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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. LA Galaxy: Final Score 2-0 as Designated Players Help Lions Stop Home Skid

Ercan Kara scored one goal and helped set up the second as Orlando City put in a complete home performance vs. LA.

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2 years ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Ercan Kara, Facundo Torres, and Martin Ojeda helped elevate Orlando City to a 2-0 win and an end to a four-match home winless skid in front of 22,519 fans at Exploria Stadium. The trio of Designated Players were a threat to the LA goal all night and two of them scored to lead Orlando City (4-3-2, 14 points) to a complete performance against the Galaxy (1-5-3, 6 points).

Kara scored the first goal and helped set up the second, leading the Lions in shots on goal (3) and finishing second only to Ojeda in shot attempts, with four. The win snapped Orlando City’s 0-3-1 home winless streak and a three-match losing spell in front of the home fans.

“I thought we played a very good half in the first half,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “We played very well against a team who changed the model in the second half and then occupied different spaces. But in the end, our players had the energy to decide the results, (and) create a couple more chances.”

Pareja shuffled his lineup a little due to injuries. Mauricio Pereyra (thigh) and Duncan McGuire (lower leg) were not on the team sheet. Pedro Gallese started in goal behind a back line of Kyle Smith, Robin Jansson, Antonio Carlos, and Michael Halliday — with the Homegrown fullback returning from an injury of his own. Cesar Araujo and Wilder Cartagena played in the central midfield behind an attacking line of Ivan Angulo, Ojeda, and Torres, with Kara up top. The club’s three Designated Players started together for the first time since opening night against the New York Red Bulls.

The first half was a back-and-forth affair but touches and passes were sometimes ruined by the wet conditions as players struggled with their first touch or to get onto longer or faster passes. Orlando had the better attacking movements but they often couldn’t pull off enough clean touches to free up a shot and a few times just a slight hesitation allowed Galaxy defenders to recover and cut off passing lanes. As a result, there weren’t many shot attempts in the opening half.

The first opportunity of the match fell to the visitors after a free kick from distance was given by referee Jon Freemon. The Galaxy played the ball short to Dejan Joveljic just inside the top of the 18-yard box but his shot attempt was blocked by Araujo.

The Lions should have had a great scoring opportunity six minutes in when a good switch by Smith found Halliday up the right side. Instead of crossing in to a wide-open Kara for a chance on goal, the Homegrown defender took an extra touch and it was a heavy one. He recovered at the end line and won a corner but nothing came of that.

Jansson broke up a good transition attack by LA in the 17th minute, getting in front of a Joveljic shot.

In the 25th minute, Tyler Boyd cut in from the left and fired with his right foot, but it was right at Gallese, who held fast to the wet ball.

Araujo put the ball in the net in the 33rd minute but it was quickly reviewed and overturned by Freemon for a handball in the buildup on Torres, who was run into from behind while in the air.

But five minutes later, the Lions had a goal that counted. Carlos sent a nice ball over the top down the right flank for Halliday. The fullback fizzed a cross into the 6-yard box that Kara flicked in for his first goal of the MLS regular season, putting Orlando City up 1-0 in the 38th minute.

“It’s a great feeling to score,” Kara said. “Big congrats to Mikey. He crossed it really well and I told him before the game that he can find me at the first post and, yeah, he found me.”

“The goal that Ercan did for us and Michael (Halliday) assisted as well, I think that’s the highlight from us and it’s very, very good for them,” Pareja said.

Orlando came within inches of doubling its lead in the 44th minute. A takeaway in the attacking half led to the Lions having numbers in the attack. The ball found Ojeda near the right corner of the box. He fired a shot in for the back corner but LA goalkeeper Jonathan Klinsmann got a fingertip to it and it fell just inches wide of the back post.

That was the last good chance of the opening half. Orlando held the advantage in possession (61.8%-38.2%), shots on target (2-1), corners (3-1), and passing accuracy (85.5%-78.9%), while the visitors led in shot attempts (4-3).

LA made two substitutions at halftime, chaning shape to five at the back after putting Eriq Zavaleta and Daniel Aguirre on for Boyd and Douglas Costa. It took Orlando a while to figure things out as LA quickly won a corner and looked more threatening to start the second half. Julian Aude cut in from the left and fired over the bar in the 48th minute.

But the Lions figured out how to deal with the Galaxy pushing wingbacks higher in an effort to keep Orlando from exploiting the flanks as it had in the first half.

“We understood the game,” Pareja said. “What was difficult for us to control was the volume in the middle. We knew that they will add another player there, but also that (if) they’re going to give the ball to us, we’re going to hurt them on the counter and that’s exactly what happened.”

Ojeda nearly doubled the lead in the 50th minute. Kara nodded the ball down into his path off another great pass from Carlos and the Argentine’s curling shot fizzed just inches wide of the far post.

In the 56th minute, Torres picked out Kara with a cross but it was behind the big Austrian and his scissor-kick attempt went over the bar. However, Orlando doubled the lead a minute later.

Kara knocked a ball to Ojeda in the middle with a filthy backheel touch and Ojeda sent Torres in with a good diagonal ball to beat Martin Caceres. Torres tried to hit a chip shot over Klinsmann, but the goalkeeper got a piece of it. The ball dribbled into the corner of the net anyway to make it 2-0 in the 57th minute.

Ojeda tried an audacious chip from midfield in the 63rd minute but his shot curled wide to the right side of the goal. He beat Klinsmann but the spin on the ball took it offline.

Klinsmann kept his team in the match with a good double save in the 66th minute, denying both Ojeda and Kara from good positions. On the ensuing the ball skipped to Kara, who fired on the bounce but his shot was right at Klinsmann.

The Galaxy poured numbers forward to try to get back into it but Joveljic curled a shot well wide in the 71st minute and Chicharito had two efforts denied by Gallese in the 76th and 83rd minutes. The latter of those was a great stop on a header off a scoop pass from Mark Delgado.

Pareja subbed liberally late in the match to help see it out. Among his changes was sending Homegrown Player Alex Freeman on for Halliday to make his MLS debut.

The Lions finished with more possession (55.1%-44.9%), passing accuracy (85.5%-81.7%), and shots on target (6-3). LA fired more total shots (15-14) and won more corners (6-4).

“I’m very happy that the team brought the performance to get the clean sheet,” Jansson said. “I think we looked solid all over the field.”

“The first thing, obviously, was to win at home,” Pareja said. “Just getting this result for us was crucial —just getting back our confidence.”

“I think that’s how we used to play normally,” Kara said of the performance. ” And that’s what everybody wants — the fans and we too, because that’s how we like to play. Keep the ball, and having chances, and I think we did today a great job, and we have to continue it, and we are all happy.”

The Lions will head on the road for their next few games, starting next Saturday at Montreal.

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Lion Links: 4/22/25

Pedro Gallese earns recognition, Americans in midweek action, English promotion update, and more.

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8 hours ago

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April 22, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Well it wasn’t the worst weekend that Orlando soccer has ever had, but it certainly wasn’t the best either. Fortunately, all three of Orlando’s teams will be back in action soon, so there’s no need to dwell on the past too much. Let’s take a moment to wish a happy birthday to the Orlando Pride’s Brianna Martinez, as well as to Kaká! Now, it’s time to turn our attention to today’s links.

Pedro Gallese Earns Weekly Recognition

Pedro Gallese kept a third clean sheet in a row and Orlando City’s third clean sheet of the year in the team’s scoreless draw on the road against CF Montreal. In recognition of his efforts during the match, Gallese was named to the bench of the latest edition of the MLS Team of the Matchday. El Pulpo made six saves to blank a Montreal team that intently searched for a breakthrough, and made a couple of truly excellent second half stops that kept the score level. Congrats to Pedro and keep up the good work!

Americans in Midweek Action

A number of Americans will be playing games during the working week, and there are some big matches to keep an eye on. The main event is on Wednesday, when Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan face Inter Milan in the second leg of the Coppa Italia semifinal, which is tied 1-1 after the first leg. Also on Wednesday, Chris Richards, Matt Turner, and Crystal Palace will play Arsenal in the Premier League. Thursday then has Malik Tillman, Richy Ledezma, and PSV Eindhoven playing FC Twente in the Eredivisie, while Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis play Valladolid in La Liga action.

English Promotion Update

Following results in the EFL Championship on Monday, Leeds United and Burnley have both secured promotion to the Premier League for next season. Both teams won their respective games and are each on 94 points, and with just two matches left, third-placed Sheffield United has no way to catch them. The other promoted side will be determined after the promotion playoffs, which would feature Sheffield United, Sunderland, Bristol City, and Coventry City if the season ended today. Meanwhile in League One, Wrexham’s 2-1 victory over Blackpool meant the Dragons retook second place and the automatic promotion spot that comes with it. If they beat Charlton on Sunday and Wycombe Wanderers drop points against Leyton Orient, then Wrexham would secure promotion to the Championship.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

Transfer rumors continue to fly thick and fast as we approach the business end of most European seasons, so let’s take a look at a few items worth catching up on. Manchester United is said to be keen on signing 17-year-old Argentine Franco Mastantuono from River Plate. Liverpool is reportedly interested in signing winger Ademola Lookman from Atalanta, although the Reds would likely face competition from several other Premier League teams. Finally, Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro has revealed that he and Xabi Alonso have a gentleman’s agreement that if a team the Spaniard used to play for is interested in hiring him as its coach, then the club will not hinder the process. The statement has led to renewed speculation that Alonso will be named Real Madrid coach if Carlo Ancelotti leaves in the summer.

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

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Orlando City

Orlando City’s Focus On Youth Development Showing In The First Team

Orlando City is seeing more and more players promoted from the academy, through OCB, and into the first team.

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1 day ago

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April 21, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City began its academy in the USL Pro days with the goal of developing players for the first team. It took nearly a decade to begin seeing youth development bear fruit, but it’s becoming apparent early in the 2025 season.

Prior to 2019, Orlando City signed four players to Homegrown Player contracts. Tommy Redding, Tyler Turner, and Harrison Heath never played in the academy and the other, Mason Stajduhar, developed primarily at Chargers Soccer Club in Tampa.

Orlando City signed arguably its first true Homegrown Player when the club inked Benji Michel to a first-team contract. The following off-season, the Lions added David Loera and Jordan Bender. Mikey Halliday signed in July 2020. All of the players came through the academy before signing first-team deals. 

So what changed?

Part of it was the growth of the academy. It takes several years to begin producing players. Another major factor was the hiring of Luiz Muzzi on Dec. 18, 2019. Muzzi came from FC Dallas, a club known for promoting from its academy. He brought in Ricardo Moreira, who shares his vision of developing young talent for the first team.

And it’s not only Muzzi and Moreira. Former Orlando City head coach Adrian Heath rarely attended OCB games. James O’Connor only went to one, and that was to see his former teammate, Dennis Chin, who was playing with the opposing Richmond Kickers. The Orlando City boss left when Chin came off.

Oscar Pareja and other first-team coaches have been at several games, far more than their predecessors. That’s largely to do with the games’ location at the training facility, which is another factor in OCB’s development. The 2019 team trained over 40 miles away from the first team. The move to Kissimmee has the first team, OCB, and the development academy under one roof. It’s another display of the club’s more recent commitment to youth development.

Undoubtedly, the transformation of OCB under Muzzi and Moreira has also impacted Homegrown talent coming through. The team’s 2016 and 2017 rosters were primarily made up of first-team reserves and USL lifers. The 2019 team had many players from the Soccer Institute at Montverde Academy (SIMA), many of which were young but ineligible for Homegrown status.

Things began to change in 2020. The roster shifted to include more academy players and that’s only grown. This year, 15 OCB players came out of the academy, two were drafted, and eight are outside signings on MLS NEXT Pro deals. Other than Jhon Solis and first-team goalkeeper Carlos Mercado, everyone to appear for the team is 23 years old or younger.

The focus on giving OCB spots to academy graduates is now seen in the first team. Players like Thomas Williams, Javier Otero, Alex Freeman, Colin Guske, and Gustavo Caraballo have been regulars on the MLS team sheet. Injuries to first-team regulars has seen them receiving regular playing time.

The poster boy for this change is Freeman. The right back came out of the academy and spent a couple of years at OCB before signing his first-team contract. He won the starting role early in the 2025 regular season.

Many players joined the club later in their development, but we’re seeing some come through having been nearly fully developed at the Orlando City Academy. Guske and Caraballo joined at 13 years old, the youngest age group of the development academy. Both signed first-team deals for this year.

The midfield duo continue to play with OCB most games but are also on the first-team roster almost weekly. The only reason they weren’t in Montreal Saturday night is because they were helping the club’s U-18 team reach (and then win) the Generation Adidas Cup final.

With Muzzi and Moreira at the helm, more players continue to come through. U-18 captain and OCB starter Jackson Platts appears to be well on his way to a first-team contract. So does fellow U-18 and OCB starting forward Justin Ellis.

This past weekend saw another academy product make his first-team debut. Zakaria Taifi took over at right back for OCB when Freeman moved up to the first team this year. Signing a short-term deal Saturday, he came on as a late substitute to help the 10-man Lions see out the scoreless draw.

First-team absences have provided opportunities for many young players. If several weren’t at the Generation Adidas Cup, it could be more. Regardless, the last few years have shown a big step forward for the club.

The shift in recent years is more than the pride of seeing local kids representing the hometown team. They’ve been an essential part of the 2025 campaign. The club hasn’t had to use a short bench or dip into outside emergency signings. Instead, the Lions call up kids they know, making it easier to seamlessly place them into the team.

There will be times where several injuries will occur to experienced players. Orlando City is prepared for this more now than ever before, and it’s because of the players coming through the academy and playing with OCB. We’re already seeing it early in this 2025 season.

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Lion Links: 4/21/25

Another scoreless draw for Orlando City, a home loss for the Pride, a championship for the OCSC U-18 squad, and more.

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1 day ago

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April 21, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope you all had a great holiday weekend with family and friends. I managed to watch a few soccer games while work kept me busy. Our Lions picked up another draw for the third week in a row, the Pride lost, and OCB was off this weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Draw CF Montreal on the Road

Orlando City and CF Montreal split the points in a scoreless draw at Stade Saputo on Saturday. It’s the third consecutive week that the Lions could not get a win with another scoreless draw. It’s the second straight match that Orlando had to play down a man as Rafael Santos was sent off in the second half after receiving a second yellow card. Still, the Lions extended their unbeaten run to six matches and are seventh in the Eastern Conference table with 13 points. After the match, Major League Soccer issued a statement after being informed a fan used discriminatory language towards a player during the match.

Orlando City will return to Inter&Co Stadium Saturday to take on Atlanta United.

Orlando City Signs Two Players to Short-Term Deals

Before Saturday’s match against CF Montreal, Orlando City announced the club had signed defender Zakaria Taifi and midfielder Riyon Tori to short-term contracts. Both players were on the bench for Saturday’s match. Tori did not play, but Taifi came off the bench late in the second half to make his MLS debut. Tori has played with OCB and has made three appearances. Taifi has made 42 appearances, starting 21 matches for OCB, scoring one goal and adding three assists.

Orlando City Signs Four Assistant Coaches to New Contracts

Orlando City announced on Friday that the club has renewed the contracts of First Assistant Coach Diego Torres, Second Assistant Coach Martin Perelman, Goalkeeper Coach Cesar Baena, and Fitness & Performance Coach Fabian Bazan. This news comes just days after the club announced that Head Coach Oscar Pareja will remain with the Lions under a new three-year contract through the 2028 MLS season. Together, the coaching staff has played a key part in the recent success of the Lions over the last five seasons, making five consecutive MLS Playoff appearances, two appearances in the Concacaf Champions Cup, and winning the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The Lions also set club records for wins and points, scoring 308 goals across all competitions with a plus-44 goal differential in 202 competitive matches.

Pride Fall to Washington Spirit at Home

The Orlando Pride fell to the Washington Spirit 1-0 at Inter&Co Stadium Saturday to suffer their first loss of the season. The Pride dominated most of the match, but in the 63rd minute, Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse gave the ball away in front of the goal, and Gift Monday capitalized to score the winning goal for the Spirit. Late in the second half, it looked like the Pride had scored the equalizer; however, after video review, it was determined that Kylie Nadaner backed into Aubrey Kingsbury on the play, impeding the goalkeeper from catching the ball, and the tying goal was waved off. With the Kansas City Current’s win over the Houston Dash over the weekend, Orlando drops to second in the NWSL table. The Pride will return to action Friday at Inter&Co Stadium to face Angel City FC.

Orlando City U-18 Team Wins Generation Adidas Cup Championship

The Orlando City U-18 and U-16 squads played over the weekend in playoff matches in the Generation Adidas Cup at IMG Academy. In the quarterfinals on Friday, Omar Robbana scored the lone goal in the U-18 squad’s 1-0 win over Real Salt Lake.

The U-18 squad followed that up by defeating Santos Laguna 3-0 in the semifinals. Justin Ellis scored twice and Gustavo Caraballo added a goal.

On Sunday, Caraballo scored the winning goal in extra time to seal a 2-1 victory over the Colorado Rapids in the U-18 Championship final.

On Friday, the U-16 team defeated Bayern Munich 1-0 in the quarterfinals.

The U-16 squad defeated the New England Revolution 4-3 on penalties after a scoreless draw in the semifinals on Saturday.

The U-16 squad’s run for a championship trophy came to an end with a 3-1 loss to Inter Miami in the U-16 Championship final on Sunday.

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

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