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Orlando City vs. Chicago Fire: Final Score 2-1 as Alan Gordon’s Strike Sinks Lions

The Lions may have been the better side for most of the game but wasted opportunities cost Orlando again.

Published

6 years ago

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Orlando City dominated the play but was beaten on the scoreboard, losing 2-1 to the Chicago Fire on a rainy night in front of 25,288 at Orlando City Stadium. Alan Gordon’s blast from distance in the 82nd minute gave Joe Bendik no chance to stop it and the Fire will leave Florida after a smash-and-grab job to keep all the points.

Cristian Higuita scored for the second consecutive game — this time pulling the Lions level after an early free kick goal by Aleksander Katai. Orlando City (6-5-1, 19 points) is now just 0-1-3 at home against the Fire (4-6-2, 14 points).

“I think the players know in their hearts that we were by far the better team,” said Orlando Head Coach Jason Kreis after the match. “And you won’t hear me say that very often but tonight I will tell you there was only one team that was pushing things and the other one was just trying to pick up the draw or catch something on the break.”

“At the end of the day, we left them hanging around and we got punished for it,” RJ Allen said. “We definitely need to learn from it and move forward.”

Due to players already missing with injuries or off on international duty, coupled with the unexpected absences of center back Lamine Sané (leg injury) and midfielder/right back Will Johnson (illness), Kreis was forced into a makeshift lineup. He started Allen at right back and slotted Tony Rocha next to Chris Schuler in central defense. Josué Colmán started up top in place of the injured Dom Dwyer, with Stefano Pinho returning to the bench. The squad was so thin that both backup goalkeepers made the 18.

Orlando City started the game more or less holding possession but taking shots from outside the penalty area. Unfortunately, the Lions couldn’t get any of them on target, shooting way wide or over the bar. That inability to threaten goalkeeper Patrick McLain allowed the Fire to get on the board first.

Chicago struck in the 13th minute off a set piece. Mohamed El-Munir was booked after contact with Diego Campos above the penalty area, setting the Fire up with a free kick in a dangerous spot. Katai stepped into the set piece and beat Bendik with a shot into the upper 90 on the left side. Bendik appeared to be caught mid-hop as he prepared, possibly thinking Bastian Schweinsteiger would take the kick after a Katai dummy. Bendik was so off-balance on the save attempt that he reached across his body with his trailing hand to try to stop the shot.

“Very disappointing. The first decision that awards them the free kick they score off of was ludicrous. Absolutely ludicrous. Never a foul,” Kreis said. “And so we shouldn’t be behind in that game.”

Orlando City responded well to the Fire’s early goal.

The Lions’ first good opportunity came in the 18th minute on the counterattack after a Fire free kick. The Lions broke and Chris Mueller ended up with the ball but he was forced onto his weaker left foot by the defense and he fired over the bar. Two minutes later, Colmán fired over the bar from the left side.

Orlando continued to push forward. Sacha Kljestan’s header went over the bar in the 25th minute off a great back-post ball by Allen. A minute later, Justin Meram was nearly sent in but McLain came off his line to smother the shot right off his foot.

But the Lions scored soon after that. Mueller took a pass from Colmán and sent Higuita in on the right side. The Colombian fired his third goal of the season into the net to tie things up at 1-1.

“For me it’s been important to score the goals [the last two games] but I would have liked a lot better to have scored and to win,” a dejected Higuita said through a translator after the match. “For me, I prefer the group objectives instead of my personal objectives.”

The rest of the first half was a probing affair, with both teams playing a bit more cautiously as the rain increased. The Fire nearly regained the lead on another dangerous set piece opportunity, but this time Schweinsteiger did take the kick after a Katai dummy run, and his low drive was just wide of the left post.

As time wound down in the first half, Colmán earned a free kick just wide of the penalty area. The delivery from Kljestan found Uri Rosell, who nodded it on frame, but McLain made a big reaction save to keep the game level.

Orlando City held 59% of the possession in the first period, out-shooting the Fire, 10-5, but the teams were even at 2-2 getting them on frame. The Lions passed at a 90% rate in the opening 45 minutes, compared to Chicago’s 84%.

Somewhere along the way, Schuler broke his arm in the first half. However, he came out of the locker room with a sleeve on and played through it.

The Lions looked better after the break, playing much of the second period in the attacking half. The hosts produced many scoring opportunities but couldn’t seem to break through and penalty shouts from both Higuita and Mueller going down in the box went unheeded by referee Nima Saghafi, although the latter went to video review.

Orlando forced two outstanding saves from McLain in the early minutes of the second half. El-Munir cut in on his right foot and smashed one that forced a diving save in the 49th minute.

Two minutes later, Meram curled one that was headed just inside the far post but McLain got over just in time to keep it out.

In the 55th, a terrific give-and-go play between Kljestan and Colmán sent Sacha in on McLain, but he tried to chip the keeper on the half volley and hit it too hard, sending it over the net. A minute later, Colmán fired over the bar after another good exchange above the box.

Mueller went down after contact in the box in the 60th minute and after about a minute of review, Saghafi determined no foul had occurred. He initially not only didn’t see a foul, but also ran into the box to stare down Mueller in a bizarre moment. There was no yellow for simulation so it’s unclear why he made that run toward the Orlando rookie.

Chicago got a bit more of the game for the next 10 minutes, with Daniel Johnson forcing a Bendik save in the 68th minute and Katai firing over the bar in the 71st.

The Lions then got back on the front foot. Meram volleyed a low drive off a corner kick cross but it hit a defender and deflected out for a corner. Kljestan then nearly got in all alone on a gorgeous ball over the top from Allen, but he couldn’t quite control the wet ball and it skipped away in the 73rd minute. In the 79th, a buildup ended up in front of Higuita, but the Colombian, who seemed to tire late in the game, couldn’t dig it out of his feet to take a shot.

Three minutes later, disaster struck.

Second-half sub Gordon, who came on at the break for Nemanja Nikolic, got the ball in space about 30 yards out and sent a rocket into the upper 90 to Bendik’s left. It was an unstoppable shot and very much against the run of play but that didn’t matter, as it allowed Chicago to win the game. It was the perfect storm, with a wounded and nearly immobile Schuler and the inexperienced Rocha defending, neither stepped up to close down Gordon and he made the Lions pay.

Needing a goal, and with some players tiring, Kreis sent on PC and Richie Laryea for Colmán and Higuita.

Meram nearly got through on goal in the 87th minute but there was too much traffic and he couldn’t get a clean shot away.

Two minutes later came one of the bigger talking points of the match as Kljestan tangled with Mo Adams at the top of the penalty area. It appeared that Sacha dragged Adams down but then the Fire midfielder brought his boot down on Kljestan’s face. Saghafi immediately showed a red card to Adams and after a few moments he booked Kljestan.

Kreis was incensed that no penalty was given, after the initial action resulted in a dead ball and the foul on Adams that earned the red took place in the area. He cited a conversation with the technical committee about a year ago on red card calls.

“Maybe I misremembered but I think it was specifically told to me that any red card that happens during a dead ball situation — where that red card violation is, that’s where the foul is awarded. So in my point of view, if there’s an ejectionable offense that happens in the penalty box, it’s a penalty.

“The explanation was that because Sacha fouled him first and received a yellow card, that was it. The player at that point can do whatever he wants to Sacha, pick up a red card, and then they get the ball back. Seems odd to me.”

Orlando got only one good look at goal in the five minutes of stoppage time, with Schuler playing up and getting a shot but it was blocked by the defense.

The whistle finally blew on Orlando’s third consecutive 2-1 defeat.

The Lions held 60% of the possession, passed at a 90% rate, and out-shot Chicago, 20-10 (5-4 on target) but had nothing to show for the match.

“I certainly can’t remember a night where I felt like we were more dominant with this club and maybe with any club,” said Kreis. “So you walk out of this night thinking how cruel this game can be, how cruel this job can be, and trying to grasp at the positives, for sure.”

“Soccer is about goals,” Higuita said. “We have to be more efficient.”

The Lions will find it difficult to stop the bleeding, as the next match is on the road at New York City FC next Saturday night in the baseball stadium.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/23/24

Ivan Angulo makes Team of the Matchday bench, Americans in action, Sergino Dest to miss Copa America, and more.

Published

20 hours ago

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April 23, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Tuesday, everyone! It was an excellent weekend for Orlando’s soccer teams, as the three sides took seven of the nine points on offer. There’s no rest for the wicked this week as the Orlando Pride travel to play the Washington Spirit on Friday, Orlando City hosts Toronto FC on Saturday, and Orlando City B finishes things up at home against Toronto FC II on Sunday. Let’s take a look at today’s links.

Ivan Angulo Earns Recognition

Ivan Angulo has been named to the bench of the latest edition of the MLS Team of the Matchday. The Colombian got the start on Saturday up in Montreal, and had a good game, going the distance and completing 82% of his passes and putting one of his two shots on target. That shot was an important one, as it gave the Lions a late equalizer and helped them salvage a valuable point on the road. Sean Rollins gave him a grade of 6 in his player grades from the match, a rating that likely would have been higher had Martin Ojeda’s pass been accurate enough to allow Angulo to grab a possible winner just a few minutes after he equalized. Here’s hoping he keeps up the good work!

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans taking part in big games this week, and the good people over at Stars and Stripes FC have you covered with the whole rundown. First up, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus will try to advance to the Coppa Italia final this afternoon, as they enter the second leg of the semifinal against Lazio with a 2-0 lead on aggregate. Tomorrow sees Monaco and Folarin Balogun meet Lille in Ligue 1 action, while Chris Richards and Crystal Palace host Newcastle United in the Premier League. Things wrap up on Friday in Serie B when Gianluca Busio, Tanner Tessman, and third-place Venezia face Cremonese as they try to overtake Como and finish in one of Serie B’s two guaranteed promotion places.

Sergino Dest Sidelined Long Term

Following up on a story from yesterday’s Lion Links, The Athletic is reporting that the knee injury suffered by Sergino Dest will keep him out of Copa America, and sideline him for the rest of the year. That would be a big blow for the United States Men’s National Team, as Dest has been the nailed-on starter at right back since winning a place in the team during the qualifying cycle for the 2022 World Cup. The Yanks aren’t without options at the position, as Joe Scally could step in for Dest, or Gregg Berhalter could try deploying Weah there, but neither of the two possesses Dest’s level of offensive threat.

Inter Milan Wins Serie A

Inter Milan dispatched rival AC Milan 2-1 guaranteed that Inter will win its 20th Serie A title in club history. Fikayo Tomori’s goal in the 80th minute was the closest Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah’s club could get to leveling the score, and Inter is now a whopping 17 points clear of AC Milan with five games left to play. Inter has been imperious on its way to a 20th Scudetto, scoring the most goals in the league while also conceding the fewest and losing only once this season.

Free Kicks

  • The Orlando Pride and Orlando City hosted a clean-up effort in honor of Earth Day on Monday.

That’s all I have for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. CF Montreal: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s 2-2 draw with CF Montreal?

Published

2 days ago

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April 22, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City / Mark Thor

Orlando City scored in second-half injury time for the second consecutive weekend to claim points. However, this time it was an equalizer as the Lions drew CF Montreal 2-2 north of the border. The Lions ended their two-game road trip with four points and extended their points streak to four games after dropping three straight. It’s an improvement as they look to climb up the Eastern Conference standings.

Here’s how I saw the individual performances in the draw.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 5.5 — Gallese conceded a pair of goals in this game, though neither were necessarily his fault. The first was a breakaway after Robin Jansson kept Mason Toye onside and the second was blocked wide, but Kyle Smith was caught flat-footed. However, he did concede twice while saving three of Montreal’s five shots on target. Additionally, the Lions’ goalkeeper completed 55.6% of his 27 passes, including eight of his 20 long balls.

D, Kyle Smith, 5.5 — Smith had a solid game other than one specific play. The left back had a team-high 86 touches and completed 78.3% of his 60 passes, including five of his 12 long balls. Defensively, he recorded two tackles, two clearances, an interception, and a blocked shot. Unfortunately, his most impactful play was getting caught watching on a Gallese block while Ariel Lassiter beat him to the rebound to give the hosts a late lead. That play lowers his grade for this otherwise quality performance.

D, Robin Jansson, 5.5 — Similar to Smith, Jansson had a solid game apart from one play. He had 72 touches and completed 79.7% of his 59 passes, including a key pass and three of his 14 long balls. He added a tackle, an interception, a blocked shot, and a team-high seven clearances to his stat sheet. But his failure to step up in the 16th minute enabled Toye to get behind the back line and score the opening goal, lowering his grade.

D, David Brekalo, 6 — Brekalo has proven himself to be the first-choice partner for Jansson and he was arguably the better center back in Montreal. The Slovenian international had 53 touches and completed 85.1% of his 47 passes, including two of his five long balls. The defender recorded two tackles, an interception, and three clearances defensively in a strong performance.

D, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, 6 — Thorhallsson was in his usual right back position for this game, playing 90 minutes and recording 44 touches. He completed 82.8% of his 29 passes, but only one of his four long balls and neither of his two crosses. He cleared the ball twice and didn’t really get into the attack, but was solid in his defensive duties.

MF, Wilder Cartagena, 6.5 (MotM) — This was possibly Cartagena’s best performance of the season. His 85 touches were second-most on the team and he completed 76.5% of his team-high 68 passes, including a key pass and two of his six long balls. It was his shielding of Nathan Saliba and strong pass forward for Duncan McGuire that started the last goal, though he didn’t get an assist. The defensive midfielder was also active defensively with five tackles and three interceptions, and he won a pair of aerial duels. His overall performance earns him my Man of the Match.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 6.5 — Araujo had a similar performance to Cartagena, but fewer touches and more accurate passing. He recorded 55 touches and completed 93.9% of his 49 passes, including a key pass. He was less active than his partner defensively, recording three tackles, and was booked in the 63rd minute.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 6 — Angulo had one of his better performances in this one, recording 48 touches and completing 82.1% of his 39 passes. His biggest impact on the game came two minutes into second-half stoppage time, when he connected with an excellent Martin Ojeda cross to even the game at 2-2. He nearly scored a winner five minutes later, but the pass from Ojeda was just a bit too far for him. His goal was one of his two shots and the only one on target.

MF, Nico Lodeiro, 6 — Lodeiro’s 45 touches were the fewest of the Orlando City midfield, but he did the most with them. The playmaker completed 91.4% of his 35 passes, including a key pass, but couldn’t connect on his long ball or either of his two crosses. He was also caught offside and dispossessed twice before being replaced by Ojeda in the 77th minute.

MF, Facundo Torres, 6 — Torres’ 65 touches were the most in the Lions’ midfield and the fourth most on the team. He completed 83.7% of his 49 passes, but didn’t connect on his two crosses or four long balls. The attacker took three shots and put one on target. In the 22nd minute, the midfielder stepped up and buried his second penalty of the season and ninth as a Lion, continuing her perfect record from the spot.

F, Luis Muriel, 6 — While Oscar Pareja had previously been starting Muriel behind McGuire, the forward got the start alone up top for the second consecutive game. He had 34 touches and completed 68.4% of his 19 passes, including his lone long ball but neither of his two crosses. His biggest impact on the game came in the 20th minute, when he tipped the ball past Montreal goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois, drawing the penalty that resulted in the first equalizer. He also had a shot of his own, but it was off target.

Substitutes

F, Duncan McGuire (63’), 6 — McGuire came on in the 63rd minute for Muriel. He had 16 touches in 27 minutes, completing eight of his 10 passes (80%) with a key pass. His lone shot came in the 90th minute, when Jansson headed the ball over to him and he probably should’ve equalized, but his volley was just wide. The striker also won three aerial duels.

MF, Martin Ojeda (77’), 6.5 — Ojeda came on in the 77th minute for Lodeiro and, similar to Lodeiro last week, made a big difference. He had 15 touches and completed four of his six passes (66.7%), including a key pass. Two minutes into second-half injury time, his excellent cross found Angulo, who touched it in for the equalizer. Five minutes later, he had another great cross that nearly found Angulo for the winner, but was just out of his reach.

D, Rafael Santos (85’), 6 — Santos came on in the 85th minute for Torres as the Lions looked to see out a point. He had nine touches and completed two of his three passes (66.7%), but didn’t connect on his cross or long ball. Coming on to assure the defense, Santos did his job as he recorded a tackle, an interception, and two clearances.

This is how I saw Orlando City’s 2-2 draw with CF Montreal. Let us know how you saw the game and don’t forget to vote for your Man of the Match.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/22/24

Orlando City draws CF Montreal, Pride and OCB win, FA Cup drama, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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April 22, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Hello, Mane Landers. I hope all is well with you down in Florida. Orlando City drew, while the Pride and OCB both won over the weekend. I had friends in town, so I went to Wrigley Field to check out a Cubs game and show them around Chicago. Let’s wish former Orlando City midfielder Kaka and Pride defender Brianna Martinez a happy birthday! There is plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Draw at CF Montreal

Orlando City again had to overcome a 2-1 deficit on the road when it faced CF Montreal Saturday night. The Lions needed a late stoppage-time goal from Ivan Angulo to walk out of Stade Saputo with a 2-2 draw. Orlando has now picked up points in each of the last four matches. Orlando City will face CF Montreal again on July 26 in the MLS Leagues Cup during the competition’s group stage. The Lions’ next match will be Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium as it takes on Toronto FC.

Orlando Pride Defeat San Diego Wave

The Orlando Pride shut out the San Diego Wave 1-0 on Friday at Inter&Co Stadium and got their second consecutive win with that same scoreline. Summer Yates scored the lone goal in the first half to seal the win for Orlando. Zambian international striker Barbra Banda made her debut for the Pride, coming off the bench in the second half. The Pride remain undefeated through five league matches and are fifth in the NWSL table with nine points. The team will be on the road to face the Washington Spirit Friday.

OCB Wins on the Road at Crown Legacy FC

Orlando City B got a 2-0 win against Crown Legacy FC at the Sportsplex at Matthews on Friday. Alex Freeman and Shak Mohammed scored for the Young Lions, and Javier Otero made six saves. OCB completed its two-match road trip, securing four out of a possible six points, and has kept its unbeaten streak on the road alive at four matches. OCB is in fifth in the MLS NEXT Pro Eastern Conference with nine points, while Crown Legacy is winless in five matches. OCB will be back in action this Sunday as it hosts Toronto FC II at Osceola County Stadium.

Manchester United and Manchester City Advance to FA Cup Final

Manchester United won 4-2 on penalties after a 3-3 draw against Coventry City in the FA Cup semifinals to advance to the final. It was a thrilling match at Wembley as United had a 3-0 lead before Coventry City rallied to get back into the match. USMNT forward Haji Wright scored the equalizer to tie the match 3-3 late into stoppage time. Coventry City thought it scored the game-winning goal late into extra time from Victor Torp, but it was ruled offside after video review. Casemiro missed his penalty for United, while Wright and Torp gave Coventry City a 2-1 advantage. United converted four straight penalties while Coventry City missed two to seal the win for the Red Devils. Manchester City edged past Chelsea 1-0 in their semifinal matchup, with Bernardo Silva scoring the lone goal in the second half. The FA Cup final will be played at the end of May and will feature a Manchester Derby for the second consecutive time.

Free Kicks

  • In case you missed it, check out this video on Orlando City’s social media page on Ivan Angulo’s equalizer to tie the match in stoppage time against CF Montreal on Saturday.

According to OptaJack, the Pride have secured the most points at home during the regular season since last May, with 26.

  • USMNT defender Sergino Dest suffered a knee injury during training with PSV Eindhoven over the weekend. Dest will miss the remainder of the Eredivisie season and could miss the 2024 Copa America this summer.
  • Real Madrid came back from being 2-1 down to defeat Barcelona 3-2 and stay ahead of its rivals by 11 points with six league matches left.
  • Bayer Leverkusen extended its unbeaten run to 45 matches after scoring a late goal from Josip Stanisic in stoppage time to get a 1-1 draw against Borussia Dortmund.
  • Serie A side Udinese is reportedly set to hire former Juventus and Real Madrid player Fabio Cannavaro as its next head coach.

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

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