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Orlando City vs. Chicago Fire: Final Score 0-0 as Lions Waste Points vs. 10-Man Fire

Despite getting a road draw, the trip to Chicago produced an awful night of soccer for the Lions, who spilled two huge points despite being up a man for more than half the match.

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1 year ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City extended its unbeaten run to eight matches (3-0-5) at Soldier Field in Chicago but there’s no good way to spin a 0-0 road draw against a Fire team that went a man down in the first half. The Lions (4-2-5, 17 points) were unfathomably wasteful in the final third in a draw that felt like a loss, with numerous great chances sent off target, off the woodwork, or straight into the bellies of defenders on free kicks. The Fire (3-4-4, 13 points) actually created more dangerous opportunities throughout the match, even when down a man, than did the Lions.

Pedro Gallese had a stellar night in goal to help the Lions avoid what might otherwise have been an embarrassing loss, making eight saves in Orlando’s fourth scoreless draw in five outings. Chicago, which entered the match having conceded the most goals in MLS and allowed seven a week ago, held firm but remain winless at home in 2025.

“Our feelings today in a game that we probably, under the circumstances, we should have won it,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “But when you see the whole development of the game, it was a tough rival. After the red card they put a lot of density and we couldn’t break it up the way we wanted. And they were dangerous on a couple plays going on the counter. As the game was playing, we didn’t have that clarity to define and score our goal, despite having some actions, and even two times when we hit the post. But I think we lacked clarity, and that cost us the two points that I thought we should have won it.”

Pareja’s lineup included Pedro Gallese in goal behind a back line of David Brekalo, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Alex Freeman. The midfield four consisted of Kyle Smith and Cesar Araujo in central midfield with Ivan Angulo and Marco Pasalic on the wings. Luis Muriel served as a false 9/No. 10 in the attack behind striker Duncan McGuire.

The match goes down as a point, but the Lions could have — and should have — gotten more out of it. Chicago defended well in a low block after losing goalkeeper Chris Brady to a red card in the first half, but Orlando City squandered the chances it created and frankly didn’t create enough with the ball or do enough to pull apart the Fire’s defensive lines.

The hosts created a half chance in the game’s first minute, carrying forward and crossing into the area. Schlegel’s clearance was muffed, falling to Andrew Gutman. The fullback tried a shot from outside the area but it was well off target.

Orlando’s first chance came from the left in the third minute, when Angulo got down the wing and fired. His shot was deflected wide for a corner. The Fire cleared the cross, ending the threat. Three minutes later, Muriel took a pass from Angulo at the end line, kept it in play, and tried a blast from a tight angle that Brady saved, knocking it out for another corner. Orlando had to hustle back to break up a Chicago transition on the set piece.

The Fire nearly scored multiple times in the 10th minute, with Gallese coming up with two big back-to-back saves. Philip Zinckernagel cut inside and blasted a shot from 15 yards out that Gallese fought off. It fell for Hugo Cuypers, who turned it back on goal but again the Peruvian came up big, with Brekalo then knocking it out for a corner.

“I think it was one of the most crucial and most difficult moments of the game, ” Gallese said of the double save. “Especially in key minutes, because if they’re able to score there, they’re able to control the game more and put us on the back foot, so yeah, really critical there.”

On the ensuing set piece, the ball was flicked to the back post by Sergio Oregel for MLS goal-scoring leader Cuypers, but the Golden Boot leader got under the ball and fired over the bar from about three or four yards out in front of goal.

Smith gave Orlando a good set piece opportunity in the 13th minute when he was fouled directly out in front of goal. Araujo took the set piece but fired straight into the wall, wasting the opportunity.

Gallese made another huges top three minutes later. Chicago fired a ball over the top to Jonathan Bamba, who stayed onside with a well-timed run. Bamba brought it down and fired, but Gallese made another big save in the 16th minute.

Orlando then found McGuire over the top in a similar manner in the 17th minute. McGuire wasn’t cleanly through on goal, but he was sent down the right, where he turned and fired wide of the left post.

Bamba took a pass from Gutman in front in the 19th minute and fired, but once again Gallese bailed out his defense. Cuypers headed a Jonathan Dean cross on target in the 27th minute, but the shot was soft and Gallese was able to get over and make the easy catch, racking up another save.

Muriel nearly sent McGuire in behind in the 33rd minute with a slick through ball. McGuire picked it up and could have shot, but instead he tried to finesse around Jack Elliott and lost the ball.

Three minutes later, another good ball over the top found McGuire, who chested it down just outside the box. Brady came charging out of his box and made contact with McGuire, who had gotten in behind both Fire center backs. Brady was booked and match referee Victor Rivas awarded a penalty. After reviewing the play, the red card stood, but the foul was judged to be just outside the box. Brady departed and Bamba was withdrawn by Gregg Berhalter in order to send backup goalkeeper Jeff Gal into the game for his MLS debut.

Muriel went for goal with the ensuing free kick, beating the wall but failing to get his shot to dip under the bar in the 42nd minute.

Orlando had two half chances in stoppage time. Muriel sent a great ball through the area but Freeman couldn’t get onto it. Moments later, Angulo sent a shot on target but left it too close to Gal, who made the save. Muriel fizzed a long-range shot over the bar a minute later, and then at the cusp of halftime sent in a great back-post ball for Araujo, who couldn’t quite get to it.

The Lions and Fire went to the break scoreless, but Chicago’s early domination helped Chicago end the first half with the advantage in possession (58.4%-41.6%), shots on goal (5-2), and passing accuracy (87.4%-77.7%). Each team attempted nine total shots, and Orlando won more corners (3-2).

The opening minutes of the second period saw Muriel dance around defender Christopher Cupps. Muriel went down after contact in the 47th minute, but there wasn’t enough in it for a penalty.

The Lions sent in two more almost balls in the 48th and 49th minutes, with Muriel again unable to find a teammate on the end of his cross on the first and Brekalo coming close to picking out Freeman at the back post on the second.

Orlando nearly gave up an embarrassing goal in the 52nd minute. Araujo sent a poor ball toward a teammate that was easily taken away by the Fire, jumpstarting the break in City’s defensive third. Mauricio Pineda smashed a shot from the top of the box that hit Jansson and nearly found its way inside the right post. Instead, it hit the outside of the upright and went out for a corner. The Lions didn’t deal with the corner well, allowing Brian Gutierrez to fire over the bar on the recycle.

Muriel again couldn’t find a fellow Lion with an entry ball in the 54th minute, and two minutes later, Angulo got down the left and squared the ball back into the box straight into a Fire player.

Unable to generate more danger against 10-man Chicago, Pareja sent Martin Ojeda in for Smith in the 57th minute. The Lions couldn’t do much with a couple of corners over the next few minutes, before a decent deflected ball into the box found Freeman in the 61st minute. The young fullback got a foot on it but couldn’t steer it on frame.

The lack of sharpness continued. Ojeda fired over the bar from long range in the 62nd minute. Brekalo telegraphed a shot and had it blocked at the top of the box a minute later.

Despite being down a man, Chicago nearly scored in the 67th minute. Orlando was dispossessed when Muriel was pushed down from behind but Rivas made no call. The play ended with Chicago winning a corner. The Lions made a mess of the clearance on the set piece, and it fell for Cuypers, who fired on goal, only to see Gallese deny him yet again with a vital save. A minute later, Gallese made critical back-to-back saves on Zenckernagel and Cuypers again off an Orlando City turnover.

“Pedro’s solidness has been increasing along the tournament. Now, in the game like today, when we needed the most, he was there,” Pareja said. “When you see the whole thing and the first part of the first half, and we had those actions, Pedro had to save us too. So it’s true, he played a great game and when we needed him most, he showed up.”

The two cruelest chances of the night fell for Orlando in the 75th and 77th minute. Angulo slipped the ball between defenders to put Ojeda in on goal for the first chance, but the Designated Player’s shot crashed off the left post. Two minutes later, Pasalic finally got an open look at goal and smashed a shot by Gal but off the crossbar. The spin of the ball took the rebound out of play before an onrushing Muriel could tap in the loose ball.

Elliott got a piece of McGuire in the 78th minute to set up a dangerous free kick for Orlando. However, Ojeda’s shot hit the midsections of one of Chicago’s wall players, wasting the opportunity. Muriel won a foul from Cupps in the 87th minute and waved off his teammates on the set piece. The Colombian then fired over the bar again.

Rivas added just three minutes of stoppage time and the Lions did not take advantage of any of the three. Muriel sent another shot over the bar from outside the box in the first added minute. Substitute Dagur Dan Thorhallsson blasted nowhere close to goal a minute later.

That was that, and the game ended without a goal.

Orlando finished with the advantage in possession (53.3%-46.7%), shots (23-17), and passing accuracy (85.1%-83.1%). Chicago won more corners (7-6) and put more shots on target (8-2).

“Chicago’s a good team. They’ve got good players, and they play a style that’s difficult and creates a lot of opportunities,” Gallese said. “I think we stood well in those first 30 minutes, and then after the card, you know, they weren’t really able to control too much of the game. But, you know, we’re still able to take the point against a good team tonight.”

The Lions visit the Tampa Bay Rowdies Wednesday night as they kick off their 2025 U.S. Open Cup campaign. Orlando City’s next MLS match will follow on Saturday at home against the New England Revolution.

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. San Diego FC: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Lions welcome San Diego FC to Orlando for the first meeting ever between the two clubs.

Published

10 hours ago

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September 5, 2026

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Image of Joran Gerbet playing against Minnesota United.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to your match preview and live thread for a Saturday night matchup between Orlando City (7-11-4, 25 points) and San Diego FC (8-8-6, 30 points) at Inter.co Stadium in Orlando (7:30 p.m., Apple TV). It’s the first-ever meeting between these two teams from different conferences

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

History

As mentioned above, tonight’s meeting between the Lions and San Diego is the first in the series history, so there is no history. The Lions are 2-2-1 against Western Conference teams this season, which means little to nothing in this particular match, and San Diego is going to be Orlando City’s final opponent from the opposite conference in MLS regular-season play this season.

Overview

The Lions are coming off a wild 3-3 road draw at Minnesota United a week ago, in which Daryl Dike and Antoine Griezmann scored on either side of halftime on Orlando’s first two shot attempts to put their team up 2-0 in the 64th minute. Minnesota stormed back with three goals off defensive errors in a four-minute span to take a late 3-2 lead. Just when the Loons appeared to be headed for all three points, Tyrese Spicer scored in stoppage time, forcing Minnesota to split the points. Orlando has a modest 1-0-1 unbeaten streak entering tonight, and the Lions are 5-4-2 at home in 2026.

San Diego is coming off a 3-1 home win over the LA Galaxy despite having Jeppe Tverskov sent off. Tonight’s visitors have won two straight games, but both were at home. They lost their last home game 3-1 at Portland on Aug. 19 and are 2-5-3 away from home this season.

The key for Orlando City tonight will be to mark Anders Dreyer, which is far easier said than done, as he has emerged as one of the league’s best playmakers. His eight goals and 11 assists give him 19 total goal contributions to lead his team. Marcus Ingvartsen is Dreyer’s favorite teammate to combine with, as the Danish forward has converted 11 times, leading San Diego in goals, and has added five assists. However, Ingvartsen is listed as out with a lower body injury. Midfielder Onni Valakari has chipped in four goals and seven assists.

“We respect San Diego, but as well we prepare our game,” Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman said ahead of the match. “We know how strong we are, especially at home, so now we go.”

Orlando City will be without Braian Ojeda (foot) and Adrian Marin (thigh), while Bernardo Rhein (thigh), has been upgraded to questionable. San Diego will be without the aforementioned Ingvartsen (lower body) and Tverskov (suspension).

Match Content

Official Lineups:

Orlando City (4-4-2)

Goalkeeper: Maxime Crepeau.

Defenders: Bernardo Rhein, Robin Jansson, David Brekalo, Griffin Dorsey.

Midfielders: Ivan Angulo, Joran Gerbet, Eduard Atuesta, Justin Ellis.

Forwards: Antoine Griezmann, Daryl Dike.

Bench: Javier Otero, Zakaria Taifi, Iago, Wilder Cartagena, Luis Otavio, Tiago, Marco Pasalic, Martin Ojeda, Tyrese Spicer.

San Diego FC (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: C.J. dos Santos.

Defenders: Kieran Sargeant, Ian Murphy, Manu Duah, Oscar Verhoeven.

Midfielders: Gabriel Pirani, Anibal Godoy, Alejandro Alvarado.

Forwards: Elias Achouri, Onni Valakari, Anders Dreyer.

Bench: Duran Ferree, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, Christopher McVey, Bryan Zamble, David Vazquez, Ian Pilcher, Alex Mighten, Bryce Duke, Amahl Pellegrino.

Referees:

REF: Joe Dickerson.
AR1: Corey Parker.
AR2: Justin Howard.
4TH: Rodrigo Albuquerque.
VAR: Daniel Radford.
AVAR: Jeff Muschik.

How to Watch

Match Time: 7:30 p.m.

Venue: Inter.co Stadium — Orlando.

TV/Streaming: Apple TV.

Radio: AM 810 FOX Sports Radio Orlando (English), Mega 97.1 FM (Spanish), Nossa Rádio 1160 AM-WRLZ (Portuguese).

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 vs. San Diego FC: Three Keys to Victory

Here’s what Orlando needs to do in order to return to winning ways against San Diego.

Published

1 day ago

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September 4, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

After the disappointment of two dropped points against Minnesota on Saturday, Orlando City is back home with an opportunity to get things back on track. The Lions need to keep picking up points if they want to keep pace in an increasingly crowded Eastern Conference, and Saturday’s game is a good chance to start September off on the right note. San Diego FC stands in the way of that good start, and what follows are three things that I believe Orlando needs to do in order to emerge victorious from this game.

Stay Strong on the Left

The left side of the defense has been a question mark for the Lions for much of the year. Adrian Marin, Bernardo Rhein, and Zakaria Taifi have all spent time at left back lately and have done so with varying degrees of success. Regardless of who suits up there on Saturday, that area of the field will be under scrutiny once again, since they’ll be tasked with stopping San Diego right winger Anders Dreyer. He has eight goals and 11 assists in 21 appearances this year, has played 60 key passes during that time, and is generally the lynchpin through which the San Diego offense operates. He hasn’t quite been on the same pace that saw him bag 19 goals and 19 assists in the regular season last year, but with four goal contributions in his last three MLS appearances, he’s extremely capable of wreaking havoc from the wing. A lot of the goals OCSC has conceded lately have come down the left side of the defense, and if that area of the field can’t be taken care of better, the Lions will likely be in for a difficult night.

Do Damage in Transition

Orlando’s current style of positionless, fluid, attacking soccer is at its best when it comes up against teams that want to come out and play. It struggles mightily against defensive bunkers but shines when the Lions can get out and run, target open spaces, and combine with teammates in unexpected areas. Fortunately for OCSC (in theory), San Diego is a team that likes to have the ball, as it has the highest average possession in the league. That means the Lions will have opportunities to force turnovers and break the other way at pace. In order to make that happen though, OCSC will need to be both disciplined and effective when it comes to applying its press. Then, if/when the Lions win the ball, correct decision-making and clinical execution in the final third will be key to avoid letting any chances slip through their fingers (paws?).

Clean Up the Self-Inflicted Errors

Orlando has dealt with more than its fair share of general defensive struggles this year, but avoidable errors have been a particular problem in recent weeks. Whether it’s been an ill-advised challenge, passing to the opposition in the defensive third, or leaving men unmarked in the box, unnecessary mistakes have cost OCSC points time and again. Against lesser opposition it hasn’t always mattered, as the Lions were able to rescue three points against Real Salt Lake, but if Orlando wants to make a playoff push, it needs to make a habit of playing cleaner games, plain and simple. San Diego is a good team with dangerous offensive players, and Saturday’s visitors will very likely take advantage of any opportunities that the Lions gift-wrap for them. Keeping things mistake-free will go a long way.

We’ve got ample proof this season that nothing is guaranteed, but if the Lions can lock down the left side of the defense, make hay in transition moments, and limit unforced errors, then they should be in a good position to take all three points from Saturday’s game. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 9/4/26

Martin Ojeda details his recovery from injury, Anna Moorhouse loaned to Manchester City, Orlando City’s U.S. Open Cup journey, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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September 4, 2026

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Image of Martin Ojeda celebrating a goal against New England.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Three straight days of Orlando soccer starts tonight with Orlando City B’s road match against Inter Miami II at 7 p.m. Hopefully, Orlando’s teams do well over the next few days as crunch time is upon us when it comes to making the playoffs, especially for MLS NEXT Pro. For now though, let’s jump right into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Orlando City Prepares for San Diego FC

Orlando City will take on San Diego FC on Saturday in the first-ever game between the two clubs, and one of the storylines to keep an eye on is how much Martin Ojeda plays as he works his way back from injury. The Designated Player came off the bench late in Orlando’s 3-3 draw against Minnesota United in his first appearance since May 23. Not often injured, Ojeda spoke on how being off the field for over a month has shifted his perspective while training to return.

“You learn to value the moment much more. You learn to value every training session because, when you’re training on your own and you’re not available to your teammates, you feel uncomfortable,” Ojeda said. “You value being healthy more. It’s like everything in life. When you feel good, you live life almost on autopilot, so to speak. You go to work, you go home, you come back, you sleep. However, when you or someone close to you goes through an illness or something like that, you value the moment much more and become more conscious of what you’re experiencing.”

Pride Loan Anna Moorhouse to Manchester City

The Orlando Pride loaned goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse to Manchester City through January of 2027. Moorhouse joined the Pride prior to the 2022 season and helped the club win both the NWSL Championship and Shield in 2024. However, she has struggled this year alongside the rest of the Pride’s defense. Moorhouse hasn’t played in the past two games for the Pride, with Cosette Morche starting in her place. Her current contract with the Pride lasts through the 2027 NWSL season, so we’ll have to wait and see what her future with the club is when the loan ends.

Orlando City’s U.S. Open Cup Journey

Between the World Cup, regular season, and Leagues Cup this summer, it can be easy to forget that Orlando City is still in contention to win this year’s U.S. Open Cup. The Lions are in the semifinals of the tournament after crushing Atlanta United 4-1 in the quarterfinals back on May 19. The Lions won much tighter affairs prior to that win, with Javier Otero coming up with seven saves in a 1-0 win over FC Naples and Zakaria Taifi scoring in stoppage time to beat the New England Revolution 4-3 in the following match. Orlando will be on the road for its semifinal match against the Columbus Crew on Sept. 16, but the offense has received a boost due to the arrivals of Antoine Griezmann and Daryl Dike this summer.

MLS Transfer News Roundup

MLS signings continue to pour in as teams look to improve their squads for the rest of this season and beyond. The Colorado Rapids signed Ghanaian winger Ibrahim Sadiq from AZ Alkmaar, where he recorded 18 goals and seven assists in 85 appearances across three seasons with the Dutch club. San Diego also added an attacker by signing forward Cedric Bakambu, who joins as a free agent after playing at Real Betis. As for other notable moves from across the league, Real Salt Lake signed winger Dusan Zagar as an MLS U22 Initiative player, forward Lyle Foster joined the Houston Dynamo on loan, and the Columbus Crew continued to improve on offense by signing Moroccan winger Anass Zaroury on loan from Panathinaikos.

Free Kicks

  • Former Orlando Pride player Christina Burkenroad is retiring from professional soccer and Monterrey will have Saturday’s game against Toluca be a send-off match for her.

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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