this point in his career, there will be very few surprises from Jansson, as fans and the coaching staff know exactly what type of effort to expect out of the center back. The only piece of the back line puzzle that will be interesting to watch throughout the early part of the season will be who earns the right to slot in next to Jansson. Due to injury and international duty a season ago, Schlegel wound up winning the starting role from the newly acquired Brekalo. My gut instinct tells me that with an off-season of preparation, we will likely see the younger and more athletic Brekalo get the nod to start the year, with Schlegel the primary backup for both starting center back positions.

Finally, the man who anchors it all, goalkeeper Pedro Gallese, will have the benefit of familiarity when it comes to the defenders in front of him. Gallese ended the 2024 season on a hot streak, in great form, showing his quality in the second half of the season and the playoffs, stopping multiple penalty kicks. He tied for fifth place among all goalkeepers with eight clean sheets in 2024 and will undoubtedly look to add to his career club record as the 2025 season begins.

With all of the defensive starters from the 2024 season back for 2025, Orlando City’s defense is expected to be the cornerstone of early season matches while the offense sorts itself out. The success then, especially during those first few matches, will likely live or die on the shoulders of the back seven defensive players.

Do you expect any cracks in the Orlando City defense to start the year or are you feeling confident in their ability to handle the new attacking pieces that have been added to the Eastern Conference? Let us know in the comments below and as always, vamos Orlando!

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Orlando City

Orlando City Releases Full 2025 Preseason Schedule

The Lions will face three MLS sides, a Brazilian Serie A club, a USL Championship team, and a Canadian Premier League side this preseason.

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1 day ago

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January 24, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

On the eve of Orlando City’s first preseason friendly of the team’s 2025 camp — and 11 days into training — the club has released its full schedule for the remainder of the preseason. The Lions will play six matches, calling two of them “friendlies” and the other four “scrimmages,” but they all amount to competitive minutes for the squad ahead of the 2025 MLS regular season.

Two of the games are open to the general public, including Saturday’s FC Series friendly against Atletico Mineiro and the Feb. 14 preseason finale against Inter Miami at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. In addition, season ticket members can access a preseason scrimmage against CF Montreal on Feb. 8. Club staff will reach out to season ticket members with the details for that game. The other three scrimmages will be closed door.

The preseason schedule is similar this year to what the club has had for the last several years under Oscar Pareja, with mostly closed scrimmages and a mixture of MLS and other assorted competition.

After facing the Brazil Serie A side on Saturday, the Lions will head to Mexico for a week of training and team bonding, with one scrimmage against Forge FC from the Canadian Premier League. Orlando City will play three MLS clubs in the preseason, along with one team each from the Canadian Premier League and the USL Championship.

Orlando City will kick off its 2025 regular season at home against the Philadelphia Union at Inter&Co Stadium on Saturday, Feb. 22 at 7:30 p.m.

2025 Orlando City Preseason Schedule

  • Saturday, Jan. 25 — Preseason friendly vs. Atletico Mineiro at Inter&Co Stadium
  • Sunday, Jan. 26 — Preseason camp opens in Mexico
  • Tuesday, Jan. 28 — Preseason scrimmage vs. Forge FC (Closed Door)
  • Wednesday, Feb. 5 — Preseason scrimmage vs. Atlanta United (Closed Door)
  • Saturday, Feb. 8 — Preseason scrimmage vs. CF Montreal (Season Ticket Members Exclusive Match)
  • Tuesday, Feb. 11 — Preseason scrimmage vs. Rhode Island FC (Closed Door)
  • Friday, Feb. 14 — Preseason friendly vs. Inter Miami at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/24/25

Cesar Araujo will reportedly stay in Orlando, USMNT takeaways, MLS transfer news, and much more.

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1 day ago

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January 24, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday! It should be a pretty decent weekend with plenty of soccer to enjoy both in Orlando and abroad. Orlando City’s first preseason game is Saturday against Atletico Mineiro at Inter&Co Stadium. While I won’t be in attendance, I’m looking forward to learning how they do. But for now, let’s jump into today’s links!

Cesar Araujo Will Reportedly Stay in Orlando

There have been rumors and reports swirling around regarding midfielder Cesar Araujo leaving Orlando City this off-season. However, the 23-year-old will reportedly stay in Orlando for the 2025 season according to Tom Bogert. Uruguayan club Nacional has reportedly been trying to sign Araujo while he has a year left on his contract.

Sources: Cesar Araujo to stay at Orlando City.Nacional tried to sign him this winter but plan is for Araujo to stay. One year left on his contract and Orlando will still work on a new contract but know the team is better if he stays. Prioritizing 2025 over small transfer fee.

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2025-01-24T01:07:39.303Z

It makes all the sense in the world for Orlando to want to keep Araujo in the center of its midfield for 2025. He’s been incredible since joining Orlando back in 2022 and has been integral to the club’s success in recent years. Clubs were always going to come knocking for Araujo’s talents, but I expect it would take a hefty offer for the Lions to let him go before his contract is up.

Takeaways From USMNT January Camp

While the United States Men’s National Team’s January camp usually isn’t too impactful, this year’s edition had some extra intrigue due to some standout performances across the two friendly wins. Zack Steffen had a statement game against Costa Rica, making a few sensational saves to secure a clean sheet. He needed a game like that to stay in the mix for the starting job after a rough season with the Colorado Rapids. Striker Patrick Agyemang played his first two USMNT games this month and scored in both, making the most of his opportunity. Diego Luna taking an elbow to the face and coming back out to assist on the team’s first goal against Costa Rica is also the kind of moment that could earn him more looks in the future.

MLS Transfer News Roundup

MLS teams other than Orlando City continue to make moves ahead of the 2025 season. The exodus from FC Dallas rolls on, as Alan Velasco was officially transferred to Boca Juniors in Argentina for a reported $12 million transfer fee. Dallas also traded center back Nkosi Tafari to LAFC in exchange for $300,000 in 2026 General Allocation Money and an international roster slot.

The Karol Swiderski era in Charlotte is over, as the club transferred him to Panathinaikos for a reported transfer fee of $2 million. Real Salt Lake added a young striker, signing 20-year-old Ariath Piol from MacArthur FC in Australia. Nashville SC signed American goalkeeper Brian Schwake from CD Castellon in Spain’s second division to provide more depth behind Joe Willis. Austin FC’s busy off-season continued by signing Zan Kolmanic to a new contract through 2026. The club is also reportedly closer to signing forward Myrto Uzuni for a club-record fee.

Europa League First Phase Nears Conclusion

Lazio is the only team to guarantee a spot in the Europa League’s round of 16 so far, doing so after a 3-1 win over Real Sociedad. English clubs Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur edged closer to securing a spot. A late winner from Bruno Fernandes gave United a 2-1 victory against Rangers, while Tottenham beat Hoffenheim 3-2 thanks to a brace from Heung-Min Son. The upset of the round belonged to Latvian club FK RFS, which took down Ajax in a 1-0 win at home. Eintracht Frankfurt, Union Saint-Gilloise, and Midtjylland also picked up wins this week. This phase of the tournament will wrap up with 18 games on Thursday.

Free Kicks

  • Bay FC bought out Deyna Castellanos’ contract, with the midfielder joining the Portland Thorns as a free agent soon after.
  • After a vote approving funds to repair Al Lang Stadium, the Tampa Bay Rowdies announced that they will play there for their upcoming USL Championship season.

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

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