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Orlando City vs. Columbus Crew: Final Score 4-3 as Lions’ Comeback Extends Unbeaten Run to Six

Down 3-1 late, the Lions rallied with a trio of late goals to stun the Crew in a wild finish at Exploria Stadium.

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1 year ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Orlando City scored three straight goals from the 73rd minute on to turn a 3-1 deficit into a 4-3 win over the Columbus Crew in front of an announced crowd of 22,802 Exploria Stadium. The Lions (14-6-8, 50 points) made numerous mistakes against the high-scoring Crew (13-9-6, 45 points), paying for most of them, but Facundo Torres’ goal off the bench and Ramiro Enrique’s late brace led Orlando City to another Cardiac Cats-type finish.

Martin Ojeda also scored for the Lions, who managed to overcome goals by Julian Gressel, Diego Rossi, and Cucho Hernandez. The win extended Orlando City’s unbeaten run in league play to six matches (5-0-1) and lengthened the team’s home unbeaten run in all competitions to 11 matches (7-0-4).

“Today was another demonstration of the character of this group,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “And I want to honor that responsibility and that desire to overcome. It’s not easy to score goals when things don’t look good, and after (the Crew made it) 3-1, the team believed in the process, believed in the ways, and we kept the mentality intact.”

Pareja’s lineup had a few surprises. Pedro Gallese took his usual spot in goal behind a back line of Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson. With Wilder Cartagena suspended, Pareja opted to pair Felipe in central midfield with Cesar Araujo rather than Junior Urso behind an attacking line of Ivan Angulo, Mauricio Pereyra, and Ojeda, with Ramiro Enrique up top. Duncan McGuire picked up a knock in training late in the week and did not dress, while Torres was away on international duty and started the game on the bench.

The Crew got the first shot of the game five minutes in when Rossi went for goal from a tight angle. Gallese had to be alert to fight it off for a corner kick. A minute later, Gallese again had to fight off a shot from his right as Yaw Yeboah smashed a laser toward goal.

The visitors took the corner short and the Lions stole the ball and should have scored in transition. Columbus goalkeeper Patrick Schulte was well outside of his box when Angulo got onto the ball at midfield. Rather than trying for the open net from distance, he took a touch, which allowed the keeper to scramble back. Angulo’s subsequent pass on the break for Thorhallsson was badly off line and the attack evaporated.

Santos tried a shot from long range in the 12th minute but it fizzed just wide of the right post.

Four minutes later, the Crew opened the scoring after an Orlando turnover in its own end. Pereyra and Araujo looked at each other on a pass between the two but neither went for it, allowing the Crew to collect. Rossi chipped a ball over the top for Hernandez’s run and Thorhallsson was caught out of line with his defensive teammates, keeping the play onside. That left Gallese alone against Hernandez, who calmly chipped him to feed Gressel in front for the tap-in.

Orlando was sloppy throughout the first half, often placing passes between two teammates who weren’t sure who the pass was supposed to go to. That sloppiness nearly allowed the Crew to quickly double the lead. Yeboah smashed a shot just wide of the near post after another such turnover in the defensive end.

The Lions should have equalized in the 26th minute. A good transition attack ended up with Angulo down the right. The winger sent a good pass into the middle to Enrique, but he fired his shot low and in the center of the net, which was the only place Schulte could have gotten to it, and he did. The save preserved the Columbus advantage.

Orlando again fashioned a good chance in transition in the 34th minute but this time Angulo overcooked his pass toward the end line for Ojeda. The Argentine fired a shot/cross in front of goal that hit Schulte, deflected off another body and went right back to the goalkeeper.

Gallese came up huge in the 42nd minute to keep his team in the game. Thorhallsson got beaten badly and Yeboah was in alone. Gallese denied his shot and the rebound found Hernandez, who fired with his first touch but it was right at Gallese, who managed to stop it with his legs without givine up a rebound.

That was the last good look of the half for either team and the Crew took a 1-0 lead into the break.

Orlando City held the halftime advantage in possession (54.4%-45.6%) and passing accuracy (85.4%-81.9%), while the Crew had more shots (9-4), shots on target (6-1), and corners (3-2).

The Lions equalized just three minutes after the restart. Angulo got the ball on the right side of the box and fed it across from right to left. It found its way through to Ojeda, who quickly turned and sent it in with his right foot to make it 1-1 in the 48th minute.

Columbus got back on the front foot after Ojeda’s goal. The visitors were getting to almost every loose ball and working their way through the Orlando defense with good passing sequences and even better movement off the ball that often caught the Lions off guard.

Rossi paid off that attacking play in the 56th minute, putting Columbus back on top. Yeboah played a through ball for Rossi’s crafty run in behind Schlegel and he slotted past Gallese to make it 2-1.

Pareja introduced Torres moments after his team fell behind for the second time. The Uruguayan had a leg contusion and Pareja didn’t expect to have his Designated Player available for this game but he was able to recover in time to make the matchday squad.

Despite the move to bring on Torres, who immediately made Orlando City a more dangerous-looking team with a couple of quick shot attempts, the Crew extended their lead less than 10 minutes later. The Crew attacked in transition and Santos was caught up the field. Alexandru Matan got in behind down the Crew’s right side and sent a centering pass to give Hernandez a tap-in. The Crew’s lead bulged to 3-1 at 68 minutes.

Pareja sent Jack Lynn and Luca Petrasso onto the field in the 70th minute for Angulo and Santos as the Lions desperately chased the game.

Orlando City pulled a goal back moments later. A beautiful long ball by Pereyra hit off Lynn and fell to Enrique, who finessed the ball through a Crew defender to Ojeda. The Argentine passed up a chance to shoot and sent it to Torres, who fired home to make it 3-2 in the 73rd minute with his 12th goal of the season.

Pareja made one more move, sending on Michael Halliday for Pereyra, moving Thorhallsson into the midfield. Halliday made an immediate impact, intercepting a pass and starting an Orlando City break. Aidan Morris made a perfect form tackle — American football style — to pick up a booking in order to break up the play.

Just a few minutes later, Torres was fouled by Crew defender Yevhen Cheberko about 25 yards out on the right side. Ojeda’s free kick hit off of Cheberko’s head, but instead of clearing it, his sideways header fell at Enrique’s feet. The MLS U22 Initiative forward slotted it past Schulte to level the score in the 86th minute.

“No matter the amount of hard work that you put in, the first objective always has to be to push the group further, to do whatever you can to help the group achieve the most they can and continue onward,” Enrique said of his role through a club interpreter. Whether you’re selected as a starter, off the bench, or even sometimes out of the group, you have to do whatever is in the best interest of the team to continue pushing them further and towards more success.”

As time wound down, the Crew managed to win multiple corner kicks but the visitors could not make them pay off. Referee Rubiel Vazquez tacked six extra minutes onto the 90 for one of the teams to find a winner. Orlando City took advantage of that, but it required a seventh minute.

With the seconds winding down, Orlando City won a free kick about 25 yards out near the left sideline. Ojeda took the free kick and sent a good cross into the box. The ball somehow missed a flying Schlegel attempt and Schulte’s charge off his line to try to punch it, but Torres was right behind him and went low to head the ball back across the box. Once again the ball fell at Enrique’s feet and he swept it home in the 97th minute to send Exploria Stadium into euphoria.

Enrique’s brace doubled his season total of goals from two to four.

“Just absolutely pure happiness,” Enrique said after the game, about what was going through his mind. “Happy to score the goals and I think, first and foremost happy for the three points.”

Columbus kicked off and the game was over with the Lions smashing and grabbing all three points.

The Crew turned around the possession numbers in the second half and led in most of the game’s statistical categories. Columbus held the advantage in possession (52.4%-47.6%), shots (15-14), shots on target (10-7), corners (9-2), and passing accuracy (85%-83.1%).

“I think Columbus is a great team. Today they dominated us in the beginning of the first half,” Pereyra said. “For us it was difficult to press them. But then, after, we showed personality. We showed desire and a winning mentality that we are having in the last 10 or 15 matches. I think we’ve improved a lot.”

“A lot of things to get better, but today it’s a good demonstration of this character, and we’re proud,” Pareja said.

The Lions will have a quick turnaround before playing away at New York City FC on Wednesday at Citi Field.

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Orlando City

Orlando City Forward Jack Lynn Announces His Retirement

Orlando City forward Jack Lynn retires from professional soccer.

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14 hours ago

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January 18, 2025

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image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City announced this morning that forward Jack Lynn has retired from professional soccer to explore opportunities outside of the game. The striker was the Lions’ first-round pick in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft.

“Jack is a player who always gave 100 percent for us here in Orlando both in training and every game that he played,” Orlando City Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi said in a club press release. “He is someone who was always a positive to have as a part of the group and was ready to do whatever was asked of him for the team. We want to thank Jack for these last three years of hard work and professionalism and wish him nothing but the best in this next step of his life.”

The 25-year-old was selected with the 18th overall pick out of Notre Dame and the Lions signed him to a one-year deal on Feb. 16, 2022, with club options for 2023, 2024, and 2025. Orlando City exercised its option on Lynn following the 2022, 2023, and 2024 seasons, so he was set to enter his final option year in 2025.

Lynn quickly became a regular starter for Orlando City B, playing 53 games with 45 starts and recording 3,950 minutes. He scored a team-record 38 goals and added five assists over three seasons with the second team.

After scoring 15 goals for OCB during his rookie season, Lynn won the Golden Boot with 19 goals in 2023. His play that season earned him the title of MLS NEXT Pro MVP, making him the first OCB player to win the award.

The third-year forward saw his role with the first team increase significantly in 2024. He only made seven total first-team appearances in his first two seasons, but appeared 14 times in 2024 with his only two starts. In his three seasons in Orlando, Lynn played in 22 games with two starts and recorded 326 minutes. He scored twice, with both goals coming in MLS action.

Prior to joining the Lions, Lynn was a standout forward at Notre Dame, playing 79 times with 57 starts while scoring 31 goals and adding eight assists. He scored 10 goals with four assists during his senior year, helping the Fighting Irish win the ACC Championship before losing to eventual champion Clemson in the NCAA College Cup semifinal. He was a three-time All-ACC selection and All-Region selection during his collegiate career.

What This Means for Orlando City

Lynn played sparingly during his professional career but saw his role increase last season. An injury and subsequent surgery for Duncan McGuire meant he was likely to see even more time in 2025 had he continued playing. However, he would’ve been the third or fourth choice on the roster.

The retirement means the Lions will likely be on the lookout for another striker as they attempt to add some depth to the position. Ramiro Enrique will be the starter as the season begins and Luis Muriel can play up top if needed, but there was already a need for depth up top. That need is even more urgent with Lynn’s departure.

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Orlando City

Orlando City Signs Colombian Winger Nicolas Rodriguez

The Lions add a skilled young winger ahead of the 2025 season.

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1 day ago

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January 17, 2025

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Orlando City has announced the previously reported signing of Colombian forward Nicolas Rodriguez from Fortaleza CEIF through 2027 with a club option for 2028. Rodriguez, 20, will occupy an MLS U22 Initiative slot.

“We’re very excited to have Nico join us here in Orlando. With the characteristics he has as a player, he’s someone that we feel really fits our model and culture at the club,” Orlando City Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi in a club press release. “Nico has a skilled left foot that makes him a challenge to defend, likes to take defenders on one-on-one, and has a promising future. We’re excited for all he’ll achieve here during his time in purple.”

Rodriguez made 19 appearances (all starts) in the 2024 Primera A Clausura season with Fortaleza, compiling 1,607 minutes, scoring five goals, and adding three assists.

“It’s an honor and a point of pride to be able to wear this kit, to be able to represent this badge, and it’s very important to me and to my family,” Rodríguez said in the club’s press release. “I’m excited about this next step along my journey.”

The San Jose del Guaviare, Colombia native joined Fortaleza’s youth team in 2021, making his debut in the Categoria Primera B against Boyaca Chico. After rarely appearing in his first two years, the 5-foot-8 winger became a regular starter in 2023, appearing in 44 matches and scoring eight times, helping the club earn promotion to Primera A. He played in 42 games in all competitions for Fortaleza in 2024, scoring eight goals.

What It Means for Orlando City

The Lions get a talented, young offensive-minded player who can help the club while developing. If things go well, Orlando City will be able to move him in the future for a great deal more than what the club is investing in him now, which is good business, but not at the expense of the team on the field. Rodriguez isn’t a like-for-like replacement for Facundo Torres — at least not yet — but he doesn’t have to be. The Lions could play Martin Ojeda or Luis Muriel opposite Ivan Angulo, allowing Rodriguez time to develop with minutes off the bench and spot starts during heavy fixture congestion. And, with an open Designated Player slot, there may still be a forward or winger brought in before the 2025 season starts.

In addition to playing right wing, Rodriguez can also play the right side in a three-man midfield and even the No. 10 spot. In Oscar Pareja’s system, he would likely project as the right attacking midfielder in the 4-2-3-1.

Rodriguez will occupy an international and U22 Initiative slot for the Lions. He’s a player with a lot of upside and with the financial investment of the transfer fee, coupled with the reports that Fortaleza will retain as much as 30% of a future sale, the club must feel good about his future. Fans should as well after seeing the video below, which shows Rodriguez has plenty of confidence and finishing ability, even from outside the box.

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Opinion

Likes and Dislikes from the First Week of Orlando City’s Preseason

Here are a few things that stood out from the first week of preseason — some good and some bad.

Published

2 days ago

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January 17, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

The 2024 Major League Soccer season has barely had time to breathe, but Orlando City opened preseason training on Monday. If it feels like time has flown by, that’s because it has. Hell, we’ve already got a whole working week’s-worth of practices in, and things are only going to pick up from here. With that being the case, I wanted to stop and reflect on a couple things that I liked, and a couple things that I disliked from the first week of the Lions’ preseason.

Likes

The Boys Are Back in Town

First and foremost, it’s good to be back in soccer mode. Its always nice to reflect on fond memories from the most recent season — particularly when its a successful one like the Lions just had, but reminiscing only takes you so far. But now we’re getting daily looks at OCSC’s preseason work and are able to check in with the familiar faces we know and love while also getting to know a few new ones. Videos like this one are always nice and help build excitement for the games to come.

Games Just Around the Corner

Speaking of games, we aren’t too far from Orlando’s first game of 2025. The Lions will play a preseason match a little over a week from today on Jan. 25, when they take on Atletico Mineiro at home in the FC Series. It may be only a preseason game but it still provides us with our first glimpse of what Orlando City will look like during the 2025 season. We’ll presumably get to see some of the team’s draft picks in action and should get some clues as to how the positional pecking order is starting to shape up.

Dislikes

The Wait for Reinforcements

It isn’t out of the norm for Orlando City to take its time making off-season signings when compared to its fellow MLS teams, and that’s been the case once again this year. Granted, there are plenty of teams that have more spots to fill than the Lions and some teams are in the midst of outright rebuilds. Still, OCSC has several spots that are in need of strengthening, depth, or both, not to mention a Facundo Torres-sized hole out on the right wing. There’s absolutely work to be done, and while I’m all for taking the time to make sure you sign the right players, there’s also something to be said for giving those players as much time in preseason as possible to adapt to their new teammates and unfamiliar surroundings. Here’s hoping that some moves start getting made soon.

The Departure of Mason Stajduhar

I won’t lie to you guys, when the news came through on Wednesday afternoon that the Lions had traded Mason Stajduhar to Real Salt Lake for General Allocation Money and a draft pick, it was a tough blow and one that I’m still having trouble coming to terms with. Professional soccer is a business, and I understand that, but it’s tough to see a guy like Mason head out the door. The team’s fourth Homegrown Player had been around since 2015 and beat cancer, made his MLS debut, got his first MLS wins and shutouts, helped OCSC hoist the club’s first silverware as an MLS team, and got engaged and then married — all while wearing Orlando purple. As our editor Michael Citro put it, we watched him grow up from a teenager into a young man, and it’ll always be tough to watch someone leave who has been around for 10 years and has been a consummate professional for each one of them. I’ll miss him but wish him all the best.

What did you guys make of the first week of the 2025 preseason? Are there any things that you’re keeping a particularly close eye on as we begin building towards the match against Atletico Mineiro? Be sure to have your say down in the comments, and I’ll see you next week. Vamos Orlando!

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