Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Nashville SC: Final Score 1-0 as Lions Add Another Road Win on Duncan McGuire’s Goal
The Lions dug in and rarely tried to score, but managed to do so with their only shot on goal to defeat Nashville away.
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Orlando City out-Nashville’d Nashville SC at Geodis Park in Nashville, TN, grinding out an ugly 1-0 win on the road in a match that featured very few shots or clear-cut scoring chances. Rookie Duncan McGuire scored late in the first half and the Lions (16-7-9, 57 points) controlled the pitch in the second period to see out the game without Nashville (12-10-9, 45 points) creating much in the way of chances to equalize.
It was Orlando City’s first away win at Nashville (1-0-3) and continued the Lions’ trend of beating good Eastern Conference teams on the road since their return from Leagues Cup.
“We’re very happy with the result,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “The whole squad was very committed today with the result. The variations that we tried and we did during the game…they responded to us. That’s a great effort for the team that is getting mature and knows where we are, and playing against a very difficult team as well. It’s difficult always against Nashville. They have this characteristic that creates a lot of chaos and those transitions.”
Pareja’s lineup featured a couple of lineup changes. Pedro Gallese started in goal behind a back line of Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Kyle Smith. Cesar Araujo and Wilder Cartagena took their customary spots in central midfield behind an attacking line of Martin Ojeda, Mauricio Pereyra, and Facundo Torres, with McGuire up top.
The first half mainly belonged to Nashville until the closing minutes. Nashville looked organized and nearly impossible to break down. The Lions struggled to know when to press or to press as a team when they tried. Nashville fashioned some early chances on the break and always seemed to be the more threatening side.
Nashville got the game’s first good look just five minutes in. Santos turned the ball over in the attacking left corner and with two passes Fafa Picault had the ball at the top of the box. He cut inside but fired his shot just wide of the left post.
Four minutes later, Picault headed over the bar on another transition opportunity as McGuire fell asleep waiting for a pass, which allowed Walker Zimmerman to cut in front of him and steal it to start the break.
“The first — I would say — 15 minutes we wanted to create a different sequence, because we wanted to use different spaces. But we felt uncomfortable,” Pareja said.
In the 23rd minute, Cartagena blocked a shot by Hany Mukhtar from outside the box. A minute later, Randall Leal had a go from well outside the box but hit it high above the crossbar.
The hosts picked up a few unnecessary yellow cards in the middle of the half. Brian Anunga caught Cartagena from behind to earn the first. Mukhtar picked up the second for angrily kicking the ball away after being called for offside. The third went to Sam Surridge, who stepped on Jansson’s foot long after he’d released a pass. It wasn’t intentional, as the forward was watching the ball and not his opponent, but Jansson was down for a couple of minutes in obvious pain. Thereafter, the home fans booed Jansson every time he touched the ball for his sheer audacity to get stepped on.
The Lions finally attempted a shot in the 44th minute and they made the most of it. Pereyra sent Ojeda down the left and the Designated Player sent in a good ball to McGuire. The rookie flicked it off the left post and in past Joe Willis to make it 1-0 with his 10th goal of the MLS season. The play looked offside from the sideline camera angle and it was extremely close, but the flag stayed down and the video assistant referee did not see enough on the replay to overturn it, ruling that the pass from Ojeda was even with McGuire, and the Lions led 1-0.
Neither team got a good look in the four minutes of stoppage time and Orlando took its slim lead into the locker room. It was a strange halftime score considering the flow of the first half.
At the break, Nashville held a 6-1 advantage in shots. However, Orlando City held more of the possession (56.6%-43.4%), passed more accurately (87.2%-81.3%), and put more shots on target (1-0). Neither team won a corner kick.
Nashville came out of the locker room with more energy, quickly getting forward and earning a free kick on the right and a yellow card on Cartagena, who was trying to cover for Santos, who had fallen on an earlier challenge. Ojeda blocked Daniel Lovitz’s attempt on the set piece, setting up the game’s first corner, but Nashville couldn’t make it pay off.
Moments later, Ojeda was dispossessed and thought he was fouled, but no call was made and the hosts quickly countered. Picault’s cross through the six was cleared over the bar by a sliding Schlegel on a vital intervention.
Orlando then fashioned some opportunities — if not outright chances. Torres turned down an opportunity to shoot from near the top of the box, then worked his way to the end line on the left and crossed the ball into the outside netting. In the 58th minute, Jansson got forward, laide off a pass and continued his run. The ball came back to him but McGuire couldn’t get onto his low cross in the box and there were no Lions on the far side of the box to get onto it.
Nashville manager Gary Smith tried some substitutions and shape changes but nothing much helped the hosts, who were turned away time and again by Orlando City’s defense. The Lions managed to defend well as a team without dropping deep and setting up their block too low, as they’ve sometimes done in the past. Mukhtar wasn’t able to create much, despite dropping deeper to get onto the ball.
Pareja also substituted liberally, sending on Ivan Angulo and Ramiro Enrique in the 65th minute for Pereyra and McGuire, Junior Urso for Torres in the 72nd minute, and — changing the shape to five at the back — Antonio Carlos and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson for Ojeda and Smith in the 85th.
Schlegel blocked a Mukhtar header in the 67th minute on what was probably Nashville’s best chance of the second half. Schlegel again blocked a Mukhtar shot in the 85th minute amidst the Lions winning free kicks and getting to loose balls first all over the pitch.
“The defense action from Rodri there in the second half was very important, because otherwise the Nashville guy in behind me will just put the ball in the goal. So he did very well there,” Jansson said.
Urso sent an ambitious attempt toward goal from extreme range in the 87th minute, hoping to catch Willis off his line. He didn’t, and the shot was well off target anyway, but it did count as the Lions’ second shot attempt of the match.
That turned out to be the final attempt for either time, despite a generous serving of 11 minutes of injury time added on, which ended up spilling over into a 12th. The Lions won a ton of throw-ins and the five-man back line held Nashville without any late attempts. Gallese held on for his 10th clean sheet of the season — a career high since joining MLS — without having to make a save.
Lovitz got sent off with a second yellow card deep in stoppage time and that was the game.
Orlando City held its exact same possession advantage from halftime at the final whistle (56.6%-43.4%). The Lions also passed more accurately (84.5%-79.5%) and finished with more shots on goal (1-0). Nashville held the advantage in total shot attempts (8-2) and corners (4-0).
The Lions ended up doing more damage in the second half by simply keeping the ball and playing safely than trying to score a second goal.
“The second half I thought we controlled,” Pareja said. “We asked the players to control and just let it come and see if we can use those spaces in behind when they come. Very well executed by the players and I saw this group very mature today.”
“Three nice points,” Jansson said. “I think our shape of the team was very good. We had Wilder and Cesar in front of us dictating the middle and always were aware of the Mukhtar guy was on the field — something we talked about before the game because we know he’s good, and you have to respect that, be aware of that. In the end, I think we were solid back there and the wingers and the striker were doing a huge job to contribute to that too, so that’s a team effort right there.”
The Lions have another quick turnaround, returning home Saturday to host the New England Revolution.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 2/11/25
Orlando City signs Eduard Atuesta, MLS news roundup, Americans in midweek action, and more.
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Happy Tuesday, gang! It was a long weekend for me but an interesting one, as I attended an event at St. Louis City’s Energizer Stadium on Saturday night. It was a fun time, but personally I prefer Orlando City’s home digs. We have plenty of things to discuss this morning, so let’s get into the links.
Orlando City Signs Eduard Atuesta
Orlando City has found its replacement for the injured Wilder Cartagena, as the club announced the signing of Colombian midfielder Eduard Atuesta from Palmeiras on Monday. Atuesta’s deal runs through the end of the 2025 season and also contains a club option for 2026. While the Lions still have some depth issues that need to be addressed at various positions, Atuesta will pair alongside Cesar Araujo in midfield, and if his previous numbers in Major League Soccer are any indication, he may even provide more goal scoring and creation from the position than Cartagena usually did.
MLS News Roundup
With the start of the MLS season under two weeks away, the off-season news is still flying thick and fast. First up, the Colorado Rapids have signed midfielder Ted Ku-DiPietro from D.C. United in exchange for up to $1.4 million in cash, with United also maintaining a sell-on percentage in the player. The trade was executed using the league’s cash-based trade system, with Colorado becoming the latest team to make use of the new mechanism. Up next, San Diego FC has signed defender Willy Kumado from Lyngby Boldklub in the Danish Superliga. The right back joins on a two-year deal that also contains option years for 2027 and 2028. Finally, Tom Bogert is reporting that Joseph Paintsil is expected to be out of action for over a month after sustaining an injury to his quadriceps.
Americans in Midweek Action
As always, there are a number of Americans taking part in games during the working week, and there’s a heavy emphasis on UEFA Champions League play. Things get started later today, as Tim Weah, Weston McKennie, and Juventus face a PSV Eindhoven side that has all four of Ricardo Pepi, Richy Ledezma, Sergino Dest, and Malik Tillman injured. Meanwhile, Gio Reyna, Cole Campbell, and Borussia Dortmund will travel to face Sporting CP. Wednesday has Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah traveling with AC Milan to take on Feyenoord, while Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic will be sorely tested at home against Bayern Munich. Thursday will wrap up European play with Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis squaring off against Gent in the Conference League.
Josh Sargent’s Opportunity
Josh Sargent had a difficult end to 2024, as he spent several months on the sideline while recovering from a groin injury that eventually required surgery. There were some natural moments of wondering what he’d be like when he made his return, but he’s hit the ground running since his first game back on Jan. 25, as he has four goals in three games for Norwich City. Not only is he getting his chance at the club level, but with Pepi and Folarin Balogun both currently injured, Sargent looks almost certain to lead the line for the United States Men’s National Team for March’s Concacaf Nations League semifinal matches. Sometimes timing is everything, and right now Sargent’s timing is pretty damn good.
Free Kicks
- Daryl Dike ticked off another box on his road to making his return from injury, as he played for West Bromwich Albion’s under-21 team on Monday.
- The Houston Dash have signed former Orlando Pride midfielder Evelina Duljan.
- USL Championship side Miami FC has signed former USMNT and D.C. United goalkeeper Bill Hamid.
- Plymouth Argyle’s reward for beating Liverpool in the FA Cup is a trip to face Manchester City.
- Barcelona defender Mapi Leon has been accused of “violating the privacy” of Espanyol’s Daniela Caracas during Sunday’s game between the two teams.
- Finally, the U-17 U.S. Men’s National Team destroyed the Virgin Islands in group play, 22-0, as part of U-17 World Cup qualifying Monday night. The 22-goal win was the largest margin of victory ever by a U.S. team (men’s or women’s) in a qualifier. Chase Adams of Columbus Crew 2 scored 10 goals in the match. The United States will face St. Kitts & Nevis Wednesday before wrapping up Group F play Saturday against Cuba.
That does it for me this morning. Vamos Orlando!
Orlando City
Orlando City Signs Colombian International Midfielder Eduard Atuesta
The Lions add a proven quality central midfielder to cover for Wilder Cartagena’s injury absence.
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The Lions took a necessary roster-building step today with the acquisition of central midfielder Eduard Atuesta via transfer from Palmeiras in Brazil’s Serie A. The contract runs through 2025 with a club option for 2026. Details of the transfer were not released. Atuesta can join the Lions pending receipt of his P-1 Visa and International Transfer Certificate. The Colombian international will wear jersey No. 20 for Orlando City.
“We’re very excited about bringing Eduard here to Orlando, as a player that is in the prime of his career, has proven himself previously here in Major League Soccer and knows our league,” Orlando City Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi said in a club press release. “He’s a great midfield talent that has the ability to organize the team throughout the game, but most importantly, he’s a title winner at each of his previous clubs. We have confidence in him and his ability to help us achieve the goals we have here at this club.”
This played out publicly as a difficult one, with Orlando City seemingly close to a deal at times, while at others there seemed to be sticking points about such details as whether it would be a sale or loan, how much (if any) of Atuesta’s salary Palmeiras would pay, and the size of the transfer fee. Orlando was limited in what it could spend due to having to fit the player under the Designated Player threshold (salary plus transfer fee amortized over the length of the contract) as all three slots are full.
“I’m very excited to be here, to join this great team and live in this beautiful city,” Atuesta said in the club’s release “I can’t wait to step out into the stadium filled with our fans, to win games and to fight for the titles that this city deserves.”
Atuesta’s arrival is expected to mitigate the loss of Wilder Cartagena to a lower leg injury that recently required surgery. Cartagena was injured in the preseason opener against Atletico Mineiro, and although the club has yet to make an official announcement about it, Cartagena shared on his Twitter account that he had surgery in late January.
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Atuesta’s season in Brazil is off to a slow start, with just three appearances and 42 minutes played so far without a goal contribution. The Colombian spent the 2024 season on loan with LAFC, where he made 28 appearances (25 starts), playing 2,197 minutes, scoring four goals, and adding six assists. In five MLS seasons with LAFC dating back to 2018, Atuesta has appeared in 124 matches, starting 109 of them, and playing 9,790 minutes. He has scored 11 goals and added 29 assists, attempting 172 shots and putting 53 on target. Atuesta has passed at an 85.9% rate with 155 key passes. He has amassed 27 yellow cards and one red card in MLS play.
The 27-year-old native of Vélez, Colombia has appeared in seven MLS playoff games (four starts), playing 428 postseason minutes, providing two goals and an assist while putting three of his six shots on target and logging eight key passes.
During his time in Los Angeles, Atuesta was part of the 2019 Supporters’ Shield-winning squad and helped the club win the 2024 U.S. Open Cup.
Prior to joining LAFC, Atuesta was with Independiente Medellín, where he started his professional career in 2016. He won the 2016 Categoría Primera A title with Medellín, playing 44 matches with The Paisa Red.
Since 2022, Atuesta played 26 matches with Palmeiras, scoring one goal and helping the team win the 2022 and 2023 Brazilian championships, 2023 Supercopa do Brasil, and 2022 Recopa Sudamericana.
On the international stage, Atuesta has represented Colombia at the U-20, U-23, and senior levels, with two caps for his national team since 2022.
What It Means for Orlando City
Atuesta wasn’t the least expensive option on the market at central midfield, but this signing shows that the club is serious about avoiding a drop-off in the middle of the pitch with Cartagena sidelined. Atuesta brings more offensive capabilities with him than Cartagena or Cesar Araujo possess, and he’ll likely be deployed as the No. 8 in Oscar Pareja’s usual 4-2-3-1.
If Atuesta can find the same kind of chemistry with Araujo that Cartagena has, the Lions should see continued standout play in central midfield. The duo will be tasked with protecting the back line and goalkeeper Pedro Gallese, forcing play wide and limiting opposing shots to lower-percentage attempts. Meanwhile, his ability to pick out a key pass should improve the Orlando attack, which will be trying to fit a Marco Pašalić-shaped peg into a Facundo Torres-shaped hole and that still hasn’t found a depth forward to replace Duncan McGuire for the months he’ll miss this season.
This was a necessary move by Muzzi if the Lions are going to try to take the next step after reaching the conference final in 2024. The window may be closing on this core of Orlando City players, as several contracts are either set to expire or will require options picked up after the 2025 season among that group.
Orlando City
Orlando City’s Offensive Struggles Raise Questions as Regular Season Approaches
Orlando City is once again struggling to find the net and the games that matter are quickly approaching.
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The 2025 MLS regular season is drawing near, so we have a much better idea of where each team stands. Orlando City has now played four preseason games, one in front of its home fans and one in front of season ticket members only. That should provide excitement about the upcoming season, but it’s actually produced some concern.
The 2024 season saw the Lions have their best postseason run since joining MLS in 2015. They finished fourth in the Eastern Conference standings and made it all the way to the Eastern Conference final before falling 1-0 to the New York Red Bulls on home turf. The experience created a lot of optimism heading into 2025.
Unfortunately, it’s been a rough go so far. The club transferred last season’s top goal scorer — and the club’s all-time leading goal scorer — Facundo Torres to Brazilian side Palmeiras on Dec. 20. Additionally, striker Duncan McGuire is out after having shoulder surgery during the off-season and his return date is unknown.
The first preseason game against Atletico Mineiro on Jan. 25 was less than inspiring. Neither team threatened the opposition goal much in a rather boring scoreless draw and, to make matters worse, Luis Muriel appeared to pick up a knock late in the first half. Preseason had just started for both teams, so you can chalk that one up to shaking off the rust.
The Lions followed up that performance with a trip to Mexico, where they played to a scoreless draw against Canadian side Forge FC. After a third preseason game against Atlanta United in Bradenton — which actually saw a goal by Alex Freeman — the Lions returned home Saturday night to face CF Montreal with season ticket members in attendance, filling most of the seats on the lower level on the stadium’s east side.
Orlando City was unquestionably the more dangerous team during the first 90 minutes of the 120-minute contest. Joran Gerbet hit the crossbar in the first half and Freeman hit the inside of the post in the second. Additionally, the Lions sent players free on goal no less than three times in the game. However, they didn’t score until Nico Lodeiro converted a free kick in the dying seconds.
To be fair, the Lions weren’t at full strength. Neither Ramiro Enrique nor Muriel, two players who will be depended on to provide goals, played in the game. Instead, Shak Mohammed started up top and was replaced by teenager Justin Ellis in the 65th minute.
Also, it’s not as if Orlando City’s leading scorer is typically a striker.
In the team’s first 10 years of MLS action, a striker has led the Lions in scoring six times, and three of those were Cyle Larin in the first three seasons. Since he departed following 2017, strikers have only led the Lions in goals in 2018 (Dom Dwyer), 2021 (Daryl Dike), and 2023 (McGuire). The most goals in those seasons were scored by McGuire, who had 15 in 2023 in all competitions.
The big question heading into this preseason was how would the Lions replace the goals scored by Torres. The Uruguayan international was coming off the most prolific season of his career, scoring 20 goals in all competitions. It was the first time an Orlando City player reached 20 goals in a season since the club joined MLS and only the second time in club history. Previously, Kevin Molino scored 22 goals during the 2014 USL Pro season.
Orlando City fans were hoping they would have a better idea at this point about who would provide the goals. Instead, they’re left with even more questions heading into the season.
This doesn’t mean someone won’t step up. As mentioned, Enrique and Muriel didn’t play against Montreal. The club also signed Marco Pasalic as a Designed Player. The Croatian made his first appearance Saturday night. He is a player who could potentially provide the goals Orlando City so desperately needs.
There was a lot of optimism around Orlando City heading into 2025 after a successful 2024 campaign. However, while the Lions have played well defensively, they’ve struggled in the attack. There are only two more preseason games remaining and one in front of fans, although it’s outside Orlando — a rivalry game against Inter Miami CF Friday night in Tampa. That will lead into the season opener Feb. 22, when City hosts the Philadelphia Union.
The departure of Torres in December created questions about who will provide the goals. McGuire’s absence during his recovery from injury exacerbates the situation for the first few months of the season. After four preseason games, the questions still exist. It’s a concern for a team that will be expected to make another postseason run this year.
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