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Kaká Shines in Orlando City’s 4-0 Preseason Rout of Young FC Dallas Squad

The Brazilian scored a goal on a penalty and assisted on another in his 45 minutes on the pitch as the Lions rolled.

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Dave Griesbrecht, The Mane Land

DAVENPORT, FL — Kaká made his long-awaited debut in purple today and he looked good.

He and his Orlando City SC teammates ran roughshod over an FC Dallas team comprised largely of backups and trialists, winning 4-0 at the ChampionsGate Sports Complex. The highest paid player in Major League Soccer, wearing the captain’s arm band, scored on a penalty in the 33rd minute (I think…they didn’t have a visible clock and time was kept on the field), after striker Martin Paterson was pulled down in the box by…someone. We weren’t given rosters. It was No. 39 and he had long hair — that’s all I know.

Here’s that penalty:

Paterson himself got on the score sheet earlier, collecting his own rebound and scoring left-footed in the 20th minute, off a beautiful feed from Kaká, who overlapped nicely with Kevin Molino on the play. “Molino to Kaká to Paterson, GOAL!” has a nice ring to it. Hopefully we’ll hear it a lot this season.

Orlando City’s $7 million man started and played the opening 45 minutes. All the starters were replaced at the half. Kaká was all smiles after the game.

“Very good, first game,” he said. “We have a lot of things we need to improve, but as a first game it was nice, and I’m happy with it.”

Head Coach Adrian Heath said he was, in a word, “pleased” with his team’s effort, although he pointed out the opposition was a very young side that will not be what the Lions will see in the regular season. FC Dallas played without its best and brightest in the scrimmage.

“After the first 15-20 minutes, I thought we started to play some reasonable football,” Heath said. “We started to look as if we knew what we’re doing. We started getting a little bit better idea of what we can become. It was good to get ‘Ricky’ (Kaká) on the field and see where he’s going to fit in and where we think we can work with him best.”

Heath said his team was still getting to know its star player and where to look for him.

“I think the most important thing is we’ve got to get to know where he thinks it’s best for him to be operating,” said the coach. “Like he did a little bit at Sao Paulo last year, he played a bit deeper at times. One of the pleasing things today is that he dropped deep and Kevin (Molino) went and played in behind him. There were one or two nice little bits of movement between the two of them.”

Midfielder Tony Cascio, who started on the right wing, opened the scoring, just 13 minutes in, faking a defender out and dribbling past, before slotting home with his left foot.

In the second half, Danny Mwanga, the beneficiary of a turnover, made it 4-0 in the 64th minute, faking the goalkeeper to the ground and firing left footed into the empty net. Mwanga had two other nice opportunities to score, notably trying to chip the keeper on a break, but he didn’t quite get the try high enough and it was saved.

FC Dallas managed to hit the post with a header off a cross late in the second half, but otherwise didn’t get many looks at goal. Some said the player was none other than former Lion Long Tan, but I did not receive confirmation of that. Goalkeepers Donovan Ricketts and Earl Edwards Jr. had little to do today.

The most important takeaway is that Kaká got on the field, despite one nervous minute when the entire Orlando City bench audibly gasped after Kaká was fouled hard. The Brazilian seemed to have good chemistry with Molino and Paterson and that will only get better.

“The first game you always have motivation and is something special, and now every game will be better,” he said. “Every game we need to do better things. I think today we did better than the last game.”

Other takeaways from the game:

  • Molino looks like he’s been playing with Kaká for more than two weeks. The two seemed to have a good understanding where the other would be.
  • Heath paired veterans and young players in his central defender pairings. Aurelien Collin played alongside Conor Donovan on the first unit and Gustavo played next to Tommy Redding in the second half.
  • Paterson was very active in his second stint with the club, creating several chances. He scored, drew a penalty, pushed a shot just inches wide, and had another attempt saved. It was a top performance.
  • Harrison Heath played left wing in the second half and Darwin Ceren played attacking midfield. There were obviously absences. Carlos Rivas (shoulder) is banged up, Lewis Neal did not play, and we still haven’t seen Cyle Larin or Bryan Rochez. Akeil Barrett played right wing with the second group. Sidney Rivera also didn’t play.
  • Rafael Ramos was less visible today than in the 1-1 draw with D.C. United. He had trouble finding space and took out his frustrations after losing the ball with a hard challenge that drew a yellow card and could easily have been a red on another day or with another referee.

Orlando City Starters (4-2-3-1):

Goalkeeper: Donovan Ricketts.

Defenders: Luke Boden, Aurelien Collin, Conor Donovan, Rafael Ramos.

Defensive Mid: Amobi Okugo, Cristian Higuita.

Attacking Mid: Kevin Molino, Kaká, Tony Cascio.

Striker: Martin Paterson.

Goals:

Orlando City: Tony Cascio (13′), Martin Paterson (20′), Kaká (33′ – pen.), Mwanga (64′).

FC Dallas: None.

Yellow Cards:

Orlando City: Rafael Ramos (28′).

FC Dallas: (They got two, one was on No. 39. The other might have been on Danny Garcia. Yeah, it was like that out there.)

Red Cards:

None.

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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