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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. CF Montreal: Final Score 2-1 as Wasteful Lions Suffer First Preseason Loss

Orlando was wasteful in front of goal but looked good for the majority of a 120-minute marathon scrimmage.

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1 year ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City lost 2-1 to CF Montreal in front of a few thousand season ticket members in a preseason friendly scrimmage tonight at Inter&Co Stadium. Although the Lions played well overall for most of the match, and fashioned plenty of good scoring chances, it was the same old refrain: Orlando couldn’t finish. The Lions crashed a couple of shots off the woodwork, missed just high a few times, and left a pair of shots too close to the goalkeeper on a night when they could have built a big lead.

The teams played a scoreless 90 minutes in the scrimmage, with all of the scoring taking place in an extra 30-minute session. Dominic Iankov and Sunusi Ibrahim staked the visitors to a 2-0 lead before a late Nico Lodeiro free kick spoiled their shutout.

“We have that feeling of right now we need to move the team to that new step, where we can finally finalize those actions and have more precision, and today gave us again that sensation” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “We’re still missing that pass or missing that shot or that decision. I’m excited to see that we have players that are coming that I think they will increase that possibility. In terms of the function of the whole team, I think we’re playing even better. I think we’re good. We’re a good team, creating the chances.”

Pareja’s starting lineup featured a combination of young players and veterans, with Pedro Gallese in goal behind a back line of Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson. 2025 MLS SuperDraft pick Joran Gerbet joined Cesar Araujo in central midfield behind an attacking line of Yutaro Tsukada, Martin Ojeda, and Ivan Angulo, with Shak Mohammed as the striker.

Neither side got much going early, but Orlando City created some half chances, with a couple of decent balls into the area that no one could latch onto.

The most noteworthy thing that happened in the opening 20 minutes wasn’t good for the Lions. Tsukada went down near the left corner of the box during play and the trainers came on to see to him, appearing to work on his knee. After testing it and coming back on, the Lions had a promising attack building and Tsukada cut inside and crumpled to the ground without any contact. This time, he limped off with the trainers in obvious distress, with his shirt pulled up over his face. Hopefully the injury isn’t as severe as it appeared.

New Orlando City Designated Player Marco Pasalic subbed on for Tsukada in the 22nd minute, making his debut as a Lion and wasting no time showing off his skills in traffic, working Samuel Piette back and forth to lose him.

“He makes me feel very optimistic,” Pareja said of his new Designated Player. “I have been in this league for many years, and immediately when I see guys that have tools to make it work in Major League Soccer, I highlight it. I think he has that. I’m excited, happy, I’m very optimistic. So, a bunch of good things with him on the pitch and he’s just had two days of training with us.”

Angulo made a good cross to the near post in the 26th minute but Jonathan Sirois was able to grab it just as Mohammed got there. There was minimal contact, but Montreal defender Joel Waterman took exception, shoving the Orlando forward multiple times, leading to a minor scuffle. It was a chippy game anyway because the referee wasn’t calling much and players were going harder into challenges as a result, but the unnecessary shoving on Mohammed did nothing to turn down the heat, as the Lions came to the defense of their young teammate.

“I would say both teams want to win,” Mohammed said of the chippy play. “Obviously, for us, we don’t really have a concept of a friendly game. We’re here to compete, and we understand as a team that we’re building towards something special, and it starts right now. So, you know, just a bit of energy, a lot of passion, and that’s the way we want it to be.”

The season ticket members in attendance booed every touch by Waterman after the altercation.

Gerbet came closest to scoring for Orlando in the 34th minute with a shot from distance that rocketed off the crossbar. It was nearly a reward for an all-around solid game for the young midfielder, but the game remained scoreless.

Four minutes later, Montreal should have scored. Ojeda was too careless with the ball in traffic and was dispossessed, igniting an unexpected counter for the visitors. Prince Owusu and Nathan Saliba each had golden opportunities to put Montreal in front on the break, but Gallese came way off his line to block the first shot and the second sailed over the crossbar on a wasteful effort with the keeper out of position.

Orlando had the last good look of the half in the 42nd minute when Santos sent in a great cross from the left. Mohammed rose to get his head to it but his shot went just over the crossbar.

Pasalic had the first look of the second half in the 55th minute, cutting inside and firing a curling shot just wide of the left post. Two minutes later, a good move by Angulo enabled him to get the ball to Ojeda who cut into the box and passed to Mohammed. With his back to goal, the 21-year-old laid it off for Pasalic, but the Croatian scuffed his shot.

Montreal got a good look in the 59th minute when a good ball from the left found Owusu, but the striker put his shot over the bar.

Seconds later, the Lions got forward for a chance of their own. Araujo sent a beautiful ball over the top, finding the perfectly timed run by Ojeda. Sirois came off his line to make a vital save on the Argentine.

Just past the hour mark, both teams made changes, replacing most of the players on the pitch. Orlando kept Pasalic on the field and brought on David Brekalo, Kyle Smith, and Lodeiro, but other than that it was all young players, most of whom played for OCB last season.

The Lions won a couple of corners shortly after the line change but played them short and nothing came of them.

Jules-Anthony Vilsaint fired shot for Montreal in the 74th minute, but he hit the effort from just outside the box right at goalkeeper Javier Otero. Four minutes later, a bad riccochet off a player set Vilsaint up with another opportunity, but he shot it wide.

Two of the younger Orlando players had golden opportunities in the 80th minute. The first saw Alex Freeman get in behind the defense. His shot got past Sebastian Breza but it crashed off the right post as the game remained scoreless. Seconds later, a good ball sent Colin Guske through into the right side of the box, but the young midfielder smashed his shot into the outside netting.

“We need to let them know that to be in front on a big option or a big opportunity, many good things should have happened, and they were part of that circuit,” Pareja said of how he can use those missed chances as teaching moments for the younger players. “And they finally make a movement, they put themselves in a great position to score, and that’s not an easy thing to achieve. So, let’s see if recognizing those moments they can gain more confidence, because it didn’t happen just to them, it happened as well to the other ones, the senior (players). It is not a secret that we need to improve that.”

Iankov fired off target for Montreal in the 83rd minute from the top of the penalty area.

Lodeiro fired just over the bar in the 84th minute, and the Uruguayan set up Freeman for a shot a minute later, but the Homegrown Player fired his shot too close to Breza, who made a vital save. Freeman then nearly picked out Jhon Solis in the 89th minute with a cross but Breza was able to catch it before it reached its intended target.

The teams were still knotted up at 0-0 after 90 minutes. The match would have continued for another 30 minutes whether it was tied or not, as that’s what the coaches had planned coming into the scrimmage. But it served the same purpose as extra time due to the scoreline.

Montreal had a lot more guys in lower numbers on the field in the later stages of the game than Orlando, meaning the visitors had fewer academy or reserve players on the pitch, and it showed. CF Montreal was much more composed in front of goal, allowing the visitors to take control of the match in the final 30 minutes.

Iankov scored in the first third of the extra session. Vilsaint appeared to leave his half before the pass to him was played, but the flag stayed down. Montreal ended up with a 2-on-1 break and Vilsaint got the pass through to Iankov, who tapped it in to make it 1-0.

A couple of careless giveaways by Otero allowed Montreal to keep the pressure on, and the visitors appeared to score a second off a recycled corner kick but the flag came up as the ball found the back of the net.

Academy prospect Bernardo Rhein had a good chance to equalize moments later but he fired his shot just over the bar. The Lions were punished for the miss with another ball over the top that beat the back line. Sunusi Ibrahim got in behind Thomas Williams — perhaps with a pull-back that wasn’t called — and chipped Otero to make it 2-0 with 10 minutes remaining in the extra session.

Zakaria Taifi came close to pulling one back late with a shot from the left that fizzed just wide of the right post.

Just when it appeared the game was heading for a 2-0 final, a foul at the death gave Lodeiro a free kick from just outside the box. The veteran midfielder curled a beautiful shot past Breza, off the left post, and in with his set piece shot, making it 2-1 and spoiling Montreal’s clean sheet.

The final whistle blew just after the restart to end the scrimmage.

“I think we all have the same feeling, the same sensation, that we’re playing really well as a team, and we’re building, getting ready for the season,” Mohammed said. “Obviously, there’s stuff that we need to work on in the final third and getting goals, and yeah, it’s our responsibility, and we understand that as a team (we need) to keep working and pushing to get ready for the season. But a good test, nonetheless.”

Next up for Orlando City is a preseason scrimmage against Rhode Island FC Tuesday afternoon. The Lions will wrap up the preseason schedule Friday against Inter Miami at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Pareja said he plans to play younger players on Tuesday and more of the MLS regulars Friday, approaching the final tuneup as if it were a regular-season match.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/2/26

Braian Ojeda is going to the World Cup, Pride players up for weekly honors, Young Lions sparkle in big victory, and more.

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3 hours ago

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June 2, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone. It was a great weekend for Orlando’s soccer teams, as both the Orlando Pride and Orlando City B picked up convincing wins. The club soccer scene will now quiet for a bit as both Orlando City and the Pride will be off until July, but there’s still plenty going on with the World Cup right around the corner. We’ve got lots to talk about today, so let’s get into the links.

Braian Ojeda to Represent Paraguay

Monday morning started off on a bright note for Orlando City fans, as Braian Ojeda was officially called up to represent Paraguay at this summer’s World Cup. It was a piece of news that was to be expected, as Ojeda has been a mainstay in Paraguay’s squad since September of last year, but it’s still nice to get confirmation of what we suspected. Fans of the United States Men’s National Team may get to see Ojeda in action sooner rather than later, as Paraguay will open its campaign against the USMNT on June 12. The team will play Turkiye second, and finish group play against Australia. More immediately, Ojeda and Paraguay have a friendly on Friday against Nicaragua in Asuncion. Congratulations, Braian!

BRAIAN TO THE BIGGEST STAGE 🌎Braian Ojeda has been called up to represent Paraguay at the 2026 FIFA World Cup 🇵🇾

— Orlando City SC (@orlandocitysc.com) 2026-06-01T15:10:37.131Z

Pride Players up for Weekly Honors

The Orlando Pride picked up an emphatic 3-1 win over Bay FC in the team’s final game before the NWSL break, so it’s no surprise that several Pride players have been nominated for weekly honors. We start with Barbra Banda, whose brace and assist have her nominated for the NWSL Player of the Week.

Orlando’s other goal scorer, Cori Dyke, has been nominated for the NWSL Goal of the Week. Dyke unleashed a 55th-minute rocket from just inside the edge of the box that went off the underside of the crossbar and in past a helpless Emmie Allen. Make sure you go vote for her!

Young Lions Shine

Orlando City B also picked up a lopsided win over Chattanooga FC, as the Young Lions squandered an early lead but scored four second-half goals to come from behind and win 5-2. The performance earns OCB its first MLS NEXT Pro Team of the Matchweek award, and it’s hard to say it wasn’t justified. Ignacio Gomez got things going after just six minutes when he scored from a tight angle, and Pedro Leao bagged a brace to help the kids pick up their second high-scoring win in as many games. Keep up the good work, guys!

Real Salt Lake Sued by Former Player

Former Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Jeffrey Dewsnup is suing the club and has alleged that he experienced hazing at the hands of four former teammates. Despite being 16 when he joined the team, he was allegedly required to use the same locker room and showers as his adult teammates without anyone supervising the interactions. Aaron Herrera, David Ochoa, Tate Schmitt, and Justen Glad are all named in the lawsuit, and accused of varying types of inappropriate conduct. The suit also alleges that then-goalkeeping coach Ignacio Hernandez accused him of faking an injury in 2021 and forced him to train through an injury to his shoulder. Dewsnup retired from playing professionally in 2022.

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That’s all I’ve got for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/1/26

Pride and OCB win, Tahir Reid-Brown and Maxime Crepeau called up, USMNT beats Senegal, and more.

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1 day ago

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June 1, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been busy at work and just wrapped up covering high school spring season sports for the school year up here in Chicago. We had the Pride, OCB, and the USMNT all in action, and we’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Pride Beat Bay FC

The Orlando Pride defeated Bay FC 3-1 at Inter&Co Stadium Friday. Barbra Banda scored the opener early in the first half for Orlando, but Bay FC’s Caroline Conti scored the equalizer. In the second half, Banda scored her second goal of the night and added an assist on Cori Dyke’s goal in the 55th minute. Banda went down with an injury late in the match and had to leave the pitch. Since Orlando had already used all its substitutions, the team had to play the final 15 minutes of the match, including stoppage time, down to 10 players, but the Pride held on for the win. Banda has been called up to the Zambia Women’s National Team for the Four Nations Tournament, with the 2026 Women’s African Cup of Nations set to kick off next month in Morocco.

The Pride will be off until early July due to the NWSL World Cup break. Their next match will be on the road at BMO Stadium against Angel City FC on July 3.

OCB Defeats Chattanooga FC

Orlando City B defeated Chattanooga FC 5-2 at Osceola County Stadium Sunday. Ignacio Gomez scored for the Young Lions six minutes into the match. Chattanooga FC responded with two goals later in the first half to take a 2-1 lead into halftime. In the second half, it was all OCB as Pedro Leao, Harvey Sarajian, and Justin Hylton each added a goal to extend the Young Lions’ lead to 4-2. Leao added a penalty kick goal as OCB secured back-to-back wins in league play and moved to fourth in the MLS NEXT Pro Eastern Conference table with 22 points. OCB will face Carolina Core FC Sunday at Osceola County Stadium.

Tahir Reid-Brown and Maxime Crepeau Called Up

Orlando City defender Tahir Reid-Brown and goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau have been called up to their respective national teams. Reid-Brown will be joining the U.S. U-20 Men’s National Team for upcoming friendlies against Georgia and North Macedonia in Bulgaria.

Crepeau will be with the Canadian Men’s National Team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Canada has two international friendlies this week, facing Uzbekistan today and taking on Ireland Friday. Canadian Men’s National Team Head Coach Jesse Marsch stated that he has not yet decided which goalkeeper will start in his team’s 2026 FIFA World Cup opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 12, but Crepeau and Inter Miami goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair will split time in goal against Uzbekistan.

USMNT Defeats Senegal in Friendly

The U.S. Men’s National Team defeated Senegal 3-2 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC, Sunday in an international friendly. Former Lion Alex Freeman started the match and played 45 minutes. Sergino Dest struck first to give the Yanks an early lead, and Christian Pulisic scored his first international goal since November 2024 for the U.S. to take a 2-0 lead in the first half. Sadio Mane pulled one back for Senegal to make it 2-1 just before halftime. In the second half, Mane added another goal to level the match, but Folarin Balogun came off the bench and scored the final goal of the match to seal the win for the Americans. The USMNT will face Germany Saturday in another international friendly at Soldier Field in Chicago, IL, before opening the 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament, taking on Paraguay on June 12 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA.

Paris Saint-Germain Repeats as UEFA Champions League Winner in Penalties

Paris Saint-Germain edged Arsenal 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw Saturday at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary, to win the UEFA Champions League title for the second time in a row. Kai Havertz scored the first goal six minutes into the match to give Arsenal the lead in the first half. However, in the second half, Arsenal defender Cristhian Mosquera fouled Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, resulting in a penalty for Paris Saint-Germain. Ousmane Dembele converted from the spot to tie the match. After 120 minutes of play, the match went to penalties, where Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya made one save, but Paris Saint-Germain still scored four goals. In the final round, Arsenal defender Gabriel sailed his shot over the net, and Paris Saint-Germain became just the second team to win back-to-back Champions League titles in the modern era, since 1992. The other club was Real Madrid, which won three consecutive titles from 2015-2016 through 2017-2018.

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  • The Orlando City Academy U-14 squad defeated Inter Miami 3-1 Sunday to win the MLS Next Cup.
  • According to Sportico, Major League Soccer viewership has risen significantly in the first three months of the season.

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

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Orlando City

An Early Look at Orlando City’s Contract Decisions

Here is an early look at the decisions the club will have to make regarding the roster at the end of the 2026 season.

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3 days ago

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May 30, 2026

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Image of Wilder Cartagena controlling the ball against Nashville.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

As we head into a dead period of Major League Soccer with the arrival of the World Cup break, it’s worth looking into the future to see how the roster may look in the future. Orlando City has one player out of contract after the 2026 season and several that are on the last guaranteed year of their deal but have option years the club could exercise. Let’s take a look at the decisions Orlando City has to make at season’s end.

Ivan Angulo — Attacking Midfielder

The Colombian midfielder has been a tireless worker and a good soldier for Orlando City since his arrival in July of 2022. Regardless of what you think of his finishing (and it hasn’t been good the last two years after back-to-back seasons with five goals in 2023 and 2024 and 15 total goal contributions in the latter of those years) or those games in which he turns the ball over repeatedly, Angulo has generally been an asset to the team. What he lacks in goal production he makes up for in important hustle plays to break up opposition attacks and with his high pressure.

Angulo is out of contract after the 2026 season after signing through the 2025 season in January of 2024. Orlando City exercised his option year for 2026 last November. He could leave on a free transfer and there will be clubs interested in the 27-year-old, who will likely be one of the fastest players in whatever league he’s in for the next several seasons. At a total guaranteed compensation of $582,656, he’s not terribly expensive for a starting-caliber winger. Orlando City should re-sign Angulo or upgrade the position, and perhaps the club wants Tyrese Spicer to show he can take that spot. Spicer has been inconsistent as a starter but generally better off the bench. He hasn’t yet shown himself to be an everyday option.

Wilder Cartagena — Midfielder

The Peruvian midfield stopper has, like Angulo, been a solid performer for the Lions since signing with Orlando City in August of 2022. Last season’s Achilles injury derailed the club’s best-ever midfield double pivot, as Cartagena and Cesar Araujo combined to make life miserable for Orlando’s opponents and did a great job of shielding the back line. He even filled in admirably on the back line whenever Oscar Pareja went to five at the back as an extra center back. Cartagena suffered another injury in the 2026 season opener and is just getting back up to speed, but it seems as if he’s having difficulty breaking through to get enough minutes to round back into form.

Cartagena is on a contract through the end of 2026, which he signed last November, but there is an option year on his deal. At 31 years old and making a guaranteed $530,250 per year, it may be time to move on from the veteran defensive midfielder unless he can regain his form before the end of the season. The hope is that Luis Otavio can develop into a similar midfield stopper and the club has invested in the Brazilian. The Lions also seem more interested in the kind of offense that favors more attack-minded players in the central midfield, which has proven successful in scoring goals so far this year but has failed miserably at preventing them.

Joran Gerbet — Midfielder

The French-born product out of Clemson University signed in February 2025 after being drafted in the first round (No. 27 overall) in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft. He had a promising rookie campaign going until sustaining a serious knee injury last October against Columbus and had season-ending surgery. Gerbet will likely be able to return to game action after the World Cup break, and perhaps he could even play some games with OCB during the pause.

He’ll be out of contract at the end of 2026 but there are options for 2027 and 2028 on his rookie deal. If he can return to full speed and produce, the club would likely bring him back. With total guaranteed compensation of $113,400, Gerbet is an inexpensive piece of the roster, and he’ll be eager to earn a new deal. Plus, he’ll have at least one new French-speaking teammate as soon as Antoine Griezmann arrives. Gerbet’s return could mitigate the loss of Cartagena if the club parts ways with the Peruvian international.

Adrian Marin — Defender

The Spaniard arrived in August of 2025 on a deal through this season with a club option for 2027. He wasn’t able to quite jell or acclimate well to Major League Soccer over the course of last season. He entered 2026 looking to lock down the starting left back spot and can play as a center back in a three-man back line, but so far this season he’s been inconsistent at best. While he can send the occasional excellent cross or long ball in to create a scoring chance, contributing three assists already this season, he’s not been quite able to consistently operate at an MLS level.

A good left back can be pricey, so his guaranteed pay of $577,972 isn’t terrible, but he’s not quite lived up to it either. It will be interesting to see if Marin can finish out the 2026 campaign strong and if it’s enough to warrant picking up his contract option or offering him a new deal.

Nolan Miller — Defender

The rookie out of Michigan had a strong start to his first professional year but then showed some growing pains. He signed through the 2026 season back in early February but the club holds options for Miller for the 2027 sprint season, 2027-2028, and 2028-2029. Miller most recently played with Orlando City B on Sunday, helping the Young Lions defeat Inter Miami CF II 4-1 at home. There’s a lot of season left for Miller to make his mark, and playing with OCB during the World Cup break is a good way to get him minutes in a developmental setting.

All indications from the club are that the technical staff believe Miller has enough upside to potentially become an MLS starter. The 22-year-old will be given an opportunity to develop, and it seems likely Orlando City will exercise his option unless the player asks for his release to pursue other opportunities.

Javier Otero — Goalkeeper

If there’s one thing that’s been clear for years, it’s that Orlando City likes to have one primary goalkeeper and a young, inexpensive backup who plays only sparingly, whether it’s Mason Stajduhar, Adam Grinwis, or Otero. The Lions signed Otero to a new contract through 2026 just a year ago in May 2025, with option years for 2027 and 2028. Otero has played well at times and gotten shelled a few times in his MLS career, but he’s filled his role well and is inexpensive at $163,750 in guaranteed annual compensation. Orlando will likely exercise the option on Otero’s deal unless the 23-year-old Venezuelan wants to go elsewhere.

Nicolas Rodriguez — Attacking Midfield

While not technically out of contract, the club may have to do something with Rodriguez, who is currently on loan with Atletico Nacional in Colombia through 2026. The Colombian side has an option to purchase, but it’s unclear whether that will be exercised. The former MLS U22 Initiative signing was suspended in March for an alleged sexual assault earlier this year — charges that Rodriguez denies. He returned to the pitch in May in a loss to Once Caldas.

With the commitment Orlando City made to Otavio, Iago, and Tiago, it’s unlikely the club will bring back Rodriguez unless one of the Brazilians is sold. Rodriguez struggled to get on the pitch with the first team last year, and Tiago seems light years ahead of the Colombian in his development. It seems likely the club will hope Nacional purchases Rodriguez, and if not, the Lions will probably try to sell him or loan him out again. Rodriguez’s contract expires at the end of 2027.

Zakaria Taifi — Fullback/Midfielder

Homegrown defender/winger Taifi is signed through 2026 with club options for 2027, 2028, and 2029. The 20-year-old has shown great promise and made the jump to the first team midway through 2025, although he played sparingly. Taifi already has career highs with the first team in 2026 in games played (10), starts (3), and assists (2). If not for Griffin Dorsey’s play, Taifi might otherwise be seeing regular minutes, although there is work to be done in developing his defending. At present, he projects more as a wingback than a fullback, but the same was once true of Alex Freeman, who improved his one-on-one defending by leaps and bounds.

As a Homegrown Player starting to bear fruit, it is a no-brainer for the club to pick up Taifi’s option after the 2026 season.

Yutaro Tsukada — Attacking Midfielder

Orlando City selected Tsukada with the No. 25 overall pick in the first round of the 2024 MLS SuperDraft in December of 2023. The club signed Tsukada to an MLS NEXT Pro deal through 2024 and then signed him through 2025 with option years for 2026 and 2027, so he’s currently in the first of those two option years.

The young winger has shown some glimpses of quality in both dead-ball delivery and his crafty one-on-one moves out wide, but he’s not been able to break through just yet and he was left off both the senior team and OCB matchday rosters since April 26, despite a club spokesman telling me he wasn’t injured. Tsukada’s budget charge isn’t big ($113,400), but at 24, he’s entering his prime years and hasn’t yet developed into an MLS player. Whether he’s back next year may be up to the player in Tsukada’s case.

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