Connect with us

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Nashville SC: Final Score 2-0 as Lions Drop Second Straight Home Match

Published

1 year ago

on

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City continued to struggle offensively at Exploria Stadium, falling for the second straight match at home in an underwhelming 2-0 loss to Nashville SC. The visitors got a cheap first-half goal by catching the Lions (2-2-2, 8 points) napping on a set piece from nowhere near the attacking third and then sat back until they could hit for a second on the counter. Orlando had chances to score but wasted them in another disappointing game against Nashville (3-2-1, 10 points).

City fell to 1-2-4 against Nashville in regular-season league play and 1-3-5 in all competitions, and the Lions have now gone eight consecutive meetings with the Tennessee club without tasting victory dating back to Aug. 26, 2020 โ€” the first time the teams played.

“Disappointed being at home in front of our fans and not getting the result,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said about the game. “This is the most painful part. The analysis of the game, I thought we made a couple mistakes on the defensive phase that cost the game in terms of chasing it all the time. And in the other box we’re not fine. We were optimistic because we came off from a game we played very well, and today we were not fine in those two areas.”

Pareja used almost entirely the same lineup as he did a week ago in the win over Philadelphia, subbing Pedro Gallese in for Mason Stajduhar, but sticking with a back line of Luca Petrasso, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Kyle Smith. Cesar Araujo and Felipe manned the central midfield behind an attacking line of Ivan Angulo, Mauricio Pereyra, and Martin Ojeda, with Ramiro Enrique up top.

The opening minutes of the match were cagey, with both teams looking for an opening. Orlando had a good-looking attacking movement going in the fifth minute but it died when Smith’s cross was too easily blocked by the first defender.

Nashville got the first dangerous chance off a corner kick in the seventh minute. The cross squirted out to Daniel Lovitz outside the area. The shot back in was blocked just in front of goal. The rebound found Picault but he was offside.

The first Orlando shot fell for Pereyra at the top of the area in the 14th minute but the captain sent his shot well over the bar. Three minutes later, the Lions had a great buildup through the middle that Ojeda sent left for Angulo. The winger fired a shot that Willis saved and it went out for a corner.

Orlando played the corner short to Felipe who was fouled from behind. Ojeda sent the ensuing free kick over the bar.

The visitors struck in the 28th minute off a midfield free kick. After a foul by Felipe, Mukhtar played it quickly and the Lions fell asleep. Mukhtar sent a long ball over the top that Picault ran onto, splitting Jansson and Schlegel, and easily chipped Gallese to make it 1-0. It was Mukhtar’s eighth career goal involvement against Orlando City in seven games (three goals, five assists).

Orlando tried to get back into the match by applying some pressure, and while it unsettled Nashville’s back five a bit, the Lions couldn’t capitalize. Angulo blocked a pass from the goalkeeper but it deflected out for a goal kick rather than into the net in the 38th minute.

A minute later, Angulo stole the ball and Orlando had a series of shots blocked outside the area. As good as Nashville was defensively, a lack of taking the extra step to clear a shot was a problem for the Lions. The play fizzled when Araujo carried into the box and went down, losing his footing.

A fantastic curling ball put Mukhtar behind the defense but Gallese made a vital save. A second shot in was cleared off the line by the defense but the flag came up on the play anyway.

A late shot over the bar from C.J. Sapong ended the first half with the Lions down, 1-0.

Orlando City held more possession in the first half (60.3%-39.7%), as it usually does against the counter-attack-minded Nashville, but the Lions also had more shot attempts (6-3), although each team only got one on frame. Orlando had more corners (2-1), and passed more accurately (90.4%-80.3%).

Facundo Torres replaced Felipe in the lineup at the half, pushing Pereyra into a deeper-lying midfield role.

Schlegel was booked for fouling Mukhtar in the 48th minute and the Nashville striker nearly paid off the ensuing free kick which fizzed just wide of the right post and into the outside netting.

Ojeda sent a shot on target in the 51st minute but he didn’t get all of it and it was no trouble for Willis.

Five minutes later, Picault put the ball in again but the flag came up. It looked like offside in the buildup watching it live, and that call stood after a lengthy review by the video assistant referee.

Enrique fired into the shin of the defender in front of him in the 58th minute and Torres sent a low, hard shot from outside the area wide of the near post a minute later. Then, just past the hour mark, Orlando had a fairly reasonable penalty shout when Angulo touched the ball past a defender and then had his run held up with heavy contact, but referee Chris Penso wasn’t interested.

Regardless, Orlando should have equalized in the 63rd minute. A good through ball from Pereyra was barely touched by Angulo’s heel and fell into the path of Petrasso wide on the left. The left back sent a good pass into the box for Enrique, who took his shot quickly but stabbed it right at Willis, who made the save. The goalkeeper then recovered in time to pick it up before Angulo could get to the rebound.

Nashville put the game away in the 74th minute. Shaq Moore sent Mukhtar down the right side and the forward’s shot went in after perhaps deflecting off both Schlegel and Gallese to make it 2-0. It was Mukhtar’s first goal of the season and fourth career strike against Orlando.

“it cost us today,” Gallese said of the team’s few defensive breakdowns. “Those are things that we have to fix. We know that there’s games coming up that are going to be more difficult. There’s these next two weeks we’re sure to have time to analyze what happened and to try and correct those things moving into this game in two weeks against Minnesota.”

“I don’t think we had that much volume, but we had a couple of chances that (could have) allowed us to tie the game before the other mistake we made on the transition. And after that we just started moving desperately. I don’t think we were moving correctly. We were just trying to do things and then with them sitting low โ€” they know how to do it โ€” we lost connection there, and then we stopped creating more clear chances.”

Orlando had some half chances to at least get on the board but couldn’t pay them off. Angulo stepped into a shot in the 77th but it was nowhere close to goal. Ojeda sent a shot in through traffic moments later and it probably would have gone in had it not struck Zimmerman’s leg.

Ojeda smashed a shot in the 85th minute that Willis tipped over the bar. The Lions worked that corner for a second and second-half sub Duncan McGuire got his head to the cross. His shot was headed inside the right post but Willis was well positioned and made the save.

Mukhtar nearly added a third for the visitors in the 89th but sent a volley shot just over the bar.

Orlando couldn’t muster anything in the four minutes of stoppage time and suffered another home loss.

As is typical against Nashville, the Lions ended up with more possession (64.4%-35.6%), shots (18-7), shots on target (6-3), corners (10-2), and passing accuracy (88.1%-77.3%), but the league’s stingiest defense gave no room and the Lions couldn’t move Walker Zimmerman and Jack Maher the way they did to Jakob Glesnes and Jack Elliott a week ago in Philadelphia. The one time Zimmerman did chase Pereyra outside the area in the second half, the captain was unable to get a ball into the area.

“I don’t think they created too many chances. They got in behind us a couple of times,” Smith said. “The first goal was off of a quick free kick. And then I thought we created a little bit more in the second half. We just couldn’t finish.”

“We can not lose our head,” Pareja said about his team reacting to tonight’s loss. “We were not the best team in the league after we beat Philadelphia. We’re not the worst tonight either. We have to keep our heads up. We need to be calm and the responsibility of the coach is just try to glue them together and see how we can use the chemistry and the players that we have. We have a good group and a group that I believe (in) too. We have to respond. The season is early. We don’t feel good just losing two games at home, i know, in front of our people, but we have to be what we are โ€” professionals โ€” and just keep moving forward.”

The Lions get Easter weekend off before heading back out on the road for a match-up against Minnesota United on April 15.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/18/24

Barbra Banda’s opportunity in Orlando, Omar Gonzalez’s mental health struggles, UEFA Champions League quarterfinals finish, and more.

Published

2 hours ago

on

April 18, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this week has been treating you well as we gear up for another weekend packed with Orlando soccer. It’s been a fairly busy week for me as I juggle work with keeping an eye on my cat. He’s a bit of a menace, but at least in a cute way. I’ll spare you my rambling on how great he is, and instead give you today’s links from around the soccer world.

Opportunity Knocks for Barbra Banda

Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda landed in the City Beautiful and spoke on how her first week with the team has been going. While there’s plenty of buzz surrounding the Pride on how Banda should improve the team’s offense, playing in the NWSL will also help the 24-year-old further develop her game.

โ€œI think the league is quite good. Iโ€™ve been following it from way back,โ€ she said. โ€œI think itโ€™s a very interesting league, very strong. All the teams are very physical, fast. So I think itโ€™s good for myself to improve.โ€

Now that she’s with the Pride, soccer fans around the world will now have better access to watch one of the best forwards in women’s soccer. Banda also talked about the warm welcome she received at the airport and you can check out more of her reaction to that and some of her first few days in Orlando in the video below.

Portland Thorns Head Coach Reassigned

Mike Norris is no longer the head coach of the Portland Thorns after the club made him a technical director instead. The Thorns have never had a worse start to an NWSL season, losing three of their four games this year and still searching for their first win. Rob Gale will serve as the team’s interim head coach while the club does a global search for a replacement. I’m a bit surprised that Norris wasn’t given a few more weeks to turn things around, considering Portland is just a win away from being back in the thick of things. We’ll see if the Thorns will get that win with Gale at the helm when they take on the struggling Houston Dash Saturday.

Omar Gonzalez Shares His Mental Health Journey

American defender Omar Gonzalez discussed the difficulties he’s had over the course of his year and the toll it has had on his mental health. His own goal in the USMNT’s loss to Trinidad & Tobago that cost the team its chance to qualify for the 2018 World Cup would be rough for any player to overcome, but Gonzalez stated that head injuries made a stressful few years of his life much more difficult. Gonzalez admitted that he had daily suicidal thoughts until he reached out for needed help while with Toronto FC. Things have since improved and he’s currently with his hometown team, FC Dallas. I think it’s helpful for players like Gonzalez to be open about the mental health problems athletes face. Hopefully this lets other athletes know they aren’t alone in these struggles and encourages them to reach out for help if needed.

UEFA Champions League Semifinals Are Set

Only four teams are still standing in the UEFA Champions League after the quarterfinals wrapped up with plenty of dramatic soccer. The matchup between Real Madrid and Manchester City lived up to expectations with a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw in England. Real Madrid prevailed and ended City’s run, with Andriy Lunin making two saves in the shootout. In the other quarterfinal, Bayern Munich advanced after beating Arsenal 1-0, thanks to Joshua Kimmich’s head.

It all sets up for a thrilling pair of semifinals and potential storylines for the final. Will Bayern and Borussia Dortmund reach the final for a rivalry match for the ages? Can Kylian Mbappe finally give Paris Saint-Germain a Champions League title, and will it be at the expense of Real Madrid? If the semifinals are anything like the quarterfinals, it will be great soccer to enjoy.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City Director of Equipment Operations Charles Raycroft received some deserved recognition after reaching an impressive milestone in his career.
  • Romario, who was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 1994 after helping Brazil win a World Cup, has registered himself as a player for America Football Club. The 58-year-old has been the president of the club since 2009 and now has the chance to play alongside his son Romarinho.

That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/17/24

Orlando City rises in power rankings, Orlando Pride waive two players, Champions League results, and more.

Published

1 day ago

on

April 17, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Time to start your day with some tasty links. It’s shaping up to be an exciting weekend with Orlando City, the Orlando Pride, and Orlando City B all playing. Last week, Orlando’s teams ended up with seven out of nine possible points. Here’s hoping we see nine out of nine this weekend. Let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Moving On Up

Starting the season 0-3-1 is a good way to be in the cellar of the utterly meaningless MLSsoccer.com power rankings. Orlando City is now starting to climb up the rankings thanks to three straight results. The Lions moved up four spots to 21st after the 3-2 victory over DC United. It was Duncan McGuire’s goal that secured the win, and his performance off the bench was a talking point for this week as well.

Farewell Kaylie Collins and Tori Hansen

The Orlando Pride announced that goalkeeper Kaylie Collins and defender Tori Hansen were waived on Tuesday. Both players were on loan in Australia’s A-League Women ,with Collins at Western Sydney Wanderers FC and Hansen with Melbourne Victory FC. Collins and Hansen were both NWSL draft picks for the Pride, though neither saw significant minutes with the club.

Barbra Banda Begins Training

Barbra Banda participated in her first training with the Pride Tuesday. It’s uncertain how much playing time she may get this week, but it’s possible she makes her first appearance against the San Diego Wave this Friday. Please remember that it sometimes takes new players time to get used to a new club, a new city, and a new league. Of course, I’m still hoping she comes on and scores a brace against the Wave.

Wild Matches in Champions League Quarterfinals

Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund both overcame deficits in the first leg to advance to the UEFA Champions League semifinals. PSG dropped four goals on Barcelona to win 6-4 on aggregate. Barcelona scored first, but made things hard on itself when Ronald Araรบjo was sent off.

Borussia Dortmund also scored four goals, defeating Atletico Madrid 5-4 on aggregate. Dortmund gave up an own goal, but battled back to take the lead in the match and then the lead in the tie thanks to goals scored in the 71st and 74th minutes. It was a wild, fun match to watch. Dortmund and PSG will meet in the semifinals.

Free Kicks

  • MLS will now start implementing the new rules for off-field treatments, timed substitutions, and in-stadium VAR announcements. The idea is to maximize effective match time.
  • The International Football Association Board (IFAB) will test new time limit rules during the 2024-2025 season for how long keepers can hold the ball with potential consequences including giving the opposing team a corner or a throw-in.
  • Finally, our thoughts are with the friends and family following the passing of Joel McKell.

That will do it for today. Check back later in the week as we get you ready for the Orlando City, Orlando Pride, and OCB matches this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/16/24

Nico Lodeiro earns recognition, Marta up for Goal of the Week, MLS stock watch, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

April 16, 2024

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Happy Tuesday, everyone! I hope you had a good weekend and got your taxes filed correctly and on time. It was a good weekend for Orlando soccer, as the Orlando Pride, Orlando City B, and Orlando City went undefeated and picked up seven of the nine points on offer. As always, we have a lot to talk through today. Before we get into today’s links, let’s all wish Luis Muriel a happy birthday!

Nico Lodeiro Makes Team of the Matchday Bench

Midfielder Nico Lodeiro has earned recognition for his part in Orlando City’s 3-2 win over D.C. United, making the bench of the latest edition MLS Team of the Matchday. The Uruguayan entered the fray in the 72nd minute and helped OCSC come back and take all three points. He took the corner kick that David Brekalo equalized from, (even though he was not initially credited with the assist) and provided an outstanding through ball for Duncan McGuire’s game-winner. Sean Rollins graded him a 6.5 out of 10 and named him Man of the Match in his player grades as well. Here’s hoping he keeps up the good work!

Marta’s Goal Nominated

Marta’s game-winning strike during Friday’s contest against Utah Royals FC has been nominated for NWSL Goal of the Week. On the road and in the game as a substitute, it didn’t take long for the Brazilian to make her mark on the match. She was barely on the field for five minutes when she met a ball that was rolling across the box with a first-time strike that she powered in off the back post. It proved to be the game’s only goal and was enough to give the Pride their first win of the season. Make sure you vote for her to win this week’s honor!

MLS Stock Watch

The fortunes of Major League Soccer teams are in constant flux, and it’s always nice to keep track of how your enemies are doing. Former Lion Sacha Kljestan weighed in on which clubs’ stock went up and which went down after the weekend’s games. We start on a good note, as a resilient performance from Orlando City saw the good guys pick up their second win of the season. The LA Galaxy hammered the Vancouver Whitecaps by a score of 3-1, and proved that their place atop the Western Conference standings is no fluke. On the other side of the coin, Toronto FC has given up 10 goals in its last three matches, and Jon Herdman needs to find a way to keep things from getting worse until the Reds’ group of injured players can return to the field.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are two big matches featuring American players this week, so get them marked down on your calendar and don’t miss any of the action. Thursday sees Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan travel to the Italian capital to try to overturn a 1-0 first leg deficit to Roma in the Europa League quarterfinals. Musah started Sunday’s match against Sassuolo and Pulisic subbed on in the second half as Milan clawed its way back to a 3-3 draw. Friday then has Juventus and Weston McKennie traveling to Cagliari for a Serie A tilt. Juve is currently third in the league and needs to keep picking up results to secure a UEFA Champions League place for next season.

UEFA Champions League Preview

Speaking of the Champions League, the quarterfinals wrap up today and tomorrow and there are a number of storylines to keep an eye on. Luis Enrique is strong in his belief that Paris Saint-Germain can overcome a 3-2 loss in the first leg to advance past Barcelona. Xavi has promised that Barca will look to attack rather than sitting and protecting its lead. Elsewhere, Bayern Munich will be without the suspended Alphonso Davies and likely Kingsley Coman due to injury, and their replacements will be hard pressed to contain Ben White and Bukayo Saka. Finally, Edin Terzic’s substitutions gave Borussia Dortmund a spark in the team’s 2-1 loss to Atletico Madrid in the first leg, which means the coach may have a selection headache on his hands as he tries to lead his side to a comeback.

Free Kicks

That’ll do it for me this morning. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Trending