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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Portland Timbers: Final Score 1-1 as Lions Stay Mentally Tough on Road

Out-shot 26-2 on the road against Portland’s A-team, the backup Lions fought heroically for a point.

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5 years ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City continued to show its mental toughness in the middle of a brutal July, grinding out a 1-1 draw against the Portland Timbers in a late Thursday night affair at Providence Park. Santiago Patino’s goal didn’t quite hold up to take all three points, but with a fullback playing center back, a midfielder playing right back, and three rookies on the field, that’s a much better point for the Lions (7-9-5, 26 points) than the Timbers (7-8-4, 25 points), who ran out their first-choice squad with a Cascadia matchup at Seattle looming over the weekend.

The Lions improved to 3-1-1 in the all-time league series against Portland (1-1-1 at Providence Park) and survived a game without any of its Designated Players, no first-choice defenders on the field, backups in the midfield, and two rookies and a guy making his first appearance in purple on the forward line. Orlando also survived an early injury to a starting center back — with no replacement central defenders on the bench — and an inexplicable seven minutes of second-half stoppage time, given for reasons known only to possibly some high roller in Vegas and God himself.

James O’Connor rotated the squad heavily, giving Robinho his first start as a Lion and resting several key starters a few days ahead of Sunday’s home match vs. the New York Red Bulls. Nani, who missed Saturday’s win over Columbus due to food poisoning, did not travel, making this the third game on artificial turf without him (out of three). As a result, the looming trip to play resurgent New England next week will bear watching.

So few regulars dressed that three goalkeepers were in uniform, with Greg Ranjitsigh getting the start between the sticks on his birthday. Danilo Acosta and Kyle Smith flanked Kamal Miller and Alex De John on the back line. Sacha Kljestan returned from suspension and joined Dillon Powers and Uri Rosell in the midfield, with rookies Benji Michel and Patino up top next to Robinho. Joao Moutinho returned from injury to make the 18.

As one might expect from the lineup, Orlando’s strategy was to dig in defensively and look to spring opportunities the other way. The Timbers owned the ball and the territorial advantage throughout the opening half but Orlando defended with determination.

Defending became more difficult early on. De John was kicked in the face in just the eighth minute and went down, seemingly unconscious before he hit the ground. Brian Fernandez was booked for the high boot — which was unintentional but incredibly dangerous — and De John went off officially in the 12th minute, replaced by Will Johnson. Smith slid into central defense and Johnson played right back.

Immediately after the change, Portland fashioned its first good scoring chance. Cristhian Paredes fired just over the bar from the top of the area in the 13th minute. Four minutes later, Sebastian Blanco fired just a couple feet wide of the right post as the Timbers probed for an opening goal.

Diego Valeri fired just wide of the far post in the 23rd minute after being given too much space on the left side.

Five minutes later, Valeri broke down the left side of the area but Johnson blocked his shot out for a corner. Claude Dielna headed over the bar on the ensuing corner kick.

Michel won Orlando’s first corner kick in the 31st minute and seconds later Johnson fired wide on Orlando’s first shot attempt of the game.

Blanco’s header hit the crossbar in the 37th minute and nearly bounced in off Ranjitsingh’s back but the goalkeeper was able to turn and grab the ball before it could cross the line.

Just minutes later, Ranjitsingh made a good save to deny Fernandez from just left of the penalty spot.

Orlando opened the scoring a minute later. Robinho made a good hustle play to keep the ball in play on the sideline, then crossed in for Michel. Jorge Moreira knocked the ball away from one Lions rookie, but sent it right to another. Patino hit the ball first-time past Steve Clark to give Orlando a 1-0 lead against the run of play.

The Lions survived a late header by Dielna that sailed just inches over the crossbar off a corner and took their slim advantage into the locker room at halftime.

Portland’s commanding statistical advantage was not represented in Orlando’s 1-0 halftime lead. The Timbers led in shots (10-2), shots on target (2-1), possession (62%-38%), and passing accuracy (87%-78%).

The second half was a bit more lopsided, in that the Lions attempted not a single shot and Portland attempted 16. While the Timbers helped by not being clinical, Orlando sufficiently gummed up the middle of the pitch in front of Ranjitsingh’s goal to make life difficult for Valeri and Blanco to find Fernandez and neither could get many clean looks from outside the area.

Portland started fast, looking to push the pace, nearly finding Fernandez over the top off the second-half kickoff. Seconds later, Blanco blazed down the left channel but shot wide. Fernandez one-timed a cross from the right in the 51st minute but didn’t hit it cleanly and Ranjitsingh was able to cover it.

Orlando’s best chance of the second half came at the hour mark. Robinho beat Zarek Valentin down the wing and opted to fire an aerial cross, but he hit it too hard and it sailed past Patino and Michel. A hard cross on the turf may have yielded better results. Nevertheless, that half chance was the Lions’ best second-half opportunity.

In the 67th, Larrys Mabiala was booked for elbowing Michel in the face, which was a red card on Saturday when done by the smaller player against the larger player but it was not a red on Thursday when the larger man did it to the smaller. Go figure.

In the 70th minute, Paredes headed a cross right at Ranjitsingh as the Timbers kept coming. Dielna headed wide off a set piece in the 78th minute and Powers was shaken up on the play. Powers was replaced by Tesho Akindele in the 80th.

Just eight minutes shy of the end of normal time, the Timbers equalized. Orlando was in good shape, looking to break out of its own end with possession. Patino sent a soft pass to his left intended for Michel but under-hit it, allowing Valeri to make a sliding challenge to take possession. Valeri’s ball found Moreira, who crossed in to Fernandez. The Argentinian headed it on to the back post, where Jeremy Ebobisse was waiting to nod it in off the left post, tying the match in the 82nd minute.

The goal looked to be coming all game long but it still felt like a sucker punch to come so late.

Orlando did a good job of managing the rest of the game. The Lions didn’t look much for the game winner so much as they tried to hold on for a point. Both Akindele and Kljestan had opportunities to perhaps play Patino in as the Timbers pushed numbers up the field, but neither looked up to see the rookie.

After an interminable seven added minutes of injury time — almost twice what De John required in the first half — the whistle mercifully blew on another road result for Orlando. The Lions are 3-4-4 on the road in 2019.

In addition to a 26-2 advantage in shot attempts, Portland led in shots on target (4-1), possession (63%-37%), corners (8-3), crosses (41-10!!!), and passing accuracy (86%-73%). To say that the Lions were under siege throughout the match would be an understatement. Credit to Ranjitsingh and O’Connor’s makeshift back line of Johnson, Smith, Miller, and Acosta — as well as Powers, Rosell, and Kljestan in the midfield — for keeping Orlando from getting pounded into Portland’s artificial turf.

The Lions are right back at it again on Sunday at home against the Red Bulls at 7:30 p.m. ET.

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Orlando City

Orlando City at CF Montreal: Three Keys to Victory

What does Orlando City need to do on the road against CF Montreal to take home all three points ?

Published

6 mins ago

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April 18, 2024

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Orlando City opened the season against CF Montreal, playing to a 0-0 draw at Inter&Co Stadium back in February. Now, the Lions head to the Great White North to play the pesky Canadian club again. There’s no Concacaf Champions Cup competition to worry about this time, so hopefully Orlando City can get a victory.

What does Orlando City need to do to follow up the D.C. United victory with another win?

Just Say No

Outscoring your opponents while giving up two goals is all well and good, but outscoring your opponents while also keeping a clean sheet is much better. Orlando City has given up 13 goals over seven matches. It’s actually worse than that considering that the club has two clean sheets meaning those 13 goals came in just five matches. The Lions need to do better at not conceding goals.

Of course, one of those clean sheets came against Montreal to start the season, and the entire defense is seemingly healthy and ready to go. Our old foe Josef Martinez is always a threat and Matias Coccaro has three goals for Montreal so far this season. Stopping them is crucial. If Orlando City can maintain the same defensive discipline it showed in the previous match against Montreal, it will make earning points on the road much easier.

Designated Player Goals

Orlando City has scored seven goals so far this season. Duncan McGuire leads the team with three goals, thanks to his goal last week. Do you know who hasn’t scored yet? If you said any of Orlando City’s Designated Players, you would be correct. I’m not going to ring any emergency bells just yet, but it’d be a lot cooler if Luis Muriel, Martin Ojeda, or Facundo Torres scored a goal this week.

I think they are all close to breaking out. Torres has scored this year, just not in the MLS regular season. Muriel has been getting closer each match, and is still contributing in other ways. The same can be said of Ojeda. My point is that the goals are coming. Perhaps a trip to another country is exactly what they need to get off the mark.

The Battle on the Wings

Orlando City will be playing against former Lion Ruan. He lines up on the right for Montreal and will be a challenge for either Rafael Santos or Kyle Smith, depending on who gets the start. Of course, if Ivan Angulo is playing in his usual role on the left side of Orlando City’s attack, there could be some interesting races between the two speedy players.

I think that the other side of the field is where the match might be won or lost. Since Orlando City fell out of the Concacaf Champions Cup, the team has been on a more regular schedule. That has allowed Dagur Dan Thorhallsson to regain his form in the right fullback position for the Lions. He scored a goal last week, has an assist on the season, four crosses, and 10 key passes. He is an integral part of Orlando City’s attack and if he can win the battles against Raheem Edwards and Joaquin Sosa on the right side of Montreal’s lineup, he could have another big night.

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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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/18/24

Barbra Banda’s opportunity in Orlando, Omar Gonzalez’s mental health struggles, UEFA Champions League quarterfinals finish, and more.

Published

4 hours ago

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April 18, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this week has been treating you well as we gear up for another weekend packed with Orlando soccer. It’s been a fairly busy week for me as I juggle work with keeping an eye on my cat. He’s a bit of a menace, but at least in a cute way. I’ll spare you my rambling on how great he is, and instead give you today’s links from around the soccer world.

Opportunity Knocks for Barbra Banda

Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda landed in the City Beautiful and spoke on how her first week with the team has been going. While there’s plenty of buzz surrounding the Pride on how Banda should improve the team’s offense, playing in the NWSL will also help the 24-year-old further develop her game.

“I think the league is quite good. I’ve been following it from way back,” she said. “I think it’s a very interesting league, very strong. All the teams are very physical, fast. So I think it’s good for myself to improve.”

Now that she’s with the Pride, soccer fans around the world will now have better access to watch one of the best forwards in women’s soccer. Banda also talked about the warm welcome she received at the airport and you can check out more of her reaction to that and some of her first few days in Orlando in the video below.

Portland Thorns Head Coach Reassigned

Mike Norris is no longer the head coach of the Portland Thorns after the club made him a technical director instead. The Thorns have never had a worse start to an NWSL season, losing three of their four games this year and still searching for their first win. Rob Gale will serve as the team’s interim head coach while the club does a global search for a replacement. I’m a bit surprised that Norris wasn’t given a few more weeks to turn things around, considering Portland is just a win away from being back in the thick of things. We’ll see if the Thorns will get that win with Gale at the helm when they take on the struggling Houston Dash Saturday.

Omar Gonzalez Shares His Mental Health Journey

American defender Omar Gonzalez discussed the difficulties he’s had over the course of his year and the toll it has had on his mental health. His own goal in the USMNT’s loss to Trinidad & Tobago that cost the team its chance to qualify for the 2018 World Cup would be rough for any player to overcome, but Gonzalez stated that head injuries made a stressful few years of his life much more difficult. Gonzalez admitted that he had daily suicidal thoughts until he reached out for needed help while with Toronto FC. Things have since improved and he’s currently with his hometown team, FC Dallas. I think it’s helpful for players like Gonzalez to be open about the mental health problems athletes face. Hopefully this lets other athletes know they aren’t alone in these struggles and encourages them to reach out for help if needed.

UEFA Champions League Semifinals Are Set

Only four teams are still standing in the UEFA Champions League after the quarterfinals wrapped up with plenty of dramatic soccer. The matchup between Real Madrid and Manchester City lived up to expectations with a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw in England. Real Madrid prevailed and ended City’s run, with Andriy Lunin making two saves in the shootout. In the other quarterfinal, Bayern Munich advanced after beating Arsenal 1-0, thanks to Joshua Kimmich’s head.

It all sets up for a thrilling pair of semifinals and potential storylines for the final. Will Bayern and Borussia Dortmund reach the final for a rivalry match for the ages? Can Kylian Mbappe finally give Paris Saint-Germain a Champions League title, and will it be at the expense of Real Madrid? If the semifinals are anything like the quarterfinals, it will be great soccer to enjoy.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City Director of Equipment Operations Charles Raycroft received some deserved recognition after reaching an impressive milestone in his career.
  • Romario, who was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 1994 after helping Brazil win a World Cup, has registered himself as a player for America Football Club. The 58-year-old has been the president of the club since 2009 and now has the chance to play alongside his son Romarinho.

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: 4/17/24

Orlando City rises in power rankings, Orlando Pride waive two players, Champions League results, and more.

Published

1 day ago

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April 17, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Time to start your day with some tasty links. It’s shaping up to be an exciting weekend with Orlando City, the Orlando Pride, and Orlando City B all playing. Last week, Orlando’s teams ended up with seven out of nine possible points. Here’s hoping we see nine out of nine this weekend. Let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Moving On Up

Starting the season 0-3-1 is a good way to be in the cellar of the utterly meaningless MLSsoccer.com power rankings. Orlando City is now starting to climb up the rankings thanks to three straight results. The Lions moved up four spots to 21st after the 3-2 victory over DC United. It was Duncan McGuire’s goal that secured the win, and his performance off the bench was a talking point for this week as well.

Farewell Kaylie Collins and Tori Hansen

The Orlando Pride announced that goalkeeper Kaylie Collins and defender Tori Hansen were waived on Tuesday. Both players were on loan in Australia’s A-League Women ,with Collins at Western Sydney Wanderers FC and Hansen with Melbourne Victory FC. Collins and Hansen were both NWSL draft picks for the Pride, though neither saw significant minutes with the club.

Barbra Banda Begins Training

Barbra Banda participated in her first training with the Pride Tuesday. It’s uncertain how much playing time she may get this week, but it’s possible she makes her first appearance against the San Diego Wave this Friday. Please remember that it sometimes takes new players time to get used to a new club, a new city, and a new league. Of course, I’m still hoping she comes on and scores a brace against the Wave.

Wild Matches in Champions League Quarterfinals

Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund both overcame deficits in the first leg to advance to the UEFA Champions League semifinals. PSG dropped four goals on Barcelona to win 6-4 on aggregate. Barcelona scored first, but made things hard on itself when Ronald Araújo was sent off.

Borussia Dortmund also scored four goals, defeating Atletico Madrid 5-4 on aggregate. Dortmund gave up an own goal, but battled back to take the lead in the match and then the lead in the tie thanks to goals scored in the 71st and 74th minutes. It was a wild, fun match to watch. Dortmund and PSG will meet in the semifinals.

Free Kicks

  • MLS will now start implementing the new rules for off-field treatments, timed substitutions, and in-stadium VAR announcements. The idea is to maximize effective match time.
  • The International Football Association Board (IFAB) will test new time limit rules during the 2024-2025 season for how long keepers can hold the ball with potential consequences including giving the opposing team a corner or a throw-in.
  • Finally, our thoughts are with the friends and family following the passing of Joel McKell.

That will do it for today. Check back later in the week as we get you ready for the Orlando City, Orlando Pride, and OCB matches this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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