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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Toronto FC: Final Score 1-1 as Lions Fail to Make Up Ground in Playoff Race

Orlando led but then conceded late as the Lions still haven’t won at BMO Field.

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5 years ago

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Orlando City scored first, but the BMO Field hex continued, as a fortunate bounce on a set piece fell perfectly for Toronto FC to equalize in an unsatisfying 1-1 road draw. Benji Michel came off the bench to give the Lions (8-11-6, 30 points) a 1-0 advantage in the 69th minute, only to be called for a penalty that was overturned after video review. Patrick Mullins scored on the ensuing set piece anyway, and Orlando made up no ground on Toronto (9-10-6, 33 points) in the playoff race.

City is just 0-4-2 at BMO Field in six games there and remains three points behind Montreal for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot.

James O’Connor kept a lot of his full-strength side intact despite the heavy fixture schedule, showing the importance of every league match the rest of the way. Nani slid back into the midfield with Carlos Ascues and Uri Rosell, behind a front line of Chris Mueller, Dom Dwyer, and Robinho. The starting central defense tandem of Robin Jansson and Lamine Sané were flanked by Kamal Miller and Kyle Smith in front of goalkeeper Brian Rowe.

Orlando City started a bit on the back foot but didn’t allow Toronto much room in the defensive third. Tsubasa Endoh got the game’s first shot six minutes in but he fired it wide after gathering in a wayward pass from Smith.

The Lions then won a couple early corner kicks but did nothing with them as they were either taken short and fell apart quickly, or the crosses in were poor. Nani got Orlando’s first shot attempt at the 22-minute mark. Quentin Westberg made a diving stop to knock it out for a corner but it was drifting just wide anyway.

The most dangerous opportunity of the half came 29 minutes in, when Alejandro Pozuelo was given too much space and he picked out a chip pass intended for Jozy Altidore. It was just over the U.S. international striker’s head and skipped wide of the far post.

Nani sent another shot wide in the 40th minute and that was about it for the opening half, as neither team did a whole lot in the final third. Orlando was too hesitant to get balls into the area or botched their crosses after making good moves to get free in wide spaces. Some more quality on crosses would have perhaps given the Lions more threat in the attack.

Toronto led in first-half shots (4-3), shots on goal (1-0), and passing accuracy (86%-84%). Orlando had 51% of the ball. Neither team was particularly dangerous but the hosts seemed the likelier team to score in the opening 45 minutes.

The Reds came out with a lot more jump after the break, pressed relentlessly and held onto the ball through much of the second half. Toronto’s first good opportunity came in the first minute of the second half, with Pozuelo finding Marky Delgado down the right. Delgado’s cross for Altidore was picked off by Rosell at the last second.

Former Lion Richie Laryea, who won several 1-v-1 battles all night against his former teammates, got into the area in the 53rd minute and went down easily, then got up and fired a shot that Rowe saved.

Five minutes later, Laryea lifted a cross to the back post for Altidore but Smith did just enough to head it toward the sideline. Endoh then fired onto the roof of the net in the 59th minute after a nice pass from Chris Mavinga and a dummy from Altidore freed up his chance from the top of the area.

Toronto kept coming, winning corners and keeping the ball. Pozuelo fired a shot off the back post after a short corner as the warning bells continued to chime for Orlando.

The Lions finally got a shot on target in the 64th when a long cross from Nani found Dwyer’s head and the striker directed one right at Westberg.

Toronto then had the ball pinballing around Orlando’s area in the 66th after Delgado smashed a tough-angle shot off of Rowe that was parried into the middle of the six. A blocked shot later and the Lions cleared.

Michel came on in the 68th minute for Robinho, who pitched in well defensively but didn’t do much on the attacking end. The rookie made an impact immediately.

A ball fell to Dwyer’s feet at midfield and the striker turned and played Mueller into space down the right. Mueller surveyed the field and crossed a ball that Ascues let go through to the onrushing Michel, who took a touch and then passed the ball into the far corner past Westberg to make it 1-0 in the 69th minute.

The Reds almost pulled that back three minutes later. Rowe made a good save in tight on Altidore and the ball fell to Laryea with the whole net to shoot at. The former Lion missed the target badly with his shot.

Two minutes later, Laryea got around Michel, who grabbed him and gave him a tug before letting go. Laryea went to ground inside the area and referee Kevin Stott pointed to the spot in front of an incensed group of Orlando players. Stott went to video review, which showed a clear error, as Michel both made the grab and released Laryea outside the area.

It didn’t end up mattering that it wasn’t a penalty, because Toronto scored anyway on the free kick. Pozuelo pushed the ball out to Michael Bradley outside the area and the USMNT midfielder fired a shot that was blocked in front. Unfortunately, the rebound squirted just behind the defensive line and set up perfectly for Mullins to turn and fire home in the 77th.

Altidore tried to find a game winner on a free kick in the 84th from just outside the area, but he fired his shot over the bar. Time wound down and the teams entered six minutes of stoppage time.

The 92nd minute was a crazy one, with both teams getting an excellent shot at a winner. First, Altidore got behind the defense and tried to chest down a cross but his touch was too heavy and Rowe collected. Then, on the other end, the ball found second-half sub Ruan, who crossed to fellow substitute Tesho Akindele. The Canadian flicked the ball toward the back post but couldn’t keep it on frame.

Rosell fired way off frame in the 93rd and then Toronto saw Laryea, Omar Gonzalez, and Bradley all fail to hit the target with shots before the final whistle blew.

Toronto out-shot Orlando 18-8 (5-2 on target), and won the possession (56%-44%) and passing (87%-82%) battle as well.

The Lions return home to Exploria Stadium for a Wednesday night match-up with Sporting Kansas City at 7:30 p.m.

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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.

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7 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?

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1 day 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.

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1 day 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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