Connect with us

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. New York City FC: Final Score 5-0 as 10-Man Lions Crushed at Yankee Stadium

Maxime Crepeau’s early red card provided unnecessary help to the hosts as NYCFC throttled Orlando.

Published

6 months ago

on

Orlando City At NYCFC
Image coutesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

In a one-sided affair at Yankee Stadium, Orlando City (0-3-0, 0 points) extended its club-record winless run to start the year with a 5-0 dismantling by New York City FC in an away game fans and players alike would no doubt like to forget. An early red card on Orlando goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau put NYCFC (2-0-1, 7 points) firmly in total control for essentially the entire match. Agustin Ojeda, Nicolas Fernandez Mercau, Maxi Moralez each scored a goal apiece while Keaton Parks earned a brace, and the Lions were shut out for the first time in 25 matches.

“I have been in processes that needed time, but again, I think at this point, the only way that we can overcome is just embrace the reality and detect every day what we need to get better,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “I think [that] Orlando has tremendous footballers, [ones] younger than others, but we’re not going to use that as an excuse. They are tremendous professionals that will be able to do the job.”

Pareja’s starting XI featured Crepeau in goal behind a back line of Tahir Reid-Brown, Nolan Miller, David Brekalo, and Griffin Dorsey. Luis Otavio —making his first MLS start — and Braian Ojeda started in central midfield with wingers Ivan Angulo and Marco Pasalic, with Tyrese Spicer and Martin Ojeda in the attack.

Orlando City began the match with high energy and purpose, while New York City FC looked to exploit the counter. NYCFC remained composed early on, absorbing Orlando’s pressure and keeping play largely confined to its own half.

However, New York was in control and fashioned a few attacks in the opening minutes. A reckless foul by Tahir Reid-Brown in the seventh minute drew an early yellow card, putting the young defender and Orlando at an immediate disadvantage. The resulting free kick sailed just wide, narrowly missing Hannes Wolf, who might have had simple tap-in if not for a little Lion luck.

Orlando quickly responded, winning a corner that ultimately led to nothing more than a half-hearted NYCFC counter. Ever the dangerous team in possession, NYCFC started to apply pressure and created some chances and half-chances, including a sitter for Moralez, who fired over the crossbar in the 14th minute.

In an absolutely inexplicable turn of events, Crepau was shown a red card for handling the ball just outside the 18-yard box and denying a goal-scoring opportunity as a result of the infraction, putting the Lions in a desperate situation. Javier Otero replaced Crepeau in goal, with Spicer making way as the sacrificial substitution.

NYCFC then managed a spectacular shot in the 21st minute through sheer effort and a smart finish. Agustin Ojeda redirected a Moralez lob into the ground and over Otero to make it 1-0 in the 21st minute.

The match briefly settled into a lull, with NYCFC crafting the better of the chances and Orlando making occasional trips into the New York half, but lacking any real threat without any numbers in the attack.

A New York City corner caused chaos in the box, leaving goal scorer Agustin Ojeda on the ground for a few minutes after a knock. Taking advantage of the restart, NYCFC struck again, this time through a header by Fernandez Mercau, catching Orlando flat-footed. The lead was 2-0 in the 42nd minute.

Orlando’s defense was stretched to its limits, relying on last-ditch heroics to stay in the game. Griffin Dorsey’s individual brightness offered a rare positive, but it was far from enough. Desperation set in, and Otávio made an ill-advised sliding tackle in the box, which gifted Morález a penalty—and NYCFC a third goal—deep in stoppage time.

The first half ended 3-0 and NYCFC held the advantage in possession (67.9%-32.1%), shots (12-1), shots on target (5-0), corners (2-1), and passing accuracy (91.3%-72.9%).

Little changed in the second half with another near-miss connection for Moralez which was ultimately called offside anyway. New York struck with a fourth goal in the 49th minute through quality buildup and a touch by Parks past Otero, who perhaps could have come off his line a bit earlier.

For Orlando, the first and only shot on goal came in the 51st via a header by substitute Duncan McGuire, but it was an easy save for goalkeeper Matt Freese.

Only three minutes later Parks scored another goal off a very poor clearance attempt by Dorsey which made it 5-0.

McGuire took a long-distance shot in the 58th that was deflected out for a corner. The resulting set piece fell to Dorsey, who fired wildly over the endline.

It was just a day in the park for New York City from that point on and the hosts started resting their veterans and giving time to the youngsters. New York decided to let the Lions play around in its attacking half for a while, but the Lions couldn’t fashion a shot.

NYCFC regained control and started to casually work in the Orlando half with the Lions parking the bus and trying not to concede any more goals.

New York made a triple substitution in the 71st to rest some vets and give more time to the kids. Nothing changed with the substitutions, as the kids nearly scored in the 75th with Magno putting one in the net but he was correctly ruled offside.

The Lions found a way to create an 83rd-minute Brekalo header which was sent off target and right to Freese. Nothing came of the final remaining minutes and, mercifully, no added time was given.

“I understand we’re also frustrated in how we’re playing, and we want to win more than anyone, so I think just be patient with us,” McGuire said. “There’s been times where we haven’t started off the season well before, and we’ve come back and ended the season [on a] high. So, I think just be patient with us, and we’ll start getting results.”

NYCFC dominated the final stats with the advantage in possession (68.3%-31.7%), shots (14-4), shots on target (6-1), corners (5-2), and passing accuracy (91.9%-76.3%).

“I don’t know any other road but just working…just wake up in the morning and trying to improve things,” Pareja said. “I think this is a responsibility from all of us as a footballers, the coaches, people who belong to this competition, and there is nothing else. I don’t know any formula that can be successful, other than work and trying to just [turn] the corner and improve the team.”

Orlando City has a week to prepare for a struggling CF Montreal side at home a week from today. With his red card, Crepeau will be suspended for the match.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. San Diego FC: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Lions welcome San Diego FC to Orlando for the first meeting ever between the two clubs.

Published

9 hours ago

on

September 5, 2026

By

Image of Joran Gerbet playing against Minnesota United.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to your match preview and live thread for a Saturday night matchup between Orlando City (7-11-4, 25 points) and San Diego FC (8-8-6, 30 points) at Inter.co Stadium in Orlando (7:30 p.m., Apple TV). It’s the first-ever meeting between these two teams from different conferences

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

History

As mentioned above, tonight’s meeting between the Lions and San Diego is the first in the series history, so there is no history. The Lions are 2-2-1 against Western Conference teams this season, which means little to nothing in this particular match, and San Diego is going to be Orlando City’s final opponent from the opposite conference in MLS regular-season play this season.

Overview

The Lions are coming off a wild 3-3 road draw at Minnesota United a week ago, in which Daryl Dike and Antoine Griezmann scored on either side of halftime on Orlando’s first two shot attempts to put their team up 2-0 in the 64th minute. Minnesota stormed back with three goals off defensive errors in a four-minute span to take a late 3-2 lead. Just when the Loons appeared to be headed for all three points, Tyrese Spicer scored in stoppage time, forcing Minnesota to split the points. Orlando has a modest 1-0-1 unbeaten streak entering tonight, and the Lions are 5-4-2 at home in 2026.

San Diego is coming off a 3-1 home win over the LA Galaxy despite having Jeppe Tverskov sent off. Tonight’s visitors have won two straight games, but both were at home. They lost their last home game 3-1 at Portland on Aug. 19 and are 2-5-3 away from home this season.

The key for Orlando City tonight will be to mark Anders Dreyer, which is far easier said than done, as he has emerged as one of the league’s best playmakers. His eight goals and 11 assists give him 19 total goal contributions to lead his team. Marcus Ingvartsen is Dreyer’s favorite teammate to combine with, as the Danish forward has converted 11 times, leading San Diego in goals, and has added five assists. However, Ingvartsen is listed as out with a lower body injury. Midfielder Onni Valakari has chipped in four goals and seven assists.

“We respect San Diego, but as well we prepare our game,” Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman said ahead of the match. “We know how strong we are, especially at home, so now we go.”

Orlando City will be without Braian Ojeda (foot) and Adrian Marin (thigh), while Bernardo Rhein (thigh), has been upgraded to questionable. San Diego will be without the aforementioned Ingvartsen (lower body) and Tverskov (suspension).

Match Content

Official Lineups:

Orlando City (4-4-2)

Goalkeeper: Maxime Crepeau.

Defenders: Bernardo Rhein, Robin Jansson, David Brekalo, Griffin Dorsey.

Midfielders: Ivan Angulo, Joran Gerbet, Eduard Atuesta, Justin Ellis.

Forwards: Antoine Griezmann, Daryl Dike.

Bench: Javier Otero, Zakaria Taifi, Iago, Wilder Cartagena, Luis Otavio, Tiago, Marco Pasalic, Martin Ojeda, Tyrese Spicer.

San Diego FC (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: C.J. dos Santos.

Defenders: Kieran Sargeant, Ian Murphy, Manu Duah, Oscar Verhoeven.

Midfielders: Gabriel Pirani, Anibal Godoy, Alejandro Alvarado.

Forwards: Elias Achouri, Onni Valakari, Anders Dreyer.

Bench: Duran Ferree, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, Christopher McVey, Bryan Zamble, David Vazquez, Ian Pilcher, Alex Mighten, Bryce Duke, Amahl Pellegrino.

Referees:

REF: Joe Dickerson.
AR1: Corey Parker.
AR2: Justin Howard.
4TH: Rodrigo Albuquerque.
VAR: Daniel Radford.
AVAR: Jeff Muschik.

How to Watch

Match Time: 7:30 p.m.

Venue: Inter.co Stadium — Orlando.

TV/Streaming: Apple TV.

Radio: AM 810 FOX Sports Radio Orlando (English), Mega 97.1 FM (Spanish), Nossa Rádio 1160 AM-WRLZ (Portuguese).

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!

Continue Reading

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. San Diego FC: Three Keys to Victory

Here’s what Orlando needs to do in order to return to winning ways against San Diego.

Published

1 day ago

on

September 4, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

After the disappointment of two dropped points against Minnesota on Saturday, Orlando City is back home with an opportunity to get things back on track. The Lions need to keep picking up points if they want to keep pace in an increasingly crowded Eastern Conference, and Saturday’s game is a good chance to start September off on the right note. San Diego FC stands in the way of that good start, and what follows are three things that I believe Orlando needs to do in order to emerge victorious from this game.

Stay Strong on the Left

The left side of the defense has been a question mark for the Lions for much of the year. Adrian Marin, Bernardo Rhein, and Zakaria Taifi have all spent time at left back lately and have done so with varying degrees of success. Regardless of who suits up there on Saturday, that area of the field will be under scrutiny once again, since they’ll be tasked with stopping San Diego right winger Anders Dreyer. He has eight goals and 11 assists in 21 appearances this year, has played 60 key passes during that time, and is generally the lynchpin through which the San Diego offense operates. He hasn’t quite been on the same pace that saw him bag 19 goals and 19 assists in the regular season last year, but with four goal contributions in his last three MLS appearances, he’s extremely capable of wreaking havoc from the wing. A lot of the goals OCSC has conceded lately have come down the left side of the defense, and if that area of the field can’t be taken care of better, the Lions will likely be in for a difficult night.

Do Damage in Transition

Orlando’s current style of positionless, fluid, attacking soccer is at its best when it comes up against teams that want to come out and play. It struggles mightily against defensive bunkers but shines when the Lions can get out and run, target open spaces, and combine with teammates in unexpected areas. Fortunately for OCSC (in theory), San Diego is a team that likes to have the ball, as it has the highest average possession in the league. That means the Lions will have opportunities to force turnovers and break the other way at pace. In order to make that happen though, OCSC will need to be both disciplined and effective when it comes to applying its press. Then, if/when the Lions win the ball, correct decision-making and clinical execution in the final third will be key to avoid letting any chances slip through their fingers (paws?).

Clean Up the Self-Inflicted Errors

Orlando has dealt with more than its fair share of general defensive struggles this year, but avoidable errors have been a particular problem in recent weeks. Whether it’s been an ill-advised challenge, passing to the opposition in the defensive third, or leaving men unmarked in the box, unnecessary mistakes have cost OCSC points time and again. Against lesser opposition it hasn’t always mattered, as the Lions were able to rescue three points against Real Salt Lake, but if Orlando wants to make a playoff push, it needs to make a habit of playing cleaner games, plain and simple. San Diego is a good team with dangerous offensive players, and Saturday’s visitors will very likely take advantage of any opportunities that the Lions gift-wrap for them. Keeping things mistake-free will go a long way.

We’ve got ample proof this season that nothing is guaranteed, but if the Lions can lock down the left side of the defense, make hay in transition moments, and limit unforced errors, then they should be in a good position to take all three points from Saturday’s game. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 9/4/26

Martin Ojeda details his recovery from injury, Anna Moorhouse loaned to Manchester City, Orlando City’s U.S. Open Cup journey, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

September 4, 2026

By

Image of Martin Ojeda celebrating a goal against New England.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Three straight days of Orlando soccer starts tonight with Orlando City B’s road match against Inter Miami II at 7 p.m. Hopefully, Orlando’s teams do well over the next few days as crunch time is upon us when it comes to making the playoffs, especially for MLS NEXT Pro. For now though, let’s jump right into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Orlando City Prepares for San Diego FC

Orlando City will take on San Diego FC on Saturday in the first-ever game between the two clubs, and one of the storylines to keep an eye on is how much Martin Ojeda plays as he works his way back from injury. The Designated Player came off the bench late in Orlando’s 3-3 draw against Minnesota United in his first appearance since May 23. Not often injured, Ojeda spoke on how being off the field for over a month has shifted his perspective while training to return.

“You learn to value the moment much more. You learn to value every training session because, when you’re training on your own and you’re not available to your teammates, you feel uncomfortable,” Ojeda said. “You value being healthy more. It’s like everything in life. When you feel good, you live life almost on autopilot, so to speak. You go to work, you go home, you come back, you sleep. However, when you or someone close to you goes through an illness or something like that, you value the moment much more and become more conscious of what you’re experiencing.”

Pride Loan Anna Moorhouse to Manchester City

The Orlando Pride loaned goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse to Manchester City through January of 2027. Moorhouse joined the Pride prior to the 2022 season and helped the club win both the NWSL Championship and Shield in 2024. However, she has struggled this year alongside the rest of the Pride’s defense. Moorhouse hasn’t played in the past two games for the Pride, with Cosette Morche starting in her place. Her current contract with the Pride lasts through the 2027 NWSL season, so we’ll have to wait and see what her future with the club is when the loan ends.

Orlando City’s U.S. Open Cup Journey

Between the World Cup, regular season, and Leagues Cup this summer, it can be easy to forget that Orlando City is still in contention to win this year’s U.S. Open Cup. The Lions are in the semifinals of the tournament after crushing Atlanta United 4-1 in the quarterfinals back on May 19. The Lions won much tighter affairs prior to that win, with Javier Otero coming up with seven saves in a 1-0 win over FC Naples and Zakaria Taifi scoring in stoppage time to beat the New England Revolution 4-3 in the following match. Orlando will be on the road for its semifinal match against the Columbus Crew on Sept. 16, but the offense has received a boost due to the arrivals of Antoine Griezmann and Daryl Dike this summer.

MLS Transfer News Roundup

MLS signings continue to pour in as teams look to improve their squads for the rest of this season and beyond. The Colorado Rapids signed Ghanaian winger Ibrahim Sadiq from AZ Alkmaar, where he recorded 18 goals and seven assists in 85 appearances across three seasons with the Dutch club. San Diego also added an attacker by signing forward Cedric Bakambu, who joins as a free agent after playing at Real Betis. As for other notable moves from across the league, Real Salt Lake signed winger Dusan Zagar as an MLS U22 Initiative player, forward Lyle Foster joined the Houston Dynamo on loan, and the Columbus Crew continued to improve on offense by signing Moroccan winger Anass Zaroury on loan from Panathinaikos.

Free Kicks

  • Former Orlando Pride player Christina Burkenroad is retiring from professional soccer and Monterrey will have Saturday’s game against Toluca be a send-off match for her.

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

Continue Reading

Trending