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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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7 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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Orlando City at CF Montreal: Three Keys to Victory

What do the Lions need to do to earn all three points on the road against Montreal?

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9 hours ago

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April 17, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City heads to the Great White North to take on CF Montreal. The Canadian squad sits in last place in not just the Eastern Conference but also the entire MLS, with only two points from a pair of draws. To say it’s not been a good start to the season is an understatement. Of course, it’s exactly that type of situation that makes it feel like a trap. What does Orlando City need to do to take all three points against CF Montreal?

Designated Goal Scorers

What do you do if you haven’t scored a goal in the last two matches? You play a team that has given up 13 goals in eight matches with a -9 goal differential. Montreal doesn’t have the worst defense in the league — I’m looking at you, D.C. United — but it’s not far off. That presents an opportunity for Orlando City to get back on track when it comes to scoring goals.

Through the first six matches of the season, Orlando City was leading the league in scoring with 15 goals. Over the last two matches, the spigot has dried up. The Lions must seize on this opportunity to create and finish their chances. Much like earlier in the season, I want to see Luis Muriel, Martin Ojeda, and Marco Pasalic lead the way. If anyone can get the first goal, then I’m hopeful the dam will break and the scoring drought will be over.

Keep it Clean

There is some good news of late when it comes to the Orlando City defense. The club has two clean sheets over the last two matches, and that is without Cesar Araujo. There is also some bad news, given Rodrigo Schlegel will be serving his red card suspension this match. That means David Brekalo will move back to center back with Robin Jansson, and Oscar Pareja will have to employ either Rafael Santos or Kyle Smith at left back. Santos has been less than good so far this season.

Montreal has scored a paltry four goals so far in 2025, but two of them have come from striker Prince Owusu. The defense will also need to deal with Caden Clark facilitating in the midfield. I get that this isn’t a prolific attack. Montreal has not looked very good this season and is looking for both its first win and its first points of any sort at home. That means the hosts may be desperate for a result, and desperate is often dangerous. How well the defense does — in particular, how well Santos does if he plays — may determine if Montreal is able to break out of its slump. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.

Give the Midfield Time

Before the last match, I was a little worried about the midfield. Having both Araujo and Eduard Atuesta out at the same time seemed to be a concern. Now, after seeing how well Joran Gerbet and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson worked together against the New York Red Bulls, I’m way less worried. If Araujo and Atuesta need a little more time to get fully healthy, then let them. The Franco/Icelandic combo seems to be a potent one.

Of course, if the normal starters are ready, then by all means bring them back, but maybe not until the 60th minute. Perhaps Pareja could even mix and match. One never knows how yellow card suspensions or minor injuries will affect player availability. This is a good match for Gerbet and Thorhallsson to work their magic.

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

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Lion Links: 4/17/25

Oscar Pareja signs new contract with Orlando City, Orlando Pride prepare for the Washington Spirit, Orlando’s youth teams win, and more.

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13 hours ago

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April 17, 2025

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I can’t believe we’re already into the back half of April and Easter is right around the corner. There’s plenty of soccer to enjoy between now and then and we also have the draw for the U.S. Open Cup’s round of 32 this morning at 9:15. MLS teams are finally joining the fray, so we’ll see where the chips fall for Orlando City. Let’s get to the links!

Oscar Pareja Signs New Contract

Orlando City and Head Coach Oscar Pareja have agreed to a new three-year contract that will keep him in the City Beautiful through 2028. Pareja was hired as Orlando’s fourth head coach in its MLS era back in December of 2019 and he’s led the Lions to the playoffs in all five seasons he’s been at the helm.  Under Pareja, the Lions won the U.S. Open Cup in 2022, set club records in points and wins in 2023, and reached the Eastern Conference final for the first time last year. This year was the final one on the contract he signed in December of 2023, so it’s nice to know Pareja will be sticking around in the future.

Orlando Pride Prepare for the Washington Spirit

The Orlando Pride will look to make it five wins in a row when they host the Washington Spirit on Saturday in another rematch of last year’s final. While this is the first match between Orlando and Washington this season, the two clashed in the NWSL Challenge Cup on March 7 and the Spirit lifted the trophy after a penalty shootout. Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on how the team has grown since that game and has benefitted from depth and consistency carried over from last year.

Orlando City Youth Teams Win in Bradenton

Orlando City’s U-18 team won in the Generation Adidas Cup’s round of 16, beating St. Louis City 1-0 to advance to the quarterfinals. The Young Lions remain unbeaten in that age group and will take on a Real Salt Lake team that also won its group and just beat Toronto FC in a penalty shootout following a scoreless draw.

Orlando’s U-16 squad didn’t qualify for the Championship bracket, but still advanced in the Premier bracket. After a 1-1 draw with Toronto, Orlando prevailed in the ensuing penalty shootout and will play Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals.

UEFA Champions League Semifinals Are Set

The quarterfinals for this year’s UEFA Champions League are over and only four teams remain in the tournament. Arsenal secured its spot in the semifinals after an impressive 2-1 road win against Real Madrid that included two assists from Mikel Merino. The Spanish club couldn’t muster its usual magic in the tournament and forward Kylian Mbappe exited in the second half due to injury. In Italy, Inter Milan held on for a 2-2 draw against Bayern to advance on aggregate, with defender Benjamin Pavard scoring a crucial goal for Inter against his old team. The semifinals will take place at the end of the month and will feature Arsenal taking on Paris Saint-Germain and Inter going up against Barcelona.

Free Kicks

  • Our thoughts go out to the friends and family of former FC Cincinnati player Aaron Boupendza, who died after falling from the 11th floor of a building in China.
  • The Chicago Fire are reportedly strongly interested in signing star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne on a free transfer. If any Western Conference teams could join the hunt for him, that would be great.

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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Orlando City

Orlando City Extends Oscar Pareja’s Contract through 2028

The most successful coach in Orlando City’s MLS history has signed on for another three seasons.

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23 hours ago

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April 16, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Orlando City SC announced today that the club and Head Coach Oscar Pareja have come to terms on a new three-year contract through 2028. The winningest head coach in club history, Pareja’s previous two-year contract was scheduled to expire after the 2025 season. With the Lions off to a 3-2-3 start, and coming off the deepest MLS Cup playoff run in the organization’s history — the 2024 Eastern Conference final — the club locked down the veteran coach

“Throughout his career, Oscar has proven to be a coach deeply committed not only to winning and competing for championships, but also to building teams that fans can proudly rally behind,” Orlando City Owner and Chairman Mark Wilf said in a club press release. “Here in Orlando, he’s shown that same passion and dedication — taking immense pride in representing our club with integrity and driving us closer each year to our ultimate goal of winning it all. His unwavering positivity and focus have helped shape a culture grounded in respect and ambition. We’re thrilled to have Oscar continue leading us forward in the City Beautiful.” 

Pareja has led Orlando City to a record of 89-59-55 across all competitions in 203 matches, reaching the playoffs in each of his seasons at the helm of OCSC. He also won the team’s first MLS-era trophy by leading the Lions to the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title, and he’s guided the club to its first two appearances in Concacaf Champions League/Cup and to the MLS is Back Tournament final in 2020.

With 176 MLS victories, Pareja is No. 5 on the league’s all-time wins list. He ranks second among all active coaches. Orlando City initially hired Pareja, 56, as head coach on Dec. 4, 2019. He succeeded James O’Connor, Jason Kreis, and Adrian Heath as OCSC head coaches in the club’s MLS era. Prior to joining the Lions, Pareja spent one season in Liga MX with Club Tijuana after five successful seasons as head coach at FC Dallas. Pareja started his MLS head coaching career with the Colorado Rapids in 2012, leading the ‘Pids for two seasons, including a playoff appearance in 2013. He also coached the U.S. U-17 Men’s National Team from 2007-2008. 

“First and foremost, I want to express my deepest gratitude to Mark Wilf, his family, the entire ownership group, and our executive board for their continued trust in the vision and culture we’ve built over the years,” Pareja said in the club’s release. “Their unwavering support is the foundation of everything we strive to achieve each day. Above all, I’m profoundly thankful to our incredible fans and the dedicated staff who pour their hearts into making Orlando City such a remarkable club. Together, we’ve grown stronger with each passing season, moving steadily closer to our shared ambition of bringing more trophies home to this great city. I remain deeply inspired by what lies ahead and look forward to continuing this journey in pursuit of more championships.” 

As a player, Pareja spent 1987-1995 with Independiente Medellin in his native Colombia as a midfielder, appearing in 263 matches and scoring 18 goals. He moved to Deportivo Cali, where he scored 11 more goals in 122 games from 1995-1998 and then joined the New England Revolution, appearing in 13 games that year. He finished his playing career with FC Dallas, scoring 13 goals in 170 appearances from 1998-2005. He also earned 11 caps from 1991 to 1996 with Colombia’s national team, scoring three goals.

What It Means for Orlando City

As I wrote when Pareja re-signed in December of 2023: quite simply, it means the Lions retain their most successful coach since joining Major League Soccer. Pareja has created a culture and an identity that was lacking at the club prior to his arrival. While it’s common for players to say the team feels like a family and a city feels like “home,” the Lions have walked that walk during Pareja’s tenure in the City Beautiful.

Pareja’s challenge for the upcoming season is to improve upon the club’s deepest run in the playoffs and perhaps the fourth-place finish the Lions enjoyed in 2024. That’s not an easy task, and it shouldn’t be held against him if he can’t reach those lofty heights.

In the short term, Pareja’s job is to get the team scoring goals again while maintaining the high defensive standards set over the last two matches.

Pareja’s tenure with Orlando City will ultimately be measured in trophies. So far, he’s won one of them. That’s more than everyone who came before him won with Orlando in the MLS era, but it’s understandable for fans and ownership to ask for more.

Oscar Pareja’s Coaching Record at Orlando City (W-L-D)

Major League Soccer Regular Season: 167 games, 74-48-45
MLS Playoffs: 12 games, 5-6-1 (Note: MLS considers draws losses if they happen in the best-of-three round but if it goes to penalties in a single-elimination game, it’s a draw.)
U.S. Open Cup: 7 games, 4-1-2
Concacaf Champions League/Cup: 6 games, 2-1-3
Leagues Cup: 7 games, 2-2-3
MLS is Back Knockout Stages: 4 games, 2-1-1

Total: 203 games coached, 89-59-55

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