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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.

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2 years ago

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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 — ours — 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.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/21/25

The U.S. Open Cup journey resumes tonight, Javier Otero signs a new contract, Pride’s Sams and Abello called up, and more.

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3 hours ago

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May 21, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It is match day with Orlando City hosting Nashville SC tonight in Inter&Co Stadium. I hope you are able to make it out to support the club, since I will have to watch it on television. If you listen to The Mane Land PawedCast you know how much I want Orlando City to focus on the U.S. Open Cup — even at the expense of the Leagues Cup. For now, let’s get to the links.

Nashville is Next

As I mentioned above, the Lions take on Nashville SC in a U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 match tonight. Orlando City is riding a 12-match unbeaten streak through all competitions and has scored 14 goals in the past four games going back to its 5-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rowdies. The Lions will look to continue their goal scoring ways to advance to the quarterfinals.

Javier Otero Has a New Contract

Orlando City signed goalkeeper Javier Otero to a new contract through the 2026 season with options for 2027 and 2028. Otero joined the Orlando City Academy in 2017, moving his way up to Orlando City B and, eventually, the first team. The signing secures Orlando City’s backup keeper for the immediate future.

Pride USWNT Call-Ups

Emily Sams and Kerry Abello were both called up to the USWNT training camp. This is Abello’s first call-up to the U.S. Women’s National Team. Sams and Abello make up two of Emma Hayes’ 24-player roster for the upcoming friendlies against China and Jamaica. Other notable players include Naomi Girma, Lynn Biyendolo, and Lo’eau LaBonta.

FIRST USWNT CALL UP FOR BELLO 🗣️

— Orlando Pride (@orlpride.com) 2025-05-20T15:06:37.081Z

USMNT Gold Cup News

Mauricio Pochettino has yet to name the final 26-player list for the Gold Cup. He has even put out there that he may give playing time to a goalkeeper other than Matt Turner. Pochettino sees the Gold Cup as a great opportunity for the team to bond during the last competition before the World Cup. Prior to the Gold Cup, the team has friendlies with Türkiye and Switzerland.

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  • The Kansas City Current may have defeated the Pride last match, but they paid dearly for it.
  • In sad news, former Sporting Kansas City player Gadi Kinda passed away. Kinda had been dealing with “a complex medical battle.”
  • In the “I’m not at all surprised” category, Lionel Messi was not fined by the league for any of his antics during or after the loss to Orlando City, including his criticism of officials, which is usually an automatic fine.

That will do it for today. Check back for our pre-match and post-match coverage tonight. You can also follow The Mane Land on Bluesky for match updates. Vamos Orlando!

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Orlando City

Orlando City Signs Homegrown Goalkeeper Javier Otero to New Deal

Homegrown goalkeeper Javier Otero has inked a new contract through 2026 with two option years.

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14 hours ago

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May 20, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

The Lions addressed the future of the goalkeeping position today with the club announcing that Orlando City has signed Homegrown Player Javier Otero to a new deal. Otero’s contract runs through the 2026 season and includes club options for 2027 and 2028. This contract eliminates the need for OCSC to pick up Otero’s 2026 option, as his original Homegrown contract was through 2024 with two option years, and the club exercised the 2025 option in December.

“We’re delighted to offer a new contract to Javi, who has been a prime example of our developmental pathway at work,” Orlando City General Manager and Sporting Director Ricardo Moreira said in a club press release. “We look forward to seeing Javi further his growth here with the club.” 

Otero, 22, originally signed as the club’s 14th Homegrown Player on July 10, 2023 out of the Orlando City Development Academy, becoming the backup to starter Pedro Gallese in 2024 after Mason Stajduhar suffered a season-ending lower leg injury. Stajduhar subsequently left Orlando City prior to the 2025 season, making Otero the primary backup.

Thus far, Otero has appeared in three matches for Orlando across all competitions (two starts), keeping one clean sheet. He made his Major League Soccer debut on June 28, 2024, when Stajduhar sustained his injury on the road against New York City FC. Otero entered the match in the 29th minute with the Lions already trailing and conceded three goals in a 4-1 loss, although he was largely hung out to dry by the team in front of him throughout the match, and one of those goals deflected off defender Robin Jansson and changed direction on him.

In MLS play, Otero has one start and one relief appearance, winning his only career regular-season start earlier this season in a 4-1 home victory over D.C. United on March 22. He also started and backstopped Orlando to a 5-0 U.S. Open Cup victory two weeks ago at the Tampa Bay Rowdies for his first shutout with the senior side.

Otero joined the Orlando City Academy in 2017, making his professional debut with Orlando City B in 2020, backing up second-round draft pick Austin Aviza that season. He became the OCB starter in 2022 after OCB took 2021 off in between changing leagues from USL League One to MLS NEXT Pro.

He led MLS NEXT Pro with 100 saves in the league’s inaugural season of 2022. His first-team contract in 2023 made him the second goalkeeper — behind Stajduhar — to earn a Homegrown Player deal.

On the international stage, Otero made his debut with the Venezuelan Men’s National Team in a friendly against Colombia on Dec. 10, 2023. He was recently called up for Venezuela’s friendly against the U.S. in January, along with La Vinotinto’s FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in March. 

What It Means for Orlando City

It is likely that Otero will remain the backup for a while longer, but Gallese’s contract option for 2025 was triggered by performance metrics after last season. So, Orlando’s No. 1 in the position is uncertain beyond the end of the current season. Gallese, however, has played well, despite a narrative that he could/should have done better at the beginning of the season, when individual mistakes in front of him were leaving him little chance to stop the vast majority of the goals that opponents scored. Orlando City may not be quite ready for Gallese to depart, but the Peruvian himself may have other thoughts.

If Gallese isn’t re-signed before the end of the season, it would make things interesting. Moreira may feel Otero is ready to take on the mantle of starter next season or at least to battle for it. But even if Gallese returns or a different player is signed to be the starter, Otero has impressed enough for the club to invest in him as the primary backup. That’s an important position at all times, because injuries and suspensions happen. But it’s especially vital to have a trustworthy backup to a goalkeeper who is representing his country during the MLS season at times, as Gallese has done with Peru over the years.

Of course, Otero could also be called up regularly by Venezuela if his development continues, taking him away for the same tournaments that currently call Gallese back home. If that becomes the case, Orlando City would have an interesting problem on its hands.

In the meantime, it’s a good sign for Orlando City that, in Otero, the academy has produced another player the club values.

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Lion Links: 5/20/25

Lions earn weekly recognition, preliminary Gold Cup rosters released, Americans in midweek action, and more.

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1 day ago

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May 20, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Happy Tuesday, everyone! Life always feels a little brighter after your team wins a soccer game, even more so when it’s against a hated rival, so I hope you’ve had as good a start to your week as I have. We have no time to rest on our laurels though, because Orlando City is straight back into action tomorrow with a U.S. Open Cup match at home against Nashville SC. Let’s get into today’s links.

Lions Earn Weekly Recognition

Several Orlando City players are getting some deserved plaudits following the team’s 3-0 win over Inter Miami on Sunday. Pedro Gallese has been named to the starting XI of the MLS Team of the Matchday, while Joran Gerbet is on the bench and Oscar Pareja is the coach of the side. Gallese made four saves while keeping a clean sheet and also assisted Luis Muriel on the first goal of the game. Gerbet did an excellent job of helping to minimize the impact of Lionel Messi, while Oscar Pareja was the man who who masterminded it all. Alex Freeman got some love as one of the standout young players of the matchday, and also had a nice piece written about him in The Athletic (paywall). All the Lions are deserving of their praise, and here’s hoping this isn’t the last time we see them getting some love.

Freeman Named to USMNT Preliminary Gold Cup Roster

The preliminary rosters have been announced for the 16 teams set to participate in this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup. Most of the usual suspects are present for the United States Men’s National Team, with the exceptions of Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Gio Reyna, whose teams are participating in the FIFA Club World Cup this summer. Of note for Orlando City fans is Alex Freeman’s inclusion on the preliminary roster. That being said, this early list contains 60 names and will need to be cut down to 26 by June 4. With Sergino Dest and Joe Scally both on the 60-man list, Freeman is probably an outside shot to be included, but you never know.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans playing matches during the working week, so make sure you have everything marked down on your calendar. Chris Richards, Matt Turner, and Crystal Palace host Wolverhampton Wanderers in their penultimate Premier League game later today, while Tyler Adams and Bournemouth do the same against Manchester City. Wednesday has Jordan Pefok and Reims visiting Metz in a playoff to decide which team will play in Ligue 1 next season. Alex Zendejas and Club America take on Toluca in the first leg of the Liga MX Clausura final on Thursday, and Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis host Valencia in La Liga play on Friday.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

The summer transfer window will be upon us before we know it, so let’s take a look at what the transfer rumor mill is saying these days. Manchester United is said to be on the verge of signing Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers, and has reportedly agreed to terms on a deal. Man City has reportedly ended its interest in signing Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen, and has instead turned the club’s attention to Barcelona’s Dani Olmo. Finally, Rodrygo is reportedly considering leaving Real Madrid in the summer, with some outlets saying that he “has one foot out of Real Madrid”.

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That does it for me today. Vamos Orlando!

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