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Orlando City vs. Atlanta United: Final Score 1-0 as Lions Advance to Eastern Conference Final

The Lions played well defensively and did just enough offensively to knock rival Atlanta out of the postseason.

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5 months ago

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

The Orlando City-Atlanta United rivalry has been a one-sided affair since the latter joined Major League Soccer in 2017. The Lions had won only four times in all competitions between the clubs, including dropping both regular-season meetings this year. Orlando took a big step toward making the series a true rivalry by ousting the Five Stripes from the playoffs with a 1-0 win in front of an announced sellout of 25,046 fans at Inter&Co Stadium tonight.

Ramiro Enrique’s goal late in the first half off a corner kick scramble was the only scoring, as Orlando City continues to struggle offensively in the postseason. However, the Lions were so good defensively it didn’t matter, as the visitors attempted just seven shots and couldn’t get one of them on frame. As a result, Orlando City advanced and will play in the Eastern Conference final for the first time.

“We are obviously very excited and proud, but first from our players and our staff, we want to honor the fans that came today with such energy and helped us,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “It’s beautiful to see the stadium that way and see how the culture of this club has become one of the best in Major League Soccer. So, responding with this victory is great.”

Pareja’s starting lineup offered no surprises, with Pedro Gallese in goal behind a back line of Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson. Cesar Araujo and Wilder Cartagena started in central midfield behind an attacking line of Ivan Angulo, Martin Ojeda, and Facundo Torres with Enrique up top.

Orlando created a chance just two minutes into the match. Ojeda sent in a perfect cross from the left flank that picked out Torres in front. Torres got his head to it but got under it, sending it well over the bar.

Thorhallsson was able to sneak in on the right in the fifth minute, firing his shot off the right post. Brad Guzan saved the rebound shot but the entire play was ruled offside anyway.

Enrique got his head to a corner kick cross in the 10th minute but hit his shot straight at Guzan.

Ojeda smashed a shot on the volley in the 23rd minute from outside the area, just missing the upper left corner of the net. The next half chance came nine minutes later, when Santos sent in a low cross from the left. Araujo flew in to get his head to it but couldn’t steer it on frame.

Enrique opened the scoring in the 39th minute after the Lions won a corner kick on a cross that deflected behind off the defense. Ojeda sent in a good ball that hit off of Stian Gregersen and fell into an open spot in the six-yard box. Enrique was the first to react, slotting it past Guzan to make it 1-0.

“On that corner and that type of play, I always intend to be ready for that second ball, for that second play,” Enrique said. “When it was hit there, thankfully I anticipated it really well and just got into that space and beat everybody to the ball and was able to convert. Happy for this team and for this club, and to be able to move on in this moment, and to have a part in that by scoring the goal, I think being able to get to the conference final, we’re just really happy.”

Daniel Rios came on for Jamal Thiare in the 43rd minute after Atlanta’s starting striker had gone down multiple times with a knock and ultimately couldn’t continue.

After the change, Enrique tried his luck from long range in the 44th minute but hit his shot poorly and sent it well wide of the right post.

That was the last look at goal of the half and the Lions took their one-goal advantage into the break.

The Lions had the halftime advantage in possession (63.8%-36.2%), shots (7-3), shots on target (3-0), and passing accuracy (89.4%-74.9%). Both teams earned two corners in the opening half.

“Two difficult halves. The first one, we played very well,” Pareja said. “The second one, we found more resistance from Atlanta as you all saw, but we didn’t concede much options. Instead, I thought our group was fine, and then we found our goal. It means a lot for a very tight game.”

Rios took a ball to the face just after the restart and had to be subbed off in the 49th minute. Ronald Hernandez came on for Rios, who played only a few minutes.

Atlanta had a spell of possession just after that and generated a few shots but nothing too menacing. The closest was Aleksey Miranchuk’s shot into the outside netting from the left side in the 51st minute. After the Lions cleared a corner, Bartosz Slisz fired wide from outside the box in the 56th minute.

Enrique again went for a brace in the 57th on an Orlando corner kick. The Argentine was first to the cross but sent his header off target again.

Ajani Fortune shot off target in the 58th minute from the top of the area.

Enrique stole the ball in the 68th minute to ignite the break. Despite having some numbers with him in transition, he fired a shot from long range, missing the net. That was Enrique’s last involvement, as Duncan McGuire replaced him a minute later, with Luis Muriel coming on for Ojeda at the same time. Muriel was a difference maker, helping the Lions maintain more possession and control, however, McGuire was untidy with the ball, giving it away numerous times unnecessarily, helping Atlanta regain possession down the stretch while the visitors were searching for an equalizer.

Muriel was taken down in the attacking third in the 75th minute, but referee Armando Villarreal didn’t call a foul, allowing Atlanta to counter quickly. Saba Lobjanidze sent a dangerous ball across toward an open teammate on the left but Gallese came off his line quickly to make a vital interception.

A minute later, Muriel unlocked the defense on the left, sending Torres down into the corner. The Uruguayan fizzed a dangerous ball in to McGuire at the near post, but the striker’s flick was just wide.

Cartagena was left in too much space in the 86th minute, so he tried his luck from distance. He didn’t get enough on his shot and sent it straight to Guzan, marking the game’s only shot on target in the second half.

Orlando did just enough to see out the remaining few minutes of normal time and seven added minutes. Atlanta’s closest opportunity to finding an equalizer came in the fourth minute of stoppage time, when a good ball in from the right found Miranchuk high in the box. He got his head to the cross but sent it over the bar.

A few minutes later, the match was over. Orlando finished with the advantage in possession (50.6%-49.4%), shots (14-8), shots on target (4-0), corners (5-4), and passing accuracy (85.8%-83.6%).

Atlanta held more of the ball and created more with it in the second half, but ultimately the Lions had just about everything covered. Cartagena, who was suspended for both meetings between the rivals in the regular season, was a difference maker, helping Araujo lock down the middle of the pitch.

“There is not a secret just to see how the connection that Cesar and Wilder have had during the year, and both of them have grown tremendously in the way they helped the group,” Pareja said. “Both of them understand their role and they are very important. Wilder today had the task to control one of the best playmakers in the league, a guy who has created a lot of damage on the prior games, Miranchuk, very crafty, and I thought he neutralized him very well.”

“It’s an amazing feeling. I can tell you that,” Thorhallsson said. “I feel like there’s kind of a relief that finally we did it (reached the conference final) and just an amazing feeling. We felt like we needed to come like gun out blazing and just full out from the start, and I felt like we did that. I felt like from the beginning we were quite solid.”

“We are now competing the way we wanted,” Pareja said. “One more step. We haven’t won yet. We will be prepared for New York, and hopefully we can advance to the final.”

Orlando City will host the New York Red Bulls Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in the Eastern Conference final.

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Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Lions return home to close out their season series with the Red Bulls.

Published

9 hours ago

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April 12, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to your match thread and preview for a Saturday afternoon Eastern Conference matchup between Orlando City (3-2-2, 11 points) and the New York Red Bulls (3-2-2, 11 points) at Inter&Co Stadium (4:30 p.m., MLS Season Pass on Apple TV). This is the second and final scheduled meeting between the teams this season.

Here’s what you need to know ahead of the match.

History

The Lions are 8-10-4 in 21 league meetings with the Red Bulls in the all-time series (9-11-4 in all competitions), with a record of 4-4-2 at home in the regular season and 5-5-2 in Orlando in all competitions. Goals have been scarce in this series the last couple of seasons, but the teams “exploded” for four combined goals just weeks ago in their first meeting of 2025.

These two sides met less than a month ago, playing to a 2-2 draw at Sports Illustrated Stadium on March 15. Martin Ojeda’s strike put Orlando up early, but it was canceled out by a controversial penalty by Eric Choupo-Moting just 11 minutes later. Marco Pasalic restored the Lions’ lead before the break with a stunning strike. However, Dennis Gjengaar was left unattended in front just two minutes after the restart as the teams split the points.

The two teams faced off in the 2024 Eastern Conference final at Inter&Co Stadium on Nov. 30 of last year, with an Andres Reyes set piece goal all that separated the sides in a 1-0 New York win. It was the first-ever playoff meeting between the two clubs.

The teams met in New Jersey on June 1, 2024, with the hosts coming away with a 1-0 win on a set piece goal from John Tolkin. Orlando City wasn’t in the best run of form at the time, and it was the third shutout the Lions suffered in a five-game span. The first meeting of the 2024 season came at Inter&Co Stadium on March 30, with the two sides playing to a 1-1 draw. A Kyle Smith foul in the box allowed Lewis Morgan to put the visitors ahead, but a late own goal by Noah Eile resulted in a stalemate.

Orlando City got the sweep in 2023 and did not concede a goal in the series, winning the last meeting of the year 3-0 at the stadium then known as Red Bull Arena. Facundo Torres scored twice — once from the spot — after Ivan Angulo opened the scoring for an easy road win. The two sides met in Orlando on opening day of 2023, with Orlando City winning 1-0 on a Torres penalty kick on Feb. 25. Sean Nealis’ handball allowed the Lions to start the season with a victory.

Orlando City won at Red Bull Arena 1-0 on Aug. 13, 2022, thanks to a Torres goal. That allowed the Lions to split the regular-season meetings and take two of three against New York in all competitions in 2022.

The Lions scored five unanswered goals to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 5-1 romp in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals on July 27, 2022 at Exploria Stadium. Cesar Araujo scored his first two professional goals on set pieces, while Mauricio Pereyra, Torres, and Benji Michel also found the net. Morgan scored New York’s lone goal.

The win in August had allowed the Lions to snap a four-game winless streak (0-3-1) in the regular-season series. The last of those non-wins came on April 24, 2022, when the Lions were walloped 3-0 at home on goals by Luquinhas, Cristian Casseres Jr., and Morgan, and Orlando City failed to get any of its measly three shot attempts on target.

The Red Bulls swept the season series in 2021. The teams met at Exploria Stadium on July 3 of that season with New York taking home a 2-1 win. Casseres opened the scoring just six minutes in, but Chris Mueller pulled the Lions level early in the second half. Fabio’s late goal lifted the visitors. Pereyra’s poor penalty was saved by Carlos Coronel, which cost Orlando City a better result.

The Red Bulls also handed Orlando City its first loss of the 2021 season, a 2-1 affair at Red Bull Arena, on May 29, 2021. Nani was suspended for that match and it showed, as the Lions were sloppy in possession and lacked composure on the ball. New York took the lead on goals by Caden Clark and Casseres, before Silvester van der Water pulled one back late. The Dutchman had a golden opportunity to tie the match moments later but skied his shot well over the bar.

The Lions fought to a road draw on Oct. 18, 2020, with Brian White equalizing deep in stoppage time in a 1-1 match. Nani had put the Lions ahead in the second half with a penalty kick goal and Orlando clinched its first ever MLS playoff spot despite spilling those late two points. That was the last match in the club’s record 12-match unbeaten streak in MLS play.

Orlando got the better of New York at Exploria Stadium on Oct. 3, 2020, winning 3-1 on goals by Daryl Dike, Junior Urso, and Antonio Carlos. Florian Valot scored for New York.

The Red Bulls won 1-0 at Exploria Stadium on July 21, 2019. White’s goal stood up as Carlos Ascues, Tesho Akindele, and Sacha Kljestan each hit the woodwork in the second half. Prior to that, the Lions eked out a 1-0 win at Red Bull Arena on Kljestan’s goal on March 23, 2019. Before that game, the home team had won each of the previous five games in the series, splitting a pair of matches during the 2017 and 2018 seasons.

The teams split two meetings in 2018, with the Red Bulls grabbing a 1-0 result in the 2018 season finale to capture the Supporters’ Shield and the Lions pulling off a 4-3 home victory on March 31, 2018. Each team won at home in 2017 to split the two-game series, with New York winning 3-1 on Aug. 12, and Orlando City opening the season series with a 1-0 win on April 9 behind Servando Carrasco’s goal.

The teams met three times in 2016, with New York going 2-0-1. The teams split two games in 2015, with the road team winning both times, including Orlando City’s 5-2 win in New Jersey behind a Cyle Larin hat trick.

Overview

Orlando City enters on a four-game unbeaten run (2-0-2), but the Lions are coming off an unsatisfying scoreless draw at the Philadelphia Union a week ago. The men in purple created few chances in the match, but managed to fashion two good ones, only to fail to take their chances. Playing with backups in the central midfield, the result was a decent one, but it was clear early in the match that the Lions weren’t going to generate much in the attack. At least the club finally kept its first clean sheet of 2025. Orlando is 2-1-0 at home and has won both matches at Inter&Co Stadium since falling in the season opener.

New York is 0-2-1 on the road in 2025, but is coming off a 2-1 home win over the Chicago Fire a week ago. The Red Bulls have played three consecutive 2-1 games since the 2-2 draw against Orlando City, losing by that score in New England and beating Chicago and Toronto. As has been the case in recent years, the Red Bulls press and defend well, have a great goalkeeper, and have turn matches into rock fights, usually finding ways to eke out enough offense to win low-scoring games.

The Lions will need to take care of the ball and avoid New York’s dangerous transition attack. Choupo-Moting and Emil Forsberg pace the Red Bulls with three goals and an assist each. However, New York has the third-stingiest defense in the Eastern Conference behind Coronel’s standout play in goal and a defense that boasts Tim Parker, Sean Nealis, Alexander Hack, Eile, and others who can protect the goal.

“We’re feeling good. It was a difficult game in Philadelphia, but I think the team had a very good performance under the circumstances,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said ahead of the match. “There are a few changes we must make to the whole performance. It was very intense, but we found ways to keep the result. We had some options that could have been even more for us, but now coming into the next matchup against a rival like the New York Red Bulls, that we know and have played not long ago. We are just preparing like always, with the same energy and understanding that this is a different [game]. We’re good, the boys are in good shape.”

Orlando City will be without Wilder Cartagena (Achilles), Favian Loyola (thigh), and Yutaro Tsukada (knee). César Araújo (lower leg), Eduard Atuesta (thigh), and Nico Rodríguez
(thigh) are listed as questionable. New York has a considerable number of players on its availability list. The Red Bulls will be without Roald Mitchell (knee) and Morgan (knee), while Kyle Duncan (knee), Raheem Edwards (knee), Cameron Harper (knee), and Marcelo Morales (knee) are questionable.

Match Content

Official Lineups

Orlando City (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Pedro Gallese.

Defenders: David Brekalo, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, Alex Freeman.

Defensive Midfielders: Joran Gerbet, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson.

Attacking Midfielders: Ivan Angulo, Martin Ojeda, Marco Pasalic.

Forward: Luis Muriel.

Bench: Javier Otero, Rafael Santos, Kyle Smith, Thomas Williams, Cesar Araujo, Eduard Atuesta, Shak Mohammed, Ramiro Enrique, Duncan McGuire.

New York Red Bulls (3-5-2)

Goalkeeper: Carlos Coronel.

Defenders: Tim Parker, Noah Eile, Dylan Nealis.

Wingbacks/Midfielders: Omar Valencia, Peter Stroud, Felipe Caraballo, Ronald Donkor, Serge Ngoma.

Forwards: Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Emil Forsberg.

Bench: Anthony Marcucci, Alexander Hack, Sean Nealis, Wikelman Carmona, Cameron Harper, Julian Hall, Mohammed Sofo, Dennis Gjengaar, Wiktor Bogacz.

Referees

Ref: Chris Penso.
AR1: Logan Brown.
AR2: Nick Balcer.
4th: Marcos DeOliveira.
VAR: Jose Carlos Rivero.
AVAR: TJ Zablocki.

How to Watch

Match Time: 4:30 p.m.

Venue: Inter&Co Stadium — Orlando.

TV/Streaming: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

Radio: AM 810 FOX Sports Radio Orlando (English), Mega 97.1 FM (Spanish).

Social Media: For rapid reaction and live updates, follow us on Bluesky Social at @themaneland.bsky.social or follow Orlando City’s official Twitter (@OrlandoCitySC) or Bluesky (@OrlandoCitySC) feed.

Enjoy the match. Go City!

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Orlando City

Intelligence Report: Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls

Get caught up on how things have been going for the New York Red Bulls, courtesy of someone who knows them best.

Published

1 day ago

on

April 11, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday, everyone! Another Orlando City match is upon us, and with it comes a chance for the Lions to extend their unbeaten run to five games on the bounce. To do so, they’ll need to equal or better the result they got earlier in the season against the New York Red Bulls in the first game between the two sides, which finished in a 2-2 draw.

A visit from the Red Bulls means that I spoke to Mark Fishkin, who hosts the always excellent Seeing Red Podcast. As usual, Mark was helpful in bringing us up to speed on how things have gone for the Red Bulls since these two teams last met.

New York has been one of the better defensive teams in the league. They’ve only given up seven goals in seven games and have kept two clean sheets. What’s been the key to the good defensive start?

Mark Fishkin: Formation and experience.  RBNY has mostly played this season in a 3-4-3 with newcomer and Bundesliga vet Alexander Hack as one of the three centerbacks, and he’s been (mostly) solid. The wingbacks offer a ton of help defending. An in-form Carlos Coronel has single-handedly kept NY in games with quick-reaction saves as well.

Like Orlando City, the Red Bulls are currently hovering around the midtable of the Eastern Conference with a 3-2-2 record and 11 points. What needs to happen for this team to make the leap from being a good team in the East, to a great one?

MF: Given both teams are only four points off the top of the East, it’s evident that there’s a ton of quality sides right now for this early in the season. Both teams have points in five of seven games, and without a last-second PK at the Revs, New York would be (slightly) higher. More clinical finishing is needed for the Red Bulls to enter the elite MLS tier.

 Aside from the big names of Erik Choupo-Moting and Emil Forsberg, who is a guy that we should have our eyes on come Saturday afternoon?

MF: Young players Omar Valencia, New York’s Panamanian international left back, who made the MLS Team of the Week bench with stellar defensive play and a game-winning assist, and Serge Ngoma, an RBNY Homegrown winger who is back after 18 months of injuries — who headed in Valencia’s cross last week to beat Chicago. On a team that added experience in the off-season, these young players delivered a jolt into the New York attack.

Will any players be unavailable due to injury, suspension, etc.? What is your projected starting XI and score prediction?

MF: Lewis Morgan continues to rehab from knee surgery, but if RBNY plays in a 4-2-2-2, the lineup could look like:
Carlos Coronel; Dylan Nealis, Noah Eile, Tim Parker, Omar Valencia; Felipe Carballo, Daniel Edelman; Serge Ngoma, Emil Forsberg; Erik Choupo-Moting, Mohammed Sofo.

The Red Bulls have played to the level of their opponents for a month now. Saturday afternoon is no different. Another 2-2 draw is in order.

Thank you to Mark for helping us get caught up on the Red Bulls. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/11/25

Orlando City prepares for the New York Red Bulls, storylines for the Orlando Pride’s road game, Orlando’s U-18 team highlighted, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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April 11, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! It’s been a bit of a long week for me, but I was able to get some reading done on a pair of books I’ve been meaning to scratch off my list. I don’t have many plans this weekend beyond working, enjoying soccer, and putting my wok through its paces while I try making dan dan noodles for the first time. Fingers crossed. For now though, let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Orlando City Hosts the New York Red Bulls On Saturday

The Lions will welcome the New York Red Bulls to Inter&Co Stadium Saturday at 4:30 p.m. in another rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference final. It’s already the second meeting between the two teams this season, with them drawing 2-2 at Sports Illustrated Stadium on March 15. Both teams have 11 points from seven games this season, although the Red Bulls are still on the hunt for their first road win. Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja spoke about how the team will look to carry momentum from a tough match in Philadelphia into this game against a Red Bulls team that boasts an intense press and an offense led by Emil Forsberg.

Storylines Heading Into Orlando Pride Road Game

The Orlando Pride are back in action Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in a road game against the Seattle Reign, and there’s plenty to watch for. Unbeaten so far, the Pride have the chance to become the fourth team in league history to start the season with four straight wins. Orlando’s defense has been stellar, but Seattle is a tough environment and the Reign scored multiple goals in both games against the Pride last year. For the Reign, this game is a chance for a statement win at home against the defending champs with young players like Jordyn Bugg and Maddie Dahlien leading the charge.

Orlando City’s U-18 Team One to Watch This Weekend

The Generation Adidas Cup kicks off this weekend at IMG Academy in Bradenton and Orlando City’s U-18 squad was noted as one to keep an eye on in the tournament. Orlando won 21 of its 27 games this season. Travis Clark of MLSSoccer.com touted players like Colin Guske and Gustavo Caraballo for powering the offense. Clovis Archange was one of three defenders named to this year’s Rising XI and is joined on the back line by Jackson Platts. Orlando will take on Inter Milan Saturday at 4:30 p.m. in its first game, with LAFC and the Columbus Crew as the other two teams in the group.

2025 Concacaf Gold Cup Groups Are Set

The draw for this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup is complete and the United States Men’s National Team will square off against Saudi Arabia, Haiti, and Trinidad & Tobago in group play. Saudi Arabia is the lone guest nation of the tournament and could give the U.S. a tough match when the two nations square off. The USMNT will have plenty of eyes on it for this tournament, especially after falling on its face in the Concacaf Nations League in March.

As for the other groups, Mexico was drawn against Costa Rica, Suriname, and the Dominican Republic in Group A, while Canada will take on Honduras, El Salvador, and Curacao in Group B. Group C will feature Panama, Jamaica, Guatemala, and Guadeloupe.

Free Kicks

  • The MLS Board of Governors authorized further exploration into moving the league’s calendar to mirror the international one that runs from fall to spring. As a result, that possible change can’t happen until 2027 at the earliest.
  • In case you missed it late Wednesday night, enjoy Tristan Blackmon’s goal that booked the Vancouver Whitecaps their spot in the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals. They’ll face Inter Miami, with the winner taking on whichever team advances between Tigres and Cruz Azul.
  • Denver’s NWSL team hired Jen Millet as its first president. Millet will be in charge of all business operations and joins after time as Bay FC’s chief operating officer.
  • According to a report from Japanese sports newspaper Sponichi, the USMNT will host Japan for a friendly on Sept. 6 in San Diego.
  • Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana had a game to forget in his team’s 2-2 draw against Lyon in the Europa League, as he spilled the ball that resulted in Lyon’s late equalizer. Despite the mistakes, United Head Coach Ruben Amorim reiterated the confidence he has in his goalkeeper.
  • CONMEBOL President Alejandro Dominguez made an official proposal to expand the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams for the centennial edition of the tournament.

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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