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Orlando City vs. Charlotte FC: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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3 years ago

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Orlando City bounced back from the New York loss with a 2-1 win at home against Charlotte FC. Ruan scored Orlando’s first goal and then assisted on its second goal late in the first half by teeing up Facundo Torres. A penalty converted by Christian Fuchs gave Charlotte life, but the defense hung in there to claim all three points.

Here’s how I saw the individual performances of each Lion on the pitch in the win.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 5.5 — He only faced one shot on target, but it was a penalty kick. Gallese committed first on a patient spot kick from Fuchs that spoiled his clean sheet. In regards to his distribution, he was successful on four of his 11 attempted long balls and completed 74% of his 27 passes. The Peruvian did well running time off the clock late in the match without being booked.

D, Joao Moutinho, 6.5 — Moutinho only had one cross, which was unsuccessful, as he often stayed back as third center back of sorts while Ruan wreaked havoc up the field. It was still a busy night for the left back as he led the Lions with 66 touches and also had 44 passes at a great 89% success rate while completing both of his long balls. He had five tackles, two interceptions, and four clearances while also winning all three of his aerial duels. Moutinho’s evolving into a defensive powerhouse this season and this match was no exception, as he was a key reason why Charlotte only had one shot on target, the penalty.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6 — The Argentine center back led the team with a whopping nine clearances as he did well putting a stop to Charlotte’s attempts to score. However, he was called for a foul in the box after making contact with Alan Franco in a play by Charlotte that seemed more like a Hail Mary than a realistic chance to score. Charlotte received a penalty for the incident while Schlegel was handed a yellow card. The penalty call was soft but the contact was unnecessary. Schlegel helped Orlando see the game out and also had a tackle and an interception. His 46 passes were the most by any Lion and he completed them at a solid 87% success rate. Schlegel was also accurate on four of his eight long balls, so it was a good game from him in terms of distribution.

D, Robin Jansson, 6.5 — In his 100th appearance for Orlando City, the Beefy Swede did well on both sides of the ball. He assisted on Ruan’s goal after making a clever redirection on Benji Michel’s low cross that served the ball to Ruan on a silver platter. Jansson also helped create the goal, dribbling down the field and getting the ball out wide to Michel. His lone shot came off of a set piece situation as his shot from the edge of the top of the box went over the bar. He was able to convert from center back to striker in the blink of an eye during the match, adding another dimension to Orlando’s attack. Jansson had five clearances and two interceptions while completing 85% of his 26 passes. He didn’t commit a foul in the match, but still received a yellow card for dissent over questionable officiating and will miss Orlando’s next game.

D, Ruan, 7.5 (MotM) — The right back scored his first goal of the season with a clinical finish wide open in the box. He could’ve had a second goal late in the first half after sprinting down the pitch on a counter with only goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina to beat, but he smartly laid the ball off for Torres to easily put away. Ruan’s speed made him a good match-up against 36-year-old Fuchs and Charlotte was unable to deal with him. Both of his aerial crosses were picked off by Kahlina, but his low efforts put defenders in tough spots and earned a corner. He also connected on both of his long balls and had 43 passes at a 77% success rate. Although he wasn’t able to entirely bend the game to his will, he was Orlando’s best weapon on offense and he led the Lions with three interceptions while also contributing a tackle and a clearance. It was easily his best game of the season and hopefully the confidence he showed after his goal will continue moving forward.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 6.5 — Araujo did a fantastic job keeping Karol Swiderski quiet throughout the match, making sure to give the Polish striker no breathing room. He won three fouls, all in Orlando’s defensive end, and had two tackles, an interception, and two clearances. Araujo completed 28 of his 32 passes for a great 88% success rate and two of his three long balls found their target as well. The 21-year-old also won both of his aerial duels and did a good job lending support along the back line. After receiving four yellow cards in his first six appearances, this game marked four in a row that he wasn’t booked. He’s young and new to MLS, but has quickly proven himself as a great acquisition by the Lions.

MF, Junior Urso, 6 — The Bear had a solid, albeit quiet, outing in the midfield. Although he didn’t have any defensive stats, he applied pressure to help slow down Charlotte’s offense and was there to collect loose balls when they were coughed up. Urso completed 81% of his 32 passes for a decent success rate and was also successful on two of his three attempted dribbles. He was subbed off in the 65th minute for fresher legs.

MF, Benji Michel, 6 — The Homegrown Player did well on Orlando’s first goal, beating his man and drawing in two defenders before delivering a venomous cutback pass in front of goal to Jansson. His only shot of the match was a headed effort right at Kahlina after a great cross from Torres. Michel’s lone cross was unsuccessful, but he completed all but one of his 13 passes for a strong 92% success rate in 80 minutes of action. He didn’t see much of the ball, but did well when he did and helped out defensively with a tackle and an interception.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 7 — Pereyra led the Lions with three key passes as he once again pulled the strings on offense. In the buildup to Orlando’s second goal, he sprung Ruan on the counter with a great ball forward from a tough position for the Brazilian to chase down. Orlando’s captain had another great pass in the first pass when he threaded a ball through defenders from distance to send Kara in on goal. Although neither of his two crosses connected, the Uruguayan was accurate on four of his five long balls and completed 83% of his 42 passes. Pereyra didn’t officially record a shot, but did hit the crossbar on an attempt that was either an attempt at goal or aimed at finding Ercan Kara at the far post. He also hustled on defense and had four tackles, an interception, and a clearance, while also winning a team-high four fouls.

MF, Facundo Torres, 7 — Torres scored his first goal at Exploria Stadium by turning on the jets and running from one end of the field to the other to make sure he was in position to score if needed. He buried the chance and doubled Orlando’s lead before halftime. The goal was one of two shots from Torres in the match, with the other sent into the stands. Torres had two key passes, sending in a nice cross for Michel in the 14th minute and setting up an opportunity for Silvester van der Water in the 85th. He played every minute of the match and completed 77% of his 35 passes. One of his two attempted crosses found their mark and neither of his two long balls were successful, but he still did well to spark things offensively. The 22-year-old truly was relentless from start to finish for the Lions as he ran all over the field to close down opponents, collect loose balls before they went out of play, and made himself an available outlet for teammates. Torres had two clearances, an interception, and enough fuel left in the tank left in the match to help Orlando secure all three points.

F, Ercan Kara, 6 — The Austrian forward may not have contributed towards a goal, but he was fairly active in terms of holdup play. Kara’s best opportunity came in the 33rd minute, when Pereyra found him making a well-timed run with a through ball. However, he was stymied by good defending from Christian Makoun, who hung tight with Kara and then blocked his only shot of the game. Kara won two of his three aerial duels and had 14 passes at a 78% success rate. He wasn’t able to imprint himself on the game and was subbed off in the 65th minute for Alexandre Pato.

Substitutes

F, Alexandre Pato (65’), 5 — The Brazilian had an off night as he only completed two of his seven passes for a 29% success rate. That being said, the game script didn’t benefit his playing style all that well. Pato does his best work when surrounded by other Lions to play off of, but the Lions sat back as the game went on and Charlotte pushed numbers forward, and he was stranded up top on occasion. He won two of his five aerial duels and had two clearances, including the final one to end Charlotte’s late surge. Pato wasn’t able to exert his skillset to its fullest in his first appearance off the bench for Orlando this season.

MF, Andres Perea (65’), 5 — Coming on to give Orlando some fresher legs in the midfield, Perea had 19 touches and completed 69% of his 16 passes. He helped out defensively with two clearances and an interception to do his part in securing the victory. Perea didn’t make much of an impact in the match, but didn’t necessarily need to as he continues to receive minutes off the bench for Orlando.

MF, Sebas Mendez (74’), 6 — Mendez helped stabilize things for Orlando, completing all three of his passes and chipping in defensively with two clearances, an interception, and a tackle. Araujo may have claimed the starting job over Mendez, but the two make for a nice one-two punch over the course of a match as Mendez can come in and take care of the ball while maintaining the team’s bite on defense.

MF, Silvester van der Water (80’), N/A — The Dutchman was hungry during his brief appearance, putting a shot on frame and not being afraid to take on defenders. He completed both of his passes, was successful on his lone long ball attempt, and added a tackle on defense. Unfortunately, he landed awkwardly on his ankle in the dying moments of the game and had to be helped off the field without putting any weight on his left foot.

D, Kyle Smith (80’), N/A — Smith wasn’t on the field long enough to be graded but did well. He had three clearances and a tackle and solidified Orlando’s forces on the right side of defense. He had 14 touches, won both of his aerial duels, and completed four of his seven passes for a 57% success rate.

That’s how I saw each individual performance in Orlando City’s 2-1 win over Charlotte. The penalty made the match a bit closer than the Lions likely would’ve preferred, but it was a nice game from them.

Be sure to vote in the poll below for your Man of the Match.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Ruan62
Mauricio Pereyra2
Joao Moutinho2
Facundo Torres4
Other (let us know in the comments)1

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Lion Links: 3/31/25

Lions and Pride win, NWSL weekend recap, FA Cup quarterfinals, and more.

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2 hours ago

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March 31, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been very busy at work but will attend the Chicago Cubs’ home opener at Wrigley Field later this week. Our Lions and Pride won while OCB was off this weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Beats LA Galaxy on the Road

On Saturday, Orlando City fought back from a 1-0 deficit, scoring two goals in the second half to defeat the LA Galaxy 2-1 at Dignity Health Sports Park. The Galaxy struck early in the first half to jump on top. In the second half, the Lions were awarded a penalty kick after Eduard Atuesta was taken down in the box, and Martin Ojeda buried the spot kick to tie the match at one. In the 90th minute, Luis Muriel scored the winning goal on a long-range free kick to complete the comeback. Orlando is on a three-match unbeaten streak and beat the LA Galaxy for the third consecutive time. Orlando City’s next match will be on the road Saturday against the Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park.

Orlando Pride Defeat San Diego Wave at Home

The Orlando Pride defeated the San Diego Wave 2-1 Saturday afternoon at Inter&Co Stadium and extended their win streak to three matches to start the season. After a scoreless first half, Haley McCutcheon scored to give Orlando the lead. The Wave equalized before Marta converted a penalty kick goal to seal the win for Orlando. The Pride are off to a great start this season, outscoring their opponents 10-1, and are atop the NWSL standings ahead of the Kansas City Current on goal difference. The Pride are off this weekend due to the international break but will be on the road in their next match against the Seattle Reign on April 12.

NWSL Weekend Recap

The National Women’s Soccer League’s third week of matches is in the books. On Friday, the Houston Dash and NJ/NY Gotham FC match ended in a scoreless draw. The Washington Spirit defeated Bay FC 2-0, with Ashley Hatch scoring both goals. On Saturday, the Kansas City Current defeated the Utah Royals 3-0, while the Portland Thorns and North Carolina Courage match ended in a scoreless draw. On Sunday, the Chicago Stars fell 1-0 to Racing Louisville and remain winless, while Angel City FC edged the Seattle Reign 2-1 to secure its first win of the season.

FA Cup Quarterfinals Recap

The FA Cup quarterfinals wrapped up with thrilling drama as four clubs booked a spot in the semifinals. Crystal Palace cruised to a 3-0 victory against Fulham, while Nottingham Forest edged Brighton 4-3 on penalties after a scoreless draw to advance. Aston Villa dominated Preston North End as Marcus Rashford scored twice to seal a 3-0 win, while Manchester City edged Bournemouth 2-1. The FA Cup semifinals are set for April 26 as Crystal Palace faces Aston Villa while Nottingham Forest will take on Manchester City.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City GM Luiz Muzzi provided some insight in an ESPN.com article on player transfers and highlighted the importance of building connections with different clubs to facilitate transfers.
  • Former Lion Benji Michel is going to play for HJK Helsinki.
  • 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

Orlando City vs. LA Galaxy: Five Takeaways

What did we learn from a comeback victory over the defending MLS champion LA Galaxy?

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21 hours ago

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March 30, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City went on the road on a Galaxy quest, and will fly back across the country with three points after a snatch-and-grab second-half performance earned the Lions a 2-1 victory. The Lions joined the Pride in defeating California opponents via that scoreline on Saturday, and in an even greater coincidence, both teams scored a goal on a penalty kick in the 76th minute. To quote another California icon, Ice Cube, it was a good day. Here are my five takeaways from the match.

Early Sluggishness Led to an Early Deficit

Orlando City certainly looked the part of an East Coast team playing at 10:30 p.m. with the players on their normal body clock to start the game, as LA dominated possession during the opening minutes and took advantage by scoring the game’s opening goal. To be fair, LA is a team that likes to have the ball (70%, 53% and 56% possession in the three preceding games, according to Opta’s tracking) and the official stats that Apple showed on the broadcast around 20 minutes into the first half indicated that the Galaxy had 60% of the possession during the opening portion of the game. The goal the Galaxy scored felt inevitable with how they, and Orlando, were playing, and it seemed that the goal jolted the Lions into waking up and getting into the game.

VAR taketh away, but then VAR giveth

There are no fan bases in the world, save perhaps fans of Duke men’s basketball, who think that referees are generally fair when it comes to making calls during their team’s games. That said, the fact that there was not even a trip to the monitor to review Christian Ramirez’s goal was hard to fathom. We do not get to see all the angles that the officials reviewing the play do, but with the angles that we were shown, it looked pretty clear that Ramirez was in an offside position. Referee Jon Freemon surprisingly did not go to the monitor, and the goal stood. As the game went on, it seemed like once again Orlando City was going to suffer from “PRO gonna PRO,” but then Eduard Atuesta (the Man of the Match in my eyes) was fouled in the box and the Lions received a penalty kick. It seemed certain that the call would be overturned, as the contact did not look significant and Orlando City historically has not benefitted — ever — from PRO reviews, but once again Freemon did not even go to the monitor and the penalty kick stood. Ojeda converted, and the Lions had new life.

The Left Side Was Not Right…Until it Was

Oscar Pareja made a double change in the 66th minute, removing both Iván Angulo and Rafael Santos, and he probably should have made that change even earlier. Aside from hustle, which both players showed in abundance, neither left-sided starter brought much else to the table and both were responsible for Ramirez’s goal via a complete lack of awareness of the run by Miki Yamane into the box. There were scary moments in the back throughout the time when Angulo and Santos were on the field, and while the Galaxy’s Gabriel Pec is an elite talent, he did not have to work especially hard to create some of his opportunities down the right side. The tracking at whoscored.com showed 40% of the Galaxy’s attacks were down the right side of the field, and it seemed like 100% during the minutes when Angulo and Santos were on the field. David Brekalo entered the game for Santos and took over as left back, and he played quite well in an unfamiliar role, helping to shore up the left side of the defense and give Pareja another lineup configuration to consider for future weeks.

Orlando May Soon Run on Duncan Again

Duncan McGuire played his longest shift of the season in this match, and while he did not get on the scoresheet, he looked almost back to the terrifying freight train of a striker that we have seen in purple for the last two seasons. His speed and power were there, and though his touch let him down, he still was getting himself into great positions and pulling the back line apart, and the touch will surely return soon as well. His entrance into the game allowed Muriel to drop into a central attacking role and pushed Ojeda out wide to the left, and the game really changed once that lineup was on the field together. The Lions took 10 of the game’s next 12 shots and scored two goals to take the lead.

Sometimes It Is Better To Be Lucky Than Good

I will admit that I did not think it was a good idea for Luis Muriel to shoot when taking the free kick that turned into the second goal, as I thought it would have been a much better idea to play a ball into the box and try to get a header or a shot off a pinball situation inside the box. Muriel went ahead and took a shot anyway, and there is no other way to say it than Orlando City received a gift, as Galaxy goalkeeper John McCarthy made a mess of the shot and let it drop into his net. Muriel struck the ball with pace, but it looked like while McCarthy’s positioning let him down a little bit, his hands let him down a lot. Perhaps the karmic gods were evening out Rodrigo Schlegel’s unfortunate touch from the season opener that gifted Philadelphia a goal, or perhaps Orlando City was just due for some luck, but either way, it was an unlikely goal. They all count the same though, and this one gave the Lions two on the scoreboard and then three in the points column.

Those are my takeaways from a game that seemed headed for disappointment but then turned on its head with two late goals. Orlando City’s Designated Players added two more goals to their tally, as the M&Ms (Marco, Martín and Muriel) now have 11 between them. The team still leads the league in goals scored, and the Lions will have a chance to avenge their season-opening loss when they visit Philadelphia in their next match on April 5.

Let us know your thoughts about the match in the comments below.

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. LA Galaxy: Final Score 2-1 as Cardiac Cats Score Late to Earn First Road Win

Orlando City battled back from 1-0 down to pick up a road win against the Galaxy.

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1 day ago

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March 30, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City trailed 1-0 with a quarter of an hour to play on an LA Galaxy goal by Christian Ramirez that looked offside, but the Lions scored on a penalty in the 76th minute and got a fortunate bounce of the goalkeeper’s hands on a long-range free kick in the 90th to complete a 2-1 comeback win at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA. For Orlando City (3-2-1, 10 points), it was the first road win of the season (1-1-1) and it kept the Galaxy (0-4-2, 2 points) winless on the season.

Martin Ojeda scored a penalty kick drawn by Eduard Atuesta to level the game, and Luis Muriel’s hard, high free kick gave John McCarthy trouble in a Cardiac Cats finish, as Orlando’s Designated Players continue to score goals.

“I want to congratulate our players (on) the way they believed in the game,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match — his 200th with the club in all competitions. “We had a difficult assignment but their willingness to change the game, to dominate the game, and also to continue until the end, that was something that made us feel very optimistic. It was a great performance against a great team, and I really think that we played well. We used very well our spaces tonight, and I saw a lot of personality (from) the majority of our players.”

Pareja’s lineup saw the return of Pedro Gallese in goal behind a back line of Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Alex Freeman. Cesar Araujo and Atuesta started in central midfield behind an attacking line of Ivan Angulo, Ojeda, and Marco Pasalic, with Muriel up top.

As expected, the team with the most completed passes in MLS saw most of the possession in the early going, making some probes into the area but not able to create much early.

However, it was Orlando that created the first dangerous moment with a clever run by Atuesta in the second minute. The Colombian sent in a dangerous cross intended for Muriel, but Zanka came sliding in to prevent a tap-in goal by Orlando.

After the Galaxy won a few corner kicks but did nothing with him, Freeman got an opportunity in the seventh minute. A good cross in from the left found the young fullback in front, but his header was right at McCarthy for the team’s only shot on target of the opening period. Considering the Galaxy came into the match with the Western Conference’s leakiest defense, it was a disappointing half by chance-creating standards for Orlando.

Atuesta was called for a foul a minute later, giving LA a free kick in a dangerous spot to the left just outside the box. A wicked bend on Diego Fagundez’s service nearly picked out the top right corner, forcing Gallese to tip it over the crossbar.

The Galaxy scored in the 14th minute on another play Pareja’s defense will want back. Gabriel Pec slipped in down the right behind Angulo and Santos, who were both caught flat-footed. A good ball just inches over Santos’ head found the LA winger, who sent a pass in front to Ramirez, who redirected it back against the grain and inside the right post, giving Gallese no chance to make the save. Ramirez appeared to be offside when Pec played the ball, and the video assistant referee looked at it but did not send referee Jon Freemon to the monitor and the goal stood.

Orlando started keeping the ball better after the goal, but couldn’t threaten the net much. Ojeda scuffed a shot attempt from the top of the area in the 19th minute. Moments later, Pasalic sent Muriel into the box, but the Colombian’s backheel pass did not fall into the path of a teammate, allowing LA to clear. Ojeda fired just off target from the top of the box on the left in the 21st minute, as the lack of final precision continued for Orlando.

Pasalic and Santos sent in crosses too close to the keeper in the 35th and 37th minutes, respectively, though the Croatian’s was deflected by Fagundez.

The Galaxy nearly scored a second in the 38th minute when Santos was bodied off the ball hard, giving space for Pec to smash a shot that Gallese fought off for a save. Fagundez jumped on the rebound at the top of the box and fired off the left post.

That was the last decent look of the half for either side in a half that saw the Lions with no lethality in the attack and several individual defensive lapses and turnovers in the defensive half.

Orlando City finished the first half with more possession (51.9%-48.1%), owing to a prolonged spell after the Galaxy scored. However, the hosts finished with the advantage in shots (5-4), shots on target (2-1), corners (4-0), and passing accuracy (85.8%-85.3%).

“In the first part of the game, probably 15-20 minutes, we had trouble with managing the spaces,” Pareja said. “They were using that double pivot with (Edwin) Cerillo and (Isaiah Parente). They were doing a great job on using that space. And we had to make a couple modifications to the way we want it. And then we just controlled much more our half and started getting our sequences cleaner, and our team grow in that part.”

As happened in the first half, the Galaxy came out with more energy to start the second period. The Lions looked to be in trouble in the 49th minute in transition when Schlegel got caught trying to catch the Galaxy offside. Instead, Pec chased the ball down the right side with an open teammate to his left. Santos got to the ball at the same time, and Pec shoved him down, with both players going to ground. Orlando was fortunate to concede only a corner because Pec couldn’t get the ball to make the final pass.

On the ensuing corner, Ramirez shook free of Freeman but got under his header, putting it high over the bar. Moments later, LA couldn’t pay off a dangerous free kick conceded by Araujo just outside the left corner of the box.

Pasalic got his foot to an aerial ball that was headed on by Santos in the 58th minute off a set piece but the Croatian couldn’t steer it on frame. Moments later, Angulo played Atuesta in behind but the flag came up quickly and McCarthy came out and snuffed out the play anyway.

Pareja made two substitutions that changed the game in the 66th minute, sending Duncan McGuire and David Brekalo on for Angulo and Santos. The two replacement lifted the team’s energy, with Brekalo handling Pec’s forays down LA’s attacking right and McGuire stretching the Galaxy back line. That allowed players like Atuesta to get forward to join the attack and it changed the team’s fortunes in just a few minutes.

“Those two substitutions were a game changer,” Pareja said. “What I see was the energy that they brought to us in a moment that we needed it the most. David (was) in a position that is not usual for him. I thought he came from behind and supported us, and at the same time, he just gave us stability defensively. Duncan, he can stretch those defenders.”

Moments after Miki Yamane fired over the bar from outside the area, Pasalic got loose for a shot near the right corner of the box at the other end. This time, the Croatian put his shot on frame, but the near post try was a comfortable save for McCarthy.

Ramirez fired wide off the recycle of an LA corner in the 70th minute, but the Lions started looking more dangerous in transition.

Atuesta got into the top of the box in the 73rd minute and it changed the match. While doing a stepover to tryto beat Yamane, the defender caught Atuesta’s foot. The midfielder went down and Freemon pointed to the spot, awarding a penalty. The foul was reviewed by video assistant referee Michael Radchuk, who upheld the call on the field.

“I was in the area. I think he wanted to be too aggressive on the ball and he stepped on my feet,” Atuesta said. “So, I feel the contact, and it was a penalty. David (Brekalo) came in so good, winning duels, and he helped a lot. And I felt good at that moment with a little bit more freedom to attack.”

Ojeda stepped to the spot, slowed his approach just before reaching the ball on a long run-up, waited for McCarthy to commit to his left, and passed the ball into the back of the net to tie the game in the 76th minute. With his fourth goal of the season, the Argentine has already equaled his 2024 regular-season goal total.

The Lions’ mood visibly changed after Ojeda drew the team level. Just three minutes after tying the game, Orlando came within inches of the lead. Atuesta blasted a shot from outside the area that struck the right post. The ball caromed to McGuire who sent a diving header that he couldn’t keep down. The ball sailed harmlessly over the goal. Moments later, Ojeda was sent down the left by Muriel and the Lions’ No. 10 sent a beautiful ball to send McGuire down the right. McGuire scuffed his shot and it skipped wide of the left post in the 82nd minute.

Pareja used the stoppage to send Dagur Dan Thorhallsson on for Pasalic. The Lions kept on coming after the restart. Atuesta smashed a shot in the 83rd minute that was blocked out front by the defense. A minute later, Freeman scuffed a shot attempt from the right side, with the Galaxy defense scrambling to knock it behind for a corner.

On the ensuing set piece, the ball was sent from the left corner to the right top corner of the box, where it found Muriel. The Colombian fizzed a shot that got through all the traffic out front but skipped just wide of the left post.

In the 87th minute, Thorhallsson sent in a good cross to McGuire. Under pressure from his defender, the big striker couldn’t direct his header on frame. Two minutes later, the Icelandic midfielder/fullback changed the game.

Making a good run through the LA defense and into the attacking third, Thorhallsson drew a foul from behind on Parente, who picked up a yellow card for the challenge. Muriel stood over the ball. With numbers forward in the box, Muriel opted to fire for goal from distance. His shot arced over the LA wall and was dipping below the crossbar. McCarthy leaped up to knock it over his crossbar or catch it, but misplayed the shot. The ball squirted through McCarthy’s fingers and behind him, bouncing into the goal to put Orlando ahead in the 90th minute.

It was Muriel’s third goal of the season, just two shy of the five he had all of last season. It was also his sixth goal contribution on the season, which is half as many as he had throughout 2024.

Orlando City saw out the five minutes of stoppage time, plus about one additional minute, with only a Parente shot over the bar from distance to deal with, claiming a wild comeback road victory.

At the end of the match, the Lions held the advantage in possession (51.3%-48.7%), shots (15-10), and shots on target (4-2). LA finished with more corners (6-2) and slightly better passing accuracy (87.2%-86.9%).

“We are very happy, because we worked very hard to get the result,” Atuesta said. “Here is not an easy place to come and win when you have to fly a across the country. We had to work the game, be intelligent. We knew some time in the game we’re going to manage the game to win, to get more chances. “

“Coming here to LA and getting these three points is giving us much more hope on keep adding points in very difficult places,” Pareja said. “So, a lot of confidence for us (from) these three points. The performance itself, I think, which makes us feel that we’re growing. Now we will be ready to prepare for the next one against another tough rival in our conference.”

The Lions will conclude their road trip a week from tonight with a match against the Philadelphia union at Subaru Park in Chester, PA.

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