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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Real Salt Lake: Final Score 4-0 as Lions Fall Apart in Utah

After conceding a pair of goals on first-half set pieces, the Lions never mounted any kind of challenge.

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2 years ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Horrific set piece defending was costly as Orlando City fell 4-0 to Real Salt Lake at America First Field. The Lions (9-6-7, 34 points) gave up first-half set piece goals to Cristian Arango — on his RSL debut — and Justen Glad. Jefferson Savarino and Anderson Julio added insurance late for the hosts, providing a comfortable win for Real Salt Lake (9-7-6, 33 points), a club that had been previously struggling at home.

The loss snapped a four-match unbeaten run by Orlando City and ruined an opportunity to climb higher in the Eastern Conference Standings.

“Obviously a difficult experience today to solve at this moment where we are getting our confidence higher and coming from a good stretch of games,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “But today we found a team that was very effective going forward when they had their chances. I think we had ours too, but we didn’t have that capacity to finalize our opportunities.”

Despite playing a third game in eight days and crossing the country to play at altitude, Pareja’s lineup had no rotation whatsoever from the side that began Tuesday’s 4-0 win vs. Toronto FC. Pedro Gallese started in goal behind a back line of Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Antonio Carlos, and Kyle Smith. Cesar Araujo and Wilder Cartagena played central midfield behind an attacking line of Ivan Angulo, Maurcio Pereyra, and Facundo Torres, with Duncan McGuire up top.

Orlando City started brightly and had a chance right off the opening kickoff. The ball was sent forward to McGuire, who lost it momentarily but quickly won it back and smashed a shot just 12 seconds in that fizzed inches wide of the left post.

Moments later, Torres cut across the top of the box and smashed a left-footed shot that Zac MacMath did well to save. The rebound came out to the right and a Smith shot was on target but MacMatch kicked it away.

Despite the quick start by Orlando, RSL quickly settled into the match. Damir Kreilach got his head to a cross in the 11th and sent it just wide of the right post.

The breakthrough came 12 minutes later. McGuire did a great job tracking back and won the ball from Braian Ojeda but then he showed too much of the ball and lost it back. The rookie then compounded the problem by committing an unnecessary foul near the right sideline. RSL took advantage on the set piece as Cartagena left Arango alone in the middle and the new Designated Player easily headed it inside the right post to open the scoring in the 23rd minute.

Whether the goal rattled Orlando City or inspired the home side, the rest of the first half was almost all one-way traffic for the hosts. The Lions repeatedly turned the ball over in their own end and failed to connect or break lines as the half wore on.

An attempt by Santos from outside the box was easily blocked and nearly ignited a breakaway for Arango in the 32nd minute if not for some vital emergency defending by a sliding Jansson.

Savarino shot just wide in the 37th minute as the hosts kept coming. A telegraphed pass in the attacking half was easily cut out by Glad and Cartagena was forced to take a yellow card for a tactical foul.

The Orlando deficit doubled in the 41st minute. The Lions gave up a corner and again failed to mark properly. Glad rose above the crowd and scored a goal that looked nearly identical to the first.

“We felt bad just conceding two goals at points in our control and we work a lot on it,” Pareja said of the set pieces that allowed RSL to take command of the match. “It hurt us a lot.”

The Lions had two late chances to get on the board before halftime. Angulo set up McGuire in the 44th minute with a nice run up the field and a through ball, but the rookie’s shot was deflected, making it an easy save for MacMath. Seconds later, Angulo was alone on the right and the ball came to him, but the Colombian badly mishit his first-time shot attempt and it went nowhere near the goal.

Real Salt Lake held only a slight edge in possession (50.4%-49.6%), although it seemed like much more. Each team fired eight shots and got three on target. RSL had more corners (2-1) and Orlando City passed slightly more accurately (80.7%-80.1%) in the opening 45 minutes.

Pareja made no changes at the break despite the situation and the first 15 minutes of the second half were fairly uneventful. A promising Orlando attack in the 56th minute ended with Smith sending either a poor cross too close to the goalkeeper or a weak shot from distance right at him.

Moments later, Martin Ojeda, Ramiro Enrique, and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson came on to spell Angulo, Cartagena, and Smith.

Not much changed after the subs, with Enrique missing the net badly from distance and Ojeda sending an easy shot right at MacMath from distance.

Ercan Kara came on shortly after that for McGuire.

Orlando had a golden opportunity in the 71st minute when a Santos cross deflected in front to Torres but his shot was blocked in front. A few minutes later, he was subbed off for Luca Petrasso.

Having two left backs on the pitch didn’t help at all in the 78th minute. A simple cross from left to right found Savarino on the right and no one closed him down. Savarino chested it down and blasted the third goal past Gallese to seal the game.

Julio tacked another one on late and completely undid Tuesday night’s excellent goal-differential game against Toronto. The Lions went from +5, to +9 after Tuesday, and back to +5 after tonight.

RSL had the advantage in possession (51.9%-48.1%), shots (15-11), shots on target (6-4), corners (5-2), and passing accuracy (85.7%-82.4%).

“We are going to absorb it,” Pareja said of the loss. “I think we are intact. Our mentality keeps going. We have no excuses. Salt Lake was much, much effective and obviously the score reflects it.”

“Difficult moment after this loss and this result, but in this moment is when in my case as a captain I belive in the team and I trust in the team more than ever,” Pereyra said. “We have to love each other more than ever because we know how hard they are working. Today it was a difficult night for us as a team. We were not the best after we beat Toronto 4-0 and now we are not the worst, so we have to keep working, knowing that we have a game against Atlanta that is very important for us.”

After all the fixture congestion, Orlando City will get a normal work week before heading north to play Atlanta United next Saturday night. Game time is 7:30 p.m.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/21/25

Orlando Pride release preseason camp roster, scouting Costa Rica, women’s soccer transfer grades, and more.

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16 hours ago

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January 21, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone! If you had yesterday off for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, then I hope you enjoyed some restful time off. If not, then I hope you got your week started off on a good and productive note. There’s a lot going on around here this week as the United States Men’s National Team is in town, and Orlando City will play its first preseason match on Saturday. That means we have plenty to discuss, so let’s dig into today’s links.

Orlando Pride Drop Preseason Roster

Monday might have been a holiday but the Orlando Pride were busy, as they announced the roster for their upcoming preseason camp. Almost all of the usual suspects from the 2024 season are back, as the Pride return 98% of the player-minutes from last season and every single scorer. Mariana Larroquette is on the list although she’s currently on loan in Argentina, and Amanda Allen is likewise included after her loan at Lexington Sporting Club was terminated due to a torn labrum. The biggest intrigue comes from the trio of non-roster invitees: goalkeeper DeAira Jackson, midfielder Aryssa Mahrt, and forward Simone Jackson.

Scouting Costa Rica

The USMNT takes on Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium to wrap up the team’s annual January camp. Like the U.S., Costa Rica is bringing a roster devoid of the majority of its important players. Costa Rica also has a new manager at the helm in Miguel Herrera, who will take charge of the team for the very first time on Wednesday. Herrera typically lines his teams up in a 5-3-2 where the wingbacks take on a very important role and the team looks to hit on the counter while staying compact at the back. This will be the last time we see the USMNT in action until the Concacaf Nations League semifinals in early March.

Women’s Soccer January Transfer Grades

January has been a busy time for transfers in the women’s soccer world, so which teams have done the best business? Well, the Orlando Pride received an A grade for signing Marta to a new two-year deal, retaining a player who helped the team win its first ever trophies. Liverpool got an A for signing Julia Bartel on loan from Chelsea. Leicester City made an interesting call by transferring goalkeeper Lize Kop to Tottenham despite just being a point above the relegation zone. The Foxes get a C for the move, while Spurs get a B+ for adding a capable netminder.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans taking part in some very important games over the course of this week. Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus face Club Brugge today in the UEFA Champions League, while Ricardo Pepi, Richy Ledezma, Esmir Bajraktarević, Malik Tillman and PSV Eindhoven take on Crvena Zvezda in the same competition. Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan will play Girona in the UCL on Wednesday, while Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic take on Young Boys. On Friday, John Tolkin could make his Bundesliga debut when his new team, Holstein Kiel, travels to face Wolfsburg.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando Pride players reported for their preseason physicals on Monday.
  • Meanwhile, Orlando City took on the dreaded beep test during Monday’s training session.

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

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Orlando City

Striker Suddenly a Position of Need for Orlando City

Departures and a key injury mean Orlando City needs a striker heading into the 2025 MLS season.

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2 days ago

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January 20, 2025

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Image Courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City reached the Eastern Conference Final for the first time in 2024, a milestone for the club. The core of the team was locked up through the 2025 season, so there was no reason to believe it needed to add much this off-season. Unfortunately, injuries and departures have created a serious problem for the team.

The group of forwards last year consisted of Duncan McGuire, Ramiro Enrique, and Jack Lynn. McGuire scored 15 goals in 2023 and was expected to depart for Blackburn Rovers before a clerical error allowed the Lions to keep their target man. The team’s primary striker scored 11 goals in 37 games — the same number as the previous season — but split time starting with Enrique. The Argentinian improved greatly in 2024, increasing his total goal tally from four to 12. Even Lynn showed tremendous improvement last year, playing a greater role in the team and scoring his first two MLS goals.

The future also seemed bright for the Orlando City forwards because of their ages. Lynn is the oldest of the trio at just 25 years old. Meanwhile, McGuire and Enrique are only 23, so there was no reason to believe this group couldn’t produce this coming season.

The problem at striker began in the postseason when McGuire was pulled down by Charlotte FC midfielder Djibril Diani in the final first round game of the playoffs. McGuire suffered a shoulder injury during the challenge that required surgery on Dec. 13. It’s expected that the striker could take four to five months to return to action, possibly leaving him out until May or June.

Another blow to Orlando’s attack occurred Saturday when Lynn surprisingly announced his retirement from professional soccer. In just over a month, Orlando City went from having three strikers to having just one as preseason training starts.

With McGuire injured and Lynn gone, one option would be to have Designated Player Luis Muriel play up top. However, the Colombian prefers to play a more withdrawn position and proved to be effective in that role last year. Since Head Coach Oscar Pareja prefers to play a 4-2-3-1 formation, the Lions need someone up top to control the ball and involve the midfielders in the attack. That’s not Muriel’s game.

The result of these issues is that nobody is currently behind Enrique when the season begins. If the Argentinian gets tired, hurt, or simply needs rest, Pareja is limited in his options. 

Whether there was a lack of strikers or a lack of goals from the position previously, that problem was resolved by the club’s all-time leading goal scorer. Facundo Torres scored 20 goals in 2024, becoming the first player in Orlando City’s MLS history and the second player in club history to do so. He went on to set a new club record for total goals of 47.

However, Orlando City sold its best player to Brazilian side Palmeiras on Dec. 20. It was a gut punch to fans as Torres had signed a new contract on Jan. 10, 2024 that ran through the 2026 season. There had been talk for the last couple of years that the attacker would look for a move to Europe and rumors of a move to South America arose this off-season. Still, it created a huge gap the club has to fill.

There are players on the roster that can make up for the injury and departures. Martin Ojeda had a strong season in 2024, finishing with seven goals and 13 assists. His seven goals ranked fourth on the team and his 13 assists topped the squad alongside Nico Lodeiro. Muriel came on strong later in the season, finishing with five goals and eight assists. But those numbers are a long way from the 20 goals that Torres tallied last year.

Even if you consider all goal contributions, Ojeda and Muriel fall well short of Torres. Ojeda had a total of 20 goal contributions in 2024 while Muriel had 13. In addition to Torres’s 20 goals, he added nine assists for a team-leading 29 goal contributions.

All of this information leads to one undeniable fact — Orlando City needs to sign a striker prior to the season. And there’s not much time for Luiz Muzzi to act. The European transfer window closes on Feb. 3 and many MLS teams have already been filling similar needs. With the season starting in just over a month, the options will be limited if the Lions don’t do something soon.

After the best postseason finish in Orlando City’s MLS history, things were looking good heading into 2025. While the back line and most of the midfield is returning, McGuire’s injury and the departure of Torres and Lynn have left the Lions in a tough spot offensively. If they don’t do something in the next couple of weeks, it could be a long 2025.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/20/25

Orlando City signs Nicolas Rodriguez, Jack Lynn announces retirement, USMNT defeats Venezuela in friendly, and more.

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2 days ago

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January 20, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope you’re all having a good holiday weekend as we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Over the past week, I’ve been working and covering high school ice hockey. It will be a busy week in Orlando, with the United States Men’s National Team’s match against Costa Rica on Wednesday and Orlando City’s first preseason match against Atletico Mineiro on Saturday. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Signs Nicolas Rodriguez

Orlando City announced on Friday that the club has signed forward Nicolas Rodriguez from Fortaleza CEIF in Colombia’s top flight. The deal is through the 2027 season, with a club option for 2028, and Rodriguez will occupy a MLS U22 Initiative slot. Rodriguez made 19 appearances for Fortaleza, recording 1,607 minutes, five goals, and three assists during the 2024 Primera A Clausura season. The Lions add a young attacking player the club can develop and Rodriguez can play on the right wing, the right side of a three-man midfield, or in the No. 10 spot.

Jack Lynn Announces Retirement

Orlando City forward Jack Lynn announced his retirement from professional soccer on Saturday. Lynn was drafted by Orlando in the first round of the 2022 MLS SuperDraft. He became a regular starter for Orlando City B, scoring a team-record 38 goals in over three seasons with the MLS NEXT Pro side. Lynn also won the Golden Boot with 19 goals during the 2023 season and became the first OCB player to be named MLS NEXT Pro MVP. He played sparingly with the first team, but he scored twice last season as his role increased. The Lions will likely look to add another striker for more depth up top.

Orlando Pride Acquire Allocation Money in Trade

On Friday, the Orlando Pride announced that the club has acquired $50,000 in Allocation Money from the Washington Spirit. In exchange, the Pride sent the Spirit a 2025 international roster spot. The Pride will face the Spirit in the NWSL Challenge Cup final on March 7 at Inter&Co Stadium.

USMNT Defeats Venezuela in Friendly

The USMNT defeated Venezuela 3-1 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday in a friendly. Jack McGlynn and Patrick Agyemang scored in the first half to give the USMNT a 2-0 lead just before halftime. Matko Milijevic scored the third goal for the Americans in the second half, with Venezuela pulling one back thanks to a goal from Jorge Yriarte. Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has led the USMNT to winning four out of its first five matches since he took charge last September. The USMNT’s next match will be against Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium.

Alyssa Naeher Named U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year

On Saturday, goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher was voted 2024 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year. Naeher won 40% of the vote, while defender Naomi Girma finished in second with 32%. In her final year with the USWNT, Naeher ended 2024 with 18 starts, playing 1,170 minutes and only conceding 11 goals. She played a crucial role with clutch saves to help the USWNT win the 2024 SheBelieves Cup, 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup, and gold at the Olympics in Paris. Naeher is the second goalkeeper to win the award since Hope Solo won it in 2009.

Free Kicks

  • Manchester City forward Erling Haaland has reached an agreement with the club on a record-breaking contract that extends his deal through 2034.

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

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