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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Final Score 3-0 as Lions Played Off Their Own Pitch

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3 years ago

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Orlando City’s three-game winning streak in all competitions came to a crashing halt, as the team’s worst performance of the year resulted in a 3-0 loss to the New York Red Bulls at Exploria Stadium. The Lions (4-3-2, 14 points) were second best from the jump, had no sense of urgency or precision, lacked ideas, were careless with the ball, and were generally played off the pitch by New York (4-2-2, 14 points), which moved into second place in the Eastern Conference with the win. Luquinhas, Cristian Casseres, and Lewis Morgan scored the goals for New York.

Orlando has now lost three straight games to the Red Bulls and the loss drops the Lions to 5-9-2 in the all-time series. The Lions were so comprehensively outplayed that they attempted just three shots in 90+ minutes and failed to get a single one on frame.

“Obviously very disappointed with the result,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “When we compete, we are trying to get a result, but more than that, I thought our performance, where I’m fully responsible, was far from our normal one. I thought New York outplayed us today and I have to accept that they were much better than us.”

“This is the worst game for us and this is difficult to understand now,” captain Mauricio Pereyra said. “Sometimes everything that you plan is good and it’s perfect and you get the result and you get the good soccer. Today it wasn’t like that.”

Pareja’s lineup included Pedro Gallese in net behind a back line of Joao Moutinho, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Ruan. Cesar Araujo and Junior Urso played central midfield behind an attacking line of Facundo Torres, Mauricio Pereyra, and Alexandre Pato, with Ercan Kara up top.

Neither team got much going in the first 20 minutes. The Red Bulls came in looking to make it an ugly game and succeeded, committing fouls and being physical all over the pitch. Ruan got run over from behind and stepped on by Ashley Fletcher in the early going but got only a foul call and a warning. He later received another warning just before the first-half water break and finally got his yellow card just after the restart on what might have been his third bookable offense.

Orlando City moved too slowly and deliberately the entire first half and, as a result, the Lions spent most of the half penned in their own half. New York punished any off-line or poorly weighted ball by taking it the other way in transition.

That’s exactly how the Lions conceded the game’s first goal in the 26th minute. Several Orlando City players were caught up field and no one seemed particularly eager to get back defensively as the Red Bulls came forward. No one closed down Luquinhas at the top of the area and he slotted a well-placed ball just inside the left post to make it 1-0.

The chippy play continued as New York simply took fouls any time Orlando seemed to have even the slightest thing going offensively. That ended up in a double yellow card situation late in the first half, with Luquinhas and Morgan each getting booked on a play when Kara was knocked down to deny a counter opportunity.

Gallese made a huge save on Fletcher late in the half to keep it 1-0 at the break.

Orlando City held 62.8% of the first-half possession to New York’s 37.2% but most of that was kicking it around the back trying to figure out how to attack the Red Bulls’ 3-5-2 formation and press. The Lions were also the more accurate passing team (79.9%-65.8%), but New York had more shots (9-0), shots on target (3-0), and corners won (2-0) with the Lions seldom possessing the ball in the attacking half.

Pareja sent Benji Michel and Thomas Williams into the match at the break to change the shape. But a poor pass from Ruan in the attacking half allowed the Red Bulls a transition opportunity and the visitors doubled the lead just moments after the game resumed. New York broke toward goal with numbers and Casseres ended up in front of Gallese with the ball. El Pulpo made a great initial save but Casseres tapped in the rebound to make it 2-0 in the 48th minute.

Orlando looked to have a decent counter opportunity in the 54th minute, with the ball ending up at Michel’s feet in the box. Michel lost his balance and went down, shouting for a penalty but there was nothing in the challenge.

Araujo finally gave Orlando a shot attempt in the 60th minute, launching a shot well off target from outside the area.

Schlegel got his head to a Ruan cross in the 72nd minute on a recycled set piece but his shot was just wide and Carlos Coronel looked to have it covered.

The Red Bulls added a third after referee Alex Chilowicz went to video review and determined that Rodrigo Schlegel was guilty of a handball in the box. Schlegel went up for a 50/50 challenge but the ball cleared his head by inches. The attacking player in behind him appeared to head the ball into Schlegel’s arm and there’s little doubt nothing would have come of the play. But Chilowicz ruled in New York’s favor and Lewis Morgan scored from the spot for the final margin of victory.

Rookie Jack Lynn was given a cameo appearance late and made his MLS debut but the match was over and the Lions were cooked.

“It was a moment I’ve been looking forward to for a long time, so I was ecstatic to get on the field, but you know what’s important is getting the three points,” Lynn said after his debut. “So, it’s always a little bit of a gut punch when we don’t get that.”

New York finished with more shots (17-3), shots on target (6-0), and corners (4-1), while Orlando City held more possession (64.2%-35.8%) and passed more accurately (80.8%-62.8%). But the Lions did nothing with that possession, passing sloppily and lazily all game long and falling into the traps the Red Bulls wanted them to walk into.

“We knew already how New York plays and we prepared in the week some plan, and we couldn’t do it in a good way,” Pereyra said. “I think we we didn’t have many positive things today. We know that this is maybe the worst game that we played in the season. Even the other games that we lost, we created many chances and we played so good, and today is the exception because we didn’t play and we didn’t create any chances.”

“We were outplayed, really,” Pareja reiterated. “The first step that we need to recognize today is that we couldn’t put together the soccer that we normally play because with their intensity they destroyed any idea that we wanted. And basically with recovering the ball in the middle third they started just creating their sequences and tried to create their chances. We were not connected. It’s not that they had more energy but they had more ideas up front too, and I thought it was a fair result.”

The Lions remain at home for their next match when Charlotte FC visits Exploria Stadium for the first time ever.

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Orlando City

2024 Orlando City Season in Review: Jack Lynn

The young striker played a career high in minutes for Orlando City and played in all four
competitions.

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10 hours ago

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December 11, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Jack Lynn joined Orlando City through the 2022 MLS SuperDraft, when he was selected in the first round by the Lions with the No. 18 overall pick out of Notre Dame. He primarily played with OCB during the 2022 and 2023 seasons, scoring 15 goals in 2022 and 19 in 2023 while earning the MLS NEXT Pro MVP for that season. He was a depth player for most of the 2024 season with Orlando City, but late in the season he returned to playing more frequently with OCB, and quickly found his goal-scoring form once again with the Young Lions.

Let’s take a look back at Lynn’s 2024 season.

Statistical Breakdown

After two seasons of double-digit goal scoring in MLS NEXT Pro, the young forward looked to be a leading candidate to serve as the backup to Duncan McGuire, and in the opening few months he was frequently in the game day squad. However, the signing of Luis Muriel meant that he often was an unused substitute as the Lions used McGuire and Muriel as their strikers. Ramiro Enrique then returned from a prolonged absence and took over the starting spot with McGuire as the primary sub off the bench, and in the second half of the season, Lynn did not dress for Orlando City as frequently. He got some starts for OCB and scored four goals and had one assist in his eight games played with the Young Lions.

For Orlando City, Lynn appeared primarily in MLS regular-season games, making 11 appearances with two starts, playing 253 minutes. He took six shots, putting three on target and scoring two goals. He passed at a 66.7% completion percentage but did not have any key passes or assists. On the defensive side deuces were wild, as he won two tackles, made two blocks and had two clearances. He committed five fouls, drew two on the opposition, and was not booked.

Lynn also made one appearance late in the Lions’ final MLS playoff match, coming in for two minutes and recording just one touch of the ball, with no shots, passes attempted or defensive actions, and he did not receive a booking.

During Concacaf Champions Cup play, the Notre Dame product came off the bench in both games against Cavalry FC, playing 21 total minutes without a goal contribution, recording one shot that was off target, completing all three of his passes, and suffering one foul. He did not contribute any defensive actions or get booked.

Lynn participated in one Leagues Cup match, subbing in against CF Montréal. He played 12 minutes and did not have a goal contribution or take any shots, but he completed both of his passes, with one being a key pass. On the defensive side, he made two recoveries and committed one foul, but he wasn’t booked.

Best Game

The 24-year-old striker earned his first-ever starting nod for Orlando City on March 23 against Austin FC, and in the 42nd minute, he scored his first MLS goal. He timed his run perfectly to get wide open at the back post and finished with a powerful header off a cross from Dagur Dan Thórhallsson to give the Lions a 1-0 lead.

Lynn went on to play 73 minutes, completing 10 of his 13 passes (76.9%) and adding one additional off-target shot. He contributed a tackle and a clearance on defense. Orlando City won the game 2-0, making Lynn’s goal in the opening half the game-winner. Head Coach Óscar Pareja said he was pleased with Lynn’s performance, praising him in the post-game press conference:

“(Jack) is a player who patiently has been waiting (for) his opportunity,” Pareja said. “I could say that maybe he should have more games at this point with the way he has performed in the second group and what he has achieved as an individual. He’s very lethal and he has goals. Today, he opened the game. Jack’s discipline and constant effort has paid off and we’re happy.”

2024 Final Grade

With only 288 minutes on the field across all competitions in 2024, Lynn did not play enough minutes to get a grade for the season, receiving an incomplete from The Mane Land staff. Still, he showed that he was capable of contributing when called upon to play first-team minutes.

2025 Outlook

After watching how prolific Lynn was in MLS NEXT Pro in 2023, and then once again this season when he returned to play a few matches with OCB, Lynn has clearly proven that he is above the level of play in that league. In limited minutes at the MLS level, he has shown flashes, but based on the substitution patterns as the season went along, it was clear that he was at best the third option at striker. Orlando City appears to be bringing back both Enrique and McGuire, so while they picked up Lynn’s option for 2025 season, I expect that it will be another season similar to 2024, where he is a depth player who primarily comes in off the bench, if he comes in at all.

I believe that Lynn is an MLS-caliber player, as he is an excellent finisher of the “fox in the box” ilk, but my projection is that 2025 will look similar to 2024 and he will be fighting for minutes off the bench at the MLS level.

Previous Season in Review Articles (Date Posted)

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 12/11/24

Orlando City’s protected players, Orlando Pride roster update, the USMNT is returning to Inter&Co Stadium, and more.

Published

14 hours ago

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December 11, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. The season might be over, but there’s still plenty of news to be found. I’m glad that we have all the movies and specials to watch since there are no MLS or NWSL matches. There are quite a few that my family watch each year including Elf, Scrooged, and of course, Die Hard. Let me know your favorites in the comments below. Let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Protected List Released

The addition of San Diego SC to MLS means another expansion draft this off-season. Yesterday, Orlando City released its protected players list. There are a total of 19 players on the list, though seven of those are automatically protected due to either Homegrown or Generation Adidas status. San Diego will be able to pick up to five players from across the league, but only one from any given club. There aren’t many surprises in which players Orlando City chose to protect.

Pride End-of-Season Roster Update

Following a historic season that saw the club win both the NWSL Shield and the 2024 NWSL Cup, the Pride have released their end of season roster update. We already knew that Celia, Carrie Lawrence, and Megan Montefusco retired. Given how the club works its contracts, often re-signing players during the season, there weren’t a lot of surprises. Marta and Evelina Duljan were the two players out of contract, and we now know that Duljan won’t be returning, while the club is negotiating a deal that would keep Marta in Orlando.

USMNT Returning to Inter&Co Stadium

The USMNT is heading back to the City Beautiful, as the team will play Costa Rica Jan. 22 at Inter&Co Stadium. Kickoff for the match will be 7 p.m., allowing fans in the Orlando area to make it after work. It will be the second match in Florida, as the Americans will take on Venezuela Jan. 18 at Chase Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale. Pre-sale tickets went on sale Tuesday, and ticket sales for the general public start Friday.

USWNT vs. Brazil

If you were hoping for a rematch of the 2024 Women’s World Cup final between the USWNT and the Brazilian Women’s National Team, you are in luck. The two teams will square off on April 5 and April 8, 2025 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and at PayPal Park in San Jose, respectively. The match at SoFi Stadium will be the first soccer match played in the venue, which will also host matches for the 2026 World Cup.

Free Kicks

  • It’s no surprise to those of us who work with the Pride regularly that Jackie Maynard, Lucas Medeiros, and the rest of Orlando’s comms staff was named the first-ever NWSL Communications Team of the Year winner. We congratulate Jackie and her team and look forward to continuing to work with a great group of professionals.
  • Take a trip down memory lane with this compilation of Facundo Torres’ goals from 2024.
  • Today, FIFA will award the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia. The circumstances leading up to this “decision” are exactly as forthright, transparent, and without any hint of shenanigans as one expects from FIFA. Give me a minute, my eyes got stuck in the back of my head because of how hard I rolled them.
  • In related news, Norway plans to protest the decision to award the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia and will abstain on the basis that not enough has been done to protect human rights at the event.
  • Orlando City wasn’t the only team to drop its list of protected rosters. Here are the lists for every MLS club.
  • Plenty of teams were in action in the UEFA Champions League Tuesday. Liverpool won its sixth consecutive first round match 1-0 over Girona, and Mbappe scored and got injured in Real Madrid’s 3-2 victory over Atalanta.

That will do it for today. Keep checking in for our Season in Review pieces for both Orlando City and the Orlando Pride. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 12/10/24

Facundo Torres linked with move to Palmeiras, Pride players in FIFPRO Women’s World 11, Amanda Allen suffers injury, and more.

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2 days ago

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December 10, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Tuesday, everyone. I hope your week is getting off to a good start and that you’re on top of any Christmas shopping that you still need to do, because I’m just now realizing that I’ve done exactly zero of mine. Alas, the only way out is through. As usual, we have a lot to talk through this morning, so let’s get into the links.

Facundo Torres Linked With Palmeiras

Tom Bogert reported on Monday evening that Orlando City has agreed to a deal with Brazilian club Palmeiras for the transfer of Facundo Torres. While Bogert says the two clubs have reached an agreement, the transfer is still pending as Torres and Palmeiras still need to agree on personal terms. While no price tag was given, the fee would reportedly eclipse the $9.5 million fee that West Bromwich Albion paid for Daryl Dike, which is OCSC’s current outbound transfer record. Torres is the club’s record signing, as he joined from Penarol for roughly $7.5 million, and has been central to the team’s success ever since. We will bring you more from this story as it develops.

Familiar Faces in FIFPRO Women’s World 11

FIFA announced the 2024 FIFPRO Women’s World 11 on Monday and there are two familiar faces in the lineup, as Marta and Barbra Banda were named to the team. This is the third time in Marta’s career that she has been chosen for the award, which is the only global player award decided exclusively by the players themselves. Banda is included in the team for the first time, with this also being the very first time that an African player has made the team. Both players had incredible seasons for the Orlando Pride and were instrumental in the team winning its first two pieces of silverware. Congratulations to both for all their hard work and justified recognition!

Amanda Allen Suffers Injury

The Orlando Pride announced on Monday that forward Amanda Allen has suffered a torn labrum in her right shoulder and will undergo surgery to repair it. As a result, Allen’s loan with USL Super League team Lexington Sporting Club has been terminated, and she has been placed on the season-ending injury list. It’s a tough break for Allen, who became the youngest player to debut for the team back during the 2023 season, as she was getting good minutes and experience on loan. We wish her all the best and hope to see her back on the field soon!

Christian Pulisic Injury News

AC Milan announced on Monday that United States Men’s National Team forward Christian Pulisic has torn a muscle in his right calf, and will spend time on the sideline. The winger went off injured during the team’s game on Friday, and Milan has said that he could be on the shelf until January. While the USMNT won’t play a competitive game until March’s Concacaf Nations League semifinals, the timing is a tough blow for Pulisic, who has had an excellent start to the season with eight goal contributions in Serie A and three UEFA Champions League goals. Here’s hoping that he makes a speedy recovery.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans who will take part in games this week, so make sure you get everything marked down on your calendar. Things get started later today as Auston Trusty, Cameron Carter-Vickers, and Celtic take on Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League, while Ricardo Pepi, Richy Ledezma, Malik Tillman, and PSV Eindhoven face Brest in the same competition. Tomorrow has Yunus Musah and AC Milan hosting Crvena Zvezda in the Champions League, while Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus welcome Manchester City to Allianz Stadium. Things then finish up on Friday as Mark McKenzie and Toulouse host St-Etienne in Ligue 1 play.

MLS Transfer Happenings

We have a lot of MLS transfer moves and roster changes to cover this morning. Cruzeiro has declined the purchase option on FC Cincinnati winger Alvaro Barreal, meaning he has returned to the club following the conclusion of his loan. Expansion side San Diego FC has acquired Tomas Angel and a second-round pick in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft from LAFC in exchange for $200,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money (GAM). Austin FC also bought out Gyasi Zardes’ contract, making the 10th-highest scorer in MLS history a free agent.

The Colorado Rapids signed center backs Ian Murphy and Chidozie Awaziem from FC Cincinnati in exchange for $1 million in General Allocation Money. Tom Bogert is also reporting that Bournemouth is finalizing a deal to sign American center back Matai Akinmboni from D.C. United in a deal worth up to $2.5 million. Finally, in the wildest piece of MLS transfer news I’ve seen in awhile, I simply present the following tweet.

Free Kicks

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

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