Orlando City rode the roller coaster on Wednesday night, as the Lions went down early, came level on a brilliant set piece header, but then went down and stayed down after a silly challenge gave the Fire a penalty kick that was converted for the game winner in a 2-1 defeat. The Lions had chances to take points off one of the hottest teams in the league, but in the end they failed to do so and remain in 10th place in the Eastern Conference.

Here are my five takeaways from the match.

Not An Ideal Start

Orlando City took the game’s opening shot after a nice passing sequence, but after starting brightly, the Lions completely switched off, allowing Chicago to get on the scoreboard first. Adrián Marín somehow lost track of Robert Lewandowski, allowing the Polish superstar a free header back across the box. Then David Brekalo hit a poor clearance straight to David Poreba. Poreba, who found a wide-open Puso Dithejane in the middle of the box, and he converted into the far corner. Robin Jansson was guilty as well, having assumed Lewandowski was offside (it was close) and stopping to stare at the linesman, as it was a calamitous start all around for the back line.

Sub(Marín)ed

Bernardo Rhein’s injury and Tahir Reid-Brown’s trade to St. Louis meant that Marín was the only left back on the roster, and thus he started on the back line on Wednesday. It was clear almost immediately, however, that Chicago wanted to attack down his flank, and it was also clear that Marín does not have the pace to play out there anymore as he was constantly on his horse and chasing the game. Losing track of Lewandowski (of all players!) had nothing to do with pace, but it was a poor moment among a series of them for the Spanish defender, and it was not a surprise to see him subbed off immediately once the game resumed from the weather delay.

The Captain Must Know Better

Orlando City tied the game up early in the second half via a great header from Brekalo, and the Lions were looking more dangerous than Chicago in the aftermath of that goal. But then Lewandowski got loose on the left side of the box, and made a driving run towards goal. Jansson beat him to the spot, however, pushing the former Barcelona striker wide enough that he did not have a great angle to shoot. The Beefy Swede chose to try to slide tackle Lewandowski to ensure that no shot was taken, even at that remote angle, and got all body and no ball. The referee pointed to the spot, and moments later Chicago was back in the lead 2-1. Jansson usually has excellent timing when going to ground but did not on this play, and it cost the Lions dearly.

Thunder and Lightning In the Sky, Not In the Attacking Third

The attacking group for the Lions generated more than twice as many shots and nearly three times as many touches in the box as Chicago, but for all the flicks and tricks and fancy interplay, they were unable to score from open play, and it was not due to a great game by goalkeeper Chris Brady. Orlando City needs a ruthless attacker to step up and put the ball in the back of the net, instead of a collective that seems more interested in getting the assist than the goal. Martín Ojeda’s absence was palpable in this one, as he likely would have been on the field instead of Tiago, or he would have started and Tyrese Spicer could have come on in the second half to close the game, and on a hot night with a nearly two-hour weather delay, there is a really good chance that Ojeda or supersub Spicer could have bagged at least one second-half goal. Marco Pašalić got loose a few times and immediately went for goal, and hopefully that rubs off on the other attackers in the upcoming games.

More Dropped Points

Chicago was on the road, with one fewer day of rest, missing one of its best players (Philip Zinckernagel) and Orlando City still could not pick up any points in what was an eminently winnable game. The Fire are one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, so from the perspective of the standings this is not a surprising loss, but Orlando City looked like the better team for most of the game and came away empty handed, just as it did against Club León in Leagues Cup by the same score line. The Lions should have taken at least one point on Wednesday night, which would have pulled them within two of D.C. United for the conference’s final playoff spot.

Those are my takeaways from Orlando City’s disappointing 2-1 home loss against Chicago. The Lions will look to close out a nearly three-week home stand with a win when they host Real Salt Lake on Saturday night.

Let us know your thoughts about the Chicago match in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

I think we can confidently say Orlando City’s Wednesday night excellence has come to an end after last night’s loss. I’m not going to claim the new kits are cursed after just two games, but I’ve bought some sage just in case. Before we get to that match and more in today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman.

Orlando City Falls at Home

The Lions hosted the Chicago Fire and got burned in a 2-1 loss that included a lengthy weather delay that paused things right before halftime. The Fire struck first with an early goal, but Orlando leveled things after the lightning storm passed. However, Robert Lewandowski converted a penalty kick from a needless foul in the box for the winner, with the Lions failing to claw their way back a second time. It’s a disappointing result at home and Orlando will need to figure things out before hosting Real Salt Lake on Saturday.

Simone Jackson Heads to Sweden on Loan

The Orlando Pride loaned forward Simone Jackson to FC Rosengard in Sweden through June of 2027. Jackson was signed by the Pride in 2025 after four years playing collegiately at the University of Southern California and she has since made 20 appearances for the club. Hopefully this move gives her some more minutes to develop her game abroad so that she can make an impact with the Pride when she returns next summer.

U.S. U-20 Women’s World Cup Roster Announced

United States U-20 Women’s National Team Head Coach Vicky Jepson called up 21 players for the U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland next month, including eight from NWSL clubs. Goalkeeper Evan O’Steen, midfielders Kennedy Fuller and Nyanya Touray, and forward Emeri Adames are a few of the U.S. players to keep an eye out for this tournament.

The team will be without notable eligible players like Lily Yohannes, Claire Hutton, and Jordyn Bugg though, as youth tournaments take place outside of official FIFA windows when teams are required to release players. United States Women’s National Team Head Coach Emma Hayes also spoke on the importance of tournaments like this one to develop talent while uncertainty looms over the event due to UEFA’s boycott of FIFA competitions. The U.S. is set to start its campaign on Sept. 6 against Italy.

Americans to Watch in the English Premier League

The English Premier League season kicks off this weekend and there are a number of Americans to root for across the league. Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams, Crystal Palace defender Chris Richards, and Fulham defender Antonee Robinson are all still in the league but have new managers at the helm of their respective teams. Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United avoided relegation last season and will look to build on that, while Haji Wright and Coventry City will fight to stay after earning promotion last season. Unfortunately, Wright will miss multiple weeks at the start of the season due to a quad injury.

Free Kicks

• Alhassan Yusuf scored a hat trick in the New England Revolution’s 3-0 win over D.C. United, with Jack Harrison recording three assists.
• Americans Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty both played every minute of Celtic’s 3-0 win over LASK in the first leg of its matchup against the Austrian club in UEFA Champions League qualifying
• Bay FC announced that the club and midfielder Tess Boade mutually agreed to terminate her contract, which was set to end after this season. Boade had been with the club since being selected in the 2024 NWSL Expansion Draft and was the captain last season.
• Aston Villa signed goalkeeper Zion Suzuki from Parma for a reported $40 million transfer fee. Suzuki played for Japan at the recent World Cup and it will be interesting to see what this move means for Emiliano Martinez’s future at the club.
• Brighton is covering the cost of tickets for its fans who will be making the trip to the Arctic Circle for its UEFA Conference League playoff match against Tromso in Norway.

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

A foul on captain Robin Jansson led to the winning penalty kick goal for Robert Lewandowski as Orlando City (6-11-3, 21 points) fell 2-1 at home to the Chicago Fire (11-6-2, 35 points) tonight in a wet match in front of 20,102 at Inter.co Stadium. The visitors struck early in the game on a poor clearance through Puso Dithejane and the game stayed that way until a lengthy weather delay late in the first half. Once play resumed, Orlando pulled level on a set piece goal by David Brekalo, but the defensive mistake allowed the visitors to take all three points home.

The Lions are winless in their last two home league games (0-1-1) and their last four at home in all competitions (0-2-2).

“Of course, disappointed with the result. Very, very disappointed because we were playing at home and we want to win,” Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman said after the match. “I think it was a game that we could have done a different result. It’s over. Nothing to do. We played against a good team. We couldn’t score (on the) chances we created. They were effective.”

Perelman’s lineup featured Maxime Crepeau in goal behind a back line of Adrian Marin, Jansson, Brekalo, and Griffin Dorsey. Luis Otavio and Wilder Cartagena started in central midfield between Ivan Angulo and Tyrese Spicer out wide with Justin Ellis and Antoine Griezmann leading the attack.

Orlando City looked to control possession and work combinations to get chances. It nearly worked right off the jump with Dorsey taking a pass in the middle near the top of the box. His first touch popped up on him and the fullback tried a shot on the half volley, but he made poor contact and sent his shot well wide of the left post in the second minute.

Unfortunately, the Fire took the lead two minutes later. Chicago attacked down the left and Jonathan Bamba sent a cross to the right to Lewandowski, who easily lost track of a ball-watching Marin. Lewandowski headed it back across the box where Brekalo failed to clear it and David Poreba picked it up and found Dithejane. No Lions closed him down and the forward smashed a goal inside the right post to open the scoring.

Much of Orlando’s first-half success getting into the final third involved sending Spicer down the left flank, but the speedy forward lacked precision and timing on his crosses throughout the half. His first chance came in the 12th minute, when he blazed down the left channel and was too impatient to hold play up for his teammates. Instead, he sent a cross way too far out in front of Angulo, who made a lung-busting run to try to get to the back post.

Chicago’s defense was excellent in coverage throughout the half, blocking several shots, including a drive from Griezmann in the 17th and attempts from Ellis in the 31st and 34th minutes. The latter set up Orlando’s first corner, and although the ball was headed back and forth across the box by both teams, it eventually went behind for a second corner. Chicago cleared on the second one.

Chicago nearly got a cheap second goal in the 37th minute when Marin fell asleep and didn’t track Dithejane’s run from midfield. Dithejane tried to beat Crepeau from distance, but the Canadian international made a diving save.

Orlando finally got an attempt on target in the 41st minute on a long-distance free kick. Griezmann’s ball into the area found Brekalo, but Chris Brady was able to save the defender’s header. Two minutes later, space opened up for Griezmann outside the box. The Frenchman tried to pick out the inside of the right post from distance but Brady made a good diving save.

The thunderstorm that had been coming for a few minutes finally arrived, and referee Rosendo Mendoza sent the teams to the locker rooms for inclement weather just two minutes and 10 seconds from halftime.

After the lengthy delay for lightning of nearly two hours, the game resumed with Tiago, Zakaria Taifi, and Marco Pasalic replacing Spicer, Marin, and Cartagena. The Lions nearly equalized in the couple of minutes remaining in the first half when Dorsey sent an entry ball through the box. Griezmann flicked it on toward the back post but Tiago couldn’t quite get to it at the back post, and moments later, the teams took a short break for halftime.

At the break, Orlando City had the advantage in possession (50.5%-49.5%), shots (9-4), and corners (2-0). Chicago led in passing accuracy (89.5%-89.2%). Both teams put two shots on target.

The Lions started the second half brightly, looking to combine but not creating much. Pasalic made a difference as an active player working well off of Dorsey outside and inside to Griezmann, Ellis, and Angulo. The Croatian created a corner kick with a cross that was blocked behind and Orlando made it pay off.

Griezmann sent in a good cross on the set piece. Brekalo made a diagonal run from left to right through the box before rising and meeting the delivery, flicking it past Brady to pull Orlando level in the 52nd minute.

Rather than energizing Orlando, the goal seemed to wake Chicago up. The Fire started keeping more of the ball and winning set pieces from that possession. Tiago gave up an unnecessary free kick near the sideline in the 58th minute, but the Lions withstood it.

Taifi, playing on his weaker left side on the back line, was repeatedly taken advantage of by Chicago in the second half. The Homegrown defender got burned in the 62nd minute, allowing his man to get to the end line before slipping a pass through Jansson’s legs that Brekalo knocked away for a corner. The Lions dealt with the set piece.

Lewandowski changed the game in the 66th minute when he made a good run between defenders and got onto a through ball on the left. From a tight angle as he approached the end line, it seemed the Chicago star would either have to settle for a low-percentage shot or turn wide and look for help, but Jansson gambled that he could get the ball cleanly and lost. Sliding in to try to nick the ball from behind in his own penalty area, the Swede got Lewandowski’s foot and conceded a penalty. Lewandowski took the spot kick himself, sending Crepeau left and putting it just inside the post on the other side to make it 2-1 in the 69th minute.

From that point on, Orlando City wasted the chances it created and Chicago looked for opportunities to come forward in transition and kill the game.

Angulo fizzed a shot just over the bar in the 73rd minute, although Brady had it covered as the effort was right down the middle.

Dorsey did well to block a Lewandowski shot from just inside the top of the area in the 75th minute after Taifi got baited into stepping up, leaving room behind for the Fire to break. Taifi got beat again down the left side a minute later, but Jansson was there to block the cross behind for a corner, and it nearly paid off for the Lions rather than the Fire.

Orlando cleared the corner kick cross and second-half sub Daryl Dike played it into space for Griezmann near midfield. Griezmann was caught from behind by Jonathan Dean, but he held the defender off long enough and sent a shot just wide of the right post.

Much of the rest of the game consisted of a bit of hero ball, with Orlando looking to play long balls over the top that weren’t connecting or firing hopeful shots from long range. Pasalic created space for himself from about 25 yards out in the 81st minute but blazed his shot just over the bar. Dike tried his luck from outside the box four minutes later, but he too missed the target. Pasalic shook free near the top of the area in the 88th minute, and although he got his shot on frame this time, he sent his effort straight at Brady for a comfortable save.

The Lions could do nothing with the six minutes of added time except send long balls over everyone and out of play, and the game came to an end.

At the final whistle, Orlando City held the advantage in possession (55%-45%), shots (17-6), shots on target (4-3), and passing accuracy (89.7%-86%). Both teams won three corners in the match.

“We started not as precise as we want, then we were able to to improve a little bit,” Perelman said. “We couldn’t score. It’s not easy, of course, to score. We were there, creating some chances. Some ones more clear than other ones, and then again, they found those goals in those situations. They have talented players. Game over.”

Orlando City has yet another quick turnaround as Real Salt Lake visits on Saturday.