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Orlando City vs. New England Revolution, 2026 U.S. Open Cup: Final Score 4-3 as Lions Advance to Quarterfinals

The Lions overcame three one-goal deficits and saw a goal incorrectly disallowed for offside in a wild USOC match in Rhode Island.

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3 months ago

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Image of Justin Ellis playing the ball in traffic against New England.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City overcame three separate deficits and a would-be winning goal that was called offside (but wasn’t) in a wild 4-3 win over New England at Centreville Bank Stadium in Pawtucket, RI. The Lions moved into the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup on a night of firsts, as three Orlando City defenders — Iago, Griffin Dorsey, and Zakaria Taifi — each scored their first goal as Lions, while Justin Ellis stayed hot with a goal and an assist in the contest.

New England took leads of 1-0, 2-1, and 3-2 on goals by Malcolm Fry, Andrew Farrell, and Marcos Zambrano, but the Lions fought back each time and eventually found a way to put a foot in front in stoppage time. Taifi’s winner in the second minute of injury time avoided sending the two teams to their second extra time session in as many USOC meetings. Second-half super sub Tyrese Spicer provided assists on the last two goals and what should have been a second Ellis goal.

“A lot of happiness because of the result, especially, like I said last week, the effort of the players,” Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman said after the game. “I think the effort of the players a couple of days ago, today, every game, I think that’s the biggest point to highlight. I think we have an amazing group of players. When they need to show up, they do it.”

Perelman’s starting lineup featured Javier Otero in goal behind a back line of Adrian Marin, Iago, Colin Guske, and Dorsey. Ignacio Gomez joined Braian Ojeda in central midfield with wingers Ivan Angulo and Tiago, with Martin Ojeda and Ellis leading the attack.

New England went extra young, with no veterans on the bench of the game day squad, and only elder statesmen Diego Fagundez and Farrell on the pitch with nine young players. Despite all that youth for the Revs, it was Orlando’s young players — Homegrowns Ellis and Taifi and MLS U22 Initiative signings Iago and Tiago — who ultimately stole the show.

Ellis had the first couple of scoring chances in the game. His shot from outside the area seven minutes into the match from Gomez’s pass was easily saved by Donovan Parisian. Seven minutes later, Ellis could have taken an early shot with his left in transition, but instead he cut inside on his right and his shot was deflected out for a corner.

The next 10 minutes saw the Lions start turning the ball over in their own half and Fry sent a warning shot wide of the left post in the 19th minute with two runners at the back post just waiting on a cross. However, that warning shot went unheeded.

Fry opened the scoring in the 21st minute with a shot from the left channel. Gomez trailed Eric Klein on the play but appeared to be running at half speed and never came close to running down the opposing attacker. Guske got caught between two minds, stepping up, but leaving too much room. Klein sent a chipped pass by Guske to Fry, Iago was a step slow to cover for his central defense partner, and Otero opened up his legs, allowing Fry to slip it in from a tight angle to make it 1-0.

The Lions quickly gave the ball away after the restart and nearly fell behind by a second goal on two occasions. The first was within a minute of Fry’s goal, when Fagundez found Allan Oyirwoth in transition but Otero was there to make the save on a 1-v-1 chance. Zambrano then hit the post in the 26th minute on another dangerous opportunity.

That was an important storm to weather, because the Lions pulled one back in the 31st minute off a set piece. The ball in from the left was cleared out to the right and recycled in by Tiago, who sent a nice curling cross into the area on the far side. Iago leaped over everyone and headed it back toward the right, beating Parisian to make it 1-1 with his first goal as a Lion.

This time it was Orlando City nearly scoring twice in quick succession. A good ball from Dorsey sent Tiago to the end line on the left. His pass to Martin Ojeda was late and hard, bouncing just before reaching the Argentine, who got under it as a result, sending his shot over the bar. A minute later, Ellis tried to connect with Ojeda’s run between defenders but it was just out of the Designated Player’s reach.

New England regained the lead off a set piece in the 37th minute that should have been cleared. The ball into the box landed amidst several bodies and only one of them was wearing Revs colors. Gabe Dahlin had no trouble taking it away from Gomez and Guske and sent it to Farrell near the top of the area. The defender smashed it through the traffic and in to make it 2-1, scoring his first goal since 2018.

Much like each of the previous goals, the next good chance came immediately for the scoring team. Zambrano forced Otero into a save just seconds after the go-ahead goal. Seconds later, another dangerous cross in from Fagundez, who was given too much space by Angulo, found Zambrano in front, but he sent his bicycle kick well off target.

Orlando City responded to that flurry of Revolution attacks with its second goal of the game. Dorsey took a pass from Angulo and worked a give-and-go with Ellis at the top of the box, with the forward giving Dorsey a clean look at goal. The right back blasted it home to make it 2-2 in the 39th minute.

Otero nearly created more problems for himself in the 42nd minute, overrunning Fagundez’s delivery on yet another set piece. He managed to extend his arm far enough to get a touch on the ball to send it out for a corner. A dangerous scramble in front of goal with one New England player on five defenders resulted in another corner, before the danger subsided with the ensuing set piece delivery swerving out of play.

Oyirwoth got a late free header in the box but couldn’t make good contact, sending it out of play. That was the last good look at goal of the opening 45 minutes and the teams went to the locker room tied up at 2-2.

New England had a dominant advantage on the stat sheet at the break, leading in possession (51%-49%), shots (12-5), shots on target (4-3), and passing accuracy (90%-86%), while Orlando City won more corners (3-2).

Tyrese Spicer entered the match at halftime for Tiago.

After the Lions conceded an early set piece, Spicer got forward for the first time in the 49th minute, racing down the left channel and blazing a rocket just over the crossbar. A few minutes later, he destroyed Damario McIntosh on the left wing and got into the box but got his cross wrong, sending it straight to a Revs player.

Another spell of give-away ball and passive midfield play by Orlando eventually led to the third New England lead of the night. Zambrano took a pass out on the right, took a touch and beat a passive Marin — and Otero — to make it 3-2 in the 58th minute.

The Lions quickly won a free kick just wide of the box on the left but could do nothing with it.

Fagundez came close to a fourth New England goal in the 68th minute when given acres of space outside the penalty area. The veteran winger sent the shot just wide of the left post.

Two minutes later, the Lions again tied things up. Spicer got down the left again and sent a cross in front that was just out of Parisian’s reach at the top of the six. The ball went through and Ellis slotted home to make it 3-3 in the 70th minute.

Ellis scored again in the 74th minute but the flag came up. Martin Ojeda sent a beautiful ball just over the defender for Spicer to run onto. Spicer sent it to Ellis in front for the finish but the flag came up immediately. The replay showed from two angles that Spicer and Ellis both appeared to be onside. With questionable call, the game remained tied.

Spicer forged another chance in the 80th minute. He put a move on McIntosh and the New England defender went down. Spicer seemed a bit mesmerized by the sudden appearance of space and waited too long to get his shot away, which Farrell blocked. McIntosh had to leave the match with what appeared to be an ankle injury.

The Lions continued to press for a winner down the stretch. Martin Ojeda’s back-post ball fell behind substitute Taifi in the 89th minute. The Homegrown fullback tried a spinning shot but hit Ellis with it in front.

New England came the other way, winning a throw-in on the left. Orlando City’s defense got out of sync on the play and the Revs worked the ball to Fry alone on the right inside the box. The opening goal scorer was poised to be the game’s hero but fired his shot over Otero’s crossbar.

With seven minutes of stoppage time left to decide things before sending the game to extra time, the Lions needed only two to finally get their first lead of the match. Spicer again got down the left side with his speed to get to a perfect pass over the top from Ojeda. The Trinidad & Tobago international cut a menacing ball back across the area. Taifi made the back-post run and redirected it in for his first goal with the MLS side

“Today we were able to spread the goals (among) different players, and that helped raise the confidence,” Perelman said. “That’s always something positive. If they are scoring it’s because they are on the field, and if they are on the field, it’s because they are performing, growing.

Although he didn’t put the ball in the net himself, it’s impossible to understate Spicer’s role in the win, creating a threat that the Revs struggled to cope with down the left flank throughout the second half.

“Spicy, first of all, is an amazing person. I’m so happy for him,” Perelman said. “He’s an amazing boy, respectful, and then the talent he has, because he’s accurate when he shoots, when he crosses, when he finishes…and he has 1-v-1 capacity. I mean, a lot of qualities.”

Across the final minutes, Orlando City lived dangerously, setting New England up with multiple opportunities from set pieces, but the Lions managed to do just enough to clear their lines and see out what turned into more than nine added minutes. Eventually, the final whistle came and the Lions were through to the U.S. Open Cup

At full time, the Lions had the advantage in possession, (51.6%-48.4%), while New England had the edge in shots (15-14) and passing accuracy (85.1%-84.2%). Both teams put five shots on target and each side won three corners.

“The cup is not easy,” Perelman said. “I respect the Open Cup, and I respect the opponents, so happy, happy for the result. The game was tough. They played really well with their 4-3-3. We were trying to find a way to adjust to that. I think in the second half mainly we did it, even though we conceded one more goal in the second half.”

Orlando City is back in action Saturday at Inter Miami as league play continues.

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Lion Links

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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4 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

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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