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Orlando City vs. Toronto FC: Final Score 2-1 as Lions Pick up Road Win in Canada

The Lions fell behind early again but were able to grind out a road win in Toronto.

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5 months ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

The Lions conceded in the opening minutes yet again, but this time Orlando City (6-9-6, 24 points) was able to come from behind and take all three points. Martin Ojeda and an own goal forced by Facundo Torres brought the Lions back just before halftime in a 2-1 victory over Toronto FC (7-12-3, 24 points) at BMO Field. Derrick Etienne Jr. had given the hosts the lead just minutes after the opening kick, but the Lions held firm despite several nervy moments in the second half.

“We want to dedicate this game to Mason (Stajduhar), who has suffered this tremendous injury. And I know he’s happy to see us winning, but we want to share this joy with him. So, this is for Mason. We’re all talking about it in the lockerroom,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “I want to congratulate the players for such an important resolve in this moment that we need to win games. Today they demonstrated the commitment that they have with the club. So, we’re very proud of this result and the effort that they had on the pitch.”

Pareja’s lineup featured the return of Pedro Gallese in goal behind a back line of Kyle Smith, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson. Wilder Cartagena was also back in the starting XI, joining Cesar Araujo in central midfield behind an attacking line of Ivan Angulo, Ojeda, and Torres, with Duncan McGuire up top.

Toronto scored on its first shot, as Orlando’s defensive inattentiveness continued. Federico Bernardeschi sent in a cross from the right that Raoul Petretta easily won over Thorhallsson at the back post. He headed it down into the middle of the area where absolutely no Lions were concerned with Etienne Jr., who smashed it past Gallese from point-blank range to open the scoring. It was a ridiculously easy goal for the hosts just five minutes in, and it was the 10th goal conceded by Orlando in the first 15 minutes of an MLS match this season — the 16th in all competitions.

“I think it was a couple of distractions that we had,” Pareja said about the early goal. “It’s something that I need to work on and help them. That’s probably a lack of sharpness or concentration, because after that we just engaged in the game in such a way that we looked as we wanted. But these things cannot happen. It’s something that we have been working on but it seems like it is not enough yet. We all collectively need to be aware that this can’t happen.”

Bernardeschi didn’t miss by much in an attempt to double the lead four minutes later. Marked by Angulo, the Italian made one quick fake and easily cleared himself for a left-footed shot that fizzed just off target.

After a dreadful effort from distance by Cartagena came nowhere near the goal, Orlando fashioned its first decent scoring chance in the 15th minute. Ojeda took the ball away in the attacking third, worked his way from right to left across the top of the box to free himself, and fired a shot on goal. The Argentine couldn’t generate much power on the effort, however, and it was an easy save for Sean Johnson.

Angulo had a couple of crosses blocked in the following minutes, with one getting knocked behind for a corner in the 24th minute. The initial cross was cleared but Orlando nearly created something with the two recycled attacks through Cartagena. The first was fizzed dangerously in front with the Peruvian’s right foot, but Johnson did well to get down and get a hand to it to keep it from getting through, allowing his defense to clear. Another ball came in to Cartagena, and this time he headed it across the box but it didn’t reach the intended target.

Three minutes after that flurry, the Lions equalized. Angulo got his cross through this time and it was a perfect ball for Ojeda to smash home with his head after being left unmarked in front. His second goal of the season tied the match in the 27th minute.

“Of course, I’m happy about the the goal that I was able to convert, but I think more so just overall about this victory that the team needed to get tonight and that we’ve been working so hard to get,” Ojeda said through a club interpreter. “When I saw Facu turn to the other side of the field, the opposite side of where I was, I knew I had to get into the box. That was what I was trying to do to make sure Duncan wasn’t alone in the box. And then, once I saw Ivan out wide in space and Facu played the ball to him, I knew that if I could get into the center, I’d be in a really good spot to make a play on the ball. And thankfully the cross from Ivan was fantastic, and he put it right on my head, where all I had to do was just make the movement towards the ball, and thankfully it went in.”

The Lions continued to control the match for several minutes after the tying goal, winning some set pieces but doing little with them. Thorhallsson scorched a free kick from the left toward goal in the 33rd minute but it hit the wall and deflected out for a corner. On the ensuing set piece, Araujo got a foot to it and knocked it to the left of the goal, where Jansson tried to redirect it but he missed just wide.

Toronto got back on the front foot after that series of chances. A free kick conceded by Araujo near the left sideline was sent in front and headed toward the back post, forcing Gallese to get over and punch it away. The second ball in was cleared out by Jansson’s head, but Toronto maintained possession. Lorenzo Insigne got a step on Thorhallsson moving inside from the left and sent a curling shot just wide of the right post in the 39th minute.

Orlando took the lead on the brink of halftime. A well-worked play starting in the midfield ended up with Torres on the right. The Uruguayan tried to cross in with his right foot. Toronto defender Gomis got a foot on it but only deflected it toward the back post. Johnson couldn’t react in time and the ball bounced in to make it 2-1 Lions in the 45th minute. It was just the second own goal to Orlando’s benefit in 2024.

“It means a lot for the group to see Facu at this level,” Pareja said about his star setting up the winner with his seldom-used right foot. “Today he threatened not just (with) his left cutting inside, but his right, and I think it’s going to give him a lot of confidence because he could do that much more often on receiving the ball and pushing the ball forward on his right. That’s very difficult to mark, and today he tried. He decided to do it, and look at what happened — a cross that was dangerous.”

The three minutes of stoppage time played out without incident and Orlando took its lead into the lockerroom.

The Reds had the halftime advantage in possession (51.7%-48.3%) and passing accuracy (88.3%-87.3%). Orlando finished the half with more shots (8-5), shots on target (2-1), and corners (4-0). The half was evenly played, but the own goal was the difference.

“The first half I liked it a lot,” Pareja said. “I thought we played very well. This is pretty much where we are and we scored goals. And despite that first goal in the first minutes that shouldn’t happen, the reaction was outstanding from the players.”

Neither team was able to find a goal in the second half, although Toronto came closest and fashioned by far the most chances. Orlando struggled to maintain possession and eventually gave up doing anything but trying to stay organized and hit on the counter — something Luis Muriel had two golden opportunities to do but could not.

When the Lions did have chances to get the ball forward, McGuire struggled to win the initial ball or maintain possession, as the striker fought with his first touch most of the evening.

Orlando created the first good chance of the second half just three minutes after the restart as Torres got in on the right and received the ball, but he slipped as he was cutting back to shoot it and ended up getting his attempt blocked as a result of the delay. A minute later, the Lions were in good shape on another transition opportunity but Angulo became indecisive, then made one too many moves, allowing the defense to arrive and dispossess him.

One of McGuire’s turnovers led to a Toronto chance in the 53rd minute as a cross from the left was just inches over Prince Owusu’s head. Three minutes later, Insigne switched play from left to right to Bernardeschi, who sent a dangerous cross through the area but it skipped out the other side for a goal kick.

From that point on, it was primarily about Orlando keeping Toronto from breaking down the door. Jansson did well in the 70th minute to clear the box after Owusu knocked down a dangerous ball to the middle of the penalty area. Gallese caught a high deflection moments later as the Reds continued to rain crosses into the penalty area and the Lions’ block got pushed lower and lower.

Orlando survived a poor header from center back Aime Mabika in the 76th minute when Jansson tripped in the area.

As time wound down, the Lions finally created some opportunities in transition to put the game away. The first came in the 86th minute when Gallese punched the ball out of his area and it was sent up the field for second-half sub Muriel. He had two defenders closing on him, but seeing Johnson off his line, he went for goal from midfield and missed wide to the right. He would have done better to play in fellow sub Ramiro Enrique, who would have been all alone, but perhaps he didn’t see the Argentine.

Kobe Franklin nearly tied the match in the 90th minute. He took a layoff at the top of the area and smashed a shot off Gallese’s crossbar.

Muriel got down the field in the 93rd minute and beat Johnson with his shot but missed inches wide of the left post. Three minutes later, he found himself in a similar situation and missed inches wide of the right post, failing again to seal the deal.

After a few more nervous minutes, the final whistle blew and Orlando had its road win.

Toronto finished with the advantage in possession (56.6%-43.4%), passing accuracy (87.3%-85%), and corners (6-4), while each team finished with 13 shot attempts and Orlando put more on frame (2-1).

“Second half, we defended in the last period of the game very low,” Pareja said. “We couldn’t contain the numbers and the volume of the players that Toronto sent, but we had also some opportunities to put the game (to) 3-1. So, again, we’re happy. This is a good step for us in this moment. Now we’re looking forward to going back home and winning there.”

The Lions won their third straight match at BMO Field and improved to 9-9-3 in the all-time series and 4-4-3 on the road against Toronto, although one of those “road” games came on Orlando’s home field during the Canadian pandemic travel restrictions.

The Reds’ winless skid reached eight matches (0-6-2) after a bright start to the season.

The Lions return home with another quick turnaround as D.C. United visits Inter&Co Stadium on Saturday.

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Atlanta United: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Lions look to avenge two regular-season losses against Atlanta and advance to the Eastern Conference final.

Published

6 hours ago

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November 24, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to your match thread for a Sunday Eastern Conference semifinal playoff matchup between Orlando City and Atlanta United at Inter&Co Stadium (6 p.m., MLS Season Pass on Apple TV). It’ll be the third meeting of the year between the two teams, after Atlanta claimed both of the regular-season clashes.

Here’s what you need to know ahead of tonight’s match.

History

The Lions are 4-10-7 in the all-time series against Atlanta in league play and 2-6-3 at home. Those numbers drop to 4-11-7 and 2-7-3 in all competitions.

The teams last met on Decision Day, with Atlanta scoring two early goals and holding on for a 2-1 win on Oct. 9. Saba Lobjanidze and Jamal Thiare gave the visitors an early lead. Martin Ojeda pulled one back and Duncan McGuire appeared to tie the game late, but the latter goal was overturned on video review for a handball. The teams also met at Mercedes-Benz Stadium back on March 17, when Orlando City fell 2-0 on goals by Lobjanidze and Giorgos Giakoumakis.

The last meeting of 2023 took place at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with Orlando City capturing a 2-1 away win. Atlanta took the lead through Caleb Wiley, but Antonio Carlos and McGuire scored to lead the Lions’ comeback.

The southeast rivals also met in Orlando on May 27, 2023, at then-Exploria Stadium and played to a 1-1 draw. It was a heartbreaking dropped two points for the Lions, who took the lead through Kyle Smith at the half-hour mark and held that advantage until four minutes from full time, when Tyler Wolff pounced on a fortunate rebound in the box and equalized.

Atlanta went 1-0-1 in the season series in 2022. On Sept. 14 at Exploria Stadium the Five Stripes won 1-0 on a Thiago Almada goal despite the Lions out-shooting Atlanta 20-10. The sides played to a 1-1 draw in their first meeting of that year on July 22 in Atlanta. Mauricio Pereyra staked the Lions to an early 1-0 lead on a beautiful free kick. Juan Jose Purata equalized in the second half, but Atlanta bombarded Orlando the majority of the game and completely controlled the midfield, out-shooting the Lions 18-3 in the match.

Orlando had a six-match unbeaten streak in the series (3-0-3) snapped on Sept. 10, 2021, as the Five Stripes won 3-0 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. George Campbell and Ezequiel Barco scored for Atlanta, sandwiched around a Daryl Dike own goal to hand Gonzalo Pineda his first win as manager for United.

The second of three 2021 meetings took place July 30 at Exploria Stadium, with the Five Stripes taking the lead twice on goals by Josef Martinez and Marcelino Moreno, but the Lions not only fought back twice on strikes by Smith and Silvester van der Water, but Nani scored a late game winner by heading in VDW’s cross in Orlando City’s 3-2 win. The first meeting of that season between the two rivals came on opening day — April 17 — and they played to a 0-0 draw. It was an evenly matched game, with each team firing 11 shots and getting three on frame.

The final meeting of 2020 came on Oct. 28, when Orlando City ran away with a 4-1 win over Atlanta at Exploria Stadium. Dike, Chris Mueller, Tesho Akindele, and Matheus Aias — his first in MLS — scored the goals for the Lions, with Cubo Torres preventing a shutout with a late goal for the visitors. Prior to that, the teams met in Atlanta on Oct. 7, 2020 and played to a 0-0 draw. Robinho and Nani each hit the woodwork and Brad Guzan stood on his head to prevent Orlando from taking a deserved three points in that one, while Brian Rowe held down the fort at the other end to earn a shutout in Pedro Gallese’s absence.

Back on Sept. 5, 2020, a late, unforced turnover by Kamal Miller led to Adam Jahn’s 92nd-minute tying goal that offset a Benji Michel goal in a 1-1 draw at Exploria Stadium. Orlando City finally got on the board in the series against Atlanta United with a 3-1 win on the road on Aug. 29, 2020. Junior Urso, Mueller, and Nani supplied the offense to more than counter a Brooks Lennon headed goal. That three-goal explosion snapped a three-match scoreless streak against the Five Stripes for Orlando.

Orlando City created an incredible 17 scoring chances on Aug. 23, 2019, yet finished none of them in a 1-0 home loss. Martinez scored the game’s only goal in the second half. Only 17 days earlier at Exploria Stadium, Orlando also failed to score and lost 2-0 to Atlanta, getting bounced from the U.S. Open Cup semifinals. On Mother’s Day of 2019, Atlanta United claimed a 1-0 win at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Pity Martinez scored the goal.

Atlanta won at the building then known as Orlando City Stadium on Aug. 24, 2018 by a 2-1 final score. Leandro Gonzalez Pirez bundled home a rebound off Joe Bendik, who misplayed Barco’s free kick to open the scoring just 21 minutes in. Scott Sutter tied the game just before the half, but Josef Martinez broke the deadlock in the second half, with only 16 minutes remaining in normal time.

Atlanta easily claimed the June 30, 2018 meeting at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, 4-0. Josef Martinez and Barco each scored a goal and Miguel Almiron added a brace. Orlando lost the first matchup of 2018, 2-1, on May 13. An early penalty on a Cristian Higuita foul gave the visitors a leg up on a Josef Martinez goal from the spot and Barco doubled the lead before halftime. Justin Meram scored his first goal as a Lion to pull one back, but Orlando could get no closer. The unfortunate ending included a shower of debris coming out of the stands due to dissatisfaction with referee Alan Kelly’s decisions that night.

Hector Villalba’s two late goals in the first two meetings turned what could have been an Orlando draw and a win into a loss and a draw. The two teams kicked off their series with Orlando suffering a late 1-0 loss at home on July 21, 2017. Villalba found the net late. Villalba then scored a stoppage-time tally to rescue a 1-1 draw for Atlanta in the second meeting on July 29, 2017. Kaká scored one of his best goals as a Lion in that match to provide Orlando’s lone score.

Orlando City became the first visiting team to take any points out of Mercedes-Benz Stadium with a 3-3 draw in Atlanta that September. Dom Dwyer scored his first brace as a Lion (in MLS, anyway) and also assisted on Cyle Larin’s goal. Josef Martinez’s hat trick spoiled Orlando’s bid to take all three points.

Overview

Orlando is coming off a nervy, best-of-three series win over Charlotte FC that required penalties to decide. The Lions won the opening game, appeared to score a late winner in the 0-0 second game, only to see the flag come up — perhaps erroneously, but too close to overturn — and lost the penalty shootout 3-1, and then came from behind to tie Game 3 at 1-1 and win the penalty shootout 4-1. Orlando City is 7-1-2 in its last 10 home matches in regular-season and playoff action, with that one loss coming to tonight’s visitors.

Atlanta United is coming off a three-game series win over Supporters’ Shield-winning Inter Miami, falling in Game 1 but claiming the next two. All three games in the series were decided by one goal.

Orlando City’s defense will have to keep tabs on Lobjanidze, who led Atlanta in goals (9) and was second in assists (7), as well as Daniel Rios, who has chipped in seven goals and four assists for an Atlanta team coached (in the interim) by former USL Lion Rob Valentino. Brooks Lennon, an important part of the offense, led Atlanta with eight assists on the year, but was injured in the Miami series.

The winner of today’s game moves on to the Eastern Conference final — a game the Lions have not yet reached.

“It’s an important week and we obviously are trying to prepare the team the best way that we can,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said ahead of the match. “The preparation has been good, the responsibility of the players and the dedication and attention to their responsibility to be ready for our game on Sunday is first class. The guys who came back from their national teams, everybody is healthy and we’re good. They’ve had the chance already to train with us, so we have the roster complete. So, we’re ready. We’re just getting the last few things and details for the next two days, but our mentality is there.”

Orlando City will be without Mason Stajduhar (lower leg). Atlanta will be without Lennon (shoulder), Edwin Mosquera (knee), and Quentin Westberg (concussion protocol). 

Match Content

Official Lineups

Orlando City (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Pedro Gallese.

Defenders: Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson.

Defensive Midfielders: Cesar Araujo, Wilder Cartagena.

Attacking Midfielders: Ivan Angulo, Martin Ojeda, Facundo Torres.

Forward: Ramiro Enrique.

Bench: Javier Otero, Luca Petrasso, Kyle Smith, David Brekalo, Felipe, Nico Lodeiro, Luis Muriel, Jack Lynn, Duncan McGuire.

Atlanta United (3-5-2)

Goalkeeper: Brad Guzan.

Defenders: Luis Abram, Derrick Williams, Stian Gregersen.

Wingbacks/Midfielders: Pedro Amador, Ajani Fortune, Dax McCarty, Bartosz Slisz, Saba Lobjanidze.

Forwards: Aleksey Miranchuk, Jamal Thiare.

Bench: Matt Edwards, Ronald Hernandez, Luke Brennan, Noah Cobb, Josh Cohen, Tristan Muyumba, Xande Silva, Daniel Rios, Tyler Wolff.

Referees

REF: Armando Villarreal.
AR1: Kathryn Nesbitt.
AR2: Chris Elliott.
4TH: Pierre-Luc Lauziere.
VAR: Greg Dopka.
AVAR: Mike Kampmeinert.

How to Watch

Match Time: 3:30 p.m.

Venue: Inter&Co Stadium — Orlando.

TV/Live Stream: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

Radio:  Real Radio 104.1 FM (English), Mega 97.1 (Spanish).

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!

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Opinion

The Case for Starting Luis Muriel Against Atlanta

Muriel’s game is tailor made to help Orlando get the result in what will likely be a tight contest.

Published

2 days ago

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November 22, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

For the second season in a row, Orlando City finds itself hosting a match in the Eastern Conference semifinals. It was a scenario that was far less likely this year, with the Lions watching as all three seeds above them crashed out in the first round, leaving OCSC as the highest-seeded team still standing in the East. Last year’s semifinal match didn’t go so well, with 10-man Orlando falling to the eventual champion Columbus Crew in extra time. So, how do the Lions avoid that fate this year and advance to the Eastern Conference final for the first time?

For starters, they can succeed on each of Dave Rohe’s three keys to victory! I’d like to make an addition though, and campaign for Oscar Pareja to start Luis Muriel instead of Ivan Angulo. To be clear, it’s not that I have an axe to grind against Angulo, as he’s largely ranged from solid to good when starting out on the left wing. For my money though, this match is tailor made for Muriel and giving him the start could help Orlando get through to the next round without needing to resort to extra time or penalties.

It’s not unreasonable to expect Sunday’s game to play out in a similar manner to Orlando’s 2-1 Decision Day loss to Atlanta, in which the visitors had 34% of the ball to OCSC’s 66%. True, part of that disparity was down to Atlanta’s 2-0 lead after 16 minutes, which allowed the visitors to sit back, bunker, and protect what they had. Even if the game had remained scoreless for longer though, Atlanta probably would likely have ceded possession anyway and looked to play defensively and hit on the counter. They rolled out a compact 4-2-3-1 in that game, but deployed a 3-5-2 in their last two games against Miami, and they might do so again after its effectiveness.

With Orlando likely to have the lion’s share (hehe) of the ball, and Atlanta sitting deep, there figures to be less room for Angulo to deploy his electric pace. OCSC will probably need to make things happen in the “half-court,” with an emphasis on moving the ball quickly, making clever runs, and finding those runs with creative and accurate passes.

Enter Luis Muriel. The Colombian Designated Player had a slow start to life with Orlando City but has come on strong in recent months, excelling in a super sub role and frequently making an impact in games off the bench. In 56 minutes against Charlotte in Game 3, he completed two dribbles, played one key pass and one through ball, and took three shots, with one on target, one off target, and one blocked. He doesn’t offer Angulo’s speed, but he has maybe the best vision and range of passing of anyone on the team, he’s an outstanding dribbler, and he’s a calm and capable finisher.

He hasn’t been asked to do a ton of traditional striker work during his resurgence, but Muriel has excelled at setting up teammates and creating chances, as evidenced by the litany of key passes littering his stat sheet. Those attributes could be hugely important in breaking Atlanta down, and with two key passes and two completed dribbles against them in just 22 minutes on Decision Day, he’s already proven he can be effective against the Five Stripes.

Another thing that could help the Lions in starting Muriel, is that it would almost certainly take Atlanta by surprise. Oscar Pareja isn’t exactly known for tweaking his lineup on a game-to-game basis, vastly preferring to find an XI that works and stick with it religiously. As long as everyone’s healthy, that lineup has featured Angulo starting with Muriel coming off the bench, and flipping the script would certainly be an unexpected variation that Atlanta might not be expecting. At this level, teams are good enough to adjust on short notice, but you also take every possible edge that you can find, and a lineup shift could be exactly that.

In short, as much as I like Angulo, I think Muriel should get the call in his place on Sunday. The veteran’s combination of vision, passing ability, and dribbling makes him uniquely suited to help unlock defenses, which will be crucial in a game where Orlando City is likely to dominate possession. I don’t think it’s likely to happen given Papi’s consistency with his lineups, but the unexpected move could give the Lions the edge they’re looking for. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/22/24

Emily Sams wins Defender of the Year, Orlando City’s turnaround, Barbra Banda nominated for African Woman Player of the Year, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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November 22, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday! Beyond working and catching some soccer here and there, I don’t have many plans for the weekend. I’m also hoping to find some time to trial some cranberry and brie bites I’m trying to perfect before Thanksgiving next week. For now though, let’s jump right into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Emily Sams Awarded NWSL Defender of the Year

The Orlando Pride’s Emily Sams was named 2024 NWSL Defender of the Year after a fantastic season. The Pride only conceded 20 goals in a record-breaking season, and Sams played in all 13 of the team’s shutouts. Sams was one of the most impactful players for the Pride this year and had 163 recoveries, 76 clearances, and 16 blocks. She’s the first Pride player to win the award and it’s great to see her receive some deserved recognition in her second year in Orlando.

Analyzing Orlando City’s Revitalization

It’s been a rollercoaster of a season for the Lions to say the least. There were serious concerns over whether or not the Lions would even make the playoffs back in June and now they find themselves as the highest remaining seed in the Eastern Conference this postseason. Facundo Torres’ excellent run of play is a major reason behind the club’s turnaround, but the buy-in from all of Orlando’s attackers has helped create a dynamic and unselfish offense. Although expectations are rising once more for the Lions, Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi spoke on how the team is focused on Sunday’s playoff match.

“There’s only one team that matters: Atlanta United,” Muzzi said. “The easiest way to lose a game is to look ahead. I’ll say we didn’t expect to be playing at home, but it’s welcomed. We’re focused on Atlanta, they’re playing great. They have a lot of confidence and momentum. It doesn’t matter they’re the No. 9 seed because they’re not playing like the No. 9 seed.”

Barbra Banda Up For African Woman Player of the Year

Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda was one of 10 players nominated for this year’s African Woman Player of the Year award. The 24-year-old has done well for both club and country this year. She scored 13 goals in her first regular season with the Pride and has three goals so far in the playoffs. Banda also had a hat trick for Zambia in the Summer Olympics. She’s joined by fellow NWSL players Temwa Chawinga and Racheal Kundananji on the list of nominees. Bay FC striker Asisat Oshoala, who has won the award in five of the past six years, was not nominated for the first time in a decade. The nomination list will be trimmed to a three-player shortlist before the winner is announced on Dec. 16 in Morocco.

Croix Bethune Named NWSL Midfielder of the Year

Washington Spirit rookie Croix Bethune won NWSL Midfielder of the Year after recording 10 assists and five goals in 17 matches this season. A knee injury cut her season short in September, but she still tied Tobin Heath’s record for the most assists in a season. Bethune gave plenty of NWSL teams headaches this year and also won Rookie of the Year earlier this week. She’s the first player to ever receive NWSL Midfielder of the Year and she beat out the Pride’s Marta, the North Carolina Courage’s Ashley Sanchez, and Kansas City Current duo Lo’eau LaBonta and Vanessa DiBernardo.

Eastern Conference Clubs Making Moves

FC Cincinnati officially signed striker Kevin Denkey from Cercle Brugge on a deal that will last through 2028. The 23-year-old joins as a Designated Player on a reported $16.2 million transfer, which would be a league record. He won the Golden Boot in Belgium last year after scoring 27 goals and should give Cincinnati some considerable firepower next year.

Elsewhere in the league, CF Montreal declined the option on Josef Martinez’s contract, meaning the Venezuelan forward will be a free agent once again. The 31-year-old led Montreal with 11 goals this season and we’ll see where he winds up next. Charlotte FC did not trigger the purchase option on Pep Biel’s loan, opening up a Designated Player spot. Former Lion Junior Urso’s contract option was also declined by Charlotte. The Philadelphia Union signed defender Olivier Mbaizo to a contract extension that will keep him with the club through 2026, with options for 2027 and 2028 as well.

Free Kicks

  • In preparation for the 2026 World Cup, FIFA named 26 new options across the country as “base camps” for participating teams to train and rest. Orlando was included, with OCSC’s training grounds at Osceola Heritage Park pitched alongside the Lake Nona Wave Hotel.
  • ESPN‘s Jeff Kassouf dove into how the NWSL stacks up to the biggest sports leagues in the U.S. Saturday’s NWSL Championship between the Pride and Spirit should showcase just how entertaining the league is to plenty of viewers.
  • Pep Guardiola will stick around as Manchester City’s manager for a couple more years after signing a two-year contract extension with the club. His contract was set to expire at the end of this season.
  • Here’s a cool breakdown of the seven amateur teams that have qualified for the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup so far. None are from Florida, but there are some great logos to check out if you’re looking for a team to root for in the early rounds next year. Debutants Southern Indiana FC and the Virginia Dream are my personal favorites of the bunch.
  • The draw for the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations will take place today. Zambia is in the second pot, meaning it will be put in a group of four that will include one of Nigeria, South Africa, or Morocco. The tournament itself will be in July of next year.
  • Arsenal, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City all clinched a spot in the Women’s Champions League quarterfinals with two games still left to play.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend. Go Orlando!

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