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Orlando City vs. Charlotte FC, U.S. Open Cup: Final Score 1-0 as Lions Crash Out of the Competition

The Lions continued to fail miserably at getting the ball on target and to avoid crippling mistakes in their own end.

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2 years ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City will not repeat as U.S. Open Cup champions. The Lions crashed meekly out of the competition in their first match without even getting one lousy shot on target in a 1-0 loss to Charlotte FC at Mecklenburg County Sportsplex in Matthews, NC. Kamil Jozwiak came off the bench to score the game’s only goal off a costly giveaway deep in his own end by fullback Mikey Halliday.

Three nights after getting just two shots on frame at Montreal, the Lions couldn’t even get one out of 11 attempts within the perimeter of the goal mouth. Charlotte mustered only six attempts all night but got four of them on frame and managed to get one past Mason Stajduhar to pick up the win.

“We came with the highest intentions to defend the cup, and obviously advance, but it was not like that,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “The game was just getting us frustrated with the options that we had to tie it up and just making a mistake that was costly. We couldn’t get the result and we’re very disappointed.”

Pareja ran out a mixed starting XI, including Stajduhar in goal behind a back line of Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Halliday. Cesar Araujo and Felipe played in the central midfield behind an attacking line of Gaston Gonzalez, Facundo Torres, and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, with Duncan McGuire up top.

The first half was just about unwatchable from a spectator’s point of view. The game was often plodding, and neither side did much with the ball — especially Orlando. The Lions were content with trying to stay organized and looking for opportunities to counter, but then rarely moved the ball quickly or accurately enough when they regained possession. Meanwhile, the hosts were kicking the ball around a lot but not producing anything from it.

Orlando City’s best opportunity came four minutes in, when Torres slipped Thorhallsson into the area but the Icelandic midfielder took an extra touch and then was dispossessed by the arriving defense without getting a shot off.

The best chance for either side in the first half came at 13 minutes, when McKinze Gaines blew past Santos and fired from a tight angle. Stajduhar was there to make a good reaction save and the ball skipped through the six-yard box and out for a goal kick before any Charlotte attackers could arrive.

Charlotte and Orlando got a bit chippy at times, with Brandt Bronico booked for a heavy challenge on Felipe and Araujo booked for a fairly innocuous arm up on an aerial in the attacking penalty box. Former Lion Justin Meram got into a shoving match with McGuire in the aftermath of the booking but nothing came of what amounted to just a lot of bluster.

Felipe went down with a knock in the 43rd minute and took his shoe off but quickly put it back on and soldiered through to halftime while noticeably limping in order to save his team a substitution window. Wilder Cartagena came on for him after the break.

That was about it for a dull opening 45 minutes.

Charlotte finished the first half with more possession (60.2%-39.8%), passing accuracy (84.3%-80%), and shots on target (1-0), with Orlando earning more corners (3-2), and both teams attempting one shot in the opening 45 minutes. It was not the kind of game you show a friend to get them excited about the game of soccer.

The hosts came out of the locker room swarming to try to grab the lead. Jaylin Lindsey’s cross found Enzo Copetti in front of goal and Stajduhar made the save of the match to get his hand on the powerful header in the opening minute of the second half.

It took Orlando a few minutes of withstanding set pieces and recycled attacking crosses into the area before the Lions could settle into the second 45 minutes. McGuire was nearly sent in behind in the 50th minute but Kristijan Kahlina quickly came out of his box to head the ball away.

McGuire thought he’d scored in the 57th minute but the whistle blew for a foul on the Orlando rookie striker. The play came from another good long ball, as McGuire tried to get to the outside around defender Jan Sobocinski. The Charlotte center back appeared to lose his balance before any contact was made, and McGuire slotted his shot just inside the right post. McGuire did get a hand to Sobocinski’s shoulder, but hardly was able to use the defender as leverage, but that didn’t matter because the ref saw a foul there. It might have made for an interesting video review had there been VAR in the match, although it’s hard to say that there was an error that was clear and obvious (whatever that even means).

The game turned in Charlotte’s favor in the 70th minute on an unnecessary turnover. Halliday tried to head a pass backward but didn’t get any power to it and turned it over to Karol Swiderski. Schlegel tried to put out the fire by fouling Swiderski, but the ball was picked up by Kamil Jozwiak, who beat Araujo to it. Jansson stepped up and got a foot on the ball, but it took an unlucky bounce after the contact, and Jozwiak was suddenly behind the defense with the ball, chipping it over Stajduhar for the opening goal.

“First of all, we have to get rid of the ball and don’t put us in situations like that,” Jansson said. Just kick the ball away and just go for the next ball. I think their striker got it and went to the center of the field. I came in, in the PK box, and I tried to do everything not to cause a penalty but then it bounced back to him — how you say, the feet against the feet — then he luckily got the bounce with him. So yeah, it’s it’s a bad one.”

Orlando City should have pulled the goal right back when Derrick Jones lost control of the ball in front of his own net moments later. The ball found McGuire in front with a ton of space to shoot but he rushed his shot, got his feet all wrong, and missed what should have been an easy sitter in the 72nd minute. Just a minute later, second-half sub Ivan Angulo lifted a cross through the area that should have given fellow substitute Martin Ojeda an easy header at the back post, but the pass was too high.

In the 82nd minute, a long throw from Araujo skipped to the feet of Torres. The Uruguayan fired wide as the inexplicable run of misses continued.

As time wound down, Angulo sent a low shot in that deflected out off of McGuire and moments later the winger fired again but sent his effort sailing over the bar on yet another wasteful attempt.

The final whistle was typical of the game. Kahlina had a goal kick, took nearly 30 seconds setting it up, and the ref blew the whistle at precisely the four minutes of stoppage time he’d given. That was the 2023 U.S. Open Cup as far as Orlando City is concerned.

Orlando finished with more possession (50.5%-49.5%), shots (11-6), and passing accuracy (80.8%-79.5%). Both teams won four corners. But the telling statistic was shots on target, where Charlotte held a 4-0 advantage, and once again the Lions are left wondering how they can at least worry a goalkeeper once in a while.

“It’s a frustrating one and yeah, it has to be better than that,” Jansson said of the team’s performance.

“At this point it is difficult with a speech to fix the things,” Pareja said when asked what he told his team after the match. “I think we have to absorb it. We are a professional soccer club and we are professionals that need to think first. We need to calm down. We have a turnaround pretty quick. We have a game in three days, and if you want it or not, we have to rescue all the good things that we had in the game.”

The Lions will continue their road trip after a brief stop home, visiting the Columbus Crew on Saturday night.

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Atlanta United: Three Keys to Victory

What do the Lions need to do to get a victory to advance to the Eastern Conference final?

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1 hour ago

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November 21, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City continues its playoff journey against Atlanta United Sunday at Inter&Co Stadium. The Lions are coming off an emotional penalty shootout win over Charlotte FC in their best-of-three, first-round series. Likewise, Atlanta United stunned everyone by taking out Inter Miami to advance in its own best-of-three matchup. Now, the rivals meet in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

What does Orlando City need to do to get past Atlanta United to advance to the Easter Conference final?

Beat Guzan

Brad Guzan made 16 saves over Atlanta’s three matches against Inter Miami, including seven in the 3-2 win on the road in Game 3. The 40-year-old former USMNT keeper is in excellent form and is a big reason why the Five Stripes are facing Orlando City. Converting chances against Guzan will be crucial to earning a result. There have been times this season when the Lions have struggled to convert their chances. Despite that, the team has done enough offensively to get to this point. Facundo Torres, Martin Ojeda, Duncan McGuire, Ramiro Enrique, and others have contributed and will need to do so this weekend.

Cartagena is Essential

Orlando City lost twice to Atlanta United during the regular season. What is interesting, and perhaps relevant, is that Wilder Cartagena was out for both of those matches. Cartagena was shown a straight red in the match against Minnesota United prior to the first match against Atlanta way back in March. He was shown a yellow card in the match against FC Cincinnati and then served a yellow card accumulation suspension for the final match of the season against Atlanta. Fortunately for Orlando City, Cartagena will be available for the match this weekend. I’ve mentioned before the importance of Cartagena to Orlando City’s success. When he and Cesar Araujo are on the field together, the defense is simply better. Cartagena is frankly one of the better defensive midfielders in MLS. Atlanta scored five goals in the series against Miami, and Orlando will need to keep the visitors from having that kind of offensive success.

Overcome the Past

That darn international break in the middle of the playoffs is something I don’t love. More precisely, I don’t like it because Orlando City often struggles after a break. It would have been nice if Orlando City could have ridden the momentum from the penalty kick victory into the Atlanta match, but that’s not to be. Now is the time for Orlando City to break some bad habits, including turning around its historical lack of success against Atlanta, and tendency to struggle in the first match after a break. Oscar Pareja needs to have the players in the right frame of mind, and the players need to execute the plan. A full house of supporters can also make a difference. Given it’s a Sunday afternoon match, there’s no reason not to pack the house.

That is what I will be looking for Sunday afternoon. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/21/24

Marta’s chance to shine in NWSL Championship, NWSL and MLS award winners announced, 2025 SheBelieves Cup details, and more.

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5 hours ago

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November 21, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve been spending most of this week plotting out some holiday shopping to make things a little less stressful for myself over the next few weeks. A big weekend filled with Orlando soccer awaits us, so make sure to get any errands or obligations out of the way sooner rather than later. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Spotlight Falls On Marta in NWSL Championship

There are plenty of storylines heading into Saturday’s NWSL Championship between the Orlando Pride and Washington Spirit, including Marta’s opportunity to put an exclamation point on what has been an excellent season for the Pride. Orlando has been enjoying the fruits of its labor this season after a rebuild over the past few years that’s included plenty of change in the City Beautiful. Marta has been a constant, however, enduring some difficult seasons since joining the Pride and adapting her game She’s scored in both of the Pride’s playoff games so far and has a chance to author a storybook ending on Saturday.

Ann-Katrin Berger Named NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year

NJ/NY Gotham FC goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger was named 2024 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year, beating out the Pride’s Anna Moorhouse and Utah Royals FC’s Mandy Haught for the honor. It was Berger’s first year in the NWSL and she’s the first European player to win the award. She only conceded 16 goals across her 22 matches for Gotham this season and was a key reason behind her team’s success. I’m not too surprised that Moorhouse did not win, considering how solid the Pride’s defense was as a whole, but this won’t take anything away from a record-breaking season for her.

Wilfried Nancy Named MLS Coach of the Year

Columbus Crew Head Coach Wilfried Nancy was voted 2024 MLS Coach of the Year after a historic season in which the Crew set club records in both points and goals. The Crew also won the Leagues Cup this summer and their 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup campaign included advancing past Tigres and Monterrey en route to the final. This is Nancy’s first time being named Coach of the Year and he has been a finalist for the award every year since 2021. The Frenchman received 40.02% of the vote, winning the award over Inter Miami’s Gerardo Martino and Colorado Rapids Head Coach Chris Armas.

2025 SheBelieves Cup Details Unveiled

The 10th annual SheBelieves Cup will take place next year and the tournament will return to its usual format where each of the four teams plays each other once. The United States Women’s National Team will host Japan, Colombia, and Australia in February in what should be an exciting tournament. The U.S. will take on Colombia on Feb. 20 in Houston before facing Australia in Arizona on Feb. 23 and finishing the tournament on Feb. 26 against Japan at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego. These games will also be the first domestic games of 2025 for the USWNT as it prepares to qualify for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.

Eric Quill Named FC Dallas Head Coach

FC Dallas announced that Eric Quill will become the team’s next head coach. Quill joins Dallas after a great year with New Mexico United that included trips to the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals and USL Championship Western Conference semifinals. It’s also a reunion of sorts for Quill, as he previously coached North Texas SC and was named USL League One Coach of the Year with the club in 2019. Dallas missed out on the playoffs this season, with Peter Luccin coaching the team on an interim basis after the firing of Nico Estevez in June.

Free Kicks

  • District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser challenged Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer to a bet involving this weekend’s NWSL Championship, with embarrassing lightshows on the line.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/20/24

Martin Ojeda could be a key factor against Atlanta, Seb Hines wins Coach of the Year, Lions abroad, and more.

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1 day ago

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November 20, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good Wednesday morning, Mane Landers. For long time readers, you might remember me as a staple in your Lion Links but having stepped away on sabbatical. Today, I’m honored to be called off the bench and fill in for Dave. My life has been filled with being a first-time father along with taking over as commissioner of a soccer league and my normal day job. Through all of it, I have stayed true to catching as many Orlando City matches as I can or at least the highlights. TML is my go-to source for all things purple, so I’m glad to pitch in and talk about what is happening around the City Beautiful and soccer once again. So, let’s get into the links!

Lions’ Not-So Secret Weapons

Orlando City is ready to take on Atlanta United on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. According to Andrew Wiebe of MLSsoccer.com, midfielder Martín Ojeda and the home field advantage of Inter&Co Stadium will be the key to victory for Oscar Pareja to finally lift the cup with Orlando. On the other side of the ball, Atlanta United goalkeeper Brad Guzan is in impeccable form and will give the Five Stripes an opportunity to advance again despite being the underdogs.

Seb Hines Wins Major Award

The National Women’s Soccer League announced Pride Head Coach Seb Hines has been named the 2024 NWSL Coach of the Year. Following his stint as a player for Orlando City and coaching at the youth level, Hines became the Pride’s interim head coach in June 2022 before getting the gig full time. This season was his best yet with Orlando, finding 18 wins and leading a team that scored a club-record 46 goals along the way. He learned about his award from his players:

Internationals Take The Pitch

Tuesday gave some Lions the chance to represent their home nations. Orlando City right back Dagur Dan Thorhallsson entered the UEFA Nations League match between Wales and Iceland in the 75th-minute, but Iceland fell 4-1 after scoring first. Goalkeeper Pedro Gallese gained another start for Peru in its CONMEBOL World Cup qualifier against Argentina but couldn’t earn a shutout in a 1-0 loss.

Record MLS Signing Reported

FC Cincinnati has splashed the cash and has reportedly completed the signing of 23-year-old Cercle Brugge forward Kévin Denkey. The transfer fee of $16.2 million is an MLS record, passing the previous $16 million that Atlanta United spent to acquired Thiago Almada in 2022. The signing of Denkey to a four-year contract fills a gap at forward for Cincinnati. The length of the deal appears to make him the centerpiece of the team as only one player on the roster has guaranteed contract years beyond 2026, and only striker Kevin Kelsy has option years into 2028 and 2029, but he is currently on loan.

Inter&Co Stadium Will Host Orlando Cup

Coming in January 2025, the Orlando Cup Pro Series will bring clubs Santos FC, Atlético Nacional, and Fortaleza to our home stadium. These will be preseason matches for the participating teams to help them tune up and grow their brands in the United States.

Free Kicks

That’s a wrap on links for the day. I wish you all the best with the rest of you week. Who else is excited for a big Orlando soccer weekend? Vamos Orlando!

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