Connect with us

Orlando City

Intelligence Report: Orlando City at New York Red Bulls

Published

on

Orlando City is off to a pretty decent start to the 2016 MLS season, all things considered. For a second-year club, a 2-1-3 start is nothing to sneeze at, even if a few questionable officiating decisions have kept that record from being a little better.

Meanwhile, the New York Red Bulls have had a nightmare start to their 2016 season, with just one win in the first seven matches for the 2015 Supporters’ Shield winners. This start by Jesse Marsch’s club has raised eyebrows all over Major League Soccer. To me, that’s what is so terrifying about this fixture, and playing the Red Bulls twice in a three-week span — the team is bound to get its act together at some point. With any luck, it’ll take a few more weeks, but the last two matches have shown us that luck isn’t something we can count on.

Here to help us scout the Red Bulls is Pat Glodkowski from SB Nation’s NYRB blog, Once a Metro. Pat gave us the inside scoop on what’s been going on in the greater Harrison, NJ, area this season.

It’s been awhile since these teams have met. We’ve obviously heard of Matt Miazga going to Chelsea, but who are the other main departures and who are the new arrivals for this season that Orlando City fans should be aware of and how have those comings/goings impacted NYRB?

Pat Glodkowski: Interestingly enough, aside from Matt Miazga, there has not been a massive overhaul this year as has been common in the club’s history. Some lesser-used players like Andrew Jean-Baptiste and Anthony Wallace were waived, so Miazga seems to stand out as our biggest loss. One of the better gains we have made this season was Gideon Baah. The defender has Champions League experience, and looked to be a solid replacement for Miazga, as well as filling in for Damien Perrinelle, since his injury in the post-season last year. Our midfield remains intact from last season, especially since Gonzalo Veron, who everyone hoped would make a massive impact given this season would be his first full one at RBNY, has been left out of the lineup due to injury. So, generally the only thing Orlando City fans would want to be aware of is if Jesse Marsch decides to change the lineup once again.

Cyle Larin has scored seven goals in three visits to the New York metro area. How do you think the Red Bulls will try to defend him and do you think they’ll keep him off the score sheet?

PG: Cyle Larin is our absolute nightmare. People still shake from that chilling 5-2 victory Orlando found at Red Bull Arena last season. Based on our shambolic defending as of late, I fear it will be a repeat this season. Not to say I’m convinced that this game will be a loss for us once again, because this bad streak for us has to end eventually (right? RIGHT???), but I think that a fully fit Larin will find his way past keeper Luis Robles.

No one knows better than you about the slow start the Red Bulls have had this season and the lack of scoring has been downright shocking. Who or what is most responsible in your view and how does a team with this much skill get shut out five times in seven games?

PG: I was hoping that after implying in the first response that I’m fuming about the slow start, I would avoid having to explicitly comment on it. I pity you for the mini-rant you’re about to get and urge you to avoid the forums of MetroFanatic. I want to say that after the most successful regular season of our club’s history, we wouldn’t have let ourselves begin slowly. However, it looks to be just that.

As you mentioned, we’ve been shut out in five games, which is lamentable, to say the least, and absolutely depressing on the opposite end of the spectrum. Part of it comes from suffering key injuries from the likes of Ronald Zubar, Damien Perinelle, and Gideon Baah, all of whom are key center backs. Even our newest South American pickup, Gonzalo Veron, has not featured much despite a great preseason, due to injury. I also want to say that it’s just the Metro Gods playing games with us, as they have done for 20 years now, afflicting us with the worst luck possible. I want to say it is just that MLS is such an unpredictable league, that we will go on without a loss for the rest of the season, but I’m not so sure about any of that.

What I do know is that we often out-possess, out-pass, and out-shoot our opponents, but Providence does not gift us with out-scoring our opponents. Our star striker, Bradley Wright-Phillips, is to blame, as the striker does not even have a goal registered for the team, not to mention, missing yet another penalty. It is frustrating to see our top man struggle so much, and thereby reflecting on our team. Moreover, the leadership seems to just not be there. Kljestan, Dax, and Robles, who we look to to lead our team on the field, have not activated their capabilities this season, and it shows in the poor performance on the field.

On the bench, Marsch seems to struggle to motivate our boys to lift their heads and play like their livelihoods depend on it. I wish to see a little more of the fire Mike Petke showed in the halftime interview when the team was tied 0-0 with Toronto FC. Problem is, he truly believes in his system, and he just sees the bad form coming from bad luck, and the bad luck coming from a source he can’t deal with. A fire needs to be lit under this team to wake some key players up.

What is your anticipated starting XI, key injuries/suspensions, and final score prediction for Sunday?

PG: I imagine our lineup will include: (GK): Luis Robles, (DEF): Kemar Lawrence (LB), Karl Ouimette (CB), Ronald Zubar (CB), Chris Duval (RB), (MID): Dax McCarty (CDM), Felipe (CDM), Mike Grella (LM), Sacha Kljestan (CAM), Lloyd Sam (RM), (ATT): Bradley Wright-Phillips.

A couple notes on this: Chris Duval may still be being eased into the squad, and we may see either Connor Lade or Sal Zizzo fill the spot. The midfield has been tinkered with all season, as Sean Davis, Alex Muyl, Shaun Wright-Phillips, and Tyler Adams have all featured there, and could be rotated in as Marsch continues to find the winning formula. BWP up top is also in question. If Jesse wants to, he may switch him out for Antole Abang, but something tells me he will want to keep BWP on in order to possibly boost his confidence from a potential goal on Sunday.

* * *

Big thanks to Pat from Once a Metro for giving us some insight on the defending Supporters’ Shield-winning New York Red Bulls.

Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/29/24

Lions brace for the Red Bulls, Pride take on Chicago, OCB will play Inter Miami II in Bradenton, and more.

Published

on

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday! Today marks one year since we here at The Mane Land published our first story here at our new independent home. It’s a bit hard to believe that it’s already been a year. Thank you all for sticking with us or checking us out since our move. That kind of support goes farther than you might think. I joined the team back in October of 2016 as an editor and it’s only just now hitting me that I’ve been here for nearly a quarter of my entire life. Here’s hoping for another great year of independence and Orlando soccer!

Orlando City Set to Host New York Red Bulls

Orlando City’s match at home Saturday night against the New York Red Bulls was noted as one of the top matches in the league this weekend. The Lions earned their first win of the MLS season last weekend and will look to build on that momentum heading into tomorrow. The Lions will also get a boost from players returning from international duty, with Duncan McGuire, Facundo Torres, David Brekalo, and Peruvian duo Pedro Gallese and Wilder Cartagena back. They’ll have their hands full against a New York team that’s coming off of a 4-0 win over Inter Miami. Lewis Morgan had a hat trick in that match and Orlando’s defense will have to find a way to keep him and the rest of the Red Bulls from running rampant.

Orlando Pride Take On Chicago Tonight

The Orlando Pride’s third match of the NWSL season kicks off tonight at 7 p.m. when they host the Chicago Red Stars. The Pride enter this match following a gritty 1-1 draw against Angel City FC, with Brazilians Angelina and Marta linking up on a corner kick for a late equalizer. One thing to keep an eye on in tonight’s match will be how the Pride’s shorthanded defense can limit Chicago’s attack. The Pride have targeted versatile players while rebuilding, and that proved to be worth it last week as multiple players stepped up to fortify the back line. The last time these two sides squared off in Orlando was in August of last year, with the Pride coming up with a big 5-0 win. Hopefully we get to see a similar result tonight.

OCB Match Will Be Part of Generation Adidas Cup

Tuesday’s MLS NEXT Pro match between Orlando City B and Inter Miami II will take place at IMG Academy in Bradenton and will be part of this year’s Generation Adidas Cup. The participating teams of the tournament were invited to attend the match, along with their families, and fans can watch the match for free on the league website. The match will be broadcast in English, but a new AI dubbing platform will be used to instantly translate it into Spanish, French, and Portuguese. It will supposedly maintain voice and tone, so I’m morbidly curious to hear just how artificial it will sound.

Generations Adidas Cup Kicks Off Tomorrow

Speaking of the Generation Adidas Cup, the youth tournament kicks off tomorrow. All MLS academy teams will compete alongside some of the top youth teams from around the world in both the U-15 and U-17 age groups. Orlando City’s U-15 side was noted as one to watch after a strong run of form this year. Caleb Trombino has been solid defensively and Jakob Garcia has the attacking talent to light it up in this tournament. The team can make a statement when it takes on Arsenal’s U-15 squad at 10 a.m. this Sunday. That match, along with 27 others, will be broadcast on MLS Season Pass.

Free Kicks

  • The Lions received some special visitors for their training.
  • Somehow, the Seattle Reign’s Ji So-Yun beat Marta to win NWSL Goal of the Week.

That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

Continue Reading

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Three Keys to Victory

What does Orlando City need to do to earn a second victory in a row at home this Saturday?

Published

on

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City is coming off its first win of the MLS regular season and will look to carry that momentum into Saturday night’s Eastern Conference matchup against the New York Red Bulls. The Lions will have several players back from international duty, making Oscar Pareja’s job a bit easier, although some of them will be on short rest. What does Orlando City need to do to earn all three points against the Red Bulls?

Stop Morgan

Lewis Morgan has been on a tear this season with five goals in five matches. That is more than every Orlando City player combined so far this season. The Red Bulls were held scoreless in two matches, meaning those five goals have come in three matches, with Morgan scoring a hat trick against Inter Miami. I love that he took it to the Herons like that, but I’m going to need him to cool off a bit against the Lions.

If Orlando City is to stop Morgan it will take excellent defending from the Lions’ back line and of course Pedro Gallese, who is returning from international duty. Orlando City also gets Wilder Cartagena and David Brekalo back, meaning more of the first choice lineup will be available to keep a clean sheet. With the match at home, earning a clean sheet is all the more important.

Proper Rest and Preperation

It might seem silly to say, but having more than a few days between matches is conducive to earning points. When Orlando City was participating in the Concacaf Champions Cup, the Lions never had time to properly recover or train with a game plan for the next match. Now, the Lions are able to do so, and the result against Austin FC reflects that.

Pareja is a top level MLS coach. We know that he has a plan for about the first 20 minutes of any match, and then makes adjustments throughout the remainder of the match. Even so, many of those adjustments have been planned out prior to the match. That, paired with a more rested roster, allows the Lions to be the protagonists Pareja wants them to be.

Shots, Shots, Shots

Orlando City was able to create plenty of chances against Austin FC, and will need to do so again against the Red Bulls. The Lions took 22 shots Saturday night, with eight on target, and they put two in the back of the net against Austin. Hopefully, Orlando City can be more efficient going forward, but if you don’t create opportunities, you won’t score.

The Red Bulls have some decent defenders who Orlando City will have to deal with, including fullback John Tolkin and Carlos Coronel at keeper. If the Lions can pass even close to the way they did against Austin, the opportunities will come, and if that is the case, hopefully the goals will come. Orlando City still has a sizable goal deficit, thanks to the early part of the season, that can only be corrected with more goals on the other end.


That is what I will be looking for this Saturday night at Inter&Co Stadium. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/28/24

Getting to know Rafael Santos, Orlando Pride prepare for Chicago, Midge Purce out for the season, and more.

Published

on

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope the work week has been treating you well as we gear up for another weekend of soccer. March flew by for me and April is shaping up to be a pretty busy month as well. In other news, I’m looking into adopting a cat and gathering the supplies to make that happen. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Getting to Know Rafael Santos

Orlando City left back Rafael Santos was the latest Lion to field questions as part of the club’s video series for fans to learn more about its players. The 26-year-old spoke about the decision process behind joining Orlando and playing outside of Brazil for the first time in his career after five years with Cruzeiro. He’s brought his attack-minded style of play to the team, particularly in terms of providing lethal crossing from the wing. Make sure to check out the full video as Santos also shared photos of his newborn and showcased his skill with a cavaquinho.

Orlando Pride Prepare to Host Chicago

After a pair of draws to start their season, the Orlando Pride will have a chance to claim their first win of the season when they host the Chicago Red Stars tomorrow night at 6 p.m. Head Coach Seb Hines spoke about how the Pride have shown plenty of resilience so far this young season. The team managed to secure a point in last week’s 1-1 draw with Angel City FC despite a patchwork back line due to injuries. That defense will likely have its hands full against Mallory Swanson and a Chicago team that won both of its first two games. Hines spoke about how the Pride are preparing for Chicago and how they will need the home crowd to bring the support tomorrow night.

Sophia Smith Signs Record-Breaking New Deal

American forward Sophia Smith signed a new contract with the Portland Thorns that will make her the highest-paid NWSL player, according to the club. The new deal will last through the 2025 season, with an option for 2026 as well. The 23-year-old was drafted by the Thorns with the first overall pick in the 2020 NWSL Draft and has gone on to score 34 regular-season goals. Smith re-signed with the club in 2022 and was set to become a free agent following this season, but will instead stay in Portland.

Midge Purce Out for NWSL Season

NJ/NY Gotham FC forward Midge Purce will miss the remainder of the NWSL season after tearing her ACL. The 28-year-old will undergo surgery and suffered the injury in her team’s 1-0 victory over the Portland Thorns this past weekend. She’s been with Gotham since 2020 and assisted on both goals in her team’s 2-1 win in the 2023 NWSL Championship. It’s a tough blow for the United States Women’s National Team too, as she will not be representing the U.S. during this summer’s Olympics in France.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City B’s match against Carolina Core FC on April 14 has been rescheduled.

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

Continue Reading

Trending