Connect with us

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. CF Montreal: Final Score 2-0 as Lions Finish Season with Loss in Canada

Published

3 years ago

on

Orlando City’s 2022 MLS season opened at home with a 2-0 win over CF Montreal, but tonight it ended with a 2-0 loss to the same team at Stade Saputo in the first round of the MLS Cup playoffs. The seventh-seeded Lions went to Canada with the mentality of being difficult to break down and looking for opportunities to score in transition against No. 2 seed Montreal — and had the better of the few chances for much of the game — but in the end, the hosts found a breakthrough in the late stages of the second half and flattered their winning margin with a penalty deep in stoppage time.

Ismael Kone and Djordje Mihailovic provided the offense for CF Montreal as the home team won each of the three meetings between the teams this season.

“First of all, congratulations to Montreal,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “We had our chances, especially in the first half. These kinds of games, you have to be decisive. You have to finish.”

Pareja’s lineup included Pedro Gallese in goal behind a back line of Joao Moutinho, Rodrigo Schlegel, Antonio Carlos, and Ruan. Cesar Araujo took up his central midfield position with Junior Urso, behind an attacking line of Ivan Angulo, Mauricio Pereyra, and Facundo Torres — with Pereyra and Urso swapping as has been common this year — with Ercan Kara up top.

The first half was incredibly nervy, with Montreal keeping the bulk of the possession and trying to pull the Lions’ shape apart. Orlando had to keep Angulo deep to prevent switches down the right to Alistair Johnston and Mihailovic and, although it worked from a defensive standpoint, the Lions could get little going the other way as a result.

Orlando had to wait patiently for opportunities to counter and managed to get the best shot opportunities of the opening half but could not maintain enough composure to hit the target behind goalkeeper James Pantemis.

The first attacking movement that resulted in an attempt for either side came eight minutes in when former Lion Kamal Miller sent in a cross from the midfield and Kei Kamara got a head to it but could do nothing with it, popping it up well out of play. A minute later, Lassi Lappalainen beat Ruan on the left wing and cut inside but his cross/shot was blocked away. Montreal’s best attack in transition came in the 10th minute and Carlos did just enough to get his backheel to a cross from Johnston to keep it from finding Kamara in front.

Montreal players tried to bait referee Ismail Elfath into a couple of penalty kicks in the first half. Kone went down softly after contact with Ruan in the 18th minute but Elfath immediately waved off the penalty shouts and the video assistant referee upheld the no-call.

Orlando should have scored against the run of play in the 25th minute. Kara got in behind on the left and had Ruan breaking for the net to his right. The Austrian chose to go for goal himself, but his attempt fizzed agonizingly just over the bar.

Ten minutes later, it was Pereyra unlocking the defense with a filthy pass through the back line for Angulo to run onto. Angulo had options to his right but cut inside his defender and fired his right-footed shot over the crossbar.

In the 45th minute, Lappalainen went down easily, looking for a penalty after beating Ruan and feeling pressure from Araujo. There was minor contact between the two while Araujo was pulling his leg out of the way but Lappalainen was already going down. Again, Elfath waved off penalty shouts and the VAR check upstairs upheld the no-call.

Orlando got one more look in first-half stoppage time off a free kick near midfield. The Lions worked the kick to the right and then fired a cross into the box. Carlos chested it down and then blasted a shot — you guessed it — over the bar. The center back may have been offside anyway, but with the shot going out for a goal kick, there was no need for a review.

The half ended all even on the scoreboard despite Montreal dominating possession and preventing the Lions from finding any kind of rhythm. Montreal led in possession (62.7%-37.3%), passing accuracy (89%-80.8%), and corners (1-0). Both teams attempted three shots and neither put one on target.

Rudy Camacho headed wide on a corner early in the second half for Montreal as the hosts looked to keep the pressure on Orlando.

But the Lions again fashioned a decent look at goal in the 51st minute when Torres got free at the top of the area. However, like everyone else on the night, Torres missed the target with his shot.

“We have to convert those chances and take those opportunities, and in those moments, the details slipped from us,” Torres said. “They had chances on their side that they were able to take and convert.”

Kamara got his best opportunitiy of the game in the 59th minute on a transition opportunity but he hit his effort into the outside netting. A few minutes later, Urso did well to jump and block a Mihailovic set piece shot.

Orlando had a promising counter attack in the 65th minute, but it broke down when Angulo sent an errant pass forward that was easily picked off. That loss of possession was costly.

Montreal came the other way and scored in the 68th minute. Passing around their right side, the hosts worked the ball from the wing to the top of the box, and eventually to Mihailovic outside the top of the area. Pereyra was late getting to Mihailovic, who slipped it to Kone, who had crept in the back side without any attention from Ruan, while Carlos had drifted left to provide coverage in case Kamara turned on Schlegel. However, the veteran striker quickly played back for Mihailovic instead, which opened up the defense. Kone slotted past Gallese to open the scoring.

“We were defending in that particular moment in the lower blocks,” Pareja said. “They were moving the ball. We didn’t close our gaps on the right side and then (Mihailovic) just finds Kone on that connection. We were separated from our defenders in that moment. It was a moment that we couldn’t control.”

Pareja brought on Benji Michel and Jake Mulraney for Urso and Angulo to try to add something to the attack but neither made much of a mark at all on the match. The duo combined for just 10 touches — only three by Mulraney — over the game’s final 13 minutes of normal time and about 10 minutes of added time.

Moutinho knocked down Mihailovic near the edge of the box late in stoppage time, trying to recover possession. Elfath gave the foul as a free kick, but after reviewing the replay, he awarded a penalty, as the initial contact was just inside the box. The unnecessary foul was costly as Mihailovic slotted his spot kick inside the right post to double the lead and put the game away.

Montreal finished with more possession (59%-41%), shots (11-5), shots on target (2-0), corners (2-1), and passing accuracy (87.6%-81.8%). Despite the hosts having all of those statistical advantages, it simply came down to one team finishing two chances and the other not putting its own opportunities on target.

“The way (Montreal) played and they used the spaces, I thought we did a great job on that, but it is what it is,” Pareja said. “I’m very proud of this group, very grateful for the effort of the boys. They made us feel very proud. They took this club to a different level and people should be proud about the season.”

“Everyone’s very sad with not being able to get the victory and move on to the next round,” Torres said through a club interpreter. “Just hurting from a very painful loss, but now we regroup and get better in the off-season for next year.”

That’s it for the season, and each year the finality of that is always painful for fans of every team except the one hoisting MLS Cup. The Lions were not supposed to win this match but still put themselves in a position to do so against the league’s hottest team down the stretch — and did so on the road.

While the result may sting, it’s easy to forget that this is a team that had to completely rebuild the attack from last year, played without a starting central defender. and lost Alexandre Pato to injury months ago.

Still, Orlando made the playoffs for a third straight year, had a double-digit goal scorer for the eighth consecutive year — the first team in MLS history to do it in its first eight years consecutively — and won the U.S. Open Cup.

It’s not an MLS Cup-winning season, but it wasn’t a bad run in 2022.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Orlando City

Orlando City at CF Montreal: Three Keys to Victory

What do the Lions need to do to earn all three points on the road against Montreal?

Published

19 hours ago

on

April 17, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City heads to the Great White North to take on CF Montreal. The Canadian squad sits in last place in not just the Eastern Conference but also the entire MLS, with only two points from a pair of draws. To say it’s not been a good start to the season is an understatement. Of course, it’s exactly that type of situation that makes it feel like a trap. What does Orlando City need to do to take all three points against CF Montreal?

Designated Goal Scorers

What do you do if you haven’t scored a goal in the last two matches? You play a team that has given up 13 goals in eight matches with a -9 goal differential. Montreal doesn’t have the worst defense in the league — I’m looking at you, D.C. United — but it’s not far off. That presents an opportunity for Orlando City to get back on track when it comes to scoring goals.

Through the first six matches of the season, Orlando City was leading the league in scoring with 15 goals. Over the last two matches, the spigot has dried up. The Lions must seize on this opportunity to create and finish their chances. Much like earlier in the season, I want to see Luis Muriel, Martin Ojeda, and Marco Pasalic lead the way. If anyone can get the first goal, then I’m hopeful the dam will break and the scoring drought will be over.

Keep it Clean

There is some good news of late when it comes to the Orlando City defense. The club has two clean sheets over the last two matches, and that is without Cesar Araujo. There is also some bad news, given Rodrigo Schlegel will be serving his red card suspension this match. That means David Brekalo will move back to center back with Robin Jansson, and Oscar Pareja will have to employ either Rafael Santos or Kyle Smith at left back. Santos has been less than good so far this season.

Montreal has scored a paltry four goals so far in 2025, but two of them have come from striker Prince Owusu. The defense will also need to deal with Caden Clark facilitating in the midfield. I get that this isn’t a prolific attack. Montreal has not looked very good this season and is looking for both its first win and its first points of any sort at home. That means the hosts may be desperate for a result, and desperate is often dangerous. How well the defense does — in particular, how well Santos does if he plays — may determine if Montreal is able to break out of its slump. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.

Give the Midfield Time

Before the last match, I was a little worried about the midfield. Having both Araujo and Eduard Atuesta out at the same time seemed to be a concern. Now, after seeing how well Joran Gerbet and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson worked together against the New York Red Bulls, I’m way less worried. If Araujo and Atuesta need a little more time to get fully healthy, then let them. The Franco/Icelandic combo seems to be a potent one.

Of course, if the normal starters are ready, then by all means bring them back, but maybe not until the 60th minute. Perhaps Pareja could even mix and match. One never knows how yellow card suspensions or minor injuries will affect player availability. This is a good match for Gerbet and Thorhallsson to work their magic.

That is what I will be looking for Saturday night. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/17/25

Oscar Pareja signs new contract with Orlando City, Orlando Pride prepare for the Washington Spirit, Orlando’s youth teams win, and more.

Published

23 hours ago

on

April 17, 2025

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I can’t believe we’re already into the back half of April and Easter is right around the corner. There’s plenty of soccer to enjoy between now and then and we also have the draw for the U.S. Open Cup’s round of 32 this morning at 9:15. MLS teams are finally joining the fray, so we’ll see where the chips fall for Orlando City. Let’s get to the links!

Oscar Pareja Signs New Contract

Orlando City and Head Coach Oscar Pareja have agreed to a new three-year contract that will keep him in the City Beautiful through 2028. Pareja was hired as Orlando’s fourth head coach in its MLS era back in December of 2019 and he’s led the Lions to the playoffs in all five seasons he’s been at the helm.  Under Pareja, the Lions won the U.S. Open Cup in 2022, set club records in points and wins in 2023, and reached the Eastern Conference final for the first time last year. This year was the final one on the contract he signed in December of 2023, so it’s nice to know Pareja will be sticking around in the future.

Orlando Pride Prepare for the Washington Spirit

The Orlando Pride will look to make it five wins in a row when they host the Washington Spirit on Saturday in another rematch of last year’s final. While this is the first match between Orlando and Washington this season, the two clashed in the NWSL Challenge Cup on March 7 and the Spirit lifted the trophy after a penalty shootout. Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on how the team has grown since that game and has benefitted from depth and consistency carried over from last year.

Orlando City Youth Teams Win in Bradenton

Orlando City’s U-18 team won in the Generation Adidas Cup’s round of 16, beating St. Louis City 1-0 to advance to the quarterfinals. The Young Lions remain unbeaten in that age group and will take on a Real Salt Lake team that also won its group and just beat Toronto FC in a penalty shootout following a scoreless draw.

Orlando’s U-16 squad didn’t qualify for the Championship bracket, but still advanced in the Premier bracket. After a 1-1 draw with Toronto, Orlando prevailed in the ensuing penalty shootout and will play Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals.

UEFA Champions League Semifinals Are Set

The quarterfinals for this year’s UEFA Champions League are over and only four teams remain in the tournament. Arsenal secured its spot in the semifinals after an impressive 2-1 road win against Real Madrid that included two assists from Mikel Merino. The Spanish club couldn’t muster its usual magic in the tournament and forward Kylian Mbappe exited in the second half due to injury. In Italy, Inter Milan held on for a 2-2 draw against Bayern to advance on aggregate, with defender Benjamin Pavard scoring a crucial goal for Inter against his old team. The semifinals will take place at the end of the month and will feature Arsenal taking on Paris Saint-Germain and Inter going up against Barcelona.

Free Kicks

  • Our thoughts go out to the friends and family of former FC Cincinnati player Aaron Boupendza, who died after falling from the 11th floor of a building in China.
  • The Chicago Fire are reportedly strongly interested in signing star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne on a free transfer. If any Western Conference teams could join the hunt for him, that would be great.

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

Continue Reading

Orlando City

Orlando City Extends Oscar Pareja’s Contract through 2028

The most successful coach in Orlando City’s MLS history has signed on for another three seasons.

Published

1 day ago

on

April 16, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Orlando City SC announced today that the club and Head Coach Oscar Pareja have come to terms on a new three-year contract through 2028. The winningest head coach in club history, Pareja’s previous two-year contract was scheduled to expire after the 2025 season. With the Lions off to a 3-2-3 start, and coming off the deepest MLS Cup playoff run in the organization’s history — the 2024 Eastern Conference final — the club locked down the veteran coach

“Throughout his career, Oscar has proven to be a coach deeply committed not only to winning and competing for championships, but also to building teams that fans can proudly rally behind,” Orlando City Owner and Chairman Mark Wilf said in a club press release. “Here in Orlando, he’s shown that same passion and dedication — taking immense pride in representing our club with integrity and driving us closer each year to our ultimate goal of winning it all. His unwavering positivity and focus have helped shape a culture grounded in respect and ambition. We’re thrilled to have Oscar continue leading us forward in the City Beautiful.” 

Pareja has led Orlando City to a record of 89-59-55 across all competitions in 203 matches, reaching the playoffs in each of his seasons at the helm of OCSC. He also won the team’s first MLS-era trophy by leading the Lions to the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title, and he’s guided the club to its first two appearances in Concacaf Champions League/Cup and to the MLS is Back Tournament final in 2020.

With 176 MLS victories, Pareja is No. 5 on the league’s all-time wins list. He ranks second among all active coaches. Orlando City initially hired Pareja, 56, as head coach on Dec. 4, 2019. He succeeded James O’Connor, Jason Kreis, and Adrian Heath as OCSC head coaches in the club’s MLS era. Prior to joining the Lions, Pareja spent one season in Liga MX with Club Tijuana after five successful seasons as head coach at FC Dallas. Pareja started his MLS head coaching career with the Colorado Rapids in 2012, leading the ‘Pids for two seasons, including a playoff appearance in 2013. He also coached the U.S. U-17 Men’s National Team from 2007-2008. 

“First and foremost, I want to express my deepest gratitude to Mark Wilf, his family, the entire ownership group, and our executive board for their continued trust in the vision and culture we’ve built over the years,” Pareja said in the club’s release. “Their unwavering support is the foundation of everything we strive to achieve each day. Above all, I’m profoundly thankful to our incredible fans and the dedicated staff who pour their hearts into making Orlando City such a remarkable club. Together, we’ve grown stronger with each passing season, moving steadily closer to our shared ambition of bringing more trophies home to this great city. I remain deeply inspired by what lies ahead and look forward to continuing this journey in pursuit of more championships.” 

As a player, Pareja spent 1987-1995 with Independiente Medellin in his native Colombia as a midfielder, appearing in 263 matches and scoring 18 goals. He moved to Deportivo Cali, where he scored 11 more goals in 122 games from 1995-1998 and then joined the New England Revolution, appearing in 13 games that year. He finished his playing career with FC Dallas, scoring 13 goals in 170 appearances from 1998-2005. He also earned 11 caps from 1991 to 1996 with Colombia’s national team, scoring three goals.

What It Means for Orlando City

As I wrote when Pareja re-signed in December of 2023: quite simply, it means the Lions retain their most successful coach since joining Major League Soccer. Pareja has created a culture and an identity that was lacking at the club prior to his arrival. While it’s common for players to say the team feels like a family and a city feels like “home,” the Lions have walked that walk during Pareja’s tenure in the City Beautiful.

Pareja’s challenge for the upcoming season is to improve upon the club’s deepest run in the playoffs and perhaps the fourth-place finish the Lions enjoyed in 2024. That’s not an easy task, and it shouldn’t be held against him if he can’t reach those lofty heights.

In the short term, Pareja’s job is to get the team scoring goals again while maintaining the high defensive standards set over the last two matches.

Pareja’s tenure with Orlando City will ultimately be measured in trophies. So far, he’s won one of them. That’s more than everyone who came before him won with Orlando in the MLS era, but it’s understandable for fans and ownership to ask for more.

Oscar Pareja’s Coaching Record at Orlando City (W-L-D)

Major League Soccer Regular Season: 167 games, 74-48-45
MLS Playoffs: 12 games, 5-6-1 (Note: MLS considers draws losses if they happen in the best-of-three round but if it goes to penalties in a single-elimination game, it’s a draw.)
U.S. Open Cup: 7 games, 4-1-2
Concacaf Champions League/Cup: 6 games, 2-1-3
Leagues Cup: 7 games, 2-2-3
MLS is Back Knockout Stages: 4 games, 2-1-1

Total: 203 games coached, 89-59-55

Continue Reading

Trending