Connect with us

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. New England Revolution: Final Score 3-1 as Orlando City Falls Again in Foxborough

The shorthanded Lions were never really in this one and lacked sharpness throughout.

Published

2 years ago

on

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Someday Orlando City will win at New England and it will be glorious, but that will have to wait. The shorthanded Lions were dominated and rarely threatened former Orlando City backup goalkeeper Earl Edwards Jr. in a 3-1 loss at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA. The Lions (7-5-5, 26 points) fell to 0-6-2 in away games against the Revs (9-3-6, 33 points) as Emmanuel Boateng, Gustavo Bou, and Carles Gil did the damage. Duncan McGuire pulled one back late for Orlando.

“Obviously frustrated not getting the result,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “But the analysis of the game is clear. In the second half when we reacted, the goals were plays isolated where we could have defended better and that’s probably the frustration that we carry right now. But we had the chances to score. We had the chances to equalize the game.”

Pareja was missing several regulars due to international duty and suspension, so Mason Stajduhar started in net behind a back line of Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Michael Halliday. Cesar Araujo’s central midfield partner was Felipe, behind an attacking line of Ivan Angulo, Mauricio Pereyra, and Martin Ojeda, with Ercan Kara up top.

The opening half was a sloppy, rain-soaked affair and Orlando City never seemed to settle into the match. Orlando only managed to hang onto the ball for 33% of the time and passed dreadfully, completing less than 70% of attempted passes.

Araujo was booked just three minutes in when Gil felt a hand on his shoulder and went to ground easily. Referee Fotis Bazakos bought it and showed the Uruguayan an early yellow. Gil sent the free kick wide, although Stajduhar had his post covered.

Pereyra drew a free kick on a foul from behind by Noel Buck and the Lions were going to try something different with the set piece but Bazakos blew his whistle after Pereyra had tapped the ball to his left. That ruined the surprise and Ojeda instead sent a shot just wide of Earl Edwards Jr.’s post.

Stajduhar made the only save of the first half in the 21st minute when Bou fired from the top of the box and it appeared to take a slight deflection, which took some of the pace off the attempt.

A minute later, Halliday was booked for an even softer foul on Emmanuel Boateng, putting two defenders on notice in the game’s first half hour.

Bou fired over the bar in the 23rd minute and Buck missed just wide of the right post in the 28th as the Revolution did most of the possessing and attacking in the opening period. Whether it was the rain, the artificial turf, a lack of sharpness, or a combination of those things, the Lions struggled to find each other with passes or to bring those passes under control.

Bobby Wood put the ball in the net in the 32nd minute but the flag came up immediately as Brandon Bye was offside in the buildup.

The most dangerous Orlando City chance should have come in the 34th minute when Pereyra slipped the ball in for Ojeda but his touch was poor, he lost control, and it dribbled out for a goal kick. Two minutes later, Santos found space on the left but sent his cross right at Edwards. Seconds later, Angulo cut left to right and fired a shot into the stands.

An overhit corner kick cross and a doubly overhit cross by Halliday later pretty much summed up the first half and the teams went into the break scoreless.

The Revs dominated the stat sheet, leading at the break in possession (66.8%-33.2%), shots (6-3), shots on target (1-0), corners (2-1), and passing accuracy (85.7%-69.7%).

Pareja sent McGuire on for Kara to start the second half, hoping to bother New England’s back line with a little more pace.

“Second half the intention with Duncan was to be maybe faster and deeper on our movements, and he provided those diagonals,” Pareja said. “He held the ball for us. Both of them (Kara and McGuire) helped us today and obviously just happy with Duncan scoring another goal.”

The lions started the second half somewhat brightly with Pereyra nearly sending Ojeda in behind in the 47th minute but defender Dave Romney got their a fraction earlier to get a toe on it. Seconds later, Felipe tried a shot but hit it right at Edwards.

New England broke the deadlock just six minutes into the second period anyway. The Revs created an overload on the right and Bou fizzed a cross into the box that Stajduhar parried away. Unfortunately, it went straight out from goal, allowing Boateng to hit a blast just inside the right post to make it 1-0 in the 51st minute.

Ojeda either sent a shot just wide or a back-post cross to nobody in the 54th minute, looking to pull that goal right back. A minute later, a ball in from Halliday took a deflection that allowed Edwards to collect.

Angulo teed up a shot in the 58th minute but again couldn’t keep his shot down on what was a forgettable night for him. The next two decent-looking Orlando attacks ended with a thud with both Santos and Halliday sending crosses right at the goalkeeper, wasting more opportunities.

Ojeda’s best look of the night came in the 63rd minutes. With the ball pinging around near the top of the area, Ojeda spun his body and sent a shot toward the right post. He wasn’t able to get a lot of pace on it, but the shot through traffic was headed in but Edwards made a huge save to preserve the lead. The ball unfortunately bounced to maybe the only height that would have permitted the save.

Bou appeared to put the game away in the 69th minute, racing from right to left and unleashing a shot inside the far post past Stajduhar to make it 2-0.

The difference in quality on the night between the teams’ attackers was never more apparent than on Bou’s screamer and the eventual insurance goal from Gil.

Thankfully, Wood did not have that same quality in the 73rd minute when his shot found outside netting on the break.

Orlando’s sloppy night in front of goal continued for the next few minutes, with Araujo badly slicing a shot that ended up bouncing to Ojeda, who then missed the target.

Second-half sub Giacomo Vrioni fired a shot wide in transition after that, keeping the scoreline from getting worse.

Pareja then sent Dagur Dan Thorhallsson and Luca Petrasso on for Araujo and Pereyra. The Lions scored a minute after those changes. Halliday sent his best cross of the night over the defense and McGuire met it in the air, heading it back to the right and in for his fifth goal of the season in the 80th minute, making it 2-1.

“I saw a teammate get his head up and I have a good connection with him,” McGuire said about the play. “He served a beautiful ball up and I’ve just worked on that header a million times in training, so it worked out perfectly.”

The Lions threw numbers forward but got caught looking for the equalizer. Just five minutes after McGuire’s goal, Orlando wasted opportunities to get the ball in the box off a set piece and after New England gained possession, the Revs attacked with numbers and both City center backs forward. Gil finished the play with a goal that beat Stajduhar in almost exactly the same way Bou had. The 85th-minute goal made it 3-1 and effectively killed the game.

Despite four goals and multiple subs on both sides, Bazakos determined three minutes of stoppage time were sufficient. Pareja sent OCB captain Juninho on for his MLS debut, along with Ramiro Enrique. The Juninho substitution nearly paid off immediately.

With one of his first touches on the night, Juninho freed himself up for a shot from outside the box but fizzed it just wide of the left post in the 92nd minute.

After Edwards was booked for time wasting, a final ball fell for Halliday with an open look at goal. The young fullback decided instead to square a ball into traffic and it was easily cut out as the game came to an end.

The Lions ate into the lopsided stats a bit, but New England controlled possession (59.4%-40.6%) and passed more accurately (85.4%-77.2%). Orlando City finished with more shot attempts (16-14). Both teams got four of their shots on target and each side earned two corners.

“The game got more open in the second half and they threw a lot more numbers forward, which allowed us to get some counters going, but we’ve got to put our chances away, and I think we’ve got to do a better job with that,” McGuire said.

Orlando City has a short turnaround with the Philadelphia Union visiting Exploria Stadium on Wednesday night. Game time is 7:30 p.m.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Orlando City

Orlando City at Charlotte FC: Three Keys to Victory

What do the Lions need to do to earn all three points on the road in Charlotte?

Published

1 hour ago

on

July 3, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City travels to North Carolina to take on Charlotte FC in an important Eastern Conference match. The Lions need to get back on the winning side following their home loss to FC Cincinnati. Orlando City has been good on the road lately, so perhaps that is a positive. Despite Charlotte missing some players on international duty, it will still be a tough match. What does Orlando City need to do to bring home all three points from Charlotte?

Left Side Puzzle

Orlando City’s attack has been lacking on the left side. Ivan Angulo has not been great so far this season. He has taken 23 shots, putting eight on target, and has not scored. Additionally, Angulo only has three assists. David Brekalo has been the first choice at left back for most of the season, but he’s not the most adept at getting into the attack. He has no completed crosses and only two assists.

The reason Brekalo has been starting is because Rafael Santos has been poor defensively. Of course, he’s a better crosser than Brekalo, meaning if Oscar Pareja did start Santos, it might help the attack on the left. I don’t know that there is an ideal lineup. Brekalo is better on defense, Santos is better on offense, and Angulo is fast. All three won’t be on the left side, so does Pareja prioritize the attack or the defense? I say the attack, given Orlando’s scarcity of goals in recent matches — the St. Louis match notwithstanding.

Defense Central

Charlotte has a very good attacking midfield with Wilfried Zaha, Pep Biel, and Liel Abada. The three have combined for 16 goals and 15 assists. Even if Charlotte is missing Patrick Agyemang due to his being with the USMNT, there is still plenty of firepower for Cesar Araujo and the back line to deal with on Saturday.

I expect we’ll see a back line consisting of Brekalo, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson. I’m also expecting Angulo and Eduard Atuesta in the midfield. It will be essential for all six to contain Charlotte’s attack. A return to form from Pedro Gallese might be in order as well.

Finally Finishing

In the St. Louis match, Orlando City scored four goals on 23 shots with 12 on target. Last match, the Lions took 17 shots with only three on target, totaling one goal. Orlando City will need to do better against Charlotte if the club is to keep pace or climb the standings in the Eastern Conference.

Ramiro Enrique and Marco Pasalic won’t have to deal with Tim Ream, who is also away with the USMNT, but they will need to get the ball past Charlotte keeper Kristijan Kahlina, who is a good keeper. And you can bet the defense will be looking at Enrique and Pasalic. That is why I want Martin Ojeda and Luis Muriel to get back to scoring some goals in this match.

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

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/3/25

Orlando Pride loan five players out, Orlando City academy players selected for All-Star Team, USMNT beats Guatemala, and more.

Published

5 hours ago

on

July 3, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

How’s it going, Mane Landers? It’s been a weird week for me so far, as it’s felt simultaneously like it’s flying by and taking forever for the weekend to get here. All of the soccer has been nice at least, and I’ve been able to get some reading and painting done when not swamped. But enough about me, let’s dive into today’s links!

Orlando Pride Loan Multiple Players Out

The Orlando Pride loaned out five players for the rest of the 2025 season, with four of them joining USL Super League teams. Forward Amanda Allen, who was loaned to Lexington SC last year and injured her shoulder in December, is headed to her home country of Canada to join Halifax Tides FC in the Northern Super League. As for the players headed to the USL Super League, right back Brianna Martinez will join Carolina Ascent FC, goalkeeper Kat Asman and forward Mariana Larroquette were loaned to Lexington, and Aryssa Mahrt was sent to Spokane Zephyr FC. These loans should provide solid opportunities for minutes for these players, so hopefully they can make some noise with their respective teams.

Orlando City Academy Players Make All-Star Team

The rosters for the 2025 MLS NEXT All-Star Game are out and Orlando City B midfielders Gustavo Caraballo and Dylan Judelson were both selected for the event. The East All-Stars will be coached by Orlando City SC Academy Director Javier Carrillo, who also coached Orlando’s U-18 team to victory in the Generation Adidas Cup this year. Caraballo was named MVP of that tournament’s U-18 age group and scored 16 goals over the course of the MLS NEXT season. Judelson appeared in 32 games for Orlando this season and could factor into Canada’s U-17 World Cup plans come November. The MLS NEXT All-Star Game will take place on July 21 and can be viewed on the MLS YouTube channel.

USMNT Takes Down Guatemala in Gold Cup

The United States Men’s National Team secured a spot in the Concacaf Gold Cup final after winning 2-1 against Guatemala in St. Louis. The Yanks got off to a hot start thanks to Diego Luna’s brace in the first 15 minutes of the match. The offense wasn’t able to extend the lead beyond that though, and a late goal by Olger Escobar made the match a bit more tense the U.S. would have liked. Regardless, the U.S. got the job done in the end and will play in Sunday’s final in Houston.

USWNT Breezes Past Canada in Friendly

The United States Women’s National Team beat Canada in convincing fashion, shutting out its northern rival 3-0 in a friendly. Sam Coffey and Claire Hutton scored in the first half to give the USWNT a nice lead, and Yazmeen Ryan came off the bench to put the nail in the coffin with a late goal. The defense did well to claim its third clean sheet of this series of summer friendlies. Emily Sams didn’t make an appearance for the U.S., and Zara Chavoshi didn’t come off the bench for Canada either.

NWSL Announces Layout For 2026 Schedule

The 2026 NWSL regular season will kick off on March 13 and finish on Nov. 1 according to the league’s announced framework for next year’s action. Although there will be 16 teams next year, the playoff format remains the same and the top eight teams in the standings will qualify, with the 2026 NWSL Championship set for Nov. 21. There will once again be a balanced schedule, with each team playing 30 matches over the course of 27 weeks. The league will also notably be on break for a majority of June due to the FIFA World Cup, citing expectations to accommodate stadium demands in markets where World Cup games will take place

Free Kicks

  • Boston Legacy FC signed American midfielder Annie Karich as its first player ahead of its inaugural season next year. Karich spent the past two seasons with SC Freiburg in Germany and joins Boston as a free agent.
  • San Diego FC forward Anders Dreyer was named MLS Player of the Month after recording three goals and six assists in June. He leads the league with 23 goal contributions this season and is a major reason behind San Diego’s rise to the top of the Western Conference standings.
  • Atlanta United bolstered its defense by signing Albanian center back Enea Mihaj to a contract through 2028. The 26-year-old joins as a free agent after spending the past three seasons with FC Famalicao in Portugal top flight.
  • The 2025 Women’s European Championship kicked off in Switzerland, with Finland beating Iceland 1-0 in the first match of the tournament. Switzerland struck first against Norway, but Ada Hegerberg scored an equalizer and an own goal by Swiss defender Julia Stierli gave Norway the 2-1 win.
  • It seems the Concacaf co-hosts for next year’s World Cup will be able to serve suspensions in friendlies rather than missing out on the World Cup.

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

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/2/25

Big names leave Toronto FC, hot conditions in Club World Cup match, FIFPRO makes ACL recommendations, and more.

Published

1 day ago

on

July 2, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Wednesday, everyone. It already feels like it’s been a long week, as I just got home from being out of town traveling up and down the East Coast for the last few days. The soccer world hasn’t stopped in my absence though, and as usual we have a lot to cover today. Let’s wish a happy birthday to OCB defender Tahir Reid-Brown, and jump into today’s links!

Italians Leave Toronto FC

It’s the end of an era at Toronto FC, as the club has parted ways with both Federico Bernardeschi, and Lorenzo Insigne. The Reds used both of their two buyouts of guaranteed contracts this season in order to get the transactions done, so the club was pretty keen to get them out the door. It’s hard to blame the Reds, as Insigne was the second-highest paid player in the league while Bernardeschi was the fifth highest. They didn’t have much to show for it though, as Bernardeschi had 26 goals and 22 assists in 99 games across all competitions, while Insigne had 19 goals and 17 assists in 76 matches. TFC never made the playoffs while the duo was on the team, and the decision to turn the page is an understandable one.

Difficult Conditions in Juventus vs. Real Madrid

The Club World Cup Round of 16 concluded on Tuesday, with Real Madrid knocking off Juventus 1-0 in afternoon match. Kylian Mbappe made his tournament debut for Madrid as a substitute, but it was Gonzalo Garcia’s 54th-minute goal that made the difference in the game. Juve boss Igor Tudor highlighted the difficult conditions in Miami, saying in his postgame press conference that 10 different players asked to come off the field during the game. Tudor didn’t outright blame the loss on the high heat and humidity during the 3 p.m. kickoff at Hard Rock Stadium, but noted that they were among several factors that made the game a very difficult one for his side.

FIFPRO Makes Recommendations to Curb ACL Tears

Amid a rash of ACL injuries to women’s soccer players, FIFPRO has made some recommendations to cut down on the rate at which they occur. Rather than focusing on things that can’t be controlled, the federation has suggested modifying the calendar, number of games, and the playing surfaces. FIFPRO member Alex Culvin is calling for minimum standards in the women’s game relating to pitch conditions and access to physiotherapists. More research around risk factors is also necessary, as is implementing preventative exercises at the youth levels of the game.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

Summer transfer business is in full swing, so let’s catch up on some of the hot rumors currently flying around. First up, Arsenal is said to be in the final stages of signing Viktor Gyokeres to a five-year deal. Staying in the Premier League, Manchester United is reportedly interested in signing midfielder Fabian Ruiz from Paris Saint-Germain. Juventus reportedly is close to signing Jonathan David after his contract with Lille expired. Finally, Bayern Munich is reportedly preparing a formal offer for Liverpool for Colombian winger Luis Diaz.

Free Kicks

Apparently a non -#usmnt drone has crashed the training session. US Soccer staff aiming to identify it.

— Jeff Carlisle (@jeffreycarlisle.bsky.social) 2025-07-01T17:25:12.954Z

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

Continue Reading

Trending