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Orlando City vs. Philadelphia Union: Final Score 2-1 as Lions Complete Season Sweep of Union

Luis Muriel put on a passing clinic in the second half to lead Orlando City to a home win over Philadelphia.

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8 months ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Facundo Torres and Duncan McGuire each scored second-half goals off Luis Muriel assists to lead Orlando City to a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Union at Inter&Co Stadium. The Lions (14-11-7, 49 points) started well, then faded badly for what was a mostly sloppy first half for both sides, before starting the second half strong and building a 2-0 lead over the Union (9-13-10, 37 points). A careless bit of defending allowed Quinn Sullivan to pull one back, and Philadelphia should have scored a few times off set pieces, but Orlando was able to hold on for all three points.

The victory keeps the Lions in fourth place in a tight playoff race for home field advantage in the best-of-three first round.

“We are obviously very happy and satisfied with the way the team found a way to win games and put us in this spot in the standings at this time of the season,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “Another hard game. Well played, but us, we could have had more precision in certain moments when we could have put the game away from Philadelpha.”

Pareja’s lineup included Pedro Gallese in goal behind a back line of Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Kyle Smith. Cesar Araujo and Wilder Cartagena lined up in central midfield behind an attacking line of Ivan Angulo, Martin Ojeda, and Torres with Ramiro Enrique up top.

Orlando City came out buzzing and Ojeda created several opportunities but none of the other attacking players were nearly as sharp as the Argentine. It started in the third minute, with a great cross in from Ojeda that Enrique flicked on but he didn’t get enough on it and sent it wide of the far post.

Ojeda found Enrique again in the seventh minute but this time his shot was deflected out by the defense. On the ensuing corner kick, Ojeda’s cross was cut out by the defense. Angulo picked it up but quickly turned it over. Ojeda won it back and carried it into the box. He smashed a shross through the six-yard box, but no one could get on it at the back post and it fizzed out of play.

Torres won a free kick near the left corner of the box in the 15th minute and Araujo took it for some reason. The defensive midfielder thumped his shot into the wall. It ricocheted back to him, giving the Uruguayan a second chance, but this time he fired well over the crossbar.

Angulo continued his recent bad habit of giving the ball away cheaply throughout the first half and it cost Schlegel a yellow card in the 19th minute as he took down Mikael Uhre to break up the counter. Daniel Gazdag fired a shot off Santos and out of play moments later.

Philadelphia countered off a poor layoff by Angulo in the 33rd minute and had numbers forward in the attack but could not link up in front of goal, ending the threat. Two minutes later, Tai Baribo was all alone in front of goal but got under his header and sent it over the bar.

Enrique knocked down a cross for Torres in the box in the 37th minute. His shot was blocked and fell to Angulo near the penalty spot, but the Colombian put his shot well over the bar. Cartagena took a turn at getting well under the ball on a layoff near the top of the box in the 39th minute, sending it well over the crossbar.

Orlando looked to have something cooking in stoppage time on a long-range set piece that fell for Torres, but referee Armando Villarreal broke up Orlando’s attack with a poorly timed halftime whistle.

The Lions finished the first half with the advantage in possession (63.7%-36.3%), shots (11-7), and passing accuracy (91.4%-78.7%). Philadelphia won more corners (2-1), and neither team managed to put a single shot on frame.

Pareja sent on Muriel for Angulo at the half. He was part of a press that nearly paid dividends in the first minute of the second period when Enrique took the ball away and cleared himself to shoot but wasted the effort by blasting it over the net.

The Lions got forward in the 51st minute and Cartagena was sent down the left. With two men breaking in front, he could have given a teammate a tap-in but instead he shot from a tight angle and Andre Blake made the stop. Ojeda then found Enrique on a corner kick in the 52nd minute but the Argentine’s shot was wide, missing the target yet again.

Muriel came within inches of sending Torres in alone on goal in the 55th minute. Blake was quick to sprint off his line and got a touch to the ball to prevent a dangerous Orlando chance. However, Muriel got dialed in quickly with that pass.

Muriel found Torres on the left in the 57th minute and the Designated Player slotted home his 45th career goal, becoming the franchise’s all-time scoring leader.

“Luis first got the ball, he tried to play it in to one of our forwards,” Torres said. “I actually told him I was all alone on that, so he could have played me earlier, but thankfully, we were able to recover the ball again. And then he looked up and saw that I was still all alone. So, he played me in, and I was in front of goal, and so I shot it, and you know, the goalkeeper was able to get a touch to it, but thankfully, it still went in anyway.”

“I’m very happy for Facu, very proud of the way he has evolved in maturing and carrying us on his shoulders when we need him the most,” Pareja said. “I see a player who has embraced that responsibility.”

Philadelphia Union defender Jakob Glesnes smashed a shot from distance in the 60th minute that was over the bar.

McGuire checked in at the hour mark, coming on for Ojeda, who had nothing to show for a strong performance. The big striker made his presence felt right away.

Muriel hit a perfect inside-out ball through the center backs for McGuire to run onto in the 64th minute. The striker picked out his spot and slotted it home to make it 2-0.

“I thought that (in) today’s game Luis came and defined in those precise moments with that talent and put us in front of the goal, and it was definitely a fantastic night for him,” Pareja said. “I think the way he’s adapting to us, to the group, has been much, much better. Every day it looks like he’s gelling with what we want. And good timing, also. I’m very happy for him and I know the group is valuing a lot what he’s doing, and he represents the unity that we have.”

Feeling the pressure of falling below the playoff line, the Union turned up the heat after Orlando’s second goal and were the better side over the final 26 minutes of the match, plus stoppage time. Philadelphia was a dangerous team, especially on set pieces for the remainder of the game, creating enough chances to not only draw level, but also to pull ahead. However, the visitors were not clinical enough in front of goal.

The first warning shot was fired in the 70th minute when substitute Nathan Harriel headed a shot that looked to be going wide of the right post off a cross in from the left, but Gallese caught it anyway.

Philadelphia pulled a goal back in the 72nd minute off a throw-in that should never have been awarded to the Union. A cross from the right cleared everyone but Villarreal ruled that it came off an Orlando head. The Lions argued vehemently to no avail. Philadelphia worked the ball to Gazdag off the throw-in and he got to the end line, cutting back a pass to Sullivan in the box. Santos was in the area but was not marking his man tightly enough and a simple redirect put the ball off the underside of the crossbar and in to make it 2-1.

“What changed the story of the game, unfortunately today, is the goal that Philadelphia scored,” Pareja said. “Today (it) was not a throw-in. It was very clear. The referee was 10 yards from that play, and that small detail changed things, and then put the team in stress for us that was very unfair. And after that we just got very tense because it was 2-1, but we were dominating the game. That goal, it shouldn’t be called because it was not a throw-in. It was very evident and I was upset with that.”

The Union should have tied the game in the 79th minute. After substitute Luca Petrasso deflected a cross out for a corner, Harriel blazed past the Canadian on the ensuing set piece, getting a free header right in front. He placed his header wide of the left post, letting Orlando off the hook.

The Lions were fortunate again not to give up a second goal as a turnover off a throw-in in the offensive third ended up with Samuel Adeniran on the counter down the left. Adeniran picked out Uhre at the far post, but he couldn’t direct it on target. Seconds later, a header on the corner was scuffed in front and Gallese grabbed it.

“It’s something that is happening that we don’t want to get through,” Pareja said of his team finding itself under pressure with the lead for the second straigh tgame. “Having control of the game the whole 90 minutes is not an easy task. I prefer to defend higher in the field and put pressure on the other teams and having the ball.”

Orlando had a chance to put the game to bed in the 84th minute when Muriel again tried to play McGuire in behind the defense. The pass was just a touch overweighted as Blake charged out to try to reach it first. It appeared McGuire just managed to get his toe on the ball but he couldn’t steer it past Blake. Three minutes later, second-half sub Nico Lodeiro found Santos on the left. The fullback smashed a shot on target toward the near post but he couldn’t beat Blake, who saved it, knocking it out for a corner.

In the 91st minute, Gallese caught a deflected shot and made a tremendous effort to keep it in play. He appeared to prevent the ball from going over the line, but Villarreal awarded a corner to Philadelphia anyway. Uhre stepped on Gallese’s hand on the play and was fortunate to only see a yellow card. The Lions argued the call and Araujo was booked. Harriel again got a free header on the corner kick but once more he sent the shot off target.

McGuire ran afoul of Villarreal deep in stoppage time. After getting mauled and not getting a call, McGuire was booked. He will be suspended for the match Saturday in Cincinnati. He nearly got the last laugh in the final seconds of the game. Muriel again unlocked the defense with a pass in the 96th minute, sending McGuire behind the Union back line. McGuire tried to beat Blake, who stuck out a hand at the last second and parried the shot away.

“(I’m) happy, because the team was able to win tonight, happy with my two assists, happy because, as I said in my last interview, I’m starting to get involved in the mechanism more and really, really start to feel more comfortable here in the way that we play, and it’s starting to show out on the pitch,” Muriel said.

That was the last action of the match, as Orlando City completed a sweep of the Union.

Orlando finished with the advantage in possession (53.4%-46.6%), shots (20-14), shots on target (6-2), and passing accuracy (88.2%-83.8%). Philadelphia won more corners (8-3).

“All in all, I thought we were the best team in the pitch, and we beat one of the best teams in the league, for me,” Pareja said.

The Lions won their sixth consecutive home game of the regular season and are now 7-0-2 in their last nine at home in all competitions.

The Lions have another quick turnaround with a road match Saturday night at FC Cincinnati.

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Opinion

Predicting Orlando City’s June Results

It’s time to take a glimpse into the future and predict how Orlando City will fare during the month of June.

Published

10 hours ago

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May 30, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

We’re almost to the end of what’s been an extremely packed month of May for Orlando City. After the conclusion of Saturday’s match against the Chicago Fire, the Lions will have played nine matches in the span of 28 days. OCSC has basically played a match every three days, which is an absurd pace. Other than two recent blemishes, Orlando has mostly handled it exceedingly well though, and June presents a much lighter schedule for our brave heroes.

The Lions play just three games next month and will have two weeks off between Saturday’s match against the Fire and their next game. Without any further ado, I will now attempt to peer into the crystal ball and predict the results of Orlando’s three games in June.

Saturday, June 14 — at Colorado Rapids

Orlando will return to action after a two-week layoff by hopping on the purple plane and flying west to take on Colorado. The Rapids are currently eighth in a crowded Western conference table with 22 points, and they are 10 points off the Vancouver Whitecaps at the top of the table. They’ve put together a pretty even season so far with a record of 6-6-4 (W-L-D). The biggest problem for Colorado has been scoring goals, as the Rapids only have 18 goals in 16 games and have been held scoreless five times in the league. They have this week off, and won’t return to action until June 7, when they host Austin FC. I give Orlando City the edge in this match, and hopefully that extra rest will help the good guys hang tough at altitude. The Lions have been defensively sound recently — when they’ve had all 11 men on the field — while also still being able to put the ball in the back of the net several times a game. Shutting down Djordje Mihailovic is going to be key, but I like Orlando’s chances given its recent form and the fact that the Lions will be well rested.

Prediction: Orlando City 3-1 Colorado Rapids.

Wednesday, June 25 — at St. Louis City

I refuse to capitalize every letter in “City” in St. Louis City’s name, because frankly I think it’s a ridiculous stylistic choice. The team also hasn’t been very good this year, so it doesn’t deserve me catering to it in that manner. St. Louis is currently 2-8-5 and only truly woeful campaigns by CF Montreal and the LA Galaxy are saving it from leading the Wooden Spoon race with 11 points. It makes Colorado look like an offensive juggernaut, as it’s only scored 11 goals in 15 games. St. Louis isn’t bad defensively, as it’s only conceded 20 goals, but it’s always going to be a struggle when you average scoring just 0.73 goals a game. Its form was enough to get Head Coach Olof Mellberg fired, and he lasted just over six months on the job. The club hasn’t won since a March 15 match against the Galaxy and has a tricky upcoming slate, with a home match against the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday, an away game against the Portland Timbers on June 8, and a home match against the Galaxy on June 14. With a week and a half between the Colorado match and this one, I once again like Orlando City in this game. Unless St. Louis can find its shooting boots, I don’t see it offering much threat against a rested Orlando defense that has come on strong since a shaky start to the year.

Prediction: Orlando City 2-0 St. Louis City.

Saturday, June 28 — vs. FC Cincinnati

OCSC wraps up June by returning home to play one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference on short rest. It isn’t ideal, but it isn’t the worst thing in the world either. Cincy has been good this year, compiling a record of 9-4-3 and 30 points to sit second in the East. New signings Evander and Kevin Denkey have been as good as you would expect, as Evander has seven goals and five assists in 14 appearances, and Denkey has nine goals in 15 games. As a team, Cincinnati has scored 24 goals and conceded 22, so it’s been a balanced campaign to this point. It’ll be coming to the end of a stretch of three straight road games, as Cincy will be away to the New England Revolution on June 14 and then at CF Montreal on June 25, so it’ll also be traveling on short rest. That said, aside from the Philadelphia Union, Cincy is the toughest team the Lions will have faced in MLS play, and stopping both Evander and Denkey is far from an easy task. This reeks of a draw that has a couple of goals for each team, so that’s what I’ll be going with.

Prediction: Orlando City 2-2 FC Cincinnati.

There you have it. I’ve scrutinized the tea leaves and you now know what the path ahead holds for the Lions. Be sure to check back in at the end of June so you can marvel at how stunningly accurate my forecast was. Until then, feel free to either disagree or tell me how crystal clear my visions are down in the comments. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/30/25

Orlando City players called up, Orlando Pride sign Simone Jackson, USWNT gets ready to play China, and more.

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14 hours ago

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May 30, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday! It’s been a bit of a brutal week, but we’ve made it through. Our reward is an exciting weekend of soccer to enjoy to close out the month. I’ll be spending most of the weekend working, but it should still be a nice next few days. Let’s dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world.

Lions Called Up For International Duty

Orlando City goalkeeper Pedro Gallese was predictably called up for Peru’s CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers. Peru is ninth in the standings and will take on Colombia June 6 before hosting Ecuador on June 10.

Defender David Brekalo was called up by Slovenian for a pair of friendlies against Luxembourg and Bosnia and Herzegovina. These matches will help prepare Slovenia for World Cup qualifying this fall against Sweden, Switzerland, and Kosovo.

A few Young Lions are also heading to Europe for the UEFA Friendship Cup in Switzerland. The U.S. will represent Concacaf at the U-18 tournament, and OCB players Justin Ellis, Colin Guske, and Jackson Platts were called up for it.

Orlando Pride Sign Simone Jackson

The Orlando Pride signed forward Simone Jackson to a contract through the 2028 season. Jackson played at the University of Southern California for four years, recording 22 goals and 13 assists in 75 games, and trained with the Pride during the preseason. Internationally, she’s represented the U.S. at various youth levels and scored a goal in the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. The 22-year-old gives Orlando some helpful depth up front and can develop her game learning from some of the best attackers in the sport as well.

USWNT Prepares For Friendly Against China

The United States Women’s National Team will take on China Saturday at Allianz Field in St. Paul, MN in the first of two friendlies during this international window. Orlando Pride defenders Emily Sams and Kerry Abello were both called up to join a young roster as the team builds a foundation before the 2027 Women’s World Cup. Goalkeeper will continue to be a position to watch, as opportunity knocks for Phallon Tullis-Joyce, Mandy McGlynn, and Claudia Dickey to stake a claim as the team’s starter. Following this match, the USWNT will take on Jamaica in St. Louis on Tuesday before a pair of friendlies against Ireland later in June.

Denver’s NWSL Team Hires First General Manager

Denver’s NWSL team hired Curt Johnson to serve as the club’s first general manager. He will have the opportunity to build the team’s roster and staff from the ground up before the team takes the field as an expansion side in 2026. Johnson left the North Carolina Courage in December and was the chief soccer officer when the club dominated the league in 2018 and 2019. It looks like a solid hire in my opinion and I’m interested to see what kind of team he puts together in Denver.

Free Kicks

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

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Chicago Fire: Three Keys to Victory

What do the Lions need to do to secure a victory against Chicago at home?

Published

1 day ago

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May 29, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City ends May the way it began, with a match against the Chicago Fire. The Lions are coming off a wild and disappointing match against rival Atlanta United. I always worry about a team after such an emotional outing, and on short rest to boot, especially since the Fire were off during the midweek. How the team reacts will determine the result. What does Orlando City need to do to take all three points from Chicago at home?

Defend this House

Much like the last time, Orlando City will need to deal with Hugo Cuypers and the rest of Chicago’s attack. The Lions likely won’t get the benefit of having Chris Brady sent off in the 36th minute again, meaning they will need to defend more attacks for a longer time. In the last match, Chicago took 16 shots, putting eight of those on target. Limiting those chances will be critical.

I expect to see Alex Freeman, Rodrigo Schlegel, Robin Jansson, and David Brekalo starting on the back line despite having done so Wednesday night. No cheap giveaways, no errant arms away from the body in the box, just solid defending for 90 plus minutes. The Lions will have to do it without Cesar Araujo, thanks to his sending off against Atlanta. I think they can, but it will be more difficult without him.

Atuesta Ahoy

Eduard Atuesta played the full 90 minutes against the Portland Timbers, and then played limited minutes against Atlanta United. I completely agreed with that strategy, because he did not need to be playing too many minutes so soon after returning. He is also working back to full fitness. He will be rested for this home match, and the pitch conditions will be much better.

We were reminded of how good he is in the attacking midfield in that match against Portland. I need him to provide those slicing passes through tiny windows against the Chicago defense. Joran Gerbet has proven to be a steal in the draft, but he doesn’t yet have that extra bit of quality you see from Atuesta. Look for him to break Chicago’s lines.

Early and Often

Orlando City will come in on three days rest, whereas Chicago will be on six days rest. This match will also be the Lions’ ninth match in May — their seventh in the league and two more in the U.S. Open Cup. To say that tired legs will be a concern is an understatement. As such, Orlando City needs to jump out to an early lead as it did against Atlanta.

Fortunately, there was more rotation in the attack on Wednesday for Orlando City with Ramiro Enrique getting the start. That means Luis Muriel will be fresh for a start on the much nicer grass at Inter&Co Stadium. I’ll take a goal from Muriel, or frankly any Orlando player. Heck, Jansson is due for one, right? Multiple goals will likely be needed to secure a victory.

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

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