Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Santos Laguna, Leagues Cup: Final Score 3-2 as Wilder Cartagena Wins it Late for Lions
Wilder Cartagena’s stoppage-time goal snapped a 2-2 deadlock and lifted the Lions into the Round of 32.
Wilder Cartagena’s late goal broke a 2-2 deadlock and lifted Orlando City to a 3-2 win over Santos Laguna of Liga MX tonight at Exploria Stadium in front of an announced crowd of 16,313. The Lions (1-0-1, 5 points) won the South 2 group in Leagues Cup and now advance to face rival Inter Miami in the Round of 32 on Wednesday. It was City’s first win ever against Liga MX competition.
The Lions fell behind in the first half on Raul Lopez’s goal before Duncan McGuire equalized. Mauricio Pereyra put Orlando City ahead just seconds after the restart, only to see Santos Laguna’s Harold Preciado pull it back 12 minutes later. Cartagena’s heroics came in the second minute of stoppage time to push the Lions to the top of the group and eliminate the Liga MX side from the competition. The Houston Dynamo (0-0-2, 3 points) finished second in the group and will advance to face Pachuca. Santos Laguna exits after a 0-1-1 record in group play.
“First, I want to congratulate our players for such an effort and a great victory over a great team,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “I think we gave a good step today towards our objectives and obviously keep walking forward in Leagues Cup and also showed many other things that are going to help us for the end of the season. I think it was a very complete performance.”
Pareja’s lineup was the one he’s become accustomed to starting in recent weeks, with Pedro Gallese in goal behind a back line of Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Antonio Carlos, and Kyle Smith. Cesar Araujo paired with Cartagena in central midfield, behind an attacking line of Ivan Angulo, Pereyra, and Facundo Torres, with McGuire up top.
Santos Laguna was more than happy to sit back and look to counter in the first half and got a chance in just the second minute with a shot from a severe angle by Duvan Vergara that Gallese was able to stop.
Orlando City should have scored from a set piece two minutes later. A training ground free kick from distance was sent into the left side of the box for Jansson, who sent it back for McGuire. The rookie’s shot hit the post, ending the danger, and the play may have been offside anyway had it gone in and then been reviewed. A minute later, McGuire fired a shot right at goalkeeper Gibran Lajud, but the flag did come up this time.
Carlos did well to knock away a dangerous cross in the 20th minute and it went out for the game’s first corner. Santos Laguna couldn’t make the set piece pay off.
Angulo was active in the first half but his final touch — whether a pass or a shot — was an adventure and not usually a good one. He took a layoff from Torres in space near the top of the area in the 24th minute but his shot was nowhere near the goal frame.
Santos Laguna opened the scoring off a terrible mistake by Orlando. Angulo got under an attempted switch but his touch was heavy and he gave it away immediately to Raul Lopez. The Santos Laguna right back used Jansson as a screen and fired a hard, low shot that curled and skipped up off the turf and past Gallese to make it 1-0 in the 41st minute.
The Lions responded quickly, working the ball to Santos on the left. The Brazilian sent in an inch-perfect cross to find McGuire, who powered his header inside the left post, tying the game at 1-1 in the 44th minute. It was the rookie’s 10th goal across all competitions this season.
“Just a good team buildup,” McGuire said. “You know, we’ve been talking about it all week — don’t put our heads down if we go down one, so it’s good to see a good response from the guys and get a quick goal back. It pays to practice that a lot. Rafa and I’ve got a good connection. We’ve always talked about how we want that ball delivered, how he’s going cross it to me, so just a good connection we’ve had. It was good to see it work out in the game.”
The final few minutes of the first half were uneventful and the teams went into the break deadlocked. Orlando City held the statistical advantage at the break in possession (53.6%-46.4%), shots (5-3), shots on target (3-2), corners (3-1), and passing accuracy (84.3%-79.4%).
Orlando City jumped out in front in the first minute of the second half. Pereyra cut from left to right outside the area and seeing no options, blasted a shot into the upper right corner to make it 2-1.
“I had the opportunity to shoot, and I didn’t used to do it but the guys are telling me that I need to do (it) more,” Pereyra said. “Of course I’m happy for that.”
The Lions looked primed to add an insurance goal in the 52nd minute when Torres found himself in space but he blasted his shot just wide.
Five minutes later, Juan Brunetta fired just inches wide in transition the other way. But a minute later, the Liga MX side scored anyway. The Lions cleared a set piece and Santos Laguna recycled, sending in a cross. Preciado headed it in to tie the match in the 58th minute. The Lions appealed for a foul on the play but after review the goal stood.
“We knew that there were going to be moments where Santos was going to hurt us,” Pareja said. “You don’t want it, but this is a natural thing. But we resisted to it and not just resist to it but we found ways to hurt them, and scoring three goals against them is not an easy task.”
Orlando City kept fighting to get back on top. A good buildup in the 66th minute gave Santos a wide-open look on the left from just outside the area but the fullback smashed his shot wide of the near post.
As the game progressed into the final 20 minutes, transition opportunities looked dangerous both ways. Pareja sent on attacking players Ramiro Enrique, Martin Ojeda, and Ercan Kara for the stretch run.
Orlando lost the ball in the attacking third in the 73rd minute and it led to a chance at the other end, but Preciado fired wide of goal. A minute later, a dangerous attacking move down the left ended up in front for Omar Campos to direct on goal, but Santos was there to block the shot to preserve the tie.
Gallese did well to stop Preciado’s shot in the 80th minute but to be fair the Santos Laguna striker was in 1-v-1 and left his shot too close to the goalkeeper.
The winning play looked like it was going to go Santos Laguna’s way before it turned in Orlando City’s favor. The Lions lost the ball in the attack and the Liga MX side broke on a 5-v-3 transition opportunity. As the play entered the Lions’ attacking third, Araujo made a fantastic open-field play to take the ball away and start the break the other way. After a few touches in the attack, it ended up back on Araujo’s foot on the right side. The defensive midfielder slipped the ball in for Cartagena, who redirected it through Lajud, opening his Orlando City account on the winning goal in the 92nd minute.
“I’m very happy for the goal,” Cartagena said. “As a kid, you always dream of scoring goals like these and I was very happy that I was able to help the team. The play started with Cesar and then Facu, then to me, then to Kara, then to Cesar. I lifted my hand and Cesar saw me and he gave me a spectacular assist. My brother Cesar, that’s what he does.”
The winning goal never would have come without Araujo’s assist but it never even would have gotten that far without his timely tackle in transition.
“I saw them arriving. I saw them arriving with a lot of people,” Araujo said. “I tried to get as close as possible, and by luck I was able to win the ball and we were able to score on the other side.”
Orlando City finished with the advantage in possession (54.2%-45.8%) and passing accuracy (82.4%-80.3%). Santos Laguna finished with more shots (16-11) but each team got five on target. Both sides won three corners in the match.
“It was a tough game,” Cartagena said. “In the first 30 minutes we were very much on top of them and then they grew into the match. It was a very evenly disputed game, but we were able to get the better of them. I think that it was a great match for everyone to enjoy and we ultimately got the result.”
“Our preparation was based on being fine in the final thirds — theirs and ours,” Pareja said. “We knew that transitions in the middle were going to be wild, since you have players who can take that ball from defending third to the final third, and there is not too much time to think other than be good defending your area and then do the same in the other part. But again, we’re playing against one of the best teams in Mexico. This is a good response from our players and and for our fans as well.”
Orlando City has a short turnaround before playing at Inter Miami on Wednesday night in a Round of 32 Tropic Thunder matchup.
Orlando City
Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Player Grades and Man of the Match
How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s 1-0 loss in the Eastern Conference final?
Every loss stings, but season-ending playoff losses hurt the most, and unfortunately Orlando City felt that deep sting Saturday night, losing 1-0 to the New York Red Bulls and falling one game short of advancing to MLS Cup. The Lions simply did not have it offensively, again, and it led to the Red Bulls celebrating a smash-and-grab victory on the field of Inter&Co Stadium after the final whistle. Ugh, I did not like typing that at all.
I have my purple pen out and I am ready to issue some grades, so here we go. Let’s take a look at how Orlando City’s players rated individually in their Eastern Conference final matchup.
Starters
GK, Pedro Gallese, 6 — There was not a lot for Gallese to do during this match, as while the Red Bulls did pose a threat offensively, they only managed seven shots and just one shot on goal, a well placed header off the post that no goalkeeper would have saved. Gallese made a great play to snuff out a late breakaway, coming well out of his box and making a sliding block with his body to keep the score 1-0, but aside from that, most of his game contributions were in distribution, and he did not have his finest game in that area, connecting on only 61.5% of his passes and only six of his 16 long-ball attempts.
D, Rafael Santos, 6 — The Brazilian left back gave a strong effort, but was just was unable to make a major impact on the game. Orlando City attacked up the left side 45% of the time, but despite having so much possession and so many touches (a team-leading 88, 21 more than the next highest player), Santos passed at just a 68.8% rate, only completed one long ball and did not have any successful crosses in seven attempts. Some of those crosses were good, but New York kept them from reaching their targets. Defensively, he chipped in four clearances. In the attacking end, Santos fired one of Orlando City’s nine shots and registered one of the team’s meager three shots on target and drew two fouls without committing any.
D, Robin Jansson, 6.5 — Jansson was solid in the back, providing his standard steady defending in partnership with Rodrigo Schlegel, and helping to limit the Red Bulls from getting any shots on target during the run of play. As the Lions began to chase the game in the second half and found themselves stretched, he made several excellent defensive recovery runs to track back and win it back, though when he did get the ball back I thought too often he settled for just launching the ball forward instead of trying to work the ball up the field out of the back. He blocked two shots and finished with two clearances. He completed 78.3% of his passes, a number which was limited by connecting on just six of 15 long balls.
D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6.5 — As is his trademark, Schlegel was intense and engaged for the full 90 minutes and left everything on the field. He and Jansson did an excellent job protecting the center of the box, limiting the Red Bulls to very few scoring opportunities through the middle of the field. Schlegel picked up a yellow card for a professional foul late in the game, but at that time the Lions were stretched and chasing the game and if not for his foul New York may have put the game away. The Argentine was the best passer of the back four (89.7% and 1/1 on long balls) and provided three clearances.
D, Dagur Dan Thórhallson, 6 — Orlando City played primarily down the left side of the field during the Icelandic defender’s time on the field, and so despite playing 60 minutes, he only had 24 touches and did not contribute much offensively with those touches. Thorhallsson passed at a 75% rate without attempting a long ball or creating a scoring chance. On the defensive side he led the team with five clearances, but overall it was a quiet night for Thórhallson, and he was removed in an offense for defense substitution in the 61st minute.
MF, César Araujo, 6.5 —Araujo played a solid match in the middle of the field, completing 94.2% of his passes, winning a team-leading four aerial duels, drawing two fouls, blocking one shot, and making one interception. I thought he was far closer to his usual standard than his midfield partner Wilder Cartagena, but despite his work rate and contributions, he was removed late in the game for Jack Lynn, as the Lions needed to throw all of their attacking players onto the field to try to find an equalizer.
MF, Wilder Cartagena, 5 — Cartagena picked the worst night to have perhaps his poorest performance of the season, as he was not the dominant player in the middle of the field that we saw in nearly every game. Everything seemed a step slow for the Peruvian midfielder and his touch was off as well, he only completed 79.4% of his passes, only the fourth time all season he was under 80%. The goal scored by the Red Bulls happened right behind him, and it appeared to me that it was his man who came in unmarked while he was watching the ball instead seeing both ball and man. Cartagena was subbed off in the 71st minute for Nico Lodeiro in a like for like substitution. His best moment was sending a great ball down the left for Martin Ojeda, setting up a golden opportunity for Facundo Torres. It was one of the Peruvian’s three successful long balls on six attempts. Defensively, he blocked a shot and had one interception.
MF, Iván Angulo, 5.5 — I don’t want to overly castigate Angulo for his foul that led to the game’s only goal, but it was a completely unnecessary one, and in a game against a team that struggles to score from open play, there was no excuse for giving the Red Bulls a cheaply earned set piece opportunity. That said, it is not Angulo’s fault that Cartagena did not stay with his man on the free kick (or perhaps got confused about whether someone behind him was supposed to pick up that runner — only the Lions know for sure), but without that foul, there would have been no dangerous cross in the first place. That was the moment of the match, but it was only one moment, and Angulo brought a lot to the table during the rest of that match. His speed up the left side created chances, he completed 90.5% of his passes, and the Colombian also showed his versatility by stepping back into a right back/right wingback role late in the match as Orlando City tried everything to get as many attacking players on the field as possible. I think he left everything on the field before being subbed out in the 88th minute for Kyle Smith, but I wish he had also left his hands down when trying to double the ball in the 47th minute. Angulo attempted one shot that was just wide, registered one key pass, and recorded one clearance.
MF, Martín Ojeda, 7 (MotM) — Ojeda made the offensive play of the game for Orlando City, making a great run up the left side to get onto Cartagena’s well-placed pass, drawing two defenders out of the middle, and playing a perfect cross to a wide-open Facundo Torres. On another night he would have added an assist to his ledger and the rest of the game could have played out completely differently. Ojeda was all over the field for the Lions, making plays all across the attacking third and leading the team with three chances created. In a departure from the normal substitution pattern, he stayed on the field when Luis Muriel entered the game and deservedly so, as I felt he was Orlando City’s most impactful player throughout the match. Ojeda passed at a 77.8% clip, including the aforementioned three key passes, two of his three long balls, and three successful crosses on 15 attempts. His lone shot attempt wasn’t on frame. The Argentine added a clearance on the defensive end.
MF, Facundo Torres, 6 — Torres was active, but he did not have the precision that he showed during the late summer run and will rue the huge chance he missed in the 32nd minute, one that certainly would have changed the entire tenor of the game. I was surprised he chose to shoot to his right instead of his left, as Torres is an outstanding shooter to his left when attacking from the right, and he left his shot far too close to Carlos Coronel for an easy save. The Uruguayan did get another shot on goal on a header late in the match, but it also did not trouble Coronel, and though he drew a team-leading three fouls, none of them led to any great chances for Orlando City. The Lions attacked down the right side on only 24% of their possessions, and with their focus on going left, Torres had few chances on his preferred right side to cut back into the middle to cause havoc. The enduring memory from this game for Torres will be that missed opportunity, one that I think he generally scores for more often than not, but alas on this night it was not to be. Aside from that, he passed at a 78.2% rate, completing one of his two crosses and one of his two long balls, but he surprisingly did not register a key pass. Torres also didn’t register any defensive stats.
F, Ramiro Enrique, 7 — Orlando City followed its usual substitution pattern and removed Enrique after 61 minutes for Duncan McGuire, but I wish Oscar Pareja had found a way to keep him on the field instead, because I thought he was one of the two Lions (along with Ojeda) playing the best during his minutes on the field. He drew a team-leading three fouls to match Torres in that department and was constantly making darting runs all over the attacking third of the field. He made a great hustle play to create one of Orlando City’s best opportunities, but rather than shooting, he tried to finesse past a defender to get a better angle and the chance fell apart. Enrique’s only shot attempt was not on target, and he passed at 77.8% accuracy on just nine attempts without a key pass or attempting a long ball or a cross. He won three aerials and chipped in defensively with a team-high two tackles and an interception.
Substitutes
MF, Luis Muriel (61′), 6.5 — Muriel once again changed the game once he stepped on the field, helping to ratchet up Orlando City’s attack, but despite playing several high-level passes, nothing ended up coming from any the plays he initiated. Muriel also had a half-chance late in the game that he badly mishit, skying a ball high and to the right, so much so that it actually stayed in bounds due to all the back and sidespin on the ball. Even though Orlando City’s best chance came before Muriel entered the game I thought the offense looked better when he was on the field, and I walked out of the stadium wishing that he had come on right after New York had scored, as he clearly grasped the urgency and played like it throughout his time on the field. Muriel completed 90% of his 20 passes, including a key pass and a completed long ball on his lone attempt, but his one cross attempt did not meet the target. Neither of his two shots hit the target either, but he added a tackle on the defensive side.
F, Duncan McGuire (61′), 6 — The most impressive play McGuire made while on the field was a full-field sprint back on defense to break up a counterattack, and while that was a big play to prevent a possible doubling of the lead, you generally want a striker’s most impressive play to come while attacking the opponent’s goal, not defending their own. McGuire got one shot off, attempting to finish on a ball played beautifully over the top by Muriel, but he could not get his body turned enough and the ball went harmlessly into the stands off his weaker left foot. The effort was there on Saturday night, but the final product was not. He completed six of his nine passes (66.7%) without a key pass, long ball, or cross. He won an aerial but contributed no defensive statistics.
MF, Nico Lodeiro, (71’), 6.5 — The Uruguayan came on around his usual time, but with the Lions playing from behind, he was asked to play differently than he has in recent appearances off the bench. By the end of the game he was playing as the sole defensive midfielder, with Orlando City throwing everyone forwards in hopes of tying the game. I thought he was excellent off the bench and that he outplayed Cartagena, the man he replaced in the lineup, completing 84.9% of his 33 passes, including his only long-ball attempt, however, he did not create a scoring chance or complete a cross. He added a tackle on the defensive side.
MF, Kyle Smith, (88’), N/A — By the time Smith entered, Orlando City was no longer in a standard formation, so Smith debatably came in as a right back or possibly as a right midfielder when he entered the game in the 88th minute. It really did not matter though, as he only had time for four touches and two attempted crosses, neither of which led to significant opportunities for the offense, and he didn’t play long enough to fairly warrant a grade.
F, Jack Lynn, (88’), N/A — Lynn made his first appearance of the playoffs as Orlando City was desperately chasing the game, but only had one touch and really did not have the opportunity to influence the game at all.
That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando City’s 1-0 playoff loss. Let us know what you thought of the game in the comments below and don’t forget to vote on the Man of the Match.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 12/2/24
Orlando City’s playoff run ends, Barbra Banda nominated for Best FIFA Women’s Player, USWNT draws against England, and more.
Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all of you had a good Thanksgiving weekend spent with your family and loved ones. Under Armour kept me busy all weekend, along with working at Wrigley Field for the Northwestern and Illinois college football game. Let’s all wish Orlando City goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar a happy birthday! It was frustrating to see Orlando City’s season end over the weekend, but let’s get to the links to catch up on all of the action.
Lions Fall to the New York Red Bulls in MLS Playoffs
Orlando City’s 2024 MLS playoff run ended on Saturday after a 1-0 loss to the New York Red Bulls at Inter&Co Stadium in the Eastern Conference final. Andres Reyes scored the lone goal to seal the win for the Red Bulls to advance to the MLS Cup final for the second time in club history. It’s the second time this postseason that the Lions have been shut out. Orlando didn’t beat the Red Bulls at all this year, drawing 1-1 at home and falling 1-0 on the road during the regular season prior to this playoff match. Orlando’s 2024 season ends just one round before reaching what would have been its first MLS Cup final appearance. Considering how Orlando’s season started, turning things around to finish as one of the final four teams in the playoffs gives the Lions something to build on next year.
Barbra Banda Nominated for Best FIFA Women’s Player Award
Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda has been nominated for the 2024 Best FIFA Women’s Player Award. Banda is coming off a stellar season in her first year with the Pride, leading the club with 17 goals and scoring the winning goal against the Washington Spirit to seal Orlando’s first NWSL Championship title. She scored a hat trick for Zambia in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris against Australia as well. USWNT players Sophia Smith, Lindsey Horan, Mallory Swanson, and Trinity Rodman are also in contention for the award. Other notable players nominated are last year’s winner, Aitana Bonmati, Chelsea defender Lucy Bronze, and Jamaican forward Khadija Shaw.
LA Galaxy Beat Seattle Sounders to Reach MLS Cup Final
In the Western Conference final, the LA Galaxy defeated the Seattle Sounders 1-0 on Saturday at Dignity Health Sports Park. Dejan Joveljic scored a late goal in the second half to seal the win for the Galaxy and clinch a spot in the MLS Cup final. Joveljic has scored five goals in the postseason and the Galaxy return to the MLS Cup final for the first time since 2014. Riqui Puig added the assist on Joveljic’s goal and has three assists and four goals this postseason. Unfortunately, Puig suffered a torn ACL in his left knee during the match and will miss the final when the Galaxy host the Red Bulls on Saturday.
USWNT and England Play to Scoreless Draw in Friendly
On Saturday, the United States Women’s National Team fought to a scoreless draw against England in front of a record crowd at Wembley Stadium. The USWNT thought it had scored a goal in the second half courtesy of Lindsey Horan, but it was waved off due to offside. The USWNT was also given a penalty kick after it appeared defender Alex Greenwood handled the ball, but the decision was overturned after video review. The USWNT will travel to The Hague to take on the Netherlands Tuesday at ADO Den Haag Stadium at 2:45 p.m. for the team’s final match to close out the year.
Scouting Report on the Netherlands
Stars and Stripes FC unveiled its scouting report on the Netherlands. The USWNT will face the Dutch for the 12th time, winning eight of the first 11 meetings. Their last matchup was a 1-1 draw in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup group stage. Some notable names on the Dutch roster include forward Chasity Grant, goalkeeper Lize Kop, and defender Dominique Janssen. Kop is known for her quickness to get to the ground and possesses the physical strength to absorb contact from her opponents when going after aerial balls. Veteran defender Danielle van de Donk is another player to keep an eye out for, as she can still provide a spark and identify gaps in the opposition’s defense. Even though this is a friendly, this match will provide another test for Head Coach Emma Hayes to give opportunities to the younger players while building chemistry for the squad.
Free Kicks
- Orlando Pride midfielder Angelina and forward Adriana were both in action for Brazil in a friendly on Sunday. Brazil won 2-1 over Australia.
- Christian Pulisic added an assist over the weekend to help AC Milan defeat Empoli 3-0 and extend its unbeaten run to six matches across all competitions.
- The match between Fiorentina and Inter Milan was suspended in the first half after midfielder Edoardo Bove collapsed during the match and was rushed to the hospital. The match was abandoned shortly afterward.
- Bayern Munich defender and Canadian national team captain Alphonso Davies has been banned from driving in Germany for one month after being found to be driving under the influence of alcohol.
- Bayern Munich forward Harry Kane strained his hamstring during Saturday’s match against Borussia Dortmund and had to be subbed off in the first half. The club didn’t indicate when he could return.
- Despite being down to 10 men early in the first half, Botafogo defeated Atletico Mineiro 3-1 to win its first Copa Libertadores title.
- Manchester City was defeated by Liverpool 2-0 on Sunday, extending its winless streak to seven matches across all competitions.
- Toronto FC Head Coach John Herdman resigned over the weekend, leaving the club after just 15 months.
- Saudi Arabia is reportedly set to host the 2034 World Cup, which would be played in the winter months. FIFA is expected to announce the hosts of the 2030 and 2034 World Cups on Dec. 11.
- That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday and I’ll see you next time.
Orlando City
Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Five Takeaways
Here’s what we learned from Orlando City’s disappointing playoff exit against the Red Bulls.
Orlando City looked to advance to the MLS Cup final as the club hosted the Eastern Conference final for the first time in its history. Unfortunately, for the sold-out crowd at Inter&Co Stadium, the Lions came up just short and lost a 1-0 defensive battle to the New York Red Bulls. Getting to the Eastern Conference final is no small achievement, but the loss likely leaves many with a sense of “what if,” as the postseason finally has arrived. What follows are our final five takeaways of the Lions’ 10th year in MLS.
Bland Start
For a team that usually does not dominate possession, the Red Bulls came out of the gate on the front foot and likely surprised Orlando City with their early aggression. The Red Bulls started the game with the type of drive and desire that I would have assumed to see from Orlando City as the results during the playoff run where OCSC has been the aggressor were far more desirable. Instead, Orlando looked content to let the visitors dictate the pace of the game and attempted to find attacks on the counter. While there were some such chances, they proved unsuccessful.
Lack of Connectivity
Throughout the match, Orlando committed many careless giveaways. Several of these came in the team’s defensive third throughout the first quarter hour of play, but as the game wore on, some promising buildups collapsed with errant passes in the attacking half. The Lions’ passing rate in the first half was below 75%, which is uncharacteristic of their usual quality. While New York’s pressure was responsible for some of that, Orlando City players looked at times like they expected different runs or positioning from their teammates once they started to enter the final third.
Golden Opportunity Missed
Orlando City grew into the first half and started to inject more of its preferred style of play as the game hit the half-hour mark. Orlando’s best chance came in the 32nd minute when a pass from Wilder Cartagena released Designated Player Martin Ojeda down the left side of the field. Ojeda did well to run onto the ball with pace and draw the remaining two Red Bulls defenders toward him before squaring a pass for fellow DP Facundo Torres. The Uruguayan had time and space in the box to pick out a spot, but he may have felt rushed and fired his shot far too close to goalkeeper Carlos Coronel. Torres will likely lament his shot placement and a missed opportunity that could have put his team ahead before halftime. It was a relatively easy save for the goalkeeper, and in that moment, one would expect a player of Torres’ quality to do better after Orlando had executed a perfect buildup.
One is Enough
It is ironic that the deciding and lone goal of the match came from a set piece, as Orlando was one of the league’s best during the year in not conceding goals from set pieces. The shocking moment came before most fans were likely back in their seats from their halftime beverage run and bathroom breaks. Ivan Angulo committed an unnecessary foul on the right side of the penalty box, setting up a free kick by the left-footed John Tolkin. The kick had plenty of pace and was swinging in toward the far post. Andres Reyes made an unimpeded run to the post as the Orlando City defense left him completely unmarked. Reyes made good contact with his free header, leaving no chance for Pedro Gallese to make a save. It was New York’s only shot on target of the night, meaning the Orlando defense allowed just one shot on target — and 14 total shot attempts — in the team’s final two playoff games of 2024.
No Late Magic Off the Bench
The final 45 minutes plus stoppage time of game play after the breakthrough goal involved Orlando sending on every attacking component that the coaching staff could muster, looking for an equalizer. Duncan McGuire, Luis Muriel, Jack Lynn, and Nico Lodeiro all entered the match as second-half substitutes, looking to change the outcome. The Lions were unable to muster many successful looks, as New York looked to pack in the defense and grind out the game. Ultimately, with no goal to show for their efforts and by allowing the NYRB to score on their only shot attempt on target, the Lions came up just a little short of advancing to the clubs’ first-ever MLS Cup final.
Those are our takeaways from a 1-0 home playoff loss to the New York Red Bulls. The 2024 season will be remembered as a long and winding one, which started in Victoria, British Columbia and ended with the first conference final appearance in team history. Let us know what your takeaways were in the comments below and as always, vamos Orlando!
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