Connect with us

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. CF Montreal: Final Score 3-0 as Lions Dominate Canadian Visitors

The Lions were rarely threatened in a complete victory over CF Montreal.

Published

2 months ago

on

Orlando City dominated playoff hopeful CF Montreal in a 3-0 win in front of an announced crowd of 19,637 at Exploria Stadium. The victory gave the Lions (15-7-9, 54 points) their most wins and most points in an MLS season and make things more difficult for Montreal (11-16-4, 37 points) as it tries to finish above the playoff line. A Jonathan Sirois own goal opened the scoring for the Lions in the first half, and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson and Facundo Torres added second-half strikes to lift Orlando to the win.

“Important victory in front of our fans,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “A very well-played game against a rival that at different times has given us a lot of trouble to break their lines, and today we found our ways to impose our rhythm and score goals. I saw a very offensive team โ€” ours โ€” I saw a team with confidence. I think we’re gelling and preparing. Most important is that we keep our feet on the ground, understanding that we have to continue with consistency.”

Pareja’s lineup was the one he’s primarily been using, with Pedro Gallese in goal behind a back line of Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Thorhallsson. Cesar Araujo teamed up with Wilder Cartagena in central midfield behind an attacking line of Ivan Angulo, Mauricio Pereyra, and Torres, with Duncan McGuire up top.

The opening stages of this match were very cagey, with neither team able to effectively get into the opposing penalty area. The Lions finally won the game’s first corner in the 17th minute through Angulo but Sirois did well to come off his line and punch away a dangerous-looking back-post ball.

The Lions then opened the scoring two minutes later off a nice buildup. Santos blazed down the left flank and pulled back a cross to Torres near the top of the area. The Uruguayan smashed a shot toward goal that crashed off the left post, hit the back of a prone Sirois, and trickled back over the line for the opening goal.

“We knew that they were playing with three in the back, and the goal was to keep me and Rafa high and in these spaces that we can create when they play with three and it worked today, so that was amazing,” Thorhallsson said.

Originally credited to Torres, the play was rightfully changed to an own goal, and an unfortunate one for Sirois, who knew nothing about it.

There wasn’t another decent chance until the 31st minute, when another good buildup was knocked behind for a corner before Angulo could get to it. Sirois again punched away the cross.

Montreal then won a corner at the other end and it was cleared but only to Zachary Brault-Guillard just outside the box. The Montreal fullback tried to smash a half-volley shot toward goal but he didn’t hit it cleanly and it squirted well off to the right in the 34th minute.

The Lions should have doubled their lead in the 37th minute when a good ball in from McGuire found Angulo. The speedy winger flicked it on target but left it too close to Sirois, who made a big save from close range. A minute later, Angulo was set up again but this time he blasted his shot wide of the right post.

Seconds later, Angulo did put the ball in the net off a cross from Torres, but the latter was well offside in the buildup and the flag came up immediately, nullifying the goal.

The last good chance of the half came on a ball over the top to Torres. His first touch was a bit heavy and by the time he tracked it down, the defense had closed and blocked his shot attempt.

Orlando City dominated possession (61.7%-38.3%) in the first half, and led in shots (4-3), shots on target (1-0), corners (2-1), and passing accuracy (87.4%-76.1%).

“The first half I saw how we took advantages of the spaces that they gave us on the wing,” Pareja said. “We were crafty in the middle, but most important, we kept our balance defensively.”

“Thankfully Facu found a great ball and was able to put it in the back of the net, and it gave us confidence for the rest of the game,” Cartagena said through a club interpreter. “And I think, like you saw, between the spaces and the runs that we were able to make, we really dominated, like you saw in that game.”

Montreal swapped forwards at halftime, bringing on Chinonso Offor and Mason Toye for Romell Quioto and Bryce Duke. The visitors had a spell of pressure in the opening minutes of the second half, winning an early corner when Cartagena blocked a Nathan Saliba shot, but then Orlando took control of the match.

Orlando’s first chance of the half came in the 48th minute with a nice ball forward by Araujo sending Thorhallsson down the right. The fullback sent in a good cross that McGuire tried to flick on target but he didn’t make good contact and it fizzed harmlessly across the six-yard box. However, Orlando doubled the lead two minutes later.

Torres sent Santos down the left flank and the Brazilian fullback sent a good cross through the six. McGuire flicked it on through and Thorhallsson beat his defender to the ball, tapping it into an empty net to make it 2-0 in the 50th minute.

“We’ve been talking a little bit about that the right and the left back come to that position on the far post, and that time it happened and the ball came and I scored,” Thorhallsson said.

“I think he’s been much better and is growing a lot,” Pareja said of Santos, who played well and was an integral part of the attack tonight.

Torres got on the scoresheet in the 54th minute. Cartagena sent Angulo in behind on the right. The Colombian sent the ball across to the left post for Torres, and he buried his shot just inside the left post to make it 3-0 with his 13th goal of the MLS season.

Torres went for goal in the 59th minute on the half volley but he beat the shot into the turf, which made for an easy bounce for Sirois to handle.

Cartagena got a free header off a free kick won by Araujo in the 62nd minute. The Peruvian midfielder got under the cross, however, and sent it well over the bar.

With his team up 3-0, Pareja sent on subs, withdrawing Pereyra and Angulo and sending Martin Ojeda and Ramiro Enrique into the fray.

Araujo headed wide off a corner kick in the 71st minut as Orlando continued to get forward in possession.

Gallese was forced into action in the 76th minute. Toye turned and fired from a sharp angle and got the shot on target. Gallese had to be sharp to make a diving save to keep it from crossing the line. A minute later, Gallese made another save, albeit a much easier one to deny a shot from outside the box by Mathieu Choiniere.

Thorhallsson went for a brace in the 80th minute from a tight angle but Sirois made the save. Moments after Toye tried a shot from distance that landed halfway up The Wall, Ojeda tried a shot from a similar spot as Thorhallsson’s just moments earlier Again Sirois made the save. Enrique fired a shot at Sirois in the 91st. That was the last decent chance and the Lions held on for the shutout victory.

Orlando City finished with more possession (57.4%-42.6%), shots (13-8), shots on target (6-1), and passing accuracy (85.2%-78.1%). Both teams won three corners.

“It was an important victory, especially at this point in the season,” Cartagena said through a club interpreter. “We came in against a good rival to be as intense as we possibly could and we dominated throughout the entire game.”

Unfortunately, FC Cincinnati’s win over Toronto FC allowed the Ohio-based team to win the Supporters’ Shield, so the best the Lions can finish is second.

Orlando City has a quick turnaround with a trip to Nashville coming up on Wednesday.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Orlando City

2023 Orlando City Season in Review: Alex Freeman

We start our Orlando City player reviews with a look at a Homegrown fullback who made his MLS debut this season.

Published

12 hours ago

on

November 29, 2023

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City B

Orlando City signed fullback Alex Freeman to a Homegrown Player contract on February 15, 2022. He became the Lions’ 12th Homegrown signing and his deal runs through the 2025 season with a club option for 2026, but the youngster did not see action in Major League Soccer last season. With the departure of Ruan, there was an opportunity for Freeman to win a job with the first team in camp but he wasn’t quite ready to make the jump, instead playing an important role with Orlando City B throughout the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro season.

Letโ€™s take a look back at Freeman’s 2023 campaign.

Statistical Breakdown

Freeman made his MLS debut on April 29 in a 2-0 home win over the LA Galaxy. It was not just his debut with the first team, but it was also his only appearance with the senior squad in 2023, although he did make the substitutes’ bench a few times after that. Officially, he logged only one minute, entering in the 93rd minute. He was only on the pitch a matter of seconds, so it’s unsurprising that he registered nothing on the stats sheet.

The son of former NFL receiver Antonio Freeman, Alex starred with OCB in 2023. In MLS NEXT Pro play, Freeman appeared in 24 of OCB’s 28 matches, starting 22, and logging 1,855 minutes. He finished tied for third on the squad in goals (4), adding three assists and passing at a 79.1% success rate. Freeman attempted 25 shots, putting 11 on target, and contributed 10 key passes. He committed 22 fouls, drew 27 on the opposition, and was booked four times. He also started OCB’s playoff match at Columbus, playing 89 minutes in the Young Lions’ 2-1 road loss. Freeman didn’t contribute a goal or assist or attempt a shot in the match, but he passed at an 88% rate, created one scoring chance, and committed one foul.

Best Game

With only one MLS appearance to his credit, the default best game for Freeman came on April 29 in Orlando City’s 2-0 home win over the LA Galaxy. Freeman didn’t even officially touch the ball in the game, but it’s not every day a teenager gets to play in an MLS match, and I’m sure it was a special moment for him. It was certainly a milestone in his professional soccer career.

2023 Final Grade

As Freeman fell well short of the minimum 450 minutes played mark to receive a rating on our 1-10 scale, The Mane Land has no choice but to mark his grade as incomplete for the 2023 season. There are areas of Freeman’s game that need a bit of refining, but at the same time, it’s easy to see why he landed a Homegrown contract, why Orlando City would find him an intriguing prospect, and why he’s been getting called up by the United States for U-20 international duty. His attacking presence was huge for OCB in 2023 and he was one of the key players that led the Young Lions to the postseason.

2024 Outlook

I would expect Freeman to get more seasoning at OCB in 2024, although he’ll be given opportunities in preseason camp to show whether he’s closed the gap on the likes of Michael Halliday and Kyle Smith (assuming both return). If the club moves on from both Halliday and Smith, it’s not hard to picture Freeman starting the season providing depth at right back for the first team. Having just turned 19 in August, Freeman has a lot of potential and he should start to unlock that within the next year or so.

This is the first of our 2023 Orlando City Season in Review articles. Every player who played minutes this past season and who finished the year on the club roster will be reviewed (exceptions may be made for players let go when the club officially announces its roster moves). Players who logged fewer than 450 minutes (combined regular season plus playoffs, Concacaf Champions League, U.S. Open Cup, and Leagues Cup) will receive a composite score between 1 and 10 as determined by a panel of The Mane Land writers, while those who did not reach that threshold will receive an incomplete grade.

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/29/23

Orlando Pride players called up by Brazil, MLS announces 2023 Best XI, latest MLS roster moves, and more.

Published

19 hours ago

on

November 29, 2023

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers I hope all is well down in Florida. I’ve been very busy working throughout the holiday weekend at Under Armour. This week I’ll be working at Wrigley Field for Winterland while getting ready to cover high school wrestling tomorrow night. There is plenty to cover today, so letโ€™s get to the links.

Pride Players Called Up By Brazil for Friendlies

Orlando Pride defender Rafaelle and forwards Marta and Adriana have been called up to the Brazil Women’s National Team for its upcoming friendlies.

Brazil will play two matches against Japan on Nov. 30 and Dec. 3 in Sao Paulo before playing Nicaragua on Dec. 6 at Estadio Fonte Luminosa in Araraquara.

MLS Announces the 2023 Best XI

Major League Soccer announced its 2023 Best XI, recognizing the leagueโ€™s top players at each position. There were no Orlando City players selected for the team and eight players received the honor for the first time. Those players are St. Louis City’s Roman Burki and Tim Parker, FC Cincinnati defender Matt Miazga, Atlanta United duo Thiago Almada and Giorgos Giakoumakis, Houston Dynamo midfielder Hector Herrera, LAFC’s Denis Bouanga, and Columbus Crew forward Cucho Hernandez. Nashville SC’s Hany Mukhtar made the Best XI for the third consecutive time, while teammate Walker Zimmerman was named to it for the fifth time. MLS MVP Luciano Acosta of FC Cincinnati rounds out the list.

Latest MLS Off-season Roster Moves

The Colorado Rapids announced their latest roster changes as they prepare for the the 2024 season under new Head Coach Chris Armas. The club exercised its options for defender Andrew Gutman, midfielder Ralph Priso, and forward Calvin Harris. The Rapids declined contract offers to seven players, with the most notable names being defender Steven Beitashour and goalkeeper William Yarbrough, although the Rapids are in discussions about re-signing Yarbrough. Elsewhere, the New England Revolution exercised the permanent transfer option on forward Tomas Chancalay, signing him to a Designated Player contract through 2026, with a club option for the 2027 season.

UEFA Champions League Roundup

Champions League action returned in Europe, as we get close to wrapping up the group stage in a couple of weeks. Manchester City overcame a two-goal deficit to beat RB Leipzig 3-2 and win Group G. Newcastle United had a chance to qualify for the round of 16 but gave up a late penalty to Paris Saint-Germain, which Kylian Mbappe converted to end the match in a 1-1 draw. Borussia Dortmund beat AC Milan 3-1 to book its spot in the knockout stage. PSG, Newcastle, and AC Milan are all still alive in Group F heading into the final matchday in December. Shakhtar Donetsk won 1-0 against Royal Antwerp and also still has a shot to advance on the final matchday. Lazio, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, and Young Boys all won their respective matches as well. Today’s matches include Manchester United on the road against Galatasaray, Real Madrid taking on Napoli, and Sevilla facing off with PSV Eindhoven.

Free Kicks

  • Concacaf has announced that BMO Stadium, Dignity Health Sports Park, Shell Energy Stadium, and Snapdragon Stadium will be the four venues that will host matches for the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup.
  • Barcelona midfielder Gavi will be sidelined for up to 10 months after undergoing knee surgery after suffering a torn ACL in his right knee.
  • The International Football Association Board approved a trial for sin bins, meaning players punished for dissent or specific tactical offense would be temporarily removed from the match for a set amount of minutes.
  • You have got to see this goal from Cwrt Rawlin FC in the Welsh seventh division.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Wednesday and Iโ€™ll see you next time.

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/28/23

Luciano Acosta named MVP, Americans in action, scheduling news for U.S. national teams, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

November 28, 2023

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Happy Tuesday, everyone. I’m dragging a little today after having an extended period of time off for the Thanksgiving holiday, but there’s no rest for the wicked and the only way out is through. With that being the case, let’s get into today’s news.

Luciano Acosta Wins MLS MVP

In a piece of news that plenty of people likely saw coming from several miles away, Luciano Acosta has been named Major League Soccer’s Most Valuable Player. Acosta racked up 34 goal contributions during the regular season, finishing the 2023 campaign with 17 goals and 14 assists as the driving force behind his team’s run to the Supporters’ Shield. He was voted the best player in the league by quite some margin and won the award in a landslide, taking 60.37% of the votes to Denis Bouanga’s 14.97% and Thiago Almada’s 6.46%.

American Stars in Midweek Action

There are a number of United States Men’s National Team players that will be in action this week, with several UEFA Champions League clashes highlighting the viewing slate. Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah and AC Milan will face Giovanni Reyna’s Borussia Dortmund today in a game with huge ramifications for both teams. Malik Tillman, Ricardo Pepi, and Sergino Dest may play in PSV Eindhoven’s match with Sevilla tomorrow, and a win would likely go a long way to securing a place in the Round of 16. Additionally on Wednesday, Brenden Aaronson and Union Berlin have a chance to make a big move towards a place in the Europa League, as a win over Braga would leapfrog the German club into third place in Group C.

USMNT & USWNT Scheduling News

The USMNT will open its 2024 slate of games with a match against Slovenia on Jan. 20 in San Antonio. The match will fall outside of an international window, meaning that the January camp roster will largely be made up of domestic-based players. The USMNT has faced Slovenia twice before, with the most recent time being a 3-2 win in Ljubljana courtesy of a Jozy Altidore penalty kick.

While we already knew that the United States Women’s National Team would play China PR on Dec. 5 in Frisco, we now know that one of the team’s legends will be honored before the game. The U.S. Soccer Federation has announced that former Orlando Pride defender Ali Krieger, who stated in March that she will retire following the NWSL season, will be honored before the match. Krieger played 108 games for the USWNT and is a two-time World Cup winner with the team.

Notable Women’s Players to Miss International Matches

A pair of high profile women’s players will miss upcoming international games. First up, Sam Kerr will not feature in Australia’s back-to-back friendlies against Canada due to a foot injury. Kerr has struggled with injuries this year and her availability was limited during this summer’s World Cup.

Alexia Putellas will miss Spain’s two Nations League matches against Sweden and Italy after picking up a left knee injury. Putellas had missed Euro 2022 due to an ACL tear, but was back to help her side win the World Cup several months ago. Fortunately for Spain, the team is well positioned atop its group and has enough players in the squad that it shouldn’t feel her absence too keenly.

Free Kicks

  • A pair of Willian penalties and an early Alex Iwobi goal helped Fulham beat Wolverhampton, with American defenders Antonee Robinson and Tim Ream also starting.
  • New York Red Bulls forward Tom Barlow is reportedly headed to the Chicago Fire.

That’s all I’ve got for you this morning. Y’all stay safe out there.

Continue Reading

Trending