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Orlando City vs. CF Montreal: Final Score 4-1 as Lions Run Rampant in Leagues Cup Opener

Four different Lions scored as Orlando City ran over CF Montreal.

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Four different Lions scored as Orlando City blasted CF Montreal 4-1 at Inter&Co Stadium in Leagues Cup action in front of an announced crowd of 16,033. Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, Facundo Torres, Ramiro Enrique, and Martin Ojeda provided plenty of offense on a night that Orlando City (1-0-0, 3 points) could easily have scored six or seven against visiting Montreal (0-1-0, 0 points). Josef Martinez prevented the shutout, but Pedro Gallese got the last laugh by denying the Venezuelan striker on a penalty kick a few minutes later.

“It’s a great night for us in front of our fans to score four goals against a very difficult rival,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “And you see a team in that evolution that we are looking for, keeping that momentum that we had in the last six games, and it’s all good to see.”

Pareja’s lineup included Gallese in goal behind a back line of Kyle Smith, Robin Jansson, David Brekalo, and Thorhallsson. Cesar Araujo and Wilder Cartagena started in central midfield behind an attacking line of Torres, Ojeda, and Nico Lodeiro, with Enrique up top.

The game was wide open in the early going, with each team getting forward in the attack. A good ball over the top by Cartagena sent Thorhallsson in behind the defense in the fifth minute, but Sebastian Breza did well to get a touch to it and knock it away from the Icelandic fullback. Enrique ran onto it and smashed it on target but right at Breza, who made the save. Orlando quickly won a free kick from the right and Ojeda picked out Jansson, who smashed a header toward goal, but Breza made a good save to keep the game scoreless.

Montreal had the next big chance, as former Lion Ruan cut inside of Smith in the sixth minute and centered the ball for a shot from Mathieu Choinière, but it was right at Gallese.

One minute later, the Lions opened the scoring. The play started with a blast from Ojeda on the left that Breza saved. The rebound popped out of the box to Lodeiro, who fired a shot that Montreal’s defense was able to block. The ball rebounded to Thorhallsson, who blasted it just inside the right post to make it 1-0 in the seventh minute.

“I saw the ball come to me and I thought, ‘Well, I’ll just shoot it,'” Thorhallson said. “I took a touch and shot, and thankfully it went in, so it was a happy feeling. Pretty great.”

After the goal, the next 15 minutes were a bit sloppy by both teams. Passes were frequently sent off line or out of play completely, as the teams both struggled to find rhythm. Eventually it was Orlando City that settled in better. However, before that, Montreal had a pair of chances in the 25th minute.

Sunusi Ibrahim collected the ball at the top of the area, turned, and fired a shot that was blocked. The rebound fell to Gabriele Corbo, who fired a long-range effort at goal. It was on target, but Gallese parried the swerving shot away.

After the hydration break at the half-hour mark, the Lions looked like the more refreshed team.

Orlando hit on the counter in the 37th minute. Araujo made a good move to break through the defense down the right side, then sent in a fantastic cross with two teammates breaking. Enrique lunged for it but could only get a touch to it. The ball continued through the box to the far post, where Torres put it in. The goal was originally called offside, but Leagues Cup uses Virtual Offside Line technology, which (eventually) ruled it was a good goal, and the Lions led 2-0.

“Obviously very happy to be able to score the goal,” Torres said. “On the play I saw Ramiro going towards the center of the box, and then I saw Cesar play the ball towards him. So, I just thought I’ll run to the second post and be there, and then at first we thought Ramiro might be offside, but thankfully, when he was able to make the play on the ball, he wasn’t, and I was just able to bury it.”

Smith did well to send Torres into space in the 43rd minute, and the winger sent in a good cross for Enrique, but the Argentine’s header was wide. Orlando got its third moments later anyway.

The Lions broke forward in transition and Torres slipped Enrique behind the defense. Enrique took a touch to set himself up and then used the outside of his foot to send a shot past Breza in the second minute of first-half stoppage time to make it 3-0. It was Enrique’s fifth straight game with a goal in all competitions, tying Daryl Dike’s club record.

Torres got one more chance before halftime but his shot was blocked. Orlando couldn’t do anything with the ensuing corner kick and that was it for the first half.

Orlando City held the halftime advantage in shots (11-3), shots on target (6-2), and corners (3-0), while the visitors held a slim edge in passing accuracy (85.4%-85%).

“In the first half, we solved the game early in terms of just being sharp on scoring,” Pareja said. “We knew that Montreal would come to look for us in the second half and they will just give us some spaces, and that is what happened. And then again, we are fine in front of the goal and it’s something that just makes us look very good.”

The Lions tried to pick back up where they left off after the break. Enrique laid off a perfect drop pass for Cartagena in the 47th minute, but the Peruvian sent his shot just inches wide of the left post. Five minutes later, Ojeda picked out Lodeiro in front with a precise pass, but the Uruguayan’s shot was right at Breza.

It was Araujo’s turn to fire wide in the 54th minute after another good Orlando buildup.

Orlando extended its lead three minutes later. Lodeiro made a good move in the midfield to free himself from traffic and lifted a beautiful chip pass over the defense for Ojeda to run onto. The Argentine smashed a shot through Breza’s legs and in to make it 4-0 in the 57th minute. With that goal, Ojeda extended his goal contribution streak to seven games across all competitions, breaking Dike’s club record of six.

“Martin got his momentum once he improved his fitness and that physical condition that he knows that is required to perform at that level as a DP (Designated Player), and as a protagonist of the team, and somebody who can carry the team on his shoulders,” Pareja said. “And Martin raised all those numbers, and I think he’s now rewarded by the game.”

Montreal finally got a half-chance in the 60th minute when second-half substitute Tom Pearce cut in from the left and sent a bad-angle shot wide of the right post. The visitors grew in the game a bit as Orlando appeared to take its foot off the gas. The first warning sign was a decent attacking movement that resulted in Jansson having to make a lunge to concede a corner rather than a scoring chance, but Orlando cleared the set piece.

Montreal pulled a goal back through an old Orlando City nemesis. The visitors worked the ball into the box, with Ariel Lassiter sending a pass to fellow second-half sub Martinez, who broke free of Jansson and powered a shot toward the left post that Gallese couldn’t keep out, making it 4-1 in the 69th minute.

Just minutes after the goal, Martinez had a golden opportunity to cut Orlando’s lead to two. Araujo was whistled for a foul in the box, handing Montreal a penalty kick. Martinez tried a cheeky stutter-step approach, but Gallese dove to his right and got a strong hand on it to keep it out with a huge save in the 74th minute.

“You have to wait until the last minute, especially with how Josef takes his penalties,” said Gallese, who made his third save on six penalties faced in 2024. “So you have to wait in those moments right before (he shoots). You have to maintain your calm and just focus on what’s about to happen.”

“It was an amazing save and important, because I felt like we were a little bit slowing down, which is not good,” Thorhallson said.

The Lions should have had a fifth goal in the 75th minute. Torres got in behind on the right, pulling Breza out of goal. The Uruguayan stopped and unselfishly played a pass to Enrique, who fired a shot right at the only defender in the penalty area, who made an easy block.

Orlando kept looking for goals, with substitute Luis Muriel firing off target in the 81st minute and fellow second-half sub Rafael Santos heading just inches wide of the left post on a corner kick a minute later. Araujo then found space just outside the area but was leaning back when he shot, sending his effort high into The Wall behind the north goal. Muriel sent a left-footed effort over the bar a few minutes later on the last look of the evening.

The game came to an end after only two minutes of stoppage time and the Lions had a win in their opening game of the competition.

Orlando City finished with the advantage in shots (24-8), shots on target (10-4), corners (5-2), and passing accuracy (87.8%-86.8%), while Montreal finished with more possession (54.2%-45.8%).

“We’re happy with the result, but as this competition tells us, we need to get ready for the next one,” Pareja said.


The Lions will finish up Leagues Cup group play on Sunday, Aug. 4 vs. Liga MX side San Luis. Montreal will host San Luis Tuesday night in the other group match.

Orlando City

Orlando City Giving the Kids A Look

This preseason, Oscar Pareja is letting Orlando City’s young academy products show what they can do.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City finished its 2025 preseason campaign with a 2-2 draw against Inter Miami CF Friday night at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. It capped off the first winless preseason campaign in club history. However, there were some positives to take away from the past three weeks.

Since Luiz Muzzi joined the club in Dec. 2018 and subsequently brought Ricardo Moreira on, there’s been a much greater focus on bringing players through the club’s youth setup. No fewer than nine players have come out of the academy; played for the club’s second team, Orlando City B; and signed Homegrown contracts with the first team since the pair took over. It’s something that’s continued this year.

The two most notable additions have been 18-year-old defensive midfielder Colin Guske and 16-year-old midfielder Gustavo Caraballo. Guske is the third member of his family to come through the academy and join OCB. He follows his older brothers Owen and Liam. However, the youngest Guske is the only one to sign a first-team deal.

It’s not a surprise that the young defensive midfielder has seen time on the field this preseason. He played the most minutes of anyone his age in MLS NEXT Pro last year and just signed a first-team deal on Dec. 16.

The bigger surprise has been Caraballo. The 16-year-old signed with the Young Lions on Aug. 14, 2023, and has only made two short appearances. But Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja clearly thought enough of the young player to throw him into the deep end, starting him in the team’s preseason opener against Atletico Mineiro on Jan. 25.

Fortunately, he swam well this preseason, showing his ability from the opening game. The teenager has shown no fear, even when going up against older, experienced opposition. His fearlessness with the ball has been impressive, especially for someone of his age.

A player you might see more of this year for the first team is right back Alex Freeman. The 20-year-old defender has been arguably the most impressive of the young players and played extensively this preseason. The Homegrown Player scored against Atlanta United in a closed-door friendly and was crucial in several attacks this preseason.

A fourth player is one some probably thought wouldn’t be back with the team this year. Center back Thomas Williams initially signed a Homegrown deal on June 15, 2021. After a strong start with the first team, he’s played exclusively with OCB the last couple of years and has had his struggles. He’s been regularly outplayed by Nabi Kibunguchy and often found himself on the bench for the reserve side.

Despite his inconsistency, Orlando City signed him to a new two-year deal on Jan. 22, keeping him in Orlando through 2026. Since he’s only 20 years old, it’s not a surprise the club thinks he can develop into a productive first-team player. However, the club didn’t pick up the option on Wilfredo Rivera at the same age, signing him to OCB instead.

The playing time awarded to Guske, Caraballo, and Williams show the club’s continuing commitment to developing Homegrown talent. Even Rivera was kept at the club after the Lions decided not to exercise his option and signed multiple short-term MLS deals last year.

In all likelihood, none of these players will see significant time with the first team in 2025. However, they showed their abilities this preseason and could be future starters for the club. They’ll make watching OCB a must for Orlando City fans this season to see how they do.

There are some other players to pay attention to this year for OCB. 19-year-old academy product Zakaria Taifi has shown improvement on the back line and played during the club’s preseason game against CF Montreal. Jhon Solis, a 20-year-old midfielder, didn‘t come through the academy, but has been a leader for the second team and saw some minutes for the first team this preseason. Additionally, Pareja found minutes for Bernardo Rhein in the Montreal match and he looked solid playing against much more experienced competition.

As the 2025 season begins, we’ll probably find out more about who the club covets. Orlando City is playing in three competitions this season and will likely use some OCB players in less important games. It’s another thing to look forward to this year.

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Orlando City

Orlando City Signs First-Round Pick Joran Gerbet

The Lions have signed 2025 their first-round SuperDraft pick through the upcoming season with a series of option years.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City announced today that the club has signed 2025 MLS first-round selection Joran Gerbet through the 2025 MLS season, with club options for 2026, 2027 and 2028. The 23-year-old central midfielder has impressed this preseason and now has earned his first professional contract.

“Joran is a great young player that we identified through our detailed analysis and scouting process ahead of the draft,” Orlando City Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manger Luiz Muzzi said in a club press release. “He has done well and worked hard in training this preseason and has great technical abilities that we feel really add to and complement our preferred style of play.”

The Lions selected Gerbet in the first round (No. 27 overall) out of Clemson University in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft. The native of Valence, France, began his highly decorated collegiate career at Oregon State University, playing two seasons before transferring to Clemson for his final two years. He was a 2024 Mac Hermann Trophy semifinalist, ACC Midfielder of the Year, a first-team United Soccer Coaches All-American, and earned United Soccer Coaches First Team All-South Region honors. He was also a first-team All-ACC selection and made the All-ACC Tournament Team as a senior.

The 5-foot-11 midfielder helped lead the Tigers to a national championship in 2023 after Clemson won the ACC Tournament, in which Gerbet was named to the All-ACC Tournament Team. He was a third-team All-ACC selection in 2023, a member of the Academic All-ACC Team, and earned United Soccer Coaches Second Team All-South Region honors. While at Oregon State, Gerbet was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year and was an All-Pac-12 First Team selection in 2022. He was Pac-12 Freshman of the Year in 2021 as well as a First Team All-Pac-12 Team and Second Team All-Far West Region selection. Top Drawer Soccer placed him on the site’s Freshman Best XI first team.

Gerbet played in 78 games (76 starts), logging 6,708 minutes over the course of his college career. He scored 12 goals and added 15 assists. Of those, 10 goals and 11 assists came in 42 appearances (40 starts) with the Tigers in his final two years.

“It’s an immense honor to be part of this organization and this team for the next step of my journey,” Gerbet said in the club’s release. “Every person has welcomed me with open arms since I got here, and it has felt like home since day one. I can’t wait to represent the badge in front of our fans and give everything on the field to bring the wins and the trophies that this club deserves.”

What It Means for Orlando City

Gerbet’s signing has seemed all but certain since the CF Montreal preseason match. The addition of Eduard Atuesta means Orlando City won’t need to rush Gerbet into the lineup, allowing him to develop without too much pressure, although he appears to be ready to step in and get minutes off the bench already.

The rookie appears to have better than average attacking skills for a central midfielder. He told me after the Atletico Mineiro match that he sees himself as a No. 6 who can play the No. 8 role. His curling effort off the crossbar against Montreal showed he’s got sneaky good offensive capabilities, making him a dangerous player arriving late in the box.

Gerbet will provide good depth behind Cesar Araujo and Atuesta during what will likely be a season without Wilder Cartagena, mitigating the need to rush Colin Guske into first-team minutes if injury or suspension keep one of the starters out.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 2/17/25

Lions draw in Tampa vs. Inter Miami in final preseason match, Pride sign Cori Dyke to a new contract and add Oihane Hernandez, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers, and happy President’s Day! I hope you all are doing well down in Florida over the holiday weekend. I’ve been covering high school playoff basketball and hockey over the past week. Orlando City’s home opener is coming up Saturday, and like many of you, I look forward to seeing what the Lions can do during the 2025 MLS season. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Draw Inter Miami 2-2 in Final Preseason Match

In its final preseason match, Orlando City could not hold onto the lead and got out of Tampa with a 2-2 draw against rival Inter Miami Friday at Raymond James Stadium. The Lions were up 2-1 with goals from Martin Ojeda and Ramiro Enrique, but Fafa Picault scored the equalizer in stoppage time. Orlando finishes its 2025 preseason without a win for the first time in club history. The 2025 MLS season will kick off this weekend as Orlando City will face the Philadelphia Union on Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium.

Orlando Pride Add Defender Oihane Hernandez

On Friday, the Orlando Pride announced a new addition as the club signed defender Oihane Hernandez from Real Madrid Femenil for an undisclosed transfer fee. The contract is a two-year deal through the 2026 season with a mutual option for 2027. The 24-year-old right back played two seasons with Real Madrid Femenil, notching two assists in 31 appearances. Hernandez also brings international experience playing with the Spanish Women’s National Team and was part of the squad that won the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Hernandez’s joins a growing right back position group, which includes Brianna Martinez and…

Orlando Pride Sign Cori Dyke to Contract Extension

The Orlando Pride extended the contract of defender Cori Dyke after a stellar rookie year last season. Dyke’s new contract is through the 2027 season. The 24-year-old defender made 26 appearances, started 21 matches, logged 1,095 minutes, and stepped up to play right back to help Orlando win the NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship last season. It’s the third contract she has signed with the club in less than a year. Dyke’s role with the club for 2025 remains to be seen, but she has proven to be a versatile player.

MLS Transfer Roundup

We are four days away from kicking off of the 2025 MLS season, and there are still some notable transfer moves happening across the league. The Colorado Rapids have reportedly acquired midfielder Josh Atencio from the Seattle Sounders in exchange for $1.3 million in General Allocation Money plus add-ons. Atencio will be an MLS U22 Initiative player on the Rapids roster. Meanwhile, Brazilian side Botafogo is reportedly finalizing a deal to sign Santi Rodriguez from New York City FC.

Sources: Botafogo at final stages of deal to sign Santi Rodriguez from NYCFC. RodriVazquez95 1st reported.Reports in Brazil say the fee is a huge $17m.

Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2025-02-15T20:45:44.953Z

Toronto FC has signed forward Ola Brynhildsen on loan for the 2025 season from Danish side FC Midtjylland, which includes a purchase option. LAFC has transferred forward Cristian Olivera to Gremio in Brazil for a reported $4.5 million, which includes a sell-on fee. Lastly, Palmeiras is reportedly finalizing a deal with the Houston Dynamo to sign center back Micael for a club record fee.

🇧🇷🟢 BREAKING: Brazilian giants Palmeiras have agreed a deal in principle to sign center back Micael from the Houston Dynamo, per sources.Deal at final stages.Would be new club-record outbound transfer for Houston. Micael among MLS best CBs in MLS last season

Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2025-02-14T16:32:09.759Z

Free Kicks

  • Former Orlando Pride defender Carrie Lawrence has found a new role after retiring from professional soccer at the end of last season. She was named the director of global women’s soccer recruitment for Young Money APAA Sports.
  • Check out this article from Goal.com on how Orlando has established itself as a soccer city over the years.
  • Bay FC goalkeeper Katelyn Rowland announced her retirement from professional soccer after a 10-year career in which she won four NWSL championship titles.
  • Manchester United forward Amad Diallo suffered an ankle injury while training and will likely be out for the remainder of the season.  
  • New York City FC midfielder James Sands, who is on loan at St. Pauli, underwent surgery on Sunday to repair a serious right ankle injury he suffered during their match on Friday against Freiburg that will keep him sidelined indefinitely. No timetable is set for his return.
  • The U-17 U.S. Men’s National Team defeated Cuba 2-0 to wrap up Group F play and has qualified for the U-17 FIFA World Cup, which will take place in November in Qatar.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.

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