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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Toronto FC: Five Takeaways

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4 years ago

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For most of the game it was far from a pretty affair, but at the end of the day Orlando City left BMO Field with a point. It was a result that didn’t look particularly likely for a large part of the night, but the Lions ultimately stopped a two-game losing streak ahead of returning to the comforting confines of Exploria Stadium.

Rocky First Half

The first half was…not a good one for Orlando City. The statistics didn’t necessarily convey that, with the two teams level on possession and Toronto with five shots to Orlando’s four, but the home team very much was the better side through the opening 45 minutes. It seemed that OCSC’s strategy was to cede possession for the most part and try to hit TFC on the counter, but the Lions had a tough time breaking out of their own half when they won the ball back after breaking up Toronto attacks. Misplayed passes, tackles from Toronto players, and a general lack of an ability to retain the ball meant that while Orlando had 50% of the ball in the first half, it wasn’t particularly meaningful possession. The best chance of the half came when the ball was worked down the right side and Mauricio Pereyra found Nani in the box, but the captain’s shot was blocked behind for a corner. That was basically all she wrote in terms of Orlando’s scoring chances in the opening half, and the Lions could probably count themselves lucky that the Reds didn’t capitalize on several good scoring opportunities.

Big Battle for Fullbacks

I was pretty impressed by Yeferson Soteldo in the match-up in Orlando on May 22. After getting a second look I’m very impressed by him, and he was easily the best player on the field during this one. Kyle Smith and Joao Moutinho faced a tough task stopping him, and the Venezuelan was a menace all night long. Smith in particular had his work cut out for him in the first half, and Soteldo was torturing pretty much any Orlando player who came near him during the opening 45. However, Smith tightened up to him in the second half and Soteldo didn’t have quite as much joy, but he was still at the heart of most of what Toronto did well on the night. Stopping him wasn’t going to be an easy task, but all-in-all the Orlando defenders did a decent job of it. Smith in particular grew into his task during the second half, and ended up having a good game, especially given his assignment for the night.

Close Call on Penalty Kick

Orlando was given a gift almost immediately after conceding the opening goal of the game to Jozy Altidore. Alex Bono badly misjudged a ball over the top and cleaned out Benji Michel in the penalty box. Nani stepped up to take the ensuing penalty kick after a video review overturned the initial call of a foul committed by Benji. Things very nearly went sideways, with Nani converting his penalty by way of a deflection off a strong hand from Bono, and my heart was very much in my mouth during the split second between the connection with Bono’s hand and the ball settling into the back of the net. Upon seeing the replay, it wouldn’t have mattered even if he had kept the ball out as the shot stopper was several feet off his line by the time Nani struck the ball. After Mauricio Pereyra had a game-tying penalty saved in the 2-1 loss to the New York Red Bulls, it was nice to see things get back on track from the spot.

Tense Final 20

The last 20 minutes of the second half were the most intense ones of the game. After Altidore gave Toronto the lead in the 72nd minute, the game really opened up, and it continued to be open after Orlando got a quick equalizer. The Lions probably had the best chance of winning the game when Andres Perea got his head to a bouncing ball in the penalty area but was only able to send it wide. OCSC also had the ball in the penalty box during the last couple minutes of stoppage time but was not able to fashion a shot on goal. The last 20 minutes were probably Orlando’s best of the game, and the players might even feel a little hard done-by that Perea’s chance didn’t end up being the game-winner.

Hard-Fought Point

In the end, Orlando will be much happier with this result than Toronto will be. On the whole, TFC was almost unquestionably the better team on the night. The Lions rode their luck a little bit though, and Toronto’s lack of a clinical edge in front of goal ended up being the difference between the two teams. With that being said, OCSC fought hard from start to finish, and had a wonderful response after conceding late in the game in front of a fired-up Toronto crowd that had just seen its favorite son score in his return from a month-long exile — in the team’s first home match in more than a year. That counts for a lot, especially after losing back-to-back games against arguably inferior opposition. It was definitely nice to get a point and prevent a three-match losing skid, but the manner in which Orlando won the point was even more encouraging.

That’s what I saw from this game. What were your thoughts from this one? Feel free to have your say down in the comments. Vamos Orlando!

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Orlando City

Orlando City at Philadelphia Union: Three Keys to Victory

What do the Lions need to do to earn all three points on the road against Philly?

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9 minutes ago

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April 3, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City is on the road yet again, this time heading to Pennsylvania to take on the Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park Saturday night. The Lions will look to get a second road win in a row after the smash-and-grab victory against the LA Galaxy. Things don’t get any easier with the Union sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference, but a win would catapult Orlando City above Philadelphia in the standings. Here’s what Orlando City needs to do to earn all three points against the Philadelphia Union.

Tie up Tai

Tai Baribo leads the way-too-early-to-call Golden Boot race with six goals in five matches. The Union striker has taken 13 shots, putting eight on target and the aforementioned six in the back of the net. He scored a brace in the season opener against Orlando to bag a third of those goals. It’s a pretty easy call to say stopping the league leader in goals is an important part of shutting down the Philadelphia attack.

It will be up to Cesar Araujo and whichever center back pairing we get to shut Baribo down. Of course, he’s not the only one the Lions need to worry about since the Union also have striker Mikael Uhre, and midfielders Daniel Gazdag and Jovan Lukic providing goals and assists. The point is that Philadelphia is second only to the Lions in offensive production with 13 goals compared to Orlando City’s 15 goals.

Formation Change

In the last match against the LA Galaxy, the Lions struggled to get things going with Luis Muriel up top, Ojeda at the No. 10 spot and Ivan Angulo on the left. Once Duncan McGuire came on, Muriel shifted back, Ojeda went wide, and Angulo subbed off. That really opened up the attack and allowed the Lions to get the two goals needed to secure the victory.

Perhaps Oscar Pareja could start things off like that against Philadelphia. Angulo hasn’t been great the last few matches, and perhaps some time on the bench will get his head straight. McGuire is still early in his return from injury, but Ramiro Enrique can start up top with Big Dunc coming in later as he has the last few matches. I think making this change could help Orlando City get an early goal on the road.

Vengeance is Thine

When the two teams met on opening day, the Union dropped four goals on Orlando City in Inter&Co Stadium. You would think it a completely dominating performance, but the Lions actually had more shots, more shots on target, and more possession than the Union. Philadelphia simply put each of its four shots on target past Pedro Gallese. That type of luck is unlikely to happen again.

Since that time, the Orlando City defense has stiffened — at least a little bit — and the team has been more difficult to break down. I’m not saying the defense is as stalwart as last season, but it has improved. Orlando City needs to use that four-goal drubbing at the hands of the Union to galvanize the defense to enact revenge with a multi-goal victory of its own.

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: 4/3/25

Martin Ojeda in the MLS MVP mix early, Orlando Pride players won’t play for Zambia this window, Tierna Davidson out for the NWSL season, and more.

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5 hours ago

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April 3, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this week has been going well for you as we gear up for a busy Saturday filled to the brim with soccer to enjoy. Despite my blender’s protests, I’ve finally figured out how to make frozen coconut mojitos and plan on having those get me through the rest of the week. Before we dive into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy 28th birthday to Orlando City legend Rodrigo Schlegel!

Martin Ojeda’s MVP Credentials

Orlando City’s Martin Ojeda placed second in Sacha Kljestan’s MLS MVP power rankings this week. With four goals and three assists so far this season, Ojeda leads the league in goal contributions and is a major reason why the Lions have scored a league-high 15 goals. It’s great to see the 26-year-old take the reins of the offense after Facundo Torres’ departure. Inter Miami’s Luis Suarez tops Kljestan’s rankings, despite only having a goal in five games this season. Tai Baribo, Evander, and Lionel Messi round out the top five in what could be an interesting MVP race this year.

Pride Players Won’t Join Zambia For International Duty

Zambia will be without four NWSL players when it takes part in the Yongchuan International Tournament in China this month. Along with Bay FC forward Rachael Kundananji, Orlando Pride trio Barbra Banda, Grace Chanda, and Prisca Chilufya were withdrawn from international duty, with the Football Association of Zambia stating it was due to additional travel measures by the current U.S. administration. FAZ General Secretary Reuben Kamanga expects the quartet to be available for future matches and both Banda and Kundananji played in friendlies in Zambia in February. Restrictions like this may limit the appeal of the NWSL to foreign players in the future.

Fan Banned For Hateful Language Towards Banda

NJ/NY Gotham FC announced that the fan who directed hateful language towards Banda has been banned following an investigation that included interviewing witnesses and reviewing security footage. The incident took place at the Pride’s match against Gotham on March 23 at Sports Illustrated Stadium. The fan was found to be in violation of the NWSL Code of Conduct and their season ticket was revoked as well. Gotham also encouraged fans to report inappropriate behavior through the team’s encrypted text message service to inform the stadium’s incident management team.

USWNT Defender Tierna Davidson Out for the NWSL Season

American center back Tierna Davidson will miss the remainder of the 2025 NWSL season after tearing the ACL in her left knee in the club’s draw against the Houston Dash. It’s tough news for her, Gotham, and the United States Women’s National Team, as she captains the NWSL club and featured heavily in the Olympics last year. Davidson sustained an ACL injury in her right knee back in 2022, which contributed to her missing out on the 2023 World Cup. Gisele Thompson replaced Davidson for the USWNT’s upcoming friendlies with Brazil, and Pride defender Emily Sams will likely receive more playing time as the team prepares for the 2027 World Cup.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City received $100,000 in General Allocation Money in exchange for former academy goalkeeper Zack Campagnolo’s Homegrown Player rights. The Lions will receive another $100,000 in GAM if conditions are met, and they retain a sell-on percentage if Campagnolo is transferred.
  • San Diego FC added Milan Iloski on loan from FC Nordsjaelland in Denmark through July of this year. Iloski is a San Diego native and won the USL Golden Boot for Orange County SC in 2022.
  • New England Revolution midfielder Carles Gil won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his free kick against the New York Red Bulls.
  • El Farolito SC, which is named after a burrito chain and bar local to San Francisco, has reached the third round of the U.S. Open Cup for the second straight year. The National Premier Soccer League side took down Monterey Bay FC to reach this point of the tournament.
  • Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid 1-0 to book its ticket to the Copa del Rey final, where it will face rival Real Madrid on April 26.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/2/25

Orlando Pride players on International duty, NWSL power rankings, USWNT friendlies, and more.

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1 day ago

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April 2, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. There is plenty of Orlando Pride news today, which is good considering we’re heading into an international break. That means we can look forward to some women’s international matches in addition to Orlando City’s next bout against the Philadelphia Union. Before we jump into today’s news, please join us in wishing Orlando City midfielder Cesar Araujo a happy 24th birthday. Let’s get to the links.

International Duty, Pride Edition

Four players from the Orlando Pride have been called up for international duty. Anna Moorhouse (England), Angelina (Brazil), Emily Sams (U.S.), and Zara Chavoshi (U.S. U-23 training camp) will all head to their respective national teams. Moorhouse’s England will compete in the UEFA Women’s Nations League, while Angelina and Sams will face off in a pair of friendlies between the USWNT and the Brazil Women’s National Team.

Pride Still on Top

It seems that there are more outlets providing NWSL power rankings every week, but as long as they keep the Pride on top, I’ll keep letting you know about it. Given that the Pride are undefeated, with the most goals scored and the best goal differential, it isn’t surprising that the club is sitting atop the official standings along with these “highly scientific” power rankings. Goal.com, Sports Illustrated, and All For IX all rank the Pride in first place just above the Kansas City Current. I suppose even power rankings are occasionally correct.

Orlando’s Various World Cup Ties

You probably know that Orlando wasn’t selected to be one of the host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. As disappointing as that was, there’s still a chance that the city, and Orlando City SC’s training grounds at Osceola Heritage Park will host team training during the event. The top notch facilities, plus the relatively close proximity to host cities Miami and Atlanta, make Orlando a good option.

On a more positive note, Orlando was chosen as a host city for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. Camping World Stadium will see Club León vs. CR Flamengo, and Juventus vs. Manchester City. The Group H runner-up vs. Group G winner match and one of the quarterfinal round matches will also be in Orlando. There’s plenty to see and do in the City Beautiful, including some great soccer.

USWNT Youth Movement

Sams won’t be the only younger player in Emma Hayes’ lineup for the friendlies against Brazil. Hayes wants to deepen the player pool, which means bringing in players with an average age of just over 25 years old, and the average number of appearances is less than 35. Hayes also believes this is a chance for the younger players who appeared in the loss to Japan in the SheBelieves Cup. The first of the two matches is this Saturday at 5 p.m., with the second coming up Tuesday at 10:30 p.m.

Free Kicks

That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the Orlando City and OCB matches this weekend. Hopefully, you have two screens since the match start times overlap. Vamos Orlando!

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