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Orlando City vs. Inter Miami: Final Score 4-1 as Lions Sweep Season Series vs. Herons

After a tight first half, the Lions broke the game open in the second half to sweep Inter Miami.

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1 year ago

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

All three Orlando City Designated Players scored as Luis Muriel scored a brace and Martin Ojeda and Marco Pasalic added goals in a 4-1 win over Inter Miami before a packed house of 25,046 at Inter&Co Stadium. The Lions (12-6-8, 44 points) struck early, conceded moments later, and then blew the game open in the second half to sweep the season series from Inter Miami (12-5-6, 42 points).

Ojeda and Muriel added an assist to go with their goals on a big night for Orlando’s Designated Players.

“The stadium, it was extraordinary. So, thank you so much fans. Thank you so much for your energy,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “I thought we played very well offensively and defensively. What kept us with the pace that we started the game was that defensively we showed consistency (and) responsibility. So all that happened up front, for me, is a collective effort that we did as a team. We played against a great rival and tonight, having this three points and scoring in front of our fans, it was an extraordinary, fantastic night for us.”

Pareja’s starting lineup featured Pedro Gallese in goal behind a back line of David Brekalo, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Alex Freeman. Eduard Atuesta returned from injury to partner with Cesar Araujo in central midfield with Cesar Araujo between wingers Ivan Angulo and Pasalic, with Ojeda and Muriel up top.

The teams traded early haymakers to get this rivalry match started. The Lions struck in just the second minute on a nice play in the midfield that started on the right. The ball was sent toward Ojeda in the middle, but he let the ball run between his legs to Muriel, who gave it back to him. Ojeda then slipped it back to Muriel, who got through the back line with a great first touch and beat Oscar Ustari to make it 1-0.

With his assist on the play, Ojeda extended his streak of consecutive games with a goal contribution to 14 games in all competitions.

Muriel had a chance to double the lead moments later when Ojeda got down the left and put in a beautiful curling cross to find the Colombian in front. However, the header went straight at Ustari, who made the save.

That miss was costly, because Miami struck back in the fifth minute. Atuesta headed out a cross into the box but Yannick Bright ran onto it and fired a volley shot that froze Gallese and made it 1-1.

Ojeda got the ball at the top of the box in the eighth minute and thought about cutting in on his right foot, but he lost control momentarily and ended up dashing down the left and firing a shot from a tight angle that found the outside netting. The Lions’ No. 10 then got down the left again in the 16th minute and fizzed a cross through the top of the six, but it was just beyond the onrushing Pasalic.

Three minutes later, Miami broke in transition after Freeman had a shot blocked on a corner kick. The ball ended up with Luis Suarez on the left. He fired a hard shot toward goal but Gallese made the save.

A minute after that, Ustari kicked the ball out of his area and Muriel sent it back where it came from on the volley. The ball had some spin on it and ended up hitting the right post, saving the Miami goalkeeper some blushes.

Throughout the rest of the first half, the game got a bit chippy. Both sides picked up multiple bookings. The only good scoring chance in that period came on a set piece delivery by Ojeda that Schlegel headed on goal, only to see Ustari make a good diving save in the 35th minute.

Gallese got down to stop a Telasco Segovia shot in the 41st minute on the last shot of the half.

At the break, Orlando City held the advantage in possession (51.3%-48.7%), shots (8-3), shots on target (4-3), corners (3-0), and passing accuracy (88.7%-83.7%). But the game was level.

Rodrigo De Paul had the first sight of goal in the second half, sending a shot from outside the area over the crossbar in the 48th minute.

Two minutes later, Angulo won a corner and the Lions made it pay off. Taking the kick short, Ojeda sent the ball to Muriel. The defense arrived, but Muriel made a nice move at the end line to get by and put the ball in the net for his eighth goal of the MLS regular season, making it 2-1 in the 50th minute.

“These are the weeks and the games that you dream about as a player,” Muriel said. “It’s a unique feeling, and I feel spectacular to be able to help my team in the way that I am, to help us score goals, to help us win games like this. And I hope that I’m able to continue scoring and helping the team in the weeks to come.”

The lead nearly bulged to 3-1 in the 54th minute when Muriel sliced a through ball past the back line for Ojeda’s run. Ojeda fired but Utari made the save. The Argentine volleyed the rebound but sent it over the bar.

A minute later, Miami broke in transition and Angulo made a great play to get back and knock the ball away to prevent a scoring chance.

Muriel found Ojeda on the right side in the 58th minute. Ojeda didn’t have many options, so he smashed a shot toward the near post. Ustari got a piece of it but it went in to make it 3-1. It was Ojeda’s 14th goal of the regular season, pushing him to within three of Cyle Larin’s single-season club record set in 2015.

“He’s having such an incredible season for Orlando, he’s having such an incredible season for for himself,” Muriel said of his strike partner. “Every single moment of Martin can be magic.”

Regardless of whoever ends up with the shot, the chemistry between Muriel and Ojeda the last several games has been on another level.

“Those (kinds of) chemistry, sometimes they come organically,” Pareja said. “As much as we want to coach and to be present on the trainings and create sequences, the best you can have on a team is this organic chemistry. It’s something that comes from their communion on the pitch. They’re finding those moments. They’re finding those things that are hard to explain, but they know, and I see it. We hope for those chemistries to continue.”

Ojeda made another exceptional pass in the 62nd minute to spring Angulo into the box. The winger fired but Ustari saved it.

Suarez tried for the spectacular in the 67th minute and he nearly pulled it off. After Muriel was taken down in the attacking third with no call, Inter Miami broke in transition. Spotting Gallese off his line, Suarez tried a long chip from midfield. Gallese hustled back and got his hand to the shot just a split second before it would have gone in. The Peruvian stayed down after crashing hard into the back of the goal but he was able to continue after receiving treatment.

“He did a huge save there, running back there and flicked it over in the last second,” Jansson said. “So, I’m super happy, super happy for him.”

Miami kept control of the ball for long stretches over the next 15 minutes, but the Orlando defense did well to avoid allowing scoring opportunities. The next good chance for either side after Gallese’s desperation save on Suarez came in the 82nd minute. Atuesta sent a great ball to spring Ojeda behind the line, but the forward smacked his shot off the right post, and the flag came up after the shot anyway.

Pasalic put the game away in the 89th minute. Freeman sent a good pass to send the Croatian up the right wing. Pasalic fired a shot that Ustari did well to save, but the ball came back to him. The winger sent the second attempt through a defender’s legs and just inside the left post on a terrific shot to make it 4-1 with his 11th goal of the season.

Freeman broke loose on the counter in the first minute of stoppage time, fighting through a defender and getting in on goal with some options. The fullback went for goal himself but fired his shot right at Ustari.

Tyrese Spicer, who had come on two minutes earlier to make his OCSC debut, showed what he could do in the second added minute, stealing the ball and racing down the left flank. Once he got to the final third, he laid a pass off for Ojeda, but the Argentine’s shot was right at Ustari, who made one final save.

Moments later, the final whistle blew on a decisive win for the Lions.

Orlando City finished with the advantage in shots (22-10), shots on target (12-5), corners (5-3), and passing accuracy (88.1%-84.3%). Miami finished with more possession (52.5%-47.5%).

“We feel great, obviously. Good game. Three points, keeping the streak intact. Never lost to them here,” Jansson said. “We know that we’re strong here when we play them. So, super thankful to our fans for coming out to the stadium. Electric tonight, incredible.”

Orlando City will be back in action on Saturday when the Lions host Sporting Kansas City.

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Orlando City vs. Atletico de San Luis, Leagues Cup: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Lions host Atletico de San Luis in their final match of the Leagues Cup’s first phase.

Published

3 hours ago

on

August 12, 2026

By

Image of Daryl Dike playing against Club Leon.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to your match thread for a Wednesday night Leagues Cup matchup between Orlando City (1-1-0, 3 points) and Atletico de San Luis (0-0-2, 0 points) at Inter.co Stadium (7:30 p.m., Apple TV). It’s the final match of the first phase of the competition for both teams, and tonight’s game marks the second meeting between the two teams — both in Leagues Cup action.

Here’s what you need to know ahead of the match.

History

The Lions are 0-0-1 against Atletico de San Luis, having drawn 1-1 on Aug. 4, 2024, but that was a great result for Orlando City, which was down a man for well over half the game after Kyle Smith was sent off for denial of a goal-scoring opportunity. The Lions then won the postgame penalty shootout 5-4 to claim the extra point in a wild affair. Ramiro Enrique put the Lions ahead 1-0 in first-half stoppage time after being the first to get to a headed down cross from Facundo Torres. Rodrigo Dourado tied the match in the 71st minute, but Orlando held firm to see out the draw. In the shootout, all five Orlando shooters scored — Nico Lodeiro, Duncan McGuire, Wilder Cartagena, Rafael Santos, and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson. Pedro Gallese stopped Leo Bonatini in the fourth round to help Orlando win the extra point.

Orlando City is 4-3-7 in competitive matches against Liga MX teams in club history.

Match Overview

Orlando City followed a 2-1 win over CF Monterrey a week ago with a 2-1 home loss to Club Leon on Saturday. Orlando City entered the week needing a win and lots of help to reach the knockout rounds. Tuesday’s matches were still underway as of this writing, but the chances were low of the Lions getting through after landing in 15th place among the MLS teams after two rounds. Tyrese Spicer has shone brightly in this competition with a goal and an assist in the opener and an assist on Marco Pasalic’s goal in the Club Leon loss.

San Luis is out of contention after falling 4-2 to Inter Miami and 4-1 to Nashville in the first two match days of the competition. Being outscored 8-3 is not a recipe for success, but San Luis could put the final fork in Orlando City with a win tonight. Rafael Llorente has two of the three goals for San Luis in the tournament, so he’ll be the man to watch for the Lions.

“When we play at home and when we compete we want to do our best to win, so we will try that as always,” Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman said ahead of the match. “We will prepare the game and we will be ready to compete and again to try to win. Despite the probabilities, this club that we represent is huge, and we know our commitment and our responsibility as professionals is always play. We take this game as a very, very good opportunity for us to continue growing as a team.”

Projected Lineups:

Orlando City (4-4-2)

Goalkeeper: Maxime Crepeau.

Defenders: Adrian Marin, Robin Jansson, David Brekalo, Griffin Dorsey.

Midfielders: Ivan Angulo, Joran Gerbet, Luis Otavio, Tyrese Spicer.

Forwards: Justin Ellis, Antoine Griezmann.

Atletico San Luis (5-4-1)

Goalkeeper: Andres Sanchez.

Defenders: Lucas Esteves, Eduardo Aguila, Miguel Garcia, Benjamin Galindo, Roman Torres.

Midfielders: Rafa Llorente, Oscar Macias, Sebastien Salles-Lamonge, David Rodriguez.

Forward: Felipe Mora.

Referees:

REF: Katia Mendoza.
AR1: Sandra Aleman.
AR2: Karen Medina.
4TH: Jesus Valle.
VAR: Marianela Cruz.

How to Watch

Match Time: 7:30 p.m.

Venue: Inter.co Stadium — Orlando.

TV/Live Stream: Apple TV.

Social Media: For rapid reaction and live updates, follow us on Bluesky Social at @themaneland.bsky.social or follow Orlando City’s official Twitter (@OrlandoCitySC) or Bluesky (@OrlandoCitySC) feed.

Enjoy the match. Go City!

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Lion Links: 8/12/26

Orlando City’s Leagues Cup continues, Orlando Pride head to Portland, OCB defeated again, and more.

Published

6 hours ago

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August 12, 2026

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Image of Robin Jansson, Tyrese Spicer, and Ivan Angulo celebrating Spicer's goal against Nashville.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Justin Glatt

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s Leagues Cup match day, and I’m sure you’re as excited as I am, right? Right?!? Despite it being a money grab of a tournament in which the Lions are unlikely to advance, it is at least an opportunity to watch the team we support, and as such, I will be watching. Let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Hosts San Luis to Close First Leagues Cup Phase

Orlando City faces Atlético de San Luis tonight at Inter.co Stadium in the team’s third Leagues Cup match. If the Lions are to advance, the team will need to win the match and get some help from other teams in the tournament if they are to advance. As I said on The Mane Land PawedCast, I hope Orlando City smartly focuses on the upcoming regular-season match against FC Cincinnati. Sadly, I believe that won’t be the case, so you can expect the team to play a mixture of starters and subs.

Pride Proceed to Portland’s Providence Park

The Orlando Pride travel across the country to take on the Portland Thorns Saturday evening. The Pride are coming off a 3-1 loss to Racing Louisville, and let’s just say that the metrics were not good. As if bad form and traveling across the nation were not enough, the Thorns will be holding a celebration for former Portland and USWNT defender Meghan Klingenberg prior to the match. I don’t think the Thorns needed any extra motivation, but there it is.

Orlando City B Defeated…Again

Orlando City B continued its slide down the MLS NEXT Pro table after losing 3-0 to New York City FC II. With so many Young Lions covering for injuries with the first team, OCB Head Coach Eddie Wilding made five changes to the starting lineup. There were also four academy players who made their professional debuts. NYCFC II scored two goals in the the first 13 minutes and added a third in the second half. OCB will face Chicago Fire FC II on the road Saturday.

NWSL Accolades

If you didn’t watch other NWSL matches after being demoralized by how the Pride played Friday, I won’t blame you. That being said, there were matches played and things happened in those matches. I believe that Kerry Abello should have been up for Goal of the Week, but alas she wasn’t and instead the honor went to Ashley Sanchez from the North Carolina Courage. Don’t get me wrong it was a good goal, but Abello’s shot was better.

Anna Moorhouse was never in the discussion for Save of the Week. Instead it was won by Portland’s Mackenzie Arnold.

Arnold also won Assist of the Week on Pietra Tordin’s second goal.

Finally, Tordin won Player of the Week for her hat trick against Boston Legacy FC. She gets to face the Pride’s defense and Moorhouse on Saturday night.

Leaving her mark ⭐️Pietra Tordin is your Player of the Week presented by AT&T!

— NWSL (@nwslsoccer.com) 2026-08-11T17:33:02.135Z

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That will do it for today. You can follow The Mane Land on Bluesky for match updates and we will also have a recap of the match. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 8/11/26

Leagues Cup preview, Americans in midweek action, open letter addressing Gianni Infantino, and more.

Published

1 day ago

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August 11, 2026

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Good morning, everyone. It wasn’t a particularly pleasant weekend for Orlando’s soccer teams, but fortunately, opportunities to change the vibes are right around the corner. Orlando City B plays NYCFC II in a few hours, Orlando City plays San Luis tomorrow and FC Cincinnati on Saturday, and the Orlando Pride are in action against the Portland Thorns on Saturday night as well. We’ve got lots to talk over this morning, so let’s get into it.

Leagues Cup Preview

Leagues Cup will begin its final round of group stage games later today, and there are several storylines to keep an eye on. Most prominent among them is the match between Austin FC and Club America, as each team currently sits first in its respective table. Myrto Uzuni’s hat trick helped Austin bury Puebla in its second match, and the Verde and Black are now in great position to advance. Before we get to that match on Thursday though, FC Cincinnati plays Atlas this evening to kick off the last round of games. Cincy sits fourth in the MLS table and therefore has plenty to play for, while Atlas has no points and has already been eliminated from contention. With Cincy visiting the City Beautiful on Saturday, Orlando fans should be hoping for FCC’s key players to rack up a lot of minutes tonight.

Americans in Midweek Action

Plenty of Americans will be taking part in matches during the working week, so make sure you’ve got everything noted down on your calendar. Tanner Tessmann and Lyon kick things off later today as they try to overturn a 2-1 first leg deficit against Sparta Prague in UEFA Champions Leauge qualifying. Things continue with Brenden Aaronson and Leeds playing Manchester United in a friendly on Wednesday, while Malik Tillman and Bayer Leverkusen have a friendly of their own against Nottingham Forest. Things wrap up with some American-on-American violence on Friday, as Johnny Cardoso and Atletico Madrid play Marseille in a friendly, while Folarin Balogun and Monaco face Haji Wright and Coventry in a tune-up game.

Confederations Write Letter Criticizing Gianni Infantino

Concacaf, UEFA, and AFC have written a joint open letter soccer as a whole, in which they accuse FIFA president Gianni Infantino of betraying the trust of the confederations and engaging in deceptive practices. They condemned the plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors, and called both FIFA’s integrity and Infantino’s running of the organization into question. U.S. Soccer put out its own statement on Sunday in support of Concacaf’s stance. The letter also urged FIFA to conduct an independent review of the proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup, while calling for accountability and openness among Infantino and the rest of FIFA’s leadership.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

There are plenty of transfer rumors to catch up on this morning, so let’s get straight into it. We start in England, where Crystal Palace is reportedly finalizing the signing of Zavier Gozo from Real Salt Lake. In Spain, Atletico Madrid has reportedly submitted an offer in the area of €35 million to Lille for winger Matias Fernandez-Pardo. Meanwhile, Endrick will supposedly be staying at Real Madrid this season following discussions between himself, the club, and Head Coach Jose Mourinho. Barcelona ha reportedly rejected a €50 million offer for Ferran Torres from Paris Saint-Germain, as the Catalonian club wants the fee to be structured differently than PSG’s initial proposal. Finally, in a rather unexpected bit of news, Tom Bogert reports that CF Montreal is signing Alexis Sanchez as a Designated Player.

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

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