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Orlando City vs. Cruz Azul, Leagues Cup: Final Score 0-0 as Lions Crash Out of Leagues Cup on First Ever Shootout Loss

The Lions largely outplayed the Liga MX giants for 90 minutes but weren’t clinical enough in front of goal before bowing out in penalties.

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3 months ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City kept its unbeaten streak alive but lost its first-ever penalty shootout after a 0-0 draw against Cruz Azul at Inter&Co Stadium in the Leagues Cup round of 32. Stretching the team’s unbeaten run to eight matches in all competitions (5-0-3) will be of little consolation to the club after losing 5-4 in penalties to a solid Liga MX side. It was Cruz Azul’s fourth 0-0 draw in the last two Leagues Cup runs and second this year.

However, as good as La Máquina was defensively in this game, it was Orlando City’s lack of finishing that cost the team the game. The Lions lacked the finishing lethality they’ve shown for much of the team’s unbeaten run, either missing just wide or hitting balls straight at the goalkeeper.

“I thought the boys performed really well,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “I think we played against a very good team that brought a very good match as well. They were intense from the first minute and the level of the technical part and the level of the tactics were first level and we were up to it. We leave the competition without losing and that’s the pain that we have. And obviously we’re sad but we played very well and I saw that Orlando City that we want to see. We’re sad but we’re proud.”

Pareja’s lineup had only one change from the squad that drew Atletico San Luis a week ago. With Kyle Smith suspended for his red card, Rafael Santos got the start. Goalkeeper Pedro Gallese started behind a back line of Santos, Robin Jansson, David Brekalo, and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson. Cesar Araujo and Wilder Cartagena started in the central midfield behind an attacking line of Ivan Angulo, Martin Ojeda, and Facundo Torres with Ramiro Enrique up top.

The first half offered few chances for either side in a physical matchup, but most of those created were by the Lions.

Orlando City should have scored early. A nice play by Angulo on the left allowed him to escape pressure and cut across the middle of the field, where he played a perfect ball to Thorhallsson on the right and continued his run. Thorhallsson gave him a perfect return pass with an open net in front of him but Angulo missed badly to the right of goal in the second minute.

Ojeda’s cross picked out Torres in front in the 10th minute but the Uruguayan got under his volley attempt and fired over the bar.

Ojeda thought he’s scored a minute later but the whistle had gone for a foul on Enrique against Cruz Azul goalkeeper Kevin Mier, who just beat him to the ball.

The visitors got their first shot in the 19th minute on a blast outside the box by Carlos Rotondi, but Thorhallsson did well to get in front of him and block it. Two minutes later, Giorgos Giakoumakis was left alone at the penalty spot and volleyed a shot off a cross from the right, but he didn’t get all of it and it was an easy save for Gallese.

Santos fired a shot high over the net in the 38th minute off a corner kick clearance and hit the Heineken sign on the facing of the upper deck.

In the 40th minute, Enrique got an excellent opportunity on the right, but he hit his shot right at Mier, who still had to make a good reaction save to keep it out.

After a couple of long-range shots by Cruz Azul that didn’t trouble Gallese’s goal, Thorhallsson got a chance from the right in the 44th minute, but he too hit his shot right at the goalkeeper. The Icelandic fullback then made a major mistake deep in first-half stoppage time, making a poor back pass straight to Giakoumakis, but the former Atlanta United striker sent his curling shot from the top of the area wide of the right post.

That was the last look of the half and the teams went into the break scoreless.

At the break, the visitors had the advantage in possession (54.1%-45.9%), shots (6-5), shots on target (3-2), and passing accuracy (88.9%-85.4%), while the Lions earned more corners (2-0) and created the most clear-cut opportunities.

The first chance of the second half fell Cruz Azul’s way when Brekalo was called for a foul and booked just after the restart. Ignacio Rivero went from goal on the free kick but Gallese punched it away.

Torres took Orlando’s first shot of the second period in the 50th minute from outside the area but hit his shot over the bar. Orlando City then squandered another great opportunity four minutes later. Angulo did well in the corner to shake free and get around the defense and into the box on the left. He picked out Enrique with a pass but the Argentine sent his left-footed effort wide of the left post from close range.

“I thought we created some (options) in very dangerous positions and you have to find the game as you see it, and we were not sharp in that finishing,” Pareja said. “But we had the best of the options and probably the best of the soccer.”

After Rotondi sent a shot well off target from the top of the box in Orlando’s defensive end, the Lions again wasted a good opportunity in the 59th minute. Enrique made a great tackle in the attacking third to win the ball, then quickly found Torres in the box. Torres’ first shot was blocked by the defense but he got in behind, still with the ball at his feet, but he sent his shot just inches wide of the left post.

Uriel Antuna tried a weak backheel flick from the top of the box in the 70th minute but it was no trouble for Gallese.

Ojeda had a go from the top of the area at the other end in the 73rd minute, but once again the shot was straight at the goalkeeper. Six minutes later, it was second-half substitute Duncan McGuire firing straight at Mier.

The final 11 minutes plus stoppage time were largely uneventful except a late chance deep in stoppage time for Cruz Azul that resulted in a Gallese save that ultimately didn’t count because the flag came up. That was the last action and the match ended in a 0-0 draw.

Cruz Azul finished with the edge in possession (54.6%-45.4%), shots (14-11), shots on target (6-4), and passing accuracy (87.3%-83.7%), while the Lions won more corners (4-0).

To determine which team would advance, there was no extra time, as the competition calls for penalty kicks immediately following a draw.

Jansson was the surprising choice to take the first penalty, and it looked like a poor decision when the defender’s shot was saved by Mier. However, Cruz Azul starting striker Ignacio Rivero missed the net wide to the right, offering the Lions a reprieve. The next eight shooters all found the mark in succession — second-half subs Nico Lodeiro, Luis Muriel, and McGuire, along with Torres for Orlando, and Andres Montano, Willer Ditta, Gonzalo Piovi, and Angel Sepulveda for Cruz Azul — sending the shootout to sudden death.

Thorhallsson was Orlando’s sixth shooter, but saw his penalty saved, putting the pressure on Gallese to make a save to keep his team in it. However, former LAFC winger Antuna scored to end the Lions’ perfect shootout record and knock Orlando City out of the competition.

“We’ve been doing good for a long period now here and we’re going to try to continue to build on that,” Jansson said. “I think today we had a great game and Pedro had some good saves too, when they had a couple of chances. I don’t think they had too many chances though. We take that with us that we had a great game, but right now we’re disappointed. We really wanted to go through, but the PKs sometimes it’s a lottery. Today we weren’t good enough. I missed and I’m not happy with that but sometimes that’s the game.”

With the Leagues Cup behind them, the Lions will have to wait until Aug. 24 to play their next game. That match will be at Sporting Kansas City.

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Orlando City

How Orlando City’s Offense Stacks Up Against What Atlanta Does Defensively

How Orlando City has performed against teams playing with three or four defenders, and how that may influence the playoff game against Atlanta United.

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51 mins ago

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November 21, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

The most famous quote about real estate is that “there are three things that matter in property: location, location, location.” Soccer coaches also like to think in threes, especially when it comes to points, but for a soccer coach, the three things that matter might be the rhyming triplet “formation, formation, formation,” as that is where they will have the biggest influence on every game that their team plays.

Throughout his tenure as head coach, Óscar Pareja has preferred to use a 4-2-3-1 as his formation (fbref.com’s lineup data shows that the Lions primarily played a 4-2-3-1 in 65% of their MLS matches this season, and 79% of their MLS matches during the last three seasons). The Lions have lined up in a 4-2-3-1 during each of their last 14 games, and my confidence level is strong to quite strong (can you believe Meet the Parents came out 24 years ago?) that they will do so once again on Sunday when they host Atlanta United.

Atlanta United also prefers to deploy a 4-2-3-1, but was less consistent than Orlando City this season during MLS play, as evidenced by the chart below that shows how Atlanta lined up this season:

The purpose of this image is a table to show how Atlanta United lined up in 2024 (mostly in a 4-2-3-1 but also in one of six other formations).

I am relying on the coders at Opta for their evaluation of the formation, as I do not watch a lot of Atlanta United matches (sounds terrible), but though Atlanta primarily played with four defenders in more than two-thirds of its matches, during the last two matches it played a 3-5-2, the only two matches all season in which interim coach Rob Valentino rolled out that formation. I suspect that the formation change was related partially to playing Inter Miami and trying to defend the Herons’ dynamic offense and partially due to an injury suffered by defender Brooks Lennon in the first game of that series. So, while Atlanta primarily played four in the back for most of the season, there is a good chance it will roll with what worked against Florida’s second-best MLS team when it plays Florida’s best MLS team this weekend.

Now, if you want to read more about Atlanta, then you can read our match preview, which will drop Sunday morning, but I want to look at how Orlando did against teams that play similar styles. Looking only at MLS games, the table below shows how Orlando City performed against different back line structures this season (the left side is how the Lions’ opponents lined up, the right side is how Orlando City performed against opponents in those formations):

Table embedded as an image showing Orlando City doing best in goal differential in 12 games against three-man back lines, second best against four-man back lines, and having played once against a five-man back line (a 1-1 draw).

Orlando City earned slightly more points per game — the stat that matters most — against teams that played four in the back, but the Lions had a better average goal differential when teams played three in the back. Atlanta will likely deploy one of those two formations. In both games against Orlando City this season, Sunday’s visitors went with a 4-2-3-1, but as mentioned earlier, they used three in the back in each of their last two matches, so it really could be either.

Soccer is not like baseball, where players primarily stay in the same spot throughout the game, so some of these stats have to be taken with a grain of salt, as players are not always rigidly in the same position throughout a match. A team may also primarily play with four in the back but switch to three when chasing a game, or five when trying to protect against a late goal.

That said, using the data around Orlando City’s opponents’ general formations, here are the attacking groups who played the most frequently against four defenders during the 24 MLS games where Opta coded the opponents as using a defensive group of four:

Table embedded as an image showing the most frequently used lineups against teams who deploy four defenders. The most frequently used attacking group has a plus eight goal differential for the season.

It is a little ominous that the main starting group, shown in row one, has played 666 MLS minutes against back lines of four this season, but do I like that green goal differential of +8 in those minutes, which is a strong +1.08 per 90 minutes. I like that goal differential more than I like all the things that Cardi B, Bad Bunny, and J Balvin like on their song that is creatively named “I Like It.” Coincidentally, when people ask me what I think about that song, I say, “I like it.” I am very creative.

If we look at the lineups that Orlando City has used against back lines of three defenders then there are some pretty major differences in personnel groupings, but it must be noted that more than half of the games against teams playing three in the back came early in the season, when Ramiro Enrique was unavailable to play. Enrique, my presumed starter at striker, has played fewer than three games’ worth of minutes (265 total) against back lines of three this season, and only 28 minutes with the main starting group, which ranks 13th among all the attacking lineups for minutes played against three defenders. That group scored one goal in their 28 minutes together though, for a robust 3.21 goals-scored-per-90-minutes average.

While the team as a whole has been successful against three-man back lines, I do not expect any of the lineups shown in the table below to play more than a few minutes together this weekend, though the first row and the last row are strong groups and had a lot of success.

Table embedded as an image showing the most frequently used lineups against teams who deploy three defenders. The most frequently used attacking group has a plus three goal differential for the season.

I am sure that all week long the Orlando City coaching staff has been going back and forth on whether it is more likely that Atlanta reverts to its most commonly used four in the back, or if the Five Stripes try for three wins in a row with three in the back. I would prefer that Atlanta plays with zero defenders and goalkeeper Brad Guzan wears a blindfold, but I think that is unlikely to be the case.

Even though Atlanta defeated Orlando City both times while in a 4-2-3-1, based on available personnel and recent results, I believe that the team will come out in a 3-5-2 in Inter&Co Stadium in the conference semifinal. Good things come in threes, and Orlando City’s best offensive production this season has been against three defenders, so I am going to be hoping that this continues, and in the third game against Atlanta the Lions grab the three points. Three’s company!

Well, it is a playoff game, so there are no actual points at stake, but you know what I meant.

Vamos Orlando!

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Orlando City vs. Atlanta United: Three Keys to Victory

What do the Lions need to do to get a victory to advance to the Eastern Conference final?

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3 hours ago

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November 21, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City continues its playoff journey against Atlanta United Sunday at Inter&Co Stadium. The Lions are coming off an emotional penalty shootout win over Charlotte FC in their best-of-three, first-round series. Likewise, Atlanta United stunned everyone by taking out Inter Miami to advance in its own best-of-three matchup. Now, the rivals meet in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

What does Orlando City need to do to get past Atlanta United to advance to the Easter Conference final?

Beat Guzan

Brad Guzan made 16 saves over Atlanta’s three matches against Inter Miami, including seven in the 3-2 win on the road in Game 3. The 40-year-old former USMNT keeper is in excellent form and is a big reason why the Five Stripes are facing Orlando City. Converting chances against Guzan will be crucial to earning a result. There have been times this season when the Lions have struggled to convert their chances. Despite that, the team has done enough offensively to get to this point. Facundo Torres, Martin Ojeda, Duncan McGuire, Ramiro Enrique, and others have contributed and will need to do so this weekend.

Cartagena is Essential

Orlando City lost twice to Atlanta United during the regular season. What is interesting, and perhaps relevant, is that Wilder Cartagena was out for both of those matches. Cartagena was shown a straight red in the match against Minnesota United prior to the first match against Atlanta way back in March. He was shown a yellow card in the match against FC Cincinnati and then served a yellow card accumulation suspension for the final match of the season against Atlanta. Fortunately for Orlando City, Cartagena will be available for the match this weekend. I’ve mentioned before the importance of Cartagena to Orlando City’s success. When he and Cesar Araujo are on the field together, the defense is simply better. Cartagena is frankly one of the better defensive midfielders in MLS. Atlanta scored five goals in the series against Miami, and Orlando will need to keep the visitors from having that kind of offensive success.

Overcome the Past

That darn international break in the middle of the playoffs is something I don’t love. More precisely, I don’t like it because Orlando City often struggles after a break. It would have been nice if Orlando City could have ridden the momentum from the penalty kick victory into the Atlanta match, but that’s not to be. Now is the time for Orlando City to break some bad habits, including turning around its historical lack of success against Atlanta, and tendency to struggle in the first match after a break. Oscar Pareja needs to have the players in the right frame of mind, and the players need to execute the plan. A full house of supporters can also make a difference. Given it’s a Sunday afternoon match, there’s no reason not to pack the house.

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

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Lion Links: 11/21/24

Marta’s chance to shine in NWSL Championship, NWSL and MLS award winners announced, 2025 SheBelieves Cup details, and more.

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6 hours ago

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November 21, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve been spending most of this week plotting out some holiday shopping to make things a little less stressful for myself over the next few weeks. A big weekend filled with Orlando soccer awaits us, so make sure to get any errands or obligations out of the way sooner rather than later. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Spotlight Falls On Marta in NWSL Championship

There are plenty of storylines heading into Saturday’s NWSL Championship between the Orlando Pride and Washington Spirit, including Marta’s opportunity to put an exclamation point on what has been an excellent season for the Pride. Orlando has been enjoying the fruits of its labor this season after a rebuild over the past few years that’s included plenty of change in the City Beautiful. Marta has been a constant, however, enduring some difficult seasons since joining the Pride and adapting her game She’s scored in both of the Pride’s playoff games so far and has a chance to author a storybook ending on Saturday.

Ann-Katrin Berger Named NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year

NJ/NY Gotham FC goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger was named 2024 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year, beating out the Pride’s Anna Moorhouse and Utah Royals FC’s Mandy Haught for the honor. It was Berger’s first year in the NWSL and she’s the first European player to win the award. She only conceded 16 goals across her 22 matches for Gotham this season and was a key reason behind her team’s success. I’m not too surprised that Moorhouse did not win, considering how solid the Pride’s defense was as a whole, but this won’t take anything away from a record-breaking season for her.

Wilfried Nancy Named MLS Coach of the Year

Columbus Crew Head Coach Wilfried Nancy was voted 2024 MLS Coach of the Year after a historic season in which the Crew set club records in both points and goals. The Crew also won the Leagues Cup this summer and their 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup campaign included advancing past Tigres and Monterrey en route to the final. This is Nancy’s first time being named Coach of the Year and he has been a finalist for the award every year since 2021. The Frenchman received 40.02% of the vote, winning the award over Inter Miami’s Gerardo Martino and Colorado Rapids Head Coach Chris Armas.

2025 SheBelieves Cup Details Unveiled

The 10th annual SheBelieves Cup will take place next year and the tournament will return to its usual format where each of the four teams plays each other once. The United States Women’s National Team will host Japan, Colombia, and Australia in February in what should be an exciting tournament. The U.S. will take on Colombia on Feb. 20 in Houston before facing Australia in Arizona on Feb. 23 and finishing the tournament on Feb. 26 against Japan at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego. These games will also be the first domestic games of 2025 for the USWNT as it prepares to qualify for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.

Eric Quill Named FC Dallas Head Coach

FC Dallas announced that Eric Quill will become the team’s next head coach. Quill joins Dallas after a great year with New Mexico United that included trips to the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals and USL Championship Western Conference semifinals. It’s also a reunion of sorts for Quill, as he previously coached North Texas SC and was named USL League One Coach of the Year with the club in 2019. Dallas missed out on the playoffs this season, with Peter Luccin coaching the team on an interim basis after the firing of Nico Estevez in June.

Free Kicks

  • District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser challenged Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer to a bet involving this weekend’s NWSL Championship, with embarrassing lightshows on the line.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

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