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The Great Pretenders: Orlando City Squandered Its Fantastic Start to 2017

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6 years ago

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The promise of the best start in club history evaporated into a slow, painful death march, as Orlando City came into 2017 like proverbial lions and went out like lambs — ones that were repeatedly led to the slaughter.

Jason Kreis led his team to a 6-1 start to the season, including a 1-0 home win to christen Orlando City Stadium with a win over fellow 2015 expansion side New York City FC back on March 5. The Lions followed with a 2-1 home win over the Philadelphia Union, showing great resolve to bounce back after the Union had equalized. While the team wasn’t playing the most scintillating soccer, the Lions were showing grit and spirit — something that disappeared later in the season and was rarely seen after the calendar flipped to May.

The first bump in the road of 2017 came in a 2-0 loss at Columbus on April Fool’s Day in Scott Sutter’s first match — 19 minutes of action in all — with Orlando City. An early defensive lapse allowed Justin Meram to score the first of his two goals that day and Orlando was unable to come back, suffering the first loss of the year.

But then the Lions bounced back, winning their next four games. And not all of those were at home. City began their season-best run by dumping the New York Red Bulls, 1-0, on a Servando Carrasco header on April 9. Then came the dramatic 2-1 victory over the LA Galaxy on Cyle Larin’s late winner, as the big Canadian discarded Jermaine Jones in the first minute of stoppage and blasted home Will Johnson’s cross.

The wins over the Galaxy and Union both showed an Orlando City squad that would not fold when the pressure was on. But it turned out later to be nothing but fool’s (purple and) gold.

The first road win was next, showing Orlando City could get it done away from the club’s new soccer palace. The Lions used a Larin brace to dispatch New York City at Yankee Stadium, 2-1. The final game of the run was a 2-0 home win over the Colorado Rapids, with the Lions wearing down the visitors and getting goals from Carlos Rivas and Kaká — the former being one of the best strikes of the year.

We didn’t know it at the time, but that win over the Rapids would be the last one until the last day of May. Orlando City stood atop the table as April ended, with a 6-1 record, having outscored opponents, 10-4 and kept three clean sheets over the first two months.

The turning point came in the first game of May. It didn’t even seem like a warning sign of things to come at the time. The Lions went to BMO Field on May 3 and lost 2-1 to Toronto FC, but Orlando played great soccer for much of the game and Larin uncharacteristically missed two sitters that could have extended City’s winning streak to five games. From there, the Lions traveled directly to Houston and got waxed by the Dynamo, 4-0, in what was the true first warning bell of the year. Kreis rotated his squad and the team’s young center backs and tired fullbacks were overrun by Alberth Elis, Mauro Manotas, and Romell Quioto.

Orlando’s first consecutive losses of 2017 became a six-game winless skid, which included the first dropped points at home — a 2-2 draw vs. Sporting Kansas City on May 13 — a heartbreaking late 1-1 draw at San Jose on May 18, and back-to-back embarrassing losses. The first of those was the club’s initial loss at Orlando City Stadium in a 3-0 New York City FC romp at the purple palace. The second was a 1-0 shutout loss at a dreadful Minnesota United squad playing without Kevin Molino.

The promise of that 6-1 start was proving to be an illusion, but there was still plenty of time to get back to grinding out results, playing solid defense, and showing that iron will to overcome adversity.

D.C. United provided an oasis in the desert of poor results. Orlando City captured a home win over the Black & Red, 2-0 on May 31 to avoid a winless month. But even that game was harder than it should have been, including a gift goal that Bill Hamid gave Giles Barnes.

June was a chance to turn the page and right the ship and it didn’t quite come off, even though it nearly did. The first three matches in June were draws, but two of those were of the “good” variety and one was not only “bad,” but also extremely fortunate.

A nine-man Lions squad withstood a bad early red card and the high flying (at the time) Chicago Fire for a 0-0 home draw on June 4. That heroic defensive effort couldn’t be replicated, however, as a horror show of a game by Jose Aja led to a 3-3 home draw vs. the Montreal Impact on June 17. Matias Perez Garcia’s goal probably shouldn’t have counted, as it appeared the ball went over the end line before being crossed into the box for him, and Jonathan Spector’s header late in overtime rescued the lone point.

MPG’s first goal as a Lion turned out to be his last as the Argentine couldn’t come to terms with Orlando City on a new deal, was waived on June 28, and left for his home country.

The run of Orlando City draws reached three games when Scott Sutter’s stunner in stoppage gave the Lions a 1-1 tie at Seattle — the club’s first ever point against the Sounders. But the team stayed on the road for the second time on consecutive road games, as it did on the Toronto-Houston trip, and the result was the same in the second match. The Chicago Fire smashed the Lions, 4-0, showing the team that staying in hotels was not conducive to success. Two early David Accam goals got things rolling for the hosts and Orlando never found a way into the game.

As it did in May, Orlando City avoided a winless month in the final match of the month, with a surprising 1-0 win at Real Salt Lake. Johnson sunk his old team as Jason Kreis was victorious in his return to Rio Tinto, where he’d had so much success throughout the years.

Little did we know, that would be Orlando City’s last win for quite some time. July was nearly a carbon copy of the previous two months. Orlando lost its first two games of the Gold Cup-shortened month and took a lead into stoppage time in the last match of the month before Hector Villalba’s 92nd-minute dagger earned Atlanta United a 1-1 draw at Bobby Dodd Stadium on July 29. That was part of an overall run of eight Orlando City matches without a win, as the club also went winless in August, capping the string of futility with another embarrassing 4-0 loss at the New England Revolution on Sept. 2.

The Lions won two of their final seven games of the year (2-3-2), but the damage had been done and we rarely saw more than an occasional glimpse of the grit, resolve, and spirit the team had over the first seven matches. At year’s end, Orlando City had turned a 6-1-0 start into a complete free fall of 4-14-9 over the final 27 games, including three months without a win (July, August, and October) and two months with just a single victory in both May and June — both in the final game of the month.

What happened? The team started off so promisingly that a playoff appearance seemed all but certain if Orlando could just be average the rest of the way. It couldn’t.

Even if Orlando City was a bad team, a 4-14-9 run seems inconceivable for a squad that managed to beat New York City FC twice — including once on the road — in the first seven outings. Isolated good outings after May 1 weren’t rewarded with three points — the loss at Toronto comes to mind. The 0-0 draw against Chicago with just nine men was a throwback to the resolve and determination the team showed early on. Where was that late in the first two meetings against Atlanta when Villalba was breaking hearts?

It’s hard to say how things spiraled so completely out of control. A more congested schedule — particularly in May — more road games, inconsistency at the center back position opposite Spector, and Larin’s mid-season scoring slump all contributed, to be sure.

Still, this team stopped playing like a team at some point, and that was all the difference to me. It’s likely the team was never as good as its record in March and April indicated, and yet could it possibly be as bad as the 4-14-9 nosedive suggests? If so, the 2017 Lions who began the year so brightly truly were the great pretenders.

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Orlando City

Intelligence Report: Orlando City vs. Toronto FC

Get the inside scoop on Toronto FC ahead of Saturday’s match.

Published

5 hours ago

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April 26, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Another Orlando City matchday is almost upon us, and the Lions will try to extend a four-game unbeaten streak Saturday night and finish off an undefeated month of April. OCSC will do so back in the comfortable confines of home, as Toronto FC travels south for the first of two games between the teams this season.

A visit from Toronto means I caught up with Tomas Karageorgos of Waking the Red. As usual, he was very helpful in bringing us up to speed on TFC ahead of the upcoming match.

This is John Herdman’s first year in charge of Toronto. What sort of style does the team play under him?

Tomas Karageorgos: John Herdman plays a variation of a 3-4-3 or 3-4-2-1 formation that prefers to build plays out of the back. Herdman also relies on his center midfielders to win possession back and push the ball to either flank. German striker Prince Owusu’s constant pressure on opposing defenses has caused some turnovers in TFC’s favor. Owusu’s style of play has not only helped his teammates but himself as well — he has scored five goals in the club’s last six matches.

Run me through some of the additions and departures that took place during the off-season. Who are some new faces to keep an eye on?

TK: The four major additions that the club made was signing defensive midfielders Deiby Flores and Matty Longstaff; Canadian fullback Richie Laryea is back for a third time; and Irish center back Kevin Long. Flores has been described as a dog in the sense of not being afraid to get stuck into tough challenges. Longstaff was signed from Newcastle United and is beginning to play consistent minutes — he still has room to grow as he’s a young player. Long was signed from Birmingham City and has been a rock in the center of the back three. A strong aerial presence and calmness has helped to contribute to Toronto’s six clean sheets across all competitions this season. There’s not much to say about Laryea that hasn’t been said, he’s arguably the best defender in MLS when healthy. Another underrated signing was French defender Nicksoen Gomis from Sheffield United, he has had quiet-yet-consistent performances. Notable departures include Salvadoran goalkeeper Tomás Romero, Norwegian striker Adama Diomande, and club legend Michael Bradley, who retired at the conclusion of the 2023 season.

TFC has quite the list of injured players at the moment. Who has been filling in for the missing faces, and how have they looked?

TK: Lorenzo Insigne, Richie Laryea, and Shane O’Neill continue to miss action due to thigh injuries. Midfielder Brandon Servania is slated to return during the middle of the season as he is recovering from knee surgery. First overall draft pick Tyrese Spicer has filled in for Insigne and has two goals in his account for the club — he has a high work rate on both sides of the ball. Canadian youngster Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty is gaining more experience on the right side while Laryea is sidelined. Gomis and Sigurd Rosted have been taking turns covering O’Neill, and Alonso Coello is continuing to build on an impressive first season with the club in the absence of Servania.

Which players will be unavailable due to injuries, suspensions, etc.? What is your projected starting XI and score prediction?

TK: The names I noted above who are injured will be unavailable. Also, attacker Deandre Kerr is listed as questionable.

Predicted starting XI: Sean Johnson; Nickeson Gomis, Kevin Long, Sigurd Rosted; Tyrese Spicer, Alonso Coello, Deybi Flores, Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty; Jonathan Osorio, Federico Bernardeschi, Prince Owusu.

Score prediction: 1-1. 

Thank you to Tomas for his insight into Toronto FC. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 4/26/24

Orlando City gets ready for Toronto FC, Thiago Silva linked with Orlando, Marta announces international retirement, and more.

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8 hours ago

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April 26, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

I don’t know about you, but I sure am glad it’s Friday. It’s been a bit of a brutal week for me, but the weekend is nearly upon us, and I plan on spending it with my family for my dad’s birthday. I’m also hoping to find some time to read the new book that came out this week from my favorite author, Emily Henry. For now though, let’s enjoy these links from around the soccer world!

Orlando City Prepares for Toronto FC

After a shaky start to the season, the Lions are unbeaten in their past four games and can make it five when they host Toronto FC Saturday night. Toronto has lost three of its past four games, but is coming off of a 1-0 win over the New England Revolution. In the time since Oscar Pareja took over as head coach, Orlando City has won six of its seven games against Toronto. It will be the first meeting between the two with John Herdman at the helm of Toronto, so we will see if the trend of recent Orlando dominance continues. It should be a great game and is another opportunity for the Lions to climb up the table.

Thiago Silva Linked With Orlando City

Brazilian defender Thiago Silva’s contract with Chelsea ends this summer and Orlando City was mentioned as one of many reported clubs interested in signing him. Beyond the surface-level facts that Silva is an incredibly talented defender and Orlando City is a popular landing spot for South Americans who want to play in MLS, the move would not make much sense. The club signed David Brekalo this off-season and Rodrigo Schlegel is a solid option off the bench as well. Even if Orlando does want Silva, there will be plenty of competition. Returning to Fluminense is the expected choice, but Silva could stay in Europe or make the move to Saudi Arabia.

Marta Will Retire From National Team After 2024

Orlando Pride star Marta announced that 2024 will be her last year playing for Brazil. You will need a translating tool for more of the details from her interview with CNN, but she spoke on how she’s at peace with her decision to stop playing at the international level once the year is over. She made her international debut in 2002 and has since played in five Olympics for Brazil. Marta may play in her sixth this summer, and there would be global attention to see one of the greatest players ever to lead Brazil one last time. Her contract with the Pride also ends after this season, but only time will tell if this is her final season in Orlando.

Orlando’s Academy Teams Get Results Against New England

With the Generations Adidas Cup behind them, Orlando City’s U-17 and U-15 teams earned some important points against the New England Revolution’s youth squads. The U-15 team dominated New England in a 4-1 result that included a hat trick from Jakob Garcia. The match between the U-17 sides was a closer affair, as they split the points in a 1-1 draw. Orlando’s teams will play again tomorrow, with a pair of home games against Nashville SC.

Free Kicks

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

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Toronto FC: Three Keys to Victory

What does Orlando City need to do to ensure a victory over Toronto FC Saturday at home?

Published

1 day ago

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April 25, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

After a successful, four-point road trip, Orlando City returns from Montreal to the friendly confines of Inter&Co Stadium to face one of the other Canadian clubs, Toronto FC. The Lions are hoping to add to a four-match unbeaten streak. A win offers the opportunity to take another step up the standings.

What does Orlando City need to do to secure all three points at home against Toronto FC?

No Early Mistakes

In the last three matches, Orlando City has conceded the first goal of the match. Worse than that, each of those goals happened within the first 21 minutes. Yes, coming from behind for two draws and one win is good, but not giving up those early goals may have meant three wins instead.

Last season, Orlando City’s defense was good. We didn’t see nearly so many mental mistakes by the defense, especially so early in the match. What is frustrating is that these mistakes were seemingly preventable. The back line, the defensive midfielders, and Pedro Gallese need to tighten up in the early going so that the Lions are not chasing the match so early on.

Take Advantage of Tired Legs

Toronto FC played a match against Simcoe County Rovers in the Canadian Championship tournament on Wednesday. I’m in no way saying that Toronto trotted out their first choice lineup for the match, but even if only some of the players got a run out, that could create some tired legs for the match against Orlando. Add in the travel from Canada to Florida on short rest and it could be good news for the Lions.

If the Lions can possess the ball and make Toronto FC chase them, or if Orlando can get the first goal (see above) so that Toronto is chasing the match as well, it might pay dividends in the second half. Orlando City is good enough in the passing game to do so, though it will be interesting to see whether Martin Ojeda rejoins the starting lineup or if Nico Lodeiro gets the nod again.

One Down, Two to Go

Facundo Torres was the first of Orlando City’s three Designated Players to score a goal in the regular season. While it didn’t come in the run of play, it might still spark him to add some more since he usually starts slow and then catches fire at about this point in the season. Of course, both Luis Muriel and Ojeda contributed to the scoring against Montreal. Muriel drew the penalty that Torres took, and Ojeda provided the assist to Ivan Angulo.

Now it is time for either Muriel or Ojeda — or both — to join Torres on the scoreboard. Standing in their way will be a good keeper in Sean Johnson. So far this season, he has allowed seven goals and has 22 saves, with three clean sheets. Muriel seems to be getting closer to scoring with each shot taken, and Ojeda has missed some close ones. If all three of Orlando City’s Designated Players can start scoring regularly, this team will become dangerous quickly.

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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