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Orlando City vs. Tigres, Concacaf Champions League: Final Score 0-0 as Lions Get Road Result in Mexico

Pedro Gallese came up huge to help Orlando City get a road draw at Tigres.

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1 year ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Tigres UANL was as difficult as advertised but Orlando City managed to go on the road and grind out a 0-0 draw at Estadio Universitario in San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León, Mexico. The Lions even had a few opportunities to take the lead in the second half, but couldn’t find that little bit of quality needed to steal all three points in their Concacaf Champions League debut.

The two sides will battle it out at Exploria Stadium in Orlando next Wednesday night in a winner-take-all battle to reach the quarterfinals.

“Here, (getting a result) is not an easy thing to do,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “We’re proud. We have a game in front of us in Orlando and we know the rival, and we’re ready and we hope we can advance.”

Pareja’s lineup included Pedro Gallese in goal behind a back line of Luca Petrasso, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Michael Halliday. Cesar Araujo and Mauricio Pereyra played in the central midfield behind an attacking line of Ivan Angulo, Martin Ojeda, and Facundo Torres, with Ramiro Enrique making his first start up top. For Schlegel, it was his 50th career start in all competitions for the Lions.

Tigres controlled the first half and Orlando City continued to waste its few opportunities in the attack. The game was just about three minutes old when the hosts fired the first shot, a deflected effort that gave them a corner.

In the seventh minute, Andre-Pierre Gignac danced through the Orlando defense and sent a shot toward goal but he didn’t get good contact on it and Gallese made the save. Two minutes later, Gignac fired a blast from outside the area that Gallese could only punch away.

The Lions seemed content to fire from ridiculous distance if they found any space. Enrique fired the first shot for Orlando from long range in the 10th minute and sent his effort well over the bar.

Juan Pablo Vigon had a free header in front on a ball in from Tigres’ right side in the 14th minute but sent his shot wide.

Enrique went down and stayed down in the 17th minute after an awful tackle from Tigres defender Samir, but no card was given. Enrique was eventually able to continue but he didn’t look like himself the rest of the first half.

In the 20th minute, Ojeda sent in a cross from the left corner to Pereyra at the top of the box. The captain tried to take a touch in traffic and lost control rather than going for goal with his first touch. Four minutes later, Schlegel stole the ball to start the break and with numbers finally in the attack, Ojeda decided to shoot from 35 yards away and his shot didn’t come close to the goal on another wasteful attack.

In the 32nd minute, it was Angulo wrecking an attack. After getting inside the box on the left side, he made a move to lose his defender but then — instead of moving closer and either shooting or finding a teammate — he made an extra feint with the ball that put two defenders between himself and the net.

Fernando Gorriarán fired a dangerous shot from distance in the 34th minute, skipping his effort out in front of goal. All Gallese could do was fight it off, but no Tigres player could get to it.

Araujo made a nifty move up the right side in the 38th minute but once he got into the box, with no defenders near him, he seemed indecisive and sent a weak shot squirting wide of the near post, which was covered anyway. Angulo sent a weak shot on target at the end of normal time for the lone shot on target of the half for the Lions.

In stoppage time, Gignac was shown a straight red after lashing out at Schlegel. After video review, the card was changed to yellow.

The Mexican side held more possession (60.6%-39.4%), passed more accurately (87.4%-77%), fired more shots (8-5) and shots on target (4-1), and won more corners (2-0).

Wilder Cartagena replaced Enrique at the break, pushing Pereyra up into the attacking midfield and Ojeda into the forward position.

But Tigres kept coming. Gignac fired wide on the half volley through Schlegel’s legs just two minutes after the restart and that was just a start of a frantic second period. In the 53rd minute, Gignac took a long ball out of the air and hit it on the volley, forcing another stop by Gallese. Jansson then got just a touch on a cross that surely would have been a goal had he not flicked it through the legs of Nicolas Ibanez.

The Peruvian international then had to get a touch on a Gorriaran corner kick to push it off the crossbar in the 55th minute. He made a bigger stop two minutes later. After a turnover that appeared to come off a Tigres hand, the ball was crossed in to center back Samir, who made a run up the field. Gallese fought off the point-blank header.

Orlando had a brief spell of good play after the save on Samir’s shot. Ojeda stole the ball in the attacking third and sent a hard, low shot toward goal. Nahuel Guzman got down to make the save in the 58th minute. Moments later, a shot from outside the area forced a comfortable save from Guzman.

Gaston Gonzalez subbed on for Angulo in the 62nd minute and two minutes later he had a chance to change the game. Ojeda got the ball at the top of the area and waited for support. He slipped the ball left to Gonzalez, who fired first touch but sent his shot over the bar. Had he slipped the ball across the box, Torres likely would have had a tap-in.

Gignac got his head to a corner kick in the 68th and smashed it toward goal but it stayed high. Ten minutes later, Gallese again denied Gignac, and then he stoned Sebastián Córdova seconds later.

In the 87th minute, a mistake by Guzman nearly gifted Orlando City a go-ahead goal. The Tigres goalkeeper came out of his box and had the ball knocked away by Ojeda. While running toward the sideline, and with the net wide open and undefended, the Lions’ Designated Player tried to chip a shot back toward goal but he couldn’t get it on target.

Tigres again found the woodwork in the 88th minute. Guido Pizarro’s header off of Cordova’s corner kick cross crashed into the right post and stayed out. The hosts caught a break in the 90th minute when a soft foul was given on Schlegel near the sideline. The free kick found Samir’s head but the defender nodded wide of goal.

Orlando survived a few more entry balls and after a couple of seemingly unnecessary extra minutes of stoppage time, the final whistle brought the match to an end.

Tigres continued its dominance on the stat sheet, finishing with more possession (62%-38%), passing accuracy (84.9%-75.1%), shots (22-9), shots on target (8-3), and corners (5-1).

Ultimately, it was a fantastic performance by Gallese — and, for the most part, by the Orlando defense.

“I think Pedro deserves all the praise on the way he played today,” Pareja said. “But the collective effort of the players, the courage, the discipline, just keeping us in the game — and not just defending but some possibilities during the game that we could probably score as well against a good rival.”

El Pulpo was named Player of the Match.

“Just having this result here in Monterrey is just creating an illusion to go there and advance in the series,” Pareja said. “It’s a game that lasts 180 minutes. And we’ll see. We’ll see, but we are very optimistic. We already fought a good battle here and we’re going back home.”

The Lions have a quick turnaround with Saturday’s road trip to D.C. United. Tigres will make the return trip to Exploria Stadium next Wednesday.

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. FC Cincinnati: Three Keys to Victory

What does Orlando City need to do to ensure a victory over FC Cincinnati Saturday at home?

Published

18 hours ago

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May 2, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City looks to bounce back from the disappointing 2-1 loss to Toronto FC Saturday night at Inter&Co Stadium. Cincinnati has twice as many points as Orlando City and more than twice as many wins. FCC has only scored one more goal than Orlando City, but with only nine goals conceded compared to Orlando City’s 17, it’s easy to see why Cincinnati is sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference.

What I’m trying to say is that the task doesn’t get any easier this weekend. What does Orlando City need to do to secure all three points at home against FC Cincinnati?

Accost Acosta

Cincinnati’s attack revolves around Luciano Acosta. The attacking midfielder has four goals and five assists so far this season. To put that into perspective, Duncan McGuire — Orlando City’s leading scorer — also has four goals but only one assist. If we look at the Lions’ attacking midfielders, Facundo Torres has one goal and one assist, Ivan Angulo and Nico Lodeiro both have one goal and two assists, and Martin Ojeda has zero goals and only one assist. Luis Muriel is still at double zeroes.

The defensive midfield and the back line must do everything possible to mark him out of the match. It’s not enough to keep him from scoring, they must also keep him from setting up chances for his teammates. Most importantly, the defense must do that for 90 minutes plus stoppage time. There is no room for the mental lapses we’ve seen throughout the first part of this season.

Break Through

Cincinnati is stingy on defense. As I mentioned above, the club has only allowed nine goals this season. The back line is formidable with the likes of Matt Miazga, Miles Robinson, and Ian Murphy. On the wings are DeAndre Yedlin and Luca Orellano. This is a tough defense, and whether it is McGuire or Muriel who gets the start, they must find the spaces in between.

Just as importantly, Torres, Angulo, Ojeda, and Lodeiro — depending on who is in at any given moment — must be able to thread the passes in for McGuire, Muriel, or each other to create quality chances. On top of that, the Lions must convert on those chances, which is not something that has been a strength so far this season. If the Orlando City defense continues to give up cheap goals, then the offense will need to one-up the competition when it comes to scoring.

Deal with an Unknown

FC Cincinnati recently signed Venezuelan forward Kevin Kelsy from Ukrainian Premier League club Shakhtar Donetsk. Kelsy comes in as an MLS U22 Initiative player and is eligible to play against Orlando City. Even though Kelsy is only 19, he has 68 professional appearances, including UEFA Champions Leagues matches. At 6-foot-3, he can be a challenge for defenders, especially in the air.

Kelsy hasn’t had much time with the team, but he could be a second-half substitution for Cincinnati. Given that Orlando City just gave up two late headers against Toronto FC, the back line will need to be careful that Kelsy doesn’t hurt the Lions in the same manner — especially if he comes on late when legs and minds are tired.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/2/24

The Pride win big, OCSC celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month, USMNT news, and more.

Published

22 hours ago

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May 2, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

It’s Thursday, Mane Landers. Of course, the name Thursday comes from Thor’s day, and as such, it isn’t a big leap for us to consider it Thorhallsson’s day. Though I suppose that is a bit of a mouthful, so we’ll just keep things the way they are, but do hold Dagur Dan close to your heart today. Also, let us wish a happy birthday to the Orlando Pride’s Luana. Despite the devastating news that dropped about her health earlier this week, we hope that her spirits are high and we wish her nothing but happiness today. It’s also Dagur Dan Thorhallsson’s birthday today, so we’re celebrating him as well. Let’s get to the links.

The Pride Dominate the Courage

The Orlando Pride defeated the North Carolina Courage 4-1 in a midweek match at Inter&Co Stadium. The Pride did indeed dominate the Courage as much as the score line indicates. It was once again the Barbra Banda show, with the Pride’s newest player contributing a brace and an assist on the night. It is the Pride’s fourth straight victory and the undefeated run continues.

OCSC Celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month

Orlando City and the Orlando Pride are doing their part this May to observe Mental Health Awareness Month. The club is sponsoring and attending events and forums available to the general public, as well as holding club staff workshops around promoting mental health. I have to say my favorite is the therapy dogs visits that will be available to the staff. There’s nothing as good for my personal mental health as the joy and unconditional love a dog can bring. If I didn’t have dogs of my own, I’d be really jealous.

The Billionaires Clubs

Orlando City and Orlando Pride owners, the Wilf family, are not the only billionaire owners in the NWSL. There are more and more owners and ownership groups that fall into that category. The influx of more money is a growth opportunity for the league and potentially for those owners. It’s a bit of a “rising tide lifts all boats” mentality for these owners as they do better when the league as a whole does better. It’s not just the owners who think so. The NWSL was ranked No. 5 on the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2024. I’m just glad the Pride are in the club.

USMNT News

I hate starting off a section with bad news, but Sergino Dest tore his ACL in training with PSV Eindhoven and will miss the Copa America. Dest will require surgery though there is no time frame yet for when he may return. The loss of Dest is a blow to the U.S. defense heading into the competition this coming June. The USMNT plays Bolivia on June 23.

In better news, Tim Weah provided the assist for Juventus on Arkadiusz Milik’s goal against Lazio. Juventus entered the second leg of the Copa Italia semifinal up 2-0, but Lazio drew level before Milik’s goal. Juventus advanced 3-2 on aggregate and will play in the final.

Free Kicks

That will do it for today. There’s plenty more soccer to come this weekend with all three teams playing. Check back for more as we get you ready for those matches. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/1/24

Mason Stajduhar was arrested, Orlando Pride play at home tonight, Colin Guske discusses his signing, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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May 1, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday and welcome to May, Mane Landers. Don’t forget that the undefeated Orlando Pride are in action tonight, so check back for our match preview and the latest episode of SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride PawedCast for additional pre-match coverage. In the meantime, let’s get to the links.

Mason Stajduhar Arrested Early Sunday

Orlando City goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar and his wife Tatiana Stajduhar were both arrested on disorderly conduct charges following an incident at a nightclub overnight Saturday in the early hours of Sunday morning. The couple were reportedly disrespectful to the club’s staff and got into an altercation with the security guards. Mason stated he was only resisting the security guards to re-enter the club because the bouncers allegedly hit his wife. Tatiana allegedly pushed the police officers after they arrived, and she was not charged with battery on a law enforcement officer. The couple were released Monday after posting a bond. Orlando City provided the following statement to WESH 2 News:

“The Club is aware that goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar was arrested early Sunday morning. We are currently gathering more information and will have no further comment at this time.”

Orlando Pride Host the North Carolina Courage Tonight

After a 3-2 win on the road last Friday against the Washington Spirit, the Orlando Pride are back in the City Beautiful and will take on the North Carolina Courage tonight. Unbeaten in their six games so far this season, the Pride have also won their past three games and sit fourth in the standings. They’re tied on points with a Courage team that beat the Seattle Reign Saturday. Orlando has scored at least one goal in every match this season. Forward Barbra Banda had a great performance in that win against the Spirit, so hopefully the scoring trend continues tonight for the Pride.

Orlando City/Pride Earn Golden Brick Awards

Have you enjoyed the new food options at the stadium? I know I have, and I’m looking forward to trying even more. The efforts made by Orlando City’s front office to feature more local food and beverage options did not go unnoticed, as the club won the Hospitality & Dining category in the Downtown Orlando Partnership’s 2023 Golden Brick Awards. The Orlando Pride’s 2023 Highway Woman Kit also won the award in the Arts & Culture category. The home jersey was inspired by the work of Mary Ann Carroll, the sole woman in the famed Highwaymen artists from decades ago.

Colin Guske Speaks On Signing First Pro Contract

Orlando City Development Academy player Colin Guske signed his first professional contract with the club last month and spoke on the importance of this moment in his career. The 17-year-old is now on an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Orlando City B, and he has started in nearly every game for the Young Lions this year. Both of Guske’s brothers have also played for Orlando City’s academy over the years, and he thanked his family for helping him reach this point.

“It’s awesome to represent the Guskes,” Colin said. “Thanks to my brothers for always pushing me through early mornings and late nights, always putting in the work, doing video sessions, everything. My sister as well, for always being there for me and my parents, too. They’re always helping me and what was the best for me.”

Free Kicks

  • Enjoy all of the sights and sounds from the Pride’s big win over the Spirit in the nation’s capital.
  • The Champions League semifinals are underway and Real Madrid and Bayern Munich played to a 2-2 draw in Germany. The second leg will take place on May 8 in Madrid.

That will do it for today. If you can make it out to the stadium tonight to catch the Pride in action, I strongly suggest you do so. Barbra Banda is about to take the NWSL by storm and you’ll want to see it in person. Vamos Orlando!

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