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Orlando City vs. D.C. United: Five Takeaways

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2 years ago

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Orlando City finally scored more than two goals in a game this season but that provided no comfort as the Lions were bombed for five goals in a 5-3 home loss to D.C. United on Independence Day at Exploria Stadium. Some fans had barely settled into their seats before the home team was behind by two goals and things got worse before they got better…and then got worse again…and then got better…and then finally sunk to the worst. It was the most goals conceded by Orlando at home under the current regime, and it came at the hands of a team that had scored only 18 total goals in 15 previous matches.

Here’s what I took away from Monday night’s match.

Best XI > Not-Best XI

There is a notable depth issue with this year’s Orlando City squad and even if the players and Head Coach Oscar Pareja like to (understandably) talk publicly about how much belief they have in the entire roster, that is not a belief that bench players have given reason for anyone to share. The coaching staff tried to steal a little rest for starters Cesar Araujo and Facundo Torres Monday night, starting Sebas Mendez and Alexandre Pato in their spots. Additionally, Antonio Carlos continues to work back slowly from his thigh injury and Joao Moutinho — upgraded to ‘questionable’ on this week’s availability report — was not in uniform. Some of the team’s biggest issues against D.C. United came from those spots. We’ll get into some of those specifics below, but with eight matches this month, Orlando City had to have three points from a home game against a team riding a six-match winless skid dating back to early May. With the most days off between games the team will see until August happening between last Wednesday’s match vs. Nashville and Monday night, and Monday night to this Saturday against Miami, those are the two matches in which it’s perhaps wisest to play the best available lineup, resting guys where possible when the fixtures get more crowded.

But hey, I’m not in training every day, so if guys were looking a bit leggy or nursing minor knocks, then Pareja did the right thing in rotating.

A Night to Forget Defensively

Giving up five goals is often a team effort, and so it was Monday night. Most of what D.C. did offensively began in Orlando’s attacking third. Poor decisions or badly executed passes led to turnovers that started the D.C. transition and the Lions simply didn’t handle those situations well at all.

Rodrigo Schlegel’s 1-v-1 defending in transition has been spotty in the last week (albeit against admittedly high-quality players like Hany Mukhtar and Taxi Fountas) and Monday night it was an issue, in addition to the Argentine conceding the free kick that handed Fountas his third goal. But some of that defending wouldn’t have been necessary had Kyle Smith not had a howler of a night at left back, subbing for the injured Moutinho. For all the versatility and admirable willingness to do whatever he can to help the team Smith possesses, Monday night was an incredibly harsh reminder that he is not the starter at the position. Smith was absolutely smoked by…well, whoever D.C. threw at him — Michael Estrada, Drew Skundrich, or anyone who fancied a go down United’s right attacking channel.

Finally, there’s Mendez to wrap up this (lengthy) takeaway. The Ecuadorian has shown himself to be a capable player and many have felt he needed to get some minutes. On Monday night, Mendez got the start and the cynical part of me wonders if it was a showcase for a potential trade. If so, things didn’t go as planned. Mendez showed some rust and, as a No. 6 who normally needs to be forcibly dragged into the attacking half, he was often missing from the team’s efforts to track back in transition.

Pato Not in a Good Place Right Now

With Pato starting in place of Torres, the hope was that scoring a vital penalty in the shootout after Wednesday’s U.S. Open Cup draw with Nashville SC might give the Brazilian veteran some confidence to get back to the form he displayed at the start of the season, when he was arguably the team’s best player on the field. That was not the case.

Pato’s touch, crossing, and passing have been an issue for several games now. Monday night he had a team-high five unstable touches and opponents are getting wise to his hesitation move and they’re waiting on it. He’s also been easy to knock off the ball. As a result of his play, the Lions gave away the ball while in vulnerable positions on Monday. And his shooting was no better — excellent penalty-kick goal aside. In open play he found himself in space twice just outside the box in the middle of the field and he hit both shots wildly off target.

The Lions need more from a player of Pato’s caliber.

Lions Lack Balance

Orlando isn’t getting enough production from the wings, which helps teams that play defensively compact games and keep their lines well organized. Outside of Torres, wing play has been spotty (at best) all season. Pareja has tried several things to fix that. Benji Michel, Junior Urso, and Pato have taken turns and the club brought in Jake Mulraney from Atlanta. Not only has nothing worked with any kind of consistency, but the fullbacks have provided little on the overlap. Moutinho’s absence doesn’t help with that and I don’t even have to get into Ruan’s crossing because…well, Ruan. The diminutive Brazilian speedster is an agent of chaos, which sometimes produces exactly what is needed but often wastes promising attacking opportunities. By providing no threat opposite Torres in either the scoring or the crossing departments, the Lions become much easier to defend. D.C.’s five-man back line was hardly challenged from wide areas and felt comfortable enough to not stretch itself sideline to sideline.

Bereft of Bench Firepower

While Torres did come off the bench and provide a goal and an assist, he’s a starting player, so that’s not unexpected production. The problem lies elsewhere on the bench. This is partly under the umbrella of the team balance mentioned above. In addition to the team lacking balance on either side of the field, it lacks any balance in scoring from the starting XI to the bench.

Michel is on pace for the worst statistical season of his career and the Homegrown winger hasn’t scored since the season opener. Although he was fortunate to win a penalty against D.C., it wasn’t a terribly threatening night for him. Tesho Akindele had a glorious late chance in transition against United but predictably fired with his strong foot, which Rafael Romo did well to read and easily smother, whereas a quick movement onto his left might have produced a more difficult opportunity, yet with a much higher probability of success. For all of Michel’s struggles, Akindele has yet to score an MLS goal in 2022. However, it’s important to keep in mind he hasn’t played more than 20 minutes in any league match since March 27 at Portland, which makes it difficult to find any kind of form.

Oh, and Jack Lynn made a late appearance but wasn’t on the field long enough to work up a sweat, let alone make an impact. There is no super sub on this year’s roster. There are barely even guys who can change the game’s energy. That was apparent against D.C.

Bonus Takeaway: Adding Injury to Insult

As bad as Monday’s match was, it could have a longer lasting impact. Captain Mauricio Pereyra, the team’s only viable No. 10 and chief breaker of lines, pulled up in the waning moments of the game with a non-contact injury while retrieving a ball out of play for a throw-in. The extent of the injury wasn’t known after the match and he’ll be evaluated today. An injury to Pereyra is precisely the worst possible player to lose, given the lack of anyone’s ability to replace what he does in the lineup and it underscores the club’s biggest off-season failure — finding a suitable backup. If the technical staff thought Andres Perea would grow into that kind of player, it hasn’t happened. In fact, Perea has regressed a bit in 2022. Torres seems more comfortable in wide spots and is still young and developing. Pato might be the closest thing the team has to a backup No. 10, but his form is dreadful at the moment and his passing rate and tendency to take on multiple defenders himself can be a liability in that position. If Pereyra’s injury from late Monday is serious — and he was limping after the match — it could mean more than one battle lost for Orlando.

Those are the talking points I had from Monday night’s loss. What stuck out to you? Let’s chat about it in the comments section below.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 9/11/24

Orlando Pride playoff ticket information, USMNT draws New Zealand on awful late goal on the day it formally announces Mauricio Pochettino, and more.

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7 hours ago

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September 11, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. We have a full weekend of fun ahead with all three teams in action. The Orlando Pride start things off on Friday, with Orlando City playing Saturday, and Orlando City B finishing things up on Sunday. Hopefully, we can have a nine-point weekend.

Of course, today is a day of remembrance of those who lost their lives both on that tragic day in 2001 and from the effects that followed. Take a moment today to let those you love know that you love them. Let’s get to the links.

Pride Power into Playoffs

We know the Orlando Pride have already made the 2024 NWSL Playoffs, but now you can let the club know if you are interested in potential playoff tickets before things get crazy. It’s nice knowing that we don’t have to wait until decision day to find out if the Pride are in. They are. Decisively. In the least surprising news ever, the Pride topped both the ESPN NWSL Power Rankings, and the Goal.com NWSL Power Rankings once again.

Pochettino Hiring Official

The hiring that everyone knew was coming was made official Tuesday as Mauricio Pochettino was named as the new head coach of the USMNT. Pochettino is the type of big name hire that U.S. fans have been waiting for following the double stint of Gregg Berhalter. Pochettino will be expected to get the best out of what some consider the greatest generation of American soccer players when he leads them to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

USMNT Draws New Zealand

The same night that Pochettino was announced as the new USMNT head coach, his new team played New Zealand to an uninspiring 1-1 draw. Christian Pulisic put the Yanks ahead in the 69th minute, but the U.S. was unable to see the match out, allowing an 89th-minute equalizer on a completely awful goal that was misplayed by both Caleb Wiley and Mark McKenzie, with the latter providing the finish with a clearance attempt off of New Zealand’s Ben Waine, over Matt Turner, and into his own net. The match was only a friendly, but it illustrates the need for the new coach.

The Growth of the NWSL

The NWSL is in a good place. The league is growing both in the number of member clubs and in the attendance at matches across the league. There are many reasons for it, including the Olympics and big name stars like Marta and the recently retired Alex Morgan, but most importantly, the growing fanbase for the women’s game. ESPN spoke to general managers at every club in the league to get an idea of the challenges in the ever-changing landscape that is the NWSL. All the answers were anonymous, but it’s still very insightful information.

Free Kicks

  • In the ongoing series from the Orlando Pride, it’s now time for you to get to know Carrie Lawrence.
  • Let’s keep the clean sheets coming, Anna Moorhouse.
  • Declan Rice was a bit petty in Arsenal’s match against Brighton last weekend, nudging the ball away from his opponent on a free kick. The action earned him a second yellow and a sending off. Now, the board that reviews referee decisions has stated it was the correct call.

That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for this weekend’s matches.

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Lion Links: 9/10/24

Marta nominated for NWSL Goal of the Week, Orlando Pride happy to clinch playoff spot, Lions on international duty, and more.

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1 day ago

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September 10, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Tuesday, everyone! It was another good weekend for Orlando’s soccer teams, as the Orlando Pride and Orlando City B combined to pick up all six points on offer. Hopefully that trend can continue and get even better once Orlando City resumes play this Saturday. We’ve got a lot to talk through this morning, so let’s get after it.

Marta Nominated for Goal of the Week

The Pride took down the Chicago Red Stars 1-0 on Sunday, with Marta singlehandedly winning the game for the Pride courtesy of an absolutely outstanding strike from outside the box. Unsurprisingly, that effort has earned her a nomination for NWSL Goal of the Week. While she’s facing some stiff competition, I think it’s safe to say that her goal is comfortably the best of the bunch. Go make sure everyone else knows it, and vote for her to win this week’s award!

Pride Speak On Clinched Playoff Spot

The Pride discussed the team’s mentality after clinching a playoff spot following this weekend’s results. Head Coach Seb Hines highlighted the heartbreak of narrowly missing the postseason in 2023 and how that was a motivator this season. That sentiment was echoed by both Marta and Haley McCutcheon, with both players speaking on making the postseason and the team’s bigger goals this year.

Lions on International Duty

David Brekalo is on international duty with Slovenia, and was part of his team’s victory in UEFA Nations League play on Monday. Brekalo started at right back and spent 87 minutes on the field, as Slovenia beat Kazakhstan 3-0 courtesy of a hat trick by star man Benjamin Sesko. The result leaves Slovenia atop League B Group 3 with four points after a 1-1 draw with Austria on Friday as well. Meanwhile, Facundo Torres and Uruguay face Venezuela at 6 p.m. tonight in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying. Torres came on as a sub with 10 minutes to go in Uruguay’s 0-0 draw with Paraguay on Friday, so we’ll see if he’s involved two matches in a row. Best of luck, Facu!

USMNT Takes On New Zealand Tonight

The United States Men’s National Team will try to bounce back from a disappointing loss to Canada when it takes on New Zealand today at 7 p.m. in Cincinnati. The All Whites are ranked 94th in the world and have won four of their last five games. The USMNT midfield will need to have a much better showing than it did against the Canadians, as Johnny Cardoso, Yunus Musah, and Malik Tillman were collectively outgunned by the opposition. It’ll also be worth keeping an eye on the goalkeeper situation, as Patrick Schulte played well in the 2-1 loss, and has probably earned another start. There’s plenty to watch for, so make sure you tune in and see if the team can get back on the right track.

International Break Roundup

With the international break still in full swing, there were a number of big games yesterday that we need to catch up on. In the marquee match of the day, France rebounded from a 3-1 loss to Italy in UEFA Nations League play by comfortably dispatching Belgium 2-0, courtesy of goals from Randal Kolo-Muania and Ousmane Dembele. Italy made it two wins in two attempts by knocking off Israel 2-1, with a 90th minute goal from Mohammad Abu Fani not enough to get Israel its first point in the competition. In the Concacaf Nations League, Curacao posted an eye-popping score by beating St. Martin 4-0, only for Haiti to better that result by hammering Sint Maarten 6-0.

Free Kicks

  • In case you’ve been living under a rock, the Pride have been outstanding this year.

That does it for me this morning. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 9/9/24

Orlando Pride win in Chicago, McKinley Crone signs new contract, Orlando City B defeats Crown Legacy FC, and more.

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2 days ago

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September 9, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. Under Armour has been keeping me busy, and I got to cover some high school tennis and swimming this past week. The Orlando Pride and Orlando City B were in action this weekend and both teams got a win. We have plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando Pride Shut Out Chicago Red Stars

On Sunday, the Orlando Pride got a 1-0 win on the road against the Chicago Red Stars to extend their unbeaten streak to 20 matches across all competitions. The run also ties the NWSL league record including playoff games, matching the Washington Spirit’s 20-match unbeaten run in 2021 and 2022. Marta scored the lone goal in the match to seal the win for Orlando. The Pride remain in first in the NWSL standings with 47 points, with the Washington Spirit in second with 41, and the Kansas City Current in third with 38. With a playoff spot already clinched, the Pride are aiming for the NWSL Shield as the top team in the league. The Pride will return home at Inter&Co Stadium on Friday to face the Kansas City Current.

Orlando Pride Sign McKinley Crone to New Contract

The Orlando Pride announced on Friday that the club reached an agreement with backup goalkeeper McKinley Crone on a new contract that runs through the 2026 NWSL season. Undrafted before joining Orlando as a non-roster invitee during the preseason in 2023, Crone progressed to being Orlando’s backup goalkeeper in 2024. Crone made her professional debut on July 20 in a 1-1 draw against the North Carolina Courage in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup. The 25-year-old made five saves on six shots to help the Pride stay unbeaten across all competitions. With this latest move, the club has secured Anna Moorhouse, Crone, and Sofia Manner as their goalkeepers for next season.

Orlando City B Defeats Crown Legacy FC

Orlando City B got a 4-1 victory on the road against Crown Legacy FC on Sunday. Alex Freeman scored twice in the first half to give the Young Lions a 2-0 lead going into halftime. Crown Legacy scored in the second half, but OCB continued to do well on both sides of the ball to take all three points. OCB is in sixth place in the Eastern Conference with 40 points, and its next match will be back home on Sunday to take on New England Revolution II.

USMNT Falls to Canada in Friendly

On Saturday, the United States Men’s National Team lost 2-1 to Canada at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City in a friendly. It’s the USMNT’s first loss to Canada on home soil in 67 years, ending a 23-match unbeaten streak against Canada in the U.S. Jacob Shaffelburg and Jonathan David scored for Canada, while Luca de la Torre scored his first goal for the USMNT. The Yanks are on a three-match losing streak and will face New Zealand in Cincinnati on Tuesday at TQL Stadium.

Alex Morgan Plays Final Match

San Diego Wave forward Alex Morgan played in her final match as a professional soccer player on Sunday after a nearly 14-year career. Morgan had a penalty kick saved by Courage goalkeeper Casey Murphy and was subbed off early in the first half, as the Wave lost 4-1 at Snapdragon Stadium. Morgan announced last week that she will retire from professional soccer after this match, while also announcing that she is pregnant with her second child. She played six seasons with the Pride and spent the last three seasons in San Diego, winning the NWSL Golden Boot in 2022 and helping the Wave win the NWSL Shield in 2023.

Free Kicks

  • Pride defenders Kerry Abello and Kylie Strom made the NWSL Best XI for August.
  • Orlando Pride midfielder Viviana Villacorta was removed from the season-ending injury list.
  • The U.S. Soccer Federation is reportedly close to officially naming Mauricio Pochettino as the new head coach for the USMNT.
  • Tampa Bay Sun FC secured its first win in the USL Super League with a 3-2 win on the road against Lexington SC on Sunday.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday and I’ll see you next time.

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