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Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions rate in Orlando City’s 1-1 draw at home against the New York Red Bulls?

Published

1 year ago

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Orlando City salvaged a point at home against the New York Red Bulls, drawing them 1-1 in a match that Orlando may feel it should have done more in. A penalty in the first half gave New York the lead and the Lions had a majority of the possession to try to claw their way back into the match. 

Let’s take a look at how each Lion individually performed in this draw.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6 — It was a decent, albeit mostly uneventful, game from the Peruvian goalkeeper. He guessed correctly on Lewis Morgan’s penalty kick, but it was well taken and beat him to the bottom right corner. He wasn’t called into action again until the second half, making his only save of the match by catching a header from Elias Manoel that had some pace on it. Manoel nearly scored again later in the match on a breakaway with only Gallese to beat, but Gallese came off his line and made himself wide, with Manoel’s shot going inches wide of the post. El Pulpo had 22 passes at a 77.3% success rate and completed four of his nine long balls, including a key pass out wide right after his save to create a chance for Duncan McGuire. 

D, Rafael Santos, 4 — After a better outing last weekend, the left back’s rough start to the season continued in this match. He was outright beaten by Dylan Nealis in the leadup to the penalty, and had a horrific turnover later in the first half that nearly led to another goal if not for Dennis Gjengaar sending his shot wide. He had no tackles, interceptions, or clearances and was a defensive liability for most of his time on the field. Offensively, he had a key pass, was successful on one of his two crosses, and completed one of his four long balls. Santos completed 84.2% of his 57 passes, but had multiple mistakes in this one before being subbed off in the 66th minute.

D, Robin Jansson, 6.5 — The Lions may not have had a clean sheet, but they didn’t allow a goal in the run of play and Jansson was a major reason why. Orlando’s captain put out fires throughout the night and came up with a crucial blocked shot on an effort from Gjengaar that would’ve likely wound up in the net had Jansson not intervened. Of his team-high 14 long balls, nine found their target, and he completed a whopping 91% of his 89 passes. He may have only ended up with that blocked shot and a clearance, but he was patient and composed while anchoring Orlando’s defense. 

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6 — Schlegel’s performance was a bit overshadowed by his fellow center back, but it was a solid night from him regardless. He had two tackles, a clearance, and blocked a shot by getting in the way of Andres Reyes’s try from the top of the box. He did plenty of the defensive dirty work we’ve learned to expect from him, committing two fouls along the way, but he wasn’t booked and didn’t give the Red Bulls much room to work with. That being said, a heavy touch nearly led to disaster in the second half and he wasn’t able to clean up his own mess. Schlegel was accurate on all but two of his 61 passes for an excellent 96.7% rate, and his lone long ball was successful as well. The center back was subbed off in stoppage time for David Brekalo’s fresher legs. 

D, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, 6 — There were flashes of the electric player seen last week, although he didn’t have any key passes and neither of his two shots wound up on target. His first was blocked and the second bounced off the ground and into a dangerous area, but ultimately out of play. Still, Thorhallsson did well pushing the ball forward, whether that be through dribbling, making overlapping runs, or becoming an option to switch the run of play. He was successful on one of his two crosses, two of his four long balls, and 83% of his 47 passes. Defensively, he had two clearances and a tackle. While there were a few miscues, it was a solid outing as he continues to learn the right back position.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 7 (MotM) — Angulo gave the team needed energy from start to finish and played a key role in Orlando getting a result. Although he won’t be credited with an assist, Angulo whipped in a nice ball towards the near post that wound up with the ball in the net due to an own goal. He had two shots, with the first getting deflected before it could test Carlos Coronel and the second sailing into the stands near the end of the first half. The winger had 52 passes at an 88.5% success rate, although neither of his two crosses nor his single long ball was accurate. He earns Man of the Match honors due to his presence on the defensive side of things as well. He had two tackles and was relentless in chasing down New York players to win the ball back, doing just that multiple times. It wasn’t perfect, but Angulo did well on both sides of the ball and helped provide an answer on offense for Orlando to get a point.

MF, Nico Lodeiro, 6.5 — Lodeiro’s 121 touches led the Lions by a wide margin, as he played a deep role in the midfield and did well cycling the ball to Orlando’s other skill players. He had a team-high 98 passes, completing 88.8% of them, and connected on six of his seven long balls. The Uruguayan had a tough task breaking lines due to New York flooding the midfield and forcing the Lions wide, but he still had three key passes and provided good service from set pieces when not taking short corners. His three tackles were also the most on the team, and he contributed an interception as well. Despite his size, he also won three aerial duels. Only one of his six crosses was accurate and his only shot was blocked, but it was still a strong game from Lodeiro as he found ways to make an impact.

MF, Kyle Smith, 5.5 — Smith started as a defensive midfielder once again, filling in along the back line whenever Santos or Thorhallsson would surge forward. He conceded a penalty in the first half, fouling Lewis Morgan while challenging for a loose ball in the box. He was a bit inconsistent overall, but completed 92.6% of his 54 passes and all three of his long balls were accurate. He also won a foul in a great spot at the top of the box late in the match. However, he didn’t have any defensive stats, his only cross was inaccurate, and he just wasn’t as sharp as he could have been.

MF, Facundo Torres, 6 — The Designated Player didn’t have a shot, but did have three key passes and was fairly active on the left wing. The final ball was just never quite there for him, as the Red Bulls played more and more defensively as the game wore on and made an effort to limit Torres. He had 59 passes at an 86.4% success rate and connected on two of his four long balls, but just one of his six crosses was accurate. Torres also chipped in defensively with a tackle and an interception.

F, Luis Muriel, 6 — Muriel’s quality is obvious, especially when he is on the ball. In his 66 minutes on the field, he had 44 touches, was successful on three of his five dribbles, and made some nice runs. Neither of his two shots were on target, but his low shot from range didn’t miss by much. He had a key pass, completed 82.6% of his 23 passes, and his lone long ball was accurate. His single cross missed the mark though, and he had six unstable touches. Muriel also had a clearance for dealing with a corner kick. The 32-year-old is still adjusting to Oscar Pareja’s game plan and the habits of his teammates, and it showed at times when he was isolated or trying to pick out the right pass. But there was an overall feeling in this match that his breakout MLS game will happen sooner rather than later.

F, Duncan McGuire, 6.5 — Playing up top as Orlando’s target man, McGuire led the Lions with four shots and put two of them on target. Of the two that Coronel didn’t save, one was more of a flicked on header from a corner kick that earned another corner, and the other was blocked. The American’s best opportunity came in the second half, knocking the ball past Sean Nealis and winning the race to it. Unfortunately, his shot was no issue for Coronel to gather. He made some nice runs to try to get behind New York’s defense, but the Lions had a hard time providing him service. He completed 78.6% of his 14 passes, was fouled four times, and provided a pair of clearances in the defensive end. It was a physical match as McGuire dueled with New York’s tough defense, but he was up to the task and won two of his aerial duels.

Substitutes

MF, Wilder Cartagena (66’), 6 — The midfielder came on for Santos, but played centrally and rotated as needed to fill gaps in Orlando’s formation. Cartagena had 41 touches and 38 passes at an 86.8% success rate to stabilize things while Orlando raced for a result. Although he didn’t have any shots or key passes, Cartagena was accurate on two of his three long balls. It was a solid outing from the Peruvian after international duty.

MF, Martin Ojeda (66′), 6 — Ojeda may have only had 19 touches, but he was active in trying to create scoring chances for Orlando. His two shots were great chances, as the first was a free kick that forced a save from Coronel and the second was a volleyed effort in the box that went into the night sky. He completed all but one of his 10 passes and was accurate on his one long ball. All five of his crosses were unsuccessful and he didn’t have a key pass, but he was right in the thick of things to get Orlando back into the match. 

F, Jack Lynn (82’), 6 — A week after scoring his first MLS goal, Lynn came off the bench and played a part in Orlando’s goal this time as well. It’s up for debate how much his attempted backheel led to the own goal, but it’s clear that his run to the near post was a great one to sneak between New York’s defenders. It was the kind of constructive chaos you want from a late substitute and he’s continuing to impress with the minutes he’s been given at this level.

MF, Cesar Araujo (82’), 6 — The Uruguayan made his return from injury and was fairly active in his short time on the field. Araujo wasn’t officially credited with a key pass, but his pass into space to spring Angulo forward in the lead-up to Orlando’s goal deserves recognition. He had 25 touches and only one of his 25 passes missed the mark for an excellent 95.5% success rate. Both of his long balls were accurate as well. His only shot came from outside the box and went over the crossbar. All in all, it was a great game from Araujo as he works his way back.

That’s how I saw things in Orlando City’s 1-1 draw against the New York Red Bulls. Many Lions had strong showings, so let us know what you thought of their performances and make sure to vote on your Man of the Match below.

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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.

Published

6 hours ago

on

May 14, 2025

By

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

18 hours ago

on

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

22 hours ago

on

May 14, 2025

By

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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