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Orlando City vs. D.C. United: Final Score 5-0 as Lions Blast D.C. in Orlando

Lions run roughshod over visiting D.C. to win consecutive matches for the first time in 2024.

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5 months ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

On a night when original captain Kaká was the first player inducted into the club’s Legends Terrace, Orlando City ran roughshod over D.C. United in a 5-0 beatdown before an announced crowd of 22,561 at Inter&Co Stadium. The Lions (7-9-6, 27 points) got goals from five different players and kept D.C. United (4-11-8, 20 points) off the board to earn their first clean sheet since a 1-0 win at San Jose on May 18.

Martin Ojeda, Robin Jansson, Ivan Angulo, Facundo Torres, and Ramiro Enrique all got on the scoresheet, with three of those goals coming before United center back Lucas Bartlett was sent off for denying Angulo a goal-scoring opportunity late in the first half. Orlando crept above the playoff line with the victory and won consecutive games for the first time in 2024, sweeping the season series from D.C.

“I thought it was another good night for us,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “We tried to get more consistency in these games, and we need it, not just because of the points but the confidence we need in the team.”

Pareja rolled with the same lineup that started in Toronto on Wednesday, with Pedro Gallese in goal behind a back line of Kyle Smith, Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson. Cesar Araujo and Wilder Cartagena continued their central midfield partnership behind an attacking line of Angulo, Ojeda, and Torres, with Duncan McGuire — who was officially named to the 2024 U.S. Men’s National Olympic Team earlier in the day — up top.

D.C. came out as the more aggressive team, pressing high and winning the ball in the attacking half, but when United had the ball, it struggled to break through the Orlando defense. The Lions looked to spring the counter whenever possible and had success with it throughout the opening 45 minutes, building a big lead.

Thorhallsson did well to read D.C.’s movement and stole the ball in his own half, igniting the break in the eighth minute. He found Torres, who cut inside past a couple of defenders and fired a shot that was blocked. D.C. fullback Aaron Herrera was shaken up on the play. Although he was able to continue, he had to sub off before halftime. There was also a whiff of handball on the play but none was given and there didn’t appear to be a check.

Angulo gave D.C.’s three-man back line fits all night. In the 12th minute, he got down the left channel and tried to turn the corner but the ball was knocked away for an Orlando corner kick. The initial ball on the set piece was cleared out but knocked back in front, where Schlegel touched it home but he was well offside on the play.

The next few attacks went to waste due to a heavy left-footed cross by Smith and a good, right-footed, back-post cross from Smith without a teammate in that area.

The Lions took the lead in the 19th minute through Ojeda’s strike. Torres released Thorhallsson down the right flank and the Icelandic fullback was able to fight off the contact of Christopher McVey to get in behind. Tyler Miller came over to square up to Thorhallsson, who cut back and picked out Ojeda on the left. Ojeda did the rest, smashing it into the back of the net to make it 1-0. For the Argentine, it was goals in back-to-back games and his third of the 2024 season.

Angulo won another corner in the 23rd, as the Lions had trouble clearing the first defender with crosses at times. No matter, because the set piece turned into a goal. The ball was knocked out of the area and Torres retrieved it, feeding Cartagena down the right flank. The Peruvian sent in a perfect cross and Jansson met it in the air, heading it past Miller to make it 2-0 with his first goal of the year.

Another great ball from Cartagena sent Torres down the right moments later. However, a heavy touch allowed the defense to knock it behind for another corner. Ojeda’s service was flicked on by McGuire at the near post, but right at Miller, who was able to hold onto it in the 26th minute.

Ojeda again tried to pick out McGuire in the 29th minute but the pass had a lot of pace on it and the striker couldn’t keep his flicked shot on frame. Herrera then subbed off for Jacob Murrell a minute later.

Orlando spring another counter just after the restart, and Cartagena was sent down the right but he sent either a shot or a cross right at Miller.

D.C.’s closest opportunity at a goal came on a cross that was knocked high in the air, as Gallese and Smith collided along with a D.C. attacker. Jansson cleared the ball off the line as it landed. After a few minutes of treatment, Gallese was able to continue.

Orlando kept coming, winning a couple of set pieces, but the Lions couldn’t pay them off. Ojeda was waiting at the back post wide open in the 41st minute on the right, but Torres couldn’t get his chip pass over Miller, who caught it.

The Lions scored a few seconds later anyway.

Ojeda pulled Miller out to the left and dropped it off to Angulo, who smashed it in to make it 3-0 in the 42nd minute. It was Angulo’s third of the year.

Angulo slipped behind the defense early in stoppage time and he was taken down inches outside the box by Bartlett. It was a clear denial of a goal-scoring opportunity and Bartlett was sent off. For some reason, Araujo took the free kick and couldn’t get it over the wall.

Smith sent a layoff from Angulo well over the bar in the fifth minute of the eight minutes of injury time (that ended up being nine). Ojeda smashed a shot just over the bar in the final seconds and that was the end of the half.

Orlando City had the halftime advantage in possession (50.2%-49.8%), shots (11-4), shots on goal (4-1), corners (5-1), and passing accuracy (80.9%-75.2%).

“They don’t like to keep the ball in the back line much. They like to pump it forward to (forward Christiand) Benteke,” McGuire said. “We knew they were going to press high and get second balls off him, and that was going to leave spaces in behind in the counterattack. I think we definitely had our opportunities and took them well with getting three goals in the first half.”

“It was an outstanding first half, probably the best we have played during the year,” Pareja said. “It seems that our players are getting more confidence and we’re getting more close to what we were.”

The Lions started the second half looking to keep the ball more and D.C. tried to stay compact to keep the score from getting worse. The first chance of the second period came on a cross from Ojeda to McGuire, who fought off a defender and sent a header toward the right post. He couldn’t get much on it and Miller scrambled over to touch it out for a corner in the 48th minute.

Torres then took a layoff from Angulo in the 52nd minute to start a flurry of chances. After Torres’ shot was blocked, Cartagena went for goal from long distance and Miller had to dive to make the save. McGuire got to the rebound first but was at a tight angle and fizzed a shot just off target.

The game settled down for a while after that chance, but business picked back up.

Smith had a shot blocked at the top of the area in the 63rd minute. Second-half sub Luis Muriel got onto a pass from Angulo in front but had his shot blocked out for a corner in the 73rd minute. Miller made a great save to keep Schlegel’s header out and Jansson couldn’t make good contact with a teasing aerial rebound just in front of the goal line.

Orlando got its fourth goal in transition in the 74th minute. Angulo sent the ball left, releasing McGuire down the flank. When the big striker got into the box, he sent a perfect cross through the area to the right post for Torres to tuck home with his right foot, making it 4-0 on his sixth goal of the season.

“The confidence is obviously growing,” McGuire said of the team’s offensive outburst over the last several matches. “I think in the practices we’ve gotten a lot of the sequences and the attacking phases have started to come to us a lot more, and we’ve started to get more creative and (are) attacking with more urgency. And I think that’s shown in the past few games, and definitely tonight. It’s starting to come together for us.”

The second-half hydration break took place after the goal and Pareja sent Ramiro Enrique, Nico Lodeiro, and David Brekalo on for Ojeda, McGuire, and Jansson.

Enrique made it 5-0 in the 85th minute on a corner kick. Lodeiro sent in a dangerous cross that was flicked on by substitute fullback Alex Freeman. Enrique’s head was the next thing to make contact with the ball and he powered it past Miller for his first goal of the season.

Cartagena sent a shot from distance right at Miller in the 88th minute, and seconds later, D.C. nearly spoiled the shutout. Gabriel Pirani cut across the top of the area and tried to cut back a shot from the right inside the left post but it trickled wide.

The game ended without any further incidents and the Lions had their biggest win since June 22, 2021, when Orlando City beat San Jose by the same 5-0 scoreline.

The Lions finished with a lopsided statistical advantage, finishing with the edge in possession (61.8%-38.2%), shots (24-5), shots on target (10-1), corners (11-1), and passing accuracy (90.2%-80.7%).

Orlando was dominant even before the red card to Bartlett, but the outcome was never in doubt once that happened. It seemed only a matter of how many goals the Lions could score.

“Second half, obviously to play with one man more, we dominated the game territorially and spaces,” Pareja said. “But I think overall it showed us that we look much more like us now.”

The Orlando offense, which had been stagnant for more than half of the season, has now scored 15 goals in the Lions’ last five games.

The Lions head north to face the New England Revolution next Saturday at Gillette Stadium — a place they’ve never won.

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Orlando City

2024 Orlando City Season in Review: Jack Lynn

The young striker played a career high in minutes for Orlando City and played in all four
competitions.

Published

9 hours ago

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December 11, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Jack Lynn joined Orlando City through the 2022 MLS SuperDraft, when he was selected in the first round by the Lions with the No. 18 overall pick out of Notre Dame. He primarily played with OCB during the 2022 and 2023 seasons, scoring 15 goals in 2022 and 19 in 2023 while earning the MLS NEXT Pro MVP for that season. He was a depth player for most of the 2024 season with Orlando City, but late in the season he returned to playing more frequently with OCB, and quickly found his goal-scoring form once again with the Young Lions.

Let’s take a look back at Lynn’s 2024 season.

Statistical Breakdown

After two seasons of double-digit goal scoring in MLS NEXT Pro, the young forward looked to be a leading candidate to serve as the backup to Duncan McGuire, and in the opening few months he was frequently in the game day squad. However, the signing of Luis Muriel meant that he often was an unused substitute as the Lions used McGuire and Muriel as their strikers. Ramiro Enrique then returned from a prolonged absence and took over the starting spot with McGuire as the primary sub off the bench, and in the second half of the season, Lynn did not dress for Orlando City as frequently. He got some starts for OCB and scored four goals and had one assist in his eight games played with the Young Lions.

For Orlando City, Lynn appeared primarily in MLS regular-season games, making 11 appearances with two starts, playing 253 minutes. He took six shots, putting three on target and scoring two goals. He passed at a 66.7% completion percentage but did not have any key passes or assists. On the defensive side deuces were wild, as he won two tackles, made two blocks and had two clearances. He committed five fouls, drew two on the opposition, and was not booked.

Lynn also made one appearance late in the Lions’ final MLS playoff match, coming in for two minutes and recording just one touch of the ball, with no shots, passes attempted or defensive actions, and he did not receive a booking.

During Concacaf Champions Cup play, the Notre Dame product came off the bench in both games against Cavalry FC, playing 21 total minutes without a goal contribution, recording one shot that was off target, completing all three of his passes, and suffering one foul. He did not contribute any defensive actions or get booked.

Lynn participated in one Leagues Cup match, subbing in against CF Montréal. He played 12 minutes and did not have a goal contribution or take any shots, but he completed both of his passes, with one being a key pass. On the defensive side, he made two recoveries and committed one foul, but he wasn’t booked.

Best Game

The 24-year-old striker earned his first-ever starting nod for Orlando City on March 23 against Austin FC, and in the 42nd minute, he scored his first MLS goal. He timed his run perfectly to get wide open at the back post and finished with a powerful header off a cross from Dagur Dan Thórhallsson to give the Lions a 1-0 lead.

Lynn went on to play 73 minutes, completing 10 of his 13 passes (76.9%) and adding one additional off-target shot. He contributed a tackle and a clearance on defense. Orlando City won the game 2-0, making Lynn’s goal in the opening half the game-winner. Head Coach Óscar Pareja said he was pleased with Lynn’s performance, praising him in the post-game press conference:

“(Jack) is a player who patiently has been waiting (for) his opportunity,” Pareja said. “I could say that maybe he should have more games at this point with the way he has performed in the second group and what he has achieved as an individual. He’s very lethal and he has goals. Today, he opened the game. Jack’s discipline and constant effort has paid off and we’re happy.”

2024 Final Grade

With only 288 minutes on the field across all competitions in 2024, Lynn did not play enough minutes to get a grade for the season, receiving an incomplete from The Mane Land staff. Still, he showed that he was capable of contributing when called upon to play first-team minutes.

2025 Outlook

After watching how prolific Lynn was in MLS NEXT Pro in 2023, and then once again this season when he returned to play a few matches with OCB, Lynn has clearly proven that he is above the level of play in that league. In limited minutes at the MLS level, he has shown flashes, but based on the substitution patterns as the season went along, it was clear that he was at best the third option at striker. Orlando City appears to be bringing back both Enrique and McGuire, so while they picked up Lynn’s option for 2025 season, I expect that it will be another season similar to 2024, where he is a depth player who primarily comes in off the bench, if he comes in at all.

I believe that Lynn is an MLS-caliber player, as he is an excellent finisher of the “fox in the box” ilk, but my projection is that 2025 will look similar to 2024 and he will be fighting for minutes off the bench at the MLS level.

Previous Season in Review Articles (Date Posted)

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Lion Links: 12/11/24

Orlando City’s protected players, Orlando Pride roster update, the USMNT is returning to Inter&Co Stadium, and more.

Published

13 hours ago

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December 11, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. The season might be over, but there’s still plenty of news to be found. I’m glad that we have all the movies and specials to watch since there are no MLS or NWSL matches. There are quite a few that my family watch each year including Elf, Scrooged, and of course, Die Hard. Let me know your favorites in the comments below. Let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Protected List Released

The addition of San Diego SC to MLS means another expansion draft this off-season. Yesterday, Orlando City released its protected players list. There are a total of 19 players on the list, though seven of those are automatically protected due to either Homegrown or Generation Adidas status. San Diego will be able to pick up to five players from across the league, but only one from any given club. There aren’t many surprises in which players Orlando City chose to protect.

Pride End-of-Season Roster Update

Following a historic season that saw the club win both the NWSL Shield and the 2024 NWSL Cup, the Pride have released their end of season roster update. We already knew that Celia, Carrie Lawrence, and Megan Montefusco retired. Given how the club works its contracts, often re-signing players during the season, there weren’t a lot of surprises. Marta and Evelina Duljan were the two players out of contract, and we now know that Duljan won’t be returning, while the club is negotiating a deal that would keep Marta in Orlando.

USMNT Returning to Inter&Co Stadium

The USMNT is heading back to the City Beautiful, as the team will play Costa Rica Jan. 22 at Inter&Co Stadium. Kickoff for the match will be 7 p.m., allowing fans in the Orlando area to make it after work. It will be the second match in Florida, as the Americans will take on Venezuela Jan. 18 at Chase Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale. Pre-sale tickets went on sale Tuesday, and ticket sales for the general public start Friday.

USWNT vs. Brazil

If you were hoping for a rematch of the 2024 Women’s World Cup final between the USWNT and the Brazilian Women’s National Team, you are in luck. The two teams will square off on April 5 and April 8, 2025 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and at PayPal Park in San Jose, respectively. The match at SoFi Stadium will be the first soccer match played in the venue, which will also host matches for the 2026 World Cup.

Free Kicks

  • It’s no surprise to those of us who work with the Pride regularly that Jackie Maynard, Lucas Medeiros, and the rest of Orlando’s comms staff was named the first-ever NWSL Communications Team of the Year winner. We congratulate Jackie and her team and look forward to continuing to work with a great group of professionals.
  • Take a trip down memory lane with this compilation of Facundo Torres’ goals from 2024.
  • Today, FIFA will award the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia. The circumstances leading up to this “decision” are exactly as forthright, transparent, and without any hint of shenanigans as one expects from FIFA. Give me a minute, my eyes got stuck in the back of my head because of how hard I rolled them.
  • In related news, Norway plans to protest the decision to award the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia and will abstain on the basis that not enough has been done to protect human rights at the event.
  • Orlando City wasn’t the only team to drop its list of protected rosters. Here are the lists for every MLS club.
  • Plenty of teams were in action in the UEFA Champions League Tuesday. Liverpool won its sixth consecutive first round match 1-0 over Girona, and Mbappe scored and got injured in Real Madrid’s 3-2 victory over Atalanta.

That will do it for today. Keep checking in for our Season in Review pieces for both Orlando City and the Orlando Pride. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 12/10/24

Facundo Torres linked with move to Palmeiras, Pride players in FIFPRO Women’s World 11, Amanda Allen suffers injury, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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December 10, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Tuesday, everyone. I hope your week is getting off to a good start and that you’re on top of any Christmas shopping that you still need to do, because I’m just now realizing that I’ve done exactly zero of mine. Alas, the only way out is through. As usual, we have a lot to talk through this morning, so let’s get into the links.

Facundo Torres Linked With Palmeiras

Tom Bogert reported on Monday evening that Orlando City has agreed to a deal with Brazilian club Palmeiras for the transfer of Facundo Torres. While Bogert says the two clubs have reached an agreement, the transfer is still pending as Torres and Palmeiras still need to agree on personal terms. While no price tag was given, the fee would reportedly eclipse the $9.5 million fee that West Bromwich Albion paid for Daryl Dike, which is OCSC’s current outbound transfer record. Torres is the club’s record signing, as he joined from Penarol for roughly $7.5 million, and has been central to the team’s success ever since. We will bring you more from this story as it develops.

Familiar Faces in FIFPRO Women’s World 11

FIFA announced the 2024 FIFPRO Women’s World 11 on Monday and there are two familiar faces in the lineup, as Marta and Barbra Banda were named to the team. This is the third time in Marta’s career that she has been chosen for the award, which is the only global player award decided exclusively by the players themselves. Banda is included in the team for the first time, with this also being the very first time that an African player has made the team. Both players had incredible seasons for the Orlando Pride and were instrumental in the team winning its first two pieces of silverware. Congratulations to both for all their hard work and justified recognition!

Amanda Allen Suffers Injury

The Orlando Pride announced on Monday that forward Amanda Allen has suffered a torn labrum in her right shoulder and will undergo surgery to repair it. As a result, Allen’s loan with USL Super League team Lexington Sporting Club has been terminated, and she has been placed on the season-ending injury list. It’s a tough break for Allen, who became the youngest player to debut for the team back during the 2023 season, as she was getting good minutes and experience on loan. We wish her all the best and hope to see her back on the field soon!

Christian Pulisic Injury News

AC Milan announced on Monday that United States Men’s National Team forward Christian Pulisic has torn a muscle in his right calf, and will spend time on the sideline. The winger went off injured during the team’s game on Friday, and Milan has said that he could be on the shelf until January. While the USMNT won’t play a competitive game until March’s Concacaf Nations League semifinals, the timing is a tough blow for Pulisic, who has had an excellent start to the season with eight goal contributions in Serie A and three UEFA Champions League goals. Here’s hoping that he makes a speedy recovery.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans who will take part in games this week, so make sure you get everything marked down on your calendar. Things get started later today as Auston Trusty, Cameron Carter-Vickers, and Celtic take on Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League, while Ricardo Pepi, Richy Ledezma, Malik Tillman, and PSV Eindhoven face Brest in the same competition. Tomorrow has Yunus Musah and AC Milan hosting Crvena Zvezda in the Champions League, while Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus welcome Manchester City to Allianz Stadium. Things then finish up on Friday as Mark McKenzie and Toulouse host St-Etienne in Ligue 1 play.

MLS Transfer Happenings

We have a lot of MLS transfer moves and roster changes to cover this morning. Cruzeiro has declined the purchase option on FC Cincinnati winger Alvaro Barreal, meaning he has returned to the club following the conclusion of his loan. Expansion side San Diego FC has acquired Tomas Angel and a second-round pick in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft from LAFC in exchange for $200,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money (GAM). Austin FC also bought out Gyasi Zardes’ contract, making the 10th-highest scorer in MLS history a free agent.

The Colorado Rapids signed center backs Ian Murphy and Chidozie Awaziem from FC Cincinnati in exchange for $1 million in General Allocation Money. Tom Bogert is also reporting that Bournemouth is finalizing a deal to sign American center back Matai Akinmboni from D.C. United in a deal worth up to $2.5 million. Finally, in the wildest piece of MLS transfer news I’ve seen in awhile, I simply present the following tweet.

Free Kicks

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

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