Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Chicago Fire: Five Takeaways
Here’s what we learned from another frustrating 0-0 draw.

Orlando City played over an entire half with a man advantage but couldn’t create many clear-cut chances and had to settle for a scoreless draw with the Chicago Fire. The Lions struggled to break down the bunkered Fire defense and often settled for shots from distance that didn’t come close to troubling the goal, and they didn’t deserve more than a point in the end. What follows are my five takeaways from the game.
Lions Lived Dangerously Early
The game was scoreless at halftime but that seemed like an extremely unlikely outcome based on the first half hour. The Fire took 11 shots inside the first 30 minutes and tested Pedro Gallese constantly, as El Pulpo was forced into making five saves. The highlight was an outstanding double save in the 10th minute, first from Philip Zinckernagel, and then again from Hugo Cuypers on the rebound. Orlando’s goal got absolutely shelled, and Cuypers really should have opened the scoring from an 11th-minute corner but somehow contrived to fire the ball over from about two feet away. Chicago was so dangerous that it racked up 2.91 expected goals from 11 shots in the opening half hour, which is good for a pretty impressive .26 xG per shot. If not for Gallese’s brilliance and Chicago’s poor finishing, this thing could have been over early.
Route One Gave Chicago Trouble
That being said, the Lions had some moments of their own, and the most dangerous ones came when OCSC dispensed with trying to keep possession and build with the ball, and simply chose to play long balls over the top of the defense. That sort of direct play gave the Fire all sorts of hell in the 7-2 thrashing they received at the hands of Nashville SC last week, and the few times that the Lions played long balls over the top, they looked extremely dangerous. Duncan McGuire flashed a shot just wide of the post in the 17th minute after getting on the end of a long ball, and then in the 36th minute he was on the verge of getting on the end of another one, but Fire goalkeeper Chris Brady rushed off his line, got all of Duncan and none of the ball, and got sent off as a result. Had the Fire kept 10 men on the field, we’d surely have seen Orlando keep trying to lob balls over the top.
Red Card Did Not Change the Game
In theory, one team going down to 10 men should drastically change the game. The side with the man advantage should be able to overwhelm the team with fewer players, apply pressure to the goal, and eventually break through. That’s not what happened here, though. The Lions had a ton of the ball in the second half, with 69% possession, and they took 15 shots. But they only put one of them on target, and took seven of those 15 shots from outside the box. Too often, Orlando was reduced to shooting from distance rather than playing through or around the compact Chicago defense, and OCSC often looked short of ideas in the final third. The Lions have often struggled to break down teams that choose to bunker deep and clog the middle of the field around their box, and that was the case again in this game. They did still manage to carve out a few chances, with Marco Pasalic and Martin Ojeda both hitting the woodwork, but it was a woeful offensive performance considering the circumstances.
No Atuesta, No Party
Eduard Atuesta was unavailable for this game after picking up a neck injury late in the week, and frankly that was probably a big part of Orlando’s anemic creative output. It was great to have Cesar Araujo back, but he isn’t exactly renowned for his offensive capabilities, while Atuesta does so much work linking defense to attack, and is more than capable of providing a key pass or assist. Whether or not he would have been any help when trying to break through the tightly compacted Chicago lines is anyone’s guess, but not having him on the field certainly didn’t help Orlando’s chances. He isn’t going to be available for every game either, particularly as the fixture congestion piles up, so the Lions are going to need to find some creative juice from other sources.
Road Point Feels Hollow
It’s hard to win on the road in MLS and a point is a point. But it’s hard to feel good about it when Orlando played for over a half with a man advantage but spent most of it looking like it was the team that only had 10 men. Yes, the Lions’ unbeaten run is now at eight games, but four of those are scoreless draws. Points are points but this was an extremely frustrating point considering the circumstances. It was sort of an odd game in that I felt Orlando was extremely fortunate to still have the game at 0-0 after the opening 30 minutes, and then for the remaining 54 minutes after Chicago’s red card, I ranged from annoyed to frustrated by the Lions’ inability to carve out meaningful chances. Some draws you’re thrilled with and accept without asking any questions, but this absolutely wasn’t one of those cases.
Those are my five big thoughts from a frustrating evening for Orlando City up in Illinois. Be sure to voice your thoughts about this game down in the comments. Vamos Orlando!
Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Colorado Rapids: Player Grades and Man of the Match
How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s 1-0 win over the Colorado Rapids?

Orlando City used a professional performance to defeat the Colorado Rapids 1-0 near the Mile High City. It’s a big win for the Lions after two consecutive losses to Atlanta United and the Chicago Fire. It also gives the team some good vibes heading into next week’s international break.
Let’s take a look at the individual performances in this big win.
Starters
GK, Pedro Gallese, 8 (MotM) — Gallese had a massive game for his eighth clean sheet of the season. The shot stopper was credited with two saves and they were both quality. In the 50th minute, he made a one-handed save on a Rafael Navarro header and pushed Djordje Milhailovic’s shot wide while defending his near post in the 72nd minute. Apart from his goalkeeping, Gallese touched the ball 32 times, completing 38.5% of his 26 passes, including four of his 20 long balls. He was also credited with three clearances.
D, David Breaklo, 6 — The starting left back touched the ball 63 times and completed 91.8% of his 49 passes. He completed two of his three long balls, but his lone cross was incomplete. Brekalo also recorded one interception, won an aerial duel, and had eight clearances defensively. He didn’t have any attacking statistics, contributing to the clean sheet.
D, Robin Jansson, 6.5 — Jansson had 65 touches, completing 93.1% of his team-high 58 passes, including four of his seven long balls. He won one tackle and had four clearances defensively. The center back was a bright spot early, making a couple of huge challenges to keep Colorado from getting free chances on goal. Overall, it was a strong performance by the captain.
D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 7 — Schlegel got a first-half booking that sees him suspended for the next game, but the center back was a monster in this game. He had a team-high 86 touches and completed 87.5% of his 56 passes but only one of his five long balls. However, his strength was defensively, where Schlegel recorded an interception and two blocked shots, won three aerial duels, and had an astounding 21 clearances. Despite defending for most of the game, the center back put a shot on target as well.
D, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, 5.5 — Thorhallsson had 38 touches, completing 85.7% of his 21 passes without attempting any long balls or crosses. The right back added two clearances and a blocked shot defensively. He made some mistakes in his own half that created some issues and didn’t get into the attack at all in this game before being replaced by Kyle Smith in the 72nd minute.
MF, Ivan Angulo, 5.5 — Angulo touched the ball 39 times, completing 83.3% of his 30 passes but didn’t attempt any crosses. The midfielder didn’t attempt any shots either. Defensively, Angulo added a clearance and won an aerial duel, but it was largely an invisible night by the speedster.
MF, Eduard Atuesta, 6 — Atuesta had 65 touches and completed 77.6% of his 49 passes, including a key pass and one of his two long balls. He didn’t take any shots, but the defensive midfielder’s focus was on defense. He recorded one tackle, two aerial duels won, three interceptions, and two clearances in a strong performance. He was replaced by Colin Guske in second-half stoppage time.
MF, Joran Gerbet, 6 — Gerbet got the start over Cesar Araujo in this game due to back spasms for Araujo, touching the ball 57 times. The rookie completed 88.4% of his 43 passes without attempting any long balls or crosses. Like Atuesta, his job was defensive as he had three interceptions, won two aerial duels, and logged five clearances in 90 minutes of action.
MF, Marco Pasalic, 7 — Pasalic was trouble for the Rapids defense. He touched the ball 31 times and completed 86.4% of his 22 passes, including three key passes and his lone long ball. The midfielder’s most significant moment came in the 24th minute, when great vision and a good pass found Martin Ojeda for the game’s long goal. Pasalic took two shots, putting one on target. The attacker left the game in the 72nd minute, replaced by Ramiro Enrique.
F, Luis Muriel, 5.5 — Muriel had 26 touches, completing 80% of his 15 passes with a key pass. The forward took two shots, putting neither on target. He also helped defensively, winning an aerial duel, recording a tackle, and adding a clearance before being replaced by Araujo in the 58th minute. Overall, it wasn’t an impressive performance by the Designated Player.
F, Martin Ojeda, 7 — Ojeda was a game-changer, touching the ball 52 times and completing 90.9% of his 44 passes with a key pass, and connecting on one of his two crosses and his lone long ball. He put one of his two shots on target, a hard attempt that went off the hands of Nico Hansen and in for the game’s only goal. It was a good performance for Ojeda, who came off in second-half stoppage time for Nico Rodriguez.
Substitutes
MF, Cesar Araujo (58’), 6 — Araujo replaced Muriel in the 58th minute as the Lions looked to defend their 1-0 lead. The defensive midfielder had 34 touches and completed 96.4% of his 28 passes, including one key pass. He added a tackle and blocked shot in 32 minutes of action, helping to secure the clean sheet.
D, Kyle Smith (72’), 6 — Smith came on for Thorhallsson in the 72nd minute, touching the ball 23 times at right back. He completed 55.6% of his nine passes with an incomplete long ball and through ball. However, Smith’s contribution came on defense, where he added a tackle, four clearances, and two successful aerial duels to help secure the three points.
F, Ramiro Enrique (72’), 6.5 — Enrique came on for Pasalic in the 72nd minute and was solid in his 18 minutes. He had 10 touches and completed 75% of his eight passes without taking any shots. However, he did precisely what his team needed, holding up the ball, winning an aerial duel, and keeping possession late. His wise decision-making is why he gets such a high grade.
MF, Colin Guske (90 + 1’), N/A — Guske came on for Atuesta in the dying minutes to kill some time. He got booked right after coming on, touching the ball only three times and adding a clearance.
MF, Nico Rodriguez (90 + 1’), N/A — Rodriguez came on with Guske for Ojeda and had nearly an identical performance minus the booking. He touched the ball three times, won an aerial duel, and had a clearance defensively.
That’s how I saw the individual performances in this crucial win for the Lions. Let us know what you thought of the game in the comments below and don’t forget to vote on your Man of the Match.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 6/16/25
Lions and Pride win, USMNT beats Trinidad & Tobago in Gold Cup opener, FIFA Club World Cup weekend recap, and more.

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you and belated happy Father’s Day to all you dads out there. The Lions and the Pride both won while OCB was off this weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.
Lions Blank Colorado Rapids on the Road
Orlando City defeated the Colorado Rapids 1-0 Saturday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Martin Ojeda scored the lone goal for the Lions in the first half to snap their two-match winless streak. Goalkeeper Pedro Gallese made two saves and earned his eighth clean sheet of the season. With the win, Orlando moved up to fifth in the Eastern Conference standings with 30 points. Orlando City will be off this weekend but will be return to action June 25 on the road at St. Louis City.
Banda’s Goal Lifts Pride Over Bay FC
The Orlando Pride defeated Bay FC 1-0 Friday at PayPal Park in San Jose, CA. After a scoreless first half, Barbra Banda scored the only goal in the match — her eighth goal of the season — and the Pride held on for the win. It’s the team’s third straight 1-0 victory over Bay FC, and the Pride also claimed their fifth clean sheet of the season. Orlando has won three matches in a row and remains second in the NWSL table with 25 points. The Pride will be on the road to take on Racing Louisville Friday.
USMNT Dominates Trinidad & Tobago in Gold Cup Opener
The U.S. Men’s National Team beat Trinidad & Tobago 5-0 Sunday in the opening match of the Concacaf Gold Cup at PayPal Park. Orlando City defender Alex Freeman started the match and played 90 minutes. Malik Tillman scored twice, and Patrick Agyemang added one to give the USMNT a 3-0 lead before halftime. In the second half, Brenden Aaronson and Haji Wright each added a goal to extend the USMNT’s lead to 5-0. With the win, the Yanks snapped a four-match winless streak. The USMNT will take on Saudi Arabia Thursday night at Q2 Stadium in Austin, TX.
FIFA Club World Cup Weekend Recap
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup kicked off on Saturday, with Inter Miami and Al Ahly playing to a scoreless draw in the opening match of the group stage. Miami goalkeeper Oscar Ustari made eight saves, including a penalty kick saved in the 43rd minute against Trezeguet of Al Ahly as the teams split the points. On Sunday, Jamal Musiala scored a hat trick as Bayern Munich crushed Auckland City 10-0, Paris Saint-Germain routed Atletico Madrid 4-0, and Palmeiras and FC Porto ended in a scoreless draw. The Seattle Sounders battled Botafogo in the late match. Today’s matchups feature Chelsea taking on LAFC, Boca Juniors facing Benfica, and Flamengo taking on Esperance Sportive de Tunis.
Tampa Bay Sun Wins USL Super League Championship
The Tampa Bay Sun defeated Fort Lauderdale United 1-0 after extra time to win the inaugural USL Super League championship on Saturday at Riverfront Stadium in Tampa. Former Pride players Jordyn Listro and Erika Tymrak were part of the squad’s stellar run to its first championship title in the inaugural season of the USL Super League. After no goals came from either side during the 90 minutes of play, the match went to extra time, and Cecilie Floe scored the winning goal for the Sun. Sydny Nasello was named the 2025 USL Super League Final MVP.
Free Kicks
- Check out this video on Orlando City’s social media pages featuring some players giving their dads a surprise phone call on Father’s Day.
- PayPal Park will host the 2025 NWSL Championship match on Nov. 22.
- Liverpool has reached an agreement to sign former Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Florian Wirtz.
- Italy has reportedly named Gennaro Gattuso as its next manager of the Men’s National Team, one week after former manager Luciano Spalletti was fired.
That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.
Orlando City
Orlando City at Colorado Rapids: Five Takeaways
Here’s what we learned from Orlando City’s 1-0 road victory over the Colorado Rapids.

Orlando City traveled to Denver to take on the Colorado Rapids. The Lions were able to secure a 1-0 win over the Western Conference opponent thanks to a first-half goal from Martin Ojeda. The victory snapped the team’s two-match losing streak, allowing Orlando City to keep pace in the Eastern Conference. Here are my five takeaways from Saturday night’s match.
Oh-Yay-Da
For too many seasons it seemed like Orlando City wasn’t getting the most out of the club’s Designated Players. That hasn’t been the case this year, nor was it in the match against Colorado, at least for two of the DPs. Marco Pasalic made a nice pass to Martin Ojeda in the box to get the assist on Orlando City’s first goal. For his part, Ojeda hit it low, hard, and on target. Sometimes that is all you need. Despite getting a hand on it, goalkeeper Nico Hansen wasn’t able to keep it out, and the Lions took the lead.
An Expected Yellow
Most of you are not in the internal Slack chat for The Mane Land, but we discussed that there was a high probability that at least one of Orlando City’s center backs would get a yellow card, making that player unavailable for the next match. Rodrigo Schlegel proved us correct in the 31st minute when he fouled Djordje Mihailovic just outside the box. Fortunately, the foul was outside the box, and Colorado wasn’t able to capitalize on the opportunity. Hopefully, it won’t have an ill effect on the next match.
Early Defensive Shell
On the road with a one-goal lead and Schlegel on a yellow, Oscar Pareja got defensive early in the second half. We saw the return of Cesar Araujo — who did not get the start and, according to Pareja’s postgame comments, nearly didn’t make the trip because of back spasms this week — in the 58th minute for Luis Muriel. As Muriel hadn’t contributed much to the match, it was important to get fresh legs and an experienced player to help fend off the constant Colorado pressure. Orlando didn’t park the bus, but definitely went into game management mode, hoping to hit on the occasional counter.
Primo El Pulpo
Pedro Gallese was only credited with two saves in the match, but he definitely contributed much more than that. There was about a 10-minute a stretch of time from the 50th minute on that Colorado was creating more chances in and around the box. Pedro made one of his saves, blocked a couple of dangerous crosses that would have gone in without his play, and at least a few clearances. He added his second save, and generally did well to control his area. The two saves were both good ones. He’s not going to get a save-of-the-week award from MLS, but it was enough for me. It’s hard to argue with a clean sheet.
Attitude over Altitude
The early goal was important, as it allowed Orlando City to slow the match down and conserve energy as the minutes ticked by. This was especially noticeable after Araujo came on in the second half. The importance of the goal really showed late in the match, as many of the starters bounced up against the wall created by the altitude, as teams typically run out of gas in Colorado between the 60th and 75th minutes. The late subs, including youngsters Colin Guske and Nico Rodriguez, were able to help see it out despite Colorado pressing for the equalizer.
That is what I saw in the road victory. Let us know your thoughts about the Colorado match in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!
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