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Orlando City vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies, U.S. Open Cup: Final Score 2-1 as Lions Advance to Fourth Round

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Alexandre Pato and Junior Urso scored second-half goals to lift Orlando City to a 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rowdies at Exploria Stadium in the third round of the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. All of the scoring took place in the second half as Orlando maintained its dominance in the I-4 Derby series and the Lions will move on to the fourth round of the competition.

“It is a very important game for our fans, for our club, and we are very proud to beat the Tampa Bay Rowdies today and we dedicate this to our people,” Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “I was very glad to see them in the stands, pushing our team in the difficult moments. So, we really enjoy this victory, with a lot of respect for Tampa, that came out with a great attitude in the game and a good team also.”

Pareja started a fairly strong lineup, with Mason Stajduhar in net behind a back line of Kyle Smith, Thomas Williams, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Ruan. Sebas Mendez and Andres Perea were in central midfield behind an attacking line of Benji Michel, Junior Urso, and Silvester van der Water, with Alexandre Pato up top.

The first 10 to 15 minutes saw the Rowdies come out on the front foot and controlling play. It was chippy at times but there was little consistency in when a foul would be called. Tampa Bay got the ball into the box a few times but didn’t generate much from it early, aside from winning a couple of corners.

The first clear-cut chance came in the 16th minute on the first real foray into the attacking end. Perea slipped van der Water down the right side and he took the shot on his right foot, forcing a save from Raiko Arozarena.

The Rowdies nearly got a gift in the 22nd minute when a hopeful cross into the area took a deflection off Schlegel and Stajduhar did well to collect it before it could get behind him.

In the 35th minute, the Lions took a short corner and Pato played in a perfect back-post cross to Perea, but the young midfielder got his header badly wrong and his shot was well off target from point-blank range.

Perea had a chance to shoot from the top of the box in the 40th minute but instead opted to pass left to Michel, who was covered. Benji did well to win the ball back from the defender but then fired a shot right into the defender’s shins for an easy block.

In the end, the play from Orlando was rather lackluster in the opening 45 minutes, with sloppy giveaways and a lack of much threat working the ball into good scoring positions. Tampa Bay did well to get into the attacking third and get in and around the box, but strong play from Schlegel and Williams, and solid team defending, typically snuffed out danger before it turned into a shot attempt.

Orlando City finished the half with more possession (53.3%-46.7%), but both teams attempted four shots and each got one on target. Tampa won more corners (4-2) and was slightly more accurate in the passing game (88.2%-87.4%).

“I thought we got exposed in the flanks especially,” Pareja said about the first half. “Not that we did not want to get close to those wingbacks, but they looked far from our control or at least our challenge. I didn’t see us connected when we did not have the ball, and once we got it back, I thought we were in different positions and we couldn’t create sequences either. So, I didn’t like the first half. I don’t think the boys did either.

“We needed to get into the game and the boys did. The second half I liked a lot.”

Pareja made three halftime substitutions, withdrawing Smith, Perea, and van der Water and putting Joao Moutinho, Robin Jansson, and Mauricio Pereyra into the match. The Lions shifted into a five-man back line in defense and three when on the attack.

The change helped Orlando City maintain more possession and it paid off on the offensive end. Pereyra slipped Michel into the box and he was knocked down by Aaron Guillen. The Tampa defender was booked and referee Daniel Gutierrez pointed to the spot. Pato used a stutter-step approach and buried the spot kick to make it 1-0 in the 52nd minute.

Pato nearly had another five minutes later. A well-worked counter ended up with Ruan on the right side. The fullback found Pato at the top of the area and he took a quick shot. However, the forward didn’t make good contact and scuffed his shot right at the goalkeeper.

Tampa created some danger two minutes later with defender Laurence Wyke getting to the end line and crossing the ball through the six, but none of his teammates were there.

The Lions doubled the lead in the 63rd minute. Pereyra sent a chip pass over the top that fell for Urso, who swept it past Arozarena, making it 2-0.

“I’m really happy with the goal,” Urso said. “This is important for me. I want to help the team every time.”

After the goal, in a scene reminiscent of a Daryl Dike goal in the past, Urso ran to The Wall and somehow ended up with a pair of sunglasses on his face during the celebration.

“I was running, then I saw the guy. He said, ‘Hey, come here,’ and then I saw he had sunglasses. And you guys know what happened with that,” Urso said. “That was a crazy celebration, but I was really happy.”

The Rowdies pulled the goal right back. Orlando fell asleep defensively and Jansson played passively as he’d picked up a soft yellow card just moments earlier. That allowed a ball in from Stajduhar’s right that found Lucky Mkosana in front for a tap-in as he beat Williams to the spot. The Rowdies were back in the game in the 65th minute.

“I think it took a deflection,” Williams said of the pass in front of goal. “I think the guy just got the best of me, he got in front of me, and he scored the goal.”

“I think we have to be more concentrated to close every gap,” Urso said about giving the goal back quickly. “But that’s fine, after that we played well. We kept more of the ball, but we have to be more concentrated to (not concede) the goal.”

Tampa pushed for an equalizer but didn’t create many chances. Orlando was content to take the air out of the ball and pass it around to eat up time, looking to find an opening for an odd-man rush.

Yann Ekra got some space from about 25 yards out in the 80th minute but he sent his shot over Stajduhar’s crossbar. It was Tampa’s last open look at goal in the match.

In the 91st minute, Tampa Bay Head Coach Neill Collins was sent off. Collins had been booked at halftime for dissent and early in stoppage time he ran onto the field to kick the ball to his players after a free kick had been awarded to the Rowdies. The game was halted while the official made sure Collins left the field.

The Rowdies got a couple of late balls into the area but the Lions dealt with them and saw out the rest of stoppage time, holding on for the 2-1 win.

Orlando City dominated in the second half and finished with more possession (58%-42%), shots (10-7), shots on target (5-2), and passing accuracy (86.6%-84.7%). The Rowdies edged the Lions in corner kicks (4-3).

“I like to play derbies and Oscar was telling us don’t play like a friendly game or they will come to push us,” Urso said. “So, we were OK, I think. We were concentrated on the game. It was hard, because they know how to play, but we got to win in front of our fans.”


The Lions will learn their next Open Cup opponents on Thursday and will be back in action on Sunday, returning to MLS play against the New York Red Bulls at home.

Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/5/24

Orlando City announces preseason match, how the Orlando Pride turned things around, Americans in midweek action, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Tuesday, everyone. We have a massive week ahead of us, as the Orlando Pride take on the Chicago Red Stars in the NWSL playoffs on Friday. That will be followed up by a pivotal Game 3 for Orlando City against Charlotte FC on Saturday. Both matches will be at home, so suffice it to say we have a lot going on around these parts. As usual, we have lots to talk through today, so let’s get into the links.

Orlando City Announces Friendly

Orlando City has announced that the club will play a preseason match against Inter Miami in Tampa on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14. The game will take place at Raymond James Stadium at 7:30 p.m., with tickets going on sale to the general public on Nov. 14. There will also be a pregame fan festival set up outside the stadium, which is free if you have a ticket. The decision to play Miami in a preseason game isn’t a surprising one, as it involves minimal travel for both clubs, and a chance to capitalize on the box office draw of Lionel Messi. It is a little surprising that the decision was made to host the game at Raymond James Stadium rather than Orlando’s Camping World Stadium, but it’s possible that the latter wasn’t available, or that there was a desire to capitalize on the additional gate money from the extra 15,000 seats at Raymond James.

How the Pride Escaped the Cellar

In a season that featured several teams who played outstanding campaigns, the Orlando Pride still managed to finish first in the National Women’s Soccer League. It’s a feat made even more impressive when considering how the club has historically struggled, but the change didn’t happen overnight. The rebuild really got underway in 2021, which was when a series of high profile exits and trades began to take place, which would eventually allow the Pride to do a lot of maneuvering in the transfer market. It was a long process though, and it took the arrival of Haley Carter in the front office and Seb Hines as the head coach for things to really start coming together. It’s been an all-around effort, but one that paid off with a first-place finish this season.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans playing this week, so make sure you’ve got everything marked down on your calendar. UEFA Champions League action returns tomorrow, as Malik Tillman, Ricardo Pepi, and Richie Ledezma will take on Girona with PSV Eindhoven. Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan face Real Madrid, and Tim Weah, Weston McKennie, and Juventus hit the road to take on Weah’s former club, Lille. European action then continues on Thursday as Tanner Tessmann and Lyon face Hoffenheim on the road in the Europa League, and Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis host Celje in the Conference League.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

As always seems to be the case, there are a number of transfer rumors floating around. First up, Spanish outlet Marca says that if Vinicius Jr. becomes available then Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain would be interested in signing him. This comes amid reports that the Brazilian is considering a move to Saudi Arabia. Speaking of Chelsea, Enzo Fernandez could seek an exit from the Blues reportedly due to not being favored by boss Enzo Maresca, with Barcelona and Inter Milan as possible destinations. Finally, Eintracht Frankfurt star Omar Marmoush is reportedly attracting interest from some of Europe’s big clubs, with Bayern Munich and Liverpool both interested in signing him.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/4/24

Orlando City falls to Charlotte FC in penalty shootout, Orlando Pride defeat the Seattle Reign, Megan Montefusco retires and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I covered high school cross country state semifinals over the weekend, and I’m getting ready to cover a high school soccer playoff match later this week. We have plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Lose Penalty Shootout to Charlotte FC

Orlando City fell 3-1 on penalties to Charlotte FC at Bank of America Stadium on Friday night after playing to a scoreless draw in Game 2 of the MLS Cup playoffs. Orlando’s offense struggled to create anything throughout the match in the attack. The best chance came late in the second half when Facundo Torres thought he had scored the game-winner for Orlando, but the assistant referee deemed him to be offside. In the penalty shootout, Luis Muriel was the only Lion to find the back of the net. Nico Lodeiro and Duncan McGuire had their penalty kicks saved by Charlotte FC goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina, while Robin Jansson’s kick sailed over the net. The Lions will host Charlotte FC in Game 3 at Inter&Co Stadium on Saturday with a spot in the Eastern Conference semifinals on the line.

Orlando Pride Defeat the Seattle Reign in Regular Season Finale

The Orlando Pride snapped their two-match losing streak and defeated the Seattle Reign 3-2 to close out the 2024 NWSL regular season. Ally Watt, Kerry Abello, and Marta all scored for the Pride. Even though the Reign fought back to keep it close, Orlando held on for the win. The Pride finished the regular season first in the NWSL standings with 60 points. The Pride will take on the Chicago Red Stars in the quarterfinals of the 2024 NWSL playoffs on Friday in their first home playoff match ever. The match will kick off at 8 p.m. and will be broadcast on Amazon Prime Video.

Megan Montefusco Announces Retirement

Orlando Pride defender Megan Montefusco will retire from professional soccer following the 2024 season. She’s played in the NWSL since 2015 and joined the Pride prior to the 2022 season. In her time in Orlando, Montefusco made 45 appearances for Orlando and scored in a 2023 Challenge Cup match against NJ/NY Gotham FC. She did not play in any matches in the 2024 season after undergoing foot surgery during the off-season and was placed on the season-ending injury list. Montefusco finishes her career with 179 appearances, scoring three goals and adding four assists across all competitions.

MLS Playoff Roundup

The first round of the MLS Cup playoffs continued over the weekend, with a few teams booking their spot in the next round. The Columbus Crew’s title defense ended after they lost 5-4 on penalties to the New York Red Bulls after a 2-2 draw. The LA Galaxy dominated the Colorado Rapids 4-1 on the road to advance to the Western Conference semifinals. Minnesota United also moved on, defeating Real Salt Lake in a shootout after a 1-1 draw and the Loons will face the Galaxy. The Seattle Sounders edged past the Houston Dynamo 7-6 on penalties after a 1-1 draw to advance to the Western Conference semifinals as well.

New York City FC bounced back with a 3-1 win over FC Cincinnati, while Atlanta United did the same with a 2-1 victory over Inter Miami as both teams stayed alive to force a third game in their series. LAFC fell 3-0 on the road to the Vancouver Whitecaps in a match that included two own goals.

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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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Orlando City

Orlando City at Charlotte FC: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s road shootout loss to Charlotte FC?

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City was offensively challenged in a 0-0 road draw at Charlotte FC and the ensuing penalties that decide who “wins” best-of-three, first-round playoff games. Those challenges included the shootout, in which the Lions made one measly spot kick on four attempts.

Let’s take a look at the individual performances in this disappointing penalty kick loss.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 7 (MotM) — Orlando City might have lost in penalty kicks, but it only got that far thanks to a good night from Gallese. El Pulpo made three huge saves in the match to keep the Lions in the game. In addition to the saves, he did well in owning the box and distributing the ball. Gallese passed at a 76.5% rate on 17 passes with 27 touches. He was successful on four of his eight long balls. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to stop any of Charlotte’s three shots during penalties, guessing correctly once.

D, Rafael Santos, 5.5 — It was a mostly “blah” night for Santos. He was as anemic as the rest of the team in the first half, and most of the second half. He had the most touches of any player with 76, but only managed a 79.4% passing rate on 63 passes and struggled to get through balls to their intended targets to break lines. Santos was accurate on five of his 11 long balls and provided one cross. Defensively, he made two clearances and committed one foul. Santos came off for Kyle Smith in the 74th minute.

D, Robin Jansson, 5.5— I know that Jansson is the captain, but perhaps having a center back go second during penalty kicks isn’t the best decision. When Jansson sent his kick well over the crossbar, he all but guaranteed the return match at Inter&Co Stadium next weekend, as Nico Lodeiro had already seen his attempt saved. He also earned a yellow card for a foul against Patrick Agyemang in the 34th minute. That was the bad stuff. On the good side of the ledger, Jansson had 68 touches, passed at 91.7% rate on 60 passes, and connected on one of his five long balls. Defensively, he recorded two tackles, two clearances, and two interceptions.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6 — Schlegel put in a decent shift on the back line. Defensively, he made three clearances, including one in the 26th minute to keep the ball away from Agyemang, and he made a crucial block in the box. Schlegel touched the ball 69 times with a passing rate of 91.4% on 58 passes, completing one of six long balls. He picked up a yellow card in second-half stoppage time which was his only foul committed.

D, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, 5.5 — It was a mixed bag for Thorhallsson in this match. He had one of the few shots taken by Orlando City, though it was not on target. He touched the ball 49 times and passed at an 88.6% rate on 35 passes. Thorhallsson had a few giveaways, although he also contributed two clearances on defense. He made way for David Brekalo in the 84th minute.

MF, Wilder Cartagena, 6.5 — Cartagena was his usual good self. He patrolled the defensive midfield, stopping potential attacks throughout the match. The Peruvian touched the ball 59 times and passed at an 88.5% rate on 52 passes. More importantly, he finished with four tackles and three clearances defensively. He was a big reason that Charlotte didn’t put the ball in the back of the net before the penalties.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 6 — Araujo put in a solid shift alongside Cartagena. Overall, he was good on the night, though he wasn’t as clean as he usually is, coughing up the ball occasionally. Araujo is also good at earning fouls, drawing three in the match. He managed 67 touches, passed at an 88.1% rate on 59 passes, and was successful on four of his five long balls. Defensively, he recorded one tackle and three clearances.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 5.5 — Angulo had the only shot attempt on target for the Lions in the match, coming on his only shot of the night. Frankly, there wasn’t much behind it, though. He managed 37 touches and passed at an 87.5% rate on 24 passes. He had the same problem that most of the offense had in this game. That problem was a lack of urgency in getting into the attack. It’s pretty telling that he didn’t manage to contribute any crosses. Angulo came off for Luis Muriel in the 88th minute.

MF, Martin Ojeda, 5.5 —  Ojeda was excellent in the first match against Charlotte, but he wasn’t really able to make a big difference in this one. It’s not that he was bad, as he passed at a 93.8% rate on 32 passes with a total of 40 touches. He connected on three of his four long balls and made three crosses. However, he did not take any shots nor provide any assists. Ojeda came off for Lodeiro in the 75th minute.

MF, Facundo Torres, 6.5 — Torres was average for most of the match. It wasn’t until Oscar Pareja made the late second-half substitutions that Torres really opened up. He didn’t manage to take a shot or provide an assist, though he did have one key pass. He passed at an 85.4% rate on 48 passes and connected on one of his four long balls. He was successful on one of his six crosses, most of which came late in the match. Torres had a bad giveaway in 49th minute that resulted in a chance for Agyemang, but it was saved by Gallese. Defensively, he contributed three clearances. Had the assistant referee’s flag stayed down for Lodeiro’s run, he would have scored a goal that likely would have pushed Orlando through to the next round, and although it was a well-struck shot, it ultimately doesn’t count.

F, Ramiro Enrique, 4.5 — Given how little offense Orlando City generated, it’s not surprising that Enrique didn’t do much in this match. The striker registered no shots or assists and only touched the ball 17 times. His passing rate wasn’t great at 44.4%, but to be fair, he only made nine passes. He managed to make one tackle and provide two clearances, committing one foul and drawing one foul. If you thought he was quiet in the previous match, he was practically invisible in this one. He was replaced by Duncan McGuire in the 56th minute.

Substitutes

F, Duncan McGuire (56’), 5 — McGuire provided a different look for Orlando City’s offense after coming on for Enrique, and he managed to get a shot off, though it wasn’t on target. He finished with just 15 touches, passing at a 55.6% rate on only nine passes. He contributed one clearance and one blocked shot on defense. Most importantly, his penalty kick was saved by Kristijan Kahlina to end the match. Overall, it was a forgettable performance, but his was by no means the only one.

D, Kyle Smith (75’), 5 — Smith came on in the 75th minute for Thorhallsson for defensive help. He seemed somewhat out of sync with his teammates, though he wasn’t horrible. He touched the ball 30 times and completed 78.3% of his 23 passes. Smith completed all three of his attempted long balls and had one key pass. He also didn’t record any defensive statistics in his time on the field. He did, however, help keep Charlotte off the board through the end of the match to send it to penalty kicks.

MF, Nico Lodeiro (75’), 5 — When Lodeiro replaced Ojeda, he was one of the subs that sparked the Lions’ offensive efforts. Though they didn’t get a goal, at least they looked dangerous in Charlotte’s half of the field. Lodeiro attempted four crosses, made one key pass, and was offside three times — this included the play that could have resulted in a late Torres goal. He touched the ball 20 times and completed 68.2% of his 22 passes. On the other hand, he got Orlando City off on the wrong foot in the penalty shootout when he left his shot too close to Kahlina and at a favorable height for the goalkeeper, who guessed correctly and made a good save.

D, David Brekalo (84’), N/A — Brekalo came on in the 88th minute for Thorhallsson as the Lions went to three center backs to see out the game. He only managed six touches, completing one of his two passes. However, he made two clearances, so that’s good.

F, Luis Muriel (88’), N/A — Muriel’s entrance was definitely too little, too late. He came on to help with penalty kicks, and he was the only one to score his attempt. He managed 10 touches and completed 100% of his seven passes.


That’s how I saw the individual performances in Friday’s loss for the Lions. Let us know how you saw the game in the comments and don’t forget to vote for your Man of the Match.

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