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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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6 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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Lion Links: 1/21/25

Orlando Pride release preseason camp roster, scouting Costa Rica, women’s soccer transfer grades, and more.

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18 hours ago

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January 21, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone! If you had yesterday off for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, then I hope you enjoyed some restful time off. If not, then I hope you got your week started off on a good and productive note. There’s a lot going on around here this week as the United States Men’s National Team is in town, and Orlando City will play its first preseason match on Saturday. That means we have plenty to discuss, so let’s dig into today’s links.

Orlando Pride Drop Preseason Roster

Monday might have been a holiday but the Orlando Pride were busy, as they announced the roster for their upcoming preseason camp. Almost all of the usual suspects from the 2024 season are back, as the Pride return 98% of the player-minutes from last season and every single scorer. Mariana Larroquette is on the list although she’s currently on loan in Argentina, and Amanda Allen is likewise included after her loan at Lexington Sporting Club was terminated due to a torn labrum. The biggest intrigue comes from the trio of non-roster invitees: goalkeeper DeAira Jackson, midfielder Aryssa Mahrt, and forward Simone Jackson.

Scouting Costa Rica

The USMNT takes on Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium to wrap up the team’s annual January camp. Like the U.S., Costa Rica is bringing a roster devoid of the majority of its important players. Costa Rica also has a new manager at the helm in Miguel Herrera, who will take charge of the team for the very first time on Wednesday. Herrera typically lines his teams up in a 5-3-2 where the wingbacks take on a very important role and the team looks to hit on the counter while staying compact at the back. This will be the last time we see the USMNT in action until the Concacaf Nations League semifinals in early March.

Women’s Soccer January Transfer Grades

January has been a busy time for transfers in the women’s soccer world, so which teams have done the best business? Well, the Orlando Pride received an A grade for signing Marta to a new two-year deal, retaining a player who helped the team win its first ever trophies. Liverpool got an A for signing Julia Bartel on loan from Chelsea. Leicester City made an interesting call by transferring goalkeeper Lize Kop to Tottenham despite just being a point above the relegation zone. The Foxes get a C for the move, while Spurs get a B+ for adding a capable netminder.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans taking part in some very important games over the course of this week. Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus face Club Brugge today in the UEFA Champions League, while Ricardo Pepi, Richy Ledezma, Esmir Bajraktarević, Malik Tillman and PSV Eindhoven take on Crvena Zvezda in the same competition. Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan will play Girona in the UCL on Wednesday, while Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic take on Young Boys. On Friday, John Tolkin could make his Bundesliga debut when his new team, Holstein Kiel, travels to face Wolfsburg.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando Pride players reported for their preseason physicals on Monday.
  • Meanwhile, Orlando City took on the dreaded beep test during Monday’s training session.

That’s all I have for you today. Vamos Orlando!

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Orlando City

Striker Suddenly a Position of Need for Orlando City

Departures and a key injury mean Orlando City needs a striker heading into the 2025 MLS season.

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2 days ago

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January 20, 2025

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Image Courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City reached the Eastern Conference Final for the first time in 2024, a milestone for the club. The core of the team was locked up through the 2025 season, so there was no reason to believe it needed to add much this off-season. Unfortunately, injuries and departures have created a serious problem for the team.

The group of forwards last year consisted of Duncan McGuire, Ramiro Enrique, and Jack Lynn. McGuire scored 15 goals in 2023 and was expected to depart for Blackburn Rovers before a clerical error allowed the Lions to keep their target man. The team’s primary striker scored 11 goals in 37 games — the same number as the previous season — but split time starting with Enrique. The Argentinian improved greatly in 2024, increasing his total goal tally from four to 12. Even Lynn showed tremendous improvement last year, playing a greater role in the team and scoring his first two MLS goals.

The future also seemed bright for the Orlando City forwards because of their ages. Lynn is the oldest of the trio at just 25 years old. Meanwhile, McGuire and Enrique are only 23, so there was no reason to believe this group couldn’t produce this coming season.

The problem at striker began in the postseason when McGuire was pulled down by Charlotte FC midfielder Djibril Diani in the final first round game of the playoffs. McGuire suffered a shoulder injury during the challenge that required surgery on Dec. 13. It’s expected that the striker could take four to five months to return to action, possibly leaving him out until May or June.

Another blow to Orlando’s attack occurred Saturday when Lynn surprisingly announced his retirement from professional soccer. In just over a month, Orlando City went from having three strikers to having just one as preseason training starts.

With McGuire injured and Lynn gone, one option would be to have Designated Player Luis Muriel play up top. However, the Colombian prefers to play a more withdrawn position and proved to be effective in that role last year. Since Head Coach Oscar Pareja prefers to play a 4-2-3-1 formation, the Lions need someone up top to control the ball and involve the midfielders in the attack. That’s not Muriel’s game.

The result of these issues is that nobody is currently behind Enrique when the season begins. If the Argentinian gets tired, hurt, or simply needs rest, Pareja is limited in his options. 

Whether there was a lack of strikers or a lack of goals from the position previously, that problem was resolved by the club’s all-time leading goal scorer. Facundo Torres scored 20 goals in 2024, becoming the first player in Orlando City’s MLS history and the second player in club history to do so. He went on to set a new club record for total goals of 47.

However, Orlando City sold its best player to Brazilian side Palmeiras on Dec. 20. It was a gut punch to fans as Torres had signed a new contract on Jan. 10, 2024 that ran through the 2026 season. There had been talk for the last couple of years that the attacker would look for a move to Europe and rumors of a move to South America arose this off-season. Still, it created a huge gap the club has to fill.

There are players on the roster that can make up for the injury and departures. Martin Ojeda had a strong season in 2024, finishing with seven goals and 13 assists. His seven goals ranked fourth on the team and his 13 assists topped the squad alongside Nico Lodeiro. Muriel came on strong later in the season, finishing with five goals and eight assists. But those numbers are a long way from the 20 goals that Torres tallied last year.

Even if you consider all goal contributions, Ojeda and Muriel fall well short of Torres. Ojeda had a total of 20 goal contributions in 2024 while Muriel had 13. In addition to Torres’s 20 goals, he added nine assists for a team-leading 29 goal contributions.

All of this information leads to one undeniable fact — Orlando City needs to sign a striker prior to the season. And there’s not much time for Luiz Muzzi to act. The European transfer window closes on Feb. 3 and many MLS teams have already been filling similar needs. With the season starting in just over a month, the options will be limited if the Lions don’t do something soon.

After the best postseason finish in Orlando City’s MLS history, things were looking good heading into 2025. While the back line and most of the midfield is returning, McGuire’s injury and the departure of Torres and Lynn have left the Lions in a tough spot offensively. If they don’t do something in the next couple of weeks, it could be a long 2025.

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Lion Links: 1/20/25

Orlando City signs Nicolas Rodriguez, Jack Lynn announces retirement, USMNT defeats Venezuela in friendly, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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January 20, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope you’re all having a good holiday weekend as we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Over the past week, I’ve been working and covering high school ice hockey. It will be a busy week in Orlando, with the United States Men’s National Team’s match against Costa Rica on Wednesday and Orlando City’s first preseason match against Atletico Mineiro on Saturday. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Signs Nicolas Rodriguez

Orlando City announced on Friday that the club has signed forward Nicolas Rodriguez from Fortaleza CEIF in Colombia’s top flight. The deal is through the 2027 season, with a club option for 2028, and Rodriguez will occupy a MLS U22 Initiative slot. Rodriguez made 19 appearances for Fortaleza, recording 1,607 minutes, five goals, and three assists during the 2024 Primera A Clausura season. The Lions add a young attacking player the club can develop and Rodriguez can play on the right wing, the right side of a three-man midfield, or in the No. 10 spot.

Jack Lynn Announces Retirement

Orlando City forward Jack Lynn announced his retirement from professional soccer on Saturday. Lynn was drafted by Orlando in the first round of the 2022 MLS SuperDraft. He became a regular starter for Orlando City B, scoring a team-record 38 goals in over three seasons with the MLS NEXT Pro side. Lynn also won the Golden Boot with 19 goals during the 2023 season and became the first OCB player to be named MLS NEXT Pro MVP. He played sparingly with the first team, but he scored twice last season as his role increased. The Lions will likely look to add another striker for more depth up top.

Orlando Pride Acquire Allocation Money in Trade

On Friday, the Orlando Pride announced that the club has acquired $50,000 in Allocation Money from the Washington Spirit. In exchange, the Pride sent the Spirit a 2025 international roster spot. The Pride will face the Spirit in the NWSL Challenge Cup final on March 7 at Inter&Co Stadium.

USMNT Defeats Venezuela in Friendly

The USMNT defeated Venezuela 3-1 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday in a friendly. Jack McGlynn and Patrick Agyemang scored in the first half to give the USMNT a 2-0 lead just before halftime. Matko Milijevic scored the third goal for the Americans in the second half, with Venezuela pulling one back thanks to a goal from Jorge Yriarte. Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has led the USMNT to winning four out of its first five matches since he took charge last September. The USMNT’s next match will be against Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium.

Alyssa Naeher Named U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year

On Saturday, goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher was voted 2024 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year. Naeher won 40% of the vote, while defender Naomi Girma finished in second with 32%. In her final year with the USWNT, Naeher ended 2024 with 18 starts, playing 1,170 minutes and only conceding 11 goals. She played a crucial role with clutch saves to help the USWNT win the 2024 SheBelieves Cup, 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup, and gold at the Olympics in Paris. Naeher is the second goalkeeper to win the award since Hope Solo won it in 2009.

Free Kicks

  • Manchester City forward Erling Haaland has reached an agreement with the club on a record-breaking contract that extends his deal through 2034.

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

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