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Orlando City vs. LAFC: Final Score 3-1 as Wasteful Lions Fall on Late Counterattacks

Lions remain winless against the L.A. club after wasting numerous good scoring chances, including a penalty.

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2 years ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City remain winless against LAFC after wasting a good performance against one of the league’s top teams. After missing the net with numerous chances, including a penalty, and falling behind on an LAFC penalty just before halftime, Orlando (4-8-5, 17 points) battled back to tie the game, only to concede on two late counterattacks, falling 3-1 to LAFC (10-4-3, 33 points) in front of 22,563 at Inter&Co Stadium.

Denis Bouanga scored a brace and Mateusz Bogusz scored the game-winning goal to more than offset Martin Ojeda’s first goal of the MLS season. The Lions fell to an awful 1-5-3 in home games this season and dropped to 14th place in the Eastern Conference.

The story, once again, was missed opportunities. The Lions attempted 19 shots but put only one of them on target. Orlando City’s performance and energy level was good, but the team still can’t get the details right in front of the net, either missing the target, getting shots and final passes blocked, or outright refusing to shoot until it’s too late to do so.

“(I have) no more words at this time to recognize that we were superior, that we put that energy and outplayed them, but that’s not enough, obviously,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “In this industry, we need to win games, and you win games scoring goals. And that’s not happening.”

With Pedro Gallese, David Brekalo, and Wilder Cartagena away on international duty, Pareja’s lineup featured Mason Stajduhar in goal behind a back line of Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson. Cesar Araujo was joined in central midfield by Nico Lodeiro behind an attacking line of Ivan Angulo, Facundo Torres, and Luis Muriel, with Duncan McGuire up top.

The first half started cautiously, with neither side able to mount much of an attack against the other’s defense. Orlando won the game’s first corner in the seventh minute but the cross into the area was too close to Hugo Lloris, providing catching practice for the LAFC goalkeeper.

Orlando City then dominated most of the first half hour. Muriel got onto a Torres cross in the 11th minute but the pass was a bit too high and all the Colombian could do was nod it over. A minute later, no one closed down Lodeiro outside the box and the Uruguayan sent a screamer that sailed just inches over the crossbar.

The first look for LAFC came in minute 18, when a perfect cross just barely cleared Jansson’s head and found Kei Kamara, who headed wide.

McGuire fired a shot well over the bar in the 19th minute from just outside the area. Angulo fizzed a shot well wide on the recycle of a corner kick in the 20th.

Muriel then slipped Angulo down the left side of the area in the 23rd but the winger was hesitant to shoot and the defense arrived to dispossess him, on a play that encapsulated the 2024 OCSC season so far. Muriel then had a shot blocked by the defense a minute later.

Timothy Tillman finally got a shot for LAFC in the 31st minute but sent it right at Stajduhar for the first shot on target of the match for either side.

The Lions should have taken the lead in the 32nd minute. Torres was bundled over from behind by Eduard Atuesta in the box and Rubiel Vazquez immediately signaled for a penalty. Torres took the spot kick and crushed a cannon shot that just missed the top left corner, wasting a golden opportunity. The missed penalty was Torres’ first at any level of soccer in his entire career. He’d never missed the net or had one saved before his miss in this match.

The missed penalty gave LAFC life and the visitors started controlling more of the possession, but not doing much with it. Bouanga hadn’t had any opportunities to speak of , so he attempted a shot from long range in the 37th minute but sent the shot wide.

Bouanga then went for goal in the 42nd minute on a free kick conceded by Araujo, albeit on a soft call. The LAFC star sent his shot just inches wide of the right post into the outside netting.

The game turned in LAFC’s favor moments later on the counter attack. Bouanga’s speed was too much for Jansson as he charged down the left channel. Anticipating a cutback cross, Araujo went to ground and caught Bouanga’s foot in the 44th minute. Again, Vazquez immediately signaled for a penalty. Stajduhar guessed correctly but Bouanga’s shot beat him to make it 1-0 in the 45th minute.

The Lions couldn’t do anything with a couple of late corners in stoppage time and went to the locker room trailing after a good performance in all facets e

Orlando City held the first-half advantage in shots (11-6), corners (4-0), and passing accuracy (93.2%-89.5%), while LAFC held more of the ball (53.2%-46.8%) and shots on target (3-0). The Lions’ continued missing the net and passing up shots was the obvious difference between the two sides.

“When you have those metrics, and you see it, the first thing that we think is we can analyze and find answers through metrics, but I think it goes beyond that,” Pareja said about the team’s poor finishing. “Yeah, we have actions to score. I thought that we had possibilities, but we’re not being precise and taking a good timing to take a shot. We want to do an extra pass. What I can tell you, and this is something where I, as a coach, want to stand up and put my chest in front, is that this group, they all week were working on that part, and it’s not happening. It’s not happening. I’m here. I need to coach them. I need to guide them. I need to provide possibilities, and I want to review it again. But it is not me, the coach, that comes here to (put the) blame on them, especially when I see that group fighting the way they fought today.”

Bogusz took the first shot of the second half, sending an attempt off target in the 50th minute.

Orlando came agonizingly close in the 53rd minute on a short corner. Santos whipped in a cross that McGuire headed but didn’t steer on frame. The ball skipped just in front of Torres at the wide-open back post.

Angulo sent in a cross in the 59th minute but put too much on it. Torres did well to get a foot on it but couldn’t steer it anywhere near goal. That was about the last contribution from Angulo, who had a tough night with his touch, as he was replaced by Ojeda two minutes later.

The defense sagged off of Araujo in the 65th minute so the midfielder blasted a shot attempt that once again sailed off target.

Orlando finally put a shot on target in the 69th minute and it was a goal. Ojeda found Muriel at the top of the area and continued his run into the box. Muriel sent a scoop pass over the defense that fell perfectly for Ojeda, who touched it past Lloris to tie the match. It was Ojeda’s first MLS goal in 2024 and it gave the Lions life.

“Obviously, (Muriel) has got great skill, and he had a great touch on the ball,” Ojeda said of his give-and-go with the Colombian forward. “And he put it right to the space where I was thinking and I was able to finish it off, thankfully. So, to be able to score that goal, I was just really happy, especially in that moment that we tied the game and we put ourselves in a position where we could go and win the game. Unfortunately, it didn’t turn out that way in the rest of the game, but that’s what happens.”

The goal snapped LAFC’s 644-minute shutout streak in all competitions and a 549-minute stretch without conceding in MLS play.

Encouraged by the goal, the Lions began hunting for a go-ahead goal. A good cross from Santos was nearly put in the net by LAFC defender Jesus Murillo, but it went wide for a corner. Orlando couldn’t do anything with that set piece or another won moments later by Torres.

The game-winner came in the 80th minute. Torres was on the ball in the attacking end and felt he was held and fouled as he was dispossessed. The ball fell for Bogusz on the right and the speedy winger blasted down the right channel past the Orlando defense and beat Stajduhar to put the visitors ahead in transition.

Orlando had a chance to pull the goal back in the 85th minute on a back-post cross by Lodeiro for Ojeda, but the ball was just a bit high and sailed out of play.

A minute later, Bouanga put the game away. Once again the Lions were beaten on the counterattack as LAFC’s talisman put the game away in the 86th minute.

“My first impression was that we didn’t have enough numbers to control the counter, but it wasn’t like that,” Pareja said. “I thought we had enough numbers and we had enough people to control that play. They were faster than us in that position. We knew that they had fast players, as well, but we were controlling them until we tied the game.”

The Lions had one more half-chance in stoppage time when Ojeda just missed a shot wide of the right post. Stajduhar then made a couple of saves at the other end and the game was over.

Orlando City finished with the advantage in possession (54.2%-45.8%), shots (19-12), corners (9-1), and passing accuracy (93%-87.5%). LAFC put more shots on target (7-1) and that tells the story not only of this match but of the 2024 season in general for Orlando.

“We knew that we needed to take the responsibility to push,” Pareja said. “That’s what we need to do at home and try to look for that goal that can give us the win. And then those two plays came, especially that second goal.”

“We had 19 shots, but we have to continue making sure that we’re trying to put those shots on goal, and put ourselves in clear chances to be able to finish, and to create those goals more,” Ojeda said. “Those are things that we know that we have to continue fixing. We have to continue trying and making sure that we’re improving, and that’s something that we talked about in the locker room. We are our biggest self critics in everything that we do.”

Pareja expressed respect for his team’s overall performance, but acknowledged that without scoring goals and putting shots on target, the team can’t get results.

“We were waiting to take a shot, and we’re taking one more pass, and we desperately just get in that moment when we were losing confidence,” he said. “And that’s where the coach comes (in). I need to help them somehow.”

After playing their first game in two weeks, the Lions have a short turnaround as the fixture schedule becomes more congested. Orlando City will visit Charlotte FC on Wednesday.

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Opinion

Likes and Dislikes from the Fifth Week of Orlando City Preseason

Let’s examine some good and some bad from this week of Orlando City’s preseason preparations.

Published

6 hours ago

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February 13, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

We’ve (almost) made it to the end of another week, with Orlando City’s final preseason match against the Colorado Rapids looming large Saturday night. The season opener will be here before you know it, and things will only speed up from there. For the final time this preseason, let’s take a look back at the week that was and talk about what I liked, and what I didn’t.

Likes

A New Signing

Orlando City announced the long-awaited signing of Brazilian center back Iago on Saturday, making him the third and presumably final MLS U22 Initiative arrival of the off-season. While he’s only 20 years old, he’s likely to be one of the two starting center backs on opening day alongside David Brekalo, so him getting a couple weeks of preseason to get settled in is vital. It of course would have been ideal for him to have even more time, but transfer dealings with Brazilian clubs rarely seem to be straightforward affairs, and two weeks is better than none at all. Crucially, Iago played over 5,000 minutes for Flamengo’s senior and U-20 sides, so he’s no stranger to the professional game, and hopefully that helps him to hit the ground running as a Lion.

A New Kit

Continuing the trend of shiny new things, the Lions unveiled their new away kit on Tuesday. It’s a gold jersey with purple shorts that’s been dubbed the ‘Sunken Treasure’ kit, and it’s the club’s first jersey to heavily use the team’s secondary color of gold. All things considered, I quite like the new threads. As with a lot of jerseys these days, the finer details like the Lion in the background of the front and the two patches, won’t be visible unless you’re up close to it. That being said, those details look pretty nice in the close-up shots of the jersey that the club provided, and when viewed from a distance, the shirt is striking. I also like the decision to go with purple shorts, as I think going with gold all the way would be a bit too much.

Dislikes

All Quiet on the Rumor Front

Things have gone a little quiet when it comes to transfer rumors regarding Orlando City. The club still has a Designated Player slot that it intends to use on an attacker, but we haven’t seen any hints as far as who the brass might be looking at. It’s not necessarily a reason to panic, as the team has made it a habit to be methodical in the transfer window and hasn’t been afraid to take its time pursuing players it thinks will be the right fit, rather than rushing business and potentially making an unwise signing as a result. All the same, it’s always nice to hear that a specific name is being pursued, particularly when OCSC still has a DP slot burning a hole in its proverbial pocket in addition to some areas of the field that need to be strengthened with additional depth. I trust the business to get done and done well, but I’m also not going to pretend I wouldn’t love a juicy signing rumor or two right about now.

With a little luck, next week will bring a couple of positive transfer rumors and three points to start the season off on a strong note. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 2/13/26

Hannah Anderson challenging herself in Orlando, Luana called up by Brazil, broadcasting changes ahead of MLS season, and more.

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10 hours ago

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February 13, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Today is Friday the 13th, so make sure to steer clear of black cats, ladders, and any other bad omens out there. Orlando City’s season opener is next weekend and the last thing we need to do is accumulate bad luck before the Lions take the field. Let’s keep our fingers crossed and dive into today’s links!

Hannah Anderson Prepares for First Season in Orlando

Defender Hannah Anderson was drafted by the Chicago Stars in the third round of the 2024 NWSL Draft and spent two seasons there before the Pride traded for her in January for $70,000 in intraleague funds. Chicago conceded twice as many goals as Orlando last season, and now Anderson is challenging herself with an opportunity to improve as a defender with the Pride.

“I don’t really look at it as pressure, I think it’s an opportunity,” she said. “The challenge is what’s going to help me grow. When you’re never challenged, you can’t grow. It’s kind of like how you see that challenge. Yeah, it could be pressure, but I also think it’s exciting to be a part of a group that’s been there, because the experience will help you get there again.”

The 24-year-old also spoke on what it’s like to go up against Orlando’s attacking stars in training, as well as her decision to join the Pride while engaged to Chicago Cubs pitcher Jack Neely. With Emily Sams on the other side of the country, hopefully Anderson can have a breakout year to help fill the void.

Luana Returns to Brazil National Team

Orlando Pride midfielder Luana was called up for Brazil’s friendlies against Costa Rica, Venezuela, and Mexico in a few weeks. It’s great to see her back with the national team after all she’s been through and Head Coach Arthur Elias spoke on her return.

“Calling up Luana is a joy, but the greater joy was when she overcame cancer, a disease diagnosed during a period with the National Team. It was a huge shock for all of us. Luana has an incredible history in football, she is a woman of great strength, who showed this and set many examples for those around her,” he celebrated.

She will bring some experience to a Brazil roster that doesn’t include any other Pride players, although former Pride player Adriana was called up. Brazil has already secured qualification for the 2027 Women’s World Cup as its host, so the focus will be on playing quality opponents until then.

Getting Ready for More MLS on Apple TV

We’re gearing up for the fourth MLS season streamed through Apple TV and the biggest difference this time around is that MLS Season Pass is a thing of the past. It’s a major boon for fans, as all games will be through an Apple TV subscription rather than a separate platform at an additional cost. For those of us who like to watch MLS games at our favorite bar, an agreement with EverPass Media should increase the reach of the league in commercial venues. Saturday night matches with increased production value, announcers returning to the actual stadiums to call games, and the removal of the Spanish version of MLS 360 are some of the other notable changes heading into this season.

Nottingham Forest Fires Manager…Again

Just a day after Thomas Franks was fired by Tottenham, Nottingham Forest sacked Sean Dyche following the club’s scoreless draw with Wolverhampton this week. Dyche joined the club in October and was just nominated for Manager of the Month for his team’s results in January. However, Forest is just three points above the relegation zone and has now fired its third coach of the season. Vitor Pereira will reportedly replace Dyche as the club’s fourth coach of the season, which would be a league record. ESPN dove into how English Premier League teams that made multiple firings in the same season performed and it’s grim news for Forest.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau went under the microscope to field a variety of questions. I’m pretty interested in why Duncan McGuire would be the first person he’d call if he found a dead body in his hotel room.
  • Construction is underway at Camping World Stadium as it begins its $400 million renovation to expand seating and improve the facilities.

That’s all I have for you on this fine Friday. I hope you all have a lucky day and that all of your Valentine’s Day plans this weekend go off without a hitch!

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Orlando City

Ranking Orlando City’s MLS Away Kits

Where does the new Sunken Treasure kit rank all time?

Published

1 day ago

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February 12, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

With the release of Orlando City’s newest away kit, I thought it appropriate to rank all of the Lions’ MLS-era away kits to see how the new “Sunken Treasure” kit stacks up against those from the past. As I said last year regarding the home kit rankings, I’m no fashion guru, but I do know what I like.

I welcome everyone’s opinions on this topic, but since I’m writing the article, I get final say. Let’s rank Orlando City’s away kits.

Seventh Place

The Heart and Soul kit has the misfortune of coming in last place in the rankings. It is not a bad or ugly kit, I just think the others are better. For me, it’s the stark shoulder separation that I don’t like. It feels disjointed, like the color on the front was an add-on or that someone forgot to extend it up to the rest of the kit. While I don’t mind the three stripes being oriented front to back on just one side, I like the more traditional two-sided Adidas stripes formation.

Sixth Place

The look of the second-ever away kit was so close to being fantastic. First the good. The purple sleeves look great, especially with the gold ring near the cuff. And seeing the original Orlando Health logo certainly brings back memories. Now the not so good. I always prefer to have the Adidas stripes on the shoulder, though they’re not horrible running down the sides. The faux collar is the downfall of this kit. If it had a real collar it would be much higher up the rankings.

Fifth Place

The Sunshine Kit brought the first splash of color other than purple to the away kit. The way it blended into — or more accurately out of — the purple shorts looked very good. It also didn’t have the cutoff shoulder feel of the Heart and Soul kit. In fact, we get the traditional stripes with a ringer around the collar. It’s a nice touch.

Fourth Place

There is definitely something to be said about an almost completely white kit. The Origin Kit was so clean that it only needed two colors. Even the crest is monochromatic purple rather than the usual gold, purple, and white. Purple-accented Adidas stripes, cuff rings and a thin ringer at the V-neck are the only splashes of color to be found. It’s the type of kit you can wear out to a nice dinner. Just don’t order the spaghetti.

Third Place

You never forget your first…away kit. The amount of thought that went into the Inaugural City kit is impressive. It is seemingly simple and straightforward but full of little details. I love the overlapping collar with just a bit of gold. The Adidas stripes in the proper place and the original Orlando Health logo make this the classic it deserves to be. It might be at third place in the rankings, but it will always be the first.

Second Place

The new Sunken Treasure kit is striking. It is the first kit that uses gold as the primary color. The sublimated lion head is picturesque in detail. The Adidas stripes are in the right place, and the triple stripe at the cuffs and neckline are a nice touch. Paired with the purple shirts, I know that this is going to be a sought-after jersey for years to come. My only personal issue is I don’t look good in yellow. However, as I said on The Mane Land PawedCast, I will reserve final judgment on my potential purchase of the kit until I see it in person. I also want to add that the social media release of the kit was very well done.

https://twitter.com/OrlandoCitySC/status/2021252822549807290

First Place

As much as I like the new kit, it will be hard to ever top the Legacy Kit. We have the return of the Three Lions crest and the red color from the USL days. The very light purple used as the primary color is subtle, original, and looks really good. I like the three-color combo and button on the collar. The matching shorts bring the whole thing together like The Dude’s rug. This is such a departure from normal away kits that I literally have it framed on my wall.

There you have it. As for the kits, I’d love to hear how you rank them in the comments below. For now, you can select the spot where you’d place the Sunken Treasure kit in the poll below. Vamos Orlando!

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