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Orlando City vs. CF Montreal: Final Score 0-0 as Lions Drop Points, Remain Unbeaten in Opener

The Lions were much better in the second half but couldn’t find the final bit of quality to finish against Montreal.

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1 year ago

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Orlando City (0-0-1, 1 point) looked like a team that played on the other side of the continent a few days ago in a sloppy 0-0 draw against CF Montreal (0-0-1, 1 point) at home in the first game of the MLS regular season for both clubs. Orlando did put the ball in the net off of Felipe but the flag came up and review upheld the call.

With the draw, the Lions remain unbeaten on opening day (3-0-7) but settle for a scoreless draw for the third time in three openers under Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja. The Lions have not conceded a goal on opening night in five seasons under Pareja.

“Very intense game for both teams,” Pareja said after the match. “In the first half I thought it was a little bit rough and rocky for us. Couldn’t find the sequences that we normally have found in the way that we play and our model. When we had the ball we couldn’t create the sequences that get us much closer to the goal.”

Pareja went with a strong lineup, with little rotation from Wednesday night’s win in British Columbia. Pedro Gallese was in goal behind a back line of Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, David Brekalo — making his Orlando City and MLS debut — and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson. Cesar Araujo and Wilder Cartagena manned the central midfield behind an attacking line of Ivan Angulo, Nicolas Lodeiro (his first OCSC start), and Facundo Torres with Duncan McGuire up top.

Orlando City was nowhere near as sharp in possession during its second game of the week. The passes were often offline and when they reached the target, a wayward touch often turned the ball over. Additionally, the Lions were slow to get the ball out of their feet, allowing the more energetic visitors to dispossess them in dangerous areas repeatedly.

A turnover led to a good chance by Matias Coccaro in just the third minute and Bryce Duke fired one in at Gallese seconds later as the visitors looked to jump on top early.

Torres tried an inside-out shot from a severe angle on the right in the fourth minute but sent it into the outside netting.

Gallese then had to be sharp to deny Coccaro and Ariel Lassiter in the fifth minute as Montreal stayed on the front foot early, helped out by wayward passes and bad touches by the Lions, who also were the slower players to react.

Orlando had better spells of possession after that early Montreal flurry but did little with them. Lodeiro won a corner in the 10th minute and then sent in a good near-post delivery for McGuire, but the forward’s shot was blocked behind for another corner. Five minutes later, off another corner, a ball fell for McGuire, who lost control and it popped loose in the box. He and Araujo got in each other’s way going for the loose ball and the chance evaporated.

Araujo had a go from outside the box in the 26th minute but sent his shot well off target on an attack in which it appeared he had better options.

Brekalo sent a header on goal in the 44th minute but it was no trouble for Montreal goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois.

There weren’t any clear-cut looks for either side the rest of the half and the game went to the break still scoreless.

Orlando City held more of the possession in the first half (59.2%-40.8%) but did little with it. The Lions also passed more accurately (86%-79.9%) and won more corners (5-1). Montreal had more shots (6-4), shots on target (4-1).

“We weren’t expecting them to be so compact,” Santos said through a club interpreter. “We were expecting them to play a little bit more open, and they were very compact. It was very difficult to find spaces and opportunities within the tight areas that they were creating. And that’s why we found it so difficult to score a goal.”

Pareja made one tweak to the lineup at the break, withdrawing Cartagena and replacing him with Martin Ojeda. With the visitors staying tightly compact, there was no need for a double pivot and the team played better after the change, with Araujo dropping between the defenders to start the attack and Lodeiro trying to pull the strings from a deeper position.

After the match, Pareja said he felt his team was spending too much time and energy getting the ball into dangerous positions. By dropping Araujo deeper to start the attack and having an extra playmaker on the field, his team was able to fix the problem, even if the Lions still weren’t sharp with the final ball.

The first chance of the second half came early, with Thorhallsson seeing his shot blocked in the box. The rebound fell to Ojeda, who shot from a tough angle on the left side but missed the target. Lodeiro had a shot blocked off a well-worked corner kick play in the 51st minute and Brekalo scuffed a shot wide.

Three minutes later, Angulo sent a weak shot easily into Sirois’ hands from a tough angle on the right with three teammates crashing the net. It was another example of the wrong decision at the end of a good sequence, which plagued the Lions all evening.

The Lions kept coming but nothing would go in. McGuire headed just inches over the bar in the 66th minute, and Thorhallsson sent a volley shot off the ground and similiarly just over the bar in the 74th. Two minutes later, Santos sent in a dangerous cross that was cut out at the last second by the defense for a corner. The ensuing set piece was knocked out of the box to Thorhallsson, who sent a shot well off target from distance.

The first of Montreal’s two golden opportunities in the second half came in the 79th minute, when former Lion Ruan sent in a cross that Josef Martinez fired wide on a first-time effort.

Orlando City scored in the 80th minute, but the flag came up. Substitute Ramiro Enrique sent a header toward goal and Sirois got a touch on it. The ball came off the crossbar, hit fellow second-half sub Felipe, and went into the goal. The flag came up for offside and it was a close call. After a review, the referee accepted the VAR decision to uphold the call.

Ojeda got a header opportunity in the 87th minute but didn’t get any power on it and Sirois was able to catch it easily. The flag again came up for offside in the 92nd minute and it was a costly one. Torres was fouled in the box and the referee immediately pointed to the spot for a penalty but the AR’s flag was in the air. Substitute striker Jack Lynn left too early in the buildup and it was a costly mistake, as the Lions were denied an opportunity to win the game from the spot in stoppage time.

Seconds later, disaster nearly struck. Montreal cut the defense open with one quick pass for Kwadwo Opoku, who sliced through with a well-timed run to get onto the pass. Beyond the last defender, the Montreal forward had only Gallese to beat, but the goalkeeper made a sensational play to come off his line aggressively and stuck out a leg to block the shot, preserving a point for his team.

It was the last opportunity for either side in the match and, despite a good effort, the performance was a little off as Orlando City dropped two points at home.

The Lions finished with more possession (60.1%-39.9%), shots (15-9), corners (9-1), and passing accuracy (86.2%-78.2%). Montreal managed more shots on target (5-4).

“We decided just to make a couple changes in the way we wanted to face the second half,” Pareja said. “Much better. Much better second half. So it looked more like us. We created the options to score, not being so clean, but we respect the job that Montreal did as well, because they put their team in a very low block in the second half. I think we dominated, not being that clear. We’ll take that point. I think we all had big expectations. I want to make sure that we all know that this is a long trip and we have to know how to navigate it.”

“The game did not turn out the way that we wanted. We wanted the win,” Santos said. “We unfortunately weren’t able to do that. We did get the draw, which is better than a loss, but we again wanted to win. We leave frustrated from this game because again, we wanted to win. We were always looking for the opportunity to make goals. We had our chances. But we’re going to continue to look ahead, because the tournament is long and we know that we’ll get opportunities moving ahead.”

Newcomer Brekalo had a solid first MLS game in his Orlando City debut, but said afterward he’s been not only waiting for his international paperwork to come through — and as a result has spent time training as if to start and other days as if he wouldn’t be playing — but he’s also been nursing an injury that he is managing with the medical team.

“I just tried to keep it simple today honestly,” he said. “But still, like I was forcing (things) a few times, but it will come, I think, with more and more trainings and games with my teammates. I was taking many heavy touches. I’m usually better than this, but like I said, it’s going to come and it’s going to be okay.”

The Lions are back in action on Tuesday when Cavalry FC visits Orlando in the second leg of the teams’ Concacaf Champions Cup series. Orlando City will then visit Inter Miami next Saturday in the first Tropic Thunder rivalry match of 2024.

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Orlando City vs. Charlotte FC: Final Score 3-1 as Lions Extend Unbeaten Run with Home Win

Luis Muriel, Martin Ojeda, and Ramiro Enrique provided the offense in a complete home win over Charlotte.

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2 hours ago

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May 14, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

The Lions finally got the balance Oscar Pareja had been looking for since April 26 against Atlanta at Inter&Co Stadium. Luis Muriel, Martin Ojeda, and Ramiro Enrique scored and the defense held the opposition to one shot on target as Orlando City (5-2-6, 21 points) posted a 3-1 home win over Charlotte FC (6-6-1, 19 points). A Wilfried Zaha goal in the first half prevented the shutout.

The win extended Orlando City’s unbeaten streak to 10 straight in league play (4-0-6) and 11 consecutive in all competitions (5-0-6). Orlando improved to 4-1-2 against Charlotte in the regular-season series and 3-1-0 at home.

“We’re very happy with the three points. We are very happy with the effort of the players,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “In a short time they got back their energy to get that start in the first half, where I think we dominated the other team and the game, but it was a similar feeling in the first half when we conceded that one goal, but then our reaction in the second half was more steady and more solid.”

Pareja’s lineup featured Pedro Gallese in goal behind a back line of David Brekalo, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Alex Freeman. Cesar Araujo and Joran Gerbet started in central midfield with attacking midfielders Ivan Angulo, Ojeda, and Marco Pasalic, with Muriel at forward.

Much of the first half was played between the penalty areas, but the teams both created some good chances, especially the Lions, who could have built a big lead if the attacking players hadn’t kept crossing the ball directly to Charlotte defenders once they got into the final third. Eventually Orlando City settled into the match and put a couple of shots into the net, which prompted a response from Charlotte.

Just two minutes into the match, the Lions thought they’d scored. Pasalic sent a beautiful ball forward to unlock Muriel, who tucked his shot from the right side just inside the left post. However, the Colombian was a step offside and the flag correctly came up.

Four minutes later, Muriel got into the box on a good ball from Araujo. This time, the Designated Player took too many touches and lost the ball to Charlotte goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina. Muriel, however, got his revenge moments later, blasting a shot from distance that Kahlina should have handled, but the ball bounced just in front of the goalkeeper and he let it somehow squirt through and into the net to make it 1-0 in the eighth minute.

Muriel again tried his luck from outside the box in the 10th minute, but this time Kahlina was able to gather up a shot that was directly at him. Five minutes after that, Angulo made a good run down the left but sent in a weak shot or cross directly to Kahlina.

Charlotte’s first threat came in the 21st minute when the visitors pinged the ball around the box but couldn’t create a clear-cut opportunity, as the Lions defense was able to block a couple of attempts and eventually clear.

Ojeda doubled the lead in the 24th minute with another rocket. A Pasalic shot was blocked by the Charlotte defense and caromed out to the left, where the Argentine hit it on the half volley and crushed it, sending it in for a 2-0 lead. It was his eighth goal of the season.

“Martin is one of the most professional, amazing human beings that I’ve ever met,” said Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, one of Orlando’s second-half subs, on seeing Ojeda’s strong play in recent games. “With the talent he has, he can be one of the best players in this league. That’s my opinion. He has everything. He has the shot, he has the passing, he has the vision.”

The two-goal lead lasted 10 minutes. Charlotte started getting more of the possession after the second goal and made it pay off. Zaha got on the ball near the top of the box, turned, and blasted the ball past a sliding Schlegel. The shot was hit with power and pace, finding the inside of the left post to make it 2-1 in the 34th minute.

Brekalo got forward after the restart and fired a shot from the top of the area. The defense blocked it high into the air, giving Kahlina an easy catch. Three minutes later, Angulo blazed down the left and sent in a decent cross for Muriel, but the defense was able to get there and clear it.

Charlotte then had to sweat out a video review, as Muriel went down in the box under some contact from Andrew Privett. The check did not result in a penalty, and it was a fair decision.

Freeman was off balance and sent a backward header in the 44th in his own defensive end that gave Charlotte possession, and the visitors worked the ball for a good scoring chance. Ashley Westwood ended up with the shot but sent it wide.

Charlotte forward Idan Toklomati got a good look in the second added minute, finishing a scramble in the box with a blast wide of the net.

The last look of the half came in the fourth added minute when Pasalic sent a great ball to Angulo, who made a mess of his shot and sent it well off target.

Orlando City had the first-half advantage in possession (52.7%-47.3%), shots (7-5), and shots on target (3-1). Neither team won a corner, and Charlotte passed more accurately (88.3%-87.6%).

In the second half, the game was much more tightly contested, with fewer opportunities for both teams. Tired legs may have played a factor, but so too did Orlando’s willingness to stay compact and try to see out the game without conceding a second goal. The Lions were ultimately able to do that, providing the offensive and defensive balance Pareja has been looking for out of his squad.

Charlotte subbed Patrick Agyemang into the match at halftime and it nearly paid off immediately after the restart. The visitors sent the ball long down the right for the USMNT striker, who cut inside and fired wide of the right post in the 46th minute. Charlotte quickly won the game’s first corner moments later but committed a foul on the set piece, with the whistle coming just as the ball crashed off the crossbar above Gallese in the 50th minute.

Agyemang won a dangerous set piece on a foul by Schlegel in the 71st minute just outside the area. Pep Biel took the free kick but sailed his shot over the goal. Biel then hit the crossbar in the 67th minute as Charlotte continued to push for an equalizer.

Both teams made several changes, and Orlando City ended up with five men across the back trying to see out the match.

A good ball into the box in the 73rd minute on a free kick from the left found Jansson, but the Swede headed his shot right at Kahlina. Freeman quickly won a corner after that and Ojeda sent a good ball to the far side for Araujo. The Uruguayan tried to volley the cross on target, but he didn’t make good contact and the shot floated to Kahlina.

Orlando allowed the visitors to keep most of the ball for the rest of the game, content to try to protect the one-goal lead and hit Charlotte in transition. That strategy worked out in the 82nd minute. Brekalo did well to evade the press with a quick move outside and then back inside, before unleashing a fantastic line-breaking pass for second-half sub Enrique. The Argentine had Tim Ream on him as he entered the box, and Enrique hit the brakes, losing Ream, then cut to his right and blasted his shot past Kahlina to make it 3-1.

“I saw that David had the ball and he hit me a great diagonal pass,” Enrique said. “It was a fantastic ball. As I was coming onto it, the goalkeeper was coming out. He left my weak foot open, so I thought, ‘Hit it with the left,’ and the defender was closing in, and thankfully I was able to (cut back to the right and) hit it and finish it.”

Although Enrique still had some work to do after receiving the ball from Brekalo, it would not have happened without the Slovenian’s work to break Charlotte’s press. When Enrique’s shot went in, it gave Brekalo a primary assist to go along with the secondary one he had on Muriel’s opener.

“I was very satisfied on the defensive work that we did, and David is a protagonist of the system and that performance, too,” Pareja said. “Plus, he’s turning into a left back that can give us the function that we want and that solidness defending, but it seems that we have much more than that. Now he’s going forward. Now he’s more precise in that last third when he can connect better. Last game he had a big opportunity that hit the post, and today he had those assists. So, we’re growing in an area that we thought was going to take more time. David, the way he’s absorbing and the way he’s performing, it’s great. We are seeing a very professional performance from someone who is a worker, and he’s helping us a lot.”

As Orlando City tried to kill the clock, Pareja gave Justin Ellis his MLS debut on his 18th birthday. The Lions were able to bleed the clock, defend a late corner, and hang on for the win.

The Lions finished with the advantage in possession (52%-48%), shots (10-9), shots on target (6-1), and passing accuracy (89.3%-88.3%). Charlotte won more corners (2-1).

“It was an important game for us, an important victory after the tie that we had in the last game,” Enrique said. “And, you know, (I’m) just happy to be able to help the team in whatever way I can to get the win tonight.”

“Just a very solid performance overall, I would say,” Thorhallsson said. “The goal was to go into the game and score some goals and not concede. We conceded one, but three goals, so a win. It’s important. For me, I think we have one of the strongest squads in the whole of MLS, and if we manage to get the defense and the attack going at the same time and throughout the whole season, for me, there’s no doubt we can do big, big damage in this league. So, I think we just need to believe it a little bit, and then it comes”

The Lions are back in action Sunday at Inter Miami in the first Tropic Thunder rivalry match of the 2025 season.

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Orlando City vs. Charlotte FC: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Lions look to get over the draw doldrums and find a victory in a 2024 playoff rematch with Charlotte.

Published

14 hours ago

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May 14, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to your match preview and live thread for a midweek matchup between Orlando City (4-2-6, 18 points) and Charlotte FC (6-5-1, 19 points) at Inter&Co Stadium (7:30 p.m., MLS Season Pass on Apple TV). This is the first of two games on the slate between the Eastern Conference rivals in 2025, with the Lions’ return trip to North Carolina scheduled for July 5.

Here’s what you need to know ahead of the match.

History

The Lions are 3-1-2 in the regular-season series and 5-3-2 in all competitions against Charlotte. Orlando City is 2-1-0 at home in the regular season and 4-1-0 in its own stadium in all competitions against the North Carolina-based side. These games are usually close, as Orlando City all previous meetings decided by either one or two goals.

The teams last met in the first round of the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs, with Orlando City taking two of the three matches, winning the first outright, dropping the second on penalties after a late goal was called offside in the buildup, and advancing after a penalty shootout win following the third match of the best-of-three series.

The most recent meeting took place on Nov. 9, 2024, when Facundo Torres’ penalty late in stoppage time canceled out a Karol Swiderski goal and sent the deciding third match to penalties with a 1-1 score. Pedro Gallese made two saves and Orlando City won the shootout 4-1, advancing to the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The teams played eight days before that in Charlotte, without either side scoring in normal time, as Torres’ strike was disallowed for offside on Nico Lodeiro on Luis Muriel’s through ball. Charlotte won the ensuing penalty shootout 3-1 after the scoreless draw to tie the series at 1-1, because shootout wins are just as important as actual wins in this somewhat baffling format. That followed Orlando City’s 2-0 home win the previous Sunday. Torres and Martin Ojeda scored the goals on either side of halftime to lead the Lions to the Game 1 win. It was the first time Orlando scored more than one goal in an MLS playoff game.

The teams also met a month and a half prior to their first playoff meeting on Sept. 18 in Orlando. The Lions got second-half goals from Torres and Duncan McGuire to win 2-0, claiming the first multiple-goal win in the series. The teams also met on June 19, 2024, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte and played to a 2-2 draw. The hosts struck first with an early Kerwin Vargas goal and the Lions pulled one back through McGuire in the second half. But despite Charlotte going down a man on Scott Arfield’s red card, Brandt Bronico restored the hosts’ lead shortly after McGuire’s strike. Torres struck back moments later but the Lions could not find a winner on the road.

The previous match was also a draw at Bank of America Stadium, finishing 1-1 on Aug. 30, 2023. Enzo Copetti’s late penalty appeared to wrap things up for the hosts on a rainy night in Charlotte, but Ojeda’s seeing-eye set piece equalized just before stoppage time as the teams split the points.

Charlotte claimed a 1-0 “home” victory in U.S. Open Cup play on May 9 of that year. That game took place at Mecklenburg County Sportsplex in Matthews, NC, rather than at the club’s regular stadium. The first matchup of the 2023 season didn’t go any better for Orlando City, finishing as a 2-1 Charlotte win at Exploria Stadium on March 18. Copetti and Vargas put Charlotte up 2-0 by halftime. Ojeda pulled one back, but the Lions were wasteful in front of goal and couldn’t pull level.

In 2022, the teams met at Bank of America Stadium on Aug. 21. After a scoreless first half, Ercan Kara put the Lions ahead on the road, only to see McKinze Gaines equalize just four minutes later. Tesho Akindele’s late goal lifted Orlando to a 2-1 victory.

Orlando City won the first-ever meeting between the sides on April 30, 2022, at Exploria Stadium. Ruan scored the opening goal and set up Torres on the counter for the second as the Lions took a 2-0 lead into the locker room. Christian Fuchs scored from the spot after Rodrigo Schlegel was called for a foul in the box in the second half, but that was as close as Charlotte got in what was ultimately a 2-1 Orlando victory.

Overview

Orlando City is coming off a 3-3 home draw against the New England Revolution on a rainy Saturday night just days ago. Ojeda’s hat trick provided all the scoring for the Lions, but the defense made three costly individual errors allowing the Revs to erase deficits of 2-0 and 3-2 to steal a point on the road. The Lions are unbeaten in nine MLS games (3-0-6) and 10 matches in all competitions (4-0-6), but have spilled too many points over that span. In addition to blowing two leads on Saturday, the Lions have played four scoreless draws during this recent stretch despite creating enough good scoring chances to win all of them. Orlando City is 3-1-2 at home this season.

Charlotte is coming off a 2-1 road loss at Nashville SC on Saturday. Liel Abada’s goal wasn’t enough for the visitors to get a result in Tennessee. The club has lost its last three MLS games, although just prior to the Nashville loss Charlotte managed to advance in the U.S. Open Cup with a 4-2 win at North Carolina FC after extra time. Charlotte is 1-4-1 on the road in MLS matches this season.

These teams typically play tight, low-scoring matches against each other and any mistake can be the difference in the game. Goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina is a difference maker for Charlotte, and he always presents a challenge for the Lions. At the same time, Charlotte has picked up some gifted offensive players in recent years that have fit in well with Dean Smith’s system. Abada leads the attack with four goals on the season, while recent acquisition Wilfried Zaha and Pep Biel have three apiece. Biel also has a team-high six assists — he’s the only Charlotte player with more than one helper — so he’s the primary attacking threat from both a goal and setup standpoint. USMNT pool striker Patrick Agyemang has two goals on the year, but is always a dangerous threat.

Orlando City will need to be patient but also try to build a volume of shots against a stout defense led by Kahlina, who posted 119 saves last season and tied for the league lead in minutes played (3,060). Charlotte also has a strong back line that includes U.S. international Tim Ream and Adilson Malanda. The key to beating Charlotte is usually to get on the scoreboard and force Charlotte into opening up and taking risks, but that’s easier said than done. Both teams will also be fighting fatigue, as the May fixtures have been constant.

“We’re preparing well. The time [we have] to work is not much but I think we have done a lot of repetitions already,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said ahead of the match. “The team feels that we’re ready and that we’re good. So, this time right now is just trying to freshen them up and then see if we can get the same energy and execute the game plan that we have against Charlotte.”

The Lions will be without Wilder Cartagena (Achilles) and Yutaro Tsukada (knee) as they will be all season. Eduard Atuesta trained Tuesday but he was listed as out on the club’s game notes, as well as Nico Rodriguez (thigh). Charlotte will be without Jahlane Forbes (thigh), Nimfasha Berchimas (foot), Nathan Byrne (neck), Brandon Cambridge (thigh), and Souleyman Doumbia (hamstring), while Biel (hamstring) and Tyger Smalls (knee) are questionable.

Match Content

Projected Lineups

Orlando City (4-4-2)

Goalkeeper: Pedro Gallese.

Defenders: David Brekalo, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, Alex Freeman.

Defensive Midfielders: Ivan Angulo, Cesar Araujo, Joran Gerbet, Marco Pasalic.

Forwards: Martin Ojeda, Luis Muriel.

Bench: Javier Otero, Rafael Santos, Kyle Smith, Colin Guske, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, Gustavo Caraballo, Justin Ellis, Ramiro Enrique, Duncan McGuire.

Charlotte FC (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: Kristijan Kahlina.

Defenders: Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty, Tim Ream, Andrew Privett, Adilson Malanda, Nicholas Scardina.

Midfielders: Brandt Bronico, Ashley Westwood, Pep Biel.

Forwards: Wilfried Zaha, Idan Toklomati, Liel Abada.

Bench: David Bingham, Djibril Diani, Bill Tuiloma, Nicholas Scardina, Iuri Tavares, Eryk Williamson, Kerwin Vargas, Nikola Petcovic, Patrick Agyemang.

Referees

Ref: Sergii Boiko.
AR1: Jose Da Silva.
AR2: Oscar Mitchell-Carvalho.
4th: Tori Penso.
VAR: Younes Marrakchi.
AVAR: Fabio Tovar.

How to Watch

Match Time: 7:30 p.m.

Venue: Inter&Co Stadium  — Orlando.

TV/Live Stream: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

Radio: AM 810 FOX Sports Radio Orlando (English), Mega 97.1 FM (Spanish).

Social Media: For rapid reaction and live updates, follow us on Bluesky Social at @themaneland.bsky.social or follow Orlando City’s official Twitter (@OrlandoCitySC) or Bluesky (@OrlandoCitySC) feed.

Enjoy the match. Go City!

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Lion Links: 5/14/25

Orlando City hosts Charlotte FC tonight, Marta called up by Brazil, U.S. Soccer announces new kits, and much more.

Published

18 hours ago

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May 14, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers! Orlando City has midweek games throughout this month, which means we get to enjoy some soccer tonight. But before we get into that match and more in today’s links, let’s all wish a happy 18th birthday to Orlando City B forward Justin Ellis! On my 18th birthday, I won $10 on the first scratch-off ticket I could legally buy. I wish him similar good fortune today.

Orlando City Takes On Charlotte FC Tonight

Orlando City’s busy month continues tonight when it hosts Charlotte FC for a midweek matchup at Inter&Co Stadium in one of the more intriguing games of today’s MLS slate. The Lions haven’t lost since March 8, but they have also only won four of their 12 games this season and are a point behind Charlotte in the standings. Orlando’s offense has struggled mightily during this stretch, but may have turned a corner following Martin Ojeda’s hat trick against the New England Revolution on Saturday. The Lions could also benefit from the return of midfielder Eduard Atuesta, who was in training as he works his way back from injury. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s eased back into things though and the club has five more games this month after tonight. Even if Atuesta can’t go tonight, maybe he can get some minutes this weekend.

Marta Returns to Brazilian National Team

Marta was called up by Brazil Head Coach Arthur Elias for friendlies against Japan, which is pretty shocking news, considering she announced her retirement from international soccer last year.

“I was with Marta recently and spoke with her. She said she is available to help the team while she is playing at a high level, as she is now,” Elias told reporters. “Marta has had a great season and has been very important for her club, which is the American League champion.

“Her presence in some call-ups is very important for the younger players, for the renewal that is taking place in the national team.”

Marta’s international career seemed to end in Paris, where she helped Brazil claim the silver medal at the Olympics. The 39-year-old joins Pride teammate Angelina on Brazil’s roster as the team prepares for this summer’s Copa America. It will be interesting to see if Marta will take part in that tournament and it may be worth noting that the 2027 World Cup will take place in Brazil. That’s a couple of years away, but I wouldn’t rule out anything at this point.

U.S. Soccer Unveils New Kits

U.S. Soccer announced two new kits designed in collaboration with Nike and senior players from both the United States Women’s National Team and United States Men’s National Team. The “Brilliant Kit” is white and light blue with star details and celebrates 40 years of the USWNT. The “Heartbeat Kit” is a dark blue with vertical red and blue stripes and is meant to represent the passion of U.S. soccer fans.

I’m also a pretty big fan of the jacket featured as part of this collection. The USWNT will wear both of these jerseys throughout the year, while the USMNT will continue to wear its current white kit and will debut the darker kit on June 7.

USMNT Will Play South Korea and Japan in Friendlies

A pair of friendlies in September were announced for the USMNT, with the Yanks set to take on South Korea Sept. 6 in New Jersey before playing Japan Sept. 9 in Columbus. These will be the USMNT’s first matches following this summer’s Gold Cup and will help the team prepare for the 2026 World Cup. Japan has already qualified for the World Cup, and South Korea is on track to do the same. The USMNT hasn’t played South Korea since winning 2-0 in 2014, while its last match against Japan was a 2-0 defeat in Germany in 2022 before that year’s World Cup in Qatar.

Free Kicks

  • Marta and Angelina aren’t the only Pride players called up for international duty, as goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse will join England for UEFA Nations League games.
  • Time is running out on joining this year’s Purple Pride 5K on Saturday, so be sure to register if you’ve been meaning to and it slipped your mind.
  • Orlando City remained in 12th place in the MLS power rankings following its 3-3 draw with the Revolution.
  • The Lions were 11th in Tom Bogert’s “watchability” rankings, which rate teams based on their quality of play, style, and general wow factors. I’m admittedly surprised to see Orlando that high considering the glut of scoreless draws this year
  • Former Pride player and USWNT legend Alex Morgan has joined the San Diego Wave as a minority investor. Morgan retired from playing last year in her third season with the Wave and gave birth to her second child earlier this year.
  • Santiago Moreno won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his bicycle kick in the Portland Timbers’ 1-0 win over Sporting Kansas City.
  • Haji Wright and Coventry City drew 1-1 with Sunderland, losing on aggregate in the EFL Championship promotion playoffs. Dan Ballard scored for Sunderland deep in extra time, and Sunderland will face Sheffield United with a spot in the English Premier League on the line.
  • The historic Goodison Park will no longer be demolished and will instead serve as the home for Everton’s women’s soccer team, making it the first stadium in England dedicated to a women’s team.
  • In lieu of a parade if it wins the Europa League, Manchester United announced that there would be a celebratory barbecue at the club’s training ground. Players are also being restricted to just two free tickets for the Europa League final and club staff did not receive free tickets either.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I wish you all a wonderful Wednesday and a happy game day. Go Orlando!

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