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Orlando City vs. New York City FC: Final Score 1-1 as Teams Trade Second-Half Goals

The Lions and Pigeons split the points in a defensive struggle in the Orlando heat.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

The Lions struck first but could only hold the lead for five minutes as Orlando City and New York City FC split the points in a 1-1 draw before an announced crowd of 22,827 at Inter&Co Stadium. Ramiro Enrique scored in his fourth consecutive match for Orlando (9-9-7, 34 points) but a bad giveaway in the defensive third handed Hannes Wolf a chance to equalize for NYCFC (11-9-5, 38 points) in a defensive struggle.

“A big effort from the players after this couple weeks that we have been playing every three days, and I would like to value that effort,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “The two teams tried to put a good performance, and from our side in the first half we had control but we were not as dangerous as we were coming in prior games. They kept possession sometimes in their half but not dangerous plays. Second half, it seems we brought more energy and we started creating better chances.”

Pareja made just one change from the squad that beat Nashville SC 3-0 on the road Wednesday, dropping Facundo Torres to the bench and starting Nico Lodeiro. Pedro Gallese started in goal behind a back line of Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson. Cesar Araujo and Wilder Cartagena started in central midfield behind an attacking line of Ivan Angulo, Lodeiro, and Martin Ojeda, with Enrique up top.

The first half was a defensive battle and probably not a match you’d use to change a soccer skeptic’s mind about the sport. With both teams playing their third match in eight days and the oppressive Central Florida heat, the teams tried to stay organized and wait for the other to make a mistake. As a result, there were no scoring chances of any kind in the first quarter of an hour.

Ojeda sent in a cross to Enrique in the 17th minute that had a lot of pace on it and the latter could only redirect it weakly toward goal. It wasn’t even technically a shot attempt. In the 22nd minute, Lodeiro sent a good ball from the right to the back post. Angulo got to it first but had no angle to shoot and put it into the outside netting.

Alonso Martinez fired New York City FC’s first shot from outside the box a minute later. It had a ton of power behind it but Gallese was able to fight it off.

Ojeda nearly picked out Enrique right in front from the left in the 27th minute but the ball was a bit too far out in front and Matt Freese pounced on it.

Just after the hydration break, Wolf got in behind Thorhallsson in the 34th minute down the left channel. He sent a good shot toward the back post but Gallese made the save, pushing the rebound out wide.

Two minutes later, Angulo cut in from the left and sent a shot toward the near post. Freese made the save and didn’t give up much of a rebound. The Colombian may have been better served to go for the far post.

That was the last half chance for either side in the scoreless opening period.

Orlando City had the halftime advantage in possession (56.7%-43.3%) and shot attempts (4-2), but the visitors held the edge in shots on target (2-1), corners (1-0), and passing accuracy (87.4%-86.3%).

Facundo Torres subbed on for Lodeiro to start the second half, but the visitors created the first clear-cut chance after the break. Keaton Parks got in behind Angulo and he and Santos couldn’t recover in time to prevent a good cutback pass into the area. No one was on Santiago Rodriguez — NYCFC’s biggest offensive threat — but the Uruguayan fired his shot over the bar from about 12 yards out in the 47th minute.

The Lions broke the deadlock five minutes later. Ojeda cut inside from the right and sent a shot toward goal that redirected off Enrique’s foot and caught Freese leaning the wrong way. The ball trickeled into the net near the right post and Orlando led 1-0 in the 52nd minute. It was Enrique’s fourth goal in as many games.

“It always makes me happy to score a goal,” Enrique said. “As a striker, it’s really important to be able to score, but I think tonight we leave the game with a little bit of a sour taste in our mouth, because we felt like we had that game and that we should have won.”

The lead lasted only five minutes. Cartagena’s howler of a turnover on a blind pass just outside his own penalty area went right to NYCFC’s Rodriguez, and the Pigeons paid off the short counterattack as the ball was slipped in to Wolf by Martinez, who chipped it into the far corner and out of Gallese’s reach to make it 1-1 in the 57th minute.

“We have the game one-zero. It is something this year that has been a challenge for us to open the games. And then this goal we conceded. This is why we have that sensation of frustration for us, that it was not that they did a lot of stuff to tie the game.”

NYCFC nearly took the lead a few minutes later on a simple long ball over the top that caught Santos napping. Mitja Ilenic blazed past the Brazilian and sent a chip shot similar to Wolf’s, but missed the target in the 62nd minute.

Torres cut inside on his left foot and fired in the 66th minute but pulled his shot to the right of the post. Enrique then fired a blast from outside the area in the 67th minute and Freese made a good save.

New York City was content to be physical when threatened by Orlando’s attacking players. The visitors finished with 20 fouls to the Lions’ 11 and ended the game with more yellow cards (4-1) as well. Strahinja Tanasijevic and Wolf were booked a minute apart for roughing up Ojeda and Torres, respectively.

Santos got away with a terrible turnover in his end in the 75th minute, hustling back into position to block Rodriguez’s shot just wide of the left post.

Cartagena nearly made up for his earlier mistake in the 83rd minute when he blasted a shot on target from long range. Freese was able to get over and make a diving, one-handed save on the play and needed treatment to his shoulder after hitting the ground hard.

The Lions were able to deal with several NYCFC set-piece opportunities down the stretch without too much trouble and the game went into eight minutes of injury time.

The only real opportunity in stoppage time fell to second-half sub Luis Muriel in the 98th minute. Just inside the top of the box, the ball cycled around and found Muriel in the middle. He turned and fired but didn’t get a lot of power on it and Freese was able to make the save.

That was that, and the teams had to settle for a draw.

The Lions finished with the advantage in possession (55%-45%), shots (12-8), and shots on target (5-3). Corners were even (5-5), and NYCFC passed slightly more accurately (84.9%-83.5%).

“Tough game,” Jansson said. “Two teams that really wanted it. I think that New York was a little bit better in the first half and we were a little bit better in the second, getting some good chances, and it was a tough opponent today. They did well. It’s always hard to play them. But overall, I think coming from a game two days ago and going into this one, I think we did a great job.”

The Lions’ four-game winning streak is over, but the unbeaten run stretched to five matches.

“We walk (away) with a bit of frustration, but as well with a lot of pride of what the boys have done,” Pareja said. “They have been the best team in Major League Soccer the last several games, knowing today that in front of our fans we should have won it. But we’ll carry that. We need to have energy for the next tournament and pause (of) the league, knowing that we are in a good moment and a good momentum, and I want to give that credit to the players that really have changed the story of our season so far.”


The Leagues Cup break is now upon us. Orlando City will next play at home next Friday against CF Montreal at 8 p.m.

Orlando City

Orlando City, Nico Lodeiro Mutually Agree to Terminate Contract

The club is off the hook for an $800,000 salary and the Uruguayan midfielder is free to pursue other opportunities.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Veteran midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro’s days as a Lion are over. Orlando City announced that the club and player have mutually agreed to terminate Lodeiro’s contract, allowing him to become a free agent. Per the club, Orlando City has utilized one of its two buyouts for 2025 in this transaction.

Tom Bogert reported Monday that a deal was in the works for Lodeiro to join the Houston Dynamo, and this move paves the way for that to happen. As he was going to be out of contract after the season anyway, the Lions had limited options to sell the midfielder and in the end opted to free up room under the cap, allowing the player to move on to a situation where he could get more minutes.

“This was certainly a difficult decision as Nico has been a great addition to the team since joining us at the beginning of last season,” Orlando City Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi said in a club press release. “Ultimately, we feel this is the best move for both the team and Nico at this time. Nico has integrated in such a seamless way that it feels like he’s been part of our club for much longer than just one season. On top of being a tremendous player and teammate, Nico is a fantastic human being. Our doors will always be open to Nico, and we hope he can one day rejoin us and be an integral part of the Club’s future.”

Orlando City signed Lodeiro as a free agent on Jan. 4, 2024, after his stellar eight-year run with the Seattle Sounders. The hope was that he would step in and elevate a position that had been occupied by previous captain Mauricio Pereyra. Lodeiro managed 16 starts and played in all 34 regular-season matches for the Lions in 2024, but he was displaced in the starting lineup by Martin Ojeda. That relegated Lodeiro to coming off the bench in the second half in most of his appearances from August onward. His final start in the regular season came July 20, 2024, vs. New York City FC, and his last start in any competition was July 26 in Leagues Cup play against CF Montreal.

The 35-year-old leaves Orlando after 34 regular-season appearances (16 starts). He logged 1,697 minutes in the regular season, scoring one goal and contributing 11 assists, which matched his third-highest total in MLS. He attempted 36 shots and put 10 of them on target. Lodeiro completed 87.5% of his passes, which was his best-ever completion percentage in an MLS season, as he delivered 1,215 of 1,389 accurately. He also recorded 46 key passes, 20 completed long balls, and 20 successful crosses. On defense, he notched 36 tackles, 14 interceptions, eight clearances, and three blocks.

In addition to appearing in every regular-season match, Lodeiro saw the field in each of Orlando’s five postseason games — all as a substitute — and played 58 minutes. He did not record any goal contributions or shots, although he had the assist on a would-be Facundo Torres winner in Game 2 against Charlotte FC which was ultimately ruled offside. He completed 77.4% of his passes and accurately delivered two key passes, two crosses, and two long balls. Defensively, he made three tackles and chipped in with a clearance.

Nico appeared in all four of OCSC’s Concacaf Champions Cup matches, starting both games against Tigres and coming on as a sub in both legs against Cavalry FC for a total of 270 minutes. He took four shots (one on target), and provided a goal and an assist in the home game against Cavalry. He completed 86% of his passes and provided one key pass and the aforementioned assist. Defensively, he contributed two tackles and one clearance.

He also started one of the Lions’ Leagues Cup matches and came on as a substitute in the other two, for three total appearances, amassing 83 minutes. He did not score on his four shots (one on target), but he provided an assist in the 4-1 win over CF Montreal. He passed with 81.5% accuracy, completed one cross, and provided three key passes.

What It Means for Orlando City

Lodeiro’s departure after just one season in Orlando clears an $800,000 salary from the books, which is too sizable a contract for a player who would have been a bench player when the team had its full complement of starting players. Lodeiro is still a useful player, as evidenced by his double-digit assist totals a year ago, but he has clearly lost some pace and some of his effectiveness in the box. His goal-scoring has dropped off dramatically in recent years, although he is still a threat on set pieces, as shown by his free kick goal late in the CF Montreal preseason match on Feb. 8.

Ultimately, Lodeiro helped the Lions bridge the gap at the No. 10 spot between Pereyra and Ojeda claiming the job. Ojeda continues to show growth in that position and is coming off a one-goal, one-assist performance Friday against Inter Miami in preseason action. His departure will mean there isn’t an ideal backup for Ojeda on the current squad, although that role could be filled by Luis Muriel or Eduard Atuesta if need be.

If Houston completes the signing of Lodeiro, it would put the Uruguayan on a team that isn’t scheduled to face Orlando City this season.

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Orlando City Trades Homegrown Right Back Michael Halliday to the Houston Dynamo

Orlando City has acquired a first-round draft pick in 2026 for fullback Michael Halliday.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City announced today that the club has traded Homegrown right back Michael Halliday to the Houston Dynamo for the club’s natural first-round pick in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft. The move ends the Apopka native’s stay with his hometown club, which started in 2016 when he joined the academy. It’s the second time this year that the club has traded away a long-serving Homegrown player, having sent backup goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar to Real Salt Lake on Jan. 15.

Tom Bogert first broke the news Monday that a deal for Halliday was in the works between Orlando and Houston, and now it has been completed. The club will also retain a sell-on percentage in the event Houston transfers Halliday to another club.

The 22-year-old defender signed as the club’s eighth-ever Homegrown Player on July 15, 2020, coming out of the academy. At the time of his signing, he was the youngest player to sign for the club since Tommy Redding in 2014 at 17 years, five months, and 23 days.

He initially joined the club in 2016, playing for the U-13 side and made his way up the academy ranks, eventually reaching the U-19 team before making his professional debut for OCB on Aug. 1, 2020. He made seven appearances for the Young Lions that year with six starts and 561 minutes, recording an assist. He was an unused substitute three times for the first team in 2020.

Halliday’s first appearance for the first team came on May 29, 2021 in a 2-1 loss to the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena. He bounced between the first and second teams over the next four years, making 12 total appearances for OCB with 11 starts and 966 minutes, recording just the one assist. He made 43 appearances for the MLS side with 18 starts, recording 1,841 minutes with two assists.

The right back recently signed a new contract with the club on Jan. 16, 2024. It was a two-year deal that was to keep him in town through the 2025 season with club options for 2026 and 2027.

However, the Apopka native saw a significant decrease in playing time in 2024. After appearing 21 times with 12 starts in 2023, he only made seven appearances with one start in all competitions last season.

Halliday received his first season grade by The Mane Land in 2023, reaching the threshold with 1,109 minutes of action. After getting a 5.5 out of 10 for the season, he didn’t play enough to receive a grade in 2024.

In addition to his club play, Halliday has found a place with the U.S. Men’s National Team youth setup. He began playing with the U-20 national team in 2022, was a member of the 2022 Concacaf U-20 Championship team, and played four games at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

What It Means for Orlando City

Halliday was primarily a right back for Oscar Pareja’s side. He started the 2023 season on the right with Luca Petrasso on the left. However, both were soon supplanted. Dagur Dan Thorhallsson took over for Halliday and Rafael Santos took over for Petrasso. The left back also left the club following the 2024 season.

This trade might say more about another player than it does about Halliday. The club signed 20-year-old right back Alex Freeman to a Homegrown deal on Feb. 15, 2022. The defender has been playing with OCB for the last couple of years but saw significant minutes this preseason. The club might see more possibilities with the younger right back moving forward. Halliday had seemingly slipped to fourth on the depth chart at right back behind Thorhallsson, Kyle Smith, and Freeman.

After the club traded Stajduhar, Halliday became the longest-tenured Homegrown player at the club. With his departure, that designation now belongs to center back Thomas Williams, who signed a Homegrown contract on June 15, 2021, and a new two-year contract earlier this offseason.

This move gives Halliday an opportunity to compete for more minutes to further his professional development. The full value of the trade for Orlando remains to be seen and will depend on how the club uses the draft pick and whether a future Halliday transfer brings any cash back to OCSC.

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Wilder Cartagena Officially Out for the 2025 Season After Surgery

The Peruvian midfielder will miss all of the 2025 season after surgery to repair his left Achilles tendon.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

The worst fears about Wilder Cartagena’s injury have come to pass, as the standout central midfielder will miss the entire 2025 season after undergoing surgery to repair his left Achilles tendon. The Peruvian international suffered the injury in Orlando City’s preseason opener against Atletico Mineiro on Jan. 25 and had surgery at the end of last month, per his Twitter account.

Orlando City confirmed today that the injury will keep him out throughout the 2025 campaign and the Lions have placed Cartagena on the Season-Ending Injury list. The procedure was performed by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Steven Choung at the Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute in Orlando on Jan. 29.

“These are the first days for Wilder on the road of a long recovery process and we’re thankful for our partners at Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute and their amazing care,” said Director of Medical & Performance Gonzalo Rodríguez in a club press release. “We plan to fully support Wilder during his recovery process and help him get stronger and we look forward to seeing him back and fully healthy.”

Orlando City initially acquired Cartagena on loan through the 2022 MLS season. After a successful end of the year, the club exercised the option to extend the loan through the 2023 season. He became a key player in the starting lineup for the Lions that season, resulting in the club signing him to a permanent deal on Dec. 14, 2024. 

The 30-year-old native of Lima, Peru, is coming off a solid season. He appeared in 27 matches during the regular season (25 starts), playing 2,192 minutes. He did not score a goal but recorded an assist on his 24 total shots, putting eight on target. He completed 89% of his passes with 16 key passes, one successful cross, and 25 completed long balls. On the defensive side, he recorded 76 tackles, 20 interceptions, 42 clearances, and nine blocks. He committed a team-leading 48 fouls, suffered 28, and received seven yellow cards and one red card, which he picked up after the conclusion of the game against Minnesota United.

During the playoffs, Cartagena started all five matches, playing 431 minutes with no goals or assists. He took two shots, putting one on target, and he completed 87.2% of his passes with one key pass. Defensively, he recorded nine tackles, four interceptions, 11 clearances, and one block. He drew eight fouls and committed nine, and he was booked twice, with both being yellow cards.

In his first three seasons in Orlando, Cartagena has one goal and three assists in 59 games (52 starts). More importantly, he has formed one of the more cohesive central midfield partnerships in the league with Cesar Araujo.

What It Means for Orlando City

The Lions not only free up a spot on the senior roster by placing Cartagena on the Season-Ending Injury List, but the club could sign a replacement without taking a double salary cap hit. If Orlando signs a player prior to the roster freeze date (Sept. 12, 2025) and designates that player officially as an injury replacement for Cartagena, then as long as that player does not make more than the Peruvian’s compensation of $520,250 the club will not eat Cartagena’s salary budget charge.

Losing Cartagena is a blow to the team’s defense, as he has become one of the most reliable defensive midfielders in the league. His absence could be mitigated by Eduard Atuesta’s arrival. Atuesta is a better passer and has more attacking talent, so if Atuesta can play near Cartagena’s level on the defensive end, it would be huge for the Lions. However, it is unlikely Atuesta would be as adept at dropping into the back line and becoming a third center back when circumstances warrant it as Cartagena did last season to great effect.

Cartagena’s injury is unfortunate, but hopefully he’ll make a full recovery, which would give the Lions some coverage in case Araujo departs as was rumored throughout the off-season.

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