Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Colorado Rapids: Five Takeaways
Here’s what we learned from the Lions’ 2-0 home win over the Colorado Rapids.
Orlando City made it two consecutive wins for the first time in 2023 and extended its unbeaten run to six matches (3-0-3) with Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Colorado. After a slow start, the Lions found the net twice in the second half and went on to win the game.
Here are the things I took from the match.
Facu on Fire
For the second straight year, it took Facundo Torres a while to get going. We have talked about that a lot this season. It’s not as if the Uruguayan hasn’t been helping the team in other ways, but as a Young Designated Player, he is counted on to provide goal contributions and those were scarce in the first part of the season. With a goal and an assist last night, Torres has three goals and two helpers — a total of five goal contributions — in the last two matches (both wins). In just those two games, Torres has climbed to the top of Orlando City’s goal-scoring list in MLS play and third in assists. If he can continue to regularly contribute on the scoresheet, the Lions should have a more productive second half of the season.
Lack of Sharpness Early
The Lions controlled possession and the ball spent a lot more time in Colorado’s half in the opening 45 minutes than in Orlando’s but the hosts create enough danger from that. Some of that may have been the wet ball after a heavy downpour prior to the game soaked the pitch. But some of it just seemed to be a general lack of sharpness. Passes were slightly offline, weighted too lightly or too heavily, or were met with a poor touch when they arrived. Players — Ivan Angulo, in particular — tried to take on defenders and lost the handle. This made it easy for Colorado to defend in a low block. There were only a few decent looks in the first half. None were better than Mauricio Pereyra’s attempt off a Kyle Smith entry pass in stoppage time, but he shot the ball right at Colorado goalkeeper Marko Ilic. Another good chance saw Ercan Kara try to lay off a ball for Torres but the layoff wasn’t soft enough, nor timed correctly, and Torres couldn’t get to the ball before the defense. Orlando was a little sharper in the second half, but there was a major reason for that.
Cards Changed the Game
Although Orlando failed to take advantage of it before halftime, the first huge break in the game occurred when Braian Galvan and Wilder Cartagena both went for a ball in the air with their boots high. Galvan’s studs caught Cartagena squarely in the torso and he was shown a straight red card in the 39th minute. This call could easily have gone the other way had the timing been slightly different, because both players had their boots high for the aerial ball, but it fell Orlando’s way on Saturday.
The second major event came in the 75th minute when Angulo used a little shake and bake to leave Lalas Abubakar behind. The defender reached out and grabbed Angulo to prevent a transition opportunity and that was a textbook yellow card. As Abubakar had already picked up a caution for a rough foul just six minutes into the match, he too had to leave the game, putting Colorado down to nine men. Orlando dominated possession from there and added a second goal.
Difficulty Adjusting to Favorable Circumstances
Despite going up a man in the first half, Orlando didn’t take advantage of it before halftime. In fact, the Lions didn’t generate much of anything until stoppage time, when Pereyra had a golden opportunity but hit it right at Ilic, and Angulo followed with a shot from a tough angle that missed the target. Orlando City didn’t score with a good flurry to open the second half either, and it wasn’t until the 56th minute that the Lions cashed in with Torres’ goal. Up two men for a quarter of an hour, the Lions only added a single insurance tally in the 83rd minute, despite Oscar Pareja’s substitution pattern indicating a desire to punish the Rapids for their red cards.
I asked Pereyra after the match about adjusting to playing against fewer opponents and whether different positioning by the Rapids gave the Lions an unusual look they weren’t expecting. Pereyra’s honest answer was that he thought the team felt the pressure not to concede because they had the manpower advantage. The Lions on the field needed to move the ball more quickly to open up spaces to create better scoring chances and wear down the visitors. Instead, Orlando tried shots from distance or probed cautiously to try keep the ball. This allowed Colorado to defend more comfortably and easily despite having fewer men.
Ramiro Breaks Through
It was Ramiro Enrique who put the game to bed in the 83rd minute, as the Argentine scored his first MLS goal. Torres took the ball in the right corner from Cesar Araujo, brought it into the box, then found Enrique lurking at the top of the area. Enrique took a touch to his right and blasted a low shot past Ilic to provide breathing room. It was a nice moment for the MLS U22 Initiative player, who has seen his minutes dwindle since Ercan Kara returned from injury. Hopefully, it will help get him going and springboard Enrique to a strong second half of the season.
Bonus Takeaway: Defense Says No
Colorado didn’t create much, which isn’t surprising given the way the match played out, but the Rapids were looking to hit on the counter and had some opportunities to do that snuffed out before they became dangerous. Robin Jansson had a vital open-field tackle in the first half to prevent a potential goal-scoring opportunity. Rodrigo Schlegel had three perfect tackles in the second half after coming on for Antonio Carlos. Three times the Rapids tried to take on Schlegel in the open field and all three times Rodri ignored the fancy movements and simply poked the ball away. Those four outstanding plays helped Pedro Gallese earn his second straight clean sheet, fifth shutout of the MLS season, and sixth in all competitions in 2023.
That’s what I took away from a weather-delayed 2-0 win over one of the bottom teams in the Western Conference. Hopefully the home win will provide some confidence for the Lions while playing future games in the friendly confines of Exploria Stadium. The performance wasn’t great, in my opinion, but the result was, and the Lions made enough plays to beat an overmatched Colorado side.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 2/11/26
New Orlando City kit drops, Orlando City and Orlando Pride preseasons, MLS club valuations, and more.
Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling a bit anxious about the upcoming season. I think it’s because we don’t know much of what is going on. We’re only a few weeks away from the first match for goodness sake. Hopefully, we’ll see some more signings for both clubs, but until then let’s get to the links.
Orlando City’s New Kit
Orlando City dropped the new Sunken Treasure secondary kit yesterday, and it is a stunner. This is the first time the club has used gold as the primary color on a jersey. It looks great with the purple shorts, and the purple stripes. There are some great details like the coin on the collar and sublimated lion head on the chest. This is truly one of the better kits that Orlando City has introduced. The club produced a great reveal video. Check it out.
Orlando Preseasons
There’s not a ton of information to convey regarding Orlando City’s and the Orlando Pride’s preseasons. That seems to be purposeful on the part of the club, but a little news did slip out via social media. New center back Iago is fully participating in practice.
We also learned that goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau is back in training after missing last week. Of course, the Pride got in the action as well with various players trying to run drills. I’ll let you judge how well they did.
MLS Club Valuations
MLS clubs are increasing in value, including Orlando City. Sportico released the list of all MLS club valuations (paywall). Unsurprisingly, the top five were all big market teams with Inter Miami leading the way. When the Wilf family purchased Orlando City, they paid between $400 and $450 million. Now it is estimated to be worth approximately $565 million. That’s pretty good growth.
Chris Mueller’s Lost Year
We missed this last November, but former Orlando City attacker Chris Mueller had a tough time of things in 2025. The player was diagnosed with pericarditis. It meant that he couldn’t sleep laying down, let alone play or practice. He is now on the other side of it and has a new contract. It was a year of lessons for Mueller, and in typical fashion he has bounced back stronger.
Free Kicks
- The Lions weren’t the only team to announce new jerseys. There were 16 other clubs that did the same, though none are as nice as Orlando City’s new kit.
- The USMNT U-17 squad has secured a spot in the U-17 World Cup. The berth came after a 1-1 draw against the Dominican Republic.
- Former England, Chelsea, and Juventus forward Eni Aluko has reignited her debate over female pundits in soccer.
- Defender Noahkai Banks will not be switching from the USMNT to Germany despite contact from the German federation.
- Haley Carter was up for a job with Chelsea. However it seems no one told her.
That will do it for today, me hearties. I hope you have a wonderful day. Vamos Orlando!
Orlando City
Orlando City Unveils 2026 ‘Sunken Treasure’ Kit
Orlando City unveils the first primarily gold kit in club history.
The 2026 Lions will be golden. Orlando City unveiled the club’s new ‘Sunken Treasure’ kit ahead of the 2026 Major League Soccer season — to be worn through the 2027-2028 season.
Soccer season. For the first time, Orlando City has used its secondary color as the primary color of a jersey, going primarily gold.
According to the club, the new kit pays homage to the state’s famed Treasure Coast:
The Sunken Treasure Kit draws inspiration from the legend, mystery and enduring allure of Florida’s Treasure Coast, a region known for stories of lost gold and shipwrecked riches. Stretching along Florida’s east coast, the area takes its name from the legendary 1715 Treasure Fleet, a convoy carrying New World wealth back to Spain before a hurricane sank 11 of its 12
ships. Millions of dollars in gold, silver and jewels have been recovered from the wrecks since the 1960s, and coins still occasionally wash ashore today. That sense of history, discovery and lingering mystery anchors the Sunken Treasure Kit’s identity.
“We’re incredibly excited to unveil the first kit in club history to be predominantly Florida Gold, an iconic color inspired by a truly unique and authentic Florida story that reflects the rich history of our home state,” Orlando City Chief Marketing Officer Pedro Araujo said in a club press release. “This kit is a tribute to our fans and supporters, who are the true treasure of this club. It represents the memories we create together each season — moments that endure across time, much like the legends of Florida’s Treasure Coast. For us, real treasure isn’t found beneath the waves; it lives in the stands, in our community, and in the shared moments our players and fans bring to life every time we take the field.”
The gold kit’s accents are in the club’s traditional deep purple primary hue as well as white. Whereas the jersey is gold with the iconic three Adidas stripes in purple on the shoulders, the shorts are purple with gold Adidas stripes. While you need to be up close and personal with the kit to see it, a lion motif stretches across the kit, a touch inspired by old-time ship figureheads.
A coin on the back of the neck symbolizes Spanish doubloons, bearing the words “The treasure is the memories we make.” Another saying adorns the front hem jock tag around the outline of an ornate nautical compass bearing the year 2026: “Our anchors we will weigh, our sails we will set, 90 minutes with our City family we shall never forget.”
As usual, Orlando Health is the jersey sponsor, continuing a partnership dating back to 2011, the club’s first year in the USL.
The Sunken Treasure Kit is available at the Major League Soccer online store (MLSStore.com) and at OCMobileShop.com, with in‐person pickup at The Den at Inter&Co Stadium beginning Wednesday. Fans will have their first opportunity to purchase the kit at the club’s official jersey launch at The Final Whistle at Thornton Park Pub tonight, with the festivities starting at 6 p.m. There will also be live music, giveaways, player appearances, and a visit from club mascot Kingston. Attendees who purchase the jersey at tonight’s event will receive an exclusive CITYiD patch (while supplies last), along with a limited-edition coin (also while supplies last). The coin is inspired by the new kit. It will be a big year for coin collectors, as today’s is one of five exclusive coins the club is giving away as part of a campaign throughout 2026.
You can check out the kit in all its glory in the gallery of images below:
Lion Links
Lion Links: 2/10/26
Harvey Sarajian interview, checking in on former Lions, Americans in midweek action, and more.
Good morning, everyone. It’s hard to believe that we’re under two weeks away from the start of the Major League Soccer season, but time shows absolutely no sign of slowing down anytime soon. We’ve got a whole lot of things to discuss this morning, so let’s get right into the links.
Getting to Know Harvey Sarajian
Harvey Sarajian was born in Naples, and the first professional soccer game that he ever went to was when Orlando City took on the Chicago Fire all the way back in 2015. After becoming Orlando’s first pick in this year’s MLS SuperDraft, he’s now earned a contract with the team he watched 11 years ago, and he did so just four days after starting to train with the Lions. He spent a lot of time as a left winger in college, and spoke about his desire to beat defenders out wide and either get service into the box or cut onto his right foot and try to score. He also highlighted Duncan McGuire and Tyrese Spicer as two individuals who have helped him as he settles into his new surroundings.
Monitoring Former Lions Abroad
It’s been a busy few days for some of Orlando City’s former players who have taken their talents overseas. Cyle Larin got his debut for Southampton started with a bang on Saturday, as he entered the game as a substitute in the 67th minute and promptly scored the game’s only goal just three minutes later to lift the team to victory over Watford. The more recently departed Alex Freeman made his debut for Villareal on Monday, when he entered the game in the 73rd minute of a 4-1 win over Espanyol in La Liga action. Finally, Benji Michel has seemingly concluded his time with Finnish side HJK Helsinki, as he posted a farewell to the club on his Instagram page.
Americans in Midweek Action
As is usually the case, there are a number of American players taking part in games during the working week. Things will get started today when Brenden Aaronson and Leeds face Chelsea in the Premier League. Action in England rolls on Wednesday when Antonee Robinson and Fulham face Manchester United, while Chris Richards and Crystal Palace take on Burnley. The Wednesday action concludes when Alejandro Zendejas and Club America attempt to maintain their 2-1 first leg advantage over CD Olimpia, and advance to the next round of the Concacaf Champions Cup. Things then finish up on Friday when Folarin Balogun and Monaco host Nantes in Ligue 1 action.
MLS Transfer Roundup
Monday brought a fresh wave of movement in the transfer market for Major League Soccer, so let’s catch up on what happened. CF Montreal has signed forward Noah Streit from FC Basel on a deal that runs through the 2028-2029 season, with an option for 2029-2030. Moving to the Western Conference, Real Salt Lake signed defender Juan Jose Arias on loan from Atletico Nacional as an MLS U22 Initiative signing. The center back’s loan runs until July 13 and contains a purchase option. San Diego FC has signed free agent midfielder Bryce Duke on a contract that runs through June of 2027 and contains options for the 2027-2028 and 2028-2029 seasons. Finally, Nashville SC has signed center back Jeisson Palacios to a contract extension through the 2027-2028 season, with an option for the 2028-2029 campaign.
Free Kicks
- Take a look at the Orlando Pride’s continuing preseason preparations.
- We got another teaser from OCSC ahead of today’s jersey release.
- The Young Lions have been getting in some preseason preparations of their own.
- Orlando City youth player Lennox Alvarado got a callup to the U-16 National Team training camp.
- Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly ended his boycott of Al Nassr matches.
- Jack Grealish has confirmed that he has undergone a foot surgery that will end his season.
That’s all I’ve got for you today. Vamos Orlando!
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