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Orlando City vs. New York City FC: Final Score 4-2 as Lions Lose Stajduhar to Injury in Road Loss

It was yet another night to forget at Yankee Stadium for the Lions as a terrible first half made the mountain too steep to climb.

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7 months ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City lost Mason Stajduhar to injury and ultimately lost the game 4-2 to New York City FC at Yankee Stadium. The Lions (5-9-6, 21 points) never play well on the baseball diamond, but it was egregiously bad on this night as they turned the ball over in dangerous areas, failed to cover defensively, got out-hustled often, and mounted almost no threat whatsoever in the first half of a thorough beat down at the hands of the Pigeons (10-8-2, 32 points), who had scored only one goal all month and hadn’t won a game in June. The second half was better, but ultimately it was not enough to get a result.

Santiago Rodriguez, Hannes Wolf, and Augustin Ojeda put the hosts up at halftime and NYCFC got a late insurance goal from Mounsef Bakrar when the Lions tried to make things interesting in the final minutes. Dagur Dan Thorhallsson and Duncan McGuire pulled the Lions within a goal in stoppage time, but couldn’t fashion a final chance before the game was put to bed.

Stajduhar had to leave on a stretcher early in the game after a horrible collision that could have been prevented by an offside flag on an easy call, but assistant referees today are asked to let an attack play out, just in case. In this case, it hurt two players and changed the game.

“A game with two different halves,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “It was unacceptable the way we played in the first half and just me taking that responsibility first for the way we came (out), especially in those first 30 minutes. Second half, much better. I thought it was the team that we want to see. The reaction was very good from our players. We could have tied the game, and then on that last play they scored the fourth goal.”

Pareja switched back to a 4-2-3-1 and replaced Luis Muriel in the lineup with Martin Ojeda. Stajduhar started in goal behind a back line of Rafael Santos, Rodrigo Schlegel, Robin Jansson, and Thorhallsson. Cesar Araujo and Nico Lodeiro started in central midfield behind an attacking line of Ivan Angulo, Ojeda, and Facundo Torres with McGuire up top.

The Lions created a great chance almost immediately. Angulo took the ball away at midfield and sent it left for Martin Ojeda. The Argentine sent in a cross that ended up finding its way back to Angulo inside the box, but the Colombian fired his shot right at goalkeeper Matt Freese for an easy save.

It’s impossible to say where the game may have gone from there had Angulo been any kind of clinical on the shot, but it may have lifted Orlando and weighed heavily on an NYCFC team that hadn’t scored in its last two games. Instead, the hosts came into the game largely on Orlando mistakes in possession and coverage failures.

Before the New York City onslaught started, Martin Ojeda found himself with the ball outside the area in the 11th minute. The Designated Player telegraphed his impatient shot attempt, so it was not surprising to see it blocked.

The first warning sign came in the 13th minute when Orlando turned the ball over on an obviously telegraphed pass and ignited the break. Martinez broke in behind and Stajduhar made the save to keep it scoreless. Stajduhar made an even bigger save two minutes later when Martinez blazed past an inattentive Jansson and fired.

Orlando paid no heed to the warning signs, as once again the Lions turned the ball over just after Stajduhar’s big stop. New York City struck in the 15th minute as Lodeiro was caught in possession by Alonso Martinez and turned it over. The ball moved from the left to the middle to Rodriguez, and since no one closed him down, he smashed a shot from distance just inside the left post to make it 1-0.

“I think we conceded that goal and it knocks us out, which is not acceptable,” Thorhallsson said. “It’s up to us, the team, to help each other to bounce back, and I felt like we were just knocked out completely the first half. It’s something we need to work out and find out why it happens because it’s not acceptable.”

Disaster struck in the 17th minute when a ball was played forward for Malachi Jones, who was a good couple of yards offside. The flag stayed down, as is the current practice, and Jones and Stajduhar collided just outside the box with their legs coming together. Both players were injured in the crash and then the flag came up. Stajduhar was in obvious distress immediately and spent several minutes lying on the pitch with the trainers working on him before he was stretchered off. Javier Otero was forced into his MLS debut in a less-than-ideal situation — on the road and on the small Yankee Stadium pitch. Jones was also injured and was replaced by Augustin Ojeda.

Thorhallsson was close to the play when the injury to Stajduhar happened.

“The ball came in behind me, and then I see Mason run out,” he said. “I think he kicks the ball and the other guy comes, and I just hear a loud, basically like a click. He’s screaming and I didn’t know what it was. And then I look at his leg, and his leg was dangling, and I just looked away and basically just wanted to go, so I went to the stands, and just stood there with my eyes closed.”

The injury was preventable, said Pareja.

“They need to get better at this ruling of just allowing (play to continue) when the offside is very obvious,” Pareja said. “I think they need to flag the play. This is a very unnecessary play just to let it go, and we can avoid a lot of injuries. Today is a demonstration that we can do better.”

Lodeiro conceded a dangerous free kick near the left corner of the box in the 37th minute when he was called for a handball, but Rodriquez fizzed his shot over the crossbar.

Schlegel made a good play in the 41st minute to keep the deficit at one. He did well to clear a dangerous cross from the left side.

Martin Ojeda sent a back-post cross for Torres in the 45th minute that went just over the Uruguayan’s head. The fourth official showed 13 minutes of stoppage time, owing to the lengthy delay for Stajduhar’s injury. That turned out to be the difference between having a shot in the second half and being blown out.

Schlegel did well again to snuff out a dangerous attack and win a goal kick in the second minute of injury time.

Two minutes later, the Pigeons doubled their lead on a preventable goal. Angulo did well to track back and beat Tayvon Gray to the ball on a forward ball from Thiago Martins. Angulo tried to shepherd the ball out but made a mess of it. Gray tapped the ball into the middle and Wolf was the first to it, hitting a shot that deflected inside the far post off Jansson. Otero had no shot at stopping it, and NYCFC led 2-0.

“There was a bunch of plays in the first half that we did not recognize ourselves, especially in the moments that we needed to defend much better than that and make better decisions,” Pareja said. “It was disappointing for ourselves. And this is me taking that responsibility first.”

Orlando survived a couple more turnovers and finally found an attacking movement, sending Santos down the left flank. However, despite having tons of space and time, the Brazilian defender sent his cross straight to the goalkeeper with teammates breaking to the top of the six.

The defense was nowhere to be seen on New York City’s third goal. Martins played a simple through ball and no one was anywhere close to Gray, who simply crossed it through the area to a wide-open Augustin Ojeda to tap in late in stoppage time.

“The first half, we just committed those mistakes that just put us in a very, very difficult position,” Pareja said.

Thorhallsson made a good play to track back and prevent a fourth goal and then the halftime whistle mercifully ended the Lions’ misery.

The halftime statistics were indicative of the performance. NYCFC had the advantage in possession (57%-43%), shots (10-2), shots on target (5-1), corners (1-0), and passing accuracy (88.8%-82.6%). A team that hadn’t produced much in the way of scoring chances all month long had zero trouble accepting the many Orlando turnovers and cutting through a passive City defense that looked like it was still asleep at the team hotel.

“The first half we just didn’t show up,” Thorhallsson said. “We were losing first balls, losing second balls, getting easy goals (against).”

Lodeiro came off at halftime for rookie Jeorgio Kocevski after a poor night for the Uruguayan veteran.

To Orlando’s credit, the Lions kept battling, despite the long odds. Torres took the first shot of the second half after receiving it with his back to goal and spinning, but his effort bounced weakly wide of the net.

A minute later, Otero nearly had a collision of his own when he came out to knock the ball away from an obviously offside Martinez. Martin Ojeda then blasted a shot on target off a Torres pass sent him down the left channel. The shot had a lot of pace but was at the perfect height for Freese to get a hand on it and he made the save.

McGuire set up Angulo in the 59th minute but the Colombian hit the post and the flag came up for the striker being offside on the long ball anyway. Two minutes later, Torres cut into the middle but slipped while shooting and sent it right at Freese. Orlando then won its first corner of the game but Araujo got well under the service on his header.

Second-half sub Luis Muriel had a go from distance in the 71st minute but got well under his shot and sent it high over the bar. A minute later, the Lions finally spoiled the shutout.

Kocevski started the play in the middle, spraying the ball left for Martin Ojeda, who found himself in space. Ojeda sent his cross toward the penalty spot and Thorhallsson got his head to it. Although he didn’t get much pace on the shot, the Icelandic fullback placed it perfectly inside the left post to make it 3-1 in the 72nd minute.

Muriel again found himself in space in the 74th minute, and once again he skied his shot way over the bar from outside the box.

NYCFC finally broke up the Orlando attack and had one of its own in the 76th minute, but Martinez sent a weak header wide of the left post.

Torres had a good opportunity to close the gap to one goal a minute later. Left in space, the winger smashed a shot that might have changed things had he not sent it too close to Freese. The goalkeeper made the save.

The teams exchanged unsuccessful corners down the stretch and Ojeda sent a good, right-footed effort that was again too close to Freese in the 89th minute.

Only three minutes of stoppage time were added at the end, and Orlando used the first of those to make things interesting for a few seconds. Thorhallsson cut into the box and appeared to make one pass too many with an opportunity to shoot. The ball ended up at the back post and Wolf tried to knock it back to Freese, who couldn’t pick it up and struggled with his clearance. Muriel knocked it back into the keeper and it bounced to McGuire, who poked it in to make it 3-2 in the 91st minute.

The last gasp chance for the Lions turned into NYCFC’s fourth goal. With only seconds remaining, Thorhallsson had a chance to send the ball forward but opted to try to work it short to Kocevski. The turnover ended up with second-half sub Bakrar, who was easily able to blow past Araujo and curl in a perfect back-post shot that Otero couldn’t reach, making it 4-2 with the last kick of the game.

“I felt like we came out really strong and scored two goals,” Thorhallsson said about the second half. “And then it’s on me that I lose the ball on the fourth goal when we’re trying to go forward, and I take full responsibility for that.”

NYCFC finished with the edge in possession (54.3%-45.7%), corners (3-2), and passing accuracy (85.6%-81.9%). Orlando City ended up with more shots (15-14) and shots on target (8-6). In the end, the Lions were simply too poor in the first half to keep the game within reach, and despite a good second-half showing, it was all for nothing in the end, with more dropped points in a tight battle for the bottom playoff places.

“It’s about finding the balance like we have done before, and we know how to do it,” Thorhallsson said about the team’s leaky defense at a time when the offense has scored eight goals in three games. “I feel like the balance isn’t quite there and that’s something that we need to look at. It’s good that we started scoring, but now we need to find the solution for not conceding so many goals.”

The Lions go from a normal week to a short turnaround as they’ll travel to Canada for a Wednesday night clash with Toronto FC.

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Orlando City

Orlando City Trades Goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar to Real Salt Lake

The Homegrown goalkeeper and longest-tenured Lion is on his way to Utah in exchange for some GAM.

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2 hours ago

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January 15, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Well, this wasn’t the transfer news we were looking for out of Orlando City. The club announced today that Homegrown goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar is on his way to Real Salt Lake in exchange for $50,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money (GAM). RSL is also sending Orlando City its natural second-round pick in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft in the deal. If Stajduhar meets certain performance metrics, the deal could bring in up to $150,000 in additional GAM. Stajduhar’s trade to Real Salt Lake ends the longest continuous career in Orlando City’s history.

“Mason has been a part of this club since the early days and, like our club, has grown greatly over those years,” said Orlando City Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi said in a club press release. “We want to thank him for his dedication over these last 10 years and, more importantly, for his trust in us and in the development pathway that we have here in Orlando. We wish him the best moving forward in his career.”

Stajduhar, 27, was signed as the club’s fourth-ever Homegrown Player on Nov. 9, 2015, joining the first team right after the team’s inaugural MLS season out of the U.S. Soccer Development Program. He had previously appeared with the club’s U-16, U-18 and U-23 academy teams over two seasons prior to signing his Homegrown Player contract. He was named to the U-18 USSDA Best XI team by U.S. Soccer for his 2015 season. The club initially declined Stajduhar’s option after the 2019 season but signed a new one-year deal on Nov. 27, 2019, ahead of 2020. The deal included options for additional seasons. He was then loaned to New York City FC as an emergency backup for the 2020 Concacaf Champions League game at Exploria Stadium in Orlando, dressing as the backup to Luis Barraza in a 4-0 loss to Tigres out of Liga MX.

Following the 2021 season, in which he saw his role as the primary backup to Pedro Gallese begin to develop, Stajduhar had his contract option exercised to keep him on the roster through 2022. He then inked a new three-year contract with the club in June of that year designed to keep him in purple and gold through at least 2025, with a club option for 2026. 

Stajduhar did not appear in an MLS match until the 2021 season after loan stints to Louisville City (during which he did not play) and the Tulsa Roughnecks, with whom he made his professional debut on March 29, 2019 in a 2-1 win over the Rio Grande Valley Toros. The delay in his debut was due in large part to his 2017 cancer diagnosis. Stajduhar underwent treatment for Localized Ewing Sarcoma, a form of bone cancer, which put his soccer career on hold through the 2018 season.

His first start and MLS debut came in a 3-2 comeback home win over Atlanta United on July 30, 2021. Stajduhar could hardly be blamed for the Lions falling behind 1-0 just 47 seconds into the game on a cannon shot by Josef Martinez off the right post and in or the Marcelino Moreno Goal of the Week candidate-type shot in the 66th minute. Nani’s 87th-minute goal gave Stajduhar his first win six seasons into his pro career.

The native of Salem, MA, finishes his Orlando City career with 22 starts, 65 saves, nine wins, and three shutouts. He also became the first goalkeeper for the Lions to record an assist, notching a helper with a well-placed long ball to set up Duncan McGuire’s wondergoal on the road against Toronto on Oct. 21, 2023. It was the game-winning goal as the Lions claimed a 2-0 victory at BMO Field.

Stajduhar is coming off a productive season, tying his career highs in appearances (5) and starts (5) in 2024, but a short outing in the last of those five resulted in his second-most minutes in regular-season play (389). He made a career-high 21 saves and went 2-2-1 with a clean sheet and a 1.60 goals-against average. He was playing some of his best soccer as a professional, but his final season in purple came to an end due to a nasty injury he sustained on June 28, 2024 at New York City FC in a 4-2 loss, although the score was secondary to what happened in the 17th minute.

On an obviously offside play, the assistant referee kept his flag down, as is customary in the age of video review. However, because the play was still live, Stajduhar came charging out to try to prevent a breakaway by Malachi Jones. The two players collided heavily as they met at the ball. Both had their season end in that moment, requiring surgery to repair the broken tibias and fibulas of both men. Stajduhar took the loss, although the score was only 1-0 at the time he departed and was replaced by Javier Otero, who made his MLS debut.

For his 2024 season, The Mane Land staff gave Stajduhar a 7 out of 10 rating — his highest end-of-season grade in his time in Orlando.

The goalkeeper leaves after making a total of 22 starts for the Lions (16 in the regular season), making 65 saves, winning nine matches in all competitions, and keeping three clean sheets.

What It Means for Orlando City

Stajduhar’s departure opens the door for fellow Homegrown Player Otero to become the primary backup. Otero, 22, signed as a Homegrown Player on July 10, 2023, after starring in MLS NEXT Pro for OCB. The Venezuelan international, who has been called up by his national team for Saturday’s friendly against the United States, dressed every game for Orlando City following Stajduhar’s season-ending injury, backing up Pedro Gallese.

Unless Orlando brings in a new goalkeeper, Otero will be Gallese’s primary backup in 2025. Depth behind Otero is a bit thin. After last season, the club parted ways with Carlos Mercado, who was the primary starter for Orlando City B in 2024. It seems likely that Orlando City will add a goalkeeper, but whether that player is in front of or behind Otero in the pecking order remains to be seen, and that battle will likely have to take place in training.

The loss of Stajduhar will no doubt be a blow to fans who have become fond of the Homegrown over the years, as he has managed to stick around through multiple coaches. He has provided some great moments for the club — including winning a penalty shootout against Inter Miami with a save against Bryce Duke as part of the club’s 2022 U.S. Open Cup championship run — overcame a deadly disease, grew up from a teenager into a young man before our eyes, and even proposed to his girlfriend (now wife) on the pitch after helping Orlando City beat the Philadelphia 2-1 at home in U.S. Open Cup play on May 10, 2022.

Photo of Mason Stajduhar in uniform, proposing to his girlfriend on the pitch at Exploria Stadium.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

The sentimental attachment aside, the move simply means Orlando City will need a depth goalkeeper — one the club trusts to go out and win a game (or games) when Gallese isn’t available. Whether that’s Otero or someone else remains to be determined.

With Stajduhar’s departure, Kyle Smith takes over as the longest tenured Orlando City player, having joined the club in December of 2018.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/15/25

Javier Otero called up, Sofia Manner moves on, MLS roster and transfer news, and more.

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11 hours ago

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January 15, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It may not feel like it yet, but the new season is just around the corner. The Lions have started preseason training, the Orlando Pride are making roster moves, and you can just about see the possibilities. There’s still a chill in the air, but my heart warms in anticipation. Let’s get to the links.

Otero Called Up

Orlando City SC backup goalkeeper Javier Otero was called up by Venezuela for the upcoming friendly against the USMNT at Chase Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale. The match will take place Saturday, Jan. 18 at 3 p.m. Representing your country is always a privilege, and fortunately for Otero, this call-up won’t necessitate a long trip. We wish Otero good luck and hope for an injury-free trip.

Pride Transfer Goalkeeper Sofia Manner

Sofia Manner’s time in Orlando is done. The goalkeeper is headed to AFC Toronto of Canada’s top flight, the Northern Super League for an undisclosed transfer fee. When Manner was brought in she was expected to compete for the starting role. Given that Anna Moorhouse is not going anywhere, it is not unexpected for Manner to want to go someplace where she can get more playing time. The Pride still have McKinley Crone and Kat Asman behind Moorhouse on the bench.

More on New MLS Roster Rules; Transfer News

Major League Soccer officially announced the roster rule changes for 2025. We highlighted some of those changes in Tuesday’s Lion Links. One other interesting rule makes Off-Roster Homegrown Players eligible to appear in up to six MLS league matches along with unlimited first-team appearances in Cup competitions.

We’re still waiting on some off-season signings from Orlando City, but there’s also still plenty of time. Here are the important dates to know around the MLS transfer window. Other clubs are doing some business. The New England Revolution have signed free agent defender Wyatt Omsberg, and D.C. United acquired midfielder Randall Leal off waivers. San Diego FC is reportedly close to signing USMNT midfielder Luca de la Torre on loan from La Liga side Celta de Vigo.

NASL Antitrust Trial Update

The NASL antitrust case against U.S. Soccer heads to trial this week. MLS is also a co-defendant with U.S. Soccer. The NASL claims that U.S. Soccer and MLS conspired to keep the league from competing in either the Division 1 or Division 2 level of professional soccer. The trial is expected to last a few weeks with as much as $500 million at stake.

Free Kicks

  • The Orlando Pride are taking donations this Thursday and Friday for those in need in the greater Los Angeles area affected by the devastating fires.

That will do it for today, though I also encourage you to listen to the latest episode of SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride PawedCast. We interviewed soon-to-be-former senior director of communications for both Orlando City and the Orlando Pride, Jackie Maynard. Jackie has been with the club for nine years, and she has made our job here at The Mane Land much easier with her professionalism and generosity. We will miss her as she moves on to her next adventure. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/14/25

Orlando City begins preseason, Orlando Pride sign defender Zara Chavoshi, MLS transfer roundup, and more.

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1 day ago

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January 14, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Tuesday, everyone! It’s been a busy few days for me and sadly I won’t be getting much of a break as my work schedule continues to be packed this week. As is always the case, we have plenty of things to talk through this morning, so let’s jump into today’s links.

Orlando City Opens Preseason

It seems like the 2024 season just came to a close, but Orlando City had its first day of preseason training on Monday. The Lions didn’t quite have everyone in attendance, as Shak Mohammed, Jack Lynn, and Ivan Angulo were not present, while Duncan McGuire and Mason Stajduhar trained off to the side. It was a good first day back though, as the team got its first taste of life without Facundo Torres. One of the big talking points of this preseason will be how the team replaces Facu, with the upcoming preseason games set to evaluate where the team stands.

Orlando Pride Sign Zara Chavoshi

The Orlando Pride announced Monday that the team has signed defender Zara Chavoshi to a one-year contract. The 22-year-old spent the last four years with Wake Forest, where she played both center back and right back for the Demon Deacons. She helped the team advance to the championship of the NCAA College Cup, where the team fell to North Carolina. While she may not play too much during the 2025 season, this is a signing that should provide solid defensive depth while the team evaluates whether or not to award her a longer deal in the future.

MLS Transfer Roundup

Monday saw a slew of MLS teams not named Orlando City making transfer moves, and that means we have a lot to catch up on. We start with confirmation that the San Jose Earthquakes have signed Josef Martinez. Sporting Kansas City decided to continue the trend of signing forwards, as it announced the acquisition of free agent striker Mason Toye, who most recently played for the Portland Timbers. San Diego FC has signed midfielder Onni Valakari on loan from Pafos FC of the Cypriot first division. LAFC has announced the signing of midfielder Odin Thiago Holm on loan from Celtic. Finally, Toronto FC has sold winger Thiago Andrade to Cerezo Osaka of the J1 League.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a ton of American players who will be taking part in games this week, and there are some good matchups to look forward to. Things get going today as Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah and AC Milan face Como in Serie A play, while Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus travel to take on a strong Atalanta side. Tomorrow has Chris Richards, Matt Turner, and Crystal Palace taking on Leicester City in the Premier League, while Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis have a tough Copa del Rey test against Barcelona. Luca de la Torre and Celta Vigo will then have a similarly tough task on Thursday when they face Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey. Things wrap up on Friday when Gio Reyna, Cole Campbell, and Borussia Dortmund hit the road to play Nathaniel Brown and Eintracht Frankfurt in Bundesliga play.

Philadelphia Union Hit with Transfer Ban

The Philadelphia Union are currently on FIFA’s transfer ban list (paywall) handed down from FIFA — with the club currently unable to register new players for the next three transfer windows. The issue is reportedly linked to the 2022 signing of Venezuelan striker Jose Riasco. The Union owed $700 to Mineros de Guayana — Riasco’s boyhood club, as part of the sell-on percentage it was owed due to developing him. The Union had a difficult time finding a way to pay the club, and the missing money was reported to FIFA. While the Union have been trying to get the issue cleared up since December, they are not the only team dealing with a ban, so it’s uncertain how long it will take to resolve.

https://twitter.com/JoserNunez91/status/1878820472110084600

Free Kicks

  • Check out some of the views from Orlando City’s first day of preseason training.
https://twitter.com/OrlandoCitySC/status/1878914287907086415
https://twitter.com/OrlandoCitySC/status/1878849573680275609
  • MLS has reportedly instituted a cash-based internal trade system which will start immediately.
https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/1878934350596882898

That’s all I have for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!

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