Orlando City exorcised its Decision Day demons on Sunday by beating Atlanta United 1-0 to advance to the Eastern Conference final. The promise of a rivalry match in an Eastern Conference semifinal fully lived up to the billing, as the atmosphere in the stadium was top-notch, and my vocal chords are a ragged shell of their normal selves. What follows are my five big thoughts on OCSC’s victory over Atlanta.

A Defensive Affair

Sometimes a scoreline can be deceiving, and a game that finishes 1-0 might have had a boatload of golden chances that one or both teams simply refused to take. That wasn’t the case Sunday, as there were probably only two really good chances aside from Ramiro Enrique’s goal — Dagur Dan Thorhallsson hitting the post (which may have proven to be offside anyway), and Duncan McGuire’s near-post flick that went just wide. Other than that, both teams did a pretty good job of muting each other in attack, although had the Lions been just a bit tidier with the ball they almost certainly could have bagged another as the game wound down and spaces opened up while Atlanta poured numbers forward.

Set Piece Supremacy

In the end it took a set piece for OCSC to find the game’s only goal. The Five Stripes got this far in part by being solid defensively, but set pieces were a problem all year as they gave up 13 goals from them during the regular season. So it was again on Sunday, as Martin Ojeda’s corner pinballed around, Ramiro Enrique was the first to react, and he slotted the ball underneath an onrushing Brad Guzan. The Lions have been less wasteful from dead ball situations this season than in years past, and Enrique’s goal was another example of making set pieces count. With Atlanta coming out happy to bunker and play for a smash-and-grab result, it was even more important to make the most of set piece opportunities, and that’s exactly what Orlando did.

A Timely Goal

As nice as it would have been for Facundo Torres or Thorhallsson to score just minutes into the game, the timing of Enrique’s goal wasn’t half bad either. The longer the match went on tied, the more likely the visitors were to pose a threat. Going into halftime with things level certainly wouldn’t have been the end of the world, but taking a lead into the break gave the Lions a tiny bit of breathing room, while forcing Atlanta to come out and open things up in the second half. Ultimately, OCSC couldn’t take advantage of the opportunities that were available on the counterattack, but the Lions’ lives were made much easier by being able to play with a lead. We saw how difficult a bunkered Atlanta team can be to deal with on Decision Day, but the 39th-minute goal turned the game into a completely different affair.

Cartagena Makes His Mark

In his Three Keys to Victory piece, David Rohe identified Wilder Cartagena having a good match as an essential ingredient to Orlando’s success. After all, he’d missed both regular-season matches against the Five Stripes, and Orlando City had lost both games. Sometimes correlation does equal causation, and so it was on Sunday, as the Peruvian midfielder put in a typically assured showing, and the Lions came away with the win. He contributed one tackle, five clearances, one shot (on target), three long balls, and 91% passing accuracy. He and Cesar Araujo helped lock down Aleksey Miranchuk, and Oscar Pareja specifically praised his efforts after the game. OCSC is simply a different team when he’s on the field, and that absolutely proved to be the case here.

Toeing the Line

It was important for OCSC to play with intensity and physicality, but not cross the line and take things too far, which is something that we’ve seen in the past. Last year’s eliminations from Leagues Cup and the MLS Cup playoffs came in part due to red cards that left the 10 men remaining on the field with an almost impossible task. Lessons from those games seemed to have been learned well on Sunday afternoon though, because while the Lions weren’t afraid to put in physical challenges and throw their bodies around a bit, they kept their heads cool and never went past the point of no return. They committed two more fouls than Atlanta (seven to five), but didn’t receive any bookings. It was exactly the sort of intense-yet-professional display that the playoffs require, and it was nice to see the team looking right at home.

There you have it folks. It may not have been the prettiest win we’ve ever seen, but sometimes a team has to be able to win ugly and Orlando City was able to do just that. The Lions will now advance to the Eastern Conference final for the first time, and it’ll be played right here at home on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Be there, be loud, and let’s ride this thing as far as we can. Vamos Orlando!

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been busy this weekend at Under Armour, but I tried to catch some soccer when possible. Besides that, I’ll be working at Wrigley Field this Saturday for Northwestern’s college football game against Illinois. What an excellent weekend it was for Orlando’s soccer teams! We saw the Orlando Pride complete the double with an NWSL Championship title, and the Lions took out Atlanta United in the MLS playoffs. We have plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Advance to the Eastern Conference Final

Orlando City defeated Atlanta United 1-0 on Sunday at Inter&Co Stadium to advance to the Eastern Conference final of the MLS playoffs for the first time in club history. Ramiro Enrique was the only scorer in the match, with Orlando’s defense doing well to secure the shutout against Atlanta. The Lions will host the New York Red Bulls in the Eastern Conference final on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. with a spot in the MLS Cup final on the line.

Orlando Pride Win First NWSL Championship Title

On Saturday, the Orlando Pride defeated the Washington Spirit 1-0 at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City to win their first NWSL Championship title. Barbra Banda scored the lone goal in the first half for the Pride. Orlando defended its lead throughout the second half, with the Spirit creating plenty of scoring opportunities but never breaking through. It was a stellar 2024 NWSL season for the Pride, as they became the first club since 2021 to complete the double by winning both the NWSL Championship and the NWSL Shield. Banda was named MVP of the game, while Marta finally got her first NWSL Championship title since joining the Pride in 2017. It was a historic season for the Pride and this match featured plenty of other milestones as well. Orlando will hold a parade for the Pride later today at 4:30 p.m. that will start on Orange Avenue and end at city hall for the celebration ceremony.

Insight Into the Prides Historic Title Run

Yahoo Sports shared an article on how the Orlando Pride went from missing the playoffs for several seasons to becoming the best team in the NWSL this year. It all started with a players meeting last winter to discuss the club’s values and goals for the 2024 season, with the team’s predictions for the season hung up in the locker room as a reminder. Orlando Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter spoke on the team’s past struggles. The club did not make the NWSL playoffs since 2017 until this season, which was the longest playoff drought in the league. The Pride broke plenty of records this season, going on a 23-match unbeaten streak and claiming both the NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship. Many factors turned out to be the difference for Orlando’s success this season, including keeping many players from previous seasons like Marta, Kylie Strom, and Haley McCutcheon instead of completely overhauling the roster. That helped set the culture within the squad, with the club showing grit and resilience all season long to conclude a historic season for the Pride.

MLS Playoff Semifinal Round Recap

Over the weekend, three more teams punched their tickets to the conference finals in the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs. Let’s start with the Hudson River Derby, as the Red Bulls defeated New York City FC 2-0 at Citi Field to advance to the Eastern Conference final. The Seattle Sounders defeated LAFC 2-1 after extra time, with Jordan Morris scoring to seal the win at BMO Stadium and put Seattle into the Western Conference final. The LA Galaxy cruised past Minnesota United 6-2 as Gabriel Pec, Joseph Paintsil, and Dejan Joveljic each scored twice. The Galaxy will take on the Seattle Sounders on Saturday in the Western Conference final.

Free Kicks

• The Orlando Pride received a shoutout on their NWSL Championship victory by some notable people, including tennis legend Billie Jean King and President Joe Biden.

• Check out this excellent piece from Squad Depth on the origins of the Orlando Pride’s celebratory chain, which was given to Summer Yates by Pride fan Shelby Stuart in a road game in Houston.
• Rhode Island FC, led by former Orlando Pride assistant coach Khano Smith, fell 3-0 to the Colorado Springs Switchbacks in the USL Championship final.

• Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Denver are the three finalists in contention to become the NWSL’s 16th expansion team. An announcement is expected to be made by the league in the coming weeks.
• St. Louis City is reportedly set to name Olof Mellberg as the club’s next head coach. Mellberg was recently the manager at Brommapojkarna in Sweden.
• In other MLS coaching news, Inter Miami is reportedly set to hire Javier Mascherano to replace Gerardo Martino as its next head coach.
• USMNT striker Ricardo Pepi scored a hat trick for PSV Eindhoven in a 5-0 victory over FC Groningen on Saturday. Pepi has scored six goals in his past four appearances for club and country.
• Leicester City has fired manager Steve Cooper, with the club 16th in the English Premier League.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday and I’ll see you next time.

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.