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Orlando City vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies, U.S. Open Cup: Final Score 2-1 as Lions Advance to Fourth Round

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3 years ago

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Alexandre Pato and Junior Urso scored second-half goals to lift Orlando City to a 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rowdies at Exploria Stadium in the third round of the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. All of the scoring took place in the second half as Orlando maintained its dominance in the I-4 Derby series and the Lions will move on to the fourth round of the competition.

“It is a very important game for our fans, for our club, and we are very proud to beat the Tampa Bay Rowdies today and we dedicate this to our people,” Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “I was very glad to see them in the stands, pushing our team in the difficult moments. So, we really enjoy this victory, with a lot of respect for Tampa, that came out with a great attitude in the game and a good team also.”

Pareja started a fairly strong lineup, with Mason Stajduhar in net behind a back line of Kyle Smith, Thomas Williams, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Ruan. Sebas Mendez and Andres Perea were in central midfield behind an attacking line of Benji Michel, Junior Urso, and Silvester van der Water, with Alexandre Pato up top.

The first 10 to 15 minutes saw the Rowdies come out on the front foot and controlling play. It was chippy at times but there was little consistency in when a foul would be called. Tampa Bay got the ball into the box a few times but didn’t generate much from it early, aside from winning a couple of corners.

The first clear-cut chance came in the 16th minute on the first real foray into the attacking end. Perea slipped van der Water down the right side and he took the shot on his right foot, forcing a save from Raiko Arozarena.

The Rowdies nearly got a gift in the 22nd minute when a hopeful cross into the area took a deflection off Schlegel and Stajduhar did well to collect it before it could get behind him.

In the 35th minute, the Lions took a short corner and Pato played in a perfect back-post cross to Perea, but the young midfielder got his header badly wrong and his shot was well off target from point-blank range.

Perea had a chance to shoot from the top of the box in the 40th minute but instead opted to pass left to Michel, who was covered. Benji did well to win the ball back from the defender but then fired a shot right into the defender’s shins for an easy block.

In the end, the play from Orlando was rather lackluster in the opening 45 minutes, with sloppy giveaways and a lack of much threat working the ball into good scoring positions. Tampa Bay did well to get into the attacking third and get in and around the box, but strong play from Schlegel and Williams, and solid team defending, typically snuffed out danger before it turned into a shot attempt.

Orlando City finished the half with more possession (53.3%-46.7%), but both teams attempted four shots and each got one on target. Tampa won more corners (4-2) and was slightly more accurate in the passing game (88.2%-87.4%).

“I thought we got exposed in the flanks especially,” Pareja said about the first half. “Not that we did not want to get close to those wingbacks, but they looked far from our control or at least our challenge. I didn’t see us connected when we did not have the ball, and once we got it back, I thought we were in different positions and we couldn’t create sequences either. So, I didn’t like the first half. I don’t think the boys did either.

“We needed to get into the game and the boys did. The second half I liked a lot.”

Pareja made three halftime substitutions, withdrawing Smith, Perea, and van der Water and putting Joao Moutinho, Robin Jansson, and Mauricio Pereyra into the match. The Lions shifted into a five-man back line in defense and three when on the attack.

The change helped Orlando City maintain more possession and it paid off on the offensive end. Pereyra slipped Michel into the box and he was knocked down by Aaron Guillen. The Tampa defender was booked and referee Daniel Gutierrez pointed to the spot. Pato used a stutter-step approach and buried the spot kick to make it 1-0 in the 52nd minute.

Pato nearly had another five minutes later. A well-worked counter ended up with Ruan on the right side. The fullback found Pato at the top of the area and he took a quick shot. However, the forward didn’t make good contact and scuffed his shot right at the goalkeeper.

Tampa created some danger two minutes later with defender Laurence Wyke getting to the end line and crossing the ball through the six, but none of his teammates were there.

The Lions doubled the lead in the 63rd minute. Pereyra sent a chip pass over the top that fell for Urso, who swept it past Arozarena, making it 2-0.

“I’m really happy with the goal,” Urso said. “This is important for me. I want to help the team every time.”

After the goal, in a scene reminiscent of a Daryl Dike goal in the past, Urso ran to The Wall and somehow ended up with a pair of sunglasses on his face during the celebration.

“I was running, then I saw the guy. He said, ‘Hey, come here,’ and then I saw he had sunglasses. And you guys know what happened with that,” Urso said. “That was a crazy celebration, but I was really happy.”

The Rowdies pulled the goal right back. Orlando fell asleep defensively and Jansson played passively as he’d picked up a soft yellow card just moments earlier. That allowed a ball in from Stajduhar’s right that found Lucky Mkosana in front for a tap-in as he beat Williams to the spot. The Rowdies were back in the game in the 65th minute.

“I think it took a deflection,” Williams said of the pass in front of goal. “I think the guy just got the best of me, he got in front of me, and he scored the goal.”

“I think we have to be more concentrated to close every gap,” Urso said about giving the goal back quickly. “But that’s fine, after that we played well. We kept more of the ball, but we have to be more concentrated to (not concede) the goal.”

Tampa pushed for an equalizer but didn’t create many chances. Orlando was content to take the air out of the ball and pass it around to eat up time, looking to find an opening for an odd-man rush.

Yann Ekra got some space from about 25 yards out in the 80th minute but he sent his shot over Stajduhar’s crossbar. It was Tampa’s last open look at goal in the match.

In the 91st minute, Tampa Bay Head Coach Neill Collins was sent off. Collins had been booked at halftime for dissent and early in stoppage time he ran onto the field to kick the ball to his players after a free kick had been awarded to the Rowdies. The game was halted while the official made sure Collins left the field.

The Rowdies got a couple of late balls into the area but the Lions dealt with them and saw out the rest of stoppage time, holding on for the 2-1 win.

Orlando City dominated in the second half and finished with more possession (58%-42%), shots (10-7), shots on target (5-2), and passing accuracy (86.6%-84.7%). The Rowdies edged the Lions in corner kicks (4-3).

“I like to play derbies and Oscar was telling us don’t play like a friendly game or they will come to push us,” Urso said. “So, we were OK, I think. We were concentrated on the game. It was hard, because they know how to play, but we got to win in front of our fans.”

The Lions will learn their next Open Cup opponents on Thursday and will be back in action on Sunday, returning to MLS play against the New York Red Bulls at home.

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Lion Links: 7/3/25

Orlando Pride loan five players out, Orlando City academy players selected for All-Star Team, USMNT beats Guatemala, and more.

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31 minutes ago

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July 3, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

How’s it going, Mane Landers? It’s been a weird week for me so far, as it’s felt simultaneously like it’s flying by and taking forever for the weekend to get here. All of the soccer has been nice at least, and I’ve been able to get some reading and painting done when not swamped. But enough about me, let’s dive into today’s links!

Orlando Pride Loan Multiple Players Out

The Orlando Pride loaned out five players for the rest of the 2025 season, with four of them joining USL Super League teams. Forward Amanda Allen, who was loaned to Lexington SC last year and injured her shoulder in December, is headed to her home country of Canada to join Halifax Tides FC in the Northern Super League. As for the players headed to the USL Super League, right back Brianna Martinez will join Carolina Ascent FC, goalkeeper Kat Asman and forward Mariana Larroquette were loaned to Lexington, and Aryssa Mahrt was sent to Spokane Zephyr FC. These loans should provide solid opportunities for minutes for these players, so hopefully they can make some noise with their respective teams.

Orlando City Academy Players Make All-Star Team

The rosters for the 2025 MLS NEXT All-Star Game are out and Orlando City B midfielders Gustavo Caraballo and Dylan Judelson were both selected for the event. The East All-Stars will be coached by Orlando City SC Academy Director Javier Carrillo, who also coached Orlando’s U-18 team to victory in the Generation Adidas Cup this year. Caraballo was named MVP of that tournament’s U-18 age group and scored 16 goals over the course of the MLS NEXT season. Judelson appeared in 32 games for Orlando this season and could factor into Canada’s U-17 World Cup plans come November. The MLS NEXT All-Star Game will take place on July 21 and can be viewed on the MLS YouTube channel.

USMNT Takes Down Guatemala in Gold Cup

The United States Men’s National Team secured a spot in the Concacaf Gold Cup final after winning 2-1 against Guatemala in St. Louis. The Yanks got off to a hot start thanks to Diego Luna’s brace in the first 15 minutes of the match. The offense wasn’t able to extend the lead beyond that though, and a late goal by Olger Escobar made the match a bit more tense the U.S. would have liked. Regardless, the U.S. got the job done in the end and will play in Sunday’s final in Houston.

USWNT Breezes Past Canada in Friendly

The United States Women’s National Team beat Canada in convincing fashion, shutting out its northern rival 3-0 in a friendly. Sam Coffey and Claire Hutton scored in the first half to give the USWNT a nice lead, and Yazmeen Ryan came off the bench to put the nail in the coffin with a late goal. The defense did well to claim its third clean sheet of this series of summer friendlies. Emily Sams didn’t make an appearance for the U.S., and Zara Chavoshi didn’t come off the bench for Canada either.

NWSL Announces Layout For 2026 Schedule

The 2026 NWSL regular season will kick off on March 13 and finish on Nov. 1 according to the league’s announced framework for next year’s action. Although there will be 16 teams next year, the playoff format remains the same and the top eight teams in the standings will qualify, with the 2026 NWSL Championship set for Nov. 21. There will once again be a balanced schedule, with each team playing 30 matches over the course of 27 weeks. The league will also notably be on break for a majority of June due to the FIFA World Cup, citing expectations to accommodate stadium demands in markets where World Cup games will take place

Free Kicks

  • Boston Legacy FC signed American midfielder Annie Karich as its first player ahead of its inaugural season next year. Karich spent the past two seasons with SC Freiburg in Germany and joins Boston as a free agent.
  • San Diego FC forward Anders Dreyer was named MLS Player of the Month after recording three goals and six assists in June. He leads the league with 23 goal contributions this season and is a major reason behind San Diego’s rise to the top of the Western Conference standings.
  • Atlanta United bolstered its defense by signing Albanian center back Enea Mihaj to a contract through 2028. The 26-year-old joins as a free agent after spending the past three seasons with FC Famalicao in Portugal top flight.
  • The 2025 Women’s European Championship kicked off in Switzerland, with Finland beating Iceland 1-0 in the first match of the tournament. Switzerland struck first against Norway, but Ada Hegerberg scored an equalizer and an own goal by Swiss defender Julia Stierli gave Norway the 2-1 win.
  • It seems the Concacaf co-hosts for next year’s World Cup will be able to serve suspensions in friendlies rather than missing out on the World Cup.

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

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Lion Links: 7/2/25

Big names leave Toronto FC, hot conditions in Club World Cup match, FIFPRO makes ACL recommendations, and more.

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1 day ago

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July 2, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Wednesday, everyone. It already feels like it’s been a long week, as I just got home from being out of town traveling up and down the East Coast for the last few days. The soccer world hasn’t stopped in my absence though, and as usual we have a lot to cover today. Let’s wish a happy birthday to OCB defender Tahir Reid-Brown, and jump into today’s links!

Italians Leave Toronto FC

It’s the end of an era at Toronto FC, as the club has parted ways with both Federico Bernardeschi, and Lorenzo Insigne. The Reds used both of their two buyouts of guaranteed contracts this season in order to get the transactions done, so the club was pretty keen to get them out the door. It’s hard to blame the Reds, as Insigne was the second-highest paid player in the league while Bernardeschi was the fifth highest. They didn’t have much to show for it though, as Bernardeschi had 26 goals and 22 assists in 99 games across all competitions, while Insigne had 19 goals and 17 assists in 76 matches. TFC never made the playoffs while the duo was on the team, and the decision to turn the page is an understandable one.

Difficult Conditions in Juventus vs. Real Madrid

The Club World Cup Round of 16 concluded on Tuesday, with Real Madrid knocking off Juventus 1-0 in afternoon match. Kylian Mbappe made his tournament debut for Madrid as a substitute, but it was Gonzalo Garcia’s 54th-minute goal that made the difference in the game. Juve boss Igor Tudor highlighted the difficult conditions in Miami, saying in his postgame press conference that 10 different players asked to come off the field during the game. Tudor didn’t outright blame the loss on the high heat and humidity during the 3 p.m. kickoff at Hard Rock Stadium, but noted that they were among several factors that made the game a very difficult one for his side.

FIFPRO Makes Recommendations to Curb ACL Tears

Amid a rash of ACL injuries to women’s soccer players, FIFPRO has made some recommendations to cut down on the rate at which they occur. Rather than focusing on things that can’t be controlled, the federation has suggested modifying the calendar, number of games, and the playing surfaces. FIFPRO member Alex Culvin is calling for minimum standards in the women’s game relating to pitch conditions and access to physiotherapists. More research around risk factors is also necessary, as is implementing preventative exercises at the youth levels of the game.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

Summer transfer business is in full swing, so let’s catch up on some of the hot rumors currently flying around. First up, Arsenal is said to be in the final stages of signing Viktor Gyokeres to a five-year deal. Staying in the Premier League, Manchester United is reportedly interested in signing midfielder Fabian Ruiz from Paris Saint-Germain. Juventus reportedly is close to signing Jonathan David after his contract with Lille expired. Finally, Bayern Munich is reportedly preparing a formal offer for Liverpool for Colombian winger Luis Diaz.

Free Kicks

Apparently a non -#usmnt drone has crashed the training session. US Soccer staff aiming to identify it.

— Jeff Carlisle (@jeffreycarlisle.bsky.social) 2025-07-01T17:25:12.954Z

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/1/25

Pride signings, OCB draws, both U.S. national teams in action Wednesday, and more.

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2 days ago

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July 1, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to July, Mane Landers. If you’re like me, you balanced the excitement and dread of the USMNT advancing on penalty kicks the other night. It was one thing watching Guatemala take out Canada but a whole other level of heart palpitating stress while watching the U.S. avoid a similar fate. There’s no time to relax with plenty of soccer to watch as we head towards Independence Day. Before we get to the links, please join us in wishing Orlando Pride/USWNT defender Emily Sams and OCB defender Clovis Archange each a happy birthday.

Orlando Pride Signings

The Orlando Pride announced a pair of transactions Monday. Midfielder Viviana Villacorta and the club have agreed to exercise the midfielder’s mutual option for the 2026 season. Villacorta was the No. 9 overall pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft. The Pride also signed midfielder Ally Lemos to a new contract through the 2027 season with a mutual option for 2028. The Pride selected Lemos with the No. 9 overall pick of the 2024 NWSL Draft. Orlando continues to lock down current players ahead of time. Now, we wait to see if any new players will be added.

OCB Earns a Point on the Road

Orlando City B played Philadelphia Union II to a 1-1 draw in a Monday afternoon match. Unfortunately, the Young Lions lost the end-of-regulation shootout 4-2 and did not get the additional point. Gustavo Caraballo assisted Jackson Platts on the early goal for OCB. Philadelphia equalized early in the second half. Carlos Mercado was the difference maker in the match, recording a career-high 12 saves.

USMNT’s Gold Cup Run Continues vs. Guatemala

The USMNT will face Guatemala Wednesday night in a 2025 Gold Cup semifinal match. The U.S. advanced past Costa Rica on penalties thanks to a stellar performance from goalkeeper Matt Freese. Guatemala stunned Canada with a second-half equalizer and advanced on penalty kicks. Guatemala has been the overachieving underdog of the competition so far. This will be the USMNT’s 17th Gold Cup semifinal appearance.

USWNT Hosts Canada

The USWNT will host Canada in a third friendly of this international window Wednesday at Washington, D.C.’s Audi Field. The U.S. is coming off two 4-0 victories over the Republic of Ireland. Canada should prove a tougher opponent for Emma Hayes’ squad. There is a possibility that the match will feature two Orlando Pride players — Emily Sams for the U.S. and Zara Chavoshi for Canada. Kerry Abello has returned to her club team after picking up a knock.

Free Kicks

Sources: Bayer Leverkusen are finalizing a deal to sign USMNT attacker Malik Tillman from PSV.Deal in region of $40m.

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2025-06-30T20:36:24.359Z
  • Former Orlando Pride midfielder Erika Tymrak has retired from professional soccer.

That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for Orlando City’s match against Charlotte FC this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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