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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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12 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: 7/21/26

Catching up with Daryl Dike, Antoine Griezmann’s impact, Giles Barnes leaves Orlando Pride, and more.

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8 hours ago

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July 21, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Good morning, everyone, and happy Orlando City matchday eve. It seems like an eternity since the Lions played way back in late May, but a competitive OCSC game is finally almost upon us, and we’ll have our first chance to see both a new face and a familiar one. We’ve got a lot to talk about this morning, so let’s get into the links.

Catching Up with Daryl Dike

Daryl Dike is wearing Orlando City purple for the second time in his career, and he took some time to express his thoughts and feelings about returning to the club where he got his start. He emphasized how much fun he had during his first stint with the Lions and said the happy memories from his time with OCSC were a big factor in wanting to come back. Despite Robin Jansson being the only teammate left from his first spell with the team, Dike spoke about things feeling very familiar and welcoming. Dike was part of the first Orlando team to ever make the playoffs, and he’s focused on keeping that streak alive for the club now that he’s a Lion once more.

Antoine Griezmann’s Impact

Antoine Griezmann has yet to play an official game for Orlando City,but he’s already making an impact on the team. Interim head coach Martin Perelman praised his presence in the locker room and highlighted the Frenchman’s humility and energy. He certainly brings a lot of experience at the highest level and has the trophy cabinet to prove it, so the club is hoping some of that rubs off on the Lions. After all, the club isn’t that far away from the playoff line, has a U.S. Open Cup semifinal looming in mid-September, and will begin Leagues Cup play in just over two weeks. Here’s hoping his off-field impact carries over onto the field too.

Giles Barnes Leaves Orlando Pride

Giles Barnes has departed from his position as an assistant coach for the Orlando Pride. The former OCSC forward has agreed to become the new head coach of Al Qadsiah FC, a team in the Saudi Women’s Premier League. Barnes had been an assistant with the Pride since the 2022 season, when he joined on an interim basis with then-interim head coach Seb Hines. He helped lead the team to the 2024 NWSL Championship and 2024 NWSL Shield. As a player, Barnes spent the 2017 season with Orlando City as a Designated Player. This will be Barnes’ first head coaching gig, and we wish him the best of luck!

FIFA Will Investigate Post-Final Clashes

FIFA has begun a disciplinary investigation into the clashes that took place at the end of the World Cup final, which saw several Argentine coaches and players involved in physical altercations with Spanish players. Argentina’s Nahuel Molina and Leandro Paredes were seen hitting Spain’s Eric Garcia and Rodri, while Argentine assistant coach Roberto Ayala appears to have hit Dani Olmo. Lionel Scaloni and multiple players attempted to defuse the situations that were playing out, one of which included a verbal confrontation between Nicolas Otamendi and former Manchester City teammate Rodri. FIFA has opened a review of the postgame scenes, and suspensions could well be on the way for the worst offenders.

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  • Barbra Banda has been called up to represent Zambia at WAFCON.
  • Marco Pasalic was still absent from training as of Monday morning, amidst rumors surrounding a possible summer departure. Perelman said he will be back soon, however.

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

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Lion Links: 7/20/26

Pride fall to Utah Royals, OCB draws Chattanooga FC, Orlando City signs Clovis Archange, and more.

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1 day ago

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July 20, 2026

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Image of Pedro Leao taking a penalty against Carolina Core FC.
Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been busy at work, but I checked out a Noah Kahan concert and watched the World Cup final while catching up with friends over the weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando Pride Fall at Utah Royals

The Orlando Pride fell 1-0 to the Utah Royals at America First Field Saturday night. Narumi Miura scored the lone goal for Utah to secure the win, while the Pride have lost back-to-back matches after losing to Boston Legacy Wednesday. That result also dropped Orlando below the playoff line, as the club sits ninth in the NWSL table with 20 points. The Pride will return home for their next match against the Chicago Stars Friday at Inter&Co Stadium.

OCB Wins Penalty Shootout After 1-1 Draw vs. Chattanooga FC

Orlando City B drew Chattanooga FC 1-1 on the road at Finley Stadium Saturday. Pedro Leao scored the opener for the Young Lions in the first half. However, in the second half, Chattanooga FC scored the equalizer. The Young Lions won the penalty shootout 4-3 to earn a second point. OCB will be back in action at home Sunday, facing Huntsville City FC at Osceola County Stadium.

Orlando City Signs Clovis Archange to Homegrown Player Contract

Orlando City announced Friday that the club has signed defender Clovis Archange to a Homegrown Player contract with the first team. The deal is a three-year contract lasting through the 2027 calendar year, with club options in 2028 and 2029. Archange has made six appearances across all competitions for OCB during the 2026 MLS NEXT Pro season.

Latest MLS Transfer Roundup

According to Tom Bogert of The Athletic, there is no movement on the rumored Orlando City forward Marco Pasalic’s potential transfer to Hull City, but the English Premier League side has reportedly inquired about a loan deal.

The Columbus Crew have signed former Manchester United and Real Oviedo center back Eric Bailly. The contract runs through June 2027, with club options for the 2027-2028 and 2028-2029 seasons. Liga MX side CF Monterrey is reportedly finalizing a deal to sign Chicago Fire forward Hugo Cuypers.

LAFC has reportedly reached an agreement with Hammarby on a transfer fee to move midfielder Amin Boudri to the Swedish club. Lastly, San Diego FC is reportedly finalizing a deal to sign winger Elias Achouri from FC Copenhagen.

🇹🇳 Sources: San Diego FC is finalizing a deal to sign Tunisia int'l winger Elias Achouri from FC Copenhagen.Achouri, 27, joins San Diego as a Designated Player. He had 5g/7a in 2,368 mins (37 apps) last year & played in all 3 games for Tunisia at the World Cup

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2026-07-18T16:37:04.314Z

Spain Wins World Cup

Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ, Sunday to win the World Cup for the second time since 2010. Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez was sent off in stoppage time after committing a foul on Spain defender Pau Cubarsi. The match went to extra time, and Ferran Torres scored the winning goal for Spain in the 106th minute. Argentina was unable to find a late equalizer to send the match to penalties. Argentina was looking to repeat as champions but had only two shots in the game (both in extra time) and failed to record a shot on goal. As for the FIFA World Cup awards, Spain midfielder Rodri took the Best Player Award, while France striker Kylian Mbappe won the Golden Boot Award with 10 goals, the Golden Glove Award went to Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon, and Cubarsi won the Young Player Award.

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

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Orlando City

Daryl Dike Returns to Orlando City, Signs Deal Through 2027

Daryl Dike is back with the Lions after being out of contract with West Bromwich Albion.

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4 days ago

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July 17, 2026

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Image of Daryl Dike posing in his Orlando City kit after re-signing with the club on July 17, 2026.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Striker Daryl Dike has returned to the club that gave him his professional start. Orlando City announced today that it has signed Dike as a free agent through the 2027 MLS “sprint season” with an option for 2027-2028. The club also had to send $75,000 in 2027 General Allocation Money (GAM) to the Seattle Sounders in exchange for Dike’s Discovery Priority and could owe the Western Conference side another $75,000 in GAM if Dike meets undisclosed performance metrics.

The signing gives Dike a new start after an injury-plagued career at West Bromwich Albion.

“Daryl is a player our club and our fans know well, and we’re very excited to welcome him back to Orlando,” Orlando City General Manager and Sporting Director Ricardo Moreira said in a club press release. “He brings a powerful combination of strength, speed, and physical presence, and his ability to hold up play, bring teammates into the attack, and finish chances gives us another important option up front. Daryl has already shown what he can do in our league and in this city, and we look forward to helping him make an impact again in purple.” 

Dike, who will wear No. 9 for the Lions, returns nearly five years since Orlando City sold him to West Brom on Jan. 3, 2022, for a fee reported by The Athletic to be around $10 million.

The Edmond, OK native was Orlando City’s first-round selection with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft. As a rookie, he started to see minutes on the pitch during the MLS is Back Tournament, making his professional debut against the Montreal Impact in the competition’s round of 16. From there, the striker out of the University of Virginia blossomed, playing in 35 regular-season matches with Orlando, including 30 starts, for a total of 2,547 minutes. He contributed 18 goals and seven assists on 63 shots, getting 27 on target. He passed well (71.1% in 2020 and 72.1% in 2021), providing 14 key passes. Dike drew 71 fouls while committing 40 and was never booked during the regular season in his time in MLS.

He also played in all three of Orlando City’s playoff games during his first stint with the club, starting all three and scoring one goal on five total shots (two on target). He suffered seven fouls and committed four, and picked up one yellow card in the 2020 postseason.

Following his rookie season, Dike went on loan to Barnsley, where he scored nine goals in 22 matches from February to May of 2021.

Dike’s play with the Lions in his first two professional seasons quickly put him on the USMNT radar and before he was sold to West Brom he made eight appearances and scored three goals for the United States at the senior level. He has added two more caps since for a total of 10.

After his sale to West Brom in the EFL Championship, Dike struggled to stay on the pitch, dealing with Achilles injuries that kept him off the pitch for long stretches. Dike managed to score 11 goals in 68 matches when healthy. He scored twice and added an assist in 24 matches in 2025-2026, starting six times, as he was finally able to get a stretch of games in.

“I’m thrilled to be back where it all started,” Dike said in the club’s press release. “Orlando is where I first got the opportunity to play professionally, and returning here feels like coming home. From the moment I arrived the first time, I felt welcomed, and that same feeling has only grown since I’ve come back. Everyone has been incredibly supportive, and I’m grateful to be back in Orlando.” 

What It Means for Orlando City

Dike fills a hole vacated by the trade of Duncan McGuire to the Houston Dynamo a week ago. It will be interesting to see where his salary slots in when the MLS Players’ Association reveals its next salary information. McGuire, who had his own injury struggles in recent years, made a base salary of $600,000 and a total guaranteed annual compensation of over $920,000.

The hope will be that Dike can both stay healthy and contribute at a higher level than McGuire was prior to his trade to Houston. The new scenery may do McGuire good and a return to familiar surroundings may similarly help Dike regain his footing. At just 26 years old, Dike is still in his prime years and there are plenty of miles left in Dike’s legs if he can stay on the pitch. Fans will remember how he tossed center backs around like rag dolls during his two previous seasons in Orlando. That kind of physicality will open a lot of room underneath for Antoine Griezmann and Martin Ojeda.

With just a year and a half on the base deal, this is a low-risk and potentially very high-reward signing for the Lions.

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