Connect with us

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Cavalry FC, Concacaf Champions Cup: Final Score 3-1 as Lions Sweep Canadian Shield Winners

Lions blast Cavalry FC 6-1 on aggregate across the two legs to advance in Concacaf Champions Cup.

Published

2 months ago

on

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Nicolas Lodeiro, Ramiro Enrique, and Kyle Smith provided the offense as Orlando City defeated Cavalry FC 3-1 at home in the second leg of the first-round Concacaf Champions Cup series. Orlando City advances to the round of 16. Myer Bevan scored for Cavalry FC to hand the Canadian side their first-ever goal in the competition, spoiling a repeat of last week’s 3-0 result. Orlando advances 6-1 on aggregate across the two legs.

It was the first home win in the continental tournament for Orlando and the team advanced for the first time as well. The Lions will take on Tigres UANL in a rematch of last year’s first-round series.

“I thought the way (Cavalry) battled the game and they complicated things for us was remarkable,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “It was difficult to get the rhythm, knowing that we wanted to keep the same intensity and the same level and the same aggressiveness, and being fine in the last third as we all committed to. As the game went on, we found better timings to do it. Then, finally, in the second half we found the goal that kind of released a little bit of the anxiousness we had.”

Pareja rotated his squad heavily for this match, starting Homegrown goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar in net behind a back line of Rafael Santos, Rodrigo Schlegel, Smith, and Michael Halliday. Wilder Cartagena and Felipe started in central midfield behind an attacking line of Shak Mohammed, Martin Ojeda, and Enrique with new Designated Player Luis Muriel up top.

With the Lions entering at +3 on aggregate and playing a lot of young players, it’s no surprise that the first half was a bit sleepy. The first look at goal in the match came nine minutes in when Enrique directed a weak header on at Cavalry goalkeeper Marco Carducci off Ojeda’s corner kick.

Muriel was active in his first action with Orlando, directing a header on frame in the 14th minute and nearly scoring a fantastic goal a minute later. The Colombian dribbled through the Cavalry defense from midfield in transition. Upon entering the box, two defenders closed him down. Muriel still managed to direct a shot on goal but Carducci was able to make a sprawling save.

Orlando should have scored in the 17th minute. Ojeda made a slick move in the box to get past a sliding defender. He crossed for Halliday but the young fullback muffed his first touch and sent the ball wide of the left post. There was a video review for a possible Cavalry handball but no penalty was given.

Enrique was active but had a wasteful first half. He tried to inside-out a shot at the near post in the 22nd minute but missed the target.

The visitors almost snatched the lead in the 27th minute. A corner kick cross found its way to Charlie Trafford through traffic. Trafford’s header skipped just wide of the right post and the game remained scoreless.

Muriel fired just wide of the left post in the 29th after Orlando turned the visitors over in their own end. Three minutes later, Enrique tried an ambitious one-timer from a tight angle on the right but hit it right at Carducci. There were better options for the Argentine on the play. Enrique then got to a Halliday cross in the 36th minute but headed it right at Carducci. That was the last good look of the half.

At the half, Orlando led on the stat sheet but neither side had a goal. The Lions held the advantage in possession (51.4%-48.6%), shots (8-3), shots on target (4-0), passing accuracy (88.7%-86.3%), and corners (3-1).

“Against Montreal it took us a while in the first half to get some rhythm. I know the boys don’t want me to make any excuse, and I won’t do it, but today with kind of the same start, I would like to review, because we don’t want it to happen. But after that I thought we got the rhythm. And the break of the half, we just calmed the team down a little. I told them we have to settle first. Let’s not try to do super advanced things if we’re not doing the simple ones. Let’s do the simple ones first and just let the game come.”

Pareja subbed on Lodeiro and Cesar Araujo for Mohammed and Cartagena to start the second half. The Lions nearly scored just seconds after the restart when they turned Cavalry over in front of goal, but Ojeda’s shot was blocked behind for a corner.

Orlando finally broke the deadlock near the end of the 48th minute. Muriel ended up with the ball on the right and cut toward the middle. Spotting Lodeiro to his left, he dropped a pass off for the veteran midfielder, who fired off the left post and in to make it 1-0. It was Lodeiro’s first goal and Muriel’s first assist with the Lions.

“It was a play where we were able to recover the ball, and then first thing that we did was try and look to get in on goal,” Muriel said through a club interpreter. “The goalkeeper picked up his head and was able to shut that door. But then Nico was calling for me. I heard him calling for me to pass him the ball, and he’s a great player, and seeing him inside was was great. And he was able to get that goal. So, it was a beautiful play, and I’m happy for the way things went, because up until that point, it was a complicated game.”

“It’s always nice when guys can come in and contribute right off the get-go,” said Stajduhar, the longest tenured Lion. “So, it was nice to see Nico get that goal today and Luis getting assists. So, the fact that they’re already contributing and playing well is going to be a good sign for the group going forward.”

Stajduhar was forced into a save on Bevan in the 53rd minute from a tough angle. He should have handled it better but spilled it out for a corner. Fortunately for the Lions, the visitors could do nothing with the set piece.

Moments later, Daan Klomp was booked for taking down Muriel who was breaking in transition the other way for Orlando.

Eryk Kobza tried his luck from outside the area in the 57th minute but didn’t get his effort on target. A minute later, Carducci did well on a 1-v-1 save to deny Enrique, who was judged offside anyway after the shot.

Ojeda had a takeaway at the hour mark and started the break. Enrique picked out Lodeiro entering the box but his first touch was poor and the veteran chipped over the net from a tough angle on the right.

Bevan pulled a goal back for Cavalry in the 65th minute. Halliday couldn’t keep the cross from fizzing through the box from Stajduhar’s right. Schlegel had the opposing forward covered but didn’t make the play when the ball came through. It was an easy tap-in for Bevan to tie the game at 1-1.

Orlando regained the lead in the 71st minute. Enrique took a pass from Lodeiro and fired a blast from the top left corner of the box. His laser shot found the upper right corner of the goal behind Carducci to make it 2-1.

“Mason hit it long to me, I nodded it on Nico, and then Nico was able to get it back to me,” Enrique said about the play. “And I just figured, ‘Have a hit,’ and thankfully it went in.

The game was a bit back-and-forth after that for a while. Ali Musse sent a volley shot just wide of Stajduhar’s goal in the 72nd minute from just outside the area.

Second-half sub Facundo Torres scored in the 74th minute but the flag came up as he was in ahead of Enrique, who could have taken the shot himself. Enrique then fired way off target a minute later.

Stajduhar did well to grab a shot by William Akio in the 76th minute. The keeper also had his post well covered in the 87th minute when Bradley Kamdem headed wide off a late Cavalry corner kick.

Smith tacked on a third for Orlando in the 88th minute after switching to left back. Smith sent Torres down the left and continued his run into the box. Torres took the ball down the left and cut back toward the top of the area, dropping the ball off for Smith, who sent his first-time shot into the right side of the net, putting the match to bed at 3-1.

That third goal took the air out of the match and it was over moments later.

Cavalry came back to edge Orlando in possession (51.1%-48.9%), but Orlando finished with the advantage in shots (14-12), shots on target (7-3), passing accuracy (84.9%-83.7%), and corners (6-4).

“It seems like being more patient in the sequences, we created more options,” Pareja said. “And also, when we look organized we have a better opportunity to counterattack with better spaces.”

“You could definitely let it affect you, but here we didn’t,” Halliday said of entering the game with a three-goal advantage. “We just said, ‘It’s another game we have to win. Just win the game.’ Same mentality.”

“I’m happy with the group,” Pareja said. “I think we all kind of refreshed today with a group playing that have not played and the ones who have been were resting. So, I’m happy now, just thinking about the derby (against Inter Miami on Saturday). We’ll think about the next step in Concacaf next week.”

The Lions are back in action Saturday when they travel to Fort Lauderdale to take on Inter Miami at 4:30 p.m. Orlando City will return to Concacaf Champions Cup action at home on March 5 against Mexican giants Tigres. The kickoff time will be announced in the coming days.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Toronto FC: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s home loss to Toronto FC?

Published

6 hours ago

on

April 30, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City was on its way to three points Saturday night before a late collapse saw the Lions lose 2-1 to Toronto FC at home. It’s a tough loss in a season that has seen an unexpected start with the Lions sitting near the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

Here’s how I saw the individual performances for the Lions in this difficult loss.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 5.5 — Gallese’s form has definitely dropped this year, though he was one of the best goalkeepers in the league over the past four seasons. He was solid for the first 87 minutes, saving the two shots he faced, but then the wheels came off for the Lions. Toronto scored two goals when defenders left players wide open in the box. Gallese probably could’ve done better with Prince Owusu’s winner, but there was a difficult change of direction on the bounce, and the forward should’ve had somebody on him. Apart from his goalkeeping, Gallese completed 61.9% of his 21 passes, including seven of his 15 long balls, and recorded a clearance.

D, Rafael Santos, 6 — Santos had a solid game against Toronto. His 62 touches were the fourth-most on the team and he completed 90.7% of his 43 passes. The starting left back didn’t complete his lone cross but connected on two of his four long balls. He had a shot of his own, putting it on target. Defensively, Santos recorded a tackle, interception, and clearance before being replaced by Kyle Smith in the 71st minute.

D, David Brekalo, N/A — Brekalo had a short night as he was injured early in the game. In the fourth minute, he collided with Owusu and required treatment for his knee. The center back attempted to continue, but eventually had to come off in the 16th minute, replaced by Rodrigo Schlegel. He only had 12 touches in the game and completed 90.9% of his 11 passes. The only defensive stat he recorded was winning an aerial duel. He wasn’t on the field long enough to fairly give him a grade.

D, Robin Jansson, 6 — Jansson was terrific for most of this game. He recorded a team-high 88 touches and completed 84% of his team-high 75 passes, which included six of 13 long balls. His excellent ball forward for Facundo Torres in the 37th minute led to the Lions’ goal. Defensively, he led the team with three tackles, three clearances, two blocked shots, and two aerial duels won.

D, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, 5.5 — Thorhallsson took his regular spot at right back and recorded 53 touches on the night. He completed 88.6% of his 35 passes, but didn’t connect on either of his two crosses or three long balls. He took a shot in the game, but it was off target. Defensively, he added a tackle, a blocked shot, and a successful aerial duel. Unfortunately, his most impactful part of the game was failing to cover Owusu at the back post, leaving the forward wide open to head in the game-winning goal.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 6 — Araujo had a solid performance against Toronto, recording 61 touches. He completed 83.7% of his 49 passes, including three of his six long balls and his lone through ball. Defensively, he added a team-high three tackles, an interception, a blocked shot, and an aerial duel won.

MF, Wilder Cartagena, 6.5 — Cartagena had one of his better games in this one, recording the second-most touches on the team with 71. He completed 88.7% of his 62 passes, including two of his three long balls. Defensively, he added a team-high three tackles, a clearance, and won an aerial duel, while taking one off-target shot.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 6 — Angulo had 51 touches against Toronto and completed 91.7% of his 36 passes. He completed one of his two long balls, but didn’t connect on his only cross attempt. His lone shot was off target, and he helped defensively by intercepting a team-high two opposition passes.

MF, Facundo Torres, 6.5 (MotM) — Torres had an excellent performance in this game, recording 51 touches. While he only completed 75% of his 32 passes, he connected on two of his three crosses and played a perfect ball for Duncan McGuire in the 37th minute, enabling him to tap home the opening goal. The attacking midfielder nearly got one for himself in the 73rd minute from distance, forcing Sean Johnson into a good save. Similar to Angulo, Torres helped out defensively with two tackles and an interception.

MF, Martin Ojeda, 6 — Ojeda had 36 touches in 60 minutes and completed 92.3% of his 26 passes. He connected on one of his two long balls, but neither of his two crosses. He took one shot in the game, but failed to hit the target before being replaced by Nico Lodeiro.

F, Duncan McGuire, 6 — McGuire scored the Lions’ lone goal in this game and was nearly the outright hero. He touched the ball 22 times and completed 63.4% of his 14 passes. However, strikers are judged on goals and McGuire scored the opener when he got on the end of Torres’ cross in the 37th minute. He nearly had a second in first-half stoppage time when he brought down an Ojeda cross well and slammed it into the far side netting. Unfortunately, he was just offside. He was replaced by Luis Muriel in the 71st minute.

Substitutes

D, Rodrigo Schlegel (16’), 6.5 — Schlegel came on in the 16th minute when Brekalo went off injured and, despite not expecting to play that many minutes, was very good. His 71 touches were tied for the second most on the team and he completed 88.1% of his 59 passes, including two of his four long balls. Defensively, he had a team-high three tackles, an interception, and a team-high six clearances.

MF, Nico Lodeiro (60’), 6 — Lodeiro came on for Ojeda in the 60th minute and recorded 31 touches in a half hour of action. He completed 76.5% of his 17 passes, including a key pass and both long balls, but none of his three crosses. He also had a tackle defensively and didn’t take any shots.

D, Kyle Smith (71’), 5.5 — Smith came on in the 71st minute to help see out the game, replacing Santos. He touched the ball 19 times and completed 88.9% of his nine passes, including a key pass, his only cross, and his only long ball. The purpose of his inclusion was to help defensively and he recorded three tackles, an interception, and a clearance. However, he allowed clean crosses on both late Toronto goals and struggled to track Kobe Franklin and Federico Bernardeschi on Orlando’s left flank.

F, Luis Muriel (71’), 6 — Muriel came on for McGuire in the 71st minute, playing a deeper role. He recorded 21 touches and completed 64.3% of his 14 passes, including a key pass. He had two tackles defensively, but didn’t take any shots in 19 minutes of action.

That’s how I saw the performances for Orlando City in its 2-1 loss to Toronto FC Saturday night. Let us know how you saw the game and vote on your Man of the Match below.

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/30/24

Luana’s season ends with Hodgkins Lymphoma diagnosis, San Diego linked with Chucky Lozano, U.S. and Mexico withdraw 2027 World Cup bid, and more.

Published

12 hours ago

on

April 30, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Happy Tuesday, everyone. It was another busy weekend of Orlando soccer, and things aren’t going to slow down anytime soon. May is an absolutely packed month for all three teams, and the games will be coming thick and fast. We have a lot to discuss this morning, so let’s jump into the links.

Luana Diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

This week started off with some very sad news, as the Orlando Pride announced on Monday that midfielder Luana has been placed on the Season-Ending Injury list as a result of her being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The Brazilian international is starting chemotherapy treatments with the Orlando Health Cancer Institute. In a statement, Luana thanked both the Brazilian National Team and the Pride for the support she’s been receiving. Seb Hines and Rafaelle also spoke about how the team has been supporting Luana.

San Diego Reportedly Nears Deal for Chucky Lozano

The Athletic’s Tom Bogert has reported that San Diego FC is in advanced talks to sign Chucky Lozano ($) from PSV Eindhoven. The Dutch team is expected to receive a transfer fee in the area of $12 million, and Lozano would likely be the highest-profile player for the expansion team ahead of its maiden Major League Soccer season in 2025. While nothing is official, San Diego is said to be hopeful of getting a deal done before Copa America kicks off this summer.

U.S. and Mexico Withdraw 2027 Women’s World Cup Bid

The United States and Mexico have announced their decision to withdraw a joint bid for the 2027 Women’s World Cup, and instead focus on bidding for the 2031 edition of the tournament. The bid had made it to the final three of the selection process, in addition to a bid from Brazil and a joint effort from Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands. U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlowe Cone cited a desire to have more time to prepare while also having the opportunity to learn from the experience of the joint effort of hosting the 2026 World Cup. As far as who will host in 2027, the decision will be made on May 17, with Germany having hosted a Women’s World Cup back in 2011, while Brazil would be the first South American nation to host the tournament.

English Premier League Approves Spending Cap

Premier League teams took the first step towards implementing a spending cap on Monday. While a final vote is still needed to ratify the proposed changes, Monday’s vote gave the green light to start the legal and economic studies needed to change to a spending cap model. The proposed cap would be based on how much the lowest earning Premier League team earns from television rights, and could be implemented for the 2025-2026 season. There were 16 teams that voted in favor of continuing the process of moving towards a salary cap, while Chelsea abstained from voting, and Manchester United, Manchester City, and Aston Villa voted against the motion.

Free Kicks

That does it for me this morning. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/29/24

Orlando City and OCB lose to Toronto, Pride beat the Spirit in Washington, EPL title race update, and more.

Published

1 day ago

on

April 29, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers. I hope all is well with you down in Florida. It was a mixed weekend for our teams, with the Pride winning, while Orlando City and OCB lost. I’ve been busy covering high school volleyball, badminton, and soccer throughout the past week. There is plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Lose at Home to Toronto FC

Orlando City SC saw its four-match unbeaten streak come to an end, losing 2-1 to Toronto FC at Inter&Co Stadium on Saturday. Duncan McGuire scored the opening goal to put Orlando ahead in the first half. The Lions held on to the 1-0 lead until late in the second half, when goals from Tyrese Spicer and Prince Owusu put the Reds up 2-1, and they were able to hang on and walk out of Orlando with all three points. Toronto FC has won two in a row in league play and is fourth in the Eastern Conference with 16 points. Meanwhile, the Lions are in 13th with nine points. Orlando City will look to bounce back Saturday at home as it takes on FC Cincinnati.  

Pride Grab Road Win Over Washington Spirit

The Orlando Pride held on to defeat the Washington Spirit 3-2 at Audi Field Friday — their third straight victory. Angelina scored to put the Pride ahead in the first half, but the Spirit equalized just before halftime. Barbra Banda scored her first goal for the Pride, and Summer Yates added her third goal of the season, giving the Pride a 3-1 advantage in the second half. Ashley Hatch pulled one back for the Spirit on a howler by goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse, but the Pride keep their unbeaten streak alive at six matches (3-0-3). Orlando remains undefeated and is fourth in the NWSL table with 12 points. Next up for the Pride is a pair of home matches this week, starting Wednesday at home against the North Carolina Courage. Orlando will host Racing Louisville FC Sunday.

OCB Falls at Home to Toronto FC II

Like the first team, Orlando City B also lost 2-1 to Toronto FC II in its first home match at Osceola County Stadium. The Young Lions went down early in the match when Charles Sharp scored for Toronto FC II to take a 1-0 lead. Wilfredo Rivera scored the equalizer in the second half to tie the match, however, late in the second half, Jesus Batiz scored the game-winning goal to seal the win for Toronto. The Young Lions have yet to win a match at home, but has played well on the road this season and are on a four-match unbeaten streak away. The Young Lions will face MLS NEXT Pro Eastern Conference leaders Chattanooga FC Saturday at Finley Stadium. 

Manchester City and Arsenal Win to Keep EPL Title Race Close

The Premier League title race is going down to the wire as Manchester City and Arsenal won their matches over the weekend. Arsenal held on to defeat rival Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 in the North London Derby. That result moves Arsenal into first with 80 points with three matches remaining. Manchester City shut out Nottingham Forest 2-0 and is second, with 79 points and still four matches left to play. Liverpool dropped points to West Ham in a 2-2 draw, putting another blow to the Reds’ title chances and leaving them in third with 75 points and three matches left.  

Free Kicks

  • If you missed it, check out the first goal from Pride forward Barbra Banda.

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

Continue Reading

Trending