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 face Tigres with a spot in the quarterfinals on the line.
Welcome to your match thread for a late Tuesday night, second-leg, Concacaf Champions Cup matchup between Orlando City and Tigres UANL of Liga MX in the Round of 16 at the Estadio Universitario (a.k.a. El Volcán) (10:30 p.m., FOX Sports 1, TUDN). It’s the second of the two scheduled meetings between the teams in this competition.
Here’s what you need to know ahead of the match.
History
Neither team has yet managed a win in this series, with all three previous matches ending in draws and only two total goals being scored so far. The most recent meeting came one week ago, with the Lions and Tigres battling to a scoreless stalemate in Orlando in a match that featured few chances either way.
The previous meeting also took place in Orlando, on March 15, 2023, and it 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. That match in Mexico ended in a 0-0 draw, despite what seemed like 30 shots by Andre-Pierre Gignac.
The Lions are 1-1-3 all-time against Liga MX competition, having also previously split two matches against Santos Laguna.
Overview
Orlando City is coming off a 3-2 loss at the death to Minnesota United on Saturday night at home. It was a bewildering match in which the Lions muffed several glorious chances to score and yet still got a Duncan McGuire brace. Unfortunately, a couple of uncharacteristic goalkeeping errors and a late defensive lapse allowed the Loons to escape Orlando with all the points. The Lions played several first-choice players Saturday, but will likely still ride with the best Oscar Pareja can deploy in such a massive game tonight.
Tigres is coming off a 2-0 road loss to Club America on Saturday, but the Mexican club rotated heavily and many of the best players on the team will be fairly fresh heading into tonight’s game, including Andre-Pierre Gignac, who came off the bench after the hour mark this past weekend. Luis Quinones and Samir didn’t play at all, nor did Cordova, who was suspended for Saturday.
The Mexican giants stuck with the 4-2-3-1 on Saturday, continuing a recent trend under first-year coach Robert Siboldi. He’s used other lineups, but has recently used the same one for the last several matches. However, smart money might be on a change tonight due to it being the second meeting in a week.
The Lions will need to try to contain Gignac and to avoid fouls anywhere near the box, where a well-placed set piece can cause problems. Uruguayan international Fernando Gorriarán, Córdova, Quinones, and striker Nicolás Ibáñez are other attackers to watch. At the other end of Tigres’ formation, veteran Nahuel “Patón” Guzmán is one of the best goalkeepers in Liga MX, while center back Samir has an imposing frame and surprising quickness for a big man. The fullbacks have shown they can keep up even with the speedy Ivan Angulo.
“Obviously a great opportunity that we have, and as we have had before, coming to Mexico, playing a big team, and having this opportunity to qualify for the next round,” Pareja said. “So, it’s a big opportunity, we are preparing, and we are just going to come and try to use that opportunity to make Orlando advance. That’s just the way that we have to take the game, with the positivity that we can come and advance here in Mexico. It would be great, not just for Orlando, but for the league as well.”
As of this writing, Orlando City had not yet posted its game notes to the club’s website, however, on Saturday, Facundo Torres (upper extremity) and Jack Lynn (lower leg) were listed as questionable. Neither dressed for Saturday’s match. Additionally, Cesar Araujo (going with lower leg here until the official word comes out) had to leave the match against Minnesota on Saturday prior to halftime.
Official Lineups
Orlando City (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Pedro Gallese.
Defenders: Kyle Smith, Robin Jansson, David Brekalo, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson.
Defensive Midfielders: Wilder Cartagena, Felipe.
Attacking Midfielders: Ivan Angulo, Nico Lodeiro, Facundo Torres.
Forward: Luis Muriel.
Bench: Mason Stajduhar, Rafael Santos, Michael Halliday, Abdi Salim, Thomas Williams, Rodrigo Schlegel, Jeorgio Kocevski, Favian Loyola, Martin Ojeda, Ramiro Enrique, Shak Mohammed, Duncan McGuire.
Tigres (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Felipe Rodriguez.
Defenders: Jesús Angulo, Guido Pizarro, Samir, Javier Aquino.
Defensive Midfielders: Fernando Gorriaran, Rafael Carioca.
Attacking Midfielders: Juan Brunetta, Marcelo Flores, Luis Quiñones.
Forwards: Andre-Pierre Gignac.
Bench: Miguel Ortega, Juan Jose Purata, Diego Reyes, Jesus Garza, Eduardo Tercero, Juan Vigon, Diego Lainez, Sebastian Cordova, Sebastian Fierro, Ozziel Herrera, Nicolas Ibanez.
Officials:
Ref: Ivan Barton (El Salvador).
AR1: David Moran (El Salvador).
AR2: Henry Pupiro (Nicaragua).
4th: Said Martinez (Honduras).
VAR: Ricardo Montero (Costa Rica).
AVAR: Tristley Bassue (Saint Kitts & Nevis).
How to Watch
Match Time: 10:30 p.m.
Venue: Estadio Universitario — San Nicolas de los Garza, Mexico.
TV: FOX Sports 1, TUDN.
Radio: Real Radio 104.1 FM (English).
Streaming: The match can be streamed on FOX Sports GO, the FOX Sports app, and the TUDN 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: 11/7/24
Orlando Pride prepare for the playoffs, Lewis Morgan named MLS Comeback Player of the Year, Champions League roundup, and more.
Welcome to Thursday, Mane Landers. Playoff soccer looms here in the City Beautiful, as Orlando City and the Orlando Pride both host games in which defeat means elimination. I’ll unfortunately be spending the next few days working but am still looking forward to following along when I can. Let’s dive into today’s links!
Orlando Pride Focus On Playoff Game
A historic season for the Orlando Pride will continue Friday when they host the Chicago Red Stars in their first playoff game at home. Preparing for the postseason is unfamiliar territory of sorts for this Pride team, but NWSL veterans like Morgan Gautrat and Carson Pickett can help the team get in the playoff mindset. Emily Sams, who is in just her second year with the Pride but has experience winning an NCAA championship with Florida State, spoke on how the team is focused on its goal of winning the championship that’s driven the team forward this year.
“We’ve come back to that at different points in the season and reminded ourselves that our big goals are to win the shield and to win the championship,” Sams said after training. “We know that it’s very serious and that if we don’t perform well, we could possibly go home. But also knowing that Chicago’s in the same boat, they’re coming to our environment, they’re in front of our fans, where we can control things and just know that we’re the better team and that we can, if we play our best and play up to the standard that we want to, that we’ll be the ones happy at the end of the game.”
Lewis Morgan Named MLS Comeback Player of the Year
New York Red Bulls midfielder Lewis Morgan was voted 2024 MLS Comeback Player of the Year for his performance this season after undergoing hip surgery in September of last year. The 28-year-old led his team with 13 goals and also had seven assists to help the Red Bulls clinch a spot in the playoffs. Morgan was also called up by Scotland for the Euros and UEFA Nations League. Injuries kept him out for most of the 2023 season and there were concerns over whether he would be able to return to form this year. He received 37.69% of the vote to win the award over Robin Lod and Maxi Moralez.
Hector Herrera Not Returning to Houston
The Houston Dynamo declined the option on captain Hector Herrera’s contract for next year. Herrera joined the Dynamo from Atletico Madrid in the middle of the 2022 season and helped the club win the 2023 U.S. Open Cup and make the playoffs the past two years. He had five goals and 21 assists over 62 regular-season matches and was named an MLS All-Star twice. It will be interesting to see what the Dynamo do with the now open Designated Player spot. Only two Western Conference teams scored fewer goals than the Dynamo’s 47 this season, so we’ll see how they add some firepower to the attack heading into next year. Houston is also in discussions with five players regarding returning for next year, including goalkeeper Steve Clark and midfielder Latif Blessing.
Champions League Reaches Midway Point
The fourth round of the UEFA Champions League wrapped up and there were plenty of great games held across Europe. Atletico Madrid went to France and left with all three points after a win against Paris Saint-Germain that included a winner in stoppage time from Angel Correa. A penalty kick right before halftime was the difference in Inter Milan’s 1-0 win at home against Arsenal. Aston Villa was handed its first loss of its campaign in a 1-0 loss to Club Brugge due to Tyrone Mings picking up the ball in his own box. Barcelona, Atalanta, and Bayern Munich all won, while RB Salzburg got its first win of the tournament by beating Feyenoord on the road.
Free Kicks
- Verizon was named an official partner of both Orlando City and the Orlando Pride. As part of this, fans can meet Jeorgio Kocevski and Jack Lynn at a Verizon store in Kissimmee today.
- Tottenham Hotspur’s clash against Victor Osimhen and the rest of Galatasaray highlights what should be an exciting day of soccer in the Europa League.
- Here’s a nice breakdown of the biggest conference tournaments in women’s college soccer heading into this weekend. Florida State is in the ACC semifinals and will square off against Wake Forest today at 5:30 p.m.
- Bayern Munich is reportedly interested in Burnley winger Luca Koleosho, who is eligible to play internationally for the U.S. along with three other national teams.
That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a great Thursday and rest of your week.
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!
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