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Orlando City vs. Atlas FC, Leagues Cup: Final Score 3-1 as Lions Finish Strong After Equalizer

After giving up another lead at home, the Lions rallied this time, scoring two more to defeat Liga MX side Atlas FC.

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7 months ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Justin Glatt

For the fourth straight game at Inter&Co Stadium, Orlando City blew a 1-0 lead. However, this time the Lions gave up the lead early in the second half, rather than near the end of the game, and rallied to win 3-1 over Atlas FC. Ivan Angulo opened the scoring early, but after Matias Coccaro equalized just after halftime, Martin Ojeda restored the Orlando lead and Marco Pasalic sealed it deep in stoppage time.

With the win, Orlando City has four points in the League Phase of the 2025 Leagues Cup, and the Lions are alive in the competition with one match day to play.

“We’re very happy to get this result at home, especially winning at home after a few games that we couldn’t achieve the result despite having good games,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “Finally today, I thought we had a different outcome and win that (game) with a lot of energy. The second half was much better (than in the recent home games).”

Pareja’s lineup featured Pedro Gallese in goal behind a back line of David Brekalo, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson. Cesar Araujo and Kyle Smith started in central midfield between wingers Angulo and Nico Rodriguez, with Martin Ojeda and Ramiro Enrique up top.

Atlas had the first chance of the match just minutes into the proceedings when Thorhallsson committed a foul near the corner of the box, giving the visitors a free kick. The delivery into the area was good but the flicked header from Jorge San Martín skipped just wide of the right post in the fourth minute.

Rodriguez attempted Orlando’s first shot in the sixth minute, cutting inside from the right, but Rivaldo Lozano got in front of him and blocked it. Enrique quickly won a corner for the Lions, who played it short. The ball ended up with Ojeda well outside the area, but his shot from distance was also blocked. The Lions quickly won another corner and this time it was played into the box to Schlegel, who sent a looping header off the top of the crossbar.

Angulo broke the scoreless deadlock off the ensuing goal kick. Orlando pressured high, and Jansson forced a turnover in the attacking third. Angulo picked up the ball and curled a shot from the left just inside the right post to make it 1-0 in the ninth minute.

“Happy and thankful to score again and happy and thankful to help my team in that way,” Angulo said.

Rodriguez should have doubled the lead three minutes after Angulo’s opener. Araujo sent a great ball over the top, and the young left winger blazed past his defender to get in behind the defense. He managed to beat goalkeeper Antonio Sanchez, but Rodriguez’s shot skipped wide of the right post in the 12th minute.

Matias Coccaro tried to get behind Jansson on a ball over the top the same way Rodriguez had done. The forward went down easily but there was no call from the referee and the Lions went the other way and won a corner.

Atlas turned Orlando over, setting up a good opportunity for Gustavo Del Prete in the 26th minute. With acres of space, Del Prete shot from just outside the area but he sent his shot wide.

As the half wore on, the pace of the game slowed and the teams exchanged a few corners but did little with them. Neither team generated another decent look at goal until the 41st minute when Enrique flicked a long ball in behind for Angulo to run onto. The Colombian went looking for his brace but Sanchez made the save.

Del Prete fired a shot just over the bar on a transition opportunity set up by Brekalo’s misplaced pass in the 45th minute, and that was it for the scoring chances in the first half.

At the break, Atlas had a decent advantage in possession (58.2%-41.8%) and a slim edge in passing accuracy (86.6%-84.9%), but Orlando City had more shots (7-4), shots on target (2-0), and corners (5-1).

“They came with a good game plan, and they were physical,” Smith said. “They pressed well, especially in the first half. So yeah, I thought they came hard.”

Orlando City wasted no time creating a chance after the break. Araujo took a long throw-in that cleared Brekalo’s flicked header attempt but fell for Enrique to head toward goal. The shot was on target but Sanchez made the save at his near post in the 47th minute.

Atlas made Orlando pay for its missed opportunities, as has so often happened in home games over the last several weeks. A seemingly routine ball in the box was headed up in the air by Brekalo, who had to fight through an attacker and couldn’t get it cleared. His fellow defenders stood and watched as the ball came down, and Schlegel couldn’t arrive before Coccaro headed it in, tying the game in the 50th minute.

Araujo was set up nicely in the 54th minute with a chance for the Lions to pull back in front. But the Uruguayan fired his left-footed shot wide of the top left corner. Pareja then subbed on Alex Freeman and Pasalic for Thorhallsson and Rodriguez.

A minute after the restart, Diego Gonzalez fired a shot from outside the area that fizzed over the crossbar.

The substitutions paid off in the 57th minute. Pasalic did well to draw two defenders before sending a ball for Freeman to take down the right flank. Enrique was in the middle calling for it but may have been a yard offside. Freeman wisely took the ball forward, then played it across to Ojeda, who smashed a shot just under the crossbar to make it 2-1.

“I think me and Marco’s partnership has been very good this year,” Freeman said. “And it’s just him being able to find me in space where I want it. And then I saw the cutback to (Ojeda) because they were tracking (Enrique’s) run.”

“I think it was a great play out on the right between Marco and Freeman,” Ojeda said. “(Freeman) made a great pass over and Ramiro made a great movement in front of the center backs to be able to open up more space for me. It really allowed me to continue in a great way, and from there on just get control in the area and have the tranquility to finish.”

Atlas got forward right after the goal and Alonso Ramirez fired over the bar from long range in the 59th minute.

Pasalic sent a great chipped pass to Enrique in the 61st minute, but the Argentine didn’t make good contact with his shot and it was a comfortable save for Sanchez on the bounce. Two minutes later, Enrique took a touch wide from in front of goal, but turned and found Angulo in the middle. The Colombian’s shot was blocked just wide of the right post.

Moments later there was a video review for a handball on Atlas, but that was nullified because Enrique was just offside on the play.

The Lions kept looking for a third and nearly had it in the 70th minute. Ojeda got forward down the left side and had an opportunity to shoot on Sanchez. He unselfishly picked out Pasalic in front, but the Croatian’s first touch was a loose one. Pasalic recovered and shot, but Sanchez got a piece of it and knocked it off the post. Ojeda was first to the rebound but was offside on the shot.

Pasalic tried to increase the lead on shots from outside the area in the 81st and 87th minutes. He didn’t get the best contact with the ball on the former, while the latter was hit with pace, but Sanchez made a nice diving save.

With a lengthy stoppage for the video review, the referee added a minimum of 10 minutes of stoppage time to the match, and in the fourth of those minutes, all heck broke loose after a rough challenge in the box by Atlas against Brekalo. Jansson came over to get involved and was shoved down. Other players from both teams got involved and Ojeda ended up getting an arm to the face. After a lengthy delay, Jansson and Ojeda were cautioned, with Coccaro getting sent off. Ojeda looked a bit the worse for wear, with an injury to his face from the fracas.

“I was just trying to get in between guys, separate them, and defend my guys,” Ojeda said. “But, you know, at the at the end of the day, those are things that happen in football.”

When the game resumed, Orlando stayed organized and looked to hit on the counter with Atlas down a man and trying to find an equalizer. It led to a shot by Angulo in the 11th added minute, but the effort was deflected out for a corner. Two minutes later, Pasalic called game.

This time, Ojeda turned provider, finding the Croatian in the box and Pasalic smashed his shot into the top right corner to make it 3-1 in the 12th extra minute.

“Their performance was great,” Pareja said of the play of Freeman and Pasalic off the bench. “But I think the help that Dagur and Nico did as well, absorbing the pressure in the first half and part of the second, gave us the opportunity to have Freeman and Marco fresher. So, I think that combination worked well tonight.”

The goal tied for the latest in Orlando City history, tying the goal Facundo Torres scored in the 12th minute of stoppage time on Nov. 9 of last year against Charlotte FC in the playoffs. Moments after Pasalic’s strike, the match finally came to an end.

In the end, Orlando City finished with more shots (21-10), shots on target (10-1), and corners (7-3). Atlas had the advantage in possession (59.6%-40.4%) and passing accuracy (84.4%-80.1%).

“It feels really good to get a win at home,” Smith said. “To get those three goals at home is important. It gives us confidence. For the fans as well, you know, it’s very important to keep them excited, keep them coming back for more.”

“We suffered hard in the training sessions to try and focus on killing the game to avoid what happened against Pumas,” Ojeda said. “So, I’m very happy for the three points and the way the boys handled themselves tonight.”

“The intensity of the players tonight, it was a different class,” Pareja said. “And so, congratulations to the players in a very hot climate and humid, and their heart was there all the time against a very competitive team. So, we’re happy, we will recover the boys, and we’ll see how is the next (game).”

It’ll be another quick turnaround for Orlando City as the Lions host Necaxa Wednesday in their final League Phase match of the 2025 Leagues Cup.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 2/17/26

Predictions for the 2026 MLS season, UEFA Champions League returns, transfer rumor roundup, and more.

Published

15 hours ago

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February 17, 2026

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Image of Adrian Marin dribbling the ball against the Columbus Crew.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

It feels a little strange to be saying this after what feels like a couple minutes since the end of last season, but happy match week everyone! The Lions are set to take on the New York Red Bulls on Saturday, and hopefully the final preseason match was simply Orlando City’s time to get out all of the mistakes when the games don’t matter. We’ve got plenty to discuss this morning, so let’s get into the links.

MLS Preseason Predictions

With the 2026 MLS season due to get underway this weekend, now is a good time to make predictions on how the various teams will fare this year. When it comes to Orlando City, a lot of the on-air talent at Apple TV who cover the league don’t seem particularly positive about the Lions’ chances. The general consensus has the Lions finishing the year at ninth in the Eastern Conference, although a couple individuals have them sinking as low as 12th, and Max Bretos has the good guys as high as third. Inter Miami and LAFC are the picks to win their respective conferences, while CF Montreal and Sporting Kansas City occupy the cellar spots.

UEFA Champions League Preview

The UEFA Champions League is back this week as the play-off round kicks off later today. The Tuesday slate of games is highlighted by Benfica hosting Real Madrid in a rematch of the dramatic game on matchday eight that saw the Portuguese outfit sneak into the knockout round with a last-minute goal. The match between Weston McKennie’s Juventus team and Galatasaray should also be a great spectacle, and the Istanbul outfit’s intimidating atmosphere could make the difference against the Italian side. Wednesday sees Bodo/Glimt host Inter Milan in its frozen home above the Arctic Circle, while Club Brugge will try to use its own home-field advantage to grab a result against Atletico Madrid.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

The winter transfer window might be over for European teams, but that isn’t stopping the transfer rumors from continuing to fly. We start with Manchester United, as the Red Devils are reportedly eyeing up a move to sign Alexis Mac Allister from Liverpool this summer to help solve some of their midfield struggles. Meanwhile, Brighton and Hove Albion is said to have made another offer to sign promising young winger Said El Lama from FC Koln, despite the German team’s reluctance to sell him. Elsewhere in England, Chelsea and Tottenham are both reportedly interested in signing Bayern Munich center back Kim Min-Jae. Finally, Tom Bogert says St. Louis City is close to signing forward Sergio Cordova on loan from BSC Young Boys.

https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/2023415011188916575

FA Cup Fifth Round Draw

The draw has been completed for the fifth round of the FA Cup, and it’s thrown up some intriguing matchups. The one that’s grabbed a lot of the headlines is Wrexham hosting Chelsea at the Racecourse Ground after making it to the round of 16 for the first time in 29 years. Newcastle United will host Manchester City in another big clash, while West Ham United will take on a Brentford side that was given a real scare by National League side Macclesfield Town on Monday in a 1-0 win that took an own goal to send the Bees through. League One side Mansfield Town has been given a tortuously tough test in Arsenal, but the lower division outfit does have the benefit of playing the match at home.

Free Kicks

  • Despite being the new away jersey, Orlando City will be wearing the Sunken Treasure kit when it kicks off the season at home on Saturday.
https://twitter.com/OrlandoCitySC/status/2023511311402103093
https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/2023511459079348344

That’s all I’ve got for you this morning. Start manifesting all three points and a winning start to the season on Saturday, or I’ll send Kingston after you. Vamos Orlando!

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Orlando City

Robin Jansson’s Availbility Critical For Orlando City This Season

Orlando City’s lack of center back depth and experience makes Robin Jansson’s availability crucial to the team’s success this season.

Published

1 day ago

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February 16, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City played its final preseason game Saturday night, falling 4-1 to the Colorado Rapids. There were plenty of takeaways from this game, but one stands out above the rest.

Robin Jansson has been a mainstay in the Lions’ starting lineup since arriving at the club in 2019. The Swede was a key component as the club qualified for the MLS Cup playoffs for the first time in 2020 — and every year since. He eventually became vice captain and captain when Mauricio Pereyra’s time in Orlando ended.

Early in his Orlando career, Jansson was quite frustrating for fans. He would inevitably get into altercations with referees resulting in unnecessary yellow cards. The center back was commonly suspended due to yellow card accumulation, making him a potential liability in big games.

However, the 34-year-old has mellowed with age. His ability to keep his calm has made him a much more reliable defender and the obvious choice as Oscar Pareja’s captain when Pereyra departed the club following the 2023 season.

Over the last couple of years, Jansson’s importance to Orlando City has been apparent. Rodrigo Schlegel and David Brekalo were the center back pairing when the captain was missing and his absence was noticeable. While the other options were dependable (most of the time) the back line seemed unstable and disorganized without its leader.

We saw that again on Saturday night.

Jansson is out after undergoing foot surgery earlier this preseason, making Brekalo and Iago the only first-team center backs available with top flight experience. The veteran is expeccted to return later this spring, but Breako and Iago will likely be the starting center backs when the regular season begins Saturday night.

While Brekalo is entering his third season in Orlando, the club signed Iago — a 20-year-old Brazilian — from Flamengo on Feb. 7, making him the club’s newest player.

Just a week after joining his new club, Iago had the most difficult time of all Orlando City defenders against Colorado’s attack. He was beaten twice by Rafael Navarro for goals in the first half, allowing the opposition to take a 2-0 lead into the break.

While the newly signed center back was better in the second half, the pairing still had its troubles. Brekalo got burned by Darren Yapi for the third goal, and the inability of the duo to clear the ball late in the game allowed Lucas Herrington to make it four.

The importance of Jansson is shown not just in his captaincy, but also in the number of games he plays. He’s started at least 30 league games in each of the last three seasons and took part in every MLS contest Orlando City had in 2023. He’s clearly a durable option, but for how much longer?

At 34 years of age, Jansson is past his prime years and might need more time to recover. As a result, Pareja may soon be unable to depend on his captain to play nearly every game.

As we’ve seen over the past few seasons, that could create a significant problem for Orlando City. Regardless of the pairing, the back line has been much weaker when Jansson has not been involved. It’s something that was proven again Saturday night.

This is only one game in a preseason in which the club has produced very little information, so it’s tough to say whether this game is an anomaly or something that should concern fans. But it’s also not like Brekalo and Iago have played much center back.

Brekalo, a 27-year-old Slovenian international, has primarily played left back for the Lions since joining the team two years ago. Despite being a natural center back, only 18 of his 51 starts in all competitions have been in the position. Initially, he was a backup on the bench. Pareja soon preferred Brekalo at left back, resulting in the club trading Rafael Santos to Colorado.

The club signed Adrian Marin from Sporting Braga on Aug. 7, bringing a new left back into the squad. Once acclimating himself to his new home, the Spainard played in the final three games of the regular season. Brekalo started two of those games at center back and was away on international duty for the third. Marin also started Saturday night’s preseason game on the left side of the back line.

Meanwhile, Iago’s lack of experience comes from his age. The 20-year-old came through Flamengo’s academy before joining the first team in 2024. He made 68 appearances for the Brazilian giants’ U-20 and first teams while also captaining Brazil at the FIFA U-20 World Cup.

But that experience is minimal compared to the other two center back options. Brekalo has made 65 appearances for Orlando City and played in more professional games for Bravo and Viking. Jansson, on the other hand, has more appearances (237), starts (231), and minutes (20,889) than any player in club history.

While Brekalo and Iago are getting used to regularly playing center back against MLS competition, Jansson has been a regular starter at the position for seven years. That experience allows him to have an unusual knowledge of the league and the opposing attackers in addition to being able to communicate effectively with the rest of his back line.

If Jansson is unable to remain healthy thorughout the coming season or needs more rest than previous years, it could be a problem for the Lions. The team is unlikely to score a large number of goals, making the defensive play essential to Orlando’s success. The captain being out for any period of time is the most troubling scenario.

Orlando City lost multiple starters this off-season, creating questions for the team heading into the season. Some of those include who will start at right back, how will new starting goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau adjust to his new team, and where will the goals come from? But what happens if Jansson is unavailable to play might be the most pressing.

We’ve seen what this back line looks like when the captain is out and it doesn’t look pretty. It’s been a concern over the past few seasons and, judging from the performance Saurday night, is one again this year. Orlando City fans can only hope he’ll be able to be a consistent and healthy part of the team in 2026.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 2/16/26

Lions fall to Rapids in final preseason match, Pride release preseason schedule, MLS transfer news, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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February 16, 2026

By

Image of Orlando City's starting lineup prior to a preseason match vs. Colorado.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers, and happy President’s Day! I hope all is well with you down in Florida over the holiday weekend. I’ve been busy covering high school playoff basketball and hockey over the past week. Orlando City’s home opener is Saturday, and like many of you, I look forward to seeing what the Lions can do during the 2026 MLS season. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Fall to Rapids in Final Preseason Match

In its final preseason match, Orlando City fell 4-1 to the Colorado Rapids Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium. The Lions trailed 2-0 at halftime before Eduard Atuesta curled his shot around the wall and into the back of the net to make it 2-1 in the second half. The Rapids quickly responded with a goal from Darren Yapi extend their lead to 3-1. Lucas Herrington scored the final goal of the night for Colorado to seal the victory on the road. Orlando City finishes its preseason and the 2026 MLS season will kick off this weekend as the Lions host the Red Bulls on Saturday night.

Orlando Pride Release Preseason Schedule

The Orlando Pride dropped their preseason schedule Friday, and all matches will be closed-door scrimmages. The Pride have one preseason match in the books, a recent scrimmage against the Washington Spirit Friday, the day they dropped their schedule, but they did not provide information about it, as has become the team’s custom. The club shared some photos of the match on social media.

The Pride’s upcoming preseason matches are Friday against Racing Louisville, Sunday against the University of Florida, and March 1 against NJ/NY Gotham FC.

Orlando Pride Announce Preseason Fan Events

The Orlando Pride unveiled the list of events ahead of the 2026 season Saturday. Many of the events offer fans opportunities to engage with the team ahead of the Pride’s home opener on March 15 against the Seattle Reign at Inter&Co Stadium. The first event is Tuesday with Pour Overs With Pride at Qreate Coffee Creative Village, where fans can interact with Simone Jackson and Nicole Payne as baristas. The Pride will reveal their new secondary jersey at The Final Whistle at Thornton Park Pub on Feb. 26. The Pints with Pride event is March 3 with Summer Yates and Cori Dyke as bartenders, and the club’s annual Scarf the City event is March 10.

MLS Transfer News

Minnesota United has signed defender Kyle Duncan. The 28-year-old previously played eight seasons for the New York Red Bulls and is under contract through 2026 with an option through June 2027. FC Dallas has acquired midfielder Joaquin Valiente from Uruguayan top flight club Defensor SC. The 24-year-old Uruguayan international has signed a deal through 2027-2028 with options through the 2029-2030 season. The Houston Dynamo have loaned midfielder Sebastian Rodriguez to CF Monterrey through the 2026 season. Meanwhile, Atlanta United is reportedly finalizing the signing of winger Fafa Picault.

Lastly, Nashville SC is reportedly close to finalizing a deal to acquire wingback Reed Baker-Whiting from the Seattle Sounders.

Americans Abroad

Former Lion Alex Freeman came off the bench and played 12 minutes, but Villarreal fell 2-1 to Getafe. Johnny Cardoso played 63 minutes, but Atletico Madrid fell 3-0 to Rayo Vallecano. Weston McKennie recorded two assists, but Juventus fell 3-2 to rival Inter Milan over the weekend. Timothy Weah played a full 90 minutes as Marseille secured a 2-2 draw against Strasbourg. Patrick Agyemang scored his 10th goal of the season as Derby County defeated Swansea City 2-0 in the EFL Championship. Later today, we’ll have two Americans square off as Aidan Morris and Middlesbrough take on Haji Wright and Coventry City.

Fourth Round FA Cup Recap

The fourth round of the FA Cup has begun. On Friday, Wrexham beat Ipswich Town 1-0 and advanced to the fifth round for the first time since 1997. Chelsea defeated Hull City 4-0. On Saturday, Mansfield Town edged Burnley 2-1 to move on. Former Lion Daryl Dike was on the bench and did not play as West Bromwich Albion fell 3-1 to Norwich City. Manchester City beat Salford City 2-0, and Liverpool defeated Brighton & Hove Albion 3-0. On Sunday, Leeds United needed penalties to beat Birmingham City 4-2 after a 1-1 draw to advancd to the fifth round. Sunderland defeated Oxford United 1-0, Fulham edged Stoke City 2-1, and Arsenal dominated Wigan Athletic 4-0. Later today, Macclesfield FC takes on Brentford.

Free Kicks

  • Former Lion Benji Michel has signed a contract with K-League 1 side Ulsan HD FC in South Korea for the upcoming 2026 season.
  • Former Pride forward Ally Brazier (née Watt) set up the first goal for the Denver Summit in its preseason match Sunday. Former Pride defender Carson Pickett was also in action as the Summit defeated the Utah Royals 2-0.
  • The San Diego Wave are reportedly in negotiations to sign Chelsea midfielder Catarina Macario.

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

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