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Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Final Score 1-0 as Toothless Lions Fall at Home

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5 months ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City’s playoff motto for 2024 was “All Teeth,” but the team again showed no bite offensively in a 1-0 loss to the New York Red Bulls at Inter&Co Stadium in the Eastern Conference final. A redirected John Tolkin free kick by Andres Reyes early in the second half was the difference as the Lions were shut out for the second time in these playoffs — finishing with four goals in five 2024 postseason matches. It was the fourth time in the club’s last nine postseason matches. Despite conceding only twice across five playoff games, Orlando City is out.

The team had its chances, although they were few, but lacked lethality in front, particularly on a first-half chance that could have put the visitors on their heels. As a result, Orlando finished 0-2-1 in three games against New York in 2024, without scoring a goal against the opposition. The lone draw featured a goal in Orlando’s favor, courtesy of a Red Bulls own goal by Noah Eile.

“Obviously, a few words will not tell the whole story about how we feel tonight after not getting this result,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “I thought we had a good season and we had a bunch of things just to be proud of, but it’s very painful at this moment that we’re not achieving that objective. And that tells us that we have grown. This is a playoff game. I thought New York had two shots. It was a very rocky game for both. But in those options they took it and we didn’t take ours when we had the chance.”

Pareja’s lineup had no changes, with goalkeeper Pedro Gallese starting 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 Ramiro Enrique up top.

The game was cagey from the onset, with New York holding more of the ball than it normally does. Orlando stayed well organized and didn’t give up many good looks, but also rarely broke down the Red Bulls’ attack to go the other way. The Lions were untidy in their passing as well, which broke down opportunities to get into the final third.

The game was back and forth for more than half an hour before a scoring chance materialized, and it was a good one. Cartagena unlocked the defense with a pass to Ojeda, sending the Argentine down the left side. Ojeda did well to draw two defenders toward himself and fed a pass to Torres in the box. Torres had time and space but fired his shot too close to goalkeeper Carlos Coronel, who made a good, if not difficult, save to keep the match scoreless in the 32nd minute.

New York’s first shot came two minutes later when Lewis Morgan went down softly, drawing a free kick from referee Rosendo Mendoza. The kick was from at least 30 yards out so the service was sent short, as Dante Vanzeir deflected it out front. The redirection didn’t miss the upper right corner by much.

The Lions should have had a good opportunity to score in the 39th minute when Enrique stole a ball in the attacking half. Entering the box on the right side, he had a trailing defender and rather than rip a shot with his right foot, he tried to make a move to improve his positioning inside, but he couldn’t finesse it past and the chance evaporated.

Vanzeir got inside of Santos in the 42nd minute but his angle was severe and he put a shot into the outside netting.

That was about it for the good looks at goal in the first half, as the teams went to the break without a goal on the board.

The visitors held the halftime advantage in possession (57.4%-42.6%), shots (4-1), corners (1-0), and passing accuracy (80.4%-74.3%). The Lions had more shots on target (1-0). But it was mostly a dull half with few chances and little play of note from the Lions.

“We had two or three chances in the first half that were really good chances for us that could have changed the game,” Ojeda said.

The decisive play came just moments after the restart on an unnecessary foul by Angulo just to New York’s attacking right side of the penalty area. Tolkin sent in the cross to the back post, where no one bothered to mark Reyes, who knocked it off the inside of the post and in to make it 1-0 in the 47th minute.

“A very unnecessary foul,” Pareja said about conceding the set piece. “We’re dealing with this obvious frustration. I have not seen (the goal on film). But what I saw in the game is not just that (Reyes) came out free, but the ball was very tight. I would have to see it. In this kind of games, it seems that those things sometimes are the tiebreaker.”

That was all the scoring the visitors needed, as Orlando rarely threatened Coronel’s goal frame, putting two more shots on frame in the second half, but neither was much of a threat.

Orlando managed to win a few set pieces over the next several minutes but couldn’t do anything with them. Jansson had a ball come off of him in the box in the 59th minute that pinged around but didn’t threaten goal. He felt he was knocked down from behind in the aftermath, and there was some contact, but no foul was given and it was a speculative shout for a penalty.

Chasing the match, Pareja sent Duncan McGuire and Luis Muriel on in the 61st minute for Enrique and Thorhallsson, moving Angulo to right back. The move nearly paid off three minutes later, when Reyes, already on a yellow card, raised a high boot that caught McGuire in the head. Mendoza inexplicably didn’t give the obvious second yellow card, allowing New York to keep 11 men on the pitch. There could hardly be an easier yellow card decision, but none was forthcoming.

Reyes then took a shot to the face from an Ojeda free kick a few minutes later and left the match either for precautionary reasons or because he’d gotten away with a second yellow offense already and the Red Bulls didn’t want to push their luck.

New York cleared a corner kick in the 78th minute that fell to Santos well outside the box. The Brazilian fired a shot on target but it was from too far out to trouble Coronel, who made the save. A minute later, McGuire ran onto a good ball over the top and fired with his weaker left foot from the left side, but the ball squirted off his foot sideways and sailed wide.

The Lions got a chance in the 84th minute on a Santos cross that skipped off the head of a defender and fell near the back post. Angulo knocked it just wide of the right post. Moments later, Ojeda won a corner and then picked out Torres in front, but the Uruguayan couldn’t get much power on his knockdown header, which bounced straight at Coronel.

Orlando again shouted for a penalty in the second minute of stoppage time. A set piece into the ball was cleared to the top of the box and looked as if it may have caught Cory Burke’s outstretched arm. It wasn’t given, and Burke streaked down the field on a breakaway. Gallese came well out of his box and did well to knock it away and Schlegel prevented further danger by holding a player back, picking up a yellow card for the professional foul.

The Lions couldn’t mount much of anything after that, and the full-time whistle blew on Orlando City’s 2024 season.

The Lions finished with the advantage in possession (60%-40%), shots (9-7), shots on target (3-1), corners (5-2), and passing accuracy (79.6%-71.6%). The Red Bulls got their smash-and-grab spot in the MLS Cup final on their lone shot on target.

“They’re a really tough team to play against,” Ojeda said. “They really take away those spaces that we like to play into, and they press really high. And it’s a situation where I think we have to have a little bit more patience and a little bit more calm in those moments.”

“Everybody is disappointed,” Jansson said. “Didn’t really get out what we wanted from this game. We didn’t really break through their pressure. We had some good chances in the first half to put it in the goal, and in these types of games we have to put the goals in there.”

“It was there for us and we didn’t take it, and it’s difficult,” Pareja said. “And I said to the players in the locker room that I was not going to prepare any speeches to lift their souls. It’s painful. We did have a bunch of things that we would be proud of and we will feel that this club is growing in a great direction, but I’m not going to mention that today because my frustration’s bigger than that. We will die for this club. Today, we have to accept that we’re not in the final of the MLS Cup.”

That’s a wrap on the season. Orlando went further than ever before but came up short on its own home field against a team it failed to score on in three matches.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/30/25

The U.S. Open Cup approaches, the Pride are back on top, USMNT and USWNT news, and more.

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40 minutes ago

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April 30, 2025

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Welcome to the last Wednesday of April, Mane Landers. May promises to be a busy month for Orlando City. You will have as many matches as you want to watch over the next few weeks. I’m certainly not complaining, but we could use a little help here at The Mane Land if you’d like to join the staff. I promise you’ll enjoy it. For now, let’s get to the links.

The U.S. Open Cup Beckons

We’re only a week away from Orlando City’s match against the Tampa Bay Rowdies to start the Lions’ 2025 U.S. Open Cup campaign. Of course, the Lions aren’t the only MLS squad entering the tournament in the Round of 32. Starting Tuesday, 16 MLS clubs join the competition, with Orlando City playing on Wednesday. While we’re waiting for the next Orlando City match, enjoy the sights and sounds from the victory over Atlanta United.

Pride Back on Top

The Orlando Pride back on top of the NWSL standings, though the Kansas City Current are technically listed No. 1 thanks to the alphabet. Of course, we all know that power rankings are actually more important than actual results. Fortunately, the Pride are top of the pops in the Goal.com power rankings and in the All For XI power rankings. Just so you know that sometimes the internet isn’t always accurate, Sports Illustrated kept the Pride in the No. 2 spot.

USMNT Concerns and Commendations

Various people in the U.S. soccer community are calling out the USMNT players for lacking the desire, drive, or passion to be successful. Former USMNT forward Herculez Gomez is the latest, though not only one to do so. At the same time, players like Christian Pulisic and Josh Sargent are making a difference at their European clubs. Pulisic is likely to sign a contract extension with AC Milan that will include a hefty pay bump. Sargent was named to the EFL Championship Team of the Season after scoring 15 goals for Norwich City. Alexi Lalas has suggested Mauricio Pochettino bring in Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Sebastian Berhalter. If Pochettino is looking for “characters” for his squad, perhaps he should give Orlando City’s Alex Freeman a look?

USWNT Players Thriving

USWNT players are making an impact on both sides of the pond as they wait for their next match against China at the end of May. Emily Fox’s Arsenal squad advanced past Lindsey Heaps’ Olympique Lyon Sunday in the second leg of the UEFA Women’s Champions League semifinals. It’s not all bad news for Heaps, who was named to the Women’s French Premiere Ligue Awards Team of the Season. Meanwhile, Lily Yohannes continues her growth after becoming the youngest starter in group-stage history of the UEFA women’s Champions League late last year for her club, Ajax.

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That will do it for today. Check back with us as we get you ready for the Orlando City and Orlando Pride matches this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/29/25

Lions earn weekly plaudits, Barbra Banda up for Goal of the Week, Orlando City announces affiliation agreement, and more.

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1 day ago

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April 29, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning everyone! It was a pretty good weekend for Orlando’s soccer teams as two out of the three picked up victories to collect six out of the nine points available. In the process, Orlando City stretched its undefeated streak to seven games and the Orlando Pride got back to winning ways. There’s no time to rest on our laurels though, as Orlando City B returns to action on Friday. We’ve got plenty of things to talk through this morning, so let’s jump into the links.

Two Lions Garner Weekly Recognition

Marco Pasalic and Alex Freeman both played important roles in Orlando City’s 3-0 win over Atlanta United on Saturday, and they’ve each been rewarded with a place on the bench in the most recent MLS Team of the Matchday. Freeman scored his third goal of the season while Pasalic scored a goal and provided the assist for Freeman’s strike, and the Croatian was also David Rohe’s pick for the Man of the Match. The good vibes don’t stop there though, because Pasalic’s fantastic strike from distance was also named the Energy Moment of the Matchday, which I admittedly wasn’t aware was an actual thing until this week. Not to be outdone, Freeman got some props as one of the standout young players from the matchday, which is far from the first time he’s gotten some love in that particular category. Keep up the good work guys!

Barbra Banda Up for Goal of the Week

Continuing the trend of Orlando players earning praise for their performances over the weekend, Barbra Banda has been nominated for the NWSL Goal of the Week. She scored the Orlando’s Pride’s 76th-minute equalizer that drew the team level with Angel City FC after going into halftime down 2-0. Carson Pickett did a great job saving the ball before it went out of bounds, and then whipped a dangerous cross into the box. Banda did the rest, getting halfway around her defender and contorting her head low to meet the ball and send it into the upper corner off the post. It was the sort of outstanding finishing that we’ve come to know and love from Banda, and here’s hoping we’ll see plenty more of it.

Orlando City Announces Affiliation Agreement

Orlando City announced on Monday that it has begun an affiliation agreement with Black Knight Football Club that will focus on “player development, scouting operations, executive collaboration, and commercial opportunities across both organizations.” This is technically a multi-club partnership, as BKFC has a number of different clubs in its network, including Bournemouth, FC Lorient, and Hibernian. BKFC is a partnership that was formed in 2022 when Bill Foley and Cannae Holdings purchased Bournemouth. Representatives from both Orlando City and Black Knight were enthusiastic when talking about the opportunities that the partnership will provide players and staff members from both sides, so it’ll be very interesting to keep an eye out for if/how it affects the on-field product.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans taking part in games during the working week, and cup competitions are a big point of focus. Things start on Wednesday with Barcelona taking on Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League, as youngster Diego Kochen will likely be on the bench for the Spaniards. Also on Wednesday, Brian White and the Vancouver Whitecaps will try to knock off Inter Miami in the second leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup tie. Thursday has Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis hosting Fiorentina in the first leg of the UEFA Conference League semifinals. Things then wrap up on Friday with Gianluca Busio and Fiorentina traveling to play Torino in Serie A.

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That’s all I have for today. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/28/25

Lions defeat Atlanta United, Pride bounce back against Angel City FC, OCB falls to New York Red Bulls II, and more.

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2 days ago

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April 28, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I will cover high school volleyball and soccer later this week. Let’s wish a happy birthday to Orlando City B forward Thalles, who turns 20 today. Our beloved Lions finally won a match this month, the Pride bounced back with a win, and OCB lost over the weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Defeat Atlanta United at Home

Orlando City snapped its three-game winless streak and extended its unbeaten streak to seven games, beating rival Atlanta United 3-0 Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium. Luis Muriel, Alex Freeman, and Marco Pasalic scored for the Lions. With Pasalic’s goal and assist in Saturday’s match against Atlanta, he added his name to the club record books by becoming the fourth player in club history to have seven goal contributions in his first 10 matches.

Orlando set a club record early in the match for the most consecutive shutout minutes. By the end of the match, Orlando had not conceded a goal in 436 minutes. The Lions’ last goal conceded was to Christian Ramirez in the 14th minute against the LA Galaxy last month. Orlando City will be on the road Saturday to take on the Chicago Fire at Soldier Field.

Pride Rally to Defeat Angel City FC at Home

The Orlando Pride completed the comeback, overcoming a 2-0 deficit late in the second half and defeating Angel City FC 3-2 Friday at Inter&Co Stadium. In the final 20 minutes, Marta and Barbra Banda scored to tie the match after Orlando trailed 2-0. Orlando also got an own goal in stoppage time from Angel City FC defender M.A. Vignola and escaped with a win at home. The Pride bounced back after a defeat to the Washington Spirit the previous week. With the Kansas City Current losing to the North Carolina Courage over the weekend, the Pride are tied with the Current atop the NWSL table. After the match, Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines shared his thoughts on his team’s resiliency to overturn a 2-0 deficit and fight back for the win at home.

The Pride will travel to the Pacific Northwest to face the Portland Thorns in their next match Saturday at Providence Park.

Orlando City B Falls at Home to New York Red Bulls II

Orlando City B started slowly and dug too deep a hole to climb out of on Sunday night in a 4-2 loss to New York Red Bulls II at Osceola County Stadium. The Young Lions trailed 2-0 early in the first half. Jhon Solis pulled one back for OCB before Red Bulls II added another goal to make it 3-1 just before halftime. In the second half, Justin Ellis scored to pull the Young Lions within one again before Ibrahim Kasule converted a penalty kick goal in stoppage time to seal the win against OCB. New York Red Bulls II moves to second in the Eastern Conference with 13 points, while Orlando City B has lost back-to-back matches and is in fifth with 11 points. OCB will be on the road Friday to take on Chicago Fire II at SeatGeek Stadium.

NWSL Announces Plans to Launch a Second Division Women’s League

The National Women’s Soccer League has submitted an application to the U.S. Soccer Federation to launch a second-division soccer league in 2026, the league announced on Friday. The plan for this new league is to focus on furthering player development and building a pipeline between the NWSL and the second division league, similar to Major League Soccer and MLS NEXT Pro. Eight clubs are reportedly set for the league’s inaugural season, including the Orlando Pride. Joining Orlando in committing to the league are Bay FC, the Kansas City Current, the North Carolina Courage, NJ/NY Gotham FC, Racing Louisville, the Seattle Reign, and the Washington Spirit. The Division 2 clubs would play in the same stadiums as their parent clubs. The season format would be a round robin, featuring 14 matches, home and away, and will include playoffs with two semifinals and a championship match.

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

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