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Orlando City vs. Columbus Crew: Final Score 2-2 as Cardiac Cats Fight Back for Road Point

Lions fall behind by two before the break but rally back to earn a hard-fought road point in Columbus.

Published

12 months ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

It looked like Orlando City was about to absorb another loss on its three-game road trip, but the Lions rallied for two second-half goals, erasing a 2-0 deficit and earning a 2-2 draw against the Columbus Crew at Lower.com Field in Columbus, OH. Ercan Kara and Duncan McGuire brought Orlando City (4-4-3, 15 points) back after first-half goals by Darlington Nagbe and Jacen Russell-Rowe had given Columbus (4-4-3, 15 points) a two-goal advantage in the opening period.

The draw snapped Orlando’s two-game losing streak in all competitions but extended the Lions’ winless streak to three matches.

“A really hard game today against this rival with a lot of dynamic,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “I think they showed that potential in the first half and confused us and went up the sides of the field and overloades us there. We couldn’t control it right away. We had moments that first half when we probably could have scored a goal and take that pressure off, but it was hard and even harder when they scored the first goal.

“I really liked the reaction of our players. I think they showed our braveness and character one more time.”

Pareja returned to the three-man back line, with goalkeeper Pedro Gallese behind a defensive line of Rodrigo Schlegel, Robin Jansson, and Antonio Carlos. Gaston Gonzalez and Ivan Angulo deployed as wingbacks outside of central midfielders Cesar Araujo and Wilder Cartagena. Facundo Torres and Martin Ojeda played beneath striker Kara.

Orlando City controlled much of the game’s first eight minutes but the remainder of the first half was all Columbus.

Before the Crew took control of the match, Orlando did a better job of keeping the ball when they had it, but still couldn’t hit the target with anything. Cartagena and Ojeda both tried to chip Crew goalkeeper Patrick Schulte but both found out that doesn’t work when you can’t hit the goal frame. Kara also had a couple of shot attempts that went over the bar. That was it for Orlando’s offense in the opening 45 minutes.

After Ojeda made a bad back pass to ignite the break the other way, the Crew took over the match. Cucho Hernandez just barely missed the net on a few opportunities and those warning shots went unheeded by the Orlando defense, which gave everyone far too much room.

Columbus broke the scoreless deadlock by taking advantage of Orlando’s inability to execute a throw-in. The Lions threw the ball in, quickly turned it over, and then it was a cavalcade of being late to the next pass recipient before the ball ended up on the right side with Alexandru Matan. Once the ball was on the right, every available defender followed Hernandez’s diagonal run through the box, so once Matan’s pass trickled across the top of the six, it was just a matter of which Crew player would tap it in. Nagbe took charge of that in the 39th minute.

Just before the half, things got worse. Mohamed Farsi got the ball on the right and sent a simple cross into the box that no one was in position to cut out. It found Russell-Rowe in front and the 20-year-old completely dominated Orlando’s best center back, overpowering Carlos to double the lead in the second minute of first-half injury time.

Orlando was fortunate not to concede a third as the Crew quickly got back into the attacking third in the closing minutes of the half.

The Crew dominated the stat sheet, holding a commanding 65.5%-34.5% lead in possession and also finishing the half with more shots (9-4), shots on target (2-0), corners (3-1), and passing accuracy (85.4%-70.4%).

Pareja made no changes at halftime and his team responded quickly. The Lions pulled one back through Kara’s strike just four minutes after the restart. Torres played the Austrian in with a beautiful through ball that Kara played deftly with his feet to place the ball out in front for himself. He was 1-v-1 with Schulte and calmly slotted past the goalkeeper to make it 2-1 with his second goal of the regular season and third in all competitions.

The goal came on Orlando’s first shot on target in more than a game and a half.

“It was a little bit behind me,” Kara said of the Torres through ball. “But the first touch was okay and the finish was one on one against the goalkeeper. He decided to move a little bit earlier, before I shoot, and he (went) in the wrong direction.”

The Crew nearly pulled that goal back immediately. Hernandez fired a shot that missed the post by inches, skipping harmlessly wide in the 51st minute. Moments later, after Orlando won a corner, the Lions played it short but made such a mess of it that Hernandez broke the other way. Fortunately for Orlando City, several Lions were in good position to cut off the Crew striker.

Gallese made a save on Russell-Rowe in the 55th minute and he may not have seen the initial shot, which hit him in the chest and bounced away.

The Lions broke the other way and had a good chance to score but Kara’s back-post shot didn’t have enough curl on it and stayed wide. The Austrian had an open Ojeda on the other side of the box but may not have seen him before attempting the shot, as he was trailing the play.

Pareja sent on fullbacks Kyle Smith and Michael Halliday for Ojeda and Schlegel. It seemed like a shape change was on but the team played the same way with Halliday pushing high and Smith staying deep in what continued to be more or less a three-man back line.

Despite the change, the Crew nearly restored their two-goal lead in the 64th minute. Russell-Rowe sent Hernandez in behind and the Columbus Designated Player beat Gallese. However, Hernandez was just a tad offside and after a short video review by referee Drew Fischer, the goal was waved off.

Araujo found the ball at his feet in the box in the 67th minute off a corner kick, but the Uruguayan scuffed his shot badly.

Three minutes later, Gallese made a comfortable save on Yaw Yeboah, who fired right at the Orlando keeper. Moments after that, Jansson unwisely played a ball to Cartagena with Nagbe lurking. Nagbe won the ball and Cartagena had to concede a dangerous free kick and absorb a yellow card. Hernandez smashed the ensuing free kick into the wall and then sent the rebound well off target in the 75th minute.

The dead ball situation before the goal kick allowed Pareja to send on McGuire and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson into the match for Angulo and Cartagena in an attempt to get more attacking players on the pitch.

It didn’t work right away. Aidan Morris fired a shot right at Gallese moments later and then Jansson made a fantastic play in the open field to dispossess Hernandez to prevent a transition opportunity.

McGuire sent Halliday into the box in the 81st minute and the fullback had time and space. Trying to pick out the far post, the Homegrown Player wastefully skipped his shot wide.

Yeboah smashed a shot off Gallese in the 83rd minute but it took a fortunate bounce and went off to the goalkeeper’s left, where there were no attacking players. It then appeared the Lions’ comeback bid would fall short as the Crew won some corner kicks and kept Orlando pinned in its own end for a few minutes.

The Lions eventually broke out, clearing a corner and getting forward in the attack.

Orlando’s equalizer came a set piece — an area that hasn’t been kind to the club in 2023 so far. Off a cleared Crew corner kick, the ball ended up with Torres, who won a foul just outside the top of the Columbus penalty area. He and Thorhallsson stood over the dead ball before Torres knocked it to the right and two Crew players collided trying to clear it. The ball fell into the path of McGuire, who smashed it off of Schulte and into the net for the equalizer in the 92nd minute. It was his team-leading fourth goal of the season.

Orlando saw out the remaining four minutes of stoppage time but it wasn’t without some scary moments. In the 94th minute, Gallese made the save of the match. A cross came into the box to substitute Isaiah Parente, who sent his first touch toward goal. The ball hit Smith and bounced toward goal but Gallese made a great reaction save to keep the game tied.

A minute later, Yeboah smashed a shot just wide after Araujo turned the ball over trying to send a breakout pass up the pitch.

Eventually, though, the Lions got over the finish line and earned a road point.

The Lions closed the gap in possession but the Crew still had more of it (59.5%-40.5%), along with more shots (22-10), shots on target (7-3), corners (6-5), and passing accuracy (84.7%-72.8%).

“The second half was great,” Pareja said. “The players took the game by the horns and I saw our team playing much more football and having that volume going forward and we tied it up. A deserved game for us and again credit for these players that showed character. Our willingness is intact.”

The Lions will enjoy this draw, as they won a point from a losing position in the second half on the road.

“It feels not like a draw, it feels like a win, because we came back from 2-0,” Kara said. “That gives us energy, motivation for Wednesday that we are able to play better. Now we need to put one step more on it, be all together, go out on Wednesday, and win the game.”

Orlando City’s road trip is over as the Lions head home for a midweek matchup Wednesday night against New York City FC.

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Toronto FC: Three Keys to Victory

What does Orlando City need to do to ensure a victory over Toronto FC Saturday at home?

Published

14 hours ago

on

April 25, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

After a successful, four-point road trip, Orlando City returns from Montreal to the friendly confines of Inter&Co Stadium to face one of the other Canadian clubs, Toronto FC. The Lions are hoping to add to a four-match unbeaten streak. A win offers the opportunity to take another step up the standings.

What does Orlando City need to do to secure all three points at home against Toronto FC?

No Early Mistakes

In the last three matches, Orlando City has conceded the first goal of the match. Worse than that, each of those goals happened within the first 21 minutes. Yes, coming from behind for two draws and one win is good, but not giving up those early goals may have meant three wins instead.

Last season, Orlando City’s defense was good. We didn’t see nearly so many mental mistakes by the defense, especially so early in the match. What is frustrating is that these mistakes were seemingly preventable. The back line, the defensive midfielders, and Pedro Gallese need to tighten up in the early going so that the Lions are not chasing the match so early on.

Take Advantage of Tired Legs

Toronto FC played a match against Simcoe County Rovers in the Canadian Championship tournament on Wednesday. I’m in no way saying that Toronto trotted out their first choice lineup for the match, but even if only some of the players got a run out, that could create some tired legs for the match against Orlando. Add in the travel from Canada to Florida on short rest and it could be good news for the Lions.

If the Lions can possess the ball and make Toronto FC chase them, or if Orlando can get the first goal (see above) so that Toronto is chasing the match as well, it might pay dividends in the second half. Orlando City is good enough in the passing game to do so, though it will be interesting to see whether Martin Ojeda rejoins the starting lineup or if Nico Lodeiro gets the nod again.

One Down, Two to Go

Facundo Torres was the first of Orlando City’s three Designated Players to score a goal in the regular season. While it didn’t come in the run of play, it might still spark him to add some more since he usually starts slow and then catches fire at about this point in the season. Of course, both Luis Muriel and Ojeda contributed to the scoring against Montreal. Muriel drew the penalty that Torres took, and Ojeda provided the assist to Ivan Angulo.

Now it is time for either Muriel or Ojeda — or both — to join Torres on the scoreboard. Standing in their way will be a good keeper in Sean Johnson. So far this season, he has allowed seven goals and has 22 saves, with three clean sheets. Muriel seems to be getting closer to scoring with each shot taken, and Ojeda has missed some close ones. If all three of Orlando City’s Designated Players can start scoring regularly, this team will become dangerous quickly.

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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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/25/24

Duncan McGuire is an Olympic frontrunner, Orlando Pride get ready for the Washington Spirit, Colin Guske signs with Orlando City B, and more.

Published

18 hours ago

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April 25, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this work week hasn’t been too stressful for you as we get ready for another weekend packed with Orlando soccer. All of the European soccer this week has been enjoyable as well, as teams fight for silverware and survival. It should be a fun next few days, although most of my match following will be digital. I’m hoping to get out to the stadium for a game or two over the next couple of months as well. But for now, let’s dive into today’s links!

Duncan McGuire Likely to Play in Olympics

Orlando City forward Duncan McGuire was listed as one of the frontrunners to join the U.S. for this year’s Olympics. It won’t be much of a shock if McGuire is in Paris this summer, as he’s been impressive in the time since being drafted sixth overall in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft by the Lions. The 23-year-old has followed up a strong rookie year with three goals and an assist so far this season. It will be interesting to see who McGuire could compete with for minutes in the Olympics, with Ricardo Pepi noted as another possible option up top for the U.S. Overall, it’s nice to see McGuire is doing what’s needed to stay in the contention for Paris. I think that staying in Orlando rather than going to England has definitely helped his case.

Orlando Pride Prepare for the Washington Spirit

The Orlando Pride are riding a five-game unbeaten streak and will take it to the nation’s capital for a difficult road match against the Washington Spirit Friday night. The Pride have won their past two games and will face a Spirit side that has won four of its five games this season. Both teams have been defensively sound, each conceding just four goals, so it may come down to moments of individual brilliance to make the difference. Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke about the difficulty of the matchup, Orlando’s grit this season, and the impact Barbra Banda had in her debut last weekend.

Orlando City B Signs Colin Guske

Midfielder Colin Guske, who joined Orlando City’s academy back in 2020, signed an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Orlando City B through this 2024 season. The 17-year-old made his OCB debut in the team’s season opener this year and scored the game-winning goal. He’s carved out a spot in OCB’s midfield this season, starting in four of the team’s five games. Guske has two brothers who have also gone through the club’s academy and played with OCB. A solid year with the Young Lions from Guske could result in a Homegrown Player contract for the senior team.

Columbus Crew SC Wins First Leg Against Monterrey

The Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals are here and the Columbus Crew are the only MLS team still in the tournament. They came up with a big 2-1 home win in the first leg of their matchup against Monterrey. Cucho Hernandez gave the Crew the lead in the first half and 21-year-old Jacen Russell-Rowe scored the winner in the second. An away goal by Monterrey could prove crucial though due to the tiebreakers, and the second leg will take place on May 1. The winner of this matchup will take on either Club America or Pachuca in the final on June 2.

Free Kicks

  • Former Lion Dom Dwyer is reportedly headed out west to sign with Oakland Roots SC in the USL Championship.
  • Toronto FC traded away $200,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money (GAM) to Atlanta United in exchange for winger Derrick Etienne Jr. The 27-year-old has not received much playing time this season, and Atlanta could earn another $175,000 in GAM if performance-based metrics are met.
  • The San Jose Earthquakes have reportedly signed Hernan Lopez from Godoy Cruz. It would give a-needed boost to the team, which has just three points from nine games this season.
  • St. Louis City winger Celio Pompeu won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his great strike from outside the box in his team’s 3-3 draw with Sporting Kansas City.

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: 4/24/24

Orlando City and Orlando Pride power rankings, USMNT player news, USWNT will host Costa Rica, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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April 24, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s that time of the week for some tasty links. Two seven-point weekends for Orlando’s soccer teams is nothing to sneeze at, unlike the pollen that coats my hometown of Tallahassee. It’s the time of the year that I make my money back with the unlimited car wash next to my work. Enough with my weather-related car issues, let’s get to the links.

Lions Move Up (and Down) in Power Rankings

There’s nothing that shows the value of “power rankings” better than when you can compare two different ranking lists for the same week for any given club. We all know Orlando City is undefeated in its last four matches thanks to the late heroics of Ivan Angulo to draw CF Montreal over the weekend. But, did you know that was both good and bad?

In ESPN‘s MLS power rankings, Orlando City dropped a spot from 16th to 17th despite “treading water” with a point on the road in Montreal. Meanwhile, the Lions roared ahead three spots from 21st to 18th in MLSsoccer.com’s power rankings. So, do you like that Orlando is 17th in the ESPN piece despite the drop? Or do you prefer the positivity of a three-spot jump to 18th in the MLSSoccer.com rankings?

Orlando Pride Rise in Power Rankings

Forget everything I wrote up there regarding power rankings — at least as far as the Orlando Pride are concerned. After starting the season with three draws, the Pride now have two wins in a row. As such, ESPN moved the Pride up three spots from eighth to fifth in its NWSL power rankings. Their move up the list is entirely deserved and the writer was correct in their assessment. Of course, I’m kidding but it’s still nice to see the Pride get recognized for their results. Now, we just need the Pride to continue the winning streak.

Keeping Up With USMNT Players Abroad

As we shared yesterday, Sergino Dest will likely miss this summer’s Copa America thanks to a knee injury suffered during PSV Eindhoven training. That means the USMNT has a right back situation to address and there are quite a few well known candidates to step in for Dest.

Meanwhile, Weston McKennie has reportedly rejected Juventus’ latest extension offer. I can understand his decision given it doesn’t include any additional salary. McKennie has been very good for Juve, with 10 assists on the season. He’s not the only American making a difference, as Tim Weah provided the assist on Arkadiusz Milik’s goal to send Juventus to the Coppa Italia final.

USWNT Olympic Send-Off Match

The United States Women’s National Team will play a match against Costa Rica at Audi Field on July 16. It will be the final match for the USWNT prior to the Olympics that start nine days later against Zambia. New coach Emma Hayes will join the team on June 1, which isn’t a ton of time before the Olympics start, but she has been a part of the process for months.

Free Kicks

  • The New England Revolution have acquired veteran defender Xavier Arreaga from the Seattle Sounders for a 2025 international roster slot, and up to $75,000 in General Allocation Money depending on performance.
  • Inter Miami’s Jordi Alba will be out for several weeks due to a hamstring injury. Fortunately, he is expected to be back in time for the match against Orlando City on May 15. Where did I put the sarcasm font?

That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the Pride’s match against the Washington Spirit this Friday, and Orlando City’s match against Toronto FC on Saturday. Vamos Orlando!

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