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Orlando City vs. LAFC: Final Score 6-0 as Lions Continue Club’s Worst Ever Start

Son Heung-min and Denis Bouanga destroyed Orlando City, making the Lions pay for their numerous turnovers.

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4 months ago

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Image of Martin Ojeda fighting for the ball against LAFC.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City came back from the international break with no break in the difficult schedule the Lions have had to start the season. LAFC (5-0-1, 16 points) came in having surrendered no goals all season, so they were going to be at a premium. Orlando’s greatest weakness is its defense, and that shone through as the Lions (1-5-0, 3 points) surrendered five goals in the first 40 minutes on the way to a 6-0 defeat.

Denis Bouanga fired home a first-half hat trick and Son Heung-min assisted on four goals as LAFC punished Orlando repeatedly for turnovers in all sections of the BMO Stadium pitch.

“It is what it is,” Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman said after the match. “We will face it, because working is what we do and we’re waiting (for positive results).”

Much like after the Nashville game, Perelman had few answers for media questions after the match, simply repeating, “It is what it is.” What it is, so far, is the worst start to any Orlando City season, and that continued emphatically against Western Conference-leading LAFC.

Perelman rolled out a new lineup. Griffin Dorsey was unavailable due to lower back pain. Maxime Crepeau started in goal behind a five-man back line of Ivan Angulo, Iago, David Brekalo, Nolan Miller, and Braian Ojeda. Colin Guske manned the defensive midfield with Eduard Atuesta. Marco Pasalic, Martin Ojeda, and Tiago led the attack.

From the start, LAFC poured on pressure and Orlando City cracked regularly. Crepeau wiped out a one-on-one vs. Son as the defensive highlight early on. In the sixth minute, Brekalo made a tackle at the top of the box which sprung Angulo for a 4-on-2. Angulo put the ball behind Pasalic which caused him to turn it over and negate the attack.

In the seventh minute, Son was sent through past Iago down the right side and crossed it to Nathan Ordaz. Brekalo deflected the cross, but he unfortunately knocked it into the back of the net for an own goal. It was a sign of things to come.

The Lions kept finding space to counter as LAFC was hungry to score, but it was always a mishandled or missed pass that spoiled any threat. In the 20th minute, Pasalic’s poor touch was picked up by Marky Delgado. He tapped it up to Son and Atuesta went in hard but missed. Son then put Bouanga through with a great pass, and the Frenchman chipped Crepeau to double the lead. Atuesta picked up a yellow card after the goal for his poor tackle.

In the 23rd minute, Pasalic dropped the ball right to Atuesta, but the Colombian gave it away to Ordaz. He sent it backwards to Bouanga, who tapped it on to Son. The Korean fired a 50-yard through ball that Bouanga ended up on the end of, and he sent a curling shot into the top corner of the net to make it 3-0, effectively putting the game to bed early.

Bouanga did one thing wrong finally, picking up a yellow card in the 26th minute trying to pick the ball off Angulo as he went by.

Iago controlled the ball in the 28th minute with time and space to clear, but the Brazilian passed it right to Bouanga, who laid it off to Son, who returned the favor and teed up Bouanga for the final goal of his first-half hat trick.

In the 39th minute, Bouanga picked up the ball on the right side and slotted it to Son right at the goal line. Son found Sergi Palencia, who volleyed it past Crepeau. That was Son’s fourth assist, and really his fifth, because it was his ball that hit off Brekalo to open the scoring. The Lions had lost their first two road matches this year by identical 5-0 scorelines. LAFC managed that feat before halftime, furthering the Lions’ embarrassment.

Orlando City continued to scuff opportunities but also kept LAFC from finding the back of the net for the rest of the half. Crepeau went down just after added time started but was able to continue and see out stoppage time before the half mercifully ended.

Surprisingly, the possession at halftime was tied (50%-50%), which speaks to the fact that Orlando City could get the ball and possess for a while but couldn’t really put anything dangerous together. It also points to the speed at which LAFC scored on the counter when it did. LAFC led in shots (12-3) and shots on target (5-2). Orlando City led in passing accuracy (92.1%-90%) but LAFC won significantly more corners (7-2).

“We didn’t come out playing the way that we had been working towards and doing things the way that we had been working them” Martin Ojeda said. “We didn’t do that in the first half and we are and will be our biggest self-critics.”

After the half, Perelman made three changes. Tahir Reid-Brown came in for Nolan Miller, Duncan McGuire came in for Tiago, and Zakaria Taifi came in for Guske. LAFC also subbed in Mathieu Choiniere for Timothy Tillman.

That seemed to change the tenor of things as the Lions maintained possession in the attacking half for the first three minutes before another Atuesta turnover. In the 53rd, Martin Ojeda found Taifi on the right and he tried to cut it back to Angulo on the other side of the box but it was intercepted.

In the 56th, Taifi won a free kick from 40 yards out. Martin Ojeda sent a dangerous ball in that LAFC cleared to the top of the box, but Taifi was waiting and rocketed a shot that forced Hugo Lloris into his first big save of the night.

Son broke free in the next minute but shot it wide. He and Bouanga were subbed off shortly after as LAFC started to empty its bench. David Martinez came in for Son and Jacob Shaffelburg took Bouanga’s place.

In the 61st minute, Tyler Boyd sent a 40-yard switch to Ordaz who volleyed it just wide. Braian Ojeda forced Shaffelburg over the goal line a minute later to negate another dangerous attack. Angulo was able to put Martin Ojeda behind in the 65th, but his ball across the goal mouth missed just wide of the right post.

McGuire came in late and high a minute later to pick up a yellow card. End-to-end action came a minute later when Shaffelburg crossed the ball to Ordaz, who forced a save from Crepeau but then the counter had Angulo find Martin Ojeda alone again down the left side of the box, but he again couldn’t put the shot on frame.

Atuesta was able to retire from a bad game when Luis Otavio came on for him in the 68th, ending Orlando City’s allotment of subs.

Shaffelburg’s precise passing finally struck home as he was left alone on the left and crossed the ball to Boyd between Brekalo and Iago in the 70th minute. Iago lost track of Boyd, who headed it home with pace to make it 6-0.

Angulo tried to answer with a curling shot a minute later, but Lloris was able to force it away for a corner. Pasalic sent a screaming corner to the far post, but Otavio couldn’t connect with the ball in front of an empty net.

The teams settled in for the next 10 minutes before Pasalic aggressively took the ball to the middle and hit Martin Ojeda, who blasted it at Lloris at the near post.

Martinez got on the end of a scramble in front of goal moments later, but Jeremy Ebobisse was offside in the scramble. Martin Ojeda challenged Lloris a minute later off a turnover but, again, it was within reach of Lloris.

Angulo took a well-earned rest and was subbed out by Yutaro Tsukada as the teams moved to close out the game. LAFC didn’t bring the same fire and heat as it did in the first half, but it had rotated a lot of players by that point. Otavio intercepted a pass in the second minute of added time and unleashed a rocket from 30 yards that Lloris had to fend off.

In the end, the game turned out as many would’ve thought before the game, with Orlando City falling 6-0 to LAFC. The lack of experience at center back and the introduction of several new players has this team out of sorts and unable to defend, especially against talented players like Son and Bouanga. The swapping out of players in the second half allowed Orlando City to put some positive notes forward but the Lions couldn’t beat Lloris.

“We’re hurt and we know our fans are as well” Ojeda said. “I’m not going to ask for patience or calm, because we know how much these results are hurting them as well.”

As befit the change in tone in the second half, Orlando City ended up with the edge in possession in the game (54.4%-45.6%) and passing accuracy (92.1%-88.1%), and closed the gap a bit in other areas. LAFC finished with more shots (18-13) and corners (8-7). Each team had put seven shots on target.

The only stat that matters, though, is the scoreline and it’s an embarrassing one.

The Lions will continue looking for their first point and first goal on the road when they head to Columbus to take on the Crew on April 12.

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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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3 hours 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.

Free Kicks

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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3 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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Flashback Friday: July 15, 2023 at Atlanta United

Let’s rewind to a tense battle up in Atlanta that took place a little over three years ago.

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3 days ago

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July 17, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Well everyone, Major League Soccer is officially back. The league returned from its summer hiatus with three games Thursday night (four were scheduled but air quality from the Canadian wildfires caused Chicago vs. Vancouver to be postponed), and two more games are set to be played later today. Orlando City won’t take the field until Wednesday night against the San Jose Earthquakes though, so that means we have time for one more trip down memory lane. Last week, we went four years into the past and reminisced on a weird 1-0 win over Inter Miami that came courtesy of a Damion Lowe own goal. Today, we go back to mid-July 2023 and a road trip against Atlanta United.

Orlando had been in mostly good form heading into the team’s trip up I-75 to take on the Five Stripes but had hit a sizable bump in the road in the previous match in the form of a 4-0 hammering out west against Real Salt Lake. Oscar Pareja went to his usual 4-2-3-1 in an effort to get back to winning ways, with Pedro Gallese in goal; Rafael Santos, Antonio Carlos, Robin Jansson, and Kyle Smith at the back; Cesar Araujo and Wilder Cartagena at the double pivot; Ivan Angulo, Mauricio Pereyra, and Facundo Torres in attacking midfield, and Duncan McGuire leading the line.

The Lions seemed determined to put the previous game’s woes behind them and fashioned a chance with not even a minute played. McGuire played a slick pass behind the defense for Pereyra, but a poor first touch let him down and Brad Guzan came off his line well to save from point-blank range. Torres, McGuire, and Araujo then tried shots in the fifth, sixth, and eighth minutes, respectively, but none of them troubled Atlanta’s goalkeeper.

Orlando then took its foot off the gas a bit after trying to come out of the gates and overwhelm the hosts, but some self-inflicted errors gave the Five Stripes some life and eventually led to them opening the scoring. The Lions took a poor throw-in during the 22nd minute which turned the ball over deep in their own defensive third. Miguel Berry drew four OCSC players to him before flicking a ball over the top for Machop Chol. Carlos saved Chol’s deflected shot off the line but Caleb Wiley was first to the loose ball and did well to lift his shot into the net over a recovering Gallese.

Fortunately, the good guys were able to find a quick response. Orlando had a dangerous free kick just three minutes after conceding, and Pereyra curled in a dangerous ball toward the penalty spot. Carlos rose highest and powered a vicious header into the far corner with Guzan left helpless.

Leveling the game gave Orlando a needed injection of belief. McGuire tried his luck at catching Guzan off his line in the 35th minute, and Angulo put a powerful shot just outside the post two minutes later. Smith even had a pop from distance in the 42nd minute, but it went high and that was the last meaningful action of the half.

Atlanta ended the opening 45 minutes with more of the ball (52.1%-47.9%) and more corners (2-0), while OCSC took more shots (7-5) put more shots on target (3-2), and passed more accurately (81.3%-78.2%).

The two teams traded chances after a slow start to the second half, with a deflected ball trickling just wide of the Atlanta net in the 51st minute, before Santiago Sosa put a ball onto the roof of Gallese’s goal four minutes later.

Orlando then went ahead in the 60th minute. Pereyra split Atlanta’s center backs with a great ball for McGuire, who held off Luis Abram’s recovery efforts, and put a low shot past Guzan and into the side netting.

The good guys really should have bagged an insurance goal in the 68th minute, but Ramiro Enrique’s diving header went off the post and out after a great cross from Torres. Pareja then switched to five at the back to try to see out the game, and Atlanta managed to generate some chances. Thiago Almada and Matheus Rossetto had chances in the 88th and 90th minutes, but nothing came of them. The most dangerous moment occurred deep in stoppage time. Atlanta had a dangerous free kick in the 98th minute, and Almada sent a wicked-looking effort on net, but Gallese got over well and put two strong hands on it to parry away.

Atlanta took the resulting corner, but the Lions cleared successfully and the final whistle blew to give the visitors a 2-1 win and all three points.

Atlanta finished with more possession (59.2%-40.8%), corners (7-1), and shot attempts (17-10), but each side put four shots on target. The hosts were also more accurate when it came to passing the ball (84%-76.3%).

Marcus Mitchell was on Player Grades for this one, and he gave Carlos the Man of the Match nod with a grade of 7.5 out of 10. Other high scorers on the evening were Pereyra and McGuire, who each earned grades of 7 out of 10.

Here’s hoping the Lions can pick up some road points in a similar fashion when they return to play next Wednesday. Vamos Orlando!

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