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Orlando City vs. New York City FC: Five Takeaways

What did we learn from Orlando City’s 1-1 home draw against NYCFC?

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8 months ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City was riding a four-game winning streak when the Lions returned home for their second match of the season against New York City FC. The Lions were looking to avenge their most recent loss, which coincidentally came against the same opponent, however, despite taking the lead in the second half, the team was unable to gain to all three points at home.

The good news is that Orlando City kept its unbeaten streak alive. What follows are our five tawkways from a 1-1 draw.

Squad “Rotation” on the Wing

Despite Orlando playing its third game in eight days, Head Coach Oscar Pareja only made a single change to the lineup, substituting Nicolas Lodeiro for Facundo Torres. This did not cause much of a change in game plan as the veteran midfielder slotted into Torres’ usual position. Lodeiro provided a few quality runs in the first half but was otherwise ineffective in the buildup with his fellow attacking players against a compact and organized NYCFC defense. He was substituted off for Torres in the second half and the Orlando City attack appeared to show a bit more bite with the youthful Designated Player back on the pitch, but that may have less to do with the personnel change than figuring the opponent out, as Lodeiro and Torres finished with virtually the same number of touches (the official stat packet had both with 29, while whoscored.com gave Torres 31 to Lodeiro’s 29). Both players finished with one key pass, while Torres had one off-target shot, while Lodeiro did not record an attempt.

Defensive Struggle

The match wasn’t an advertisement for the excitement of the game of soccer in the first half. There were few shots and even fewer decent chances in the opening 45 minutes. Whether this was an intentional cagey start from both teams, the fact they were playing in the Florida heat in their third matches in eight days, or both, the opening 45 minutes produced only six total shots, and none of them were big chances. Pedro Gallese had to make two saves to Matt Freese’s one. The game was a bit more open in the second half, but both teams’ defenses played well. Cesar Araujo stood out by dispossessing NYCFC’s most dangerous attacking threat, Santiago Rodriguez, on multiple occasions. Araujo finished with four tackles and nine ball recoveries.

Red-Hot Ramiro

Ramiro Enrique kept up his hot streak by putting the Lions ahead in the second half on the slightest of touches. The age-old adage of ‘put the ball on target and good things will happen’ rang true in the 52nd minute on the breakthrough goal of the match. Martin Ojeda drove toward the top of the penalty area and fired the ball on target. A shot that looked to be heading toward an easy block by the defender or a save by Freese deflected off Enrique’s foot, catching the NYCFC goalkeeper leaning the wrong way. The goal gave Orlando a 1-0 lead at the time. Enrique has now scored in four straight matches and the Lions are undefeated over that stretch (3-0-1). While Duncan McGuire is away representing the United States in the Olympics, and with a potential transfer looming during the MLS secondary window, Enrique’s surge couldn’t come at a better time.

Cartagena Coughs Up the Lead

Orlando City didn’t lead long. Just five minutes after Enrique’s opener, the Lions gifted the visitors a tying goal. NYCFC had pressed Orlando high much of the game, and although the Lions mostly figured out how to deal with it, it was Wilder Cartagena’s blind pass just outside his own area that proved costly. The usually secure Peruvian took the ball while facing goal, turned, and sent a blind pass to the right, looking for fullback Dagur Dan Thorhallsson. However, he didn’t account for Rodriguez, who didn’t even have to move to intercept the ball. Rodriguez switched the play quickly to Alonso Martinez on the right, creating an overload against an Orlando defense that thought it was transitioning forward. Martinez played in Hannes Wolf on the right. Pedro Gallese tried to come out and pressure the shot, but Wolf calmly chipped it over the goalkeeper and inside the far post to tie the match in the 57th minute.

Foiled By Freese

Sometimes you simply have to tip your hat to a good performance by the opponent. Saturday night produced such a time, as Orlando City had a couple of good looks that New York City FC’s goalkeeper stopped. Cartagena and Enrique each had a good opportunity denied by good diving stops by Freese, who has excellent lateral movement. Enrique had a good shot at a brace when he blasted a shot from outside the area in the 67th minute. The shot was toward the right side of the net, and Enrique hit it with a lot of pace, but he didn’t quite get it far enough toward the corner. Still, Freese did well to get his left hand to it moving to his left, to keep it out. Cartagena nearly atoned for his giveaway on the tying goal in the 83rd minute, unleashing a cannon toward the bottom left corner in the 83rd minute. This time, Freese made an outstanding stop, fully extending to deflect it just wide of the post. The goalkeeper landed hard on his shoulder and needed treatment before continuing. A final opportunity in the last minute of stoppage by Luis Muriel again was saved by Freese, but the Colombian wasn’t able to generate a lot of power on his spinning shot and it was a more routine stop.

Freese’s performance not only prevented the Lions from taking all three points, but also stopped Orlando City’s streak of multi-goal games at seven, which is a club record.

Orlando City now heads into the All-Star and Leagues Cup break. The above items give the basics of what happened Saturday night in a tight, playoff-style match. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. New York City FC: Three Keys to Victory

What do the Lions need to do to get the first road victory of the season against New York City FC?

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34 minutes ago

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March 6, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City hits the road for its first away match. The Lions will face longtime Eastern Conference rival New York City FC. Playing at Yankee Stadium presents some unique challenges for NYCFC opponents, but Orlando City is coming off a big win over Toronto FC.

The Lions need to be early season road warriors like they have in the past. This match is the first of two games in a row against teams with New York in their names. What does Orlando City need to do to earn all three points on the road against NYCFC?

Precise Passing

Playing on the foosball table that is the “regulation” soccer pitch at Yankee Stadium is a dicey proposition. Everything is smaller, including the passing windows. NYCFC’s players are used to the size and inconsistency of the field. Orlando City’s players are not. That makes stringing together a series of passes to work up the field all the more difficult.

I’m hoping that Eduard Atuesta and Martin Ojeda are able to really showcase their passing talents in this match. In fact, this might be a really good match for Luis Muriel to get the start. Muriel is very good at passing in tight spaces. If he is on the pitch rather than Ivan Angulo — whose speed may be negated by the confined conditions — he could really help in moving the ball through the defense. Precise passing between Atuesta, Ojeda, and Muriel is a recipe for success.

Hold the Center

NYCFC has two central attackers that Orlando City needs to worry about. Alonso Martinez at striker, and their No. 10, Maxi Moralez. The latter has hurt the Lions many times over the years, and he is still very dangerous. The former already has one goal on the year in the match against Inter Miami after scoring 16 for the Pigeons last year in the regular season.

On the other side, we have an Orlando City back line that may still be missing captain Robin Jansson and David Brekalo. Kyle Smith did an admirable job filling in at center back against Toronto FC, but that’s not sustainable. How well he does this week may determine how many goals the Lions give up. Cesar Araujo had an MLS Team of the Week performance last match and will need to do it all again this week. The center of the defense must be stout if the Lions are to keep NYCFC off the board.

Pasalic’s Next Step

Marco Pasalic came out of the gates hot with two goals against the Philadelphia Union. Toronto FC saw this and promptly shut him down by always making sure he was covered by two to three defenders. Now, Orlando City’s newest Designated Player needs to make the necessary adjustments to break free.

Thanks to the Lions scoring four goals against Toronto, despite Pasalic being mostly kept in check, NYCFC may need to allow Pasalic more space as to not give up goals from his teammates. If Pasalic can recognize and take advantage of any space he is given, he might be able to get back on the scoreboard against the Pigeons. At the very least, if he looks dangerous he might open up space for another Lion to get a goal.

That is what I will be looking for Saturday night. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/6/25

Rafaelle and Grace Chanda cleared to play, Orlando City B signs two players, Women’s Club World Cup delayed to 2028, and more.

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4 hours ago

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March 6, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Congratulations, you’ve made it more than halfway through the week! Thursday tends to feel like an annoying speed bump before we reach the fun of the weekend, but hopefully today goes smoothly for you as we prepare for a busy next few days. Let’s get the day started off on the right foot with some links from around the soccer world!

Rafaelle and Grace Chanda Removed From Season-Ending Injury List

Orlando Pride players Rafaelle and Grace Chanda will both be available for selection for the NWSL Challenge Cup match against the Washington Spirit Friday after being removed from the Season-Ending Injury list. Chanda joined the club last summer but wasn’t able to take the field due to an injury sustained while on international duty with Zambia at the Olympics. Rafaelle also picked up a season-ending injury at last year’s Olympics with Brazil, missing out on the team’s historic playoff run. Both players have the talent to start for the Pride this season, but there shouldn’t be a rush to get them going from the start considering how good the Pride’s roster is this year.

Noah Levis and Noham Abdellaoui Join OCB

Orlando City B signed another pair of players, adding midfielder Noah Levis and defender Noham Abdellaoui to the roster. Both players were signed to MLS NEXT Pro contracts through 2025 with an option for 2026. Levis has developed his game across Europe and appeared in 25 games for Mikkelin Palloilijat in Finland’s second division last year. The 18-year-old has also played for Finland’s national team at the youth levels. Abdellaoui is an Algerian center back who has also played in Europe, featuring for the youth teams of clubs like Saint-Etienne, U.S. Lecce, and Genoa CFC. Like Levis, the 20-year-old played for his national team’s youth squads. I’m excited to see how some of these new faces OCB brought in mesh with the returning players this season. OCB’s season gets started on Sunday when it hosts Columbus Crew 2.

Women’s Club World Cup Delayed to 2028

FIFA announced that the inaugural Women’s Club World Cup that was set to kick off in 2026 has instead been delayed to 2028 and will be every four years after that. It will feature 16 teams, with five European teams and two each from Concacaf, CONMEBOL, CAF, and AFC able to earn guaranteed entry. The other spots will be claimed through play-in games. We’ll still get an international club competition next year though, with FIFA also announcing the 2026 Women’s Champions Cup. That will be a six-team tournament and the winners of the UEFA Champions League, Concacaf Champions League, and Copa Libertadores will claim a spot in the semifinals. The Women’s Champions Cup will be annual, except for years when the Women’s Club World Cup takes place.

UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Roundup

The round of 16 is underway in the UEFA Champions League and every match on Wednesday was a shutout. Liverpool’s only shot on target was the winner in a 1-0 road victory against Paris Saint-Germain, with substitute Harvey Elliott scoring in the 87th minute. Goalkeeper Allisson Becker played out of his mind, making nine saves to help his team take a lead back to Anfield for the second leg. In a matchup between German giants, Harry Kane had a brace in Bayern Munich’s 3-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen. However, goalkeeper Manuel Neuer may not play in the second leg after injuring himself while celebrating a goal.

Barcelona was reduced to 10 men in the first half against Benfica, but great saves by Wojciech Szczęsny and a goal from Raphinha were enough for a 1-0 win in Lisbon. Inter Milan beat Feyenoord 2-0, with goalkeeper Timon Wellenreuther saving a penalty kick to secure his team’s eighth clean sheet this tournament.

Free Kicks

  • The Purple Pride 5k is officially back and will take place on May 17. The race will begin at 8 a.m. on Glenn Lane and finish inside Inter&Co Stadium. Each runner will get a shirt, a medal, and a ticket to an Orlando City and Orlando Pride game.
  • FC Dallas added Brazilian midfielder Kaick as an MLS U22 Initiative Player, signing him to a contract through 2028, with an option for 2029. The 19-year-old joins from Gremio in Brazil’s top flight and Dallas reportedly paid the fourth-highest transfer fee in club history to sign him.
  • Congratulations to United States Women’s National Team and Portland Thorns star Sophia Wilson, who announced that she is pregnant with her first child.
  • TNT Sports will broadcast 24 of the 63 FIFA Club World Cup games this summer. FIFA also announced that the prize money will be $1 billion for this year’s revamped tournament that features 32 clubs from around the world.
  • Check out the finalists for the People’s Puskas Award, an award created by tech company Veo to crown the best goal scored by an amateur or grassroots player. There are some great acrobatic strikes in the mix, but the free kick knuckleball by Ardi Canolli had me hitting replay over and over.
  • Speaking of great goals, Tigres midfielder Jacqueline Ovalle may have already scored the best one of 2025 with a move she calls “the shrimp.”

That’s all I have for you for today’s links. Make sure to stay hydrated out there and have a wonderful Thursday!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/5/25

Orlando City rising, Ally Watt is staying, the Challenge Cup looms, and more.

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1 day ago

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March 5, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers! We’re almost completely back. Orlando City is playing matches, with the Orlando Pride and OCB slated to start their respective 2025 slates this weekend. It’s truly the most wonderful time of the year. So without further ado, let’s get to the links.

Orlando City on the Rise

It should come as no surprise to longtime readers that I find the idea of power rankings to be the junk food of sports journalism. Sometimes it’s fun to indulge, but ultimately it’s just empty calories. That being said, Orlando City rose six spots in MLSsoccer.com’s rankings this week. The site is also enamored with right back Alex Freeman, making him one of the big stories in MLS in Week 2. They might actually be right on that account.

Ally Watt is Staying

The Orlando Pride announced that the club exercised Ally Watt’s mutual option for the 2026 season. Watt played her part in the Pride’s historic 2024 NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship run. Watt produced seven goal contributions last year. Now the attacker will look to increase that production as the club attempts to repeat the success of last season.

The Challenge Cup Approaches

It’s been 102 days since the Orlando Pride last lifted a trophy. Friday, the club will have a chance to do so again in the 2025 NWSL Challenge Cup. The Challenge Cup has gone through a lot of changes over the years, but this time it features a rematch of the NWSL Championship match between the Pride and the Washington Spirit. The format is supposed to be the Shield winner against the Championship winner, but since the Pride won both, the runner-up gets a shot.

NWSL Roster Moves

The NWSL’s new collective bargaining agreement has changed how the clubs in the league manage their rosters and acquire new talent. Big names like Lynn Biyendolo (née Williams) are able to have agency in where they want to play when being traded. There were several big inner-league signings in the off-season, though not all saw a player move. One of the biggest was when the Orlando Pride gave Marta a contract extension. The landscape has changed for the league, and that’s not a bad thing.

Free Kicks

@houstondash.com forward Yuki Nagasato, 2011 World Cup winner and 2012 Olympic silver medalist, has announced her retirement from professional soccer.

— NWSL (@nwslsoccer.com) 2025-03-03T21:26:32.770Z

That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for all the matches this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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