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Orlando City vs. D.C. United: Five Takeaways

What did we learn from Orlando City’s loss at home to Wayne Rooney’s D.C. United?

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Image courtesy of Orlando City

Orlando City’s struggles at home continued in a 3-1 loss to D.C. United at Exploria Stadium. Unlike last weekend against Minnesota United, the Lions weren’t able to mount a comeback despite another goal from Duncan McGuire. While the Lions didn’t play poorly for most of the match, they had a couple of defensive lapses and weren’t clinical enough on the attacking end to get a result. Here are my five takeaways from another loss at home.

Orlando Runs, Then Limps, On Duncan

Rookie Duncan McGuire got the start up top for the Lions and impressed yet again. He scored his third goal of the season to equalize for Orlando in the first half. Martin Ojeda zipped him a great ball and his first touch was perfect to give himself enough time and space to slot his shot past Tyler Miller. It was a great goal, but he also impressed with his hustle off the ball as well. Unfortunately, his night was cut short by an injury away from the run of play that required him to exit. Although he was able to walk off the field under his own power, it’s a worrying thing to see, considering he now leads the Lions in scoring.

D.C. United’s Stars Shine

All three of D.C. United’s Designated Players had a goal contribution in this one. Taxiarchis Fountas had a hat trick at Exploria Stadium last year and continued to torment Orlando fans by beating Pedro Gallese on the counter to open the scoring. Mateusz Klich delivered the assist from the corner flag on D.C.’s second goal and Christian Benteke grew his team’s lead with a goal that will likely be a Goal of the Matchday contender. Benteke in particular gave Orlando headaches with his hold-up play. The Lions weren’t able to keep D.C.’s stars in check and paid the price, conceding more than twice for the first time this season.

Three’s a Crowd

The Lions rolled out their same back line as the one used in Minnesota, with a trio of center backs in Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Antonio Carlos. However, there was no comeback win to overshadow the defensive struggles this time around. Benteke would win possession and then exploit the ample space the center backs had to concede to find quick players like Ruan and Fountas. When the wingers go up to contribute in the attack, the defense is left vulnerable and the defenders have struggled in terms of reliably covering the space with one another. Jansson overcommitted out wide on D.C.’s first goal while Carlos was still sprinting back to defend, and no center backs were in the same time zone as Donovan Pines on his header at the near post. It feels wrong to say that three talented center backs who have played together for years are worse off when all on the field together, but they certainly looked out of sorts at times. The return of the team’s fullbacks, who were absent in this game except for substitute Rafael Santos and backup Kyle Smith, should help the defense in the future.

A Tale of Two Wingers

After contributing towards both of Orlando’s goals last weekend, Ivan Angulo wasn’t able to replicate his recent success in this match. His worst moment was the turnover in the center of the field that led to D.C.’s first goal. His 65 touches were tied with Torres for the most on the team, but Angulo wasn’t able to create many chances with them and had no shots or key passes. Only one of his nine crosses were accurate and some of the misses ended Orlando’s possession and stalled its momentum. This match was an opportunity for him to show consistency, but this was a much different performance from him compared to his outing in Minnesota.

Meanwhile, fellow winger Gaston Gonzalez seems to be on an upswing. Granted, he had similar struggles as Angulo in terms of creating chances, but he looked a bit sharper while powering up and down Orlando’s left wing than in past games. Gonzalez also had two great opportunities in the box by getting his head onto a pair of crosses and won a foul from a good position late in the match. He needs to continue improving in some areas, namely crossing and finishing, but there were plenty of encouraging signs from him that bode well for the future.

Lions’ Offense Spins Its Wheels

McGuire’s injury is especially concerning because Orlando’s offense couldn’t find the back of the net without him. To be clear, Orlando’s Designated Players weren’t bad in this match. Ojeda’s assist on McGuire’s goal was pinpoint, Facundo Torres delivered some great crosses for teammates at the far post, and Ercan Kara made some good runs as a substitute. Yet, they couldn’t claw Orlando back into this match. Although not all on the field at the same time, Orlando had all of its DPs and U22 Initiative players in action and only managed one goal. Like a sports car stuck in mud, the offense looked good but didn’t get anywhere in the end. The Lions are going to have to find a way to turn this talent into more goals.


D.C. continues to be a thorn in Orlando’s side, but at least the Lions won’t have to face Wayne Rooney’s side again this regular season. Make sure to let me know your thoughts on the team’s loss. The Lions will aim to right the ship with another home match on Saturday against the LA Galaxy.

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Three Keys to Victory

What does Orlando City need to do to earn a second victory in a row at home this Saturday?

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City is coming off its first win of the MLS regular season and will look to carry that momentum into Saturday night’s Eastern Conference matchup against the New York Red Bulls. The Lions will have several players back from international duty, making Oscar Pareja’s job a bit easier, although some of them will be on short rest. What does Orlando City need to do to earn all three points against the Red Bulls?

Stop Morgan

Lewis Morgan has been on a tear this season with five goals in five matches. That is more than every Orlando City player combined so far this season. The Red Bulls were held scoreless in two matches, meaning those five goals have come in three matches, with Morgan scoring a hat trick against Inter Miami. I love that he took it to the Herons like that, but I’m going to need him to cool off a bit against the Lions.

If Orlando City is to stop Morgan it will take excellent defending from the Lions’ back line and of course Pedro Gallese, who is returning from international duty. Orlando City also gets Wilder Cartagena and David Brekalo back, meaning more of the first choice lineup will be available to keep a clean sheet. With the match at home, earning a clean sheet is all the more important.

Proper Rest and Preperation

It might seem silly to say, but having more than a few days between matches is conducive to earning points. When Orlando City was participating in the Concacaf Champions Cup, the Lions never had time to properly recover or train with a game plan for the next match. Now, the Lions are able to do so, and the result against Austin FC reflects that.

Pareja is a top level MLS coach. We know that he has a plan for about the first 20 minutes of any match, and then makes adjustments throughout the remainder of the match. Even so, many of those adjustments have been planned out prior to the match. That, paired with a more rested roster, allows the Lions to be the protagonists Pareja wants them to be.

Shots, Shots, Shots

Orlando City was able to create plenty of chances against Austin FC, and will need to do so again against the Red Bulls. The Lions took 22 shots Saturday night, with eight on target, and they put two in the back of the net against Austin. Hopefully, Orlando City can be more efficient going forward, but if you don’t create opportunities, you won’t score.

The Red Bulls have some decent defenders who Orlando City will have to deal with, including fullback John Tolkin and Carlos Coronel at keeper. If the Lions can pass even close to the way they did against Austin, the opportunities will come, and if that is the case, hopefully the goals will come. Orlando City still has a sizable goal deficit, thanks to the early part of the season, that can only be corrected with more goals on the other end.


That is what I will be looking for this Saturday night at Inter&Co Stadium. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/28/24

Getting to know Rafael Santos, Orlando Pride prepare for Chicago, Midge Purce out for the season, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope the work week has been treating you well as we gear up for another weekend of soccer. March flew by for me and April is shaping up to be a pretty busy month as well. In other news, I’m looking into adopting a cat and gathering the supplies to make that happen. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Getting to Know Rafael Santos

Orlando City left back Rafael Santos was the latest Lion to field questions as part of the club’s video series for fans to learn more about its players. The 26-year-old spoke about the decision process behind joining Orlando and playing outside of Brazil for the first time in his career after five years with Cruzeiro. He’s brought his attack-minded style of play to the team, particularly in terms of providing lethal crossing from the wing. Make sure to check out the full video as Santos also shared photos of his newborn and showcased his skill with a cavaquinho.

Orlando Pride Prepare to Host Chicago

After a pair of draws to start their season, the Orlando Pride will have a chance to claim their first win of the season when they host the Chicago Red Stars tomorrow night at 6 p.m. Head Coach Seb Hines spoke about how the Pride have shown plenty of resilience so far this young season. The team managed to secure a point in last week’s 1-1 draw with Angel City FC despite a patchwork back line due to injuries. That defense will likely have its hands full against Mallory Swanson and a Chicago team that won both of its first two games. Hines spoke about how the Pride are preparing for Chicago and how they will need the home crowd to bring the support tomorrow night.

Sophia Smith Signs Record-Breaking New Deal

American forward Sophia Smith signed a new contract with the Portland Thorns that will make her the highest-paid NWSL player, according to the club. The new deal will last through the 2025 season, with an option for 2026 as well. The 23-year-old was drafted by the Thorns with the first overall pick in the 2020 NWSL Draft and has gone on to score 34 regular-season goals. Smith re-signed with the club in 2022 and was set to become a free agent following this season, but will instead stay in Portland.

Midge Purce Out for NWSL Season

NJ/NY Gotham FC forward Midge Purce will miss the remainder of the NWSL season after tearing her ACL. The 28-year-old will undergo surgery and suffered the injury in her team’s 1-0 victory over the Portland Thorns this past weekend. She’s been with Gotham since 2020 and assisted on both goals in her team’s 2-1 win in the 2023 NWSL Championship. It’s a tough blow for the United States Women’s National Team too, as she will not be representing the U.S. during this summer’s Olympics in France.

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  • Orlando City B’s match against Carolina Core FC on April 14 has been rescheduled.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/27/24

Bally Sports will broadcast Orlando Pride matches, Pride players called up, USWNT announces SheBelieves Cup roster, and more.

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Hello, Mane Landers. I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I attended my friend’s wedding this past weekend and have been getting myself back into work mode by covering high school tennis this week. There is plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Bally Sports Will Broadcast Select Orlando Pride Matches

Bally Sports was announced as the new local television partner for the Orlando Pride. There will be 13 select Pride matches broadcast this season across Bally Sports Florida, Bally Sports Sun, and on the Bally Sports app. The partnership will begin this Friday, with the Orlando Soccer Insider show taking place before the kickoff of the Pride’s home match against the Chicago Red Stars at 7 p.m. The show will be broadcast on Bally Sports Florida, and then you can switch to the Bally Sports app to watch Friday’s match. Below are all the select matches that will be broadcast on Bally Sports this season.

Brazilian Orlando Pride Players Called Up

The Orlando Pride’s Marta, Angelina, and Luana were all called up by Brazil for next month’s SheBelieves Cup. Brazil heads into this tournament after a solid showing in the Concacaf W Gold Cup. The format is different for this year’s SheBelieves Cup, as there will only be four matches instead of six. Brazil’s first match of the tournament will be a semifinal on April 6 against Canada in Atlanta.

USWNT Announces Roster for SheBelieves Cup

United States Women’s National Team interim head coach Twila Kilgore announced the 23-player roster for the 2024 SheBelieves Cup matches next month. The USWNT has won this competition four consecutive times since 2020, and is going for a seventh title in 2024. Of those called up, 19 players on this squad were part of the team that won the Concacaf W Gold Cup earlier this month. San Diego Wave forward Jaedyn Shaw, the Concacaf W Gold Cup’s MVP, is back on the roster after she led the USWNT with four goals. The squad also includes familiar names like former Pride forward Alex Morgan, Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman, and Olympique Lyon midfielder Lindsey Horan. Mallory Swanson and Catarina Macario return to the squad after being sidelined with injuries. The USWNT will begin its quest to defend its SheBelieves Cup title when it faces Japan on April 6 in Atlanta.

MLS Referees Agree to New CBA

After a lockout that resulted in Major League Soccer starting the season with replacement referees, the Professional Soccer Referees Association voted to ratify a new collective bargaining agreement with the Professional Referee Organization. The new CBA is a seven-year deal that runs through January of 2031. This deal will also include significant pay raises for referees, assistant referees, and video assistant referees. The PRO referees will return to the pitch for this weekend’s MLS matches.

Ukraine, Georgia, and Poland Qualify for Euro 2024

Ukraine has qualified for this summer’s Euros after edging out Iceland 2-1 in its playoff final, with Mykhaylo Mudryk scoring the winning goal in the second half. Georgia eliminated Greece 4-2 on penalties after a 2-2 draw to book a spot in the tournament as well. Georgia qualifies for its first major tournament after coming up short in 2020. Poland also needed penalties to qualify, with goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny making the final save against Daniel James to beat Wales 5-4 on penalties after a scoreless draw.

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That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Wednesday and I’ll see you next time.

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