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Orlando City vs. FC Dallas: Five Takeaways

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3 years ago

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Orlando City hosted FC Dallas and fell 3-1 after blowing a lead in the second half. Ercan Kara gave the Lions a lead late in the first half, but mistakes and fatigue plagued the Lions after halftime. Paul Arriola scored a brace and Franco Jara made a difference in the match as he had an assist and a goal within just seven minutes after coming on off the bench. Here are our five takeaways from the match.

Hodgepodge Defense Leaked Goals

Due to an injury to Antonio Carlos and suspension to Rodrigo Schlegel, Kyle Smith filled in as a center back alongside Robin Jansson and had a hard time playing out of position. He tried trapping Jara offside and paid the price as Jara stayed on and chipped a shot over Gallese to give Dallas the lead in the 70th minute. Minutes earlier, Ruan wasn’t able to intercept a cross from Jara that allowed Arriola to drive towards goal uncontested and score. That opportunity was sparked by a poor giveaway from Andres Perea. A rare mistake from Pedro Gallese was the nail in the coffin for the Lions as Arriola completed his brace with a shot that skipped to the far post. All in all, it was just a sloppy defensive performance from the Lions. They have now conceded nine goals across their past four matches. All nine of those goals were scored with one of either Jansson or Schlegel off the field. The Lions lacked defensive stability in this match, which wasn’t helped by the absence of Cesar Araujo, and will have to find ways to get results when their depth is tested.

Orlando Scored and Struggled from Set Pieces

Orlando City’s lone goal of the match came from a free kick as Mauricio Pereyra whipped in a nice cross to find Kara’s head in the box. It was one of many opportunities from dead ball situations for the Lions as they had six corners and were fouled 24 times in the match, many of those fouls taking place in dangerous areas. Orlando is the most fouled team in MLS so it’s important for the team to make the most of the chances allowed by fouls from the opposition. While the goal was nice, the Lions needed to be more clinical with their chances considering the service was fairly good throughout the night. Kara’s miss at point-blank range after an excellent corner kick towards the far post by Alexandre Pato was just one of many moments where Orlando lacked a finishing touch in the box.

Tired Legs Caught Up to the Lions

It was Orlando’s third game in seven days and it showed in this match. The Lions conceded twice within a span of three minutes in the second half and fresh legs in the form of substitutes minutes later weren’t enough to stop the bleeding. Orlando was the protagonist of the match for most of the first hour but didn’t have enough left in the tank to reverse its fortune after Dallas flipped the script with a goal in transition. The Lions entered this match after playing 120 minutes and enduring a penalty shootout on Wednesday and the fatigue from that and a road trip to Austin last Sunday likely played a part in how the team faded down the stretch of this match. The good news is that Orlando has over two weeks of rest to recover before facing the New England Revolution on June 15.

Kara is Heating Up

Make no mistake, Kara absolutely needed to put the ball from Pato’s corner kick in the back of the net. The service was fantastic and it would’ve brought the team level to possibly shift momentum. He was brought to Orlando as a Designated Player and those are the types of chances he must score as a center forward in this league. All of that being said, it was an otherwise solid game from the Austrian. as he scored his fourth goal of the MLS season. His six shots were his most in a match since joining Orlando and he was a constant presence in this match as he used his large frame to win possession and hold up play. It feels as if he’s on the brink of a breakout game and could have had it in this match. He’ll want that missed header back, but there were plenty of encouraging signs surrounding Kara. After a slow start to the year as he acclimates to the league and his teammates, Kara looked comfortable in this match and has scored in three of Orlando’s past five matches across all competitions.

Waiting on the Wings

Once again, Junior Urso played out wide as the team is dealing with injuries to Benji Michel and Silvester van der Water. Jake Mulraney received his first start as a Lion, playing on the left wing. Both players had decent games, but Urso didn’t attempt a cross in the match and Mulraney was accurate on just one of his four. It’s worth noting that I liked Mulraney’s performance in this match. He won five fouls, made some heads-up plays, and should be a solid player for Orlando when needed this season. Facundo Torres came on for the Irishman in the 56th minute but wasn’t able to make much of an impact crossing from the left wing either, completing one of his two attempts. As for the fullbacks, Ruan was inaccurate on both of his crosses and Joao Moutinho only attempted one as well, although both certainly looked dangerous at times. Most of Orlando’s chances either came from Pereyra working his magic or set pieces. Some of it could be blamed on fatigue and injuries, but the fact remains that Orlando lacked production from its wings in this loss and recent matches.

That is what I took away from Orlando’s loss to Dallas at home. Let me know what you thought of the match in the comments below.

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Lion Links: 6/5/25

MLS All-Star voting update, Kerry Abello shines with USWNT, Sergio Zapata earns recognition, and more.

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6 hours ago

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June 5, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this week has been treating you well as we enjoy some international soccer and prepare for the return of NWSL action this weekend. Before we jump right into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City B midfielder Dylan Judelson!

Pair of Lions Lead MLS All-Star Voting

Voting for this year’s MLS All-Star Game remains underway and an update was provided on which players are leading at each position. Orlando City defender Alex Freeman leads all right backs as he enjoys a breakout season. I was aware of the buzz he’s been getting this year, but it’s still surprising to see a Lion as an All-Star frontrunner. What’s even more surprising is that Pedro Gallese leads the voting for goalkeepers. The Peruvian made a rough gaffe last week, but has otherwise had a stellar season with Orlando that’s included seven clean sheets. Voting will close on June 11, so make sure to get those votes in before then.

Kerry Abello Impresses With USMNT

Orlando Pride defender Kerry Abello made her first appearance for the United States Women’s National Team Tuesday, playing every minute of the 4-0 win over Jamaica. The versatility she’s shown with the Pride translated well in Head Coach Emma Hayes’ system, as she was able to hold things down defensively and contribute to the attack as well. Abello could end up bringing solid depth to the USWNT as Hayes figures out the team’s future core of players. Enjoy this video from the USWNT that provides a look behind the scenes of Abello’s international debut.

Sergio Zapata Named Player of the Month

Sergio Zapata scored a whopping 11 goals for Orlando City’s U-19 team over the course of just four matches in May, winning the honor of MLS NEXT Player of the Month. He had three hat tricks last month, including one against Hoosier Premier at MLS NEXT Fest. Zapata committed to Cornell, so hopefully we’ll get to see him tear it up in the Ivy League over the next couple of years.

Zack Steffen Sustains Knee Injury

Goalkeeper Zack Steffen injured his knee at the United States Men’s National Team’s training camp and will reportedly miss this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup. It’s rough news for the 30-year-old, as he was expected to compete with Matt Turner for the starting job with the USMNT. He’s been having a great season with the Colorado Rapids and returned to the club for further evaluation on the injury.

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

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Lion Links: 6/4/25

USWNT wins as Abello gets first cap, Orlando Pride’s Concacaf W Champions Cup draw, Club World Cup in Orlando, and more.

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1 day ago

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June 4, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Tuesday was a busy soccer day, especially on the women’s side. We have plenty of Orlando Pride news, and the USWNT secured yet another victory. I’m hoping the good vibes continue since I’ll be coming down to Orlando for the Pride’s match this Saturday. If you’re going to the match, let me know, as I’d love to meet as many of our readers as possible. For now, let’s get to the links.

USWNT Blanks Jamaica

The USWNT defeated Jamaica 4-0 in a friendly at Energizer Park in St. Louis. The Orlando Pride’s Kerry Abello got her first start and her first cap in the match. She went the full 90 minutes and almost had her first international goal in the second half, but the chance went a bit wide of the right post. Ally Sentnor and Lynn Biyendolo each scored a brace as the U.S. rolled to an easy win.

Pride Internationals

Abello wasn’t the only Pride player to make an international appearance. Marta returned to international duty for Brazil getting the start and the captain’s armband in a 2-1 win over Japan. Both Grace Chanda and Barbra Banda started for Zambia in the 2-0 loss to South Africa in the Three Nations Challenge. Congratulations are also due to Zara Chavoshi, who earned her first cap with the Canadian Women’s National Team in the match against Haiti.

Concacaf W Champions Cup Draw

The Concacaf W Champions Cup draw happened yesterday and the Orlando Pride are in Group A with Club America Femenil, CF Pachuca Femenil, LD Alajuelense, and Chorrillo FC. Group B consists of NJ/NY Gotham FC, the Washington Spirit, CF Monterrey Femenil, Vancouver Rise FC Academy, and Alianza Women FC. The competition kicks off Aug. 19-21.

FIFA Loves Orlando

FIFA President Gianni Infantino sat for an interview with Jamie Seh of WKMG Orlando. Infantino spoke about the upcoming Club World Cup matches at Inter&Co Stadium and Camping World Stadium. FIFA loves Orlando enough for the city to host the Club World Cup, but not the actual World Cup. Here is the schedule for the matches in Orlando. We will be bringing you coverage of these matches.

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That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the return of the Orlando Pride this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 6/3/25

Orlando City B announces signings, details of Concacaf W Champions Cup, UEFA Nations League preview, and more.

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2 days ago

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June 3, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Good morning, everyone. It’s been a pretty brutal last two games for Orlando City, there’s no getting around that fact. While it’s never fun to not have the team in action, a two-week break between games maybe isn’t the worst thing in this particular case. Even though it’ll be a minute before the Lions are back in action, we still have plenty of things to talk about, so let’s get into today’s links.

Orlando City B Announces Signings

Orlando City B announced on Monday that it has signed Clovis Archange and Jackson Platts to MLS NEXT Pro contracts. The pair are graduates of the Orlando City Development Academy and were part of the team that won the U-18 Generation Adidas Cup earlier this year. The 18-year-old Platts captained the team in the final, while Archange was named as one of the players to watch before the tournament started. They’ve both featured for their countries at the youth level, with Platts appearing for the United States U-16 and U-18 teams, and Archange suiting up for Canada’s U-17 side. Congratulations to both players!

Concacaf Announces W Champions Cup Details

Concacaf has named the 10 teams that will participate 2025-2026 Concacaf W Champions Cup and has announced the pots for tonight’s draw. The Orlando Pride are one of three American teams participating in the second year of the competition, and have been placed into Pot 2. Teams will be divided into two groups of five, with each team facing every club in its group once, and the top two sides from each group then advancing to the semifinals. The winner gets a spot in the 2027 FIFA Women’s Champions Cup, and the FIFA Women’s Club World Cup, which is set to be held for the first time in 2028. The draw takes place tonight at 8 p.m.

UEFA Nations League Preview

The UEFA Nations League returns this week, with the semifinals set for tomorrow and Thursday, and the third-place game and final taking place on Sunday. Things get started on Wednesday afternoon with Germany facing off against Portugal in Munich. Germany put away Italy 5-4 on aggregate in the quarterfinals to get to the semis for the first time, while Portugal beat Denmark 5-2, and is hunting for its second Nations League trophy. Thursday has Spain taking on France in Stuttgart. The Spanish beat the Netherlands on penalties in the semis to get here, while France took out Croatia on penalties to punch its ticket. There’s plenty of recent history in this one as these teams also met in the semifinals of Euro 2024 last year, with Spain claiming a 2-1 win.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

The transfer rumor mill has kicked into full swing, so let’s catch up on some of the big talking points. Starting in England, Manchester United has reportedly increased its interest in Brian Mbuemo, with the Brentford forward said to also be interested in moving to the club. There are said to be a number of Premier League teams interested in signing Southampton midfielder Tyler Dibling after his team was relegated to the Championship this season. Jobe Bellingham will reportedly follow in his brother Jude’s footsteps, as he’s reportedly decided to join Borussia Dortmund. Finally, Inter Milan is reportedly interested in signing Marcus Rashford as the Italians look to rebuild the squad following a brutal defeat in the UEFA Champions League final.

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  • Here’s a first look at Alex Freeman in his USMNT kit:

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

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