Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Philadelphia Union: Final Score 2-1 as Lions Snap Philly’s Long Home Unbeaten Streak
Martin Ojeda scored a goal and set up Ivan Angulo for another inside the first nine minutes of the match and Orlando City held on for a 2-1 win at Subaru Park in Chester, PA. The Lions (2-1-2, 8 points) played a brilliant, counter-attacking game plan to perfection and should have scored a few more goals to make the outcome more comfortable after former Lion Andres Perea pulled one back for the hosts.
With the victory, the Lions handed the Union (2-3-0, 6 points) their first home loss since a 1-0 decision to the New England Revolution on Sept. 3, 2021 — that’s a span of 24 straight matches without a defeat (19-0-5) that came screeching to a halt tonight.
“I think the first half we controlled the game,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “Not just in transition but in the middle of the field. I think we were much better there.”
Pareja’s lineup was missing its international players, so Mason Stajduhar started in goal — his second career start in Philadelphia — behind a back line of Luca Petrasso, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Kyle Smith. Cesar Araujo and Felipe started in the central midfield behind an attacking line of Ivan Angulo, Mauricio Pereyra, and Martin Ojeda, with Ramiro Enrique up top. It was Felipe’s first start for Orlando City. Ercan Kara (thigh), who was listed as questionable, was not on the bench.
Orlando City had a dream start, opening the scoring in just the second minute. Enrique knocked down a Stajduhar long ball over the top to Pereyra in the middle of the field. The captain’s first touch was a lofted ball over the back line that checked up nicely for a streaking Ojeda. The Designated Player smashed his shot past goalkeeper Joe Bendik to open the scoring.
Seven minutes later, Ojeda set up a goal, slipping Angulo behind the defense. The Colombian slotted past Bendik for his first MLS goal, doubling the lead in just the ninth minute.
“Important to score early in the game,” Pareja said. “That just gave us confidence, for sure against a rival that is very strong at home. We know about their verticality and their volume going forward but being as (we were) leading the score and having consecutive goals — that for sure just gave us confidence during the game. That was very important for us.”
“Every single day this week, we knew exactly where we want to attack the way we want to attack,” Felipe said. “I think the most beautiful thing tonight is that we won in the way that we trained, in the way that we planned for this game. We were able to find the pockets and our moments in behind the synchronizing was very good. Our front four had an amazing game.”
Although both teams were missing key attacking players, Philadelphia’s excellent back line was completely intact for this match. The Lions simply pulled them apart at times. Orlando’s front four attackers — Enrique, Angulo, Pereyra, and Ojeda — played their best match of the season.
Smith had a difficult first half, and that began in the 13th minute, when he unnecessarily conceded a corner kick. Just after that, a silly foul near the corner flag gave the Union a free kick. Orlando was able to deal with both set pieces without damage but the Union started to gather momentum from the sustained pressure.
The bad half continued in the 17th minute when Smith was defending former Lion Perea on a routine cross. Smith got destroyed on the aerial ball and Perea’s initial shot came right back to him off the upright. He put the second chance home to pull one back for Philadelphia.
Perea played with a great deal of determination and showed a side of himself he never did while with the Lions, perhaps wanting to make his old team pay for trading him. Regardless of the reasons, it was a Perea Orlando fans never got to see.
Stajduhar made a mess of a goal kick in the 23rd minute, sending it right to Mikael Uhre. The Philadelphia striker got a shot off from just outside the area but it was right at the goalkeeper.
Ojeda sent a shot from distance high and then had a shot blocked as the Lions continued to look for counter opportunities. Felipe set up the latter with a great read of the play, stealing a pass and starting the break.
A nice buildup down the right in the 31st went awry when Smith sent his low cross straight to Bendik.
Stajduhar made a key save in the 37th minute on a set piece try from Jack Elliott after a questionable handball call gave the Union a free kick in a dangerous spot just outside the area.
Schlegel cleared the ensuing corner and the Lions went on the counter but Angulo made a mess of the final pass and Pereyra ended up with the ball but his shot was blocked.
Smith conceded a dangerous free kick just outside the box, straight out from goal, in the 44th minute with a silly challenge on Perea and it nearly cost Orlando.
Philadelphia worked a training ground short free kick to Perea down the left. Stajduhar caught onto it just before the kick was taken and called it out to his teammates but they were slow to react and Perea fired into outside netting from a severe angle.
Philadelphia held a slim edge in possession (51.2%-48.8%), corners (2-1), and shots on target (3-2) and a big lead in shot attempts (12-5) in the opening half. Orlando passed slightly more accurately (71.9%-70%), but neither team was clinical in that area.
Although neither side scored in the second half, there were plenty of chances both ways. The first chance came seconds after the restart. Joaquin Torres’ header either went straight off the post or Stajduhar got a touch on it but either way, the Union came within inches of tying the match just after the second-half whistle.
Ojeda tried a cheeky spinning volley in the 55th minute but it bounced in weakly for Bendik to collect. Three minutes later, Ojeda broke into the box on the right but his shot attempt was blocked by Olivier Mbaizo.
Torres blasted a shot in the 59th toward Stajduhar’s goal but the rising shot fizzed over the bar.
The Lions lacked the final bit of precision throughout the second half, preventing them from building on their lead. Ojeda’s pass in the box was intercepted in the 60th minute and just seconds later, Angulo was sent in down the left side but his shot went just wide of the right post. It appeared on the replay that Bendik got a fingertip to it but referee Allen Chapman signaled for a goal kick. Another chance went wanting in the 63rd minute when another poor pass in the final third from Smith was knocked aside by Jakob Glesnes.
Philly got back on the front foot after that and Glesnes blasted a knuckling shot from long range that Stajduhar could only fight off with a punch.
Uhre sent a header well wide of the right post from the top of the area in the 68th minute as the Union kept coming. Kai Wagner smashed a laser shot just over the bar on a solid volley attempt in the 74th minute.
A minute later, Stajduhar made a massive save, getting a hand up to knock Alejandro Bedoya’s point-blank header over the bar.
Bedoya then sent a shot wide on the ensuing corner kick.
Pareja sent Carlos on for his first minutes of the season, going to a five-man back line. Petrasso came off for the Brazilian and Smith moved to the left side, with Schlegel sliding to the right. Ojeda played deeper on the right side after the change.
The Lions had some excellent chances to put the game away in the late stages. McGuire unselfishly slid a centering pass across for Ojeda in the 87th minute but the Designated Player’s point-blank shot was right at Bendik, who gave no rebound with three Orlando players nearby.
In the 90th minute, Matthew Real’s header from around the penalty spot sailed wide, and moments later Perea sent a one-time shot right at Stajduhar for the easy save.
Ojeda missed another opportunity to put the game away in stoppage time and seconds later, substitute Dagur Dan Thorhallsson sent a shot from the right side just wide of the left post.
The last half-chance of the game fell to defender Jack Elliott in front of Orlando’s goal but he was surrounded and his shot was deflected, bouncing harmlessly off to the side for Stajduhar to collect.
The Lions were able to see out the final seconds and claim their first road win of 2023.
Orlando City held the edge in possession (52.6%-47.4%) and passing accuracy (76.2%-71.8%), while the Union had a lopsided advantage in shots (26-12), but just a slight lead in shots on target (6-4). The hosts also won more corners (7-4).
“Second half, knowing that we were leading the game and Philadelphia pushed ahead their structure and started getting more players forward, we understand that those spaces were going to be created. Not easy to sustain it with that pressure but we found ways. We could have scored two, three goals more in the second half also, so the match was very well played by the players.”
“We train for those moments where we are going to suffer and stick together, and this is just what we train every day,” Felipe said. “We know in difficult times we’re going to stick together and suffer, and that’s exactly what we did today.”
The Lions return home next Saturday to host Nashville SC at 7:30 p.m. at Exploria Stadium.
Orlando City
Orlando City Can Build Valuable Momentum in April
The last two games of April present a good chance for the Lions to keep building momentum ahead of a challenging May.
Orlando City got back to winning ways last Saturday and started a mini-undefeated streak in the process, as the Lions have now gone three games on the bounce without tasting defeat. OCSC has two more games to play during the month of April, and the scheduling gods have given the men in purple a chance to keep building on the recent run of good form, as a tricky and packed May schedule looms on the horizon. The last two April fixtures won’t be easy by any stretch, but an opportunity has presented itself if the Lions can play well and take advantage of it.
First, let’s turn our attention to Saturday’s game against CF Montreal up in Canada. Montreal currently has a record of 3-3-1 which is good for 10 points and eighth place in the Eastern Conference. These two teams faced each other in the very first game of the season, and it ended as a 0-0 draw, thanks largely in part to some shaky finishing on Orlando’s part and a couple excellent Pedro Gallese saves. Since then, Montreal has defeated a struggling FC Dallas team, an Inter Miami team that has looked equal parts unbeatable and extremely vulnerable at the back, and an FC Cincinnati side that so far has struggled to replace the goals of Brandon Vazquez. In other words, the wins haven’t come over bad teams, (aside from maybe Dallas) but rather teams that have had flawed, uneven starts to the season.
To be fair, many of the same criticisms could be leveled at Orlando City’s record. OCSC’s wins have come against Austin FC and D.C. United — two teams with leaky defenses that have each had uneven starts to the season — and the Lions have suffered losses that have ranged from uninspiring against Atlanta, to abhorrent against Miami. Where the two teams differ is that Orlando started the year battling on two fronts and then had key players missing through a combination of injury and international call-ups afterward. The Lions now have a nearly clean bill of health and looked much more cohesive with Wilder Cartagena and Cesar Araujo partnered in midfield once more — a welcome sight after some of the struggles that were endured when one or both were missing at various times.
The Canadian side also hasn’t kept a clean sheet since that opening game of the season against the Lions, a fact that could bode well for an Orlando side which has scored six goals in its last three games. As long as the defense can tighten up and not make the sorts of mental errors that led to goals against D.C. and the New York Red Bulls, there will be opportunities at the other end of the field for an attacking corps that has done a better job at putting the ball in the net than we saw during the first game of the season. In short, the game is a winnable one, and while getting road results in MLS is never easy, OCSC should feel reasonably confident about its chances to get points on its trip north of the border.
That leaves Toronto FC’s visit to the Purple Palace on Saturday, April 27. The Reds currently sit one spot below CF Montreal, in ninth place, with a record of 3-4-1 and 10 points. TFC’s victories have been over a New England team that has been struggling mightily, a Charlotte FC side that has had a decent but slightly inconsistent start to the year, and an Atlanta United outfit that can have the same said of it as Charlotte. The wins have all been solid ones, and the team looked pretty good in those three games.
On the flip side of things, the last of those wins came on March 23, with Toronto dropping its last three games in a row and conceding 10 goals in the process. They’ve got the second leakiest defense of any of the nine teams in the playoff places, while being tied with Cincinnati for scoring the fewest goals.
Then there’s the issue of player availability. The Reds’ injury list is a long one, with six players currently listed as out and an additional one as questionable. Among those listed out are Lorenzo Insigne, Richie Laryea, Brandon Servania, and Shane O’Neill. In other words, they’re likely to be missing guys that are key contributors for the team when healthy, and part of the recent losing streak can be attributed to dealing with the injury bug that’s bit the team with a vengeance. Playing on the road without a number of important key players is rarely a recipe for success, and Orlando City should have another good chance to pick up three points.
Now, this isn’t to say that taking all six points from these games is a foregone conclusion. MLS is a tricky league to get results in, and we have no way of knowing how the fortunes of Orlando, Montreal, and Toronto will change in the next eight days. But given the leaky defenses of the two Canadian sides, TFC’s injury situation, and Orlando City seemingly starting to find a better patch of form, the Lions have an opportunity to keep picking up points and climbing the Eastern Conference standings. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/19/24
Orlando Pride host the San Diego Wave, Orlando City B faces Crown Legacy FC, Europa League action, and more.
Happy Friday! Make sure to get your night plans in order as both the Orlando Pride and Orlando City B have games tonight. Figure out your drink of choice, charge those devices if you don’t plan on heading to the stadium for the Pride game, and knock out any chores before things get rolling. It should be a fun day, so let’s get it started with some links!
Orlando Pride Host the San Diego Wave Tonight
After earning their first win last week in Utah, the Orlando Pride are back in the City Beautiful for tonight’s game against the San Diego Wave at 8 p.m. The Pride’s four-game unbeaten run is on the line and will be put to the test against a Wave team that has four points from three games. San Diego has only scored two goals this season, but it has also secured a pair of clean sheets so far. The biggest storyline heading into the match is whether or not Barbra Banda will make her Pride debut. Hopefully Orlando can light it up at home and keep former Pride forward Alex Morgan and the rest of the Wave’s offense in check.
Orlando City B Takes On Crown Legacy FC
The Young Lions are also in action tonight at 7:30 p.m., with a match against Crown Legacy FC in North Carolina. Crown Legacy is only a point behind OCB, but is still searching for its first win of this MLS NEXT Pro season. OCB has played every game away from the Orlando area so far and ground out a 1-1 draw against Philadelphia Union II last weekend. Orlando hasn’t won a game since its season opener on March 16, but has been proven capable of getting points on the road. Wilfredo Rivera and Yutaro Tsukada linked up for the equalizer in that match, so hopefully they can keep that momentum rolling into tonight’s game.
Americans to Watch This Weekend
European soccer seasons and tournaments are nearing their ends and there are many Americans in important games this weekend. Haji Wright’s heroics put Coventry City into the FA Cup semifinals, and he will have a chance to impress again on Sunday against Manchester United. Elsewhere in England, Fulham duo Antonee Robinson and Tim Ream could put a dent in Liverpool’s title hopes, while Nottingham Forest’s Matt Turner and Giovanni Reyna will square off against Everton, as both sides aim to avoid relegation. Over in Italy, AC Milan duo Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah will try to stop Inter Milan from claiming the Serie A title in a rivalry match at San Siro. There’s also a showdown between Americans in the Scottish Cup semifinals, with Celtic’s Cameron Carter-Vickers going up against Aberdeen and Dante Polvara.
Europa League Quarterfinals Come to a Close
The Europa League quarterfinals are done and dusted and only four teams remain in contention for some silverware. West Ham United took the lead against Bayer Leverkusen, but couldn’t overcome the aggregate deficit and the German club advanced. Leverkusen also scored a late equalizer to make it a 1-1 draw and extend its unbeaten streak to 44 games. Marseille scored at home against Benfica to send the game to extra time and then won the eventual penalty shootout. Atalanta did enough in a 1-0 loss to Liverpool to advance on aggregate, with Liverpool’s lone goal coming from an early Mohamed Salah penalty kick. AS Roma is also through to the semifinals after a 2-1 win against AC Milan, despite a red card in the first half. In the semifinals, Marseille will face Atalanta and Leverkusen will take on Roma.
Free Kicks
- Houston Dynamo Head Coach Ben Olsen has agreed to a new contract that will keep him with the club through 2026. Olsen has quietly dragged the Dynamo out of the Western Conference’s basement and won last year’s U.S. Open Cup as well.
- New York Red Bulls defender Andres Reyes was suspended an additional match for violent conduct in the team’s match against the Chicago Fire. This means Reyes will miss tomorrow’s match against LAFC and the home game against the Vancouver Whitecaps on April 27.
- American left back Jorge Villafana is hanging up his cleats. He won the MLS Cup with the Portland Timbers back in 2015 and the Concacaf Gold Cup with the U.S. in 2017.
- Replays won’t be a part of the FA Cup for the next six years. This will ease some of the schedule congestion for English Premier League teams, but it denies lower-division sides the chance at more revenue.
- The folks over at Stars and Stripes FC shined a spotlight on forward Jubilo Iwata, who currently leads Japan’s J1 League in scoring after eight games. It’s always cool to learn more about some of the lesser-known players in the U.S. player pool.
- An NFL game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers will be played in Brazil at Corinthians Arena. However, there’s an unofficial rule at the stadium that green can’t be worn, as it is the color of Corinthians rival, so we’ll see if that’s adhered to come September.
- Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird’s production company will adapt Cleat Cute, a romance novel by Meryl Wilsner about love between teammates on a women’s soccer team. As someone who’s read it and loved it, I’m pretty excited for the show to say the least.
That’s all I have for you today. Stay hydrated and enjoy the games today. Go Orlando!
Orlando City
Orlando City at CF Montreal: Three Keys to Victory
What does Orlando City need to do on the road against CF Montreal to take home all three points ?
Orlando City opened the season against CF Montreal, playing to a 0-0 draw at Inter&Co Stadium back in February. Now, the Lions head to the Great White North to play the pesky Canadian club again. There’s no Concacaf Champions Cup competition to worry about this time, so hopefully Orlando City can get a victory.
What does Orlando City need to do to follow up the D.C. United victory with another win?
Just Say No
Outscoring your opponents while giving up two goals is all well and good, but outscoring your opponents while also keeping a clean sheet is much better. Orlando City has given up 13 goals over seven matches. It’s actually worse than that considering that the club has two clean sheets meaning those 13 goals came in just five matches. The Lions need to do better at not conceding goals.
Of course, one of those clean sheets came against Montreal to start the season, and the entire defense is seemingly healthy and ready to go. Our old foe Josef Martinez is always a threat and Matias Coccaro has three goals for Montreal so far this season. Stopping them is crucial. If Orlando City can maintain the same defensive discipline it showed in the previous match against Montreal, it will make earning points on the road much easier.
Designated Player Goals
Orlando City has scored seven goals so far this season. Duncan McGuire leads the team with three goals, thanks to his goal last week. Do you know who hasn’t scored yet? If you said any of Orlando City’s Designated Players, you would be correct. I’m not going to ring any emergency bells just yet, but it’d be a lot cooler if Luis Muriel, Martin Ojeda, or Facundo Torres scored a goal this week.
I think they are all close to breaking out. Torres has scored this year, just not in the MLS regular season. Muriel has been getting closer each match, and is still contributing in other ways. The same can be said of Ojeda. My point is that the goals are coming. Perhaps a trip to another country is exactly what they need to get off the mark.
The Battle on the Wings
Orlando City will be playing against former Lion Ruan. He lines up on the right for Montreal and will be a challenge for either Rafael Santos or Kyle Smith, depending on who gets the start. Of course, if Ivan Angulo is playing in his usual role on the left side of Orlando City’s attack, there could be some interesting races between the two speedy players.
I think that the other side of the field is where the match might be won or lost. Since Orlando City fell out of the Concacaf Champions Cup, the team has been on a more regular schedule. That has allowed Dagur Dan Thorhallsson to regain his form in the right fullback position for the Lions. He scored a goal last week, has an assist on the season, four crosses, and 10 key passes. He is an integral part of Orlando City’s attack and if he can win the battles against Raheem Edwards and Joaquin Sosa on the right side of Montreal’s lineup, he could have another big night.
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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