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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. FC Cincinnati: Final Score 0-0 as Lions’ Attack Remains Toothless

The Lions seem completely out of sync in the attack as they failed to bother the opposing goalkeeper in the run of play for the second straight match, but they still captured a point.

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2 years ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City failed to bother the opposing goalkeeper for the second straight match at Exploria Stadium but the visitors couldn’t beat Pedro Gallese and so the Lions (1-0-1, 4 points) split the points with FC Cincinnati (1-0-1, 4 points) in an unsatisfying 0-0 draw. It was Orlando City’s first home draw since Halloween of 2021 against Nashville, when a late goal by Orlando was waved off.

City didn’t threaten FC Cincinnati goalkeeper Roman Celentano all evening and the Lions were fortunate that the visitors weren’t clinical in front of goal and that Gallese was behind them. Orlando has now gone three straight matches against Cincinnati without a win (0-2-1).

“We’re happy of just getting a result. At home, we need a win but this team needs to balance things,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “When we cannot win it, just get a result and walk out with a point. We’ve got to take it. but there’s a lot of positive things that we recognized tonight, especially the players who are new with the team and making us better.”

With five matches coming in a span of 15 days, Pareja rotated the hell out of his lineup, going to a similar starting XI to what was used in some of the Lions’ preseason games. Gallese started in goal behind a three-man back line of Kyle Smith, Abdi Salim, and Rodrigo Schlegel. Mikey Halliday and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson flanked Wilder Cartagena and Mauricio Pereyra, with Ercan Kara up top between Gaston Gonzalez and Facundo Torres.

For Pereyra, it was his 100th competitive match with the Lions across all competitions. Meanwhile, Ramiro Enrique was held off the team sheet due to tightness.

It took Cincinnati less than 90 seconds to create the game’s first great scoring chance. Luciano Acosta beat Pereyra in the mifield and slipped Brenner behind the defense. The shot, however, was sent high over the net as the chance was wasted in the second minute.

Moments later, the Lions turned it over in their own half and Cincinnati attacked down the right, sending a dangerous ball into the box for Brandon Vazquez. Gallese got there at the same time to get a hand to it and a foul blew the play dead seconds later.

Orlando’s first decent foray up the pitch came in the 10th minute after Halliday did well to break up a play inside the corner of the box and then Cartagena gave the slip to two pressing Cincinnati attackers. The ball was sent left to Gonzalez and ended up with Thorhallsson cutting in. He sent a cross in but the defense knocked it behind for a corner. Nothing came of that, nor did the Lions pay off a free kick won by Torres moments later, as Pereyra thumped his delivery off the defensive wall. Torres then smashed the ball wide on the recycled attack.

Brenner got forward on the ball after an Orlando turnover on a throw-in and tried a shot from outside the area but Gallese parried it away in the 23rd minute. Gallese made another diving save in the 29th minute on an Acosta free kick from just outside the left corner of the box.

The final 15 minutes of the first half were mainly spent in the middle third. Orlando struggled to work the ball into dangerous areas and struggled to execute basic plays, like throwing a ball in to a teammate and getting an accurate return pass. The first-half whistle mercifully blew on a scoreless deadlock.

Cincinnati had the bulk of the first-half possession (57.3%-42.7%) and passed more accurately (86.5%-82.9%). While Orlando City attempted more shots (4-3), the visitors got more on target (2-0). The Lions had more corner opportunities (3-0).

“We don’t ignore it,” Pareja said of the offense’s struggles through two matches. “We know, especially with a team that has had a lot of volume these past three years. It’s a number that we’re aiming to improve. We all know and today this feels probably similar to what the New York game was — not too much volume and getting actions in the box. It’s something we need to get better.”

Pareja withdrew Schlegel and Pereyra at halftime, deploying Robin Jansson and Cesar Araujo in their places. However, those changes did little to help Orlando City. The Lions did manage to get the first look at goal, however. Jansson sent a fantastic long ball over the top into the right corner from Halliday. Thorhallsson took a layoff from fullback and fired in the 50th minute but sent his shot over the bar.

A minute later, Cincinnati came within inches of breaking the deadlock when Vazquez hit a shot off the crossbar after taking a good pass from Nwobodo. A shot came back in toward goal just afterwards but Gallese was there to stop it.

Vazquez got his head on a cross near the top of the box moments later but sent his header sailing well wide of the target. A minute later, in the 54th, Smith got burned for pace by Acosta on a diagonal ball from Nwobodo but he sent his shot skipping wide of the far post.

Araujo sent Kara down the left side with a good ball in the 59th minute but the Austrian was outnumbered and without help and was shouldered off the ball as he tried to cross.

Pareja sent Martin Ojeda and Ivan Angulo on for Torres and Kara and the Lions had a spell of possession but didn’t create anything out of it. But that didn’t happen until Angulo nearly gifted Cincinnati a chance by giving up on a play after he thought he’d been fouled but there was no whistle. Cincinnati was offside on the play, bailing the Lions out.

Acosta was denied by another good Gallese save in the 77th minute. The Cincinnati attacker took a pass from Alvaro Barreal. The shot was back against Gallese’s momentum, but he was able to get to it.

Two minutes later, Ojeda teed up a shot from about 25 yards out, but he missed the target.

Vazquez sent another shot dribbling just wide of goal in the 82nd minute. Brenner and Jansson battled and the ball deflected to Vazquez who flicked it toward goal but the spin on it carried it just wide.

That was the last decent look for either side.

The visitors finished with more possession (56.5%-43.5%), shots (11-7), shots on target (4-1), and passing accuracy (88.2%-83.7%). Orlando had more corners (4-1), but the one measley, weak shot on target the Lions got was only one more than the team got (aside from the penalty) last Saturday night.

Simply put, offensively, Orlando City isn’t very good right now. Fortunately, the Lions have Gallese, who posted his second straight clean sheet to start the 2023 campaign.

“I think in terms of the attack, I think we had a little bit of trouble with some of the things that they were doing,” Gonzalez said through a club interpreter. “But I think for the most part we did well and we’re just in a moment where we need to continue improving, continue trying to get that connectivity and that chemistry with each other, and just keep improving the way that we’re able to finish.”

“We played against a good team,” Pareja said. “Cincinnati last year just created trouble for us. We couldn’t beat them. We need to be heavier at front. We need to be heavier, we need to create more volume. We’re gonna be fine. Today I’ll take the point, not proudly, but I’ll take it. It was a challenge because the rival was very hard and they played well.”

The Lions travel to Mexico for Tuesday night’s Concacaf Champions League match-up with Tigres at 10 p.m. before heading on the road to face D.C. United next Saturday.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/21/25

Orlando Pride release preseason camp roster, scouting Costa Rica, women’s soccer transfer grades, and more.

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16 hours ago

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January 21, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone! If you had yesterday off for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, then I hope you enjoyed some restful time off. If not, then I hope you got your week started off on a good and productive note. There’s a lot going on around here this week as the United States Men’s National Team is in town, and Orlando City will play its first preseason match on Saturday. That means we have plenty to discuss, so let’s dig into today’s links.

Orlando Pride Drop Preseason Roster

Monday might have been a holiday but the Orlando Pride were busy, as they announced the roster for their upcoming preseason camp. Almost all of the usual suspects from the 2024 season are back, as the Pride return 98% of the player-minutes from last season and every single scorer. Mariana Larroquette is on the list although she’s currently on loan in Argentina, and Amanda Allen is likewise included after her loan at Lexington Sporting Club was terminated due to a torn labrum. The biggest intrigue comes from the trio of non-roster invitees: goalkeeper DeAira Jackson, midfielder Aryssa Mahrt, and forward Simone Jackson.

Scouting Costa Rica

The USMNT takes on Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium to wrap up the team’s annual January camp. Like the U.S., Costa Rica is bringing a roster devoid of the majority of its important players. Costa Rica also has a new manager at the helm in Miguel Herrera, who will take charge of the team for the very first time on Wednesday. Herrera typically lines his teams up in a 5-3-2 where the wingbacks take on a very important role and the team looks to hit on the counter while staying compact at the back. This will be the last time we see the USMNT in action until the Concacaf Nations League semifinals in early March.

Women’s Soccer January Transfer Grades

January has been a busy time for transfers in the women’s soccer world, so which teams have done the best business? Well, the Orlando Pride received an A grade for signing Marta to a new two-year deal, retaining a player who helped the team win its first ever trophies. Liverpool got an A for signing Julia Bartel on loan from Chelsea. Leicester City made an interesting call by transferring goalkeeper Lize Kop to Tottenham despite just being a point above the relegation zone. The Foxes get a C for the move, while Spurs get a B+ for adding a capable netminder.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans taking part in some very important games over the course of this week. Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus face Club Brugge today in the UEFA Champions League, while Ricardo Pepi, Richy Ledezma, Esmir Bajraktarević, Malik Tillman and PSV Eindhoven take on Crvena Zvezda in the same competition. Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan will play Girona in the UCL on Wednesday, while Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic take on Young Boys. On Friday, John Tolkin could make his Bundesliga debut when his new team, Holstein Kiel, travels to face Wolfsburg.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando Pride players reported for their preseason physicals on Monday.
  • Meanwhile, Orlando City took on the dreaded beep test during Monday’s training session.

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

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Orlando City

Striker Suddenly a Position of Need for Orlando City

Departures and a key injury mean Orlando City needs a striker heading into the 2025 MLS season.

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2 days ago

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January 20, 2025

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Image Courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City reached the Eastern Conference Final for the first time in 2024, a milestone for the club. The core of the team was locked up through the 2025 season, so there was no reason to believe it needed to add much this off-season. Unfortunately, injuries and departures have created a serious problem for the team.

The group of forwards last year consisted of Duncan McGuire, Ramiro Enrique, and Jack Lynn. McGuire scored 15 goals in 2023 and was expected to depart for Blackburn Rovers before a clerical error allowed the Lions to keep their target man. The team’s primary striker scored 11 goals in 37 games — the same number as the previous season — but split time starting with Enrique. The Argentinian improved greatly in 2024, increasing his total goal tally from four to 12. Even Lynn showed tremendous improvement last year, playing a greater role in the team and scoring his first two MLS goals.

The future also seemed bright for the Orlando City forwards because of their ages. Lynn is the oldest of the trio at just 25 years old. Meanwhile, McGuire and Enrique are only 23, so there was no reason to believe this group couldn’t produce this coming season.

The problem at striker began in the postseason when McGuire was pulled down by Charlotte FC midfielder Djibril Diani in the final first round game of the playoffs. McGuire suffered a shoulder injury during the challenge that required surgery on Dec. 13. It’s expected that the striker could take four to five months to return to action, possibly leaving him out until May or June.

Another blow to Orlando’s attack occurred Saturday when Lynn surprisingly announced his retirement from professional soccer. In just over a month, Orlando City went from having three strikers to having just one as preseason training starts.

With McGuire injured and Lynn gone, one option would be to have Designated Player Luis Muriel play up top. However, the Colombian prefers to play a more withdrawn position and proved to be effective in that role last year. Since Head Coach Oscar Pareja prefers to play a 4-2-3-1 formation, the Lions need someone up top to control the ball and involve the midfielders in the attack. That’s not Muriel’s game.

The result of these issues is that nobody is currently behind Enrique when the season begins. If the Argentinian gets tired, hurt, or simply needs rest, Pareja is limited in his options. 

Whether there was a lack of strikers or a lack of goals from the position previously, that problem was resolved by the club’s all-time leading goal scorer. Facundo Torres scored 20 goals in 2024, becoming the first player in Orlando City’s MLS history and the second player in club history to do so. He went on to set a new club record for total goals of 47.

However, Orlando City sold its best player to Brazilian side Palmeiras on Dec. 20. It was a gut punch to fans as Torres had signed a new contract on Jan. 10, 2024 that ran through the 2026 season. There had been talk for the last couple of years that the attacker would look for a move to Europe and rumors of a move to South America arose this off-season. Still, it created a huge gap the club has to fill.

There are players on the roster that can make up for the injury and departures. Martin Ojeda had a strong season in 2024, finishing with seven goals and 13 assists. His seven goals ranked fourth on the team and his 13 assists topped the squad alongside Nico Lodeiro. Muriel came on strong later in the season, finishing with five goals and eight assists. But those numbers are a long way from the 20 goals that Torres tallied last year.

Even if you consider all goal contributions, Ojeda and Muriel fall well short of Torres. Ojeda had a total of 20 goal contributions in 2024 while Muriel had 13. In addition to Torres’s 20 goals, he added nine assists for a team-leading 29 goal contributions.

All of this information leads to one undeniable fact — Orlando City needs to sign a striker prior to the season. And there’s not much time for Luiz Muzzi to act. The European transfer window closes on Feb. 3 and many MLS teams have already been filling similar needs. With the season starting in just over a month, the options will be limited if the Lions don’t do something soon.

After the best postseason finish in Orlando City’s MLS history, things were looking good heading into 2025. While the back line and most of the midfield is returning, McGuire’s injury and the departure of Torres and Lynn have left the Lions in a tough spot offensively. If they don’t do something in the next couple of weeks, it could be a long 2025.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/20/25

Orlando City signs Nicolas Rodriguez, Jack Lynn announces retirement, USMNT defeats Venezuela in friendly, and more.

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2 days ago

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January 20, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope you’re all having a good holiday weekend as we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Over the past week, I’ve been working and covering high school ice hockey. It will be a busy week in Orlando, with the United States Men’s National Team’s match against Costa Rica on Wednesday and Orlando City’s first preseason match against Atletico Mineiro on Saturday. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Signs Nicolas Rodriguez

Orlando City announced on Friday that the club has signed forward Nicolas Rodriguez from Fortaleza CEIF in Colombia’s top flight. The deal is through the 2027 season, with a club option for 2028, and Rodriguez will occupy a MLS U22 Initiative slot. Rodriguez made 19 appearances for Fortaleza, recording 1,607 minutes, five goals, and three assists during the 2024 Primera A Clausura season. The Lions add a young attacking player the club can develop and Rodriguez can play on the right wing, the right side of a three-man midfield, or in the No. 10 spot.

Jack Lynn Announces Retirement

Orlando City forward Jack Lynn announced his retirement from professional soccer on Saturday. Lynn was drafted by Orlando in the first round of the 2022 MLS SuperDraft. He became a regular starter for Orlando City B, scoring a team-record 38 goals in over three seasons with the MLS NEXT Pro side. Lynn also won the Golden Boot with 19 goals during the 2023 season and became the first OCB player to be named MLS NEXT Pro MVP. He played sparingly with the first team, but he scored twice last season as his role increased. The Lions will likely look to add another striker for more depth up top.

Orlando Pride Acquire Allocation Money in Trade

On Friday, the Orlando Pride announced that the club has acquired $50,000 in Allocation Money from the Washington Spirit. In exchange, the Pride sent the Spirit a 2025 international roster spot. The Pride will face the Spirit in the NWSL Challenge Cup final on March 7 at Inter&Co Stadium.

USMNT Defeats Venezuela in Friendly

The USMNT defeated Venezuela 3-1 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday in a friendly. Jack McGlynn and Patrick Agyemang scored in the first half to give the USMNT a 2-0 lead just before halftime. Matko Milijevic scored the third goal for the Americans in the second half, with Venezuela pulling one back thanks to a goal from Jorge Yriarte. Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has led the USMNT to winning four out of its first five matches since he took charge last September. The USMNT’s next match will be against Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium.

Alyssa Naeher Named U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year

On Saturday, goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher was voted 2024 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year. Naeher won 40% of the vote, while defender Naomi Girma finished in second with 32%. In her final year with the USWNT, Naeher ended 2024 with 18 starts, playing 1,170 minutes and only conceding 11 goals. She played a crucial role with clutch saves to help the USWNT win the 2024 SheBelieves Cup, 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup, and gold at the Olympics in Paris. Naeher is the second goalkeeper to win the award since Hope Solo won it in 2009.

Free Kicks

  • Manchester City forward Erling Haaland has reached an agreement with the club on a record-breaking contract that extends his deal through 2034.

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

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