Orlando City
Flashback Friday: Orlando City Shook the Earthquakes Five Years Ago Today
Take a trip down memory lane and revisit a thrilling Orlando City match that took place five years ago today.

Today, we’re going to take things all the way back to five years ago on this very day. At that time, I was finishing up my senior year of undergrad, and Orlando City had a very different looking roster than what we see today. So different, in fact, that not a single player who was on the teamsheet for Orlando City’s home match with the San Jose Earthquakes is still with the club. Let’s rewind.
The day was April 21, 2018, and Orlando City had a match at Exploria Stadium against the San Jose Earthquakes. The Jason Kreis-led Lions were entering the game on a three-match winning streak and were looking to keep rolling against the visiting Earthquakes. The starting XI on the day featured Joe Bendik in goal with a back four comprised of Mohamed El-Munir, Amro Tarek, Lamine Sane, and Will Johnson. Cristian Higuita and Yoshimar Yotun played as the two holding midfielders while Stefano Pinho, Sacha Kljestan and Chris Mueller made up the attacking midfield, and Dom Dwyer got the nod up top.
Orlando did not hesitate in getting on the scoreboard. Yotun played an absolute peach of a cross-field ball for Cash. The rookie took the ball down on his chest, beat his man out wide and carried the ball into the box, where he showed outstanding poise to take his time and put the ball into the roof of the net past the helpless Andrew Tarbell barely into the second minute of the match. At the time, it was the fastest goal in club history, although that mark has since been beaten by Tesho Akindele when he scored after just 33 seconds against FC Cincinnati back in May of 2021. Regardless, it sent Exploria Stadium into rapture. Just drink this in.
The first half fun wasn’t finished there though. In the 35th minute, Dwyer held the ball up well at midfield and found Yoshi. The Peruvian played an outstanding pass with the outside of his foot that found Mueller perfectly in space down the right channel, with that side of the defense nowhere to be found. The Money Badger again kept his calm and his head up, and took one touch before sliding the ball to the center of the box for Kljestan to slide home and double the Lions’ lead.
That’s not to say the half was devoid of danger for San Jose. Danny Hoesen rocked the crossbar with a shot just a minute later, and Amro Tarek cleared a dangerous header shortly afterward before Bendik saved a tricky shot from Florian Jungwirth. More on Jungwirth later.
With 69 minutes played, substitute Justin Meram carved open the Earthquake defense from the center circle with a ball that was laid perfectly in stride for Dwyer. All Dom had to do was take a touch around Tarbell and finish into the empty net, and that’s exactly what he did. It was Dom’s 100th professional goal and OCSC looked to be in cruise control.
The Lion-mobile could have done with a trip to an auto shop however, because the hosts very nearly let the game slip away down the stretch. In the 78th minute, Chris Wondolowski flicked a header towards goal from a corner kick. Bendik palmed it onto the woodwork but it fell kindly for Jungwirth on the doorstep, and he was too close to miss. San Jose had a goal back.
Orlando kept hunting a fourth goal though, and the Lions had several opportunities to get it. Johnson and Kljestan each had decent chances that they couldn’t convert, but the game looked to be iced for good when Dwyer was brought down in the box on 86 minutes. Meram stepped up to the spot but his kick was at chest height and too close to Tarbell, who guessed correctly and got his top hand to the ball to deny OCSC’s off-season signing.
Not ideal, but far from the end of the world, although things got much nervier in the 90th minute. The Earthquakes again scored from a corner, and this time it was Jungwirth who flicked the ball on and perfectly into the inside netting at the far post to give San Jose hope. Fortunately, the four minutes of stoppage time passed largely without incident, and the good guys hung on for a 3-2 victory. That made it four wins in a row for Orlando and the team’s third straight win at home.
The Mane Land’s Alek Pierce awarded Chris Mueller with the Man of the Match award in his Player Grades piece with an 8.5 out of 10 for his two goal contributions. Lamine Sane and Yoshi Yotun were the other two high performers, as Sane got an 8 and Yotun a 7.5 with a yellow card the only black mark on his day.
Hopefully the Lions are able to get another win at Exploria Stadium on Saturday, just over five years on from the victory over San Jose, although ideally it won’t be quite as nervy of an affair. Do you have any standout memories from this match? If you do, be sure to share them down in the comments. Vamos Orlando!
Orlando City
Orlando City Unveils New Perfect Storm Kit Ahead of 2025 MLS Season
The Lions’ new kits are meant to represent the uniqueness and intensity of the Central Florida weather.

Orlando City unveiled the club’s new home “Perfect Storm” kit today. The new home purple kit is meant to evoke the intensity of the Central Florida weather, and features a lightning bolt (called a “thunderbolt” by the club) made out of the Orlando area code, 407, on the back of the neck and a jocktag with a doppler radar storm icon. Per the club, no two kits will have the exact same pattern.
The Perfect Storm kit will be available on MLSStore.com and on OCMobileShop.com, with pick-up at The Den at Inter&Co Stadium starting Thursday during regular business hours.
“This kit is a tribute to our fans who have supported us day in and day out, through everything, rain or shine,” said Orlando City Chief Marketing Officer Pedro Araujo in a club press release. “It is also inspired by our players’ ability to thrive in adverse weather conditions, and a reminder that Inter&Co Stadium is one of the toughest environments in Major League Soccer for visiting teams to compete in.”
The Perfect Storm Kit will be first available to fans at the club’s official jersey launch tonight at 6 p.m. at Canvas (1401 Florida Mall Ave.). Fans can purchase the new shirt and have it customized. The first 200 fans in attendance to purchase the new kit will receive an exclusive CITYiD patch
The Lions will first wear the new kit at their home opener against the Philadelphia Union on Saturday, Feb. 22.
Here are some shots of the new kit:

















Lion Links
Lion Links: 2/12/25
Leagues Cup Schedule released, Sams and Moorhouse called up, Champions League results, and more.

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers! It’s new home kit reveal day, so get ready to potentially spend some money. I may end up getting one regardless of how it looks. I’ve lost some weight, and while that is good, none of my jerseys fit anymore. I hope it’s a good one.
We want to wish a very happy birthday to Orlando City B midfielder Jhon Solis. Additionally, I want to wish my son Chris a very happy birthday. Now, let’s get to the links.
Orlando City’s Leagues Cup Fixtures Revealed
The official Leagues Cup 2025 Phase One schedule dropped Tuesday, meaning we now know Orlando City’s first three matches of the competition. All three matches will be played at Inter&Co Stadium against Liga MX squads. The Lions will face Pumas UNAM in the first match on July 30, followed by Atlas FC on Aug. 2, and then Necaxa on Aug. 6. Phase One of the competition is effectively a group stage. If Orlando City can advance out of Phase One, the Lions will head to the knockout rounds.
Pride International Call Ups
The Orlando Pride’s Emily Sams and Anna Moorhouse received call-ups for the USWNT and the England Women’s National Team, respectively. USWNT Coach Emma Hayes included Sams on her 23-player roster for the 2025 SheBelieves Cup later this month. The U.S. will play matches against Japan, Australia, and Colombia.
Moorhouse was selected by Lioness coach Sarina Wiegman for the UEFA Women’s Nations League. England’s first two matches are against Portugal on Feb. 21 and against Spain on Feb. 26. After that, the competition continues in April.
MLS Transfer Round Up
With Orlando City finally signing some new players, other MLS clubs continue to make moves in the off-season. Former Orlando City midfielder Junior Urso signed with the Houston Dynamo through 2025 with an option for 2026. Houston is the Bear’s third MLS club.
French second-division side Amiens SC is in a selling mood. The club sent defender Osaze Urhoghide to FC Dallas. Minnesota United FC signed midfielder Owen Gene from Amiens SC to an MLS U22 Initiative contract.
Elsewhere, the Philadelphia Union signed Homegrown forward Eddy Davis III, and D.C. United signed midfielder Brandon Servania. Out west, the San Jose Earthquakes have signed goalkeeper Daniel to a contract extension, and Nashville SC signed midfielder Matthew Corcoran from USL Championship side Birmingham Legion FC.
Champions League Results
UEFA Champions League continued Tuesday, with Paris Saint-Germain getting things going with a 3-0 win over Brest. Ousmane Dembélé scored a brace in the match to cement the victory. Borussia Dortmund also managed a 3-0 victory over Sporting Lisbon. All three goals came in the second half, including Serhou Guirassy’s 10th in the competition to equal Erling Haaland and Robert Lewandowski.
Real Madrid scored two goals to come from behind and defeat Manchester City 3-2. Jude Bellingham scored the winning goal in second-half stoppage time. Weston McKennie got things going for Juventus in its 2-1 victory over PSV Eindhoven. Samuel Mbangula scored the winning goal.
Free Kicks
- Sam Kerr has been found not guilty of causing racially aggravated harassment in an incident with a Metropolitan Police officer in London on Jan. 30, 2023.
- Lucho Acosta is reportedly headed to FC Dallas. Would have been cooler if he went to Orlando City, but whatever.
- It seems that Lionel Messi will stop ducking Orlando City — at least in the preseason.
That will do it for today. Check back later today for our coverage of the new kit. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 2/11/25
Orlando City signs Eduard Atuesta, MLS news roundup, Americans in midweek action, and more.

Happy Tuesday, gang! It was a long weekend for me but an interesting one, as I attended an event at St. Louis City’s Energizer Stadium on Saturday night. It was a fun time, but personally I prefer Orlando City’s home digs. We have plenty of things to discuss this morning, so let’s get into the links.
Orlando City Signs Eduard Atuesta
Orlando City has found its replacement for the injured Wilder Cartagena, as the club announced the signing of Colombian midfielder Eduard Atuesta from Palmeiras on Monday. Atuesta’s deal runs through the end of the 2025 season and also contains a club option for 2026. While the Lions still have some depth issues that need to be addressed at various positions, Atuesta will pair alongside Cesar Araujo in midfield, and if his previous numbers in Major League Soccer are any indication, he may even provide more goal scoring and creation from the position than Cartagena usually did.
MLS News Roundup
With the start of the MLS season under two weeks away, the off-season news is still flying thick and fast. First up, the Colorado Rapids have signed midfielder Ted Ku-DiPietro from D.C. United in exchange for up to $1.4 million in cash, with United also maintaining a sell-on percentage in the player. The trade was executed using the league’s cash-based trade system, with Colorado becoming the latest team to make use of the new mechanism. Up next, San Diego FC has signed defender Willy Kumado from Lyngby Boldklub in the Danish Superliga. The right back joins on a two-year deal that also contains option years for 2027 and 2028. Finally, Tom Bogert is reporting that Joseph Paintsil is expected to be out of action for over a month after sustaining an injury to his quadriceps.
Americans in Midweek Action
As always, there are a number of Americans taking part in games during the working week, and there’s a heavy emphasis on UEFA Champions League play. Things get started later today, as Tim Weah, Weston McKennie, and Juventus face a PSV Eindhoven side that has all four of Ricardo Pepi, Richy Ledezma, Sergino Dest, and Malik Tillman injured. Meanwhile, Gio Reyna, Cole Campbell, and Borussia Dortmund will travel to face Sporting CP. Wednesday has Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah traveling with AC Milan to take on Feyenoord, while Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic will be sorely tested at home against Bayern Munich. Thursday will wrap up European play with Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis squaring off against Gent in the Conference League.
Josh Sargent’s Opportunity
Josh Sargent had a difficult end to 2024, as he spent several months on the sideline while recovering from a groin injury that eventually required surgery. There were some natural moments of wondering what he’d be like when he made his return, but he’s hit the ground running since his first game back on Jan. 25, as he has four goals in three games for Norwich City. Not only is he getting his chance at the club level, but with Pepi and Folarin Balogun both currently injured, Sargent looks almost certain to lead the line for the United States Men’s National Team for March’s Concacaf Nations League semifinal matches. Sometimes timing is everything, and right now Sargent’s timing is pretty damn good.
Free Kicks
- Daryl Dike ticked off another box on his road to making his return from injury, as he played for West Bromwich Albion’s under-21 team on Monday.
- The Houston Dash have signed former Orlando Pride midfielder Evelina Duljan.
- USL Championship side Miami FC has signed former USMNT and D.C. United goalkeeper Bill Hamid.
- Plymouth Argyle’s reward for beating Liverpool in the FA Cup is a trip to face Manchester City.
- Barcelona defender Mapi Leon has been accused of “violating the privacy” of Espanyol’s Daniela Caracas during Sunday’s game between the two teams.
- Finally, the U-17 U.S. Men’s National Team destroyed the Virgin Islands in group play, 22-0, as part of U-17 World Cup qualifying Monday night. The 22-goal win was the largest margin of victory ever by a U.S. team (men’s or women’s) in a qualifier. Chase Adams of Columbus Crew 2 scored 10 goals in the match. The United States will face St. Kitts & Nevis Wednesday before wrapping up Group F play Saturday against Cuba.
That does it for me this morning. Vamos Orlando!
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