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Orlando City vs. CF Montreal: Final Score 1-1 as Lions Drop More Points at Home

The Lions made three-win Montreal look like a competent team in a wasteful effort at home.

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4 months ago

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Orlando City couldn’t make Martin Ojeda’s goal in the first half stand up as a late Montreal penalty kick sent the Lions to their third straight game without a win in a disappointing 1-1 draw at Inter&Co Stadium. Rodrigo Schlegel’s foul on Prince Owusu allowed the latter to tie the match from the spot late in a game in which Montreal (3-13-6, 15 points) finished with only four shots and just the one on target.

The Lions (9-5-8, 35 points) themselves mustered just 11 shots and put three on goal against the worst team in the Eastern Conference, which was playing on short rest after a home match in the Canadian Championship at midweek. The season series ended with two draws, which doesn’t speak well of an Orlando side with postseason aspirations.

“We couldn’t reach the rhythm the whole game,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “I have to say that we tried to move and eventually we had some actions that ignited us a little, but the overall (thought) was it was a very uncomfortable game for us. The effort was there. It was a very complicated game. It was not an easy one.”

Pareja had to juggle his lineup a bit because of a pair of suspensions for yellow card accumulation to Pedro Gallese and Robin Jansson. Javier Otero started in goal behind a back line of Rafael Santos, Schlegel, David Brekalo, and Alex Freeman — his first game back since the Gold Cup ended. Cesar Araujo and Eduard Atuesta started in central midfield between wingers Ojeda and Marco Pasalic, with Luis Muriel and Ramiro Enrique up top.

The first half began as a choppy and dull as any game this season, as Montreal kept much of the ball early with neither side able to create much of a threat. The visitors won a free kick in the 10th minute but didn’t do anything with it, but aside from that, the opening 15 minutes were quiet.

Orlando City finally attempted a shot in the 17th minute, but Ojeda got well under his volley attempt off a deflected cross and sent his attempt high into The Wall.

It wasn’t until the 24th minute when the game saw its first shot on target. Muriel fired a left-footed effort from just outside the area, but Jonathan Sirois was able to dive to his left to make the save. Three minutes later, the Lions broke the scoreless deadlock on a set piece.

Samuel Piette fouled Pasalic just outside the area in the 27th minute. Ojeda and Muriel lined up over it, with Ojeda tapping it to the Colombian forward. Muriel put his foot on the ball to stop it, teeing it up for the Argentine to blast just inside the right post to make it 1-0 in the 28th minute. It was Ojeda’s 10th goal of the MLS season, making him the third Lion to record 10 goals and 10 assists in a season (all competitions). It was also his seventh consecutive MLS match with a goal contribution, setting a new club record.

“It’s something we work on with the coaches. Martin Perelman is in charge of that in particular,” Ojeda said. “Today was a bit of (guile) that thankfully ended in a goal. We do have quality players with a lot of technique. A lot of these plays can result in things like this, so yeah, let’s continue on this way.”

Montreal’s only shot attempt of the half came shortly after Ojeda’s goal. Hennadii Synchuk tried to catch Otero napping, blasting a shot from distance that didn’t miss the right post by much, sending it just wide.

Ojeda scored a minute later, but the flag came up for offside. Enrique had played him in with a lovely through ball, but replay showed Ojeda was just off and the call on the field was confirmed after video review.

Five minutes later, Montreal followed suit. Ojeda and Santos tried to work a give-and-go up the left sideline, but it didn’t come off and the visitors broke in transition. Owusu got onto a through ball and beat Otero, but he was several yards offside and it was an easy offside call.

Pasalic drew another free kick early in stoppage time from the left. Ojeda scorched a cross to the back post for Brekalo, but the Slovenian couldn’t get his header on target. Orlando won one more late free kick near the touchline and Muriel sent it in. Enrique had a free header, but his redirect was right at Sirois on the last touch of the half.

At the break, Orlando held the advantage in possession (51.8%-48.2%), shots (6-1), and shots on target (3-0). Montreal had more corners (1-0) and better passing accuracy (91.1%-90.9%).

“When you find rivals that have that model of chasing and converting the game into dueling in every single area, it has that tendency to be a game that is caught here and there, that the sequences are broken if we cannot get the flow that we want,” Pareja said of the team’s disjointed attack tonight. “And eventually we did it. It seemed like we were getting the rhythm and immediately we came back to that discomfort in the game.”

Montreal came out of the lockerroom with a bit more urgency than Orlando for the first few minutes, keeping the Lions pinned back. When Orlando finally held some possession, Freeman found some space down the left, cut inside, and sent a left-footed shot over the crossbar in the 50th minute.

Montreal then won a series of free kicks in the attacking third. Although the visitors didn’t pay any of them off, they came close in the 55th minute when an entry ball hit someone in front of Otero and fell in the box. Schlegel swooped in and cleared the danger.

The Lions won their first corner of the game in the 58th minute but played it short and were flagged for offside on the play.

The game kind of went dead in terms of chances for a while after that. Ivan Angulo’s blocked effort in the 73rd was the closest either side came to scoring over a 15-minute span.

Montreal got its gift in the 81st minute. Owusu carried the ball into the area on the left and went down after contact with Schlegel. The Montreal forward went looking for the contact and sold it well, with Ramy Touchan pointing to the spot. Owusu then used a stutter step to get Otero leaning and slotted home to tie the game in the 83rd minute.

“We are tired of seeing that, and it’s really frustrating,” Pareja said of the penalty decision going against Orlando. “It’s a big dive.”

Orlando City didn’t create much down the stretch. Ojeda fired from the top of the box but missed just wide in the 86th minute. Freeman cut inside and had his shot blocked early in stoppage time. Second-half sub Nico Rodriguez tried from distance moments later and the ball deflected off a defender and changed directions, but it stayed in the middle for Sirois to save in the fifth of the eight added minutes.

The Lions finished with the advantage in possession (52.9%-47.1%), shots (11-4), shots on target (3-1), corners (3-2), and passing accuracy (90.1%-90%).

With the draw, Orlando City is winless in three straight games (0-1-2) and winless in its last three at home (0-2-1).

“I think they kept the ball, which, you know, good defense is a good offense, and keeping the ball and limiting our chances in the attack,” said Kyle Smith, who subbed on in the second half to make his 200th appearance across all competitions for Orlando. “And then I think with their back five, it helps control what we were trying to do.”

“The team confidence has to stay alive the whole year,” Pareja said. “I don’t consider that we have to depend to the results. Our work and our job and our professionalism tell us that when the game finishes, you have to move on to the next one. We know that it hurts, but we have to be capable to move on. Tomorrow we have the responsibility to prepare for this game on Wednesday. That is a big challenge as well.”

The Lions have a quick turnaround as they look to bounce back when New York City FC visits Inter&Co Stadium on Wednesday.

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2025 Orlando City Season in Review: Luis Muriel

The Colombian forward showed more quality in his second season in Orlando, but his form faded down the stretch.

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7 hours ago

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November 8, 2025

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Image of Luis Muriel dribbling up the field against Charlotte.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City signed Colombian forward Luis Muriel as a Designated Player on a three-year contract through 2026 on Feb. 15, 2024. Muriel had some growing pains in adjusting to his new surroundings during his first season in Orlando, showing glimpses of the player fans thought the club was getting from Italian Serie A side Atalanta, but never really seizing a starting position with the club or showing enough consistency to be relied upon as an offensive threat.

His five goals and seven assists in 33 appearances (14 starts) during his first year in purple were not exactly the DP-level numbers anyone expected, but he was part of a good Orlando side that finished in the top four in the Eastern Conference and reached the conference semifinal in the playoffs. With a full season in the league behind him, it was reasonable to expect more from the crafty attacking player in his sophomore season in the City Beautiful.

His season started off brightly enough and he seemed to hit his stride in August, when he scored five goals over two matches, but Muriel’s performance tailed off at the end of the season. He was by no means the only Lion who seemed to run out of steam in the final two months of the year, but the drop-off in his scoring was partly responsible for Orlando’s tumble from fourth to ninth in the final standings.

Let’s take a look back at Muriel’s second season with Orlando City.

Statistical Breakdown

Muriel played in all four of the Lions’ competitions in 2025. He again appeared in 33 of Orlando City’s 34 regular-season games, but he started 25 times during his second year as a Lion, nearly doubling his total from the previous season, and played a total of 2,114 minutes — an increase of 532 minutes year over year. The 34-year-old scored nine goals and added nine assists. It was reasonable to expect double digits in both columns as he entered September needing just one goal and three assists to reach those totals, but he notched only two assists without a goal after Aug. 23. Muriel completed 72% of his 653 passes in 2025 — a surprising drop from his 81% passing in 2024 on three fewer attempts (despite playing 500+ more minutes), but he increased his number of key passes from 37 a year ago to 42 in 2025, with 13 successful crosses and 14 completed long balls. Defensively, Muriel chipped in 32 tackles, four interceptions, and a blocked shot. He committed 26 fouls, suffered 22, received one yellow card and was sent off once with a straight red.

The veteran attacker came off the bench in Orlando City’s playoff match against the Chicago Fire, playing 21 minutes without a goal contribution, a key pass, or a shot attempt, completing 71% of his 14 passes, although he was accurate on his one long ball. Muriel did not record any defensive stats in the match, did not commit a foul, and was not fouled or booked.

In the club’s U.S. Open Cup run, Muriel appeared in one match off the bench — the Lions’ 3-2 home loss to Nashville on May 21 — playing 29 minutes. He did not contribute to a goal, creating one scoring chance on 64% passing (7/11) with an accurate cross on his lone attempt. On the defensive end, Muriel contributed two clearances. He committed one foul and drew one on Nashville and was not booked in the match.

Muriel made appearances in all six of Orlando City’s 2025 Leagues Cup matches, starting the last four and playing 310 minutes in the competition. He scored three goals and added one assist in the Lions’ Leagues Cup run, putting five of his seven shots on frame. Muriel completed 71.7% of his 99 passes in the tournament with six key passes and one successful cross on three attempts. Defensively, he contributed seven tackles, three clearances, and one block. Muriel committed two fouls, suffered one, and was not booked in the competition.

Best Game

It’s hard not to select Muriel’s first-half hat trick in Orlando City’s 5-1 Leagues Cup win over Necaxa on Aug. 6. It was just the fourth hat trick in the club’s MLS era, joining Martin Ojeda’s from earlier in the season and the two Cyle Larin scored in 2015. However, that was a comfortable win for the Lions and it’s likely Orlando would have won big with a different player in that spot.

Where I think Muriel made a difference in the outcome of the match was his next appearance for the club, City’s 4-1 home win over Inter Miami on Aug. 10. Muriel picked up where he left off against Necaxa, scoring just two minutes into the match on his way to a brace, adding an assist as the Lions swept their Tropic Thunder rivals from South Florida. His first goal of the game was one of Orlando’s best team goals of the season, with Muriel taking a pass from Alex Freeman that Ojeda allowed to go through his legs. Muriel and Ojeda then worked a beautifully timed give-and-go before the Colombian held off a defender and slotted past Oscar Ustari to open the scoring.

After Miami had tied the game, Muriel untied it in the 50th minute. Accepting a short corner from Ojeda, Muriel made a sweet move at the end line to get around a well-positioned defender and then fired a shot from a tight angle that Ustari couldn’t handle, restoring Orlando’s lead.

After scoring Orlando’s first two goals himself, Muriel turned playmaker on the third, sending Ojeda down the right side. Ojeda used his defender as a screen and blasted a shot just inside the near post to make it 3-1.

Muriel came within inches of scoring hat tricks in consecutive games, and the one that didn’t go in would have been a dandy. The Colombian volleyed a poor Ustari clearance toward goal from near midfield in the 20th minute. The shot sliced to the right and hit off the post, denying him consecutive hat tricks. However, it was still his best overall performance of the season. He put four of his five shots on target — his only off-target attempt hitting the post — passed at an 81.3%, created three scoring chances for his teammates, and finished with goal contributions on three of Orlando’s four against the team’s most bitter rival. For his efforts, our Sean Rollins correctly named him Man of the Match in our Player Grades post for the game.

2025 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff awarded Muriel a composite rating of 6.5 out of 10 for his 2025 season. This is half a point higher than his 2024 rating of 6. There’s no doubt that Muriel took a step forward in 2025, and he was a dominant player a few times. In August, he was playing his best soccer and it looked like Orlando City might even make a run at the Supporters’ Shield. However, like a few others, Muriel tailed off. Unlike those others, he faded more dramatically down the stretch, earning just a 4.5 rating in three of his last six matches of the year. While the back-to-back games in which he totaled five goals and an assist was perhaps an unsustainable level of form, he largely lived up to the expectations that come with his Designated Player tag up to that point in the season. After August, he hardly played at the level one might expect of a TAM player. Again, he wasn’t the only one who slipped in form, but the team didn’t look as dangerous with him as it did without him over the final six weeks of the season, which prevented a higher grade.

2026 Outlook

Muriel is under contract for one more season, but it might be in the club’s best interests to try to transfer him out before that deal expires. At 34, Muriel’s best years are behind him, and although he was downright lethal at times in 2025, Orlando City might better be served by freeing up that Designated Player slot and using it on someone who can more consistently provide the game-changing plays that the club needs from its DPs. Ojeda and Marco Pasalic (if the latter doesn’t transfer out with reported interest from the Bundesliga) both scored more goals than Muriel and lived up to DP expectations more consistently despite making far less money than Muriel’s $2.5 million base salary and $4 million guaranteed total compensation.

He showed what he can do when he’s at his best, and when he’s at that level, he’s worth being the club’s most expensive player. But if Muriel returns for 2026, the Lions will need him to maintain his form and his consistency during the critical final weeks of the regular season and into the playoffs. Otherwise, that is money that could be better spent.

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2025 Orlando City Season in Review: Duncan McGuire

The MLS SuperDraft pick was limited by injuries during his third year in purple.

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1 day ago

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November 7, 2025

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Image of Duncan McGuire celebrating his winning goal against Nashville SC.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City chose Duncan McGuire with the sixth overall selection in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft. He then spent his rookie year locking down the starting striker position and played well enough to get a contract offer from Blackburn Rovers, only for the deal to never materialize due to some issues with the paperwork.

Blackburn’s loss was Orlando City’s gain during the 2024 season, as McGuire contributed 10 goals and three assists to the cause, and earned a new contract in the process. He suffered a shoulder injury in the playoffs that required off-season surgery, meaning that he started the 2025 season on the sidelines as he worked his way back to full fitness. Unfortunately, he then had another shoulder surgery in June of this year, which kept him out until late August.

Let’s take a look at Big Dunc’s 2025 season.

Statistical Breakdown

McGuire made 18 regular-season appearances for Orlando in 2025, with six of them coming as a starter, and accumulated 726 minutes on the field. That limited time in action meant that his numbers took an understandable dip, and he finished with three goals and two assists. He attempted 19 shots and put five of them on target. The big striker passed the ball with 72% accuracy while completing 19 key passes, one cross, and one long ball. Defensively, he recorded one tackle, one interception, and 13 clearances. He also committed eight fouls while suffering 12 and picked up one yellow card.

McGuire started the wild card game up top alongside Martin Ojeda in a 4-4-2, and went the full 90 minutes. He took one shot, which he put on target, and passed the ball with 75% accuracy while also completing one key pass. Defensively, he contributed one clearance and drew one foul.

He appeared in both of Orlando City’s U.S. Open Cup matches as a substitute, compiling 51 minutes on the field. He scored one goal, which came in the 5-0 rout of the Tampa Bay Rowdies, and took two shots (one on target). He contributed one interception and passed with 94.5% accuracy. McGuire committed one foul and was not booked.

The striker made two substitute appearances in Orlando’s Leagues Cup campaign and totaled 23 minutes of action. He took one shot, which was off target, and provided a key pass while distributing the ball with 83.5% accuracy. He contributed one clearance but did not record any other defensive stats.

Best Game

McGuire got his first league goal of the season in a 1-0 home win over the Portland Timbers on May 24. The big forward started up top alongside Luis Muriel and was withdrawn in the 67th minute after smashing a 39th-minute game winner past Maxime Crepeau with authority.

Aside from the goal, McGuire took two shots on the night (one on target), completed one dribble, and passed with 77.8% accuracy while delivering a key pass. Defensively, he contributed one tackle, one interception, and one clearance.

That performance earned him a grade of 7.5 out of 10 from our Nic Josey in his Player Grades piece, and he narrowly missed out on the Man of the Match award to Eduard Atuesta, who also earned a score of 7.5.

2025 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff awarded McGuire a composite grade of 6 out of 10 for the 2025 season, which is a point lower than he earned in 2024, and a point-and-a-half lower than 2023. That being said, context is very important here, as McGuire played almost 900 fewer regular-season minutes than he did in the Lions’ previous campaign. While some of that can be attributed to Luis Muriel keeping him out of the team during a hot start to the campaign, the two months he spent recovering from injury are an extenuating circumstance that can and should be considered.

2026 Outlook

We know that McGuire is under contract with the club through the 2027 season, so barring a sale or trade, he will be in an Orlando City uniform next season. As things currently stand, the striker position isn’t very deep following the departure of Ramiro Enrique, and it could get even shallower if the front office decides to move on from Muriel. The club will presumably target attacking help during the off-season, but McGuire is a known quantity to Oscar Pareja and has shown himself to be capable of scoring goals across multiple seasons, so he figures to have a role to play in the team’s plans at striker.

The biggest question with Duncan right now is whether or not he can stay healthy. Having labral repairs in both shoulders inside a calendar year isn’t exactly a common occurrence, but it’s still never good for a guy to spend that much time on the shelf. He’s been able to score when he’s getting consistent minutes on the field, and that’s the key for him next year. Stay healthy and available, and the goals will likely come.

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Lion Links: 11/7/25

Alex Freeman called up, Orlando Pride host Seattle tonight, Pride players nominated for The Best FIFA Women’s 11, and more.

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1 day ago

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November 7, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Not only is it Friday, but it’s also game day! The Orlando Pride’s playoff campaign kicks off tonight and I’m a bundle of nerves and excitement. If you’re headed to the stadium for tonight’s game, make sure to stay warm and hydrated. Have fun too! Let’s get to the links.

Alex Freeman Called Up for Friendlies

Orlando City right back Alex Freeman was one of 25 players called up by United States Men’s National Team Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino for friendlies against Paraguay and Uruguay this month. Freeman has made 11 appearances for the USMNT this year, but we’ll see how much action he sees with both Sergino Dest and Joe Scally returning to the fold. Giovanni Reyna is also back with the team, while Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, and Tim Weah are a few of the notable omissions. The USMNT will take on Paraguay in Pennsylvania on Nov. 15 before coming to Florida for a friendly against Uruguay in Tampa on Nov. 18.

NWSL Playoffs Kick Off Tonight

The Orlando Pride host the Seattle Reign at 8 p.m. tonight in the first game of this year’s NWSL playoffs. Although the Kansas City Current are the favorites heading into the postseason, any team can make a run at lifting the trophy. The defending champion Pride enter tonight’s game on a five-game unbeaten run with some needed momentum for a tough match against a Reign side that has found results despite struggling to create chances this year. Orlando will need to be at its best this month in order to win it all for the second year in a row.

Pride Players Nominated for FIFA Awards

The Pride’s Barbra Banda, Marta, Emily Sams, and Anna Moorhouse were all nominated for The Best FIFA Women’s 11, which honors the top performers in the world from Aug. 11 of 2024 to Aug. 2 of this year. The Pride had a historic season last year, with Banda, Marta, and Sams all being named to the 2024 NWSL Best XI First Team. Pride Head Coach Seb Hines is nominated for The Best FIFA Women’s Coach as well, while Moorhouse is also nominated for The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper. Make sure to vote!

Bradley Carnell Named MLS Coach of the Year

Speaking of awards, Philadelphia Union Head Coach Bradley Carnell was announced as the winner of the 2025 Sigi Schmid MLS Coach of the Year Award. In Carnell’s first year as head coach, the Union won a club-record 20 games this season and won the Supporters’ Shield. Philadelphia’s defense conceded just 35 goals this season and the team only lost once at home. Carnell garnered 37.78% of the total vote to win the award, with Vancouver Whitecaps Head Coach Jesper Sorensen coming in second with 26.53% and San Diego FC Head Coach Mikey Varas finishing third with 19.82%.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City defender David Brekalo was called up for Slovenia’s World Cup qualifiers against Kosovo and Sweden this month. Slovenia is third in the group and will need a win against Kosovo on Nov. 15 to remain in contention to qualify.

That’s all I have for you all this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

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