Orlando City
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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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.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 9/10/24
Marta nominated for NWSL Goal of the Week, Orlando Pride happy to clinch playoff spot, Lions on international duty, and more.
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Happy Tuesday, everyone! It was another good weekend for Orlando’s soccer teams, as the Orlando Pride and Orlando City B combined to pick up all six points on offer. Hopefully that trend can continue and get even better once Orlando City resumes play this Saturday. We’ve got a lot to talk through this morning, so let’s get after it.
Marta Nominated for Goal of the Week
The Pride took down the Chicago Red Stars 1-0 on Sunday, with Marta singlehandedly winning the game for the Pride courtesy of an absolutely outstanding strike from outside the box. Unsurprisingly, that effort has earned her a nomination for NWSL Goal of the Week. While she’s facing some stiff competition, I think it’s safe to say that her goal is comfortably the best of the bunch. Go make sure everyone else knows it, and vote for her to win this week’s award!
Pride Speak On Clinched Playoff Spot
The Pride discussed the team’s mentality after clinching a playoff spot following this weekend’s results. Head Coach Seb Hines highlighted the heartbreak of narrowly missing the postseason in 2023 and how that was a motivator this season. That sentiment was echoed by both Marta and Haley McCutcheon, with both players speaking on making the postseason and the team’s bigger goals this year.
Lions on International Duty
David Brekalo is on international duty with Slovenia, and was part of his team’s victory in UEFA Nations League play on Monday. Brekalo started at right back and spent 87 minutes on the field, as Slovenia beat Kazakhstan 3-0 courtesy of a hat trick by star man Benjamin Sesko. The result leaves Slovenia atop League B Group 3 with four points after a 1-1 draw with Austria on Friday as well. Meanwhile, Facundo Torres and Uruguay face Venezuela at 6 p.m. tonight in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying. Torres came on as a sub with 10 minutes to go in Uruguay’s 0-0 draw with Paraguay on Friday, so we’ll see if he’s involved two matches in a row. Best of luck, Facu!
USMNT Takes On New Zealand Tonight
The United States Men’s National Team will try to bounce back from a disappointing loss to Canada when it takes on New Zealand today at 7 p.m. in Cincinnati. The All Whites are ranked 94th in the world and have won four of their last five games. The USMNT midfield will need to have a much better showing than it did against the Canadians, as Johnny Cardoso, Yunus Musah, and Malik Tillman were collectively outgunned by the opposition. It’ll also be worth keeping an eye on the goalkeeper situation, as Patrick Schulte played well in the 2-1 loss, and has probably earned another start. There’s plenty to watch for, so make sure you tune in and see if the team can get back on the right track.
International Break Roundup
With the international break still in full swing, there were a number of big games yesterday that we need to catch up on. In the marquee match of the day, France rebounded from a 3-1 loss to Italy in UEFA Nations League play by comfortably dispatching Belgium 2-0, courtesy of goals from Randal Kolo-Muania and Ousmane Dembele. Italy made it two wins in two attempts by knocking off Israel 2-1, with a 90th minute goal from Mohammad Abu Fani not enough to get Israel its first point in the competition. In the Concacaf Nations League, Curacao posted an eye-popping score by beating St. Martin 4-0, only for Haiti to better that result by hammering Sint Maarten 6-0.
Free Kicks
- In case you’ve been living under a rock, the Pride have been outstanding this year.
- Fenerbahce is reportedly interested in signing Antony, but the winger is said to be intent on staying at Manchester United.
- Martin Odegaard went off injured in Norway’s match against Austria on Monday, and he’s set to have an MRI to determine the extent of the damage.
That does it for me this morning. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 9/9/24
Orlando Pride win in Chicago, McKinley Crone signs new contract, Orlando City B defeats Crown Legacy FC, and more.
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Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. Under Armour has been keeping me busy, and I got to cover some high school tennis and swimming this past week. The Orlando Pride and Orlando City B were in action this weekend and both teams got a win. We have plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.
Orlando Pride Shut Out Chicago Red Stars
On Sunday, the Orlando Pride got a 1-0 win on the road against the Chicago Red Stars to extend their unbeaten streak to 20 matches across all competitions. The run also ties the NWSL league record including playoff games, matching the Washington Spirit’s 20-match unbeaten run in 2021 and 2022. Marta scored the lone goal in the match to seal the win for Orlando. The Pride remain in first in the NWSL standings with 47 points, with the Washington Spirit in second with 41, and the Kansas City Current in third with 38. With a playoff spot already clinched, the Pride are aiming for the NWSL Shield as the top team in the league. The Pride will return home at Inter&Co Stadium on Friday to face the Kansas City Current.
Orlando Pride Sign McKinley Crone to New Contract
The Orlando Pride announced on Friday that the club reached an agreement with backup goalkeeper McKinley Crone on a new contract that runs through the 2026 NWSL season. Undrafted before joining Orlando as a non-roster invitee during the preseason in 2023, Crone progressed to being Orlando’s backup goalkeeper in 2024. Crone made her professional debut on July 20 in a 1-1 draw against the North Carolina Courage in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup. The 25-year-old made five saves on six shots to help the Pride stay unbeaten across all competitions. With this latest move, the club has secured Anna Moorhouse, Crone, and Sofia Manner as their goalkeepers for next season.
Orlando City B Defeats Crown Legacy FC
Orlando City B got a 4-1 victory on the road against Crown Legacy FC on Sunday. Alex Freeman scored twice in the first half to give the Young Lions a 2-0 lead going into halftime. Crown Legacy scored in the second half, but OCB continued to do well on both sides of the ball to take all three points. OCB is in sixth place in the Eastern Conference with 40 points, and its next match will be back home on Sunday to take on New England Revolution II.
USMNT Falls to Canada in Friendly
On Saturday, the United States Men’s National Team lost 2-1 to Canada at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City in a friendly. It’s the USMNT’s first loss to Canada on home soil in 67 years, ending a 23-match unbeaten streak against Canada in the U.S. Jacob Shaffelburg and Jonathan David scored for Canada, while Luca de la Torre scored his first goal for the USMNT. The Yanks are on a three-match losing streak and will face New Zealand in Cincinnati on Tuesday at TQL Stadium.
Alex Morgan Plays Final Match
San Diego Wave forward Alex Morgan played in her final match as a professional soccer player on Sunday after a nearly 14-year career. Morgan had a penalty kick saved by Courage goalkeeper Casey Murphy and was subbed off early in the first half, as the Wave lost 4-1 at Snapdragon Stadium. Morgan announced last week that she will retire from professional soccer after this match, while also announcing that she is pregnant with her second child. She played six seasons with the Pride and spent the last three seasons in San Diego, winning the NWSL Golden Boot in 2022 and helping the Wave win the NWSL Shield in 2023.
Free Kicks
- Pride defenders Kerry Abello and Kylie Strom made the NWSL Best XI for August.
- Orlando Pride midfielder Viviana Villacorta was removed from the season-ending injury list.
- The U.S. Soccer Federation is reportedly close to officially naming Mauricio Pochettino as the new head coach for the USMNT.
- Tampa Bay Sun FC secured its first win in the USL Super League with a 3-2 win on the road against Lexington SC on Sunday.
That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday and I’ll see you next time.
Opinion
Martin Ojeda Can Further Build on an Improved 2024
Martin Ojeda has picked things up after a slow start to the season, but he has room to play even better.
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Argentinian attacking midfielder Martin Ojeda finished his maiden season in an Orlando City uniform with six goals and 10 assists. While 16 goal contributions in his first year in a new league with unfamiliar surroundings isn’t a terrible return, there was a widespread sense that he didn’t perform at the level the Lions needed from a Designated Player. He improved the deeper Orlando got into the year though, and coming into the 2024 season, a lot of the projections involving OCSC being one of the best teams in the league were predicated on him taking the next step and becoming a true force in Major League Soccer. So, has that happened?
The broad numbers say that it hasn’t. Through 27 appearances and 1,582 minutes, Ojeda has three goals and eight assists, compared to six goals and 10 assists in 34 appearances and 1,751 minutes in 2023. The Argentine still has time to eclipse his totals from last year, but barring a positively explosive run of form, it’ll take him more minutes to do so. For my money, it isn’t quite that simple though.
For one thing, Ojeda has shown improvement in two key areas: passing accuracy and key passes. His accuracy is up to 84% in 2024, while it was 79% last season. He’s also already eclipsed his total for key passes in 2023, currently sitting on 45, compared to the 42 he finished with in his debut season in purple. That suggests that not only is he passing the ball better, but he’s also putting it in more dangerous areas than previously. Some of that is to be expected, considering his shift into the center of the field to play the no. 10, but he’s still had to adapt to the new position, and he’s looked more and more comfortable as the year has continued.
Let’s talk about that positional change a little. The first few months of the season were ugly for just about everyone wearing an Orlando City jersey. Guys were hurt, off on international duty, or suspended, and many of the ones who could play were forced to do so in positions that weren’t natural for them. At various points throughout the early months of 2024, he found himself playing in the hole behind two strikers, as a deep-lying playmaker, deputizing at striker himself, or dropped from the starting XI entirely.
It was hard to argue with him coming off the bench, as he had just three assists in the 16 games prior to the LAFC match on June 15. He got his first league goal of the year in that match though, and in the 11 games since then, he’s recorded two goals and four assists. While not a staggering return, he’s trending in the right direction. Outside of the numbers, he looks capable of being able to produce at a higher level.
Saturday’s match against Nashville SC provided two specific instances which I found encouraging. The first was his assist on Ivan Angulo’s opening goal, specifically the way in which Ojeda created the goal.
Everything about that is fantastic. The anticipation and work rate to get into a position to intercept the wayward pass, the vision to see Angulo’s position, the quick decision to play the one-touch pass, and the execution to deliver that pass squarely on the money. One of the knocks on Ojeda in an OCSC shirt has been his decision making and execution in the final third, as at times he’s settled for long potshots or held onto the ball too long before trying to find a teammate. None of that was on display here, and the speed of thought, coupled with the execution, meant that Orlando grabbed an early lead.
Let’s then talk about the turn he executed at midfield during the buildup to Facundo Torres’ first goal. Ojeda receives the ball, takes a touch, neatly slips it through a defender’s legs, and then immediately drives hard at the Nashville defense before releasing the ball and finding Torres in space. It’s one moment of skill, but it’s something that happens when you have a guy who’s playing with confidence, and the fact that he then made the right pass at the right time makes it even better.
Those are the moments that we’ve started to see more of from the Designated Player as the year has gone on, and we’ll need to continue seeing more of if Orlando City wants to keep pushing up the table.
Ojeda has a chance to improve on his debut season and really make an impact for the Lions down the stretch. If he keeps playing with confidence, making the correct decisions, and executing in the way that he’s shown this summer, it should bode well for OCSC. Vamos Orlando!
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