Connect with us

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Chicago Fire: Final Score 3-1 as Lions Complete Season Sweep of Fire

The Lions roared back from 1-0 down and became just the second team to beat the Fire at Soldier Field this season.

Published

3 years ago

on

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City fell behind early in the second half but rallied to score three consecutive goals in an 18-minute span to douse the Fire 3-1 at Soldier Field. The Lions (11-6-7, 40 points) got goals from Wilder Cartagena, Ivan Angulo, and Facundo Torres — the latter from the penalty spot — to become just the second visiting team to beat Chicago (8-8-8, 32 points) this season. Two would-be Giorgios Koutsios goals for the hosts didn’t count, as the first was overturned for an offside after video review and the second was blown dead for a handball on the Chicago striker.

The Lions improved to 6-3-3 on the road this season and not only completed a season sweep of the Fire, but also completed an Orlando sweep of Chicago on the night, as the Pride had demolished the Red Stars 5-0 at home earlier this evening.

“We’re very happy with the victory, very proud of the players,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “The second half, Chicago had a reaction, and after they started leading the score, I thought our boys showed a lot of character and control again of the game, and then we scored goals.”

Pareja had mostly the usual lineup but had to make a couple of changes on the back line. Pedro Gallese started in goal behind a back line of Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson. Cesar Araujo and Wilder Cartagena played central midfield behind an attacking line of Ivan Angulo, Mauricio Pereyra, and Facundo Torres, with Duncan McGuire up top.

Antonio Carlos picked up an undisclosed knock late in training late in the week.

Chicago’s defense created problems for Orlando City throughout much of the first half and when it didn’t, the Lions simply passed the ball off line or into areas without teammates. It was a disjointed-looking attack for most of the opening 45 minutes as a result, and it nearly cost Orlando at the other end on transition opportunities.

It started in the first minute when Gallese had to come well off his line to cut off a centering pass after Angulo had given the ball away in the attacking half.

Chicago came close in the 16th minute when Brian Gutierrez got his foot to a cross by former Orlando City SuperDraft pick Jonathan Dean, however, he got under the shot and put it over the bar from about 10 yards away.

The Fire appeared to open the scoring in the 25th minute. Pereyra was swarmed and gave the ball away in the attacking third and Xherdan Shaqiri sent Guitierrez forward into the attack. Schlegel gambled and lost, trying to break up the counter before it started and Gutierrez sent it to his right for Giorgios Koutsias to slip into the empty net. However, the Chicago striker didn’t check his run quite enough and after video review, the goal was overturned for offside by the slimmest margin.

McGuire had a go at goal in the 28th minute after a good long ball from Pereyra was headed on by Torres. The shot was awkward and it was blocked by the defense anyway.

In the 30th minute, Angulo again gave the ball away to ignite the Chicago counter. The defense sagged away from Shaqiri so he fired a shot that forced a diving save by Gallese.

Two minutes later, Cartagena nearly scored a worldie. The Peruvian sent a gorgeous curling ball that was headed into the upper 90 on the right side. Spencer Richey got his fingertips to it and that was just enough to send it inches wide of the top corner.

“That goalkeeper was just so impressive today, and to be able to make that save, it was incredible,” Cartagena said through a club interpeter. “I just kind of wanted to have a hit, and when I saw the way it was going, I was excited. And then he came over and he somehow pulled off that save.”

Koutsias sent a looping header right at Gallese off a Shaqiri cross in the 37th minute as the Fire continued to produce the better scoring chances.

Orlando got a foothold on the match in the dying moments of the opening half. Torres sent a shot over the bar from distance in the 38th minute. Three minutes later, Angulo got down the left side of the penalty area and fired but Richey made the save.

Koutsias embarrassingly missed a shot over the bar in the 45th minute from close range but he was offside on Shaqiri’s pass anyway.

Torres got cleaned out by Richey in the box in stoppage time but because the goalkeeper got a slight deflection to the ball after Torres got to it first, there was no penalty awarded.

Orlando City failed to do anything useful with a couple of late set pieces and the teams went into the break scoreless.

Orlando City dominated possession in the first half (56.6%-43.4%), passed more accurately (87.1%-85.4%), and won more corners (4-1). But the Lions’ sloppiness in the final third allowed Chicago to lead in shots (6-4) on counterattacking opportunities. Each team put two shots on target.

“We felt that we had control in the first half,” Pareja said. “I thought we had the volume and we created some options. But we needed to be more dangerous in the last third. The chat in the half was we can have the control we had, but we need to be dangerous in the box. And the boys started scoring those three goals, showing us that they made things happen, and it’s good because it’s not easy to come to Chicago and score three goals. It’s a very difficult place to play.”

The hosts grabbed the lead just after the restart off a foul by Thorhallsson. There wasn’t much in his challenge but the free kick set up the opening goal. The Lions were able to clear the initial ball after Gallese did well to get down and block a blistering cross/shot from Mauricio Pineda. However, the recycled ball found Pineda again on the right and he smashed an unstoppable shot past Gallese and just inside the left post to make it 1-0 in the 47th minute.

The Lions wasted no time pulling the goal back. Schlegel won Orlando City a corner, roaming forward from his center back position. Torres put in a good cross and the Fire failed to pick up Cartagena right in front. It was an easy matter of heading the cross on target and it had a ton of pace on it to give Richey no shot at robbing Cartagena a second time. It was the Peruvian’s first MLS goal.

“We went down right out of halftime with a goal that we think was kind of against the run of play, that wasn’t necessarily deserved to concede in that way,” Cartagena said. “But then Rodrigo picked his head up, and we were able to win a corner after a great play like that. And then Facu has been hitting the corners really well today, and when he crossed that ball in…obviously a little bit of luck that it just kind of fell to me in the right spot. I was able to get my head on it and get the goal, and just really kind of put confidence back into my teammates going into the rest of the game.”

The Fire tried to pull that goal back quickly, winning a corner just moments after Orlando scored. But Angulo cleared the danger and then one-upped himself moments later. Santos picked up the remnants of a Torres cross that was blocked and sent another dangerous ball into the area. Araujo rose to meet it and knocked it into the path of Angulo, who headed it home to make it 2-1 in the 54th minute.

Torres and Gaston Gimenez exchanged yellow cards over the next few minutes as the game settled down a bit.

Koutsias then thought he’d tied the game in the 60th minute. A ball into the box from Gutierrez found the foot of Angulo, who tried to clear. He knocked the ball off Cartagena, however, and it fell kindly for Koutsias, but it hit his arm as he turned and shot it into the net. The referee blew it dead and the video assistant referee’s check confirmed the call, much to Chicago’s chagrin.

Trailing, the Fire sent Kei Kamara and Fabian Herbers on for more attacking power. But instead, it was Orlando City that got the next goal.

Thorhallsson danced his way into the top of the area and Miguel Navarro got a foot in late, sending the Icelandic fullback/winger to the ground. Lukasz Szpala pointed to the spot and the VAR upheld the call.

Torres stepped up to the penalty spot and smashed a shot into the upper left corner as Richey dove the other way. It was Torres’ third goal against the Fire this season and his first since the Lions beat the Fire at home on July 1.

Herbers came within inches of pulling a goal back in the 72nd minute, sending a shot fizzing just wide of the left post after the Fire had dispossessed Pereyra.

Junior Urso made his season debut for the Lions in the 79th minute, as he and Martin Ojeda replaced Angulo and Pereyra. The Fire also sent on Kacper Przybylko for Gimenez in the same substitution window.

Despite the Fire throwing numbers forward, the best chance to score the rest of the way fell to Orlando substitute Ramiro Enrique. Fellow sub Michael Halliday sent a good ball into the area for Ojeda. The Argentine dropped it off for Enrique, who blasted a shot over the bar in the 90th minute.

Much of the rest of the game was spent with Orlando repelling the Fire before they could get the ball into any dangerous spots. After six minutes of stoppage time, the victory was secured.

With the Lions protecting the lead for much of the second half, the Fire finished with more possession (53%-47%), shots (11-10), and passing accuracy (85.5%-81.8%). Orlando City ended up with more shots on target (5-4), and corner kicks (6-3).

“We’re very happy,” Cartagena said. “We knew going into this game that it was important to get the win, especially after the hit we took in the Leagues Cup. And 15 days of really hard work with this group — I think the group came in with good energy — but it was a win that we feel like we deserved based on the work that we put in these last few weeks. Happy for the goal obviously, but even prouder of the victory as a team.”

Orlando City returns home for its first meeting ever against St. Louis City on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Exploria Stadium.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. San Diego FC: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Lions welcome San Diego FC to Orlando for the first meeting ever between the two clubs.

Published

9 hours ago

on

September 5, 2026

By

Image of Joran Gerbet playing against Minnesota United.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to your match preview and live thread for a Saturday night matchup between Orlando City (7-11-4, 25 points) and San Diego FC (8-8-6, 30 points) at Inter.co Stadium in Orlando (7:30 p.m., Apple TV). It’s the first-ever meeting between these two teams from different conferences

Here’s what you need to know ahead of the match.

History

As mentioned above, tonight’s meeting between the Lions and San Diego is the first in the series history, so there is no history. The Lions are 2-2-1 against Western Conference teams this season, which means little to nothing in this particular match, and San Diego is going to be Orlando City’s final opponent from the opposite conference in MLS regular-season play this season.

Overview

The Lions are coming off a wild 3-3 road draw at Minnesota United a week ago, in which Daryl Dike and Antoine Griezmann scored on either side of halftime on Orlando’s first two shot attempts to put their team up 2-0 in the 64th minute. Minnesota stormed back with three goals off defensive errors in a four-minute span to take a late 3-2 lead. Just when the Loons appeared to be headed for all three points, Tyrese Spicer scored in stoppage time, forcing Minnesota to split the points. Orlando has a modest 1-0-1 unbeaten streak entering tonight, and the Lions are 5-4-2 at home in 2026.

San Diego is coming off a 3-1 home win over the LA Galaxy despite having Jeppe Tverskov sent off. Tonight’s visitors have won two straight games, but both were at home. They lost their last home game 3-1 at Portland on Aug. 19 and are 2-5-3 away from home this season.

The key for Orlando City tonight will be to mark Anders Dreyer, which is far easier said than done, as he has emerged as one of the league’s best playmakers. His eight goals and 11 assists give him 19 total goal contributions to lead his team. Marcus Ingvartsen is Dreyer’s favorite teammate to combine with, as the Danish forward has converted 11 times, leading San Diego in goals, and has added five assists. However, Ingvartsen is listed as out with a lower body injury. Midfielder Onni Valakari has chipped in four goals and seven assists.

“We respect San Diego, but as well we prepare our game,” Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman said ahead of the match. “We know how strong we are, especially at home, so now we go.”

Orlando City will be without Braian Ojeda (foot) and Adrian Marin (thigh), while Bernardo Rhein (thigh), has been upgraded to questionable. San Diego will be without the aforementioned Ingvartsen (lower body) and Tverskov (suspension).

Match Content

Official Lineups:

Orlando City (4-4-2)

Goalkeeper: Maxime Crepeau.

Defenders: Bernardo Rhein, Robin Jansson, David Brekalo, Griffin Dorsey.

Midfielders: Ivan Angulo, Joran Gerbet, Eduard Atuesta, Justin Ellis.

Forwards: Antoine Griezmann, Daryl Dike.

Bench: Javier Otero, Zakaria Taifi, Iago, Wilder Cartagena, Luis Otavio, Tiago, Marco Pasalic, Martin Ojeda, Tyrese Spicer.

San Diego FC (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: C.J. dos Santos.

Defenders: Kieran Sargeant, Ian Murphy, Manu Duah, Oscar Verhoeven.

Midfielders: Gabriel Pirani, Anibal Godoy, Alejandro Alvarado.

Forwards: Elias Achouri, Onni Valakari, Anders Dreyer.

Bench: Duran Ferree, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, Christopher McVey, Bryan Zamble, David Vazquez, Ian Pilcher, Alex Mighten, Bryce Duke, Amahl Pellegrino.

Referees:

REF: Joe Dickerson.
AR1: Corey Parker.
AR2: Justin Howard.
4TH: Rodrigo Albuquerque.
VAR: Daniel Radford.
AVAR: Jeff Muschik.

How to Watch

Match Time: 7:30 p.m.

Venue: Inter.co Stadium — Orlando.

TV/Streaming: Apple TV.

Radio: AM 810 FOX Sports Radio Orlando (English), Mega 97.1 FM (Spanish), Nossa Rádio 1160 AM-WRLZ (Portuguese).

Social Media: For rapid reaction and live updates, follow us on Bluesky Social at @themaneland.bsky.social or follow Orlando City’s official Twitter (@OrlandoCitySC) or Bluesky (@OrlandoCitySC) feed.

Enjoy the match. Go City!

Continue Reading

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. San Diego FC: Three Keys to Victory

Here’s what Orlando needs to do in order to return to winning ways against San Diego.

Published

1 day ago

on

September 4, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

After the disappointment of two dropped points against Minnesota on Saturday, Orlando City is back home with an opportunity to get things back on track. The Lions need to keep picking up points if they want to keep pace in an increasingly crowded Eastern Conference, and Saturday’s game is a good chance to start September off on the right note. San Diego FC stands in the way of that good start, and what follows are three things that I believe Orlando needs to do in order to emerge victorious from this game.

Stay Strong on the Left

The left side of the defense has been a question mark for the Lions for much of the year. Adrian Marin, Bernardo Rhein, and Zakaria Taifi have all spent time at left back lately and have done so with varying degrees of success. Regardless of who suits up there on Saturday, that area of the field will be under scrutiny once again, since they’ll be tasked with stopping San Diego right winger Anders Dreyer. He has eight goals and 11 assists in 21 appearances this year, has played 60 key passes during that time, and is generally the lynchpin through which the San Diego offense operates. He hasn’t quite been on the same pace that saw him bag 19 goals and 19 assists in the regular season last year, but with four goal contributions in his last three MLS appearances, he’s extremely capable of wreaking havoc from the wing. A lot of the goals OCSC has conceded lately have come down the left side of the defense, and if that area of the field can’t be taken care of better, the Lions will likely be in for a difficult night.

Do Damage in Transition

Orlando’s current style of positionless, fluid, attacking soccer is at its best when it comes up against teams that want to come out and play. It struggles mightily against defensive bunkers but shines when the Lions can get out and run, target open spaces, and combine with teammates in unexpected areas. Fortunately for OCSC (in theory), San Diego is a team that likes to have the ball, as it has the highest average possession in the league. That means the Lions will have opportunities to force turnovers and break the other way at pace. In order to make that happen though, OCSC will need to be both disciplined and effective when it comes to applying its press. Then, if/when the Lions win the ball, correct decision-making and clinical execution in the final third will be key to avoid letting any chances slip through their fingers (paws?).

Clean Up the Self-Inflicted Errors

Orlando has dealt with more than its fair share of general defensive struggles this year, but avoidable errors have been a particular problem in recent weeks. Whether it’s been an ill-advised challenge, passing to the opposition in the defensive third, or leaving men unmarked in the box, unnecessary mistakes have cost OCSC points time and again. Against lesser opposition it hasn’t always mattered, as the Lions were able to rescue three points against Real Salt Lake, but if Orlando wants to make a playoff push, it needs to make a habit of playing cleaner games, plain and simple. San Diego is a good team with dangerous offensive players, and Saturday’s visitors will very likely take advantage of any opportunities that the Lions gift-wrap for them. Keeping things mistake-free will go a long way.

We’ve got ample proof this season that nothing is guaranteed, but if the Lions can lock down the left side of the defense, make hay in transition moments, and limit unforced errors, then they should be in a good position to take all three points from Saturday’s game. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 9/4/26

Martin Ojeda details his recovery from injury, Anna Moorhouse loaned to Manchester City, Orlando City’s U.S. Open Cup journey, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

September 4, 2026

By

Image of Martin Ojeda celebrating a goal against New England.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Three straight days of Orlando soccer starts tonight with Orlando City B’s road match against Inter Miami II at 7 p.m. Hopefully, Orlando’s teams do well over the next few days as crunch time is upon us when it comes to making the playoffs, especially for MLS NEXT Pro. For now though, let’s jump right into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Orlando City Prepares for San Diego FC

Orlando City will take on San Diego FC on Saturday in the first-ever game between the two clubs, and one of the storylines to keep an eye on is how much Martin Ojeda plays as he works his way back from injury. The Designated Player came off the bench late in Orlando’s 3-3 draw against Minnesota United in his first appearance since May 23. Not often injured, Ojeda spoke on how being off the field for over a month has shifted his perspective while training to return.

“You learn to value the moment much more. You learn to value every training session because, when you’re training on your own and you’re not available to your teammates, you feel uncomfortable,” Ojeda said. “You value being healthy more. It’s like everything in life. When you feel good, you live life almost on autopilot, so to speak. You go to work, you go home, you come back, you sleep. However, when you or someone close to you goes through an illness or something like that, you value the moment much more and become more conscious of what you’re experiencing.”

Pride Loan Anna Moorhouse to Manchester City

The Orlando Pride loaned goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse to Manchester City through January of 2027. Moorhouse joined the Pride prior to the 2022 season and helped the club win both the NWSL Championship and Shield in 2024. However, she has struggled this year alongside the rest of the Pride’s defense. Moorhouse hasn’t played in the past two games for the Pride, with Cosette Morche starting in her place. Her current contract with the Pride lasts through the 2027 NWSL season, so we’ll have to wait and see what her future with the club is when the loan ends.

Orlando City’s U.S. Open Cup Journey

Between the World Cup, regular season, and Leagues Cup this summer, it can be easy to forget that Orlando City is still in contention to win this year’s U.S. Open Cup. The Lions are in the semifinals of the tournament after crushing Atlanta United 4-1 in the quarterfinals back on May 19. The Lions won much tighter affairs prior to that win, with Javier Otero coming up with seven saves in a 1-0 win over FC Naples and Zakaria Taifi scoring in stoppage time to beat the New England Revolution 4-3 in the following match. Orlando will be on the road for its semifinal match against the Columbus Crew on Sept. 16, but the offense has received a boost due to the arrivals of Antoine Griezmann and Daryl Dike this summer.

MLS Transfer News Roundup

MLS signings continue to pour in as teams look to improve their squads for the rest of this season and beyond. The Colorado Rapids signed Ghanaian winger Ibrahim Sadiq from AZ Alkmaar, where he recorded 18 goals and seven assists in 85 appearances across three seasons with the Dutch club. San Diego also added an attacker by signing forward Cedric Bakambu, who joins as a free agent after playing at Real Betis. As for other notable moves from across the league, Real Salt Lake signed winger Dusan Zagar as an MLS U22 Initiative player, forward Lyle Foster joined the Houston Dynamo on loan, and the Columbus Crew continued to improve on offense by signing Moroccan winger Anass Zaroury on loan from Panathinaikos.

Free Kicks

  • Former Orlando Pride player Christina Burkenroad is retiring from professional soccer and Monterrey will have Saturday’s game against Toluca be a send-off match for her.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

Continue Reading

Trending