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Orlando City vs. Columbus Crew: Final Score 2-1 as Lions Qualify for MLS Cup Playoffs with Win

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Facundo Torres’ second-half penalty kick goal snapped a 1-1 draw and lifted Orlando City to a 2-1 home win over the Columbus Crew at Exploria Stadium on Decision Day. With the victory, the Lions (14-14-6, 48 points) qualified for the MLS Cup playoffs while knocking the Columbus Crew (10-8-16, 46 points) out of postseason contention.

Junior Urso pulled the Lions back into the game after Derrick Etienne’s first-half goal had put the Crew on top to start the comeback and Orlando finished above .500 at home (9-8-0) after a difficult season at Exploria Stadium.

“Very happy and very proud of the club, of the community who had put Orlando City on the map of MLS as a protagonist, and a community, a club, who wants to fight for things,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “We feel great, and obviously with a big responsiblity to continue, but it’s a great day for us. We overcome, that’s the culture of us — probably too much, but we’re enjoying it. It’s a very difficult game today with all the circumstances around it but the boys found a way to qualify and it’s a big thing for us.”

Pareja’s starting lineup included Pedro Gallese in goal behind a makeshift back line of Joao Moutinho, Rodrigo Schlegel, Kyle Smith, and Ruan. Cesar Araujo started in central midfield with Mauricio Pereyra playing his deep-lying playmaker role behind an attacking midfield line of Ivan Angulo, Junior Urso, and Facundo Torres, with Ercan Kara up top.

The Lions plodded through the opening 45 minutes, playing cautiously but offering very little bite in the attack. There were far too many attempts to play the most difficult pass available in transition and Columbus did well to limit space.

Despite that, Orlando had the first look at goal with Schlegel popping a weak header well over the bar seven minutes in. Ruan was chopped down by Pedro Santos in transition two minutes later and the Crew fullback was booked for it but the Lions did nothing with the set piece.

Urso tried a shot from distance in the 11th minute but it was deflected and fell easily in for Eloy Room to collect.

After that, the Crew started to settle into the game and keep possession. The Lions did pretty well to limit clear-cut opportunities but only Columbus seemed likely to score for the rest of the half.

Cucho Hernandez headed just barely over the bar in the 14th minute after Ruan gave Etienne too much space on the flank to get a cross in. It was a lazy first half throughout by the Brazilian and his casual jog back on the switch of play allowed Etienne to easily collect it and get into position to send in a dangerous ball.

In the 22nd, Ruan was called for his second (incidental) handball in as many games, giving the Crew a set piece on the left. The visitors played it short and nothing came of it.

Gallese made a huge save in the 35th minute on Hernandez, who shot from the top of the area and picked out a spot just inside the left post. Gallese got there just in time to knock it off the post and keep it out.

Columbus broke through in the 38th minute and it was Ruan in the middle of things again. Lucas Zelarayan gathered a crowd of defenders in the top of the box and Ruan was negligent in letting Etienne get inside to run onto a backheel pass, slotting it inside the far post to make it 1-0. Ruan could perhaps have stretched out to try to block the shot but instead Etienne’s look at goal was unimpeded.

Etienne hurt himself on the play and had to be replaced by former Lion Kevin Molino.

Predictably, Orlando came out of its defensive shell after the goal and looked to push forward but presented no danger in the closing moments of the first half. Kara should have won a free kick just outside the box in stoppage time but instead referee Alex Chilowicz called the Austrian for the foul. I watched the replay three times on my monitor and didn’t see him do anything that warranted a whistle.

Columbus held a slight edge in possession (50.9%-49.1%) and passed slightly more accurately (88.6%-88.3%), but the visitors had more shots (7-3), shot on target (3-1), and corners (3-0).

“We felt the first half that we had low energy,” Pareja said. “Not that we didn’t want it, but they were playing us, especially in the middle, just putting a lot of numbers there that we couldn’t resolve. Junior and Mauricio were running way too much. And then the times that we possessed the ball we were turning it (over) very quick as well. But the key in the second half when we spoke was just to be patient. Trust in us. Trust in your teammates. I saw them with energy there. It was not on the field but the energy was within us.”

“When the first half was over we were in the locker room and Oscar tried to push us,” Urso said. “That moment we were out of the playoffs so we tried to do our best to turn the game to put us inside again.”

The Lions were much better after the break, especially Urso. Pareja moved the team out of a double pivot and played Urso, Araujo, and Pereyra as a three-man midfield and it allowed the Lions to get more involved. Orlando was also able to win the ball further up the pitch as a result.

Pereyra nearly sent Kara in behind in the 51st minute but he hit the pass too hard. But the captain found his assist a few minutes later. Pereyra sent a pass to Urso at the top of the area and the Brazilian made a fantastic turn to beat his defender, then slotted his shot inside the post to tie the game at 1-1 in the 56th minute.

“In the moment of the goal, when Mauricio gave me the ball, I saw the defender was coming at my back,” Urso said. “So I just thought about the turn and tried not to put power on the shot, just to put it on the side and it was amazing. I try many times in training — I don’t know if you guys are there to see — there Mason (Stajduhar) stops my goals but this keeper, he don’t know me, so it was good. I’m happy.”

Two minutes later, the Lions should have had a free kick in a decent area outside the box when there was a handball but Chilowicz didn’t see it and the Crew broke the other way. The Lions were eventually able to snuff out the transition opportunity but Araujo was booked for a professional foul on the play.

Gallese did well to parry a Hernandez shot out of play in the 62nd minute and the Lions survived the set piece and a free kick conceded just outside the box by Schlegel.

Torres had been quiet in the match until the 80th minute, when he took a pass near the left corner of the box and fired a shot that forced a good save from Room to deny. On the ensuing corner kick, Torres sent an outswinger across the box and Schlegel headed back across to the front of the goal. Second-half sub Benji Michel chested the ball down and took his shot on the volley and it hit the outstretched arms of Crew defender Milos Degenek.

Although Chilowicz did not make a call initially, he ended up taking a look at the video monitor. The penalty was clear and obvious and Degenek was booked.

Torres immediately stepped up and he slammed his shot high to the right, over Room, who guessed correctly and appeared to be off his line early anyway. The Lions led 2-1 in the 84th minute. It was Torres’ ninth goal of the MLS season.

“When the penalty happened it was pretty much decided that I was going to take it,” Torres said through a club interpeter. “So the first thing I thought was, ‘Where am I going to put this ball?’ And then I just made sure I was focusing and concentrating on getting ready to take it and thankfully everything worked out.”

There was still a lot to do for Orlando to close out the match, and Zelarayan forced a good save from the Gallese in the 86th. Pareja subbed liberally down the stretch to get fresh legs on the pitch and Columbus wasn’t able to get into position for a clear-cut chance. The Crew’s best chance to equalize came in the 96th minute when Gallese made a good save to keep out another shot from Zelarayan.

The Lions saw out the remaining time and found themselves in the postseason for the third straight year — all three seasons since Pareja took over. They also managed to avoid missing the postseason after winning a trophy like the Seattle Sounders did.

Columbus finished with more possession (54.4%-45.6%), shots (13-8), shots on target (6-4), corners (7-3), and passing accuracy (89.6%-86.8%). But it was Orlando’s goalkeeping and shot placement that made the difference. Gallese finished with five saves.

“We spoke (at halftime) about being very strong in the first 15 minutes and just throw what we have in the second half, and the response was going to bring us more energy. And I thought that was what happened,” Pareja said. “So, I’m very proud of these guys. They showed us one more time the character that they have. And then the end of the game was a typical Orlando City game. We would like to suffer less but this is where we are today.”


Orlando City will play CF Montreal in the first round of the 2022 MLS Cup playoffs. The Lions split the season series with Montreal, with each team winning at home.

Orlando City

2024 Orlando City Season in Review: David Brekalo

The Slovenian defender missed some time with injuries and international call-ups, marring his first season in Orlando.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City completed a weeks-long courtship of Viking FC and Slovenian international defender David Brekalo on Feb. 8, signing him to a contract through 2027 with an option year in 2028. The expectation at the time was that the former Norwegian top flight center back would replace the Lions’ departed starter, Antonio Carlos, who transferred out after the 2023 season.

That happened at times, but through some injuries and international breaks creating some issues with him finding rhythm in the season and with his teammates, he lost the battle down the stretch to Rodrigo Schlegel, who played under control more consistently from July on than he had previously throughout his MLS career. Schlegel became the starter and Brekalo came off the bench as a fifth defender to see out wins or as an aerial target when the Lions were trailing.

It’s time to look back at the center back’s first season in purple.

Statistical Breakdown

The Ljubljana, Slovenia native made his debut as a Lion Feb. 24 in Orlando’s 0-0 opening-day draw against CF Montreal. He appeared in 19 games during the regular season (12 starts), logging 1,128 minutes. He scored one goal but did not register an assist, attempting nine shots during the season with three of those on target. He completed 85.3% of his 618 passes, including one key pass, 13 accurate long balls, and no crosses. Defensively, he contributed 23 clearances, 19 tackles, 18 interceptions, and five blocked shots. He committed 10 fouls, suffered six, and was booked once.

In the MLS Cup playoffs, Brekalo made four appearances — all off the bench — totaling just 10 minutes as a late-game sub. He did not have a goal contribution or a shot attempt. He passed at a strong 88.9% rate, albeit on only nine attempts, but did not complete a cross, a long ball, or a key pass. Brekalo recorded two clearances on the defensive end. He did not commit or suffer a foul or pick up a card of any color.

In Concacaf Champions Cup, Brekalo played in two matches — both starts — playing 180 minutes. He didn’t record a goal contribution but attempted two shots, putting one on frame. He completed 88.4% of his 69 passes without a cross or a key pass. Brekalo contributed four clearances on the defensive end. He committed on foul, suffered one, and wasn’t booked.

Finally, in Leagues Cup, Brekalo started all three matches and played 270 minutes. He didn’t provide a goal contribution and attempted just one off-target shot. The defender completed 86.2% of his 94 passes with one key pass but no crosses. Brekalo contributed three clearances in the tournament. He committed seven fouls, suffered one, and was shown one yellow card.

Best Game

It would be easy to take the game in which Brekalo scored his goal, and…well, yeah, that’s what I’m going to do. But it wasn’t only for his goal. Brekalo started, played the full 90 minutes, and scored his first Orlando City goal on April 13 at Audi Field in the Lions’ 3-2 win over D.C. United. Trailing 2-1 late in the match, the Lions won a corner kick on the right side. Facundo Torres served a good ball to the top of the six. Brekalo went up and gave the cross a perfect flicked header to beat Alex Bono, tying the game in the 82nd minute.

The Lions rode the momentum of that goal and added another in the first minute of stoppage time, as Duncan McGuire timed his run perfectly to get in behind D.C.’s back line and won the match.

In addition to scoring his first career goal and helping his team come from behind to win on the road, Brekalo added two tackles, two clearances, and an interception on the defensive end. The goal was one of two shots, but it was the only one on target. His passing rate of 77.1% could have been better, but he managed three complete long balls, which was one off his season high. He also won two aerials. By contributing on both ends of the pitch and spurring an Orlando City comeback, I think it’s a worthy choice.

2024 Final Grade

The Mane Land awarded Brekalo a composite rating of 6 out of 10 for the 2024 season. His season got off to a stop-start beginning, as he played in the MLS season opener and then missed three of the next four matches. He missed five more games during June and July at the Olympics. Once he returned, he came off the bench in four straight games before starting again at Sporting Kansas City and then coming in at halftime at home against Nashville SC. From that point on, Brekalo did not play in the final seven games of the regular season, before coming on for a few minutes late in four playoff matches. His playing time was inconsistent, which may have contributed to an inconsistent season on the pitch, but at times he showed he can be an effective partner for captain Robin Jansson.

2025 Outlook

Brekalo is under contract for 2025, so he’ll be on the squad unless something unforeseen happens. Although the Lions did not protect him in the MLS Expansion Draft, I’m not reading much into that, as we don’t know how many players may have had to be protected due to their contract terms, and his price tag was likely not favorable for an expansion side at a base salary of $600,000. I expect Brekalo to give Schlegel a run for the starting right center back position. Just a couple of weeks shy of his 27th birthday, he’s early in his prime years as a center back. If he can build a solid foundation with Jansson and right back Dagur Dan Thorhallsson in preseason camp, he may become a mainstay in the starting XI as long as he can stay healthy.


Previous Season in Review Articles (Date Posted)

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Orlando City Signs Defender Kyle Smith through 2025

The Accountant is back for another year after signing a one-year contract to remain with Orlando City.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

El Soldado will be a Lion for another season. Orlando City announced today that the club has re-signed defender Kyle Smith to a new one-year contract through 2025, bringing his free agency to an end after just a few days. The club had announced Dec. 5 it was in negotiations with Smith for his return when the end-of-season roster update came out.

“Bringing Kyle back to Orlando for 2025 is a great step in our project for next season,” Orlando City Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi said in a club press release. “He’s been such a vital piece of our successes over the last few seasons with his versatility and work rate both on and off the field. He’s a player that we know we can always depend on, and we’re excited to have him back with us next year.”

The 32-year-old Cincinnati, OH native originally signed with Orlando City on Dec. 21, 2018, after serving three seasons in the USL with Louisville City. He was well known by then-manager James O’Connor, who had coached Smith in Louisville. Few could have foreseen the length of his stay in Orlando at the time, which has far outlasted O’Connor’s tenure. Muzzi re-signed Smith on March 29, 2021, to a new deal through 2022 with an option year for 2023, which the club exercised Nov. 15, 2022. Although he was already under contract for the following year, Smith signed another new contract through the end of the 2023 season with an option year for 2024 on Dec. 5, 2022. The club picked up that 2024 option almost exactly one year ago on Dec. 11, 2023.

Smith is coming off his sixth season with the Lions, in which he did not score a regular-season goal for the first time since 2020, but he provided three assists to equal his career high. He scored his only goal in any competition in 2024 in a 3-1 win over Cavalry FC in Concacaf Champions Cup play Feb. 27.

He made 40 appearances across all competitions this season (18 starts).

The versatile fullback has made 180 appearances in all competitions (105 starts) in his first six years with the Lions, placing him second on the club’s all-time appearance list behind fellow defender Robin Jansson. Smith has scored five goals and added nine assists during his Orlando City career. In 2022, he helped the Lions win their first trophy since joining Major League Soccer, playing in every match of the tournament as Orlando City claimed the U.S. Open Cup.

What It Means for Orlando City

There is no doubt every club needs at least one player like Smith. He works hard, gives you everything he has, plays wherever he’s asked to play, and has the versatility to play several positions. He has played multiple midfield and back line positions in his time in Orlando, primarily as left back in 2024 after spending most of his previous appearances at right back. He has also been an inexpensive player for the club to fit under the salary cap. In 2024, he made a base salary of $290,000 — the lowest salary of any non-Homegrown who played on Orlando City’s back line this season.

Smith will turn 33 in January, and he’s not always able to keep up with some of the league’s speedy wingers, but he’s still rarely a liability because of his awareness and experience. His role will likely be the same as it’s been in recent times — to provide depth at both fullback positions, starting when injuries or fixture congestion become problematic, and entering games late to help see out wins or spell tired starters. He knows Pareja’s system as well as anyone, has the respect of his teammates, fits in with the team’s culture, and (as previously mentioned) puts in an honest shift. This signing can only be seen as a positive for Orlando City.

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Orlando City Striker Duncan McGuire Undergoes Shoulder Surgery

The big forward will miss four to five months after having surgery to repair his labrum and rotator cuff.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Orlando City announced today that Duncan McGuire has undergone arthroscopic surgery to repair the labrum and rotator cuff in his right shoulder. The surgery, which the club called “successful,” was necessary to repair damage from an injury McGuire sustained in Orlando City’s playoff match against Charlotte FC Nov. 9 when he was pulled down by Djibril Diani.

Orlando City Chief Medical Officer Dr. Craig Mintzer of the Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute performed the surgery.

McGuire’s injury occurred in the decisive Game 3 in the first round in the seventh minute of stoppage time, with the Lions trailing 1-0. Diani tugged McGuire’s shirt as he made a run that would have seen him have a play on a set piece cross in the penalty area. The striker went down hard and was visibly in pain on the ground, before getting to his feet and sprinting to the trainers in the technical area. The training staff appeared to be trying to pop his shoulder back into place but McGuire was unable to return to the match.

Facundo Torres’ subsequent penalty attempt was saved by Charlotte goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina, but before the crowd could fully absorb the missed opportunity, Torres scored on the rebound to level the match at 1-1, ultimately sending the game to a penalty shootout, which Orlando won, 4-1, advancing to the Eastern Conference semifinals.

McGuire was seen lobbying to come back onto the pitch for the penalty shootout in the Charlotte match, but trainers would not clear him to return. The 23-year-old came off the bench in Orlando’s remaining playoff games against Atlanta and the New York Red Bulls despite the injury, playing a total of 50 more minutes in the playoffs.

The Creighton product did not register a goal contribution or put any of his three postseason shot attempts on frame. However, he was a key contributor to the Lions reaching the playoffs for the fifth straight year, providing 10 goals and three assists in the regular season across 27 appearances (18 starts), despite missing a chunk of the season with the U.S. Olympic Men’s Soccer Team.

Orlando City drafted McGuire in the first round (No. 6 overall) in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft. After a breakout rookie campaign, in which the Omaha, NE native scored 13 goals and added three assists, he was courted by several teams in Europe. In fact, McGuire’s presence in Orlando this season was an unexpected delight for City fans, as he had agreed to a deal with Blackburn Rovers, only to see the transfer rejected by the English Football League due to an administrative error by the EFL Championship club. After returning to Orlando, McGuire signed a new deal on Aug. 22 to remain a Lion. The new contract runs through 2027 with a club option for 2028.

What It Means for Orlando City

The club puts McGuire’s timeline on recovery at four to five months, which would mean he won’t return to training until at least mid-April and as late as mid-May. If his rehab goes well, and factoring in about a month of training to regain his full fitness, that would likely mean his availability won’t come until somewhere between the middle of May and the middle of June.

While Oscar Pareja has been starting Ramiro Enrique up top in his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation, McGuire brings size and strength and an ability to occupy center backs that the Argentine can’t replicate. There are times when Enrique’s game is better suited to the opponent, but without McGuire there will be no ability to pivot. Jack Lynn is also under contract, and he can do some of the things McGuire does, but not at the same level.

Without McGuire available for the first half of the season, Orlando City has some options on a replacement. The Lions may opt to draft a striker, start using Luis Muriel in that role more, sign an available free agent, or simply roll with Lynn as the primary backup.

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