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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Nashville SC: Final Score 3-1 as Daryl Dike’s Brace Leads Lion Comeback

The rookie got his first MLS brace and Chris Mueller scored to erase a 1-0 deficit in the teams’ first-ever meeting.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

The Lions fell behind 1-0 off a set piece but roared back behind a Chris Mueller goal and a brace by Daryl Dike to beat Nashville SC 3-1 at Exploria Stadium. Orlando City (3-2-2, 11 points) started a bit out of sync but settled in and handed Nashville (1-4-1, 4 points) its second straight loss in the first meeting between the two teams.

Dike has three goals in his first two starts in back-to-back matches, and Mueller added to his team-leading total (5), equaling his career high for a season, set last year in 29 appearances.

The Lions climbed into the top four in the Eastern Conference on a night when the rest of the league took the night off in protest of the Jacob Blake shooting in Kenosha, WI, earlier this week. Unlike some of the other matches scheduled, Orlando had sold tickets to the match, so fans were in the stands. But the Orlando-Nashville match was also the earliest match and it wasn’t clear to the players or Oscar Pareja what was really happening before phones were already off and the team was preparing to play.

Nani said that the team had “heard some things” but weren’t completely aware of what was going on at other sporting events around the country, as they were in their pregame mode. He said the players heard “nothing concrete” and weren’t aware that the other MLS games had been postponed until afterwards.

Pareja’s lineup for the second match out of five in a 15-day stretch included a few changes. Pedro Gallese started in goal per usual, but Rodrigo Schlegel slotted into the back line in place of Antonio Carlos alongside Robin Jansson, with Ruan, and Joao Moutinho outside. Dike got his second straight start up top with Tesho Akindele not in the lineup at all. Mueller returned to the starting XI, along with Nani, Mauricio Pereyra, Uri Rosell, and Sebas Mendez.

Orlando City wasn’t sharp to start the match with some errant touches and lost dribbles but credit Nashville for getting into passing lanes, closing down quickly, and reading the play well. The first good chance of the game came just four minutes in when Abu Danladi got around Schlegel and fired over the bar. Danladi and Gallese collided in the ninth minute on a ball over the top and the play went to a quick VAR check for a possible penalty but none was awarded.

After a couple of near misses on a corner kick sequence, Orlando got a look in the 12th minute. Pereyra sent Ruan down the right side and the Brazilian speedster centered for Dike, who should have scored but he missed just wide.

Nashville opened the scoring at the quarter-hour mark. Mendez gave up an unnecessary free kick from distance and Hany Mukhtar sent in a ball that found Dave Romney, who nodded home to make it 1-0. The play was reminiscent of the Larrys Mabiala goal in the MLS is Back final against Portland but this time it was in the middle and the ball bounced just in front of Gallese, which kept it just out of his reach.

Orlando nearly pulled that goal back a minute later. Moutinho got forward and found Nani in the box. The captain shot it with his first touch but Joe Willis was there to make the save. But the Lions broke through two minutes later.

Pereyra switched play to Moutinho on the left and the fullback made a sick move to free himself and pick out a cross. Mueller had slipped on the play but was in perfect position to head home Moutinho’s low cross, making it 1-1 in the 21st minute.

The Lions were the better team for much of the remainder of the opening half. Nashville tried to play long balls for Danladi to run onto, including one in the 29th that he got to and crossed for Daniel Rios, but the forward couldn’t get into position to make good contact for the shot.

But Orlando patiently built up its attacks and had some decent looks at goal. Moutinho should have found the Lions’ second goal in the 30th. After making a good hustle play to win the ball back in midfield, Joao continued his run forward. Pereyra sent a pass forward to Dike, who flicked it on for Moutinho, breaking into the area. Unfortunately, the left back fired his shot at Willis, who made the save.

Nani sent Ruan down the right in the 32nd minute, all the way to the end line. The cross back found Pereyra, but the Uruguayan took a touch and that allowed Nashville’s defense to close and block the shot attempt. That was the last good attack of the half, though Moutinho was nearly in behind again but was called for a handball in the buildup just before the break.

Shots were 8-8 (3-3 on target), with Orlando City holding 69.6% of the possession and being the sharper passing club (89%-70%).

The Lions took the lead just seven minutes after the restart. Mueller sent Pereyra down the left and the Uruguayan picked out Dike on the run. The rookie smashed home his second goal in two matches to make it 2-1 in the 52nd minute.

Nashville just about pulled that goal right back 10 minutes later. Randall Leal was allowed too much space above the area and knocked a shot off the right post.

Orlando continued to hold the ball and build attacks. A cross came within inches of making it to Moutinho at the back post but Willis stretched out and was just able to grab it in the 66th minute. Dike won a foul at midfield shortly after that but was caught in the head and had to get checked out by trainers and have his head wrapped up before returning to play.

Dike responded by scoring his second of the night in the 72nd minute. Ruan made a good cross into the area to second-half sub Junior Urso but Willis made a point-blank save on the midfielder’s header. Dike swooped in and cleaned up the scraps to complete his brace.

“We love to see Daryl scoring today,” Pareja said. “We are trying to add some things to his game. Just be more comfortable with the ball, just come in and have a presence where we are creating sequences. I think he’s connecting all these things slowly. I think he’s doing incredible. He’s taking advantage of his opportunities.”

“He’s been improving so fast and everyone sees he has talent,” Nani added about the rookie.

The rookie had an opportunity to complete a hat trick three minutes later when Nani sent him a cross but a defender stuck in a toe at the last second to deny the shot right in front of the net.

Nashville started to see a lot more of the ball after the second Dike goal and turned that possession into a few shots. Substitute Alex Muyl headed over the bar in the 76th minute after getting onto a nice ball over the top.

Urso got a second point-blank opportunity off a corner kick in the 81st minute but again Willis turned him away. After Dominique Badji volleyed a shot over Gallese’s crossbar on the last decent scoring opportunity for either side, the Lions saw out the remaining time and captured all three points.

Orlando led in shots (17-16), shots on goal (8-4), possession (66.1%), corners (5-4), and passing accuracy (88%-80%).

“This evening was was amazing for all of us to see our families, you know, in the stands watching us doing what we love most. It was a great evening,” Nani said. “We had so many fans support. Great opportunity to give a win for them and we feel like things are getting to normal. And as players, that is what we want. And it was a great feeling.”


The Lions have another quick turnaround, with a trip to Atlanta coming up on Saturday. If the current wave of player protests across all sports comes to an end by then, it will be a huge advantage for the hosts, as Atlanta and Miami postponed their match tonight.

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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