Opinion
Early Season Success Hinges on Defensive Efforts
Orlando will draw upon experience and connection early and often across its defensive unit.

Soccer in the City Beautiful officially kicks off later this month. In this shortened off-season, Orlando City has lost some key pieces, such as former captain Mauricio Pereyra, defensive stalwart Antonio Carlos, and, most recently, former rookie sensation Duncan McGuire. All departed Central Florida for other opportunities. While there certainly has been some roster turnover, the schedule waits for no one, and opening day of the 2024 MLS season is just three short weeks away.
With all the change that has taken place, and by looking back at the beginning of the 2023 season, which saw new pieces being integrated into the lineup and an offense that struggled to gel as a unit, it should come as a surprise to no one that the offense may take some time to find its form, placing the bulk of the team’s early season success on the shoulders of the defensive unit. We will break down the defensive midfield, back line, and octopus in the net to assess and project just what type of results we should expect throughout the early fixtures this season.
Defensive Midfield
Orlando took a huge step in the right direction earlier in the off-season when it was announced in mid-December that the club signed defensive midfielder Wilder Cartagena to a contract after his loan to Orlando City had run its course. The 29-year-old, in his first full season in Orlando last year, made an impressive pairing with fellow defensive stopper Cesar Araujo. The two players put out so many fires last season that I honestly lost count, and both have a knack for taking the opposition’s best players out of a rhythm by getting in their heads. No greater moment was that ability put on full display than in the first-round playoff matchup from last year, when Cartagena and Araujo took former MLS MVP recipient Hany Mukhtar completely out of his element for two consecutive matches.
These two players project as one of the best position groups on the field for Orlando City and may also wind up as the best defensive midfield duo in the league. If they are able to keep up the quality of play that they provided throughout 2023, then the defensive structure and group are already off to an excellent start. The true diamond in the rough scenario will be if one or both players are able to contribute offensively, and while both players have flirted with offensive success in the past, neither will have that main responsibility on their shoulders. (Really, talking about their offense was just reason enough to include the highlight below.)
The Back Line
If benefiting from one of the best defensive midfield duos in front of you isn’t enough to instill confidence in the quality of Orlando City’s defense, the fact that the Lions are returning a solid and capable back line should put any additional concerns at ease. Orlando will return 75% of its main starting back line from 2023, losing only the previously mentioned Carlos, who transferred out this off-season. Looking closer at 2023, as AC dealt with multiple injuries, you could make the argument that Orlando City is currently returning 100% of its back line. Currently, as the roster stands, Rodrigo Schlegel is slotted in as the second starting center back along with Robin Jansson. There are plenty of reports, but nothing officially confirmed by the club as of yet, about the signing of 25-year-old, Slovenian international center back David Brekalo. This signing, if and when announced, will bring in a starting-caliber center back, which would allow Schlegel to move back to his super substitute role and provide much-needed depth off the bench.
On the outside, both Rafael Santos and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson are returning, and both players grew very quickly into their starting roles throughout the 2023 season. The off-season will have undoubtedly only provided more time for each to get comfortable in their position and in the system. In the case of Thorhallsson, it also provided time to continue to work on the defensive building blocks necessary to be a starting right back in MLS after his position swap. With a projected lineup of Santos, Jansson, Brekalo, and Thorhallsson, the remainder of the defensive unit should be able to do a stand-up job against the competition while the offensive side of the ball sorts itself out. In 2023, Orlando allowed five goals through February and March, and I suspect that this defensive unit will be capable of reducing that goal total throughout the beginning of 2024.
The Last Line of Defense
Orlando City originally signed Peruvian No. 1 Pedro Gallese back on Jan. 17, 2020, and then re-signed El Pulpo to a new two-year contract following the completion of the 2022 season. Known across the league for his electric ability to make stops that others simply cannot, Gallese provides a final line of defense and has proved time and time again that his goalkeeping can be the deciding factor in earning results.
The former MLS Save of the Year winner from 2022, Gallese has been a staple of the starting lineup since joining Orlando City. He is currently coming off of a season which saw him post a career best in clean sheets (10) and his second-best save percentage (70.5%) with the Lions to date. Gallese will look to once again be the final line of defense for Orlando City. If he is capable of replicating his 2023 numbers or improving on them, then Orlando will find itself competitive in a large majority of its matches.
That is how I see Orlando City’s defense. It will need to hold fast to start the season, and without a doubt it is the group in which I have the utmost confidence to start the year. There is a real chance that, from defensive midfield to goal, this unit may become recognized as the best defensive group in club history.
Let us know which defensive players you are most excited for as the season is about to get underway in the comment section below, and as always, vamos Orlando!
Opinion
Orlando City’s Start to the Season a Pleasant Surprise So Far
The Lions have started the new season well enough, but we shouldn’t get too carried away just yet.

While Orlando City didn’t have a ton of roster turnover to deal with during the off-season, it was really anybody’s guess as to what sort of start the Lions would make to the 2025 Major League Soccer season. There was obviously the loss of all-time leading goal scorer Facundo Torres to deal with, then Wilder Cartagena was lost for the year in preseason, although the club did a great job in landing Eduard Atuesta to replace him. There were also questions about depth at left back, center back, and central midfield. It was anyone’s guess on how Marco Pasalic would adjust to life in MLS, and there were serious questions about whether the Lions had enough firepower up front with Duncan McGuire unavailable to start the season while he recovered from shoulder surgery.
While the club returned the vast majority of the guys who played key roles in helping reach the Eastern Conference final, on paper, the roster didn’t improve and arguably got weaker, so was it truly realistic to expect the team to go a step farther and make the final this year?
Despite all of those concerns, and despite a confidence-shaking 4-2 opening game loss to the Philadelphia Union, Orlando has largely made a good start to the campaign. The Lions have compiled a respectable 3-2-3 record and have 12 points to show for it, currently sitting in seventh place in the Eastern Conference, six points behind the first-place Columbus Crew.
Even in the two losses, it’s hard to make the argument that OCSC played truly bad games on the whole. Rather, the Lions were undone by moments of bad defending and losses of concentration that led to silly mistakes, particularly against the Union. The shaky defending has certainly been one of the bigger concerns, especially on an Oscar Pareja-coached team, but things have begun to look better after keeping two straight clean sheets.
Ironically, even though the offense seemed to be most people’s biggest concern before the season started, it’s been the part of the team that has consistently functioned at the highest level. Before the two 0-0 draws, Orlando had scored the most goals in the league, and despite being held scoreless twice in a row, they still have the third-most goals scored. Out of OCSC’s six games played with a first choice XI, the Lions have scored more than one goal four times. Even in the games when they haven’t been as prolific, or have largely been on the back foot, the Lions have still managed to carve out a healthy number of chances. While their finishing has let them down at times, they’ve still managed to get several good looks at goal in every game, and that’s half the battle.
All in all, it’s been a perfectly respectable start to the season, and the team honestly has performed higher than my (probably slightly pessimistic) expectations. While the start hasn’t been white hot, it’s been nice to not see the sort of slow start that so often has seemed to plague this club during Pareja’s tenure at the helm.
That being said, I think it’s important to place the beginning of the year in the proper context. It’s worth noting that of the teams that Orlando has played to this point, Philadelphia is the only one currently above the playoff line (although the New York Red Bulls occupy the last play-in spot). The Lions have beaten an LA Galaxy team that is the worst in the West; Toronto FC, which is second from the bottom in the East; and D.C. United, which is third from the bottom in the East. They drew the fifth-place Union on the road, and lost to NYCFC at the baseball stadium. But it has to be said that Orlando has faced a noticeable lack of top shelf opponents so far.
Essentially, Orlando has played three bad teams, two decent ones, and one that started very well but has cooled off in recent weeks (twice). Of course, OCSC can’t do anything about that, but it’s worth asking if the solid start to the season is due to the Lions legitimately being a good team, or if it’s more of a paper tiger situation where they just haven’t had to play many tough opponents yet.
There isn’t really any way of knowing for sure, and there won’t be any hints for awhile. With the way the standings currently look, Orlando won’t face a team above the playoff line until they go up against Charlotte FC on the road on May 14. I don’t bring all of this up to try to dampen the mood, but I just don’t think we have a truly accurate idea of this team’s level yet. Which is fair and totally fine, after all we’re only eight games into the season.
That doesn’t mean that we can’t give OCSC its due for a solid start to the year. It hasn’t been perfect by any means, but the team has done more good than bad, and the Lions’ current place in the standings reflects that. We should still keep things in perspective and resist the urge to dole out too much praise just yet, but we can be happy with what we’ve seen so far.
Opinion
Likes and Dislikes from this Week of Orlando City’s Preseason
Let’s break down some good and bad things from this past week of preseason preparations.

It’s Friday once again, and just like that we find ourselves barely over a week away from the start of the 2025 Major League Soccer season. It feels like this off-season has passed by in a blur, and somehow the Lions are already about to play their final preseason match later today. This week was another busy one for Orlando City, so let’s run through some things that I liked from this week and some things that I didn’t.
Likes
Eduard Atuesta Arrives
It took awhile, and the transfer saga had some twists and turns, but Orlando City landed Eduard Atuesta to replace the injured Wilder Cartagena. Given the league’s budget constraints and the fact that he isn’t a Designated Player, Atuesta is about as good a replacement as fans could have hoped for. Not only is he familiar with the league, but he knows what it takes to win here, as he helped LAFC win the Supporters’ Shield and U.S. Open Cup during his time with the California club. Plus, he theoretically offers more going forward than Cartagena typically does, which could add a much-needed extra punch to the Lions’ offense. The structuring of a one-year deal with an additional club option also gives OCSC some flexibility at the end of the season if the Lions decide they want to move on, but if he replicates the form he typically showed at LAFC, then that option year can be triggered.
New Kit Looks Sharp
The club also debuted its new home jersey this week. Dubbed the “Perfect Storm” kit, no two are supposedly alike, as it pays tribute to the intensity and unpredictability of Central Florida’s weather. For my money, it isn’t anything revolutionary, but there’s a lot to like about it. The pattern is interesting without being too overwhelming, the collar adds a pop of welcome gold to the purple and white motif, and the 407 lightning bolt and doppler radar storm patches are nice, vibrant touches. Teams were also permitted to customize the Apple logo on the sleeves this year, and Orlando chose to do so by incorporating the lion’s mane/sun element of the club crest into the logo. My biggest gripe is that the pattern is only on the front of the jersey while the back is plain purple, but overall I really like it.
Dislikes
Thin Cupboards at Striker and Fullback
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but Orlando City is still looking short on bodies at striker and fullback. Granted, the striker position will look better once Duncan McGuire returns, but that’s likely to be at least six to eight weeks away. Fullback isn’t quite as dire, as the Lions have Kyle Smith, Mikey Halliday, and Alex Freeman, who are all in contention to come off the bench. There are caveats though, as Halliday has struggled with injuries the last two seasons, and while Freeman was outstanding with Orlando City B last year, he’s almost completely untested at the MLS level. Plus, all three of Smith, Halliday, and Freeman are most comfortable on the right side. You obviously don’t want to take minutes away from the young guys, but I’d feel a lot better if there was a proven vet in the fold.
Final Preseason Match Prices
At the time of writing, the cheapest ticket listed for today’s preseason match against Inter Miami is $49 plus fees. That gets you in the door and up in the 300 level of Raymond James Stadium; any lower down than that and you’re looking at $65 plus fees and higher. It isn’t the most egregious pricing I’ve ever seen, but at the same time, when my season ticket in The Wall breaks down to being about $19 a game, it’s hard to not feel a little put off. I’m not saying that this is the club’s fault as I don’t know who set the pricing for the event, but I just don’t have much interest in paying over $100 for two people to go to a preseason match. It’s a shame, since Ray-J is about a five-minute drive from my house, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.
What stood out to you from this week of Orlando City’s preseason preparations? Be sure to have your say down in the comments. Vamos Orlando!
Opinion
Likes and Dislikes from this Week of Orlando City’s Preseason
Let’s talk through some of the good and bad from this week of the Lions’ preseason preparations.

Just like that, another week of Orlando City’s preseason is in the books. We’ll be staring down the barrel of the season opener before we know it, but let’s make sure we take the time to stop and reflect on some good and some not-so-good things that took place this week.
Likes
Marco Pasalic Arrives
Orlando City is back up to three Designated Players after the club completed the signing of Croatian winger Marco Pasalic. It’s a piece of business that has been rumored for awhile now but took some time to get done and across the line. Between Pasalic and the previous signing of Nicolas Rodriguez, the Lions have got bodies to fill the right wing position. While neither is likely to be able to immediately replace the production of Facundo Torres on their own, they’re both young and will have the chance to grow their games and show what they can do.
Season Ticket Member Match
OCSC will take on CF Montreal Saturday in a preseason scrimmage which is an event exclusive to season ticket holders. This is the sort of thing that I, along with my fellow season ticket members on staff, love to see. An event that rewards you for that membership and does so by giving you an extra peek at the team before everyone else. It might not be some wildly extravagant event, but it doesn’t need to be. The club has formed a habit of designating one of the preseason scrimmages a season-ticket-members-only event, and for my money, it’s been a good call.
Dislikes
Closed Door Scrimmage Radio Silence
This feels a little nitpicky, as closed-door scrimmages are by their very nature, closed door. The whole point of them is to not have a ton of access and insight about what’s going on, and teams will often agree beforehand about what level of information, if any, will make its way out to the public afterwards. We know that Orlando took on Atlanta United in a preseason scrimmage Wednesday, and we know that Alex Freeman put in a goal from a header, thanks to a post from the club on the website formerly known as Twitter, but that’s about it. It feels greedy to ask for information from something we weren’t guaranteed to get any from in the first place, but the brief taste has me wanting more, damnit.
Depth Still a Worry at Several Positions
As stated above, getting Pasalic in the door means that the Lions now have the winger slots fairly well stocked, but there are still other areas on the field that could use some reinforcement. The most crucial of those remains defensive midfielder, and although the rumored arrival of Eduard Atuesta would help considerably, I’m not counting him as a Lion until pen has been put to paper. If he does get signed, that still leaves striker and fullback perilously thin when it comes to guys who are proven MLS-caliber players, and the first game of the season is just shy of two weeks from now. There’s still time to do business, but the clock continues to tick.
What jumped out at you from this week of OCSC’s preseason? Be sure to have your say down in the comments. Vamos Orlando!
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