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Orlando City vs. Tigres UANL, Concacaf Champions Cup: Final Score 0-0 as Defensive Battle Ends without a Goal

The Lions didn’t concede a Tigres road goal, but neither team has managed to win in three meetings.

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2 months ago

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Orlando City and Tigres battled to a defensive stalemate in a 0-0 draw short on scoring chances in a Concacaf Champions Cup match in front of 10,104 fans at Inter&Co Stadium. Neither side tested the opposition goalkeeper much and Orlando will either need to win at Monterrey next week, draw a game in which it scores, or win a penalty shootout after another scoreless draw to advance.

“A very hard game for both teams,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “We thought we could have won the game. We fought and we played well, but the most remarkable (thing) for me was the personality that the team brought to day and overcame that difficult moment that we had during the weekend. I’m very proud of them. That’s a great response.”

Pareja’s lineup included Pedro Gallese in goal behind a back line of Kyle Smith, Robin Jansson, David Brekalo, and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson. Cesar Araujo and Wilder Cartagena played central midfield behind an attacking line of Ivan Angulo, Nico Lodeiro, and Facundo Torres with Luis Muriel up top.

The game was a cagey, defensive battle from the jump. The first chance of the match didn’t come until the 23-minute mark off an Orlando City corner. The delivery from Lodeiro was knocked out of the box by the defense and found its way to Angulo. The Colombian fired a shot that hit off a defender and caromed to Jansson. The Swedish center back fired first touch but Nahuel Guzman made a good reaction save. He also saved the rebound try from Araujo, but the Uruguayan was offside on the play anyway.

The first chance for Tigres fell for Andre-Pierre Gignac in the 28th minute but the Frenchman fired well over Gallese’s crossbar from near the top of the box.

Araujo saw his shot from outside the area blocked in the 33rd minute.

Diego Lainez was booked for a hard foul on Torres late in the first half and the Orlando Designated Player didn’t look right, favoring his shoulder. He went down moments later and the trainers came on to attend to him, but he was eventually able to finish out the half.

The best chance of the half came in the 45th minute. Muriel did well to move inside onto his right foot and blast a shot from the top of the box. Guzman got a touch on it and it deflected inches wide of the left post. However, referee Walter Lopez didn’t see the goalkeeper’s touch and awarded a goal kick.

“We were a bit unlucky not to get a goal,” Smith said. “Their goalie had a good save that was called a goal kick. That was a good save.”

That was the last look for either side in the opening period.

Tigres finished the half with more possession (58.7%-41.3%), although much of it was in the defensive half. The visitors also passed more accurately (88.8%-83.5%), while the Lions won more corners (3-1). Both teams attempted two shots in the first half and neither got one on target — officially, anyway, as Muriel’s shot probably would have gone in without the touch from the keeper that the referee missed.

“I think maybe it takes someone to do something special maybe to score a goal,” Smith said of this style of game. “I thought our attackers did that sometimes and that’s why we had some chances to score.”

Nothing much changed after halftime except the Lions saw a bit less of the ball and generated almost nothing in the attack. Once Orlando won the ball back, it was quickly given away.

After the restart, Orlando had a half chance in the 58th minute that was the only offensive point of interest between halftime and the hour mark. Lodeiro sent a ball toward the back post that skipped wide and out for a goal kick. Whether the former Sounders man was going for goal or trying to hit a cutting Muriel, it didn’t quite come off.

In the 66th minute, Araujo nearly got the ball to an open Ramiro Enrique, but the defense arrived and knocked it behind for a corner. Brekalo’s shot on the set piece was deflected up over the bar.

Gallese was called into action for the only time on the night in the 70th minute. Araujo was bundled over from behind for the fourth or fifth time in the game but for the first time, a foul wasn’t given. Instead, Tigres was given a throw-in and worked the ball to the top of the box, where Sebastian Cordova smashed a shot on target that Gallese fought off.

Duncan McGuire sent a ball forward for his fellow second-half sub Enrique in the 81st minute and Guzman raced off his line to deflect the Argentine’s shot. A minute later, Martin Ojeda chipped the ball over the defense for McGuire, who in turn tried to chip Guzman. The ball fizzed just over the bar and landed on the roof of the net.

The last look of the match came in stoppage time, when Ojeda fired a laser shot from distance that hit Guzman square in the chest.

Tigres finished the match with more possession (55.4%-44.6%) and had a slight edge in passing accuracy (86.5%-84.4%), while Orlando attempted more shots (10-6), put more on frame (3-1), and earned more corners (5-4). In the end, the teams were simply evenly matched on the stat sheet and the scoreboard.

“It was not a surprise for me to see those both teams aren’t pushing that much and not having too much open spaces, especially in the last third,” Pareja said.

“I think it was very important,” Smith said of getting a clean sheet after allowing five goals at Miami on Saturday. “I thought we defended well as a group. It was good for us to get that shutout and build confidence again.”

“It’s going to come,” Thorhallsson said of the team’s offense. “We need to start back to basics, basically. Defensively, start there and work your way up the pitch. It’s going to come eventually. It just needs to fall for us one time and then it’s going to come.”

The Lions are back in league action on Saturday at home against Minnesota United. Leg 2 of the series against Tigres moves to Monterrey, Mexico next Tuesday.

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. FC Cincinnati: Three Keys to Victory

What does Orlando City need to do to ensure a victory over FC Cincinnati Saturday at home?

Published

6 hours ago

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May 2, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City looks to bounce back from the disappointing 2-1 loss to Toronto FC Saturday night at Inter&Co Stadium. Cincinnati has twice as many points as Orlando City and more than twice as many wins. FCC has only scored one more goal than Orlando City, but with only nine goals conceded compared to Orlando City’s 17, it’s easy to see why Cincinnati is sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference.

What I’m trying to say is that the task doesn’t get any easier this weekend. What does Orlando City need to do to secure all three points at home against FC Cincinnati?

Accost Acosta

Cincinnati’s attack revolves around Luciano Acosta. The attacking midfielder has four goals and five assists so far this season. To put that into perspective, Duncan McGuire — Orlando City’s leading scorer — also has four goals but only one assist. If we look at the Lions’ attacking midfielders, Facundo Torres has one goal and one assist, Ivan Angulo and Nico Lodeiro both have one goal and two assists, and Martin Ojeda has zero goals and only one assist. Luis Muriel is still at double zeroes.

The defensive midfield and the back line must do everything possible to mark him out of the match. It’s not enough to keep him from scoring, they must also keep him from setting up chances for his teammates. Most importantly, the defense must do that for 90 minutes plus stoppage time. There is no room for the mental lapses we’ve seen throughout the first part of this season.

Break Through

Cincinnati is stingy on defense. As I mentioned above, the club has only allowed nine goals this season. The back line is formidable with the likes of Matt Miazga, Miles Robinson, and Ian Murphy. On the wings are DeAndre Yedlin and Luca Orellano. This is a tough defense, and whether it is McGuire or Muriel who gets the start, they must find the spaces in between.

Just as importantly, Torres, Angulo, Ojeda, and Lodeiro — depending on who is in at any given moment — must be able to thread the passes in for McGuire, Muriel, or each other to create quality chances. On top of that, the Lions must convert on those chances, which is not something that has been a strength so far this season. If the Orlando City defense continues to give up cheap goals, then the offense will need to one-up the competition when it comes to scoring.

Deal with an Unknown

FC Cincinnati recently signed Venezuelan forward Kevin Kelsy from Ukrainian Premier League club Shakhtar Donetsk. Kelsy comes in as an MLS U22 Initiative player and is eligible to play against Orlando City. Even though Kelsy is only 19, he has 68 professional appearances, including UEFA Champions Leagues matches. At 6-foot-3, he can be a challenge for defenders, especially in the air.

Kelsy hasn’t had much time with the team, but he could be a second-half substitution for Cincinnati. Given that Orlando City just gave up two late headers against Toronto FC, the back line will need to be careful that Kelsy doesn’t hurt the Lions in the same manner — especially if he comes on late when legs and minds are tired.

That is what I will be looking for Saturday night. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/2/24

The Pride win big, OCSC celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month, USMNT news, and more.

Published

9 hours ago

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May 2, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

It’s Thursday, Mane Landers. Of course, the name Thursday comes from Thor’s day, and as such, it isn’t a big leap for us to consider it Thorhallsson’s day. Though I suppose that is a bit of a mouthful, so we’ll just keep things the way they are, but do hold Dagur Dan close to your heart today. Also, let us wish a happy birthday to the Orlando Pride’s Luana. Despite the devastating news that dropped about her health earlier this week, we hope that her spirits are high and we wish her nothing but happiness today. It’s also Dagur Dan Thorhallsson’s birthday today, so we’re celebrating him as well. Let’s get to the links.

The Pride Dominate the Courage

The Orlando Pride defeated the North Carolina Courage 4-1 in a midweek match at Inter&Co Stadium. The Pride did indeed dominate the Courage as much as the score line indicates. It was once again the Barbra Banda show, with the Pride’s newest player contributing a brace and an assist on the night. It is the Pride’s fourth straight victory and the undefeated run continues.

OCSC Celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month

Orlando City and the Orlando Pride are doing their part this May to observe Mental Health Awareness Month. The club is sponsoring and attending events and forums available to the general public, as well as holding club staff workshops around promoting mental health. I have to say my favorite is the therapy dogs visits that will be available to the staff. There’s nothing as good for my personal mental health as the joy and unconditional love a dog can bring. If I didn’t have dogs of my own, I’d be really jealous.

The Billionaires Clubs

Orlando City and Orlando Pride owners, the Wilf family, are not the only billionaire owners in the NWSL. There are more and more owners and ownership groups that fall into that category. The influx of more money is a growth opportunity for the league and potentially for those owners. It’s a bit of a “rising tide lifts all boats” mentality for these owners as they do better when the league as a whole does better. It’s not just the owners who think so. The NWSL was ranked No. 5 on the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2024. I’m just glad the Pride are in the club.

USMNT News

I hate starting off a section with bad news, but Sergino Dest tore his ACL in training with PSV Eindhoven and will miss the Copa America. Dest will require surgery though there is no time frame yet for when he may return. The loss of Dest is a blow to the U.S. defense heading into the competition this coming June. The USMNT plays Bolivia on June 23.

In better news, Tim Weah provided the assist for Juventus on Arkadiusz Milik’s goal against Lazio. Juventus entered the second leg of the Copa Italia semifinal up 2-0, but Lazio drew level before Milik’s goal. Juventus advanced 3-2 on aggregate and will play in the final.

Free Kicks

That will do it for today. There’s plenty more soccer to come this weekend with all three teams playing. Check back for more as we get you ready for those matches. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/1/24

Mason Stajduhar was arrested, Orlando Pride play at home tonight, Colin Guske discusses his signing, and more.

Published

1 day ago

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May 1, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday and welcome to May, Mane Landers. Don’t forget that the undefeated Orlando Pride are in action tonight, so check back for our match preview and the latest episode of SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride PawedCast for additional pre-match coverage. In the meantime, let’s get to the links.

Mason Stajduhar Arrested Early Sunday

Orlando City goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar and his wife Tatiana Stajduhar were both arrested on disorderly conduct charges following an incident at a nightclub overnight Saturday in the early hours of Sunday morning. The couple were reportedly disrespectful to the club’s staff and got into an altercation with the security guards. Mason stated he was only resisting the security guards to re-enter the club because the bouncers allegedly hit his wife. Tatiana allegedly pushed the police officers after they arrived, and she was not charged with battery on a law enforcement officer. The couple were released Monday after posting a bond. Orlando City provided the following statement to WESH 2 News:

“The Club is aware that goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar was arrested early Sunday morning. We are currently gathering more information and will have no further comment at this time.”

Orlando Pride Host the North Carolina Courage Tonight

After a 3-2 win on the road last Friday against the Washington Spirit, the Orlando Pride are back in the City Beautiful and will take on the North Carolina Courage tonight. Unbeaten in their six games so far this season, the Pride have also won their past three games and sit fourth in the standings. They’re tied on points with a Courage team that beat the Seattle Reign Saturday. Orlando has scored at least one goal in every match this season. Forward Barbra Banda had a great performance in that win against the Spirit, so hopefully the scoring trend continues tonight for the Pride.

Orlando City/Pride Earn Golden Brick Awards

Have you enjoyed the new food options at the stadium? I know I have, and I’m looking forward to trying even more. The efforts made by Orlando City’s front office to feature more local food and beverage options did not go unnoticed, as the club won the Hospitality & Dining category in the Downtown Orlando Partnership’s 2023 Golden Brick Awards. The Orlando Pride’s 2023 Highway Woman Kit also won the award in the Arts & Culture category. The home jersey was inspired by the work of Mary Ann Carroll, the sole woman in the famed Highwaymen artists from decades ago.

Colin Guske Speaks On Signing First Pro Contract

Orlando City Development Academy player Colin Guske signed his first professional contract with the club last month and spoke on the importance of this moment in his career. The 17-year-old is now on an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Orlando City B, and he has started in nearly every game for the Young Lions this year. Both of Guske’s brothers have also played for Orlando City’s academy over the years, and he thanked his family for helping him reach this point.

“It’s awesome to represent the Guskes,” Colin said. “Thanks to my brothers for always pushing me through early mornings and late nights, always putting in the work, doing video sessions, everything. My sister as well, for always being there for me and my parents, too. They’re always helping me and what was the best for me.”

Free Kicks

  • Enjoy all of the sights and sounds from the Pride’s big win over the Spirit in the nation’s capital.
  • The Champions League semifinals are underway and Real Madrid and Bayern Munich played to a 2-2 draw in Germany. The second leg will take place on May 8 in Madrid.

That will do it for today. If you can make it out to the stadium tonight to catch the Pride in action, I strongly suggest you do so. Barbra Banda is about to take the NWSL by storm and you’ll want to see it in person. Vamos Orlando!

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