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Orlando City vs. San Jose Earthquakes: Five Takeaways

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That was fun! In a rain-soaked and lightning-delayed return to full capacity at Exploria Stadium, Orlando City trounced the San Jose Earthquakes 5-0. It was a true show of force on national television from the Lions, but what can we learn from the win?

Another Electric Start, Without Collapse

After an opening blitz against Toronto on Saturday, the Lions roared to a dynamic start once again. Relentless pressing and aggressive play pinned San Jose back before Benji Michel earned a penalty that Nani converted in the seventh minute. Orlando continued to dominate, forcing the Quakes into mistakes and ripping through wide open space.

Despite the short rest, Orlando City was explosive and purposeful to start the game, effectively putting the game away before the weather delay. Perhaps more important than the fast start was Orlando’s ability to keep its foot on the gas. Against Toronto, the Lions faltered and nearly dropped points, but this time they never let up and drove a stake into the Earthquakes until the final whistle. This game could’ve been 8-0 considering the amount of chances Orlando had. Granted, when the Quakes implode, they really implode, but a complete performance by Orlando is still worth noting.

Dike is On a Different Level

The hype around Dike is beyond justified. In his first start of the season, Dike was a man amongst boys against the Earthquakes. His physical dominance is comical at times, but his technical and tactical abilities have become truly elite. He bagged a nice brace, but could’ve had four or five goals against a horrendous San Jose defense. Every time Orlando had the ball in dangerous spots, I expected Dike to score. 

Tesho Akindele is great, but Dike is on a completely different level. Dike actually does a fair bit of pressing and hold-up play like Akindele, but he is also an MVP-level scoring threat. He scores or nearly scores from spots few players in this league have a chance to. I selfishly hope Dike can stay in Orlando for at least the rest of this season, but if he keeps playing like this, that Godfather offer is coming. 

Benji Michel Made Plays

Squad rotation is so important in multi-game weeks like this one, and it’s an enormous advantage when key reserves can be impressive starters. Michel made just his third start of the campaign, but looked like an all-star, particularly in the first 30 minutes. He destroyed San Jose’s Judson en route to drawing the penalty, and kept making dangerous runs with and without the ball, including grabbing his first goal of the campaign due to a nice run and some poor defending. 

Unlike Orlando’s other wingers, Michel adds a more direct, vertical presence. He has the physical tools and willingness to beat players off the dribble, or be a direct outlet over the top, and he had a fantastic showing early in this game. He wasn’t as sharp down the stretch, but he was active and terrorized San Jose’s defense, even grabbing a second goal at the death knell. 

Nani Remains Excellent

The captain cannot be stopped right now. He converted the early penalty to reach five goals in seven appearances this season. More than that, Nani served as more of a playmaker than usual, finishing with two assists and three total key passes. This opening run of games is maybe the best form Nani’s been in since joining MLS apart from the MLS is Back Tournament. If he keeps this up, or even close to this up, he’ll push for a spot in the MLS Best XI. He also got a needed breather late in this game courtesy of Alexander Alvarado coming on. With that added rotation, there’s a much better chance Nani can maintain this form throughout the year.

No Possession, No Problem

San Jose had 57% of the possession and completed 450 passes compared to Orlando’s 331, but the Lions still won 5-0. Under Head Coach Oscar Pareja, the Lions typically like to break teams down with the ball, but they’ve shown they can be a lethal transition team as well. The Earthquakes had plenty of the ball, but did next to nothing with it. Orlando, on the other hand, was direct and explosive, quickly exploiting the holes in San Jose’s defense. Pareja’s tactical flexibility has been exceptional. He knew the Quakes were going to be a mess in transition and had the team play into that.


That’s what I took away from Orlando’s big win at home, but what are your thoughts? Leave your takeaways in the comments below. Let’s do this again Friday.

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?

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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!

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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.

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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.

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  • 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!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/27/24

Bally Sports will broadcast Orlando Pride matches, Pride players called up, USWNT announces SheBelieves Cup roster, and more.

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Hello, Mane Landers. I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I attended my friend’s wedding this past weekend and have been getting myself back into work mode by covering high school tennis this week. There is plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Bally Sports Will Broadcast Select Orlando Pride Matches

Bally Sports was announced as the new local television partner for the Orlando Pride. There will be 13 select Pride matches broadcast this season across Bally Sports Florida, Bally Sports Sun, and on the Bally Sports app. The partnership will begin this Friday, with the Orlando Soccer Insider show taking place before the kickoff of the Pride’s home match against the Chicago Red Stars at 7 p.m. The show will be broadcast on Bally Sports Florida, and then you can switch to the Bally Sports app to watch Friday’s match. Below are all the select matches that will be broadcast on Bally Sports this season.

Brazilian Orlando Pride Players Called Up

The Orlando Pride’s Marta, Angelina, and Luana were all called up by Brazil for next month’s SheBelieves Cup. Brazil heads into this tournament after a solid showing in the Concacaf W Gold Cup. The format is different for this year’s SheBelieves Cup, as there will only be four matches instead of six. Brazil’s first match of the tournament will be a semifinal on April 6 against Canada in Atlanta.

USWNT Announces Roster for SheBelieves Cup

United States Women’s National Team interim head coach Twila Kilgore announced the 23-player roster for the 2024 SheBelieves Cup matches next month. The USWNT has won this competition four consecutive times since 2020, and is going for a seventh title in 2024. Of those called up, 19 players on this squad were part of the team that won the Concacaf W Gold Cup earlier this month. San Diego Wave forward Jaedyn Shaw, the Concacaf W Gold Cup’s MVP, is back on the roster after she led the USWNT with four goals. The squad also includes familiar names like former Pride forward Alex Morgan, Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman, and Olympique Lyon midfielder Lindsey Horan. Mallory Swanson and Catarina Macario return to the squad after being sidelined with injuries. The USWNT will begin its quest to defend its SheBelieves Cup title when it faces Japan on April 6 in Atlanta.

MLS Referees Agree to New CBA

After a lockout that resulted in Major League Soccer starting the season with replacement referees, the Professional Soccer Referees Association voted to ratify a new collective bargaining agreement with the Professional Referee Organization. The new CBA is a seven-year deal that runs through January of 2031. This deal will also include significant pay raises for referees, assistant referees, and video assistant referees. The PRO referees will return to the pitch for this weekend’s MLS matches.

Ukraine, Georgia, and Poland Qualify for Euro 2024

Ukraine has qualified for this summer’s Euros after edging out Iceland 2-1 in its playoff final, with Mykhaylo Mudryk scoring the winning goal in the second half. Georgia eliminated Greece 4-2 on penalties after a 2-2 draw to book a spot in the tournament as well. Georgia qualifies for its first major tournament after coming up short in 2020. Poland also needed penalties to qualify, with goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny making the final save against Daniel James to beat Wales 5-4 on penalties after a scoreless draw.

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That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Wednesday and I’ll see you next time.

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