Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Tigres UANL, Concacaf Champions Cup: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
The Lions renew acquaintances with Tigres in continental cup competition.
Welcome to your match thread for a Tuesday night, first-leg, Concacaf Champions Cup matchup between Orlando City and Tigres UANL of Liga MX in the Round of 16 at Inter&Co Stadium (9 p.m., FOX Sports 2). It’s the first of two scheduled meetings between the teams in this competition, with the return leg in Monterrey set for next Tuesday.
Here’s what you need to know ahead of the match.
History
Neither team has yet managed a win in this series, with the two previous matches ending in draws. The most recent meeting took place in Orlando on March 15, 2023 and ended in a 1-1 draw. Sebastian Cordova put Tigres ahead 1-0 early but Ercan Kara’s overhead kick knotted the game late. Orlando couldn’t find a winner in stoppage time, and Tigres advanced due to the away goals rule.
The teams first met on March 7, 2023 at Estadio Universitario in the Monterrey area. That match in Mexico ended in a 0-0 draw, despite what seemed like 30 shots by Andre-Pierre Gignac.
The Lions are 1-1-2 all-time against Liga MX competition, having also previously split two matches against Santos Laguna.
Tigres has been to Orlando City’s home stadium twice before. In addition to last year’s 1-1 draw, the Mexican club won the 2020 CCL title 2-1 over LAFC at the Lions’ home grounds during the pandemic year.
Overview
Orlando City is coming off a 5-0 meltdown of a loss at Inter Miami on Saturday. The Lions got to this point by sweeping Canadian Premier League side Cavalry FC with 3-0 and 3-1 wins, claiming a 6-1 aggregate advantage over the two legs. The club’s only wins in 2024 in competitive action have come in this competition, as the Lions are 2-1-1 in their four competitive matches this year. The Lions played an almost entirely first-choice lineup on Saturday, so it will be interesting to see what changes are made for this match.
Tigres is coming off a 2-1 loss at Toluca on Saturday. Tonight’s visitors advanced by claiming a 4-1 aggregate advantage over the Vancouver Whitecaps, drawing 1-1 in Vancouver and winning 3-0 at home. Cordova was sent off in the Toluca game but that won’t affect his availability in this continental competition. Gignac did not play in that match.
The Mexican giants have a new manager for this year’s matchups, Robert Siboldi. Marco Antonio Ruiz was sacked last April after the two games against Orlando and a poor showing in a loss to Mazatlan. Siboldi is a former Tigres player. Siboldi’s club has lined up the last few games in a 4-2-3-1, but it employed a 4-4-2 and a 3-4-3 against Vancouver, so Tigres has shown some flexibility in its shape.
It remains to be seen if the 38-year-old Gignac will be in Orlando, but Tigres has plenty of firepower without him, including Uruguayan international Fernando Gorriarán, Córdova, Luis Quinones, and striker Nicolás Ibáñez. At the other end of Tigres’ formation, veteran Nahuel “Patón” Guzmán is one of the best goalkeepers in Liga MX, while center backs Samir and former Atlanta center back Juan Jose Purata anchor the back line.
“Obviously, a new series and lot of expectations from our end. We are very optimistic at this point,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said ahead of the match. “ Just playing Tigres will be a great opportunity for us in a cup that we are very proud to belong to and compete in. We’re good, we’re getting ready in a short time from recovering from the games, but I think we’ll be fine.”
Orlando City’s availability report is clean entering tonight’s match.
Official Lineups
Orlando City (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Pedro Gallese.
Defenders: Kyle Smith, Robin Jansson, David Brekalo, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson.
Defensive Midfielders: Cesar Araujo, Wilder Cartagena.
Attacking Midfielders: Ivan Angulo, Nico Lodeiro, Facundo Torres.
Forward: Luis Muriel.
Bench: Mason Stajduhar, Rafael Santos, Michael Halliday, Rodrigo Schlegel, Thomas Williams, Felipe, Jeorgio Kocevski, Favian Loyola, Shakur Mohammed, Ramiro Enrique, Martin Ojeda, Duncan McGuire.
Tigres (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Nahuel Guzmán.
Defenders: Jesús Angulo, Guido Pizarro, Samir, Javier Aquino.
Defensive Midfielders: Juan Vigon, Rafael Carioca.
Attacking Midfielders: Luis Quiñones, Sebastián Córdova, Diego Lainez.
Forwards: Andre-Pierre Gignac.
Bench: Juan Brunetta, Sebastian Fierro, Marcelo Flores, Jesus Garza, Fernando Gorriaran, Ozziel Herrera, Nicolas Ibanez, Miguel Ortega, Diego Reyes, Felipe Rodriguez, Juan Purata, Eduardo Tercero.
Officials:
Ref: Walter Lopez (Guatemala).
AR1: Keytzel Corrales (Nicaragua).
AR2: Raymundo Feliz (Dominican Republic).
4th: Julio Luna (Guatemala).
VAR: Benjamin Pineda (Costa Rica).
AVAR: Ricardo Montero (Costa Rica).
How to Watch
Match Time: 9 p.m.
Venue: Inter&Co Stadium — Orlando.
TV: FOX Sports 2.
Radio: Real Radio 104.1 FM (English).
Streaming: The match can be streamed on FOX Sports GO and the FOX Sports app.
Twitter: For rapid reaction and live updates, follow along at @TheManeLand, as well as Orlando City’s official Twitter feed (@OrlandoCitySC).
Enjoy the match. Go City!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 11/6/24
Orlando City and Orlando Pride set for upcoming playoff games, Rafaelle out for the season, UEFA Champions League results, and more.
Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s win or go home time for both Orlando City and the Orlando Pride this weekend. As if this week wasn’t stressful enough, we have that to occupy our collective minds. I know that I often prefer to concentrate on soccer, so let’s let to the links.
Do or Die Time for the Lions
Thanks to a lackluster performance by Orlando City in the second match against Charlotte FC away from home, the Lions need a victory to advance in the playoffs. Fortunately, the next match will be back at Inter&Co Stadium. The Lions will need Facundo Torres and Martin Ojeda to return to form if they are to win. Orlando City isn’t the only home squad looking to win this weekend.
The NWSL Playoffs Are Here
With the NWSL playoffs imminent, it is any club’s championship to win. Of course, we want the Orlando Pride to win a second trophy. Each club has a chance to win, though some are better positioned to do so than others. The argument against the Pride stems from the two road matches they recently lost, and the goals given up after winning the NWSL Shield. If the Pride can return to the defensive form from earlier in the season, their odds will be better.
Rafaelle’s Season is Over
Any hope we had of Rafaelle bolstering the Orlando Pride back line came to an end Tuesday, as did her season. The Brazilian has been placed on the Season Ending Injury list with a partial tear of her quadriceps tendon in her right leg. The club is working with Orlando Health on a recovery program for Rafaelle, in hopes she’ll be available for the 2025 season. We wish her a complete and speedy recovery.
Champions League Doesn’t Disappoint
It was quite a day in the UEFA Champions League Tuesday. Liverpool dispatched Bayer Leverkusen 4-0 on the back of a Luis Diaz hat trick, with all four goals coming after the 60th minute. Another high-scoring match saw Sporting CP down Manchester City 4-1 thanks to a hat trick from Victor Gyokeres.
Christian Pulisic helped AC Milan defeat Real Madrid 3-1 with the American providing an assist off a corner. It really was quite a beauty with a finish by Malick Thiaw.
The USMNT’s Malik Tillman scored a goal and added two assists in PSV’s 4-0 victory over Girona. Of course, Girona played a man down after Arnau Martinez received a second yellow card 10 minutes into the second half.
Free Kicks
- Atlanta United’s Brooks Lennon is expected to be out four to six months due to shoulder surgery. Lennon suffered a dislocated shoulder in Game 1 of the series with Inter Miami.
- Austin FC announced its roster decisions after missing out on the playoffs.
- In absolutely horrendous news, Jose de la Cruz, a defender for Familia Chocca was killed by a bolt of lightning as the players were exiting the pitch because of lightning in the area. Our thoughts are with his family, teammates, and friends.
- Evidently, a pig’s head was thrown onto the pitch during a match between Corinthians and Palmeiras in the Brazilian championship. Seriously, people. This is the type of thing that gives soccer supporters a bad name.
- Not going to lie. The quality of this tifo is exceptional.
- This Atalanta supporter will have a story to tell that few, if any, could ever dream of when talking about his club.
- If you were wondering what a day in the life of Felipe looks like, wonder no more.
- If you’re looking for something to do tonight perhaps you’d like to meet Simone Charley and Grace Chanda? The info is in the post below from Tuesday.
That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for both matches this weekend. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 11/5/24
Orlando City announces preseason match, how the Orlando Pride turned things around, Americans in midweek action, and more.
Happy Tuesday, everyone. We have a massive week ahead of us, as the Orlando Pride take on the Chicago Red Stars in the NWSL playoffs on Friday. That will be followed up by a pivotal Game 3 for Orlando City against Charlotte FC on Saturday. Both matches will be at home, so suffice it to say we have a lot going on around these parts. As usual, we have lots to talk through today, so let’s get into the links.
Orlando City Announces Friendly
Orlando City has announced that the club will play a preseason match against Inter Miami in Tampa on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14. The game will take place at Raymond James Stadium at 7:30 p.m., with tickets going on sale to the general public on Nov. 14. There will also be a pregame fan festival set up outside the stadium, which is free if you have a ticket. The decision to play Miami in a preseason game isn’t a surprising one, as it involves minimal travel for both clubs, and a chance to capitalize on the box office draw of Lionel Messi. It is a little surprising that the decision was made to host the game at Raymond James Stadium rather than Orlando’s Camping World Stadium, but it’s possible that the latter wasn’t available, or that there was a desire to capitalize on the additional gate money from the extra 15,000 seats at Raymond James.
How the Pride Escaped the Cellar
In a season that featured several teams who played outstanding campaigns, the Orlando Pride still managed to finish first in the National Women’s Soccer League. It’s a feat made even more impressive when considering how the club has historically struggled, but the change didn’t happen overnight. The rebuild really got underway in 2021, which was when a series of high profile exits and trades began to take place, which would eventually allow the Pride to do a lot of maneuvering in the transfer market. It was a long process though, and it took the arrival of Haley Carter in the front office and Seb Hines as the head coach for things to really start coming together. It’s been an all-around effort, but one that paid off with a first-place finish this season.
Americans in Midweek Action
There are a number of Americans playing this week, so make sure you’ve got everything marked down on your calendar. UEFA Champions League action returns tomorrow, as Malik Tillman, Ricardo Pepi, and Richie Ledezma will take on Girona with PSV Eindhoven. Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan face Real Madrid, and Tim Weah, Weston McKennie, and Juventus hit the road to take on Weah’s former club, Lille. European action then continues on Thursday as Tanner Tessmann and Lyon face Hoffenheim on the road in the Europa League, and Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis host Celje in the Conference League.
Transfer Rumor Roundup
As always seems to be the case, there are a number of transfer rumors floating around. First up, Spanish outlet Marca says that if Vinicius Jr. becomes available then Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain would be interested in signing him. This comes amid reports that the Brazilian is considering a move to Saudi Arabia. Speaking of Chelsea, Enzo Fernandez could seek an exit from the Blues reportedly due to not being favored by boss Enzo Maresca, with Barcelona and Inter Milan as possible destinations. Finally, Eintracht Frankfurt star Omar Marmoush is reportedly attracting interest from some of Europe’s big clubs, with Bayern Munich and Liverpool both interested in signing him.
Free Kicks
- The Orlando Pride slipped a spot to third in ESPN’s NWSL power rankings.
- Josh Sargent will be sidelined for at least two months after having surgery for a groin injury.
- Fellow United State’s Men’s National Team player Antonee Robinson assisted on Fulham’s late winner on Monday afternoon.
- Neymar went off injured in his second appearance for Al Hilal since suffering an ACL tear last October.
- Edu has resigned from his position as Arsenal’s sporting director.
That’s all I have for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 11/4/24
Orlando City falls to Charlotte FC in penalty shootout, Orlando Pride defeat the Seattle Reign, Megan Montefusco retires and more.
Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I covered high school cross country state semifinals over the weekend, and I’m getting ready to cover a high school soccer playoff match later this week. We have plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.
Lions Lose Penalty Shootout to Charlotte FC
Orlando City fell 3-1 on penalties to Charlotte FC at Bank of America Stadium on Friday night after playing to a scoreless draw in Game 2 of the MLS Cup playoffs. Orlando’s offense struggled to create anything throughout the match in the attack. The best chance came late in the second half when Facundo Torres thought he had scored the game-winner for Orlando, but the assistant referee deemed him to be offside. In the penalty shootout, Luis Muriel was the only Lion to find the back of the net. Nico Lodeiro and Duncan McGuire had their penalty kicks saved by Charlotte FC goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina, while Robin Jansson’s kick sailed over the net. The Lions will host Charlotte FC in Game 3 at Inter&Co Stadium on Saturday with a spot in the Eastern Conference semifinals on the line.
Orlando Pride Defeat the Seattle Reign in Regular Season Finale
The Orlando Pride snapped their two-match losing streak and defeated the Seattle Reign 3-2 to close out the 2024 NWSL regular season. Ally Watt, Kerry Abello, and Marta all scored for the Pride. Even though the Reign fought back to keep it close, Orlando held on for the win. The Pride finished the regular season first in the NWSL standings with 60 points. The Pride will take on the Chicago Red Stars in the quarterfinals of the 2024 NWSL playoffs on Friday in their first home playoff match ever. The match will kick off at 8 p.m. and will be broadcast on Amazon Prime Video.
Megan Montefusco Announces Retirement
Orlando Pride defender Megan Montefusco will retire from professional soccer following the 2024 season. She’s played in the NWSL since 2015 and joined the Pride prior to the 2022 season. In her time in Orlando, Montefusco made 45 appearances for Orlando and scored in a 2023 Challenge Cup match against NJ/NY Gotham FC. She did not play in any matches in the 2024 season after undergoing foot surgery during the off-season and was placed on the season-ending injury list. Montefusco finishes her career with 179 appearances, scoring three goals and adding four assists across all competitions.
MLS Playoff Roundup
The first round of the MLS Cup playoffs continued over the weekend, with a few teams booking their spot in the next round. The Columbus Crew’s title defense ended after they lost 5-4 on penalties to the New York Red Bulls after a 2-2 draw. The LA Galaxy dominated the Colorado Rapids 4-1 on the road to advance to the Western Conference semifinals. Minnesota United also moved on, defeating Real Salt Lake in a shootout after a 1-1 draw and the Loons will face the Galaxy. The Seattle Sounders edged past the Houston Dynamo 7-6 on penalties after a 1-1 draw to advance to the Western Conference semifinals as well.
New York City FC bounced back with a 3-1 win over FC Cincinnati, while Atlanta United did the same with a 2-1 victory over Inter Miami as both teams stayed alive to force a third game in their series. LAFC fell 3-0 on the road to the Vancouver Whitecaps in a match that included two own goals.
Free Kicks
- The U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team defeated England 3-0 to claim third place at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
- The MLS NEXT Pro Cup is set, as North Texas SC will host Philadelphia Union II on Saturday. Both clubs shut out their opponents over the weekend to advance.
- Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah posted a message on social media hinting at his future at the club after he scored the winning goal against Brighton on Saturday.
- Wrexham was eliminated from the FA Cup after a 1-0 defeat against Harrogate Town in the first round.
- In its first league match since firing former manager Erik ten Hag, Manchester United drew 1-1 against Chelsea on Sunday.
That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday and I’ll see you next time.
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