Connect with us

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Necaxa: Five Takeaways

Here’s what we learned from Orlando City’s 5-1 demolishment of Necaxa.

Published

5 months ago

on

Image of Luis Muriel looking for an opening to shoot against Necaxa.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Five Takeaways after a five-goal offensive outburst, with Orlando City going up 5-0 in just 51 minutes and then coasting home with a 5-1 victory. The Lions have now scored five goals in a game during each of the cup competitions, and I would like to recommend them to do the same during an MLS game as well before the season ends. Perhaps during MLS Cup, for symmetry. The Lions followed Wednesday afternoon’s thunder and lightning in the Central Florida area with thunder and lightning of their own on the offensive side of the ball, and the only real question during the second half was whether we would see our first-ever double hat trick, which alas, we did not.

Here are my five takeaways from the match.

Martín the Marksman

Martín Ojeda was the player who “failed” to deliver the second hat trick, but in the first half he scored what may well end up as the goal of the season for Orlando City, hitting a full volley off of a perfectly placed cross from Alex Freeman and dropping my jaw almost all the way to the floor in the process. If you did not see it then you should (the video is in our recap), because that shot was amazing, and amazing is good. The whole play was impressive, as it started with Freeman bursting forward from the defensive third of the field, and the right back then played a one-two pass with Marco Pašalić to blow past a Necaxa defender into wide-open space on the right side of the field. Ojeda was in the middle and spread both arms wide to get Freeman’s attention, and Freeman’s cross floated right in front of the Argentine, allowing him to get his momentum going forward and then unleashing a cannon of a volley, leaving the goalkeeper flat-footed while everyone else in the stadium set personal vertical leap records after jumping in amazement with what they just saw. Oh, and he also scored another goal in the second half and added an assist for good measure.

Hat Trick Hero

Ojeda’s volley was so impressive that it merited the coveted first takeaway spot, and that is especially impressive, because Ojeda’s fellow Designated Player Luis Muriel broke his 14-game goalless streak by scoring not one, not two, but three goals in an 11-minute span during the first half. The Colombian hit the post just a few minutes before he scored the first goal, and it seemed like he was never going to score a goal again. But then Freeman made another darting run before laying it off to César Araújo, and Muriel slammed home Araújo’s cross to end his scoreless streak. He then decided that one header was clearly not enough, so he did it again — this time teaming up with Iván Angulo for a Colombian connection (do not google this phrase on a work computer) for his second goal. Muriel completed his hat trick by curling a ball inside the far post after Ojeda ran rampant down the middle of the field, drawing in four defenders before laying it off to him on the left side of the box.

The Sheet Did Not Stay Clean

I am going to include the one negative from this game right here in the middle of the takeaways, so we can calm down a little bit after the excitement of Ojeda’s and Muriel’s achievements but then still go out on a high note. The Lions’ defense once again was unable to earn a clean sheet, and unless they get one in their next game, they will find themselves having gone two full months (June 14 against Colorado) without a shutout. Nico Rodríguez was slow to get out and pressure Franco Rossano, allowing Rossano to tee up a cross from a dangerous area just outside of the box. Robin Jansson inexplicably bent down at the last second as the cross came in, giving Alexis Peña a free header from right in front of the goal, and Peña made no mistake, putting his header into the corner past Pedro Gallese. The Lions bottled up Necaxa for the most part, but they let their guard down on this play and it cost them a goal.

Playing for Goal Differential

That goal that Necaxa scored could come back to haunt Orlando City, as goal differential will likely decide the final spot for the four MLS teams who will advance into the next round of Leagues Cup. Had this been a 5-1 lead during an MLS game, we probably, maybe, would have seen Óscar Pareja go to his bench and give some starters a rest, especially with an important league game on Sunday, but since the Lions lost the shootout in the first game, they needed to win games two and three and maximize their goal differential, and that meant that Pareja only used three of his five available subs, despite the four-goal lead.

I Like This Leagues Cup Format

In past years I was lukewarm about the Leagues Cup, but after a few tweaks to the format, I think MLS and Liga MX hit on tournament rules that work. Despite the blowout nature of the Necaxa game, every play mattered, all the way into second-half stoppage time. I was also scoreboard watching throughout the tournament, since with an 18-team group you had to focus on every team and not just three other teams like in most tournaments. Leagues Cup still ranks behind the U.S. Open Cup for me in terms of pecking order, but I liked a lot of the rules of the competition this year. You could see the strain on Pareja’s face in the second half on Wednesday, as he balanced coaching the game itself with what he was hearing about other results and considering what could happen in games to come, while also thinking about the upcoming Tropic Thunder rivalry matchup with Inter Miami this weekend. Qualifying for the Concacaf Champions Cup (the top three finishers in Leagues Cup qualify for 2026) would be a big deal, and it was clear the players and coaches thought so with how they treated this tournament.

Those are my takeaways from Orlando City’s thoroughly enjoyable 5-1 win in the team’s final game of the Leagues Cup group stage. We will not know whether two wins and a draw with a shootout loss is enough to get the Lions into the knockout rounds until the early hours of Friday morning, but we do know that the games against Atlas and Necaxa showcased how dangerous the Orlando City offense can be when it is clicking. Let’s hope that the Lions bring that same offensive productivity on Sunday at Inter&Co Stadium, and sweep the season series with Inter Miami.

Let us know your thoughts about the Necaxa match in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Orlando City

Orlando City Signs First-Round Pick Harvey Sarajian

The Lions have signed their first pick of the 2026 MLS SuperDraft to a first-team contract.

Published

3 days ago

on

January 16, 2026

By

Image of Harvey Sarajian and Ricardo Moreira posing with an Orlando City jersey.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City announced today that the club has signed first-round selection Harvey Sarajian through the 2027-2028 MLS season, with three additional club option years that could keep him in purple through 2030-2031. The 20-year-old attacking midfielder, who will soon turn 21, officially joins the first team after multiple departures in the team’s attack.

“We’re really excited to bring Harvey into the fold,” Orlando City General Manager and Sporting Director Ricardo Moreira said in a club press release. “He’s a player we identified early in the draft process as someone who fits our style and developmental pathway. Adding young talent like Harvey is an important part of building depth and ensuring long-term success as we continue into the next iteration of our competitive cycle.”

The Lions selected Sarajian with the fifth overall pick in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft out of Wake Forest University. It was the first of four picks Orlando City made in the first round this year, and Sarajian is the first of the group to be signed.

The Naples, FL, native, who will wear No. 23 this season, began his collegiate career at Georgia Southern in 2024 before transferring to Wake Forest in 2025. He earned Sun Belt Freshman of the Year and All-Southeast Region second-team honors his first year before joining one the nation’s top programs.

The 6-foot-2 sophomore scored two goals and added two assists in 17 games last season while putting six of his 19 shots on frame (31.6%). It was a down year for the Demon Deacons, who lost in the first round of the ACC Tournament to SMU and didn’t qualify for the NCAA Tournament.

In his two years of collegiate action, Sarajian played 34 games (31 starts), recording 1,921 minutes. He scored six goals and had eight assists for the two schools.

What It Means for Orlando City

Sarajian’s signing is all about development as he likely won’t see much time for the first team in 2026. His primary position is in the number 10 role, a spot already occupied by Martin Ojeda. He can also play on either wing, potentially backing up Ivan Angulo and Marco Pasalic.

In all likelihood, Sarajian will be at most a reserve for MLS games and will see most of his time with Orlando City B in MLS NEXT Pro. His status on the club will probably be like that of former Lion draftee Shak Mohammed, a fellow former first-round draft pick that plays a similar style and left the club this off-season.

The attacker will only be 21 years old when the season begins, so he still has a lot of room to improve. He wasn’t a star at Wake Forest, so the Orlando City brass clearly sees this as a long-term project who will hopefully pay dividends down the road. If not, the club likely feels comfortable with the attacking options coming through the academy and OCB, like Justin Ellis and Justin Hylton.

Continue Reading

Opinion

Likes and Dislikes from the First Week of Orlando City’s Preseason

There were good and bad things to take away from Orlando City’s first week back at work.

Published

3 days ago

on

January 16, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

It seems strange to write considering it feels like the 2025 MLS season only ended yesterday, but week one of Orlando City’s preseason is (almost) fully in the books. With that being the case, let’s talk about the week that was and discuss some good things and not-so-good things about it.

Likes

Married to Martin

Orlando City announced on Thursday that it signed Martin Ojeda to a contract extension that runs through the 2028-2029 season. Given that the Argentine no. 10 had a record-breaking 2025 season, and the fact that there were some rumblings online about interest from Palmeiras and other teams, this is an extremely welcome piece of news. Ojeda was the straw that stirred Orlando City’s drink last year, and losing him after his breakout year would have been a huge blow, despite what undoubtedly would have been a tidy little transfer fee. Instead, Orlando’s talisman is locked down for the long term, and it was also good to hear him speak about how happy his family has been in the City Beautiful.

Moving on From Muriel

On the opposite side of the coin, the Lions also announced on Thursday that the team has sold Luis Muriel to Colombian side Junior FC. Like Ojeda, this is a key move for the club to make as it moves off a Designated Player whose time here probably can’t be called a failure, but certainly can’t be called an outright success either. The forward’s wildly fluctuating inconsistency was what made his time in Orlando so frustrating, because it isn’t like he wasn’t capable of performing at a high level in MLS. One has only to look at his two league performances against Inter Miami during the 2025 season to see that. Ultimately though, he wasn’t consistently clinical enough in front of goal, and he was off form more than he was on. His departure frees up a precious Designated Player slot that OCSC really needs to nail if it wants to have a more successful campaign this year, and we can now enjoy speculating about which player the front office decides to use it on.

Returning Faces

It did my heart good to see the formerly injured duo of Yutaro Tsukada and Wilder Cartagena back training with the full team after suffering season-ending injuries during the 2025 preseason. Cartagena tore his Achilles tendon in the first friendly of the year against Atletico Mineiro, while Tsukada tore his ACL during a friendly with CF Montreal, and both injuries changed Orlando’s season before it even started. The team lost a starting defensive midfielder in Cartagena and a depth piece who had shown promise with Orlando City B when it came to Tsukada, and the year started on a somber note as a result. Not only is it good for the outlook of the team to have them back, but it’s just great for the players themselves to be able to get back out there, and hopefully they’re both able to rebound well this season.

Dislikes

Dearth of Open Practices & Friendlies

Technically we found out about this last week when the preseason schedule was announced, but I just think the lack of open practices and friendlies this year is a damn shame. None of the Lions’ preseason games are open to the general public, and there are no opportunities to go watch the team train. While I do think it’s good that the final preseason match is at least open to season ticket members, as they do deserve something for their extra commitment, it just seems like a missed opportunity. Given how many new faces will be on the team this year, having open practices and friendlies is a great way to get fans excited about the new arrivals and build anticipation for the upcoming season. I have no doubt that the club had its reasons for structuring the preparations in the way it did, but I can’t help feeling disappointed regardless.

All in all it was a pretty good first week of preseason preparations, and I think that’s evidenced in the fact that I could only find one (slightly nitpicky) thing to dislike. Hopefully, the rest of the weeks leading up to the regular season are in the same vein. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/16/26

Orlando City re-signs Martin Ojeda, Luis Muriel officially joins Atletico Junior, Orlando Pride’s 2026 season schedule announced, and more.

Published

3 days ago

on

January 16, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday! While it feels a little wrong to complain about cold weather here in Florida while other people are shoveling snow up north, I sure can’t wait for things to warm up. I plan on hunkering down with blankets and books over the next few days while putting the candle warmer I got for Christmas through its paces. It was a busy week for Orlando soccer news, so let’s dive right into the links!

Martin Ojeda Re-Signs With Orlando City

The Lions re-signed Designated Player Martin Ojeda to a new contract that will last through the 2028-2029 season with a club option for the 2029-2030 season. Orlando just exercised the option on Ojeda’s previous contract following the 2025 season, but wasted no time securing his services for the foreseeable future. The Argentine attacker is the club’s all-time leader when it comes to goal contributions, recording 33 goals and 42 assists in 130 appearances across all competitions in the time since joining Orlando before the 2023 season. He was phenomenal last season in particular, providing 31 goal contributions as the team’s best player. This decision comes amid buzz that European and Brazilian clubs were interested in signing him, so it’s nice to see Orlando was able to get a deal done.

Luis Muriel Transferred to Atletico Junior

Orlando City transferred forward Luis Muriel to Atletico Junior in Colombia’s top flight officially on Thursday, opening up a Designated Player slot in the process. This move has been reported on throughout the off-season and seems to be positive for all parties involved. Muriel joined Orlando ahead of the 2024 season and scored 17 goals and provided 18 assists in 84 appearances across all competitions. While his time as a Lion may be looked back at as underwhelming given his Designated Player status, his performance last August when he scored a hat trick against Necaxa in the Leagues Cup and then a brace against rival Inter Miami will be hard to forget. The Lions now get the chance to reload their Designated Player slot with someone who can bring a more consistent impact to the team.

Orlando Pride 2026 Schedule Unveiled

The 2025 NWSL season schedule is out and the Orlando Pride will open their season at home against the Seattle Reign on March 15. The Pride will play 30 games over the course of the longest regular season in league history, playing the other 15 teams twice as part of a balanced schedule. Following their season opener, the Pride will host Denver Summit FC on March 20 in the club’s first-ever match against the expansion side. Orlando’s first match against the other expansion club, Boston Legacy FC, will be on the road on May 12, with Boston playing in Orlando for the first time on July 15. The Pride’s final game of the regular season will be on Nov. 1 against the Reign.

A notable new addition this season is Victory+, a free streaming service that has partnered with the league and will broadcast many games this year. The Pride will have nine games streamed on Victory+, including the first four games of their season.

Benjamin Cremaschi Named U.S. Soccer Young Male Player of the Year

Florida native Benjamin Cremaschi was voted as the 2025 U.S. Soccer Young Male Player of the Year. The 20-year-old captained the U.S. at last year’s U-20 World Cup in Chile, scoring five goals in the tournament to win the Golden Boot. He started in all five U.S. matches, helping the team win 3-0 against both France and Italy before falling in the quarterfinals to the eventual champion, Morocco. At the club level, Cremaschi was loaned from Inter Miami to Parma in September and has made three appearances there.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda and Zambia were drawn into a star-studded group alongside Nigeria, Malawi, and Egypt in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, which kicks off in March. The four semifinalists of the tournament will earn qualification for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
  • Sporting Kansas City signed forward Calvin Harris as a free agent, with the contract lasting through June of 2027. Harris was drafted second overall by FC Cincinnati in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft and has spent the past three years with the Colorado Rapids.
  • Brazilian club Vasco da Gama has reportedly signed Brenner from Udinese. The 26-year-old spent half of last year on loan with FC Cincinnati, and Cincy was in talks with him following the expiration of the loan regarding his return to the club.

That’s all I have for you this time around. Make sure to stay nice and warm out there and I hope you all have a fantastic Friday!

Continue Reading

Trending