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Orlando City vs. Charlotte FC: Final Score 1-1 as Lions See Win Streak Snapped

It was another ugly match against Charlotte as the Lions finish 0-2-1 in three games against the North Carolina side.

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1 year ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

A seeing-eye goal by Martin Ojeda on a long-distance free kick late prevented Charlotte FC from sweeping three matches against Orlando City as the teams played to a 1-1 draw on a wet night at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC. Orlando City (12-6-8, 44 points) saw its three-game league winning streak snapped but earned a road point against a Charlotte FC team (7-9-9, 30 points) that seems to leak goals against everyone in MLS except the Lions.

Both teams scored a goal that was ruled offside, and Enzo Copetti opened the scoring late for the hosts on his own craftily earned penalty that Rodrigo Schlegel knew nothing about. The point pushed Orlando City to third in the Eastern Conference, just past the Philadelphia Union, who have played one fewer match.

“Very happy with the performance of the players, especially in the second half,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “I thought we played against a very good team, and a team who has a model that at the beginning confused us and we couldn’t stop them. That’s why I valued that reaction that we had in that first half and created some options that probably should take us to lead the game at the end of the half. The second half was more controlled.”

Pareja’s lineup offered up only two changes from the team that beat St. Louis City SC on Saturday. Wilder Cartagena’s yellow card suspension made way for Junior Urso’s first start since his return to Orlando City, while Ramiro Enrique slotted in for Ivan Angulo. Goalkeeper Pedro Gallese played behind a back line of Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Schlegel, and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson. Cesar Araujo joined Urso in central midfield behind an attacking line of Enrique, Mauricio Pereyra, and Facundo Torres, with Duncan McGuire up top.

Charlotte jumped on Orlando right off the opening whistle, coming out with far more energy and attacking presence. The hosts won a corner before the first minute had elapsed even though Orlando kicked off.

The home team won several early set pieces but couldn’t do much with them as the service into the box wasn’t always good and when it was, the play broke down or the Lions blocked the pass.

Charlotte should have scored in the 12th minute, as the ball found its way to Brecht Dejaegere, who stepped to his right and fired over the bar. Dejaegere, however, had pulled up lame trying a stepover moments earlier and had to sub off after the missed shot. Former Lion Justin Meram replaced him on the left wing.

The first Orlando shot didn’t come until the 29th minute and Enrique had his effort blocked by Jaylin Lindsey.

Charlotte quickly went back on the attack and Jansson had a crucial block in the 36th minute. Seconds later, Gallese made a big stop to punch away what must have been ruled a cross. He then immediately made a huge stop on Derrick Jones’ header from the top of the six on a wasteful effort by the midfielder.

Three minutes later, Ashley Westwood fired inches wide of the left post when he was wide open at the top of the box.

Orlando City came close in the 41st minute, when Enrique cut to his right and blasted a shot from outside the area, but it crashed off the right post and stayed out. Two minutes later, McGuire scored but it didn’t count.

The Lions caught Charlotte napping and too far forward and the ball was sent forward to Torres on the right. The Uruguayan had a 2-v-1 with McGuire against one defender. However, Torres had to take an extra touch to settle the wet ball on the fake surface. McGuire tried to hold his run, and Torres got the ball through to him. The rookie scored on a cannon shot inside the near post but the flag came up for offside. The video assistant referee confirmed it without sending the referee to the monitor.

McGuire had a second chance from a tight angle in stoppage time, when a great ball over the top found him. The rookie was able to bring it in but not before it squirted out in front of him. That made the angle easier to defend and his shot was saved. That was the last good look of the half and the teams went to the break scoreless.

Charlotte dominated the stat sheet at halftime, leading in possession (69.8%-30.2%), shots (7-4), passing accuracy (85.5%-73%), and corners (2-1), with each team getting one shot attempt on frame, officially — although it seemed Gallese had two saves in the opening period.

Pareja sent Ivan Angulo onto the pitch to start the second half, withdrawing Pereyra. Torres moved to the middle of the attacking midfield, with Angulo on the right and Enrique left.

Torres had a good opportunity from the left to get a cross in for a wide-open McGuire in the 47th minute but the ball sailed just over the striker’s head.

It was Charlotte’s turn to score an offside goal in the 53rd minute. A giveaway on a throw-in by Orlando in its own end got sent in from left to right but Ben Bender was already behind the last defender before the pass and although his finish over Gallese into the roof of the net was a good one, it was never going to count.

The hosts got back on the front foot for the next part of the game, with Jansson making a vital challenge to deny a cross in from the right in the 56th minute and Karol Swiderski fizzing a dangerous ball through the top of the six two minutes later that none of his teammates could get to.

Torres cut across the top of the area in the 59th and sent a curling shot that didn’t quite dip enough and sizzled just high of the top left corner.

Pareja made an interesting double switch at the hour mark, sending Ojeda and Felipe on for McGuire and Urso. Enrique moved up top as the striker. Ojeda, Torres, and Angulo made up the new attacking midfield.

Moments after the substitutions, Schlegel made solid contact on a header off a corner but it was right at goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina, who fought it off in the 63rd minute. The play was offside anyway, as substitute Felipe was parked right in front of the goalkeeper, well behind the entire Charlotte defense.

Angulo forced a good diving save by Kahlina a minute later.

Jansson was having an incredible game but went down with a knock in the 77th minute. He was replaced by rookie Abdi Salim and Kyle Smith also came on for Santos.

Disaster struck a minute after the subs, when Schlegel was backing up in the box and went to play a ball directly at him. Copetti made a crafty play to come leaping in to get his leg in front of Schlegel, who knew nothing about what was going on behind him. Copetti made a meal of the slight contact and referee Rosendo Mendoza pointed to the spot. Copetti and Gallese exchanged words prior to the penalty but the Charlotte Designated Player placed an unstoppable penalty into the inside netting on the right, despite El Pulpo guessing correctly.

The play gave Charlotte a 1-0 lead in the 81st minute.

“When they scored the PK, again the braveness and the character of this group is amazing,” Pareja said of the team’s ability to fight back.

It appeared the hosts would get a clean, three-game sweep of the Lions on the season but Orlando City pulled one back in the 88th minute.

Ojeda lined up a free kick from long distance, looking to find someone at the back post. However, his delivery cleared everyone. Kahlina got a fingertip to it but could only knock it off the inside of his post and in.

“We work a lot on set pieces,” Felipe said. “Josema (Bazán), our assistant coach, is the guy that is always in charge of the set pieces. We work on those balls and it’s not by chance that we scored the goal, but it’s something from the training ground that we always work on, and we always keep improving every week. And again in tight games like this, those are the times that we need those goals and we were able to score today, so it was great for Martin and great for the team that we were able to score on a set piece that we work (on) so much.”

Orlando City had a promising attack in the third minute of stoppage time but Angulo’s pass to Enrique from the right was behind the Argentine. Ojeda tried a shot from 35 or 40 yards out a minute later that didn’t come close to troubling Kahlina.

Another controversial moment happened just as the six minutes of stoppage time were winding down. Copetti swung a forearm up and into the chin of Schlegel, who went down clutching his face. Mendoza showed Copetti a yellow card and then was directed by the VAR to go take a second look. The arm definitely swung into Schlegel’s face and the elbow was up, but Mendoza stuck with his original call. He then made Schlegel leave the field for a concussion check on a play he didn’t deem violent, confusing everyone involved.

“We don’t understand,” Pareja said of the decision to make Schlegel leave the pitch. “We were very annoyed by that, because (Mendoza) has almost five minutes to attend the player and make a test and he decided to wait five minutes and when he came out, he said that he needed to check it outside, knowing that the game was about to expire. We didn’t understand. We were frustrated but what can we say?”

Neither side got another good look and the teams split the points.

Although Orlando got more of the ball in the second half than the first, Charlotte finished with a comfortable advantage in possession (65.8%-34.2%). The hosts also led in shots (9-8), corners (4-3), and passing accuracy (83.7%-70%). Orlando City put more shots on target (4-2).

“I think it’s it’s a great result for us,” Felipe said. “It’s a point coming from behind. We always need to appreciate the point. It’s never easy to come to a place like Charlotte. So yes, it is a positive point for us and we keep building, we keep going because we are heading in the right direction.”

The Lions will come home briefly before heading back on the road to take on Supporters’ Shield-leading FC Cincinnati on Saturday.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/21/24

Marta’s chance to shine in NWSL Championship, NWSL and MLS award winners announced, 2025 SheBelieves Cup details, and more.

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37 mins ago

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November 21, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve been spending most of this week plotting out some holiday shopping to make things a little less stressful for myself over the next few weeks. A big weekend filled with Orlando soccer awaits us, so make sure to get any errands or obligations out of the way sooner rather than later. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Spotlight Falls On Marta in NWSL Championship

There are plenty of storylines heading into Saturday’s NWSL Championship between the Orlando Pride and Washington Spirit, including Marta’s opportunity to put an exclamation point on what has been an excellent season for the Pride. Orlando has been enjoying the fruits of its labor this season after a rebuild over the past few years that’s included plenty of change in the City Beautiful. Marta has been a constant, however, enduring some difficult seasons since joining the Pride and adapting her game She’s scored in both of the Pride’s playoff games so far and has a chance to author a storybook ending on Saturday.

Ann-Katrin Berger Named NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year

NJ/NY Gotham FC goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger was named 2024 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year, beating out the Pride’s Anna Moorhouse and Utah Royals FC’s Mandy Haught for the honor. It was Berger’s first year in the NWSL and she’s the first European player to win the award. She only conceded 16 goals across her 22 matches for Gotham this season and was a key reason behind her team’s success. I’m not too surprised that Moorhouse did not win, considering how solid the Pride’s defense was as a whole, but this won’t take anything away from a record-breaking season for her.

Wilfried Nancy Named MLS Coach of the Year

Columbus Crew Head Coach Wilfried Nancy was voted 2024 MLS Coach of the Year after a historic season in which the Crew set club records in both points and goals. The Crew also won the Leagues Cup this summer and their 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup campaign included advancing past Tigres and Monterrey en route to the final. This is Nancy’s first time being named Coach of the Year and he has been a finalist for the award every year since 2021. The Frenchman received 40.02% of the vote, winning the award over Inter Miami’s Gerardo Martino and Colorado Rapids Head Coach Chris Armas.

2025 SheBelieves Cup Details Unveiled

The 10th annual SheBelieves Cup will take place next year and the tournament will return to its usual format where each of the four teams plays each other once. The United States Women’s National Team will host Japan, Colombia, and Australia in February in what should be an exciting tournament. The U.S. will take on Colombia on Feb. 20 in Houston before facing Australia in Arizona on Feb. 23 and finishing the tournament on Feb. 26 against Japan at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego. These games will also be the first domestic games of 2025 for the USWNT as it prepares to qualify for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.

Eric Quill Named FC Dallas Head Coach

FC Dallas announced that Eric Quill will become the team’s next head coach. Quill joins Dallas after a great year with New Mexico United that included trips to the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals and USL Championship Western Conference semifinals. It’s also a reunion of sorts for Quill, as he previously coached North Texas SC and was named USL League One Coach of the Year with the club in 2019. Dallas missed out on the playoffs this season, with Peter Luccin coaching the team on an interim basis after the firing of Nico Estevez in June.

Free Kicks

  • District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser challenged Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer to a bet involving this weekend’s NWSL Championship, with embarrassing lightshows on the line.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

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Lion Links: 11/20/24

Martin Ojeda could be a key factor against Atlanta, Seb Hines wins Coach of the Year, Lions abroad, and more.

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1 day ago

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November 20, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good Wednesday morning, Mane Landers. For long time readers, you might remember me as a staple in your Lion Links but having stepped away on sabbatical. Today, I’m honored to be called off the bench and fill in for Dave. My life has been filled with being a first-time father along with taking over as commissioner of a soccer league and my normal day job. Through all of it, I have stayed true to catching as many Orlando City matches as I can or at least the highlights. TML is my go-to source for all things purple, so I’m glad to pitch in and talk about what is happening around the City Beautiful and soccer once again. So, let’s get into the links!

Lions’ Not-So Secret Weapons

Orlando City is ready to take on Atlanta United on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. According to Andrew Wiebe of MLSsoccer.com, midfielder Martín Ojeda and the home field advantage of Inter&Co Stadium will be the key to victory for Oscar Pareja to finally lift the cup with Orlando. On the other side of the ball, Atlanta United goalkeeper Brad Guzan is in impeccable form and will give the Five Stripes an opportunity to advance again despite being the underdogs.

Seb Hines Wins Major Award

The National Women’s Soccer League announced Pride Head Coach Seb Hines has been named the 2024 NWSL Coach of the Year. Following his stint as a player for Orlando City and coaching at the youth level, Hines became the Pride’s interim head coach in June 2022 before getting the gig full time. This season was his best yet with Orlando, finding 18 wins and leading a team that scored a club-record 46 goals along the way. He learned about his award from his players:

Internationals Take The Pitch

Tuesday gave some Lions the chance to represent their home nations. Orlando City right back Dagur Dan Thorhallsson entered the UEFA Nations League match between Wales and Iceland in the 75th-minute, but Iceland fell 4-1 after scoring first. Goalkeeper Pedro Gallese gained another start for Peru in its CONMEBOL World Cup qualifier against Argentina but couldn’t earn a shutout in a 1-0 loss.

Record MLS Signing Reported

FC Cincinnati has splashed the cash and has reportedly completed the signing of 23-year-old Cercle Brugge forward Kévin Denkey. The transfer fee of $16.2 million is an MLS record, passing the previous $16 million that Atlanta United spent to acquired Thiago Almada in 2022. The signing of Denkey to a four-year contract fills a gap at forward for Cincinnati. The length of the deal appears to make him the centerpiece of the team as only one player on the roster has guaranteed contract years beyond 2026, and only striker Kevin Kelsy has option years into 2028 and 2029, but he is currently on loan.

Inter&Co Stadium Will Host Orlando Cup

Coming in January 2025, the Orlando Cup Pro Series will bring clubs Santos FC, Atlético Nacional, and Fortaleza to our home stadium. These will be preseason matches for the participating teams to help them tune up and grow their brands in the United States.

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That’s a wrap on links for the day. I wish you all the best with the rest of you week. Who else is excited for a big Orlando soccer weekend? Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 11/19/24

Orlando Pride players honored, USMNT beats Jamaica, USWNT roster announced, and more.

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2 days ago

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November 19, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Happy Tuesday, everyone! We’ve had a busy few days with the Orlando Pride advancing to the NWSL Championship in style, and games continuing to come thick and fast during the international break. Things aren’t slowing down around here though, as the Pride will play for a trophy on Saturday, and Orlando City faces Atlanta United in the Eastern Conference semifinals on Sunday. Today also marks 11 years since Orlando City was announced as the 21st MLS club. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Pride Players Named to NWSL Best XI

On top of advancing to the NWSL Championship, a number of Orlando Pride players have been honored with places in the league’s Best XI First Team and Best XI Second Team. Emily Sams, Marta, and Barbra Banda made the cut for the First Team, while Anna Moorhouse and Kerry Abello were chosen for the Second Team.

Sams started in all 13 of the Pride’s shutouts, while Marta had 10 goal contributions on the year and Banda bagged 13 goals and six assists in her first year in the league. A big congratulations to all five players!

USMNT Routs Jamaica

The United States Men’s National Team ran riot over Jamaica in the second leg of its Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal series, winning by a score of 4-2 in St. Louis. The Yanks used a dominant first half to put the game away early, with two Christian Pulisic goals and Ricardo Pepi’s second goal in as many games giving the Americans a 3-0 lead at halftime. In the first 45 minutes, the USMNT enjoyed 70% possession and took six shots to the visitors’ two, with the majority of the action being played in Jamaica’s half. The game opened up more in the second half with Demari Gray grabbing a brace, but the Yanks were never truly threatened and advanced to the Concacaf Nations League semifinals.

USWNT Roster Announced

The United States Women’s National Team has announced its roster for upcoming friendlies against England and the Netherlands. Emma Hayes has named a 24-player roster for the two games, both of which will take place overseas. The roster features a familiar face, as the Orlando Pride’s Sams was named to the squad as a center back. The team also features Lily Yohannes, who recently announced her decision to play for the USWNT, and she will face the other team she was eligible to declare for in the Netherlands. To date, Sams has made two appearances for the USWNT and could be in line to double that number. The Yanks will face England at Wembley on Nov. 30, and then take on the Dutch on Dec. 3 at ADO Den Haag Stadium.

UEFA Nations League Roundup

The international break continued yesterday and there are a number of results to catch up on. In Europe, Croatia and Portugal both advanced to the UEFA Nations League quarterfinals after a 1-1 draw, and Scotland used a late goal by Andy Robertson to beat Poland 2-1, with the result sending the Scots to a playoff that will determine if they’ll be relegated from League A, while Poland dropped into League B. San Marino won just its second game in 20 years by beating Liechtenstein 3-1 to move up into League C. Finally, Denmark advanced to the quarterfinals courtesy of a scoreless draw with Serbia.

Free Kicks

  • Come meet Duncan McGuire tomorrow and enjoy some chicken to boot.

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

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