Connect with us

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Philadelphia Union: Final Score 2-1 as Lions Snap Philly’s Long Home Unbeaten Streak

Published

3 years ago

on

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

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.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. New England Revolution, 2026 U.S. Open Cup: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Lions head to Rhode Island looking to advance in the U.S. Open Cup against the Revs.

Published

18 minutes ago

on

April 29, 2026

By

Image of Martin Ojeda celebrating a goal against New England.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to your match thread for a Wednesday night U.S. Open Cup matchup between Orlando City and the New England Revolution at Centreville Bank Stadium in Pawtucket, RI (7:30 p.m., Paramount+). This is the first meeting between the two MLS Eastern Conference rivals this season, with two scheduled league matches still left to play in 2026.

Here’s what you need to know for the match.

History

The Lions are 6-7-8 in the regular-season series against New England and 7-8-8 in all competitions. On the road, Orlando City is just 2-6-2 against the Revs, with all of those prior meetings coming in the MLS regular season. Orlando City has faced the Revolution once before in U.S. Open Cup play, winning that prior meeting (more on that below).

The most recent meeting between the teams was also in New England, but it was at Gillette Stadium, the Revs’ usual home. Martin Ojeda’s brace led the Lions to a 2-1 victory on July 19, 2025 — just the team’s second road win in the series. Thomas Chancalay scored for New England.

The first match between the sides last year was a wild 3-3 draw in Orlando on May 10. The Lions squandered two leads in that match, including a 2-0 advantage. Ojeda scored Orlando’s first hat trick since 2015 in that game, but those three goals were offset by strikes by Alhassan Yusuf, Matt Polster, and Carles Gil. One of Ojeda’s goals and Gil’s strike were penalties.

Prior to that, the teams met on Sept. 14, 2024, with the Lions completing their first-ever sweep of the Revs with a 3-0 win. Rafael Santos, Facundo Torres (from the penalty spot), and Duncan McGuire provided the offense in a dominant performance. The teams also met on July 13 at Gillette Stadium that year, where the Lions won for the first time, handing the Revs a 3-1 home loss. Torres’ brace led the way to an Orlando comeback, with Ramiro Enrique also scoring to overturn an early 1-0 deficit provided by Giacomo Vrioni.

The teams met in Orlando on Oct. 7, 2023, with the Lions winning 3-2 in a game that wasn’t as close as the score indicates. Orlando City clinched second in the Eastern Conference as McGuire and Torres built a 2-0 lead. Pedro Gallese gave up a soft goal from distance to Gil, but Ivan Angulo pulled that one back three minutes later. Gil added a second goal deep in stoppage time to improve the result cosmetically.

New England got the better of the Lions in the previous matchup of the 2023 season, winning 3-1 at Gillette Stadium on June 17. After a scoreless first half, the Revs went up by two with goals from Emmanuel Boateng and Gustavo Bou 18 minutes apart. McGuire pulled one back late, but Gil scored the dagger five minutes later.

These teams met at Exploria Stadium on Aug. 6, 2022, and the previously struggling Revolution whipped Orlando City, 3-0. New England got goals from unlikely sources, as central midfielders Polster and Wilfrid Kaptoum and center back Henry Kessler provided the offense. The teams met at Gillette Stadium on June 15 of that year, and the Revs went ahead on a Gil goal, but the Lions pulled that back with a Robin Jansson strike en route to a 1-1 road draw.

New England went unbeaten in the 2021 season series. The teams played to a 2-2 draw at Exploria Stadium on Oct. 24, 2021. The Lions built a 2-0 lead through goals by Nani and Daryl Dike, but two late Adam Buksa goals allowed the Revs to steal a point. The teams met at Gillette Stadium just over a month prior to that draw in Orlando, with Nani’s missed penalty a costly one in a 2-1 Revs home win. The Revolution jumped out to a 2-0 lead on a goal by Buksa and an own goal off of Rodrigo Schlegel. Dike pulled one back for the Lions and later won a penalty, but Nani’s attempt to go down the middle was read at the last second by Matt Turner, who got his shoulder to it to preserve the lead.

The Revolution ended the Lions’ season at Exploria Stadium in the 2020 playoffs, knocking Orlando City out of MLS Cup contention in the conference semifinal round on Nov. 29, 2020. That 3-1 win by the Revs was the first road win for either side in the series in any competition. Gil put the Revs up early from the penalty spot after a call against Uri Rosell, and Bou doubled the lead eight minutes later, finishing a play that started with a Nani turnover. Junior Urso pulled a goal back before the halftime whistle, but Mauricio Pereyra was sent off for a studs-up challenge on Polster at the hour mark. Still, Nani had a chance to equalize from the spot, but a poor penalty was saved by Turner. Bou added a late insurance goal.

In the final year of the pre-pandemic times, the Revs went 1-0-1 in the season series. The Lions and Revolution met at Exploria Stadium on Sept. 14, 2019, with Orlando overcoming a Tesho Akindele own goal and two deficits — the second by two goals — and rallying for a 3-3 draw. Shortly after Akindele’s own goal opened the scoring, Nani tied things up. Cristian Penilla and Bou scored goals five minutes apart just before halftime to seemingly give the visitors control. But Dom Dwyer pulled one back after the restart and Nani tied it up.

The teams also met at Gillette Stadium in 2019 on July 27, and the Revs put the Lions on full blast, 4-1. Bou scored within the first two minutes of the game, and the Revolution got goals from Penilla, Gil, and Diego Fagundez. Akindele scored to avoid the shutout.

The teams also met at Exploria Stadium in U.S. Open Cup action that year on June 19, with the Lions scoring twice in a 30-minute extra time session and holding on for a 2-1 victory. Benji Michel and Akindele staked Orlando to a 2-0 lead before Justin Rennicks pulled one back off a Gil back-post cross. City was able to see the game out.

The last meeting of 2018 saw the Revs top a depleted Orlando side, 2-0 in Gillette Stadium on Oct. 13. In the first matchup of 2018, the teams combined for six goals in a 3-3 draw at Orlando City Stadium on Aug. 4.

Orlando City and New England split the season series in 2017. City completed a 6-1 demolition of 10-man New England at home Sept. 27, 2017. New England won at Gillette Stadium that year by a 4-0 count.

The Lions went 1-0-2 in the series in 2016, winning 3-1 at home on July 31. The teams played a controversial 2-2 draw in Orlando on April 17, 2016. The second 2016 meeting reached the same final score on April 30 in New England.

The teams met twice in 2015, with Orlando City rallying from a 2-0 deficit in the final 17 minutes to draw 2-2 at the Citrus Bowl in April. The Sept. 5 rematch at Gillette Stadium didn’t go as well, with New England taking a 3-0 win. Fagundez, Agudelo and Chris Tierney scored for the Revolution.

Overview

Orlando City is coming off a road loss at D.C. United on Saturday. The Lions came from behind to take a 2-1 second-half lead, but then Orlando melted down in the final six minutes, allowing two goals to throw away all three points. City’s only win away from home this season came in the team’s 1-0 round-of-32 U.S. Open Cup match at FC Naples on April 15, but that was far from easy as the USL League One side dominated the game’s final 30 minutes.

The Lions are 19-11-5 all-time in the U.S. Open Cup, 11-7-5 since becoming an MLS side. Away from Orlando, the Lions are 8-6-2 in the U.S. Open Cup, 5-2-2 since joining Major League Soccer.

The Revolution are coming off a 1-1 draw at Inter Miami over the weekend, with Gil scoring for New England. The Revs are 4-0-2 in their last six matches in all competitions and reached this round of the U.S. Open Cup by outlasting USL Championship side Rhode Island FC in penalties after a 1-1 draw on April 14. Fagundez scored shortly after halftime, but Rhode Island’s J.J. Williams equalized in the 11th minute of stoppage time to send the match to extra time and, ultimately, spot kicks.

It seems a bit of a flex for the Revs to return to Rhode Island FC’s stadium to host its round-of-16 match, but they earned the right, so fair play to New England.

“Of course it’s different playing in the U.S. Open Cup, or in every match that is do or die, win or go home,” Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman said ahead of the match. “It’s a different context that changes the game, but we have experience in these kinds of competitions and we’re ready for it. We like to compete, we are competitors, so we’re happy and excited.”

Match Content

Projected Lineups

Orlando City (4-4-2)

Goalkeeper: Javier Otero.

Defenders: Adrian Marin, Robin Jansson, Iago, Zakaria Taifi.

Midfielders: Ivan Angulo, Colin Guske, Braian Ojeda, Tiago.

Forwards: Tyrese Spicer, Justin Ellis.

New England Revolution (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: Matt Turner.

Defenders: Will Sands, Mamadou Fofana, Ethan Kohler, Ilay Feingold.

Midfielders: Alhassan Yusuf, Carles Gil, Brooklyn Raines.

Forwards: Peyton Miller, Dor Turgeman, Griffin Yow.

How to Watch

Match Time: 7:30 p.m.

Venue: Centreville Bank Stadium — Pawtucket, RI.

TV/Live Stream: Paramount+.

Social Media: For rapid reaction and live updates, follow us on Bluesky Social at @themaneland.bsky.social or follow Orlando City’s official Twitter (@OrlandoCitySC) or Bluesky (@OrlandoCitySC) feed.

Enjoy the match. Go City!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/29/26

Orlando City plays New England tonight, the Orlando Pride are recognized, USMNT news, and more.

Published

4 hours ago

on

April 29, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s match day with Orlando City taking on the New England Revolution in the U.S. Open Cup tonight. The fixture congestion is real as this is the third match for the Lions in just eight days. I’m sure that it will be fine since Orlando City doesn’t have any injury or depth issues…err…let’s get to the links.

Orlando City’s Open Cup Continues

Orlando City is in Rhode Island to take on the New England Revolution in the next round of the U.S. Open Cup. As always, it will be interesting to see which regular starters play and which youngsters get the start, though the difference between those two is not as stark as in the past. The Lions also have a trip to play Inter Miami this weekend to consider. I don’t think it will happen, but I say go all in on the Open Cup and play Orlando City B against Miami.

Orlando Pride Earns Recognition

Zara Chavoshi is the Orlando Pride’s nominee for the Lauren Holiday Impact Award for 2026. Chavoshi’s chosen community partner is Habitat for Humanity Seminole-Apopka. Each of the 16 NWSL teams are represented with a panel of judges, including Holiday, determining the winner. In other news, the Pride are still in the top three of SI.com’s NWSL power rankings. Shockingly — I say with tongue planted firmly in cheek — Barbra Banda didn’t make CBSsports.com’s NWSL Team of the Week despite scoring a brace.

Griezmann Continues Champions League Chase

Orlando City’s next Designated Player, Antoine Griezmann, has unfinished business with current club Atletico Madrid. Griezmann and Atletico face Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League semifinals this afternoon. As much as I’m looking forward to Griezmann’s arrival in Orlando, I am also all for him winning hardware before he leaves Atletico.

USMNT News

The World Cup is just around the corner, and there are many players in MLS who will be representing their respective countries. Matt Turner is making an excellent case that he should be the first-choice keeper for the USMNT. Stepping outside of MLS, is Weston McKennie the player who the U.S. can least afford to lose heading into the World Cup? McKennie has been playing well this year for club and country. Meanwhile, Christian Pulisic has been in a bit of a slump. Hopefully, he can turn it around before the World Cup.

Free Kicks

  • Rodrigo Schlegel visited Orlando City’s training this week. I’m not saying I want him to start, but a short-term contract for depth might be nice.

🚨 Jose Mourinho preferred candidate of Florentino Perez to become next Real Madrid head coach. Support not universal inside #RMFC but president driving process so 63yo strong contender. Time-sensitive ~€3m break clause in Benfica contract 🚨@theathleticfc.bsky.socialwww.nytimes.com/athletic/723…

— David Ornstein (@david-ornstein.bsky.social) 2026-04-28T11:49:11.588Z
  • Sometimes there’s a light of hope in the dark forest that we’re travelling through. Believe.

That will do it for today. Check back for our coverage of Orlando City’s match tonight. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/28/26

Takeaways from MLS matchday 10, Americans in midweek action, Vancouver Whitecaps may be relocated, and more.

Published

1 day ago

on

April 28, 2026

By

Image of Martin Ojeda with the ball against Nashville.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone. It was a mixed bag for Orlando’s soccer teams over the weekend, as Orlando City B was the only one of the three sides to get a result. We’ve got another busy week ahead of us as Orlando City will be in action twice, the Orlando Pride face the Washington Spirit on Saturday, and OCB takes on Crown Legacy to round off the week on Sunday. We’ve got plenty to discuss today, so let’s jump into the links.

MLS Matchday 10 Lessons

Matchday 10 is officially in the books for Major League Soccer, so what did we learn from the weekend’s action? For one thing, the Vancouver Whitecaps seem to have done a very good job of reloading from the off-season losses of Ali Ahmed and Jayden Nelson. New faces Cheikh Sabaly and Bruno Caicedo have been finding their feet and both had goal involvements in Vancouver’s 3-1 win over the Colorado Rapids. Matt Turner looks to be rediscovering some of his best form as he made nine saves in the New England Revolution’s 1-1 draw with Inter Miami. New York City FC’s Matt Freese has been the frontrunner to start in goal for the United States Men’s National Team at the World Cup this summer, but based on his league performances, Turner could make a late charge.

Americans in Midweek Action

Plenty of Americans will be taking part in games during the working week, so let’s have a look at the schedule. Things get started Wednesday, when Tim Ream, Luca de la Torre, and Charlotte FC play Atlanta United in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 16. Wednesday has Johnny Cardoso and Atletico Madrid hosting Arsenal in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinals. On Thursday, Chris Richards and Crystal Palace will travel to Shakhtar Donetsk for the first leg of a UEFA Conference League semifinal. The action wraps up on Friday when Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United host Burnley in a Premier League tilt.

Relocation Possible for Vancouver Whitecaps

A special committee of MLS owners reportedly met earlier in April to discuss the potential relocation of the Vancouver Whitecaps. Specifically, Las Vegas is said to have been the primary relocation option discussed at the meeting. It’s been two decades since a team was relocated, as the last franchise to move were the San Jose Earthquakes, who went to Houston and became the Dynamo before being replaced with another San Jose expansion team two years later. Other cities said to be interested in landing a team include Phoenix, Indianapolis, and Sacramento, with Phoenix reportedly one of the main candidates being considered for relocation alongside Vegas. In the meantime, the Whitecaps remain up for sale while the team tries to find an in-market stadium solution, as the team’s lease with BC Place expires at the end of the year.

High Profile Injuries Continue

The 2025-2026 European season has seen a number of high profile injuries, and that’s a trend that unfortunately continued over the weekend. Xavi Simons suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during Tottenham Hotspur’s 1-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, and he will undergo surgery that will sideline him for a significant amount of time. Real Madrid confirmed on Monday that Kylian Mbappe has a left hamstring injury, and he could reportedly miss the May 10 Clasico match against Barcelona as well as the rest of the La Liga season. AC Milan midfielder Luka Modric fractured his left cheekbone in the team’s 0-0 draw with Juventus on Sunday and had surgery to repair the damage. His club season is over, but Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic is confident that he will be healthy in time for the World Cup.

Free Kicks

  • FIFA will reportedly increase the number of times that yellow cards are wiped away at this summer’s World Cup.

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

Continue Reading

Trending