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2022 Orlando City Season in Review: Cesar Araujo

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2 years ago

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Orlando City signed Uruguayan midfielder Cesar Araujo on Jan. 7 from Montevideo Wanderers to a three-year contract with an additional club option year. Araujo’s signing was part of Major League Soccer’s U22 Initiative, a program designed to promote the growth of younger players and to remove some of the roadblocks to their paths to professional soccer by giving teams incentive and opportunity to sign such players at a reduced budget charge.

Araujo was expected to come in and battle Sebas Mendez, Andres Perea, and Joey DeZart for playing time but instead he quickly claimed the club’s No. 6 role as his own and made Mendez a bench player who was ultimately shipped out in search of playing time elsewhere.

Let’s look back at Araujo’s first season in Orlando.

Statistical Analysis

In the U.S. Open Cup, Araujo appeared in all six matches (5 starts), logging 475 out of the 600 total available minutes (two of the games included 30 minutes of extra time). He scored two goals on three shot attempts, putting two of the three on target. Araujo completed 88.4% of his 293 pass attempts with 19 accurate long balls and recorded two key passes but did not notch an assist. He finished with eight interceptions, committing 11 fouls, suffering 15, and earning two yellow cards.

During the regular season, Araujo appeared in 31 of Orlando City’s 34 games (28 starts), logging 2,462 minutes — fifth most on the team. He did not score a goal but he did assist on one, attempting just 17 shots all season and getting only two on frame. He passed with 90.7% accuracy, 12 key passes, 74 accurate long balls, and two accurate crosses. Defensively, he compiled 73 tackles, 31 interceptions, 29 clearances, and six blocks. He committed 43 fouls and suffered 69, receiving eight yellow cards and getting sent off once.

Araujo also started in Orlando’s playoff match in Montreal, logging 87 minutes. He did not score or assist on a goal or attempt a shot. He connected on 87.8% of his 41 passes and completed three accurate long balls but did not have a key pass or a cross. Defensively, he finished with three tackles, an interception, and a clearance. He did not commit a foul but drew one and was not booked.

Best Game

Just going by defensive play and controlling the midfield, there are a lot of matches to choose from, but the no-brainer best game here from Araujo is his two-goal performance against the New York Red Bulls in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals on July 27 in Exploria Stadium.

The Lions fell behind in stoppage time just before the break when Lewis Morgan scored in transition and it looked as though the Red Bulls would carry momentum into halftime. But Orlando City won a corner kick in the final seconds of the opening period and made it pay off. Araujo pounced on the rebound of a header that crashed off the left post and swept it home for his first professional goal, tying the score at the death of the half. The youngster’s excitement was obvious and the celebration seemed to boost the entire team, setting the scene for a big second half.

Mauricio Pereyra gave Orlando its first lead in the game just one minute and 16 seconds into the second half, finishing a fantastic team goal. That set the stage for Araujo to give the Lions some insurance in the 62nd minute on another corner kick. Alexandre Pato’s delivery was deflected into the air. Benji Michel headed it across the box and Araujo picked it out of the air in one motion and smashed it home for his brace, giving Orlando City some breathing room en route to a 5-1 drubbing of the Red Bulls.

Araujo’s two goals were scored on his only two shot attempts of the match. His two shots were a season high in all competitions, matched only once, and his two shots on target were a season high. He passed at an 87.2% rate in the game, with three accurate long balls.

Defensively, Araujo helped limit the dangerous Morgan to just two shot attempts and 68.8% passing. He committed three fouls and took a booking in the match, but that’s part of the central midfielder’s job and without Araujo snatching momentum from New York at the death of the first half, Orlando City might not have won its first major trophy in its MLS era this past season.

2022 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff rated Araujo’s first MLS season with an incredible composite score of 8 out of 10 for the 2022 season. Among the staff, Araujo is considered one of the team’s most valuable players from this past season and while some of that is likely that his contributions were a bit surprising in comparison to some of the higher profile signings, it is mainly because he played extremely well. Just 20 when he was signed, the now-21-year-old midfielder has looked far more like a seasoned veteran than many older central midfielders around the league. If the Uruguayan had any issues adjusting to a new culture, league, and team, those issues never showed, which is a testament to Araujo’s maturity and quality of play.

The only knock on his game isn’t really a knock at all. Defensive midfielders aren’t expected to contribute heavily to a team’s offense, but if Araujo can provide more opportunities for his teammates via long balls or through balls (although he does have a mean long throw), and knock in an occasional goal in league play, he’d become even more exceptional.

2023 Outlook

Araujo is signed through 2024 with an option for 2025, but European teams will be inquiring soon if they aren’t already. Orlando City would be wise to keep him for as long as he’s willing to stay. If the Lions manage to hang onto him for another year, and he continues to play like he has, I’d be shocked if he wasn’t in Europe by the start of the 2023-2024 season. Ideally, if/when the Lions sell Araujo, the club should do what it can to find a partner willing to loan him back to Orlando City the way the Chicago Fire did with Chelsea and goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina. The young Uruguayan midfielder is just 21 and is already among the best defensive midfielders in Major League Soccer. You don’t part with a player like that until you absolutely have no choice.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/22/25

Pedro Gallese earns recognition, Americans in midweek action, English promotion update, and more.

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4 hours ago

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April 22, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Well it wasn’t the worst weekend that Orlando soccer has ever had, but it certainly wasn’t the best either. Fortunately, all three of Orlando’s teams will be back in action soon, so there’s no need to dwell on the past too much. Let’s take a moment to wish a happy birthday to the Orlando Pride’s Brianna Martinez, as well as to Kaká! Now, it’s time to turn our attention to today’s links.

Pedro Gallese Earns Weekly Recognition

Pedro Gallese kept a third clean sheet in a row and Orlando City’s third clean sheet of the year in the team’s scoreless draw on the road against CF Montreal. In recognition of his efforts during the match, Gallese was named to the bench of the latest edition of the MLS Team of the Matchday. El Pulpo made six saves to blank a Montreal team that intently searched for a breakthrough, and made a couple of truly excellent second half stops that kept the score level. Congrats to Pedro and keep up the good work!

Americans in Midweek Action

A number of Americans will be playing games during the working week, and there are some big matches to keep an eye on. The main event is on Wednesday, when Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan face Inter Milan in the second leg of the Coppa Italia semifinal, which is tied 1-1 after the first leg. Also on Wednesday, Chris Richards, Matt Turner, and Crystal Palace will play Arsenal in the Premier League. Thursday then has Malik Tillman, Richy Ledezma, and PSV Eindhoven playing FC Twente in the Eredivisie, while Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis play Valladolid in La Liga action.

English Promotion Update

Following results in the EFL Championship on Monday, Leeds United and Burnley have both secured promotion to the Premier League for next season. Both teams won their respective games and are each on 94 points, and with just two matches left, third-placed Sheffield United has no way to catch them. The other promoted side will be determined after the promotion playoffs, which would feature Sheffield United, Sunderland, Bristol City, and Coventry City if the season ended today. Meanwhile in League One, Wrexham’s 2-1 victory over Blackpool meant the Dragons retook second place and the automatic promotion spot that comes with it. If they beat Charlton on Sunday and Wycombe Wanderers drop points against Leyton Orient, then Wrexham would secure promotion to the Championship.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

Transfer rumors continue to fly thick and fast as we approach the business end of most European seasons, so let’s take a look at a few items worth catching up on. Manchester United is said to be keen on signing 17-year-old Argentine Franco Mastantuono from River Plate. Liverpool is reportedly interested in signing winger Ademola Lookman from Atalanta, although the Reds would likely face competition from several other Premier League teams. Finally, Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro has revealed that he and Xabi Alonso have a gentleman’s agreement that if a team the Spaniard used to play for is interested in hiring him as its coach, then the club will not hinder the process. The statement has led to renewed speculation that Alonso will be named Real Madrid coach if Carlo Ancelotti leaves in the summer.

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

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Orlando City

Orlando City’s Focus On Youth Development Showing In The First Team

Orlando City is seeing more and more players promoted from the academy, through OCB, and into the first team.

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1 day ago

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April 21, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City began its academy in the USL Pro days with the goal of developing players for the first team. It took nearly a decade to begin seeing youth development bear fruit, but it’s becoming apparent early in the 2025 season.

Prior to 2019, Orlando City signed four players to Homegrown Player contracts. Tommy Redding, Tyler Turner, and Harrison Heath never played in the academy and the other, Mason Stajduhar, developed primarily at Chargers Soccer Club in Tampa.

Orlando City signed arguably its first true Homegrown Player when the club inked Benji Michel to a first-team contract. The following off-season, the Lions added David Loera and Jordan Bender. Mikey Halliday signed in July 2020. All of the players came through the academy before signing first-team deals. 

So what changed?

Part of it was the growth of the academy. It takes several years to begin producing players. Another major factor was the hiring of Luiz Muzzi on Dec. 18, 2019. Muzzi came from FC Dallas, a club known for promoting from its academy. He brought in Ricardo Moreira, who shares his vision of developing young talent for the first team.

And it’s not only Muzzi and Moreira. Former Orlando City head coach Adrian Heath rarely attended OCB games. James O’Connor only went to one, and that was to see his former teammate, Dennis Chin, who was playing with the opposing Richmond Kickers. The Orlando City boss left when Chin came off.

Oscar Pareja and other first-team coaches have been at several games, far more than their predecessors. That’s largely to do with the games’ location at the training facility, which is another factor in OCB’s development. The 2019 team trained over 40 miles away from the first team. The move to Kissimmee has the first team, OCB, and the development academy under one roof. It’s another display of the club’s more recent commitment to youth development.

Undoubtedly, the transformation of OCB under Muzzi and Moreira has also impacted Homegrown talent coming through. The team’s 2016 and 2017 rosters were primarily made up of first-team reserves and USL lifers. The 2019 team had many players from the Soccer Institute at Montverde Academy (SIMA), many of which were young but ineligible for Homegrown status.

Things began to change in 2020. The roster shifted to include more academy players and that’s only grown. This year, 15 OCB players came out of the academy, two were drafted, and eight are outside signings on MLS NEXT Pro deals. Other than Jhon Solis and first-team goalkeeper Carlos Mercado, everyone to appear for the team is 23 years old or younger.

The focus on giving OCB spots to academy graduates is now seen in the first team. Players like Thomas Williams, Javier Otero, Alex Freeman, Colin Guske, and Gustavo Caraballo have been regulars on the MLS team sheet. Injuries to first-team regulars has seen them receiving regular playing time.

The poster boy for this change is Freeman. The right back came out of the academy and spent a couple of years at OCB before signing his first-team contract. He won the starting role early in the 2025 regular season.

Many players joined the club later in their development, but we’re seeing some come through having been nearly fully developed at the Orlando City Academy. Guske and Caraballo joined at 13 years old, the youngest age group of the development academy. Both signed first-team deals for this year.

The midfield duo continue to play with OCB most games but are also on the first-team roster almost weekly. The only reason they weren’t in Montreal Saturday night is because they were helping the club’s U-18 team reach (and then win) the Generation Adidas Cup final.

With Muzzi and Moreira at the helm, more players continue to come through. U-18 captain and OCB starter Jackson Platts appears to be well on his way to a first-team contract. So does fellow U-18 and OCB starting forward Justin Ellis.

This past weekend saw another academy product make his first-team debut. Zakaria Taifi took over at right back for OCB when Freeman moved up to the first team this year. Signing a short-term deal Saturday, he came on as a late substitute to help the 10-man Lions see out the scoreless draw.

First-team absences have provided opportunities for many young players. If several weren’t at the Generation Adidas Cup, it could be more. Regardless, the last few years have shown a big step forward for the club.

The shift in recent years is more than the pride of seeing local kids representing the hometown team. They’ve been an essential part of the 2025 campaign. The club hasn’t had to use a short bench or dip into outside emergency signings. Instead, the Lions call up kids they know, making it easier to seamlessly place them into the team.

There will be times where several injuries will occur to experienced players. Orlando City is prepared for this more now than ever before, and it’s because of the players coming through the academy and playing with OCB. We’re already seeing it early in this 2025 season.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/21/25

Another scoreless draw for Orlando City, a home loss for the Pride, a championship for the OCSC U-18 squad, and more.

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1 day ago

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April 21, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope you all had a great holiday weekend with family and friends. I managed to watch a few soccer games while work kept me busy. Our Lions picked up another draw for the third week in a row, the Pride lost, and OCB was off this weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Draw CF Montreal on the Road

Orlando City and CF Montreal split the points in a scoreless draw at Stade Saputo on Saturday. It’s the third consecutive week that the Lions could not get a win with another scoreless draw. It’s the second straight match that Orlando had to play down a man as Rafael Santos was sent off in the second half after receiving a second yellow card. Still, the Lions extended their unbeaten run to six matches and are seventh in the Eastern Conference table with 13 points. After the match, Major League Soccer issued a statement after being informed a fan used discriminatory language towards a player during the match.

Orlando City will return to Inter&Co Stadium Saturday to take on Atlanta United.

Orlando City Signs Two Players to Short-Term Deals

Before Saturday’s match against CF Montreal, Orlando City announced the club had signed defender Zakaria Taifi and midfielder Riyon Tori to short-term contracts. Both players were on the bench for Saturday’s match. Tori did not play, but Taifi came off the bench late in the second half to make his MLS debut. Tori has played with OCB and has made three appearances. Taifi has made 42 appearances, starting 21 matches for OCB, scoring one goal and adding three assists.

Orlando City Signs Four Assistant Coaches to New Contracts

Orlando City announced on Friday that the club has renewed the contracts of First Assistant Coach Diego Torres, Second Assistant Coach Martin Perelman, Goalkeeper Coach Cesar Baena, and Fitness & Performance Coach Fabian Bazan. This news comes just days after the club announced that Head Coach Oscar Pareja will remain with the Lions under a new three-year contract through the 2028 MLS season. Together, the coaching staff has played a key part in the recent success of the Lions over the last five seasons, making five consecutive MLS Playoff appearances, two appearances in the Concacaf Champions Cup, and winning the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The Lions also set club records for wins and points, scoring 308 goals across all competitions with a plus-44 goal differential in 202 competitive matches.

Pride Fall to Washington Spirit at Home

The Orlando Pride fell to the Washington Spirit 1-0 at Inter&Co Stadium Saturday to suffer their first loss of the season. The Pride dominated most of the match, but in the 63rd minute, Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse gave the ball away in front of the goal, and Gift Monday capitalized to score the winning goal for the Spirit. Late in the second half, it looked like the Pride had scored the equalizer; however, after video review, it was determined that Kylie Nadaner backed into Aubrey Kingsbury on the play, impeding the goalkeeper from catching the ball, and the tying goal was waved off. With the Kansas City Current’s win over the Houston Dash over the weekend, Orlando drops to second in the NWSL table. The Pride will return to action Friday at Inter&Co Stadium to face Angel City FC.

Orlando City U-18 Team Wins Generation Adidas Cup Championship

The Orlando City U-18 and U-16 squads played over the weekend in playoff matches in the Generation Adidas Cup at IMG Academy. In the quarterfinals on Friday, Omar Robbana scored the lone goal in the U-18 squad’s 1-0 win over Real Salt Lake.

The U-18 squad followed that up by defeating Santos Laguna 3-0 in the semifinals. Justin Ellis scored twice and Gustavo Caraballo added a goal.

On Sunday, Caraballo scored the winning goal in extra time to seal a 2-1 victory over the Colorado Rapids in the U-18 Championship final.

On Friday, the U-16 team defeated Bayern Munich 1-0 in the quarterfinals.

The U-16 squad defeated the New England Revolution 4-3 on penalties after a scoreless draw in the semifinals on Saturday.

The U-16 squad’s run for a championship trophy came to an end with a 3-1 loss to Inter Miami in the U-16 Championship final on Sunday.

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

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