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Orlando City vs. Inter Miami CF: Final Score 0-0 as Wasteful Lions Drop Points at Home

A missed Tesho Akindele penalty was the best opportunity but there were others in an unsatisfying scoreless draw at Exploria Stadium.

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3 years ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City outplayed Tropic Thunder rival Inter Miami but couldn’t find the back of the net in an unsatisfying 0-0 draw at Exploria Stadium. Tesho Akindele had an opportunity from the penalty spot, but there were other good chances that went unfulfilled as well in a frustrating night that still saw the Lions (9-4-8, 35 points) finish undefeated against Inter Miami (6-9-5, 23 points) with a mark of 1-0-2 on the season.

The Lions ran their unbeaten streak to six straight matches (2-0-4), equaling their longest of the season, and remain in second place in the Eastern Conference for the time being. Orlando hasn’t allowed a goal in two games, and tonight’s shutout came against a team that had scored six times in its last two outings.

“We think we did enough to (win) it, but humbly we have to accept it, take the point, and understand that’s the game,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the game. “But a great effort by our players. Competitive match. Obviously we needed to score goals. We needed to be more clinical, just missing that PK as well and with the goal that was called off too. Those things make us feel like it was not enough to get a result but we will keep going forward.”

Pareja’s lineup included Pedro Gallese for the first time since July 25. El Pulpo lined up behind a first-choice back line of Joao Moutinho, Robin Jansson, Antonio Carlos, and Ruan. Junior Urso wore the captain’s armband next to Joey DeZart in the central midfield, with Chris Mueller and Benji Michel facilitating the attack to Silvester van der Water and Akindele at the top of the formation. Nani started the match on the bench, as did Daryl Dike.

Orlando outplayed Miami throughout the opening 45 minutes but, as has been the case far too many times in 2021, couldn’t produce that final moment of magic. Mueller and van der Water sent shots well over the bar in the opening minutes and Urso missed a free header wide of the left post off a Mueller corner kick in the fifth minute.

But the biggest wasted opportunity of the first half came after Nicolas Figal was called for a handball in the area. Akindele took the spot kick for Orlando City and fired to his left, but Nick Marsman guessed correctly and made the save in the 12th minute.

Miami’s first good opportunity came off a corner kick in the 22nd minute. The cross bounced around in the box and Rodolfo Pizarro got his foot on it, sending a soft shot toward goal. Gallese was able to get over and swat it off the line.

The Lions thought they’d scored in the 24th minute when a short corner to Robin Jansson was fired toward goal and deflected into the far corner by Akindele. However, the Miami defense had stepped forward just in time to put the forward off and Ismael Elfath waved off the goal after reviewing the play on the video monitor.

“I felt it directly when it left my foot and it touched Tesho that he was standing offside,” Jansson said. “That was my first feeling, but then I haven’t seen it afterwards so I don’t know if it goes on the frame if Tesho doesn’t touch it. But it is what it is. I mean, we tried to do some stuff on the set pieces and this time it was close for me but we have to look forward to next time.”

The last decent look for Orlando in the half came on a header attempt in the 33rd by Michel, but he mistimed his effort and sent a weak dribbler well wide. Moutinho tried recycling it from the end line but could only sky his cross high into the air. Akindele made an attempt for it but was bodied off by the defense and couldn’t get anything on the shot.

Miami got a ball over the top in first-half stoppage time and Gallese was late getting off his line. Gonzalo Higuain put the ball in the net but the flag came up immediately and the video assistant referee confirmed the offside call.

The teams went to the break scoreless and Miami had to feel fortunate that Orlando didn’t take its chances.

Orlando doubled up Miami in shots (8-4) and each team got only one on target. The Lions held a 4-3 edge in corners and had the advantage in both possession (54.6%-45.4%) and passing accuracy (89.8%-84.3%).

Pareja put Dike into the lineup in place of Akindele to start the second half but the big man didn’t have the impact fans might have hoped. He managed one shot attempt that was well off target and only touched the ball 11 times in his 45 minutes on the pitch in his first match since returning from the Gold Cup. Dike last suited up for the Lions on July 3.

The second half was played mostly between the boxes for the first 15 minutes of the second half with each team getting some set pieces but doing nothing with them.

The first decent look of the half came from Mueller in the 64th when he sent a rocket from distance that he couldn’t get to dip enough at the end.

Much of the half was bereft of chances for either side, with Orlando getting six shot attempts off and conceding only one the other way.

Dike’s cross nearly resulted in a Miami own goal in the 83rd minute with a sliding clearance that didn’t miss the net by much. Second-half sub Nani sent in a good corner kick cross in the 85th minute that found Carlos’ shoulder. The ball deflected on target but Marsman did well to get over and make a huge save to keep the game scoreless.

Urso sent a curling effort toward the upper left corner in the 89th minute, but it was just a smidge off target on a good shot from outside the box. Orlando got a couple more corners but couldn’t make them pay off and the game ended all square at 0-0.

The Lions out-shot Miami 14-5, and got marginally more on target (3-2). Orlando held the advantage in corners (10-4), possession (55.4%-44.6%), and passing accuracy (91.1%-83.4%). It was a dominating performance everywhere but on the scoreboard.

Gallese’s shutout was his eighth in an Orlando City uniform, tying Brian Rowe for second on the team’s all-time list, five behind career leader Joe Bendik’s 13.

“Today to get back in goal for my team and to help us achieve our goals and continue advancing forward in this season is just great,” Gallese said through a club interpreter. “We had a very strong defensive game plan today coming into the game. We knew that Miami had a very strong attack with players like Pizarro and Higuain, so we just really needed to stay concentrated together as a unit, and being able to play that way defensively just really helped us have a strong game.”

Orlando’s six-game unbeaten run could have yielded more points with better finishing. The Lions have scored just four times in the last five matches.

“That’s the game,” Pareja said about the team’s missed opportunities. “It’s not easy. Scoring goals is all that we work for. But right now we don’t have that volume or we don’t have that clinical touch to put the ball in the back of the net — not even on a PK. I have to accept it but I have to see the whole thing. We will keep working. The boys have obviously the energy and the commitment to get better.”

Orlando City welcomes the Columbus Crew on Saturday, Sept. 4 in the Lions’ next match.

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. FC Cincinnati: Three Keys to Victory

What does Orlando City need to do to ensure a victory over FC Cincinnati Saturday at home?

Published

11 hours ago

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May 2, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City looks to bounce back from the disappointing 2-1 loss to Toronto FC Saturday night at Inter&Co Stadium. Cincinnati has twice as many points as Orlando City and more than twice as many wins. FCC has only scored one more goal than Orlando City, but with only nine goals conceded compared to Orlando City’s 17, it’s easy to see why Cincinnati is sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference.

What I’m trying to say is that the task doesn’t get any easier this weekend. What does Orlando City need to do to secure all three points at home against FC Cincinnati?

Accost Acosta

Cincinnati’s attack revolves around Luciano Acosta. The attacking midfielder has four goals and five assists so far this season. To put that into perspective, Duncan McGuire — Orlando City’s leading scorer — also has four goals but only one assist. If we look at the Lions’ attacking midfielders, Facundo Torres has one goal and one assist, Ivan Angulo and Nico Lodeiro both have one goal and two assists, and Martin Ojeda has zero goals and only one assist. Luis Muriel is still at double zeroes.

The defensive midfield and the back line must do everything possible to mark him out of the match. It’s not enough to keep him from scoring, they must also keep him from setting up chances for his teammates. Most importantly, the defense must do that for 90 minutes plus stoppage time. There is no room for the mental lapses we’ve seen throughout the first part of this season.

Break Through

Cincinnati is stingy on defense. As I mentioned above, the club has only allowed nine goals this season. The back line is formidable with the likes of Matt Miazga, Miles Robinson, and Ian Murphy. On the wings are DeAndre Yedlin and Luca Orellano. This is a tough defense, and whether it is McGuire or Muriel who gets the start, they must find the spaces in between.

Just as importantly, Torres, Angulo, Ojeda, and Lodeiro — depending on who is in at any given moment — must be able to thread the passes in for McGuire, Muriel, or each other to create quality chances. On top of that, the Lions must convert on those chances, which is not something that has been a strength so far this season. If the Orlando City defense continues to give up cheap goals, then the offense will need to one-up the competition when it comes to scoring.

Deal with an Unknown

FC Cincinnati recently signed Venezuelan forward Kevin Kelsy from Ukrainian Premier League club Shakhtar Donetsk. Kelsy comes in as an MLS U22 Initiative player and is eligible to play against Orlando City. Even though Kelsy is only 19, he has 68 professional appearances, including UEFA Champions Leagues matches. At 6-foot-3, he can be a challenge for defenders, especially in the air.

Kelsy hasn’t had much time with the team, but he could be a second-half substitution for Cincinnati. Given that Orlando City just gave up two late headers against Toronto FC, the back line will need to be careful that Kelsy doesn’t hurt the Lions in the same manner — especially if he comes on late when legs and minds are tired.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/2/24

The Pride win big, OCSC celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month, USMNT news, and more.

Published

15 hours ago

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May 2, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

It’s Thursday, Mane Landers. Of course, the name Thursday comes from Thor’s day, and as such, it isn’t a big leap for us to consider it Thorhallsson’s day. Though I suppose that is a bit of a mouthful, so we’ll just keep things the way they are, but do hold Dagur Dan close to your heart today. Also, let us wish a happy birthday to the Orlando Pride’s Luana. Despite the devastating news that dropped about her health earlier this week, we hope that her spirits are high and we wish her nothing but happiness today. It’s also Dagur Dan Thorhallsson’s birthday today, so we’re celebrating him as well. Let’s get to the links.

The Pride Dominate the Courage

The Orlando Pride defeated the North Carolina Courage 4-1 in a midweek match at Inter&Co Stadium. The Pride did indeed dominate the Courage as much as the score line indicates. It was once again the Barbra Banda show, with the Pride’s newest player contributing a brace and an assist on the night. It is the Pride’s fourth straight victory and the undefeated run continues.

OCSC Celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month

Orlando City and the Orlando Pride are doing their part this May to observe Mental Health Awareness Month. The club is sponsoring and attending events and forums available to the general public, as well as holding club staff workshops around promoting mental health. I have to say my favorite is the therapy dogs visits that will be available to the staff. There’s nothing as good for my personal mental health as the joy and unconditional love a dog can bring. If I didn’t have dogs of my own, I’d be really jealous.

The Billionaires Clubs

Orlando City and Orlando Pride owners, the Wilf family, are not the only billionaire owners in the NWSL. There are more and more owners and ownership groups that fall into that category. The influx of more money is a growth opportunity for the league and potentially for those owners. It’s a bit of a “rising tide lifts all boats” mentality for these owners as they do better when the league as a whole does better. It’s not just the owners who think so. The NWSL was ranked No. 5 on the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2024. I’m just glad the Pride are in the club.

USMNT News

I hate starting off a section with bad news, but Sergino Dest tore his ACL in training with PSV Eindhoven and will miss the Copa America. Dest will require surgery though there is no time frame yet for when he may return. The loss of Dest is a blow to the U.S. defense heading into the competition this coming June. The USMNT plays Bolivia on June 23.

In better news, Tim Weah provided the assist for Juventus on Arkadiusz Milik’s goal against Lazio. Juventus entered the second leg of the Copa Italia semifinal up 2-0, but Lazio drew level before Milik’s goal. Juventus advanced 3-2 on aggregate and will play in the final.

Free Kicks

That will do it for today. There’s plenty more soccer to come this weekend with all three teams playing. Check back for more as we get you ready for those matches. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/1/24

Mason Stajduhar was arrested, Orlando Pride play at home tonight, Colin Guske discusses his signing, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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May 1, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday and welcome to May, Mane Landers. Don’t forget that the undefeated Orlando Pride are in action tonight, so check back for our match preview and the latest episode of SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride PawedCast for additional pre-match coverage. In the meantime, let’s get to the links.

Mason Stajduhar Arrested Early Sunday

Orlando City goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar and his wife Tatiana Stajduhar were both arrested on disorderly conduct charges following an incident at a nightclub overnight Saturday in the early hours of Sunday morning. The couple were reportedly disrespectful to the club’s staff and got into an altercation with the security guards. Mason stated he was only resisting the security guards to re-enter the club because the bouncers allegedly hit his wife. Tatiana allegedly pushed the police officers after they arrived, and she was not charged with battery on a law enforcement officer. The couple were released Monday after posting a bond. Orlando City provided the following statement to WESH 2 News:

“The Club is aware that goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar was arrested early Sunday morning. We are currently gathering more information and will have no further comment at this time.”

Orlando Pride Host the North Carolina Courage Tonight

After a 3-2 win on the road last Friday against the Washington Spirit, the Orlando Pride are back in the City Beautiful and will take on the North Carolina Courage tonight. Unbeaten in their six games so far this season, the Pride have also won their past three games and sit fourth in the standings. They’re tied on points with a Courage team that beat the Seattle Reign Saturday. Orlando has scored at least one goal in every match this season. Forward Barbra Banda had a great performance in that win against the Spirit, so hopefully the scoring trend continues tonight for the Pride.

Orlando City/Pride Earn Golden Brick Awards

Have you enjoyed the new food options at the stadium? I know I have, and I’m looking forward to trying even more. The efforts made by Orlando City’s front office to feature more local food and beverage options did not go unnoticed, as the club won the Hospitality & Dining category in the Downtown Orlando Partnership’s 2023 Golden Brick Awards. The Orlando Pride’s 2023 Highway Woman Kit also won the award in the Arts & Culture category. The home jersey was inspired by the work of Mary Ann Carroll, the sole woman in the famed Highwaymen artists from decades ago.

Colin Guske Speaks On Signing First Pro Contract

Orlando City Development Academy player Colin Guske signed his first professional contract with the club last month and spoke on the importance of this moment in his career. The 17-year-old is now on an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Orlando City B, and he has started in nearly every game for the Young Lions this year. Both of Guske’s brothers have also played for Orlando City’s academy over the years, and he thanked his family for helping him reach this point.

“It’s awesome to represent the Guskes,” Colin said. “Thanks to my brothers for always pushing me through early mornings and late nights, always putting in the work, doing video sessions, everything. My sister as well, for always being there for me and my parents, too. They’re always helping me and what was the best for me.”

Free Kicks

  • Enjoy all of the sights and sounds from the Pride’s big win over the Spirit in the nation’s capital.
  • The Champions League semifinals are underway and Real Madrid and Bayern Munich played to a 2-2 draw in Germany. The second leg will take place on May 8 in Madrid.

That will do it for today. If you can make it out to the stadium tonight to catch the Pride in action, I strongly suggest you do so. Barbra Banda is about to take the NWSL by storm and you’ll want to see it in person. Vamos Orlando!

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