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Orlando City vs. Columbus Crew, U.S. Open Cup: Final Score 2-1 as Orlando City’s Cup Run Ends

Orlando looked lethargic and lost after Antoine Griezmann’s second-half exit with an injury in a road loss in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals.

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3 weeks ago

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Image of Zakaria Taifi playing the ball against Columbus.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City’s leaky road defense continued to be a problem in a 2-1 loss to the Columbus Crew at Scott’sMiracle-Gro Field in Columbus, OH, in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals. After conceding an early goal to longtime nemesis Josef Martinez, whose run the Lions ignored on a set piece, Martin Ojeda brought the game level before the break. Another poor moment at the back led to Brais Mendez’s game winner early in the second half, and Orlando lost all creativity down the stretch when Antoine Griezmann left with a knock and Justin Ellis began to tire.

Needing a goal for a half an hour, the Lions played with no urgency, hardly created anything, and looked like a team stuck in mud as the host Crew had no trouble playing through, around, and over them.

“Very disappointed. I think we didn’t perform as we should and the game was tough for us,” Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman said after the game. “There were moments maybe in the first half that we had better sensations, feelings, and then again, I think we couldn’t do what we have been doing. We didn’t perform as we should. Nothing to say. It’s over.”

Perelman’s lineup featured Maxime Crepeau in goal behind a back line of Bernardo Rhein, Robin Jansson, David Brekalo, and Zakaria Taifi. Joran Gerbet and Eduard Atuesta started in central midfield between wingers Ivan Angulo and Ellis with Ojeda and Griezmann up top.

Griffin Dorsey, who was held out Saturday for precautionary reasons, did not dress.

Columbus got forward immediately at the opening whistle and Brekalo was able to block a Santiago Rodriguez shot as the Crew looked to pounce early.

The Lions had a golden opportunity to score early on a corner kick when Griezmann found Rhein in the box all alone on a set piece played short. The Homegrown fullback had lots of net to shoot at but sent his shot right at Crew goalkeeper Nicholas Hagen and the Lions committed a foul trying to corral the rebound in the fourth minute.

It was a costly miss because Martinez put the Crew ahead four minutes later. Columbus won a corner moments later and the Lions were asleep at the switch on a set piece played short. Griezmann kept the play onside as the defense stepped up and no one marked Martinez, who had only to pass the ball into the net from point-blank range with zero defenders to deal with, making it 1-0 Crew early.

“The first 10 to 15 minutes of that first half really cost us,” Ojeda said. “We were not finding the open players when we had them, and we needed to be a little bit more patient to find those open players.

The set piece didn’t wake the defense up, as the Crew nearly made it 2-0 just a few minutes later. A ball into the box found Brooks Lennon, who saw his shot blocked in front by Rhein. The rebound fell to Rodriguez, who fired just over the target.

The Lions worked the ball right to left again on a set piece in the 14th minute but Taifi scuffed his shot and it was easily saved. Two minutes later, Ellis did well to take Atuesta’s pass, fake to his left and fire a near-post attempt with his right foot, but Hagen got down to make the save.

Crepeau saved Anass Zaroury’s shot in the 24th minute but nearly spilled it, despite it not having a lot on it. The Canadian regathered, however.

That play started a back-and-forth period that saw Angulo fire over the bar in the 25th minute and Rodriguez tried to chip Crepeau a minute later but he couldn’t get any lift on his shot, making for catching practice.

Griezmann then won a free kick left of center just outside the box in the 28th minute. Atuesta took the set piece and went for goal but he couldn’t beat Hagen to the near post. Hagen, however, made an awkward save with his chest and Orlando won a corner. On the ensuing set play, the Lions worked the ball to Rhein on the left and the Homegrown fullback sent a looping header toward the back post. The ball hit off the inside of the right upright and Steven Moreira cleared it off the line at the half-hour mark.

Orlando City finally got rewarded in the 40th minute for creating a number of good chances. Ellis started the play in his own half by making a nice move to split Santiago and Andre Gomes, taking the ball up the right channel. Approaching the box, Ellis squared the ball left for Ojeda, who took a touch and blasted a shot just inside the right post to make it 1-1.

“It feels good to score, but at the end of the night, it didn’t help us get the victory tonight,” Ojeda said.

Following the Orlando goal, the rest of the half belonged to Columbus, which kept the Lions hemmed in their own end with long spells of possession. The hosts won a few set pieces but couldn’t do much with them. The closest the Crew came to retaking the lead before halftime came in the 44th minute, when Mendez got in behind the back line, only to have Crepeau make a big save with his right hand. The play, however, was offside.

Orlando survived a late corner and the teams went to the break knotted at 1-1.

At the break, the Crew held the advantage in possession (52%-48%), shots (9-7), corners (5-2), and passing accuracy (93%-92%). The Lions put more shots on target (4-3).

Perelman made his first change at halftime, sending Wilder Cartagena on for Gerbet.

The Lions got forward immediately after the restart and Angulo got down the left channel. He took a tough-angle shot that Sean Zawadzki blocked out for a corner. The set piece fell in the box but the Crew reacted first and cleared it.

Ojeda went for goal on a set piece from the right in the 50th minute that Griezmann won on a rough foul from Taha Habroune, who was booked. Hagen was a little off his post, but Ojeda just missed wide.

Columbus regained the lead off a turnover moments later. Crepeau tried a pass up the middle for Ojeda but it was just over the Argentine’s head. The Crew broke the other way and Rodriguez sent a cross past Jansson, who wasn’t near a defender, to Mendez, with Rhein completely out of the play and trying to catch up. The wide-open Mendez had only to touch the cross home to make it 2-1 in the 52nd minute.

Griezmann had to come off for Daryl Dike as a result of the earlier foul from Habroune.

“I don’t have the medical report yet, so we will wait until the doctors and the medical department give us the certain information regarding him,” Perelman said. “Everybody knows how impactful and important he is for us off and on the field and not having him is not a good plan, but it is what it is, and we have to be ready to compete and win, even in a situation like that.”

Mendez put the ball in again in the 60th minute but Martinez, who fed him the ball, was offside on the play and the flag came up immediately. Perelman used the stoppage to send Tyrese Spicer on for Taifi.

The Crew defense had a good spell after that, blocking an Ellis attempted dribble and an Atuesta pass intended for Dike in quick succession.

Columbus nearly made it 3-1 in the 65th minute as the Lions were beaten on a back-side cross behind Rhein, an area of concern that continues despite that being the main source of danger to Orlando’s defense for weeks. The ball quickly cycled centrally to Martinez, who fired just wide.

Angulo won a free kick and a corner over the next few minutes, but the Lions could do nothing with their service on either.

Marco Pasalic subbed on for Ellis in the 78th minute.

Ellis’ departure ended Orlando’s night of creating anything in possession. Down the stretch, the Lions struggled to win possessions that were few and far between as the Crew won seemingly every ball and passed around Orlando players as if they weren’t there. Crepeau made an incredible save to deny Andres Herrera on a 2-v-1 break in stoppage time to keep the final score from getting worse, and Gonzalo Tapia missed just wide on another transition chance moments later.

Angulo won a late free kick from distance on the far right side of the field, but the back-post delivery went off Dike and out of play to effectively end the match on another wasted set piece.

At the full-time whistle, Columbus had the advantage in shots (16-10), shots on target (6-4), and corners (7-4). Despite their struggles to get and keep possession down the stretch, the Lions somehow edged in front in possession (52%-48%) and passing accuracy (91%-90%).

“It hurts because it’s not the result we came here for. It’s not the result that we hoped for, and there were some difficult moments that cost us,” Ojeda said. “We had some chances in the first half that were more clear that we could have finished, and second half there were some chances that were less clear and we had some issues further up the field. So, I’ll say it again, just pain and sadness for tonight.”

The loss snaps Orlando City’s five-match unbeaten run, although all of those matches were in MLS regular-season competition.

With the team’s U.S. Open Cup run now over, Orlando City has a quick turnaround with a trip to New England to face the Revolution coming up in league play on Saturday.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/7/26

Orlando City players on international duty, the Pride hire some coaches, the USMNT defeats Canada, and more.

Published

10 hours ago

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October 7, 2026

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Image of Justin Ellis playing the ball against Charlotte.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. What an international break it was for the USMNT, going undefeated in four matches by defeating Peru, Chile, Mexico, and Canada. The Yanks outscored their opponents 12-3 across the four matches, with Orlando City’s Justin Ellis scoring two goals in his two starts. There’s plenty to digest today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Players on International Duty

Several Orlando City players were on international duty on Tuesday, including Ellis for the USMNT. He scored a goal against Canada (see below) but also picked up a knock that saw him limping for all too long and forcing him off at halftime. Hopefully, he will be able to go this weekend for Orlando City. Marco Pasalic did not get any minutes for Croatia in the team’s 2-1 loss to Spain. Meanwhile, David Brekalo got the start and played the entire match for Slovenia in a 2-1 win over Scotland.

Orlando Pride Add to Coaching Staff

The Orlando Pride hired Mykell Bates and Lewis Amos as assistant coaches and Brian Periman as goalkeeper coach. The trio joins interim head coach Yolanda Thomas’s coaching staff, and the timing of these hires is interesting, given there are only three matches remaining in the season and there’s been no indication that the interim tag is being removed from Thomas. These hirings raise a lot of questions, like, are these short term signings through the end of the season? If not, do they indicate Thomas will be given the permanent position, or are have they been hired knowing there is another head coaching announcement coming?

USMNT Defeats Canada

If you thought a match between the U.S. and Canada wouldn’t be very Concacaf-y, you’d be wrong. So many non-calls, lots of chippiness, and a few injuries proved otherwise. Fortunately, the USMNT was able to see out a 1-0 victory following a goal from Orlando City’s Ellis that gave the Yanks the lead in the 29th minute.

Oh, what could have been if Alex Freeman stayed in Orlando. The win capped a successful run for the start of Maurcio Pochettino’s new contract. We also saw a ton of younger players across the four matches, including three appearances from Ellis.

USWNT to Face Spain

The USMNT is done for the moment, but now we get to see how the USWNT does in a pair of friendlies against reigning FIFA Women’s World Cup champion Spain. NWSL Golden Boot leader Ashley Sanchez is getting back up to speed with the team after she was called up for the pair of friendlies. As was previously reported, Naomi Girma is out due to injury, but Emma Hayes intends to work with Chelsea to manage her recovery. A new camp means opportunities for different players, so which players’ stock is up or down?

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That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the Orlando City match on Saturday. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/6/26

International call-ups for Pride players, scouting report on Canada, roster changes for the USWNT, and more.

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1 day ago

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October 6, 2026

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Image of Solai Washington attacking against Chicago.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Justin Glatt

Good morning, everyone. The end of the men’s international break is almost upon us, but the women’s break will immediately follow. That means that Orlando City will return to play on Saturday, while the Orlando Pride will have some time off before their next game. We’ve got plenty to talk about this morning, so let’s get into the links.

Orlando Pride International Call-Ups

Three more Orlando Pride players have been called to represent their nations during the October international window, joining Oihane, who will be with Spain for its matches against the USWNT. First up is Barbra Banda, who will represent Zambia in the team’s Olympic qualifying games against Uganda.

Then there’s Jacquie Ovalle and Solai Washington, who will be facing off against each other in back-to-back games. Ovalle has been called up for Mexico, while Washington will represent Jamaica.

At the U-23 level, Ally Lemos will be with the U.S. and Sanne Lekven will be with Norway during this window.

Scouting Canada

The United States Men’s National Team will play its final game of the October international window when it takes on Canada tonight in Saint Paul, MN. Jesse Marsch’s current roster has a number of notable absences, including Alphonso Davies, Jayden Nelson, Alistair Johnson, and Ismael Kone; while Derek Cornelius, Jeevan Badwal, and Alfie Jones left the team during the break because of injuries. Canada typically sets up in a 4-4-2 and will employ a high press paired with a vertical style of play that aims to win the ball and then quickly get it forward to the team’s dangerous attackers. Jonathan David and Tany Oluwaseyi provide that danger up front, while Stephen Eustaquio runs things in the middle, and Richie Laryea provides danger up and down the left flank.

United States Women’s National Team Roster Tweaks

The United States Women’s National Team has made a pair of changes to the squad that will take on Spain in a pair of friendlies this month. Utah Royals defender Kate Del Fava has been named as the replacement for the injured Naomi Girma, after it was announced last week that the center back would be unavailable for this window. Del Fava was going to be one of the overage players at the USWNT U-23 training camp also taking place this month, but now has an opportunity to make her first appearance for the senior side. Additionally, midfielder Jaelin Howell will replace Sam Coffey, after the latter was injured during Manchester City’s win over the weekend. Howell has made six appearances for the USWNT, with the most recent one coming in a 2-0 victory over Italy during the team’s final game of 2025.

UEFA Nations League Roundup

Monday marked the penultimate round of UEFA Nations League play during the current international window, and we were treated to some doozies. The highlight of the day was a five-goal thriller that saw France score four goals in the final 15 minutes to overturn a one goal deficit and beat Belgium 4-1 at the Stade de France. Italy knocked off Turkiye 3-1 to climb to second place in Group A1, while the result sees Turkiye remain winless and anchored to the bottom of the table. Finally, Ukraine looked to have rescued a point with Roman Yaremchuk’s 83rd-minute goal, only for Mark Csinger to bag a winner for Hungary just two minutes later. The 2-1 result means Hungary is second in Group B2 with seven points, while Ukraine is third with four points.

Free Kicks

  • The Pride dropped three spots to no.13 in ESPN.com’s NWSL power rankings.
  • Alex Freeman flexed his pipes and sang Happy Birthday to USMNT coach Jesus Perez during Monday’s training session.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/5/26

Pride fall to San Diego Wave, Tyrese Spicer has successful foot surgery, USMNT beats Mexico, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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October 5, 2026

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Image of Haley McCutcheon wearing a protective mask on her face playing against San Diego.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Justin Glatt

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been busy at work covering high school soccer and flag football throughout the week. We only had the Pride in action over the weekend, but we’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Pride Fall to San Diego Wave at Home

The Orlando Pride fell 2-1 to the San Diego Wave on Friday at Inter.co Stadium in the latest in a series of games that they had to have. Orlando trailed 2-0 in the first half, conceding twice on defensive errors. In the second half, Barbra Banda pulled the Pride within one after she buried a penalty kick that she won herself. However, it wasn’t enough, as Orlando couldn’t find a late equalizer and San Diego took all three points. The Pride are off this weekend due to the international break but will return to action on Oct. 18 to face the Houston Dash on the road.

Tyrese Spicer Has Successful Foot Surgery

Orlando City forward Tyrese Spicer underwent successful foot surgery to repair a Jones fracture in his right foot, the club announced on Friday. Spicer had suffered the injury while away on international duty with Trinidad & Tobago in a Concacaf Nations League match against Haiti on Sept. 24. We at The Mane Land wish Spicer a speedy recovery, but his 2026 MLS season is likely over.

USMNT Shuts Out Mexico in Friendly

The U.S. Men’s National Team defeated Mexico 3-0 on Saturday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ. Orlando City forward Justin Ellis came off the bench to make his second USMNT appearance in the second half, playing 25 minutes. Former Lion Alex Freeman started and played 90 minutes. Julian Hall scored the opener in the first half for the Yanks. In the second half, Cavan Sullivan doubled the Americans’ lead to become the USMNT’s youngest scorer in team history just four days after Mathis Albert set that mark with his goal against Chile on Tuesday. Malik Tillman added the final goal as the Yanks have won three consecutive matches during the international break. The USMNT will close out this round of friendlies on Tuesday, taking on Canada at Allianz Field in Saint Paul, MN.

Other Lions on International Duty

Multiple Orlando City players represented their national teams over the weekend during the international break. Forward Marco Pasalic was on the bench but did not play for Croatia in a 7-0 defeat to England in a UEFA Nations League match on Saturday. Croatia will face Spain on Tuesday. Lions defender David Brekalo was on the bench but came on after halftime and played 45 minutes for Slovenia in a 2-1 defeat to Switzerland in the UEFA Nations League. Slovenia will take on Scotland on Tuesday. Midfielder Wilder Cartagena started and played 45 minutes for Peru, while former Lion Yoshimar Yotun was also in action in a 2-0 loss to Canada in a friendly. Peru will play Colombia on Tuesday in another friendly match.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City forward Yutaro Tsukada, who is on loan at Rhode Island FC, notched another assist over the weekend in a 3-1 win against Brooklyn FC in the USL Championship.
  • Check out this piece on the Orlando City website featuring Head of Player Care Pedro Cox and Team Administrator Danny Quesada, who help welcome new players and their families, get acquainted with the club, ensure their needs are met, and thrive off the field.
  • The Lions were at Osceola Heritage Park on Saturday and spent time with the Orlando City U-12 squad during training.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.

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