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Orlando City vs. Columbus Crew: Five Takeaways

Here’s what we learned from Orlando City’s 4-3 defeat at Columbus.

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4 months ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City went on the road to play one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, fell way behind, battled back, and ultimately lost an entertaining but also frustrating match against the Crew in Columbus. Here are my five takeaways from a 4-3 loss that could have been worse, but also could have been so much better.

Good Teams Punish Your Mistakes

Three of the Crew’s four goals came as a direct result of poor play by Orlando City: Martín Ojeda’s blind and poorly struck pass was intercepted and turned into a counterattack for the Crew’s first goal, Dagur Dan Þórhallsson missed a tackle, Rodrigo Schlegel had cheated up so he was out of position and Rafael Santos was yards away from a therefore wide-open Christian Ramirez for the second goal, and Felipe scuffed a simple pass to Thórhallsson that turned into another counterattack for the the deciding fourth goal. Columbus is already difficult to beat in its home stadium, gifting the Crew three golden opportunities was costly (understatement of the night) in this matchup.

Luis Muriel Looked Like a Designated Player

Muriel injected energy into what had been, frankly, a flatlined Orlando City offense since the first 15 minutes of the game. Orlando City went 50 minutes without a shot after Schlegel’s header in the 13th minute, and it was not until Muriel’s shot in the 63rd minute that the Lions finally emerged from their malaise. Muriel looked potent and powerful with the ball throughout his 32 minutes on the field, and I know this may sound a little hyperbolic, but his gorgeous pass to Iván Angulo that turned into Orlando City’s first goal reminded me of the passes from another Lion who once played in Serie A in Italy, the one and only Kaká. Muriel also slotted home a penalty kick and powered in a long range shot in the dying moments of the match, and looked to be the best player on the field for much of his shift. More of this, please and thank you!

El Pulpo Needed More Limbs

Anytime a team gives up four goals it is a natural reaction to think that perhaps the goalkeeper was not on his best form, but I do not think Pedro Gallese had a chance to stop any of the four goals by the Crew. Three of the four goals were from the center of the box, with two from point-blank range with no defenders in front of the attacker, and the other goal took a deflection off of Robin Jansson and went just beyond Gallese’s fingers into the side netting. Gallese did make a huge save in the 89th minute to keep the score 4-2, and as the season comes to a close, every plus or minus one in goal differential could be huge for seeding purposes.

One Foot Made All the Difference

Usually when we write about Facundo Torres and one foot it is about his preference to use his left foot nearly all of the time, but in Saturday night’s match, Facundo was about one foot offside on a free kick played in by Ojeda in the 24th minute, and during that play Orlando City would have received a penalty kick, because Duncan McGuire’s shot attempt hit a Crew arm that was in an unnatural position. Unfortunately, Torres was slightly offside, which negated the opportunity for the Lions to receive a penalty kick and possibly take a 1-0 lead. Five minutes later, the Crew pounced on an Orlando City mistake to take a 1-0 lead themselves, and oh what could have been had the Lions gone up 1-0 instead of going down 1-0 in the first third of the game.

No César Araújo, Yes Problem

Araújo’s yellow card during Wednesday’s match against Charlotte FC meant he was suspended for Saturday night’s match, and he was clearly missed by Orlando City. Jeorgio Kocevski got his first-ever MLS start in Araújo’s absence, and there is just a clear gap between he and Araújo and what they bring to the team. Kocevski was fine, especially for a rookie in his first ever start, but as (shameless plug alert) I wrote about this week the combination of Araújo’ and Wilder Cartagena is elite, and the Lions could have used elite instead of fine on the road against a difficult opponent. Araújo’s absence also hurt Orlando City in terms of their available substitutes, and Óscar Pareja ended up choosing to sub out both holding midfielders during this match — something that rarely happens when Araújo and Cartagena start. Had Araújo played, we likely would have seen only one of Kocevski or Felipe come off the bench if a holding midfielder needed to come out, which would have allowed one more sub who could have been more offensive in nature with Orlando City chasing the game late.

Those are my takeaways from a game that broke Orlando City’s winning streak and shutout streak, but also may have given the Lions confidence that they can compete with the best teams in the Eastern Conference. Confidence does not put points in the league table though, and in the end, the Lions lost and now face a tough road trip next week against FC Dallas. Let us know your thoughts about the match in the comments below.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/31/25

Orlando Pride transfer Adriana for record fee, Orlando City re-signs Carlos Mercado, new Leagues Cup format revealed, and more.

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3 hours ago

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January 31, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! Today ends the first month of 2025 and my resolutions are mostly intact. I’d like to walk a bit more in the afternoons than I currently am, but I’ll take what I can get. I don’t have too many plans lined up this weekend beyond working, catching some sports, and board games with friends. But for now, let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world.

Adriana Transferred For Orlando Pride Record Fee

The Orlando Pride have transferred Adriana to Al Qadsiah FC in the Saudi Women’s Premier League for a club record fee of reportedly $500,000. Adriana requested the move after two seasons with the Pride since joining in January of 2023. The versatile attacker recorded 12 goals and five assists in 46 regular-season appearances with the Pride. This move opens up an opportunity for more minutes for the team’s young players, and that transfer fee should help improve the Pride’s roster.

Carlos Mercado Re-Signs With Orlando City

Orlando City signed goalkeeper Carlos Mercado to a new contract through the upcoming 2025 season, with club options for 2026 and 2027. The club declined the option on his previous contract following the 2024 season, but he’s back in purple after Mason Stajduhar’s trade to Real Salt Lake. The 25-year-old will likely feature as Orlando City B’s starting goalkeeper this season, with Javier Otero backing up Pedro Gallese on the first team. Mercado started 20 games for the Young Lions last season, so he has some playing time and familiarity with the team under his belt ahead of the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro season.

Leagues Cup Reveals New Format for 2025

Orlando City was one of only 18 MLS clubs to qualify for this summer’s Leagues Cup and we now know what the new format for the tournament will be. The group stage is gone and in its place is a convoluted first phase that can be simplified as there being six sets of six teams —three from MLS and three from Liga MX. Each team will play one match against the three teams from the opposing league, and then only the top four teams overall from each league will advance to the quarterfinals. This means that there will be MLS vs. Liga MX matchups every game until possibly the semifinals. One rule that stuck around though is that there will still be a penalty shootout for an additional point if two teams draw.

NWSL Awards Franchise to Denver

The NWSL officially announced that the league’s 16th franchise will be in Denver. The new club will take the field in 2026 and is finalizing plans to build a stadium for the team. Rob Cohen, who founded the Denver Sports Commission to help bring major sporting events to the city, will serve as the club’s controlling owner and governor, while Mellody Hobson will be the alternate governor. Denver’s team doesn’t have a name, colors, or a logo just yet, but I think anything other than DEN Nation FC would be a good idea.

Free Kicks

  • Former Pride player Emily van Egmond joined Birmingham City on a two-and-a-half-year contract after three years with the San Diego Wave. Birmingham is at the top of the Women’s Championship in a tight race for promotion to the Women’s Super League.
  • Manuel Cocca, whose contract with Orlando City B expired after last season, has joined Arsenal de Sarandi in Argentina’s second division.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

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Opinion

Orlando City’s Lack of Off-Season Signings Starting to Become a Concern

The Lions’ roster hasn’t gotten any bigger in the last few weeks, so it’s understandable if fans are getting a bit antsy.

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23 hours ago

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January 30, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Three weeks ago I wrote that there was no reason to panic about Orlando City’s lack of off-season signings. It was early in January, and the club typically does a lot of its business throughout the first month of the year. Since then, the club signed Nicolas Rodriguez, but the Lions also traded Mason Stajduhar, and forward Jack Lynn retired. That is more subtraction than addition for a team looking to make it to the next level. Is it now time to panic?

The departure of Stajduhar hits Orlando City supporters in the feels given how long he was with the club, but one may assume the coaches have seen enough from Javier Otero to be confident in his ability to back up Pedro Gallese. The club still needs to bring in another keeper [Editor’s note: this story was written prior to the club signing Carlos Mercado this morning], but Stajduhar’s departure isn’t as big of a problem as it might first seem.

We don’t know how long Duncan McGuire will be unavailable once the season starts. Even if he’s back sooner than expected, Orlando City will still be lacking at the striker position. Ramiro Enrique has proven he can be a starter, but with Jack Lynn’s departure, there isn’t anyone behind him. While Luis Muriel is technically a striker, he tends to play further back in a facilitator role rather than as an actual No. 9. We haven’t seen any transfer moves for a new striker.

The Lions got a big influx of cash, thanks to the Facundo Torres deal. Replacing the goal production of Orlando City’s all-time leading goal scorer is a priority. So far, the club has brought in Rodriguez as an MLS U22 Initiative player. Despite the similarities between the two, Rodriguez is not a replacement for Torres. It is unrealistic to expect the young man to score double-digit goals his first year in MLS.

I’m not even worried about the attacking midfield. As I mentioned above, Muriel is best as a facilitator, Martin Ojeda is now wearing the No. 10 jersey, and Ivan Angulo can play on either side. It’s Torres’ goal contributions I’m worried about missing. Orlando City needs to replace that production sooner rather than later or another slow start seems certain.

I’m not going to address the Wilder Cartagena injury until we know more, but that is also potentially very bad news. That brings us to today. The team is already deep into its preseason trip to Mexico. This is the trip that in the past has been the time when the team truly bonds. Any players brought in at this point will obviously miss that valuable time.

Additionally, unless a signing is someone who has already played in MLS — which is incredibly rare for this front office — it is going to take them time to adapt to the league as well as the club and their new teammates. That brings us back to the real potential for another slow start to the season.

When you have roster turnover, the idea is to bring in players that are better than the players that departed. We know that the ownership is serious about winning. The 2022 Open Cup victory and the Orlando Pride’s two 2024 trophies are a testament to that. Now, it’s time to see that commitment with some substantial signings for City. In some ways, I feel the club has left it a little late, but I’ll take what I can get at this point.

I’m not saying it’s time to panic — though I won’t tell you not to do so — but I’m definitely getting a bit concerned. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/30/25

Orlando City reveals kickoff events, women’s transfer market grows, Tanner Tessmann named U.S. Young Male Player of the Year, and more.

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1 day ago

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January 30, 2025

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

We’re all another day closer to the return of Orlando soccer and I can’t wait. I’ve been whittling the days away with reading, writing, and taking far too many photos of my cat. This month has flown by for me, and I’m not complaining too much about it. Let’s dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world.

Orlando City Announces Kickoff Events

In preparation for Orlando City’s 2025 season, the club announced various events before the season opener at home against the Philadelphia Union on Feb. 22. The launch for the team’s new primary kit will take place on Feb. 12 at the Canvas Event Venue, with fans in attendance able to get the jersey and meet players. Other events throughout February include a chalk talk, musical bingo night, and plenty of ways to get merch ahead of the season. However, the Purple Pride 5K is not listed, which is a bit disappointing considering it would have been the 10th annual edition of the event.

Analyzing the Women’s Soccer Transfer Market

American defender Naomi Girma’s move from San Diego Wave FC to Chelsea was the first to break the $1 million threshold for transfer fees in women’s soccer and The Athletic ($) dove into which players could warrant similar spending from clubs in the future. Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda was one such player noted. Banda did fantastic in her first season in the league last year, starred in the past two Olympics, and is still only 24 years old. Only time will tell if Europe can entice her before her contract in Orlando is up, but clubs would likely pay seven figures for her services. Americans Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman could also surpass that $1 million mark, along with NWSL MVP Temwa Chawinga and Paris FC’s Clara Mateo.

Tanner Tessmann Named U.S. Young Male Player of the Year

U.S. Soccer announced that midfielder Tanner Tessmann was voted 2024 U.S. Soccer Young Male Player of the Year after a solid year for both club and country. The 23-year-old captained the U.S. at the Olympics last summer and started for the senior team in both Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal games against Jamaica. A regular starter for Venezia last year, Tessmann scored in the promotion playoffs to help the team earn a spot in Serie A. He was then transferred to Olympique Lyon in August and has taken part in the Europa League. Tessmann received 70% of the vote, winning the award over Gianluca Busio and Niko Tsakiris.

Champions League First Stage Wraps Up

The UEFA Champions League’s league phase is finally over, with eight clubs already through to the round of 16 and 16 set to take part in a knockout round. Manchester City escaped elimination after a 3-1 win over Club Brugge that resulted in both teams advancing to the knockout stage. A hat trick from Ousmane Dembele lifted Paris Saint-Germain to a 4-1 win against Stuttgart and secure 15th in the standings. Aston Villa, Lille, and Bayer Leverkusen all won to clinch a spot in the round of 16, all three benefiting from Atalanta coming up short in a 2-2 draw with Barcelona. AC Milan lost 2-1 to Dinamo Zagreb in a match that included Christian Pulisic scoring and Yunus Musah being sent off. Liverpool’s perfect run came to an end following a 3-2 loss to PSV Eindhoven, but it still topped the standings.

While I found the new league phase to be a bit underwhelming, the knockout stage should provide some intriguing matchups. The draw will take place on Friday, but we already know that Manchester City will play either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich and Juventus will face either AC Milan or PSV Eindhoven.

Free Kicks

  • MLS Season Pass will broadcast a featured game with enhanced production on Sunday nights. It’s a solid strategy and hopefully it can catch on and become something fans across the country look forward to each week.
  • The Chicago Fire are set for a nice payday if Jhon Duran completes his move from Aston Villa to Al-Nassr.
  • Giovanni Reyna earned some style points for this assist in Borussia Dortmund’s 3-1 win against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League.

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

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