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Orlando City vs. Inter Miami: Five Takeaways

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3 years ago

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Well that was fun! It might haven taken a bit more time to become fun than we were hoping for, but it wouldn’t be an Orlando City victory without some late drama (especially late, thanks to the weather delay). What follows are my five takeaways from last night’s 1-0 victory over Inter Miami.

A Bit Anticlimatic…at First

After a weather delay that lasted for nearly two-and-a-half hours due to storms in the area, the assembled masses inside Exploria Stadium were ravenous when the 10:25 p.m. kickoff finally rolled around. The atmosphere remained excellent for the rest of the match, but the play on the field itself couldn’t quite match it. It was wide open at times, with plenty of spaces in midfield for both teams to exploit, but each team couldn’t work more than two great chances on the night. Miami’s came early, and only Pedro Gallese’s face prevented the Lions from being in another early hole. Orlando’s best opportunity was in the 58th minute, but Benji Michel couldn’t make a solid connection on Ruan’s cross. Other than that, it was a mostly anticlimactic affair until the dying embers of the match.

Physicality Ruled the Night

Part of the reason for the slightly underwhelming product on the pitch was the high level of physicality that took place during the match. There were 31 fouls committed on the night, with Orlando responsible for 12 and Miami supplying the other 19. Mauricio Pereyra, in particular, took a beating from the Miami players, and it was pretty clear that he was not only being man-marked, but was the target of intentionally rougher play. Credit to Miami, because it helped stop Orlando from generating good looks at goal and the Herons never had to stop because only one yellow card was given to them — to Bryce Duke for fouling Rodrigo Schlegel. The visitors had the better of the opening minutes of play largely due to their physicality, but once Orlando adjusted and responded in kind the game evened out more.

Trouble in the Final Third

Once the Lions settled in, they were able to create some good passages of play. A lot of the attacking threat came down the right hand side, but Orlando also enjoyed multiple spells of possession with the ball in the attacking third of the field. The problem is that OCSC wasn’t able to generate good chances from that possession. The final ball either didn’t find its intended target or was never played at all, and while Orlando took eight shots on the night, only three came from inside the box and only Benji’s attempt from Ruan’s cross can be considered a truly good opportunity. Something still isn’t quite right in attack, and it looks like the team could really use another piece or two.

Araujo Shines

Cesar Araujo was excellent in this game. He passed with 84% accuracy, including a key pass, and made a whopping eight tackles — five more than the next closest player, Schlegel. He also drew nine of the 19 fouls Miami committed on the night, many of which were due to his craftiness and clever body positioning. On more than one occasion he had the awareness to put his body in the right place to win a foul and alleviate pressure for the hosts in the process. He was everywhere and was absolutely spectacular in the process. His signing continues to look like a better piece of business with every passing second, and if he somehow adds even a whiff of a goal-scoring dimension to his game, then watch the hell out.

Cardiac Cats Find a Way

As time ticked down in this one I was not expecting an Orlando City victory. The good guys simply hadn’t created enough danger and a draw seemed inevitable. Then Damion Lowe bundled home Jake Mulraney’s cross and the Lions got a massively needed three points at home. There were still roughly two minutes of stoppage time to see out as well, and Orlando did so professionally. Seeing young Mikey Halliday win the ball in midfield, look up and spot Araujo ahead of him and instead calmly play the ball back to his fellow defender was absolutely wonderful to see. It wasn’t a game Orlando outright deserved three points from, but sometimes you just have to find a way to get the job done, and that’s what happened late Saturday night.

For a few quick closing thoughts…Junior Urso looked much better to me last night than he has in recent games. The two scything runs through the defense he made were nothing short of spectacular, and it’s a shame he couldn’t get a goal to round one of them off. It also felt like Orlando finally got some luck to go its way this year. Between the injury to Gaston Gonzalez, the phantom handball in Chicago, questionable officiating in Austin and more, it’s sometimes felt like the Lions simply can’t catch a break. Saturday night, OCSC finally had a lucky bounce go its way, and it feels nice to be on the other side of things.

That’s how I saw this one. What did you make of last night’s match? Be sure to have your say down in the comments. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/9/25

Gold Cup reactions, Club World Cup semifinals, Lions rank up, and more.

Published

17 hours ago

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July 9, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Thankfully, the fun never ends when it comes to soccer. Yes, the USMNT lost to Mexico which makes me sad, but we’re also now less than a month until the Orlando Pride are back in action. I know it seems like a long time, but I have to hold on to something. In the meantime, check out these links.

Gold Cup Reactions

Sadly, the USMNT lost the Concacaf Gold Cup final 2-1 to Mexico. Now, the reactions and reflections on the competition begin. The USMNT has long had a striker (or lack thereof) problem, but is Patrick Agyemang up for the job? There are those who continue to question whether Mauricio Pochettino is the right man to coach the U.S., but former USMNT forward Clint Dempsey isn’t one of them. Finally, what can the USMNT take from this tournament, and from this loss to Mexico?

Chelsea Awaits PSG-Real Madrid Winner in Club World Cup

Chelsea defeated Fluminense 2-0 to reach the final of the 2025 Club World Cup. Joao Pedro scored a brace in his first start for Chelsea against his boyhood team. Chelsea will face either Paris Saint-Germain or Real Madrid Sunday at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. PSG and Real Madrid are two of the best teams in this competition, but only one will advance following today’s match. The two European giants will play today at 3 p.m. at the aforementioned MetLife Stadium.

Minnesota, Austin Advance to U.S. Open Cup Semifinals

The U.S. Open Cup resumed Tuesday with two quarterfinal matches. Minnesota United came back from a goal down after Chicago defender Omar Gonzalez was sent off, but could not find a game winner until extra time, when the Loons struck twice to win 3-1 in St. Paul. In the late game, Chicho Arango gave the San Jose Earthquakes an early lead at home, only to see Austin’s Brandon Vazquez equalize in the second half. The teams traded goals in extra time and Austin FC advanced by winning the penalty shootout, 4-2. It wasn’t all good news for Austin, however, as Vazquez was stretchered off in the 72nd minute after suffering a non-contact injury.

Tonight, the other two quarterfinal matches will take place. The Philadelphia Union will face the New York Red Bulls and Nashville SC will face D.C. United.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/8/25

Ramiro Enrique earns weekly props, Club World Cup semifinals preview, United States Men’s National Team stock watch, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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July 8, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone. Depending on your preference, I hope you either had a restful holiday weekend or an active and engaging one. We have an active and engaging week ahead of us in the soccer world, with the continuation of the Women’s European Championships and the Club World Cup, and Orlando City and Orlando City B in action at the weekend. That means we have a lot to cover this morning, so let’s get into the links.

Ramiro Enrique Earns Weekly Recognition

Ramiro Enrique played an important role in Orlando City’s 2-2 comeback draw against Charlotte FC over the weekend, and he’s been rewarded with a place on the bench in the MLS Team of the Matchday. Enrique bagged Orlando’s first goal of the evening just four minutes after the Lions went down by a second goal, and his strike helped keep the game from getting away from OCSC. He could have had an even better game if he’d not been denied a second goal due to a goal-line clearance. Still, it’s good to see him finding the back of the net, and here’s hoping he keeps doing so.

Club World Cup Semifinals Preview

The Club World Cup semifinals get started later today with Chelsea taking on Fluminense at 3 p.m. There are several storylines and battles to watch, with a big one being Fluminense’s Thiago Silva facing off against a Chelsea team with which he won the UEFA Champions League back in 2021. He’ll be tasked with shutting down Cole Palmer while teammate Hercules will do battle with Moises Caicedo in midfield. Wednesday’s match has Real Madrid taking on Paris Saint-Germain in a game littered with French stars on both sides. The big storyline here is Kylian Mbappe taking on his former PSG team, but the Madrid squad also features Frenchmen Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga, and Ferland Mendy. It would take too long to list all of PSG’s French stars, but Ousmane Dembele is the biggest name to watch, although Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola are more than capable of making huge impacts on matches.

Post-Gold Cup Stock Watch

Now that the Gold Cup has concluded, we can better analyze which United States Men’s National Team players benefitted from the tournament, and which ones saw their stock drop. Two guys who got huge boosts as a result of their play during the competition are Chris Richards and Malik Tillman. Richards already had a great club season but displayed a level of poise and maturity this summer that will ease some concerns about the center back position. Tillman scored or assisted in all but two Gold Cup matches, and his performances combined with the year he had for PSV Eindhoven might just get him a move to Bayer Leverkusen. On the other hand, Matt Turner didn’t play a single minute during the tournament and almost certainly needs regular playing time if he wants to regain the starting role he had at the 2022 World Cup. Despite having a good year with Toulouse, Mark McKenzie was unable to unseat Tim Ream from partnering Richards at center back, and he’s running out of chances to make his case for a starting spot.

Women’s Euros Results

The Women’s European Championships continued on Monday, and fans were treated to a pair of extremely different games in Group B. In one, Portugal needed a last-minute equalizer to salvage a point in a 1-1 draw against Italy. That point gives Portugal a chance to advance to the quarterfinals if it beats Belgium in the final group match and Spain beats Italy, although it also needs to make up a significant gap in goal difference. In the other game, Spain punched its ticket to the knockout rounds in emphatic fashion by trouncing Belgium to the tune of a 6-2 scoreline. Alexia Putellas had a brace, and five different Spanish players found the back of the net as Spain scored four unanswered goals in the second half to cruise through to the next round.

Free Kicks

NYCFC will be floating a 700 pound, 5 story tall inflatable pigeon down the Hudson River tomorrow. It will finally end up in Willets Point where rumor has it that it will transform into the concrete sculpture that will adorn Etihad Park www.theoutfield.nyc/p/from-stree…

— Chris Campbell (@chriscampbell.theoutfield.nyc) 2025-07-07T15:14:20.920Z

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/7/25

Lions draw at Charlotte FC, OCB claims two points against Crown Legacy, USMNT falls to Mexico in Gold Cup final, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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July 7, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope you all had a great Fourth of July holiday weekend. I was busy working but tried to catch some soccer when I could. The senior Lions and OCB were both in action over the weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Come from Behind in 2-2 Draw at Charlotte FC

Orlando City overturned a 2-0 deficit and picked up a 2-2 draw against Charlotte FC Saturday at Bank of America Stadium. The Lions trailed 2-0 late in the second half, but Ramiro Enrique pulled one back for Orlando to make it 2-1. Marco Pasalic scored the equalizer to help Orlando secure a draw. The Lions are unbeaten in their last three matches on the road (2-0-1) but are winless in their last two consecutive matches (0-1-1). Martin Ojeda and Luis Muriel assisted on both goals for the Lions, and Ojeda became the third player in club history to record 50 goal contributions.

Orlando City remains fifth in the Eastern Conference table with 34 points. The Lions will take on CF Montreal Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium but will be without Pedro Gallese and Robin Jansson, who will serve suspensions for yellow card accumulation.

OCB Wins Penalty Shootout vs. Crown Legacy FC after 2-2 Draw

Orlando City B drew 2-2 against Crown Legacy FC Sunday at the Mecklenburg County Sportsplex. The Young Lions stuck first against the run of play on a goal from Justin Ellis to take a 1-0 lead. Orlando City B held onto the lead through halftime. In the second half, Crown Legacy FC scored twice to take a 2-1 lead. However, Ellis scored the equalizer on a late penalty kick to record his second goal of the match. After 90 minutes, MLS NEXT Pro draws go to penalties, and OCB won the extra point with a 3-1 shootout win. Carlos Mercado was instrumental, as the goalkeeper stopped Crown Legacy’s first three spot kicks. OCB will be back in action Sunday at Osceola County Stadium against Carolina Core FC.

USMNT Falls to Mexico in Gold Cup Final

The U.S. Men’s National Team fell 2-1 to Mexico on Sunday in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup final at NRG Stadium. Mexico won the Gold Cup for the 10th time and repeated as champions. Orlando City defender Alex Freeman started the match and played 90 minutes. The USMNT got off to a great start as a Chris Richards header gave the U.S. the early lead. Later in the first half, Raul Jimenez scored the equalizer for Mexico. In the second half, Edson Alvarez buried his header to pull Mexico ahead 2-1. The goal was initially called offside, but it was awarded after video review. The USMNT fell short of an eighth Gold Cup title but will now shift its focus to preparing for the 2025 FIFA World Cup next summer. The USMNT’s next matches are friendlies against South Korea on Sept. 4 and Japan on Sept. 9.

Club World Cup Quarterfinals Recap

The semifinals are set in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup after four thrilling quarterfinal matches over the weekend. On Friday, Fluminense edged Al-Hilal 2-1 to move on to the semifinals. Chelsea beat Palmeiras 2-1 and booked a spot in the semifinals. Former Lion Facundo Torres started the match for Palmeiras and played 67 minutes. On Saturday, Paris Saint-Germain defeated Bayern Munich 2-0, scoring two late goals in the second half from Desire Doue and Ousmane Dembélé to advance despite finishing the match with nine men. Real Madrid edged Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in a thrilling match to advance. The semifinals kick off Tuesday afternoon as Fluminense faces Chelsea. On Wednesday, Paris Saint-Germain will take on Real Madrid as Kylian Mbappe faces his former club. The Club World Cup final will be played at MetLife Stadium Sunday.

Free Kicks

  • On Saturday, France defeated England 2-1 in its opening match of the 2025 UEFA Women’s Euros in Switzerland. Orlando Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was on the bench.
  • Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda scored 58 seconds into the match for Zambia in the 2025 CAF Women’s African Cup of Nations against Morocco. Banda also notched an assist, but it wasn’t enough to win as the match ended in a 2-2 draw. Prisca Chilufya and Grace Chanda joined Banda in playing for Zambia.

Former Chicago Fire and Aston Villa forward Jhon Duran has reportedly joined Fenerbahce on a one-year loan six months after joining Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia.

Seattle Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei was taken off the field in an ambulance just seconds before the end of stoppage time after taking a knee to the head by a Crew player as the match ended in a 1-1 draw.

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

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