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Orlando City vs. New England Revolution: Final Score 3-2 as Lions Clinch Second in East with Win

Duncan McGuire, Facundo Torres, and Ivan Angulo provided plenty of offense in the first half to offset two odd Carles Gil goals.

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3 years ago

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Orlando City’s offense exploded for three first-half goals and the Lions controlled most of the second half, holding on for a 3-2 win over the New England Revolution in front of an announced crowd of 24,440 tonight at Exploria Stadium. The Lions (17-7-9, 60 points) closed the home portion of the 2023 MLS regular schedule with another win, splitting the season series with New England (14-8-10, 52 points).

Duncan McGuire, Facundo Torres, and Ivan Angulo scored for Orlando City to offset two odd Carles Gil goals as the Lions end the regular season 9-3-5 at home in league play.

With the win, Orlando City clinched home-field advantage in the playoffs and a spot in Champions Cup.

“Very difficult game against New England. That first half was difficult but we responded very well. We scored goals,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “In the second half we may have better finishing and increase our goals and be more efficient and lethal. But I thought we were playing with probably too much responsibility of just get the job done and get the game done, and that probably tired us a little bit and (we) conceded that second goal.”

Pareja’s lineup reverted back to the one that’s been getting most of the starts in recent weeks, with Pedro Gallese in net behind a back line of Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson. Cesar Araujo and Wilder Cartagena started in central midfield behind an attacking line of Ivan Angulo, Mauricio Pereyra, and Facundo Torres, with Duncan McGuire up top.

The Revolution was the sharper team in the early going, connecting passes well and holding the ball in the attacking half. The Lions looked sloppy early with some heavy touches and passes that either weren’t on line or weren’t weighted properly to find their target.

That isn’t to say the Lions didn’t have any early chances. Pereyra fired a shot from the top of the box in the fifth minute that was blocked in front by the defense. Santos gathered the rebound and fizzed a shot just over the bar.

Five minutes later, the Revs got a good chance with a free kick straight out from goal. Gil sent the set piece just wide. Two minutes later, Tomas Chancalay fired just over the bar from the left. New England won a corner shortly after that and Orlando cleared, but a shot from the top of the box on the recycle again cleared the crossbar.

“The first 20 minutes their possessions were longer and we found difficulties to get the ball back,” Pareja said. “And we couldn’t find the chemistry when we got it back. And it felt like we were uncomfortable. The plan that I had in the first 15 minutes was not working and then we let Rafa go and we changed our structure in the back when we had the ball, and immediately the boys felt much (more) comfortable and they started creating dangerous crosses and plays. And I felt that they felt themselves again and we readapted the game in that moment and the last 25 minutes of the first half were very good for us. “

Orlando’s first real opportunity came in the 17th minute. Torres got into the box on the right, cut onto his left foot and fired. However, his shot effort was a weak one and right at former Orlando City goalkeeper Earl Edwards, Jr. for the easy scoop. Six minutes later, Angulo had an opportunity to shoot but took too long on the ball, getting it blocked.

In the 24th minute, the visitors nearly scored when Chancalay sent a shot off the crossbar, as New England continued to look dangerous on the counter.

The Lions started to settle down and control more of the game over the next several minutes, especially in the midfield. That paid off in the 31st minute when a good attacking movement set up the game’s first goal.

Pereyra sprayed the ball out right to Thorhallsson. The Icelandic fullback sent in a great cross and McGuire flicked it inside the left post to make it 1-0 with his 11th goal of the season.

“It was definitely good buildup play,” McGuire said of the scoring attack. “We had possession for a little bit, stretching out the defense. Dagur got his head up. We talked before the game on the kind of delivery I wanted from him and he gave me exactly that. So, great ball in from Dagur. He made it easy for me.”

Six minutes later, the Lions doubled the lead on their next good look. Cartagena sent Santos down the left. The Brazilian found Angulo, who sent a cross to the far side of the box. Torres circled back to track it down and smashed a shot that beat Edwards, making it 2-0.

Orlando City couldn’t enjoy the two-goal lead long. Gil smashed a shot from extreme distance that had a lot of heat and a lot of movement on it. Gallese was slow to react to it and played it off to his side, which allowed the ball to squirt through him and into the net, making it 2-1 in the 42nd minute. It was an uncharacteristic mistake from the Peruvian.

However, the Lions hit right back after the Gil goal. Pereyra again was the catalyst, sending Santos down the left. The fullback cut a pass back for Angulo, who took an extra touch and then fired a shot that deflected off a defender and past Edwards, making it 3-1 in the 45th minute.

“On the goal, I’m just happy that my teammates found me,” Angulo said through a club interpreter. “And obviously happy for the assist (on the Torres goal) but now we have to continue working to push to enter playoffs in a good moment as well.”

The Lions saw out the one minute of stoppage time quickly and took their lead to the break.

Orlando City not only led at the break, but also held more possession (51.2%-48.8%), passed more accurately (90.5%-88.4%), finishing the first half with more shots on target (4-2). New England attempted more shots (9-8) and won the only corner of the first period.

New England sent Gustavo Bou and Emmanuel Boateng on at halftime to bolster the attack and moved to three at the back by bringing in Henry Kessler as well.

Orlando came close to a fourth goal in the 49th, when Torres sent a good cross in front but it was just slightly ahead of a sliding McGuire. A minute later, Cartagena sent a good shot on target that Edwards had to palm over the crossbar. Araujo headed over the bar on the ensuing corner. Santos then fired over the bar in the 53rd.

Gallese made up for his earlier mistake in the 60th but stopping Gil from point-blank range on a well-worked attack by New England.

Pareja made a triple substitution after that, sending on Martin Ojeda, Ramiro Enrique, and Junior Urso for Torres, McGuire, and Pereyra. A minute later, Enrique got loose at the top of the area but he pulled his shot wide to the left in the 67th minute.

In the 71st minute, Ojeda and urso both got shots blocked near the top of the box.

New England’s next decent chance came in the 77th minute off a dangerous free kick, but the wall blocked the initial delivery and Urso cleared it.

Much of the rest of the match consisted of Orlando City playing keep-away the way the Lions did Wednesday night at Nashville. By taking the air out of the ball, the Lions were able to prevent New England from building dangerous attacks and the visitors struggled to get touches on the ball.

Thorhallsson had a go from the top of the area early in stoppage time but got under it and hit the facing of the Heineken sign at the bottom of the upper deck.

The Revs pulled one back moments later on another fluky goal. Gil fired a shot that took a deflection in front and changed directions. Gallese had committed to stopping the original shot and could do nothing but watch it roll into the other side of the net, giving the Revs life late.

“That was something that we were not very good at,” Pareja said of his team’s ability to pass the ball around and keep it away from the opposition. “We normally finish the games with a lot of stress. Today they are disappointed too, because they conceded that second goal. But today I saw a team that was comfortable with the ball. We wanted to find the right moment to get in there, but we were not desperate. I think we can get that better.”

Orlando City had to snuff out one last Revolution attack and the game was over.

The Lions finished with the advantage in possession (54.2%-45.8%), shots (22-15), shots on target (5-4), corners (7-3), and passing accuracy (90.2%-87%).

“We are very proud of belonging to the city, belonging to the community, and just taking this team to second place and to the Concacaf Champions (Cup) again,” Pareja said. “We have a long journey still to go. The players know and the game today was a reflection of where we are.”

Most of the Lions have some time off between now and the season finale, as we enter the FIFA international window. Orlando City will visit Toronto FC to close out the season on Saturday, Oct. 21.

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Lion Links: 8/14/26

Tahir Reid-Brown traded to St. Louis City, Orlando City unveils new kit, Lions host FC Cincinnati Saturday night, and more.

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1 hour ago

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August 14, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! It’s been a hectic week, but we’ve thankfully reached the tail end of it and there’s plenty of Orlando soccer awaiting us tomorrow. Beyond working and keeping every finger crossed for Orlando’s teams on Saturday, I plan on catching up on the new season of Ted Lasso. But for now, let’s get to the links!

Tahir Reid-Brown Traded to St. Louis City

Orlando City traded defender Tahir Reid-Brown to St. Louis City in exchange for $150,000 in 2027 General Allocation Money, with another $300,000 in GAM heading Orlando’s way if conditions are met. The 20-year-old climbed the ranks of Orlando’s academy over the years and was signed as the club’s 15th Homegrown Player in January of 2024. Bernardo Rhein’s rise to the first team limited Reid-Brown’s playing time, so hopefully he’ll be able to get more minutes and continue to improve in St. Louis.

Orlando City Reveals New Third Kit

Orlando City unveiled its new “Orlando Original” kit, which is the club’s first third kit since joining MLS. The design is a nice mix of elements from Orlando’s USL days and the city’s hosting of 1994 FIFA World Cup games, while paying tribute to the original Orlando Lions. I didn’t expect it to be quite as red as it is, but I like it, along with the soccer ball pattern that mirrors the match ball from that World Cup. The logo is a bit odd and the sponsor being on the lower back of the kit even odder, but I’m excited to see what it looks like when the Lions wear them on Saturday. Speaking of which…

Orlando City Hosts FC Cincinnati on Saturday

The Lions are back in action on Saturday with a home game against FC Cincinnati in one of the more enticing MLS matchups this weekend. Both teams have conceded goals like a sieve this season, setting up a potential shootout given the talented attacking players expected to take the field. Antoine Griezmann has improved the Lions since joining this summer and hopefully forwards like Marco Pasalic, Justin Ellis, and Daryl Dike can step up and give Orlando an edge against a Cincinnati offense that boasts Evander, Kevin Denkey, and Pavel Bucha.

MLS Transfer News Roundup

The Houston Dynamo are reportedly set to transfer Ezequiel Ponce to Elche in La Liga. Houston signed Ponce for a club-record transfer fee in 2024 and he led Houston with 10 goals last season. However, he has yet to score this season despite starting in 17 games. His departure should open the door even wider for former Lion Duncan McGuire to make an impact.

🟠 Sources: Elche finalizing a deal to acquire forward Ezequiel Ponce from the Houston Dynamo.Dynamo acquired Duncan McGuire earlier this summer, the current starter at center forward.

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2026-08-13T17:21:04.138Z

Elsewhere in the league, the New England Revolution bolstered their defense by adding Tylon Smith on loan from Queens Park Rangers, LAFC signed 23-year-old forward Armando Sieb from Bayern Munich, and midfielder Aziel Jackson is already back in MLS on loan with Minnesota United from Jagiellonia Bialystok. Rangers reportedly made a $10 million bid for Portland Timbers forward Kevin Kelsy, who has scored nine goals so far this season.

🇻🇪 Sources: Rangers submit a bid in the region of $10m for Portland Timbers forward Kevin Kelsy.Timbers aren't looking to sell and Kelsy isn't pushing to leave. The 22-year-old Venezuela int'l has 9g/2a in 994 mins this season.Rangers not the only club tracking him.

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2026-08-13T22:41:05.904Z

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That’s all I have for you this time. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Atletico de San Luis: Five Takeaways

Here’s what we learned from Orlando City’s draw with San Luis.

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20 hours ago

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August 13, 2026

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Image of Tiago celebrating a goal with Justin Ellis against Atlanta.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper.

Orlando City hosted Atletico San Luis in the third Leagues Cup match at Inter.co Stadium Wednesday night. The match ended in a 2-2 draw with the Lions winning the shootout 5-3. It was a match between a team that was already eliminated and one that was all but eliminated. Naturally, that meant multiple goals scored. Here are my five takeaways from the match.

Everyone Gets a Start

If you’ve been starting regularly for Orlando City, then you get a break because this starting lineup was full of youngsters, the recently returned, and the positionally displaced. Given that the Lions needed to win by at least four goals and get help from other results to advance in the tournament, resting the regular starters was probably the best decision interim head coach Martin Perelman has made since taking over. It’s no secret I’m not a fan of Leagues Cup — U.S. Open Cup for life — so I’m not heartbroken that the Lions get to focus on the regular season and the Open Cup.

Dike Strikes

It had been1,723 days (or about four years, eight months, and 20 days) since Daryl Dike last scored a goal for Orlando City. It’s also been that long since his last start for the Lions. That all changed when he started Wednesday’s match and then put in the first goal of the night. In the 31st minute of the match, Tiago’s header was spilled by the keeper right to the feet of Dike, who calmly put it in the back of the net. It’s the type of goal that a prototypical striker like Dike gets in position to make. It was his 20th goal as a Lion with many more hopefully to come.

El Capitan Cartagena

Wilder Cartagena was given the captain’s armband to start the match and he did his usual good job as a defensive midfielder, making things difficult for the opposition, stopping attacks before they could develop. When needed, his was in his own box blocking shots, or on the other end putting in service for the offense, such as the cross to Tiago that eventually resulted in Dike’s goal. He was also six inches from a banger of a goal in the first half, but the goalkeeper got a piece and it deflected off the outside of the left post.

Terrific Tiago

Tiago was everywhere on the left side of the attack for Orlando City. He was causing all kinds of problems for the San Luis defense. The Brazilian youngster made end line runs to put in crosses, provided passes into the box, and had the header that Dike put into the back of the net. He also provided the assist to Justin Ellis for the second goal of the match. He made a run down the left into the box, turned, found Ellis coming across from the right, and put the ball right on his head. It was an excellent match for the Brazilian.

Griezmann Needs to be Greedy

Antione Griezmann should not have been on the pitch. There was no good reason for him to make an appearance in this match other than he probably wanted to do so. Sadly, he had two opportunities to score after coming on but was decidedly too unselfish. I get that he is trying to raise the level of play for his teammates, but this is Orlando City not Atletico Madrid. The level of his teammates is not the same. The first instance he had a one on one with the keeper on the left and tried to square it to Ellis who had defenders around him rather than taking the shot himself. The second time was when Gustavo Caraballo forced the keeper to come almost all the way out to midfield to stop a breakaway. Griezmann followed up the challenge and had the opportunity to put in a long distance shot over the retreating keeper. Instead, he squared the ball to absolutely nobody, turning it over, which ended with the equalizer from San Luis. Hopefully, it’s a lesson learned for the veteran.

That is what I saw in Orlando City’s draw with Atletico de San Luis. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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Orlando City

Orlando City Drops 2026 Archive Collection Third Kit

Orlando City’s long-anticipated third kit is here.

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22 hours ago

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August 13, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City has a third kit for the first time since joining Major League Soccer. The club unveiled its new “Orlando Original” third kit today as part of the final Adidas x MLS Archive
Collection release of the year. According to the club, the new kit, which is predominantly red, “celebrates the city’s rich soccer heritage by combining elements from the club’s history with inspiration from the 1994 World Cup, which brought the global game to Orlando.”

The Lions will wear these new kits for the first time on Saturday against FC Cincinnati.

“Soccer has been part of Orlando’s identity for decades, and this kit is a tribute to the moments
that helped build that legacy,” Orlando City Chief Marketing Officer Pedro Araujo said in a club press release . “From the city’s role as a host of the 1994 World Cup to the championship teams that laid the foundation for our club, the Archive Collection celebrates the people and milestones that shaped Orlando soccer and inspires the next generation of supporters to carry that tradition forward.”

While many fans have been waiting for a red kit that mirrored the club’s old red kit from the USL days, the shade is not quite the same as the 2011 USL Championship team’s kit, and a glaring difference is that instead of the club’s jersey sponsor across the front, the shirt features a wordmark that says “Lions” to pay tribute to the old Orlando Lions from the 1980s. The kit also uses design elements inspired by the 1994 World Cup match ball, reminding fans that the City Beautiful was a host city and placed a soccer ball on top of City Hall, and an Adidas World Cup ball pattern.

The original MLS logo is on the back of the neck and the crest features the tri-lion crest as another throwback to the original Orlando City kits. Jersey sponsor Orlando Health’s logo is placed on the lower back of the shirt.

The 2026 Archive Collection kit is available now at MLSStore.com and OCMobileShop.com, and will be available at The Den at Inter.co Stadium starting Friday. Fans can also purchase the kit at tonight’s launch party at the stadium, which starts at 7 p.m. and is free to the public. The club will screen Orlando City’s 2011 USL championship match, club legends will be on hand, and fans will have photo ops with the championship trophy. Society XXI members can enter as early as 6:30 p.m.

Here’s what the new kit looks like:

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