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Orlando City vs. D.C. United: Final Score 3-1 as Lions’ Home Futility Continues

Level at the break, the Lions gave up two goals early in the second half and continue to struggle both at home and in all games against D.C.

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1 year ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City simply cannot figure out D.C. United. The Lions (3-3-2, 11 points) fell behind early but leveled the game before halftime, only to fall flat in the second half in a 3-1 loss to D.C. (3-4-2, 11 points) at Exploria Stadium. Duncan McGuire scored again, to offset a strike by Taxiarchis Fountas in the first half, but Donovan Pines and Christian Benteke scored in the second period to lift the visitors to the win.

Orlando dropped its third consecutive home match and hasn’t won at Exploria Stadium since opening night, going 0-3-1 sincethe end of February.

“Certainly a very disappointing night, not getting the results at home after the big effort that the team (had) in the games away,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “The development of the game, I thought it was very clogged. The game did not flow and we did not find that rhythm. We couldn’t find a way to hurt them. And they did it in those key moments. There’s no excuse. They took advantage of it and that’s why they get the points tonight.”

Pareja’s lineup included Pedro Gallese in goal — tying Joe Bendik for the most appearances in goal in club history, with 92 — behind a three-man back line of Rodrigo Schlegel, Robin Jansson, and Antonio Carlos. The midfield was made up of Gaston Gonzalez and Ivan Angulo outside of Cesar Araujo and Mauricio Pereyra. Facundo Torres and Martin Ojeda flanked rookie Duncan McGuire up top.

The teams played an uneventful first 10 minutes as they struggled to settle into the match. Each team got an early set piece but did nothing with it.

The Lions were particularly poor connecting passes and gave the ball away cheaply, in the early stages of the game and it cost them in the 15th minute. Angulo gave the ball away in the middle of the pitch and the ball quickly found its way from Mateusz Klich to former Lion Ruan on the right side. He played Fountas in behind the defense and the Greek forward scored his fifth goal in three matches against Orlando. In just three games, Fountas has become D.C.’s all-time goal-scoring leader against Orlando City.

After a few minutes of playing in the middle of the pitch, the Lions leveled things out of nowhere. Carlos started the play with a great tackle in the middle of the pitch, knocking the ball to Ojeda. The Argentine turned and played a through ball for McGuire to run onto and he beat Tyler Miller to equalize in the 23rd minute. It was the rookie’s third goal of the season.

“We executed a perfect press the way that we like to do the majority of the time in the way that we like to press,” Ojeda said about the tying goal. “Antonio was able to recover (the ball) very quickly, and I saw Duncan using his space well. So, I just tried to hit him on the counterattack to put him in one on one with the keeper. With luck, it happened and he was able to score the goal.”

A couple of Orlando long balls nearly sent Ojeda and Torres in behind the defense but the delivery was a little long on both and Miller was aggressive in coming off his line.

Angulo got down the right and put in a good centering pass to Ojeda in at the half hour mark. The Designated Player tried to flick it to himself to work past a defender but his touch was a little heavy and the ball rolled in to Miller.

The mixed night for Angulo continues moments later when he made a poor cross out of play and then got another blocked after being sent down the wing by a good flick by Torres.

The half saw a couple of good chances for Gonzalez to make something happen in the final minutes. His header across the box hit Victor Palsson in front of goal and required Miller to save it by knocking it over the net in the 40th minute. Gonzalez then forced Miller to make a save in stoppage time when Torres’ blocked cross reached him and he headed toward goal. The shot, however, was right at the goalkeeper.

Orlando City held a slight edge in possession (52.4%-47.6%) at the break, with both clubs firing three shots, but the Lions edging the visitors in shots on target (2-1) and corners (3-1). Orlando was slightly more accurate in the passing game (75.9%-70.9%), but neither team was spectacular.

Orlando came out of the locker room strong, sending a few crosses through the box but nothing came of them. But it was the visitors who took the lead. It started wtih an inattentive moment from Angulo, who drifted from Pedro Santos and by the time he recovered he could only knock a cross out for a corner. Behind the play, McGuire was down with what appeared to be a hamstring issue. Ramiro Enrique subbed on prior to the corner kick.

On D.C.’s corner kick, Pines ran through Araujo, knocking him to the ground and easily towered over Enrique to give the visitors the lead on a header in the 52nd minute, literally adding insult to the McGuire injury. The Lions appealed for a foul on Pines but none was given and there didn’t appear to be much of a delay to account for the play being reviewed.

The Lions had a couple of half chances to pull the goal right back but as has been a problem this season so far, both Ojeda and Torres had shot opportunities blocked by the defense. That proved costly, as D.C. added to its lead shortly after those chances.

Benteke got his goal in the 63rd minute and it was a preventable one. The Lions had ample opportunity to clear an aerial ball but couldn’t knock it away from the penalty area. It eventually found its way back in to Benteke who played it to himself, held off Schlegel, and then turned on a dime and fired past Gallese to make it 3-1.

D.C. United Head Coach Wayne Rooney said preparing for Orlando was difficult because of the varied formations the Lions have used in recent weeks, but he added that he felt his team had the size and strength to take advantage on set pieces.

Pareja inserted Ercan Kara and Rafael Santos for Ojeda and Schlegel to try to change the game and Kara nearly scored on his first touch off a corner, forcing Miller to knock it ofout for another in the 69th minute.

Orlando came frustratingly close to pulling one back a couple of times with Carlos and Angulo sending crosses through the six that just needed a touch but no one could provide one. The Lions should have had a second goal in the 77th minute on a counterattack with Torres laying off to give Araujo a wide-open look but the midfielder hit his shot right at Miller.

Benteke had two good chances to make the score even more lopsided. The first came on a free header that he missed well wide of goal and the second was stopped by a diving Gallese.

The Lions have now gone four straight without a win against D.C. — all four since Rooney became United’s head coach.

Orlando finished with more possession (55.2%-44.8%), shots (13-9), corners (9-3), and passing accuracy (82%-77.3%), but both teams got five shots on target and D.C. won the only stat that matters.

“We thought we got into that final part of the field more than a few times where we needed to be more pointed in our finishing and taking those opportunities at the end,” Ojeda said. “We had some good chances. Gaston had a header. We had a couple of opportunities where we came through. Obviously, we had the goal. But it’s just got to be more pointed and we’ve got to finish when we get into the box and into the final portion. It just has to be better.”

Pareja said after the match that it was too soon to tell the severity of injuries sustained by McGuire and Pereyra in the match, but those would be big losses for City to shoulder.

Gonzalez said the players aren’t feeling any pressure building with the lack of home results.

“I’d say we’re all calm right now. We know that there’s things that we need to fix to be able to take these results at home,” he said. “We’re faulting on the details here at home. That’s costing us some of these points. To the fans, I’d say, we know that we’ve got work to do to be able to bring those victories at home and to give them the results they deserve,” Gonzalez said.

The Lions will get another shot to right the ship at home next weekend, with the LA Galaxy visiting Exploria Stadium on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

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Orlando City

Intelligence Report: Orlando City vs. FC Cincinnati

Get all the inside information you need ahead of Orlando’s match with FC Cincinnati.

Published

21 hours ago

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May 3, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Another Orlando City matchday looms large this weekend, as the Lions will try to put Saturday’s thoroughly dispiriting loss behind them. They’ll have a tough task ahead of them though, as they welcome an FC Cincinnati team to town that currently sits second in the Eastern Conference.

A match against FCC means I spoke with Justin Blair of the always excellent Cincinnati Soccer Talk. As always, Justin was very helpful in getting us all caught up on Cincy before tomorrow’s match.

The nine goals conceded by FC Cincinnati are tied for the fewest given up by any team in the league. What’s been working so well for FCC defensively so far?

Justin Blair:  In 2023, FC Cincinnati was tied for fourth in goals conceded with 39 allowed (Orlando, NYCFC, and RBNY). This season is continuing that impressive trajectory. The addition of Miles Robinson, arguably the best MLS center back, was a home run signing for FCC. Robinson joins 2023 Defensive Player of the Year Matt Miazga as the feature center back duo. But Pat Noonan’s system asks for three in the back and has been plugged with a rotation of players that have kept the defense stout. I have to mention that central defensive midfielder Obinna Nwobodo is arguably the most underrated player in all of MLS. He is an extremely skilled player that flies around and acts as a catch-all in front of the back line. 

Brandon Vazquez departed in the off-season for Monterrey. In his absence, who has Cincy turned to for goal scoring?

JB: Brandon Vazquez is a tremendous striker for FCC and has been solid for Rayados with 10 goals in 22 appearances. But his form never hit stride in 2023. He had nine goals across all MLS competitions, which was down from a career high of 18 goals in 2022. FCC had to find goals in other places last season, so they aren’t exactly in uncharted waters. So far in 2024, reigning MLS MVP Lucho Acosta has been carrying the load with four goals and five assists. Yuya Kubo, who I affectionately call FCC’s Swiss Army knife, has seen recent minutes at the forward position. Kubo’s confidence on the ball and chemistry with Acosta has seen him score three goals in a short amount of time. Surprisingly, FCC’s star Designated Player striker Aaron Boupendza has fallen in the graces of the squad and hasn’t hit consistent minutes this season.

Run me through some of the other arrivals and departures that took place during the off-season. Who are a few names to watch out for?

JB: Well FCC’s off-season was a doozy to say the least. Several departures include the previously mentioned Vazquez, along with Sanitago Arias, Yerson Mosquera (loan), Alvaro Barreal, Dominique Badji, Junior Moreno, and Ray Gaddis — all of whom played significant minutes for the orange and blue during their 2023 Supporters’ Shield season. For incoming players, GM Chris Albright brought in Robinson, Pavel Bucha, Luca Orellano, Kipp Keller, and Corey Baird during the off-season. The additions of DeAndre Yedlin and Yamil Asad have also worked their way into the matchday rotation. Every piece added has felt like an upgrade or at least a comparable replacement. This is, of course, with the exception of replacing Vazquez.

FCC (recently) announced the loan signing of target striker Kevin Kelsy from Shakhtar Donetsk. The young loanee is sure to see considerable minutes with FCC but will likely not feature in the match versus Orlando City. I would keep an eye on Orellano for FCC. The left wingback is the heir apparent to Barreal that is so critical for Cincinnati’s ability to progress the ball from the midfield into the attacking third. Orellano is clean with his touches and can serve up line-splitting through balls that are perfectly weighted.

Will any players be unavailable due to injury, suspension, etc.? What is your projected starting XI and score prediction?

JB: Unavailable players might include Yedlin (hip), goalkeeper Roman Celentano (ankle), forward Sergio Santos (leg), and center back Nick Hagglund (knee). It seems uncertain if either or all will miss minutes in the match versus Orlando but most likely to participate would be Celentano, who was a late scratch versus Colorado on Saturday. 

Starting XI (3-5-2): Roman Celentano (Alec Kann); Bret Halsey (DeAndre Yedlin), Miles Robinson, Matt Miazga, Ian Murphy, Luca Orellano; Obinna Nwobodo, Pavel Bucha, Lucho Acosta; Yuya Kubo, Corey Baird.

Score Prediction: Oscar Pareja seems to have Pat Noonan’s system figured out. FCC also struggles to find wins against Orlando City. I’m going to go with a 1-1 draw when the final whistle sounds. 

Thanks again to Justin for the great info on FCC. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 5/3/24

MLS roster profiles revealed, Marta’s best moments, Kelley O’Hara announces her retirement, and more.

Published

1 day ago

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May 3, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Happy Friday! We’ve reached the homestretch of the week and I couldn’t be happier. A busy weekend awaits me, but I’m hoping for some quiet, nice moments to offset some of the hustle and bustle. It’s also another weekend packed with Orlando soccer to enjoy, so make sure to plan your next couple of days accordingly. But for now, let’s get to the links!

MLS Unveils Club Roster Details

There’s a little more transparency in Major League Soccer after the league released helpful snapshots of each club that detail the composition of each roster. From Designated Players and MLS U22 Initiative Players to international roster slots and contract lengths, the graphics are easy to comprehend and give a nice look behind the curtain on each team. Using this, we can see that Orlando City midfielder Cesar Araujo no longer takes up a U22 Initiative slot and that the team also has an open international roster slot. It should be a fairly nice reference guide for fans moving forward, as well as a way to check out how other MLS teams are building their rosters.

Emily Sams Earns Recognition as Potential USWNT Player

Orlando Pride defender Emily Sams was mentioned as one of the top 20 eligible Americans who have yet to make an appearance with the United States Women’s National Team according to Pro Soccer Wire. The shout out is well deserved, as Sams has helped anchor a Pride defense that’s only given up seven goals this season. Only time will tell if Sams will earn a call-up once Emma Hayes is at the helm of the USWNT, but it does feel inevitable given how she’s been playing. Other notable players on the list include Ajax’s Lily Yohannes, Washington Spirit rookie Croix Bethune, and Angel City FC defender Sarah Gorden.

Marta’s Top Moments

All For XI compiled some of the best moments from Marta’s career into a tidy top five. Considering how prolific she has been for Brazil over the years, it was nice to see a pair of goals from her time with the Pride receive some recognition. Both of those moments were from 2018, with her free kick to equalize against the Seattle Reign placing fifth and her solo effort to stun the Spirit taking third. It’s fitting though that the top moment on the list showcases the impact she’s had off the field, as it’s Marta’s emotional speech after Brazil’s exit in the 2019 World Cup.

Kelley O’Hara Will Retire After 2024 Season

USWNT defender Kelley O’Hara announced that she will retire from professional soccer following the 2024 season. Over the course of her international career, she’s played in four World Cups, three Olympic Games, and was named to the FIFA FIFPro World XI in 2019. O’Hara has played in every NWSL season since the league’s inception, winning the title with the Spirit in 2021 and again with NJ/NY Gotham FC last year. She joined Gotham as the first free agent signing in NWSL history and she is set to close out her illustrious career there.

Free Kicks

  • Curve Fragrances was named the official fragrance partner of Orlando City. As part of the partnership, there will be giveaways and product sampling at select games this season.
  • Wrexham’s women’s squad for The Soccer Tournament this summer will include a trio of former Pride players, with Bridget Callahan, Danica Evans, and Nickolette Driesse all taking part. I can’t wait to see if Callahan will make SkoRed a rallying cry at the tournament.
  • Orlando City won’t have to contend with FC Cincinnati forward Aaron Boupendza tomorrow, as he will miss the next six to eight weeks due to a broken jaw suffered in an off-field incident.
  • The Europa League semifinals are underway and Bayer Leverkusen extended its unbeaten run to 47 games after a 2-0 road win against Roma. In the other matchup, Atalanta and Marseille drew 1-1 in France.
  • American midfielder Johnny Cardoso hasn’t been with Real Betis for long, but he’s doing well enough that Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, and Borussia Dortmund are among the clubs reportedly interested in signing the 22-year-old.
  • Lucas Hernandez suffered an ACL injury in Paris Saint-Germain’s loss to Borussia Dortmund and will miss out on this summer’s Euros with France.
  • Reims and Will Still have mutually agreed to part ways, with the coach leaving now despite just having three games left in the Ligue 1 season. It will be interesting to see where the 31-year-old coaches next, as he had a notable 19-game unbeaten stretch with Reims last season.
  • Here’s a detailed dive into the obstacles Everton has faced in recent years, as well as how the club has avoided relegation amid another difficult season.

That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

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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

2 days 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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