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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Inter Miami: Final Score 1-0 as Lions Win on Late Own Goal by the Herons

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3 years ago

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Like the Orlando Pride one night earlier, Orlando City won 1-0 at home on an own goal by the opposition. The Lions (8-7-4, 28 points) needed a stoppage-time own goal by Damion Lowe to capture a rare (in 2022) shutout home victory over Inter Miami (6-8-4, 22 points) in a rain-soaked 1-0 match at Exploria Stadium. It continued the trend of every game in the rivalry being decided by one goal or ending in a draw and allowed Orlando to snap a three-match winless stretch (0-2-1) across all competitions.

“Very intense game,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “I thought today was not an easy date after our last game and they (the players) bounced back. We know we have a lot of things to work (on), but today we deserved those three points and we’ll take it. We’re very proud.”

Pareja’s lineup included Pedro Gallese in goal behind a back line of Kyle Smith, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Ruan. Cesar Araujo was joined in central midfield by Junior Urso, behind an attacking line of Benji Michel, Mauricio Pereyra, and Facundo Torres, with Ercan Kara up top.

The start of the match was delayed nearly two-and-a-half hours by lightning in the area and rain fell heavily at times while fans huddled on the concourse and the teams stayed in the locker room areas.

Once the match got underway, the Lions continued their recent unwanted tradition of not playing well in the first half. Misplaced passes and poor communication prevented Orlando from getting much going on the attacking end and it also set up Miami with a great chance early.

Pereyra’s poor back pass was picked off and Indiana Vassilev raced toward goal, eventually firing a shot that hit Gallese in the face and deflected wide of the far post in the seventh minute.

On the other end, the Lions couldn’t get much going but whenever they did, Pereyra paid the price, sustaining three fouls in the opening half. The Lions couldn’t make those set pieces pay off, however.

Jean Mota fired from distance for Miami in the 17th minute but his attempt didn’t come close to the target. Three minutes later, Leonardo Campana headed just wide on Gallese’s right side.

Urso found some space in the 30th minute and tried a shot from outside the area but a defender was able to block it. Pereyra sent in a decent cross on the ensuing corner kick but it was headed out by Miami. The corner was taken from the other side and a training ground sequence nearly resulted in a chance but Michel’s touch in front was poor and it was cleared.

Pereyra tried a shot from long range in the 32nd minute but he got well under it and it sailed high into the Wall.

That was it for a rather pedestrian first half. Miami had the better chances, but the teams went into the break scoreless. Possession was nearly even, with the visitors holding a slim edge (50.6%-49.4%). The Herons had more shots (6-3), shots on target (1-0), and corners (3-2). Orlando City was slightly more accurate in passing (84.5%-83.6%).

“It was congested,” Pareja said of the midfield in the game. “It was heavy for us to break the lines. We need balance, also. I think it’s something that we lacked in the last game, especially, when we conceded too much space. I thought it was a reason for our team to do that (defensive) job first and that’s why it was very congested.”

Miami wasted no time getting into the attack after the restart, with a cross coming right to left for Robert Taylor, who muffed his header at point-blank range. The ball then deflected toward the end line but wide of goal.

Orlando cleared the ensuing corner and looked to break with decent numbers but Ruan allowed three defenders to close on him without passing and he lost the ball.

In the 49th minute, Vassilev fired over the bar after a good passing sequence for Miami. Ruan left too much space on his side and a cross from the left found Yedlin, who headed it back to Vassilev. With plenty of time and space, he simply missed his shot.

The Lions had their best chance of the night in the 58th minute. Urso sent a nice switch across the field to Ruan down the right side of the box. Ruan cut a pass back across the box to Michel for an open look but the Homegrown bundled his shot at Drake Callender in the middle of the goal.

Two minutes after that chance, Torres fizzed a shot just wide of the upper right corner of the net. Urso then fired a shot just over the crossbar in the 63rd minute from the top of the box.

Miami got its best opportunity in the 72nd minute off a corner kick. Miami played it short before crossing to the top of the six-yard box. Aime Mabika got a free header in front but missed just wide of the right post.

Substitute Tesho Akindele got into the act late with a couple of opportunities but he hit both shots badly wide to the right. The first came on a good sequence in the 77th minute when Torres sent Ruan down the right side. The right back cut a pass into the area for Akindele on the right but he couldn’t get his body around and his shot skipped well wide.

The second chance came in the 89th minute. Smith sent a good cross in from the left and Akindele went up for a contested header and couldn’t make enough contact to redirect it on frame. It too went wide of the right post.

The game seemed poised to end in a scoreless draw when Orlando got a fortunate bounce. Jake Mulraney sent a cross into the area that Lowe tried to clear with his right foot in front of his own net. The ball squirted awkwardly off to his right, hitting the net just inside the crossbar for an own goal in the 92nd minute.

“I think in the last few games, we’ve been pushing hard but (the luck) just hasn’t been there and it hasn’t really gone in,” Araujo said. “And thankfully tonight, you know, we’re on the other side of that, and we were able to get it to go in and take all three points.”

Araujo had a monster game for the Lions, with eight tackles and nine fouls won — both game highs by far. By himself, Araujo had nearly as many tackles and fouls won as Miami’s entire team.

Miami couldn’t mount a comeback in the few minutes of stoppage time remaining and the Lions had an improbable victory.

The Lions finished with more possession (54.7%-45.3%) and passing accuracy (96.6%-82.9%). Miami fired more shots (10-8) and won more corners (6-2). Each team managed just one shot on target on a night when both teams were offensively challenged.

“It’s good to fix those things and improve when you win,” Pareja said. “It’s easier, or at least you have more energy.” 

There’s little chance for the Lions to catch their breath, as they’ll head next to the thin air of Colorado to play the Rapids on Wednesday.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/23/25

The Orlando Pride drop, OCSC Academy awards, USMNT characters, and more.

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9 hours ago

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April 23, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. This weekend we have the most convenient schedule, with the Orlando Pride playing Friday night, Orlando City on Saturday night, and Orlando City B on Sunday night. It’s nice knowing what I’ll be doing each night. Now, I just need all three teams to get back on the winning side of things. Until then, let’s get to the links.

Bad Pride, Good Pride

It might have been the dumbest way to lose a match against the Washington Spirit, but — actually nevermind, there is no “but” about it. We can, however, decide to move forward rather than dwell on it after today. Unsurprisingly, the Pride dropped in the all-knowing power rankings. All for XI only dropped the Pride one spot to No. 2 since everyone has a bad day now and again. The CBS power ranking dropped the team to No. 3. That was the “bad.” The “good” is that we can revisit the puppies that showed up at Inter&Co Stadium. The loss still hurts, but it’s hard to stay mad after looking at the puppies.

The (OCSC) Academy Awards

Assuming you read Lion Links on Monday morning (or listened to The Mane Land PawedCast this week) you know that the Orlando City SC Academy U-18 team won the Generation Adidas Cup. Now we know that three of the very young Lions — Gustavo Caraballo, Jackson Platts, and Justin Ellis — were named to the U18 Best XI. Additionally, Caraballo and Ellis earned MVP and Top Scorer awards, respectively. It was truly the bright spot of an otherwise forgettable weekend.

Pochettino Prepares

The USMNT did not do well in the Concacaf Nations League, falling to Panama and then Canada in the third place match. Now, U.S. Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has to prepare the team for the Gold Cup. Pochettino said that he needs the “right characters” on the squad, whether they are the most talented or not. He also spoke of the need for the players to fight for the badge and the flag. Former USMNT coach Bruce Arena said Pochettino may not be the right man for the job because he’s not an American. The USMNT’s next matches are friendlies against Turkiye and Switzerland on June 7 and June 10, respectively.

MLS Transfer News

The Columbus Crew are making moves. The club received $250,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) from the Houston Dynamo in exchange for a 2025 international roster slot. The club then sent DeJuan Jones to the San Jose Earthquakes for $425,000 in GAM and a 2025 international roster slot. Elsewhere, Sporting Kansas City acquired forward Santiago Muñoz on loan from Liga MX side Santos Laguna.

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That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the full slate of matches coming up.

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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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1 day 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.

Published

2 days 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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