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Orlando City vs. Tigres, Concacaf Champions League: Final Score 0-0 as Lions Get Road Result in Mexico

Pedro Gallese came up huge to help Orlando City get a road draw at Tigres.

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2 years ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Tigres UANL was as difficult as advertised but Orlando City managed to go on the road and grind out a 0-0 draw at Estadio Universitario in San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León, Mexico. The Lions even had a few opportunities to take the lead in the second half, but couldn’t find that little bit of quality needed to steal all three points in their Concacaf Champions League debut.

The two sides will battle it out at Exploria Stadium in Orlando next Wednesday night in a winner-take-all battle to reach the quarterfinals.

“Here, (getting a result) is not an easy thing to do,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “We’re proud. We have a game in front of us in Orlando and we know the rival, and we’re ready and we hope we can advance.”

Pareja’s lineup included Pedro Gallese in goal behind a back line of Luca Petrasso, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Michael Halliday. Cesar Araujo and Mauricio Pereyra played in the central midfield behind an attacking line of Ivan Angulo, Martin Ojeda, and Facundo Torres, with Ramiro Enrique making his first start up top. For Schlegel, it was his 50th career start in all competitions for the Lions.

Tigres controlled the first half and Orlando City continued to waste its few opportunities in the attack. The game was just about three minutes old when the hosts fired the first shot, a deflected effort that gave them a corner.

In the seventh minute, Andre-Pierre Gignac danced through the Orlando defense and sent a shot toward goal but he didn’t get good contact on it and Gallese made the save. Two minutes later, Gignac fired a blast from outside the area that Gallese could only punch away.

The Lions seemed content to fire from ridiculous distance if they found any space. Enrique fired the first shot for Orlando from long range in the 10th minute and sent his effort well over the bar.

Juan Pablo Vigon had a free header in front on a ball in from Tigres’ right side in the 14th minute but sent his shot wide.

Enrique went down and stayed down in the 17th minute after an awful tackle from Tigres defender Samir, but no card was given. Enrique was eventually able to continue but he didn’t look like himself the rest of the first half.

In the 20th minute, Ojeda sent in a cross from the left corner to Pereyra at the top of the box. The captain tried to take a touch in traffic and lost control rather than going for goal with his first touch. Four minutes later, Schlegel stole the ball to start the break and with numbers finally in the attack, Ojeda decided to shoot from 35 yards away and his shot didn’t come close to the goal on another wasteful attack.

In the 32nd minute, it was Angulo wrecking an attack. After getting inside the box on the left side, he made a move to lose his defender but then — instead of moving closer and either shooting or finding a teammate — he made an extra feint with the ball that put two defenders between himself and the net.

Fernando Gorriarán fired a dangerous shot from distance in the 34th minute, skipping his effort out in front of goal. All Gallese could do was fight it off, but no Tigres player could get to it.

Araujo made a nifty move up the right side in the 38th minute but once he got into the box, with no defenders near him, he seemed indecisive and sent a weak shot squirting wide of the near post, which was covered anyway. Angulo sent a weak shot on target at the end of normal time for the lone shot on target of the half for the Lions.

In stoppage time, Gignac was shown a straight red after lashing out at Schlegel. After video review, the card was changed to yellow.

The Mexican side held more possession (60.6%-39.4%), passed more accurately (87.4%-77%), fired more shots (8-5) and shots on target (4-1), and won more corners (2-0).

Wilder Cartagena replaced Enrique at the break, pushing Pereyra up into the attacking midfield and Ojeda into the forward position.

But Tigres kept coming. Gignac fired wide on the half volley through Schlegel’s legs just two minutes after the restart and that was just a start of a frantic second period. In the 53rd minute, Gignac took a long ball out of the air and hit it on the volley, forcing another stop by Gallese. Jansson then got just a touch on a cross that surely would have been a goal had he not flicked it through the legs of Nicolas Ibanez.

The Peruvian international then had to get a touch on a Gorriaran corner kick to push it off the crossbar in the 55th minute. He made a bigger stop two minutes later. After a turnover that appeared to come off a Tigres hand, the ball was crossed in to center back Samir, who made a run up the field. Gallese fought off the point-blank header.

Orlando had a brief spell of good play after the save on Samir’s shot. Ojeda stole the ball in the attacking third and sent a hard, low shot toward goal. Nahuel Guzman got down to make the save in the 58th minute. Moments later, a shot from outside the area forced a comfortable save from Guzman.

Gaston Gonzalez subbed on for Angulo in the 62nd minute and two minutes later he had a chance to change the game. Ojeda got the ball at the top of the area and waited for support. He slipped the ball left to Gonzalez, who fired first touch but sent his shot over the bar. Had he slipped the ball across the box, Torres likely would have had a tap-in.

Gignac got his head to a corner kick in the 68th and smashed it toward goal but it stayed high. Ten minutes later, Gallese again denied Gignac, and then he stoned Sebastián Córdova seconds later.

In the 87th minute, a mistake by Guzman nearly gifted Orlando City a go-ahead goal. The Tigres goalkeeper came out of his box and had the ball knocked away by Ojeda. While running toward the sideline, and with the net wide open and undefended, the Lions’ Designated Player tried to chip a shot back toward goal but he couldn’t get it on target.

Tigres again found the woodwork in the 88th minute. Guido Pizarro’s header off of Cordova’s corner kick cross crashed into the right post and stayed out. The hosts caught a break in the 90th minute when a soft foul was given on Schlegel near the sideline. The free kick found Samir’s head but the defender nodded wide of goal.

Orlando survived a few more entry balls and after a couple of seemingly unnecessary extra minutes of stoppage time, the final whistle brought the match to an end.

Tigres continued its dominance on the stat sheet, finishing with more possession (62%-38%), passing accuracy (84.9%-75.1%), shots (22-9), shots on target (8-3), and corners (5-1).

Ultimately, it was a fantastic performance by Gallese — and, for the most part, by the Orlando defense.

“I think Pedro deserves all the praise on the way he played today,” Pareja said. “But the collective effort of the players, the courage, the discipline, just keeping us in the game — and not just defending but some possibilities during the game that we could probably score as well against a good rival.”

El Pulpo was named Player of the Match.

“Just having this result here in Monterrey is just creating an illusion to go there and advance in the series,” Pareja said. “It’s a game that lasts 180 minutes. And we’ll see. We’ll see, but we are very optimistic. We already fought a good battle here and we’re going back home.”

The Lions have a quick turnaround with Saturday’s road trip to D.C. United. Tigres will make the return trip to Exploria Stadium next Wednesday.

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Lion Links: 11/20/24

Martin Ojeda could be a key factor against Atlanta, Seb Hines wins Coach of the Year, Lions abroad, and more.

Published

22 hours ago

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November 20, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good Wednesday morning, Mane Landers. For long time readers, you might remember me as a staple in your Lion Links but having stepped away on sabbatical. Today, I’m honored to be called off the bench and fill in for Dave. My life has been filled with being a first-time father along with taking over as commissioner of a soccer league and my normal day job. Through all of it, I have stayed true to catching as many Orlando City matches as I can or at least the highlights. TML is my go-to source for all things purple, so I’m glad to pitch in and talk about what is happening around the City Beautiful and soccer once again. So, let’s get into the links!

Lions’ Not-So Secret Weapons

Orlando City is ready to take on Atlanta United on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. According to Andrew Wiebe of MLSsoccer.com, midfielder Martín Ojeda and the home field advantage of Inter&Co Stadium will be the key to victory for Oscar Pareja to finally lift the cup with Orlando. On the other side of the ball, Atlanta United goalkeeper Brad Guzan is in impeccable form and will give the Five Stripes an opportunity to advance again despite being the underdogs.

Seb Hines Wins Major Award

The National Women’s Soccer League announced Pride Head Coach Seb Hines has been named the 2024 NWSL Coach of the Year. Following his stint as a player for Orlando City and coaching at the youth level, Hines became the Pride’s interim head coach in June 2022 before getting the gig full time. This season was his best yet with Orlando, finding 18 wins and leading a team that scored a club-record 46 goals along the way. He learned about his award from his players:

Internationals Take The Pitch

Tuesday gave some Lions the chance to represent their home nations. Orlando City right back Dagur Dan Thorhallsson entered the UEFA Nations League match between Wales and Iceland in the 75th-minute, but Iceland fell 4-1 after scoring first. Goalkeeper Pedro Gallese gained another start for Peru in its CONMEBOL World Cup qualifier against Argentina but couldn’t earn a shutout in a 1-0 loss.

Record MLS Signing Reported

FC Cincinnati has splashed the cash and has reportedly completed the signing of 23-year-old Cercle Brugge forward Kévin Denkey. The transfer fee of $16.2 million is an MLS record, passing the previous $16 million that Atlanta United spent to acquired Thiago Almada in 2022. The signing of Denkey to a four-year contract fills a gap at forward for Cincinnati. The length of the deal appears to make him the centerpiece of the team as only one player on the roster has guaranteed contract years beyond 2026, and only striker Kevin Kelsy has option years into 2028 and 2029, but he is currently on loan.

Inter&Co Stadium Will Host Orlando Cup

Coming in January 2025, the Orlando Cup Pro Series will bring clubs Santos FC, Atlético Nacional, and Fortaleza to our home stadium. These will be preseason matches for the participating teams to help them tune up and grow their brands in the United States.

Free Kicks

That’s a wrap on links for the day. I wish you all the best with the rest of you week. Who else is excited for a big Orlando soccer weekend? Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 11/19/24

Orlando Pride players honored, USMNT beats Jamaica, USWNT roster announced, and more.

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2 days ago

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November 19, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Happy Tuesday, everyone! We’ve had a busy few days with the Orlando Pride advancing to the NWSL Championship in style, and games continuing to come thick and fast during the international break. Things aren’t slowing down around here though, as the Pride will play for a trophy on Saturday, and Orlando City faces Atlanta United in the Eastern Conference semifinals on Sunday. Today also marks 11 years since Orlando City was announced as the 21st MLS club. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Pride Players Named to NWSL Best XI

On top of advancing to the NWSL Championship, a number of Orlando Pride players have been honored with places in the league’s Best XI First Team and Best XI Second Team. Emily Sams, Marta, and Barbra Banda made the cut for the First Team, while Anna Moorhouse and Kerry Abello were chosen for the Second Team.

Sams started in all 13 of the Pride’s shutouts, while Marta had 10 goal contributions on the year and Banda bagged 13 goals and six assists in her first year in the league. A big congratulations to all five players!

USMNT Routs Jamaica

The United States Men’s National Team ran riot over Jamaica in the second leg of its Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal series, winning by a score of 4-2 in St. Louis. The Yanks used a dominant first half to put the game away early, with two Christian Pulisic goals and Ricardo Pepi’s second goal in as many games giving the Americans a 3-0 lead at halftime. In the first 45 minutes, the USMNT enjoyed 70% possession and took six shots to the visitors’ two, with the majority of the action being played in Jamaica’s half. The game opened up more in the second half with Demari Gray grabbing a brace, but the Yanks were never truly threatened and advanced to the Concacaf Nations League semifinals.

USWNT Roster Announced

The United States Women’s National Team has announced its roster for upcoming friendlies against England and the Netherlands. Emma Hayes has named a 24-player roster for the two games, both of which will take place overseas. The roster features a familiar face, as the Orlando Pride’s Sams was named to the squad as a center back. The team also features Lily Yohannes, who recently announced her decision to play for the USWNT, and she will face the other team she was eligible to declare for in the Netherlands. To date, Sams has made two appearances for the USWNT and could be in line to double that number. The Yanks will face England at Wembley on Nov. 30, and then take on the Dutch on Dec. 3 at ADO Den Haag Stadium.

UEFA Nations League Roundup

The international break continued yesterday and there are a number of results to catch up on. In Europe, Croatia and Portugal both advanced to the UEFA Nations League quarterfinals after a 1-1 draw, and Scotland used a late goal by Andy Robertson to beat Poland 2-1, with the result sending the Scots to a playoff that will determine if they’ll be relegated from League A, while Poland dropped into League B. San Marino won just its second game in 20 years by beating Liechtenstein 3-1 to move up into League C. Finally, Denmark advanced to the quarterfinals courtesy of a scoreless draw with Serbia.

Free Kicks

  • Come meet Duncan McGuire tomorrow and enjoy some chicken to boot.

That’s all I have for you today. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/18/24

Pride advance to NWSL Championship to face the Spirit, USMNT takes on Jamaica, UEFA and Concacaf Nations League recaps, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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November 18, 2024

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I was busy working at Under Armour all week but spent the weekend checking out the Northwestern and Ohio State college football game at Wrigley Field on Saturday. Yesterday, I watched some third-round 2025 U.S. Open Cup qualifying action between Chicago House AC and Wisloka Chicago.

Before we get started, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City goalkeeper Javier Otero. We have plenty to cover today so let’s get to the links.

Pride Advance to NWSL Championship

On Sunday, the Orlando Pride defeated the Kansas City Current 3-2 at Inter&Co Stadium to advance to the NWSL Championship. The Pride trailed in the first half before Haley McCutcheon buried an equalizer to get Orlando on the board. In the second half, the Pride added to their lead with goals from Barbra Banda and Marta. The Current scored another goal to make it close late, but the Pride held on for the win and reached their first-ever final. The Pride will face the Washington Spirit in the NWSL Championship as the top two teams battle for a trophy at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City on Saturday.

Spirit Beat NJ/NY Gotham FC in NWSL Playoffs

The Spirit defeated the defending NWSL Champion NJ/NY Gotham FC in penalties after a thrilling 1-1 draw at Audi Field on Saturday to punch their ticket to the NWSL Championship. Washington trailed 1-0 early in the second half after Esther Gonzalez put Gotham ahead. The Spirit’s equalizer didn’t come until stoppage time, as Hal Hershfelt scored to send the game to extra time. In the penalty shootout, Ashley Hatch, Lena Silano, and Tara McKeown converted from the spot for the Spirit, while goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury made three consecutive saves to seal the win. The Spirit return to the final for the first time since 2021, when the club won its first NWSL Championship.

USMNT Takes on Jamaica in Nations League Tonight

The United States Men’s National Team will be back in action tonight, taking on Jamaica in the second leg of the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals at City Park in St. Louis. The USMNT defeated Jamaica in Kingston last week in the first leg with a 1-0 victory, with Ricardo Pepi scoring the lone goal. The USMNT did what it needed to do to put itself in an excellent position to move on to the semifinals going into the second leg. Jamaica must change its strategy to be more aggressive instead of trying to score on counters or set pieces to have a shot of an upset. Jamaica will be without center back Mason Holgate, who received two yellow cards in the previous match against the USMNT and will be suspended for tonight’s match. The semifinal round of the Concacaf Nations League will kick off in March, with the final set for March 23 at SoFi Stadium.

UEFA and Concacaf Nations League Recaps

We had some notable international soccer action across the globe to recap from the weekend. Spain defeated Denmark 2-1 to secure the top spot in its group in the UEFA Nations League. Portugal cruised past Poland with a 5-1 win, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring twice in the match as his side clinched a spot in the quarterfinals. France defeated Italy 3-1 to win its group on goal difference. England shut out Ireland 5-0 to earn promotion back to the top tier of the Nations League, while Erling Haaland scored a hat trick as Norway dominated Kazakhstan 5-0. Today, we have more UEFA Nations League action with notable matchups featuring Croatia facing Portugal, Serbia hosting Denmark, and Spain taking on Switzerland.

We had other quarterfinal matches over the weekend in the Concacaf Nations League. Canada defeated Suriname 1-0 in the first leg, while Mexico lost 2-0 on the road to Honduras. The second leg of those matches will be tomorrow, while we have another second leg quarterfinal matchup tonight as Panama takes on Costa Rica in the second leg with a 1-0 advantage.

Free Kicks

  • Rhode Island FC, led by former Orlando Pride assistant coach Khano Smith, defeated the Charleston Battery 2-1 in the playoffs to advance to the USL Championship final.
  • Former Orlando City B player Joe Gallardo was named MVP of the USL League One final, as Union Omaha defeated the Spokane Velocity 3-0 to win its second USL League One Championship.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday and I’ll see you next time.

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