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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Seattle Sounders: Final Score 2-1 as Lions’ Comeback Falls Short

The Lions snap a five-game scoreless drought but still can’t get back in the win column.

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Coming into the game without a win in the last 12 MLS matches and no goals in the last five, Orlando City (7-21-4, 25 points) came out slowly again and it looked like another blowout was at hand. However, after going down two goals, the Lions made adjustments, Seattle defended in numbers and Orlando got back into the game off a Dom Dwyer goal. One goal was all the Lions could muster though, and the Seattle Sounders (16-11-5, 53 points) won 2-1 and clinched a playoff spot in front of an announced crowd of 22,344 at Orlando City Stadium.

“I think obviously the first half started really poorly and we gave away two really poor goals,” Orlando City Head Coach James O’Connor said. “The second half, I felt we came at them a little bit, had a little bit more energy. I thought we started to cause them a few more problems, have maybe more pressure in their half and obviously got the goal.

“I think when we got the goal we are then hopeful that we are going to go on and get something from the game. I think we needed to get more numbers into the box. It’s indicative of the way the season has gone for us with the type of goals we’ve giving away so early on and made it really difficult for us to get back into the game.”

After serving his suspension, Dwyer returned to the starting XI and got back on the score sheet. Dwyer now has 13 goals on the year. Adam Grinwis got his second start in as many games and Cristian Higuita started in an attacking position at right midfield.

Fans might have missed the first goal of the match as Seattle started quickly and in just the third minute the Lions let one in. Kelvin Leerdam had time outside the box, looked up, and saw Victor Rodriguez wide open and making a run into the box. Rodriguez flicked the ball over Grinwis, who was caught in no man’s land, and put Seattle up 1-0. It was poor defending all around for Orlando. Seattle had too much time and space in the midfield and easily got the ball out wide. Chris Mueller didn’t close down Leerdam and neither Lamine Sané nor Shane O’Neill picked up the goal scorer.

Ten minutes later, it was Handwalla Bwana’s turn to find the back of net. His shot would have been a routine save from Grinwis but O’Neill deflected it, and the Sounders doubled their lead. Once again it was poor one-on-one defending that created this goal. Sacha Kljestan never challenged Rodriguez, Bwana walked his way around Scott Sutter, and O’Neill should have blocked it in front of Grinwis.

“It’s never easy [going 2-0 down] but I think we really battled in the second half,” said Dwyer. “We have a tendency recently to slow towards the end of games and I think we were going for it at the end of the game today and that’s a real positive to take from it.”

There were some bright spots for the Lions in the first half, albeit not many. For a span of about three minutes starting in the 37th minute, Orlando City was in the final third and looked dangerous. It started with Kljestan playing a sneaky through ball to Dwyer and the Lions earned a corner. It was unsuccessful but the ball fell to Sutter deep outside the area and his rocket of a shot forced Stefan Frei into a save.

While the on-field production showed Orlando City getting blown out, the first half stats were eerily similar. Both teams had seven shots, Seattle had two more shots on target (3-1), the Lions made just six more passes (270-264), and possession was a 51%-49% split in favor of Orlando.

“We came out a little bit better and a little bit sharper [in the second half], and if we could play the entire game like that, we’d have a chance,” said Dwyer. “We started out a bit slow, we were punished early, and that’s how the game goes sometimes. We almost got ourselves back into the game and if there was another 10 minutes I think we would have.”

The second half continued where the first left off and the Lions had no energy and were second best. O’Connor switched things up a little and changed from a 4-2-3-1 to a 3-4-3, with Dom up top and Kljestan and Higuita playing underneath him.

“I think regardless of formation, basic principals of defending are to deny space and to be compact,” O’Connor said. “So whether you’re playing with a back three or back four you need to be compact vertically and horizontally. It’s basic stuff.”

Then, out of nowhere, against the run of play, Orlando City ended its goalless drought at 507 minutes when Dwyer found the back of the net in the 57th minute. The Lions were moving the ball fairly well and Mueller got it out wide to Sutter. The fullback sent in a cross in and found Dwyer at the back post, and the striker passed it into the back of the net.

“I think [Dwyer’s goal] definitely gave us a lift that we were looking for,” Sutter said. “To get that much-needed 2-1 to get a bit of momentum. I think the second half was a good all around effort. We were knocking on the door for quite awhile. Just a shame really. I thought we deserved a draw and I think we put a lot into it and just a shame that the slow start punished us.”

After the goal, neither team had any good chances at goal but Orlando looked more threatening. Still, the game was played almost entirely in the middle third of the field. Seattle seemed content in holding onto its one-goal lead, and Orlando City did not have enough quality to breakdown the Sounders’ defense.

In the last 10 minutes of the match, Orlando City finally starting to get into the final third, but Seattle played with all 11 men behind the ball. Kljestan had multiple shots that failed to hit the target. Josúe Colmán took a crack in the 88th minute from outside the box that went inches wide. Will Johnson tried an over-the-head kick that was badly mistimed. With six minutes of stoppage time it looked like Orlando might have a chance to tie it up but could not find a second goal.

The Lions actually led in shots, thanks to the late surge (15-9), but only managed to get three on target. The Orlando defense held Seattle to just two shots in the second half, neither of which were on target. Orlando City had the advantage in most statistical categories — possession (54%-46%), passes (543-470), and corners (6-3) — but couldn’t find the tying goal.

“I think it’s just pride now,” Dwyer said about the last few games. “Obviously the season is done for us; there’s no chance at getting in the playoffs. We’ve understood that for awhile. It’s really just showing that pride and you know that will to win. We have guys that want to win and now we just have to go out there and do it.”


The Lions play in their last home game of 2018 on Sunday against the Columbus Crew.

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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