Connect with us

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Sporting Kansas City: Final Score 2-1 as the Lions Extend Unbeaten Streak to Seven Games

Tesho Akindele and Benji Michel scored in the first half and the Lions held on through an intense second-half onslaught by the hosts.

Published

on

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City just keeps doing things it has never done before. A week after beating the Chicago Fire at home for the first time ever, the Lions went into Children’s Mercy Park and claimed their first win there with a 2-1 victory over Sporting Kansas City. Tesho Akindele and Benji Michel scored just a couple of minutes apart in the first half and Orlando (7-2-4, 25 points) held on for dear life through a rough second half, conceding a Johnny Russell goal but ultimately holding off SKC (6-5-2, 20 points).

With the win, Orlando climbed to second in the Eastern Conference standings, winning a tiebreaker over Philadelphia on goals scored and another over Toronto on goal differential. The Lions also extended their unbeaten streak to seven games (5-0-2), setting a new club record in the MLS era.

“I’m very proud of the three points,” Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “I think tonight we beat one of the best teams in the West.”

Pareja’s lineup included some squad rotation in key areas. Pedro Gallese manned the goal as usual, with Kyle Smith, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Ruan slotting in on the back line. Kamal Miller went to the bench, while Antonio Carlos was not in the match day squad at all. Andres Perea and Michel stepped into the midfield with Junior Urso and Sebas Mendez, with Chris Mueller and Mauricio Pereyra on the bench, and Nani took up an attacking position with Akindele, as Daryl Dike got his first breather since the regular season restarted. Dike was in the matchday squad, though.

Sporting Kansas City pushed high up the pitch early and had success turning Orlando over and keeping possession, but without getting any real clear-cut scoring opportunities. The first good chance of the match went to the hosts after Schlegel was booked for a handball when he went down to block a pass on a counter attack and the ball hit his arm. Graham Zusi curled his set piece wide of the left post on the set piece.

Orlando saw almost no possession in the attacking third in the first 20 minutes, but got an opportunity when a through ball found Michel and he was taken down by Matt Besler, setting up a free kick. Nani sent in the set piece to Schlegel, who got under it and headed well over the bar at the near post in the 25th minute.

The Lions started getting more opportunities and more set pieces as the half went on. But it was the counter where Orlando found success. Ruan found himself in space and threaded an excellent through ball for a perfectly timed run by Akindele. Tesho sized up goalkeeper Tim Melia and curled a shot around him and inside the near post to make it 1-0 in the 36th minute.

For Akindele, it was his second league goal of the season. He last scored in a non-MLS is Back knockout stage match back on July 14 against New York City FC during the group stage.

“It’s something that we’ve talked about before the game,” Akindele said about the team attacking SKC’s offside trap. “We have, obviously, a fast lineup out there, especially with me and Benji. We knew that we should be looking for the balls in behind.

“On my goal, I saw Ruan just taking it in. Benji did a good job of making the first run and he kind of brought a defender or two with him. Then I saw the gap open up and Ruan made a great pass. I honestly thought I was offside because I had so much space, but then I just relaxed, waited for the spot to open up, and finished it.”

The dust had barely settled from Akindele’s goal when the Lions struck again in transition. Nani sent a gorgeous ball over the top for Michel to run onto. Besler grabbed him and pulled him back, but Michel fought him off and slotted home past Melia in the 38th minute to double the lead. The strike gave Michel his fourth goal in the last five games.

“Benji is very docile to coach,” Pareja said. “He is growing. He is understanding and interpreting much better the spaces.”

“ I think that [Michel’s] thinking about the game more than he was before,” Akindele said. “Benji is at practice before everyone and he’s working on his own and that’s something nobody sees. He’s hitting the gym. He’s passing the ball. He’s doing a lot of work on his own this year, really trying to improve himself as a player. You know, that’s something that nobody sees, he hasn’t been talking about it but it’s happening and I think everybody’s seen the results that right now.”

The end of the first half consisted of several Sporting KC corners that Orlando defended well, and the Lions took their 2-0 lead into the break. Orlando led in shots (4-3), as well as shots on goal (2-0) and possession (53.6%). SKC racked up a 7-1 edge in corner kicks. Both teams were 86% accurate with their passes.

After the break, the Lions did what they have done far too often this year and came out of the locker room with too little energy and passion. SKC no doubt heard an earful from Peter Vermes at halftime and played like it, owning the ball and not giving it up at all. There were more corners and crosses and the hosts finally made it pay off.

A cross to the back post was played too softly by Kyle Smith, who tried to usher it out rather than attacking it and Russell played right through him, out-muscling the Orlando left back and heading home to make it 2-1.

There was no let-up from the hosts, who seemingly possessed the ball for the entire first 15 minutes of the second period. Orlando couldn’t find the handle and when the Lions did get a touch, they’d immediately turn it right back over.

“I think they were just throwing numbers forward,” Akindele said. “Their center backs did well at winning the long balls that we tried to hit out. So, you know, that’s on me and the forwards. I think we could have done a little bit better job of trying to hold the ball up in the second half. That might have eased some pressure.”

After a shot from Russell fizzed wide in the 60th minute, Pareja brought Pereyra into the match to help get more of the ball but it was merely a band-aid, and the Lions needed reinforcements from Dike and Mueller to calm things down a bit — but only a bit. Orlando did start to get on the ball more but certainly not as much as they would have liked.

Gadi Kinda fired a couple of shots from distance over the bar in the 67th and 70th minutes and Nani did the same at the end of a good-looking counterattacking buildup in the 75th.

A minute later, the hosts appeared to tie up the match when a clearance by Jansson hit Russell and bounced behind the beefy Swede. It was picked up by SKC and was sent into the area where it got lost in traffic and trickled over the line, but the play was ruled offside and it was upheld on video review.

Orlando’s best opportunity at an insurance goal came in the 84th, when Urso knocked a ball out of the air to himself and hit it first time, sending a rocket toward goal. We’ll never know if it would have gone in because it hit Mueller in the stomach. A minute later, Dike got the ball and went 1-v-3 against the Sporting defense, freeing himself up for a shot but he sent his effort over the bar.

Gerso sent a laser on target from outside the area in the 86th but Gallese was there to knock it over the bar.

Defender Winston Reid got the last good look for SKC in stoppage time with a header off a corner kick but he sent his shot wide and the Lions held on to get the win.

Sporting Kansas City finished with more shots (16-8), but Orlando got more on frame (3-2). SKC had a commanding 13-1 advantage in corners and turned the possession around to hold 56.6% of the ball. The hosts passed at an 83% rate but the Lions faded in the second half to just 77%.

“We were very happy with the three points, and the first half, we played very well,” Jansson said. “The second half is completely Sporting so we are a little bit disappointed on the second half, but we came here to get three points and sometimes you need to do it different ways.”


The Lions have one more on the road before returning to Exploria Stadium, with a Sunday night match-up at FC Dallas in Oscar Pareja’s return to his old address. Kickoff is set for 8:30 p.m.

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Atlanta United FC: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions fare in Orlando City’s 2-0 loss in Atlanta?

Published

on

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City continued its poor run of form with a 2-0 loss to Atlanta United FC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Lions only have one point in four games and have lost their last three MLS matches. It’s the fewest points an Orlando City team has had after four games in club history, dating back to 2011.

Let’s look at how each individual Lion performed in another loss.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6 — Neither of Atlanta’s two goals were Gallese’s fault and he had a pretty solid game. His standout moment came just before halftime when he made two one-handed saves off an Atlanta corner kick, keeping the deficit at one goal. Other than his shot stopping, Gallese completed 72.2% of his 18 passes, including five of his 10 long balls.

D, Rafael Santos, 5 — Santos was active in this game with 78 touches, third-most on the team. He nearly accidentally scored in the eighth minute when an inaccurate cross hit the crossbar. However, he was at the heart of both goals. In the ninth minute, he was beaten by Saba Lobjanidze for the first goal. Brooks Lennon beat him down field and caused him to hit the turf with a cutback, while setting up the second. Apart from the two goals, Santos completed 93.8% of his 64 passes, one of his five crosses, and four of his six long balls. Defensively, he had one tackle.

D, Robin Jansson, 6.5 (MotM) — Jansson was the most active Lions defensively in this game, recording three tackles, two clearances, and one blocked shot. He completed 91.7% of his 48 passes, including four of his seven long balls. He wasn’t at fault for either of the two Atlanta goals, though he shied away from the second in the 71st minute.

D, David Brekalo, 5.5 — Similar to Jansson, Brekalo had a strong game. He finished with a team-leading three clearances and one tackle. Going forward, he completed 93.2% of his 59 passes, including a key pass and four of his seven long balls. However, I knocked him down half a point because he failed to close down Giorgos Giakoumakis at the top of the box on the second.

D, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, 5.5 — Thorhallsson started on his usual right side of the back line, but also ventured into the central midfield. He completed 87.5% of his 40 passes, one of his three crosses, and neither of his two long balls. His only shot was off target, but he had a team-high four successful dribbles. Defensively, the fullback added two tackles and one clearance on the night. His night ended in the 87th minute when he was replaced by Mikey Halliday.

MF, Martin Ojeda, 5.5 — Ojeda only had 36 touches in the game, by far the lowest number in the four-man midfield. He completed 78.6% of his 28 passes and didn’t complete any of his three crosses, but connected on his one long ball and had a key pass. His only shot came in the 19th minute when he tried to beat Brad Guzan to his near post. However, the veteran goalkeeper blocked it out for a corner kick. He was replaced in the 74th minute by Facundo Torres.

MF, Nico Lodeiro, 6 — Lodeiro was the most active attacking midfielder, recording a team-high 85 touches. He completed 91.9% of his team-high 74 passes, but failed to connect on any of his six crosses or two long balls. Additionally, he took one off-target shot and had a tackle defensively. He was replaced by Shak Mohammed in the 87th minute.

MF, Kyle Smith, 6 — Smith started in the midfield in this game, usually sitting between the back line and the three attacking midfielders. His 79 touches were second-most on the team and he completed 90% of his 60 passes, also second-most on the team, including three of his five long balls. Defensively, he recorded one tackle, one interception, and one clearance in his new role.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 6 — Angulo had 70 touches in this game, fourth-most on the team. He completed 84.6% of his 52 passes, including a team-high two key passes, but only connected on one of his five crosses. His three successful dribbles were second on the team behind Thorhallsson and his only shot was off target.

F, Luis Muriel, 6 — Muriel was the most effective of the two starting forwards, recording 60 touches and putting two of his four shots on target. In the sixth minute, his shot was tipped over the crossbar by Guzan and an excellent individual effort in the 42nd minute forced the Atlanta goalkeeper into a diving stop. He completed 70.3% of his 37 passes with one key pass and one of his two crosses but failed to connect on his only cross. He also had a team-high four tackles. The forward was replaced in the 81st minute by Jeorgio Kocevski.

F, Duncan McGuire, 5.5 — The Lions could have used a quality performance by McGuire, but he was largely absent. He only had 29 touches in 90 minutes and failed to put either of his two shots on target. He completed 89.5% of his 19 passes and had one key pass while failing to complete his only cross. He also had two tackles on the night.

Substitutes

MF, Facundo Torres (74’), 5 — Torres came off the bench as he continues to return from a shoulder injury. He had 15 touches in 16 minutes, completing only 63.6% of his 11 passes. However, he had a key pass and connected on two of his three crosses. Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja was hoping for an offensive spark from the Uruguayan, but he didn’t get off any shots.

MF, Jeorgio Kocevski (81’), 5.5 — The rookie’s 21 touches were the most of any Orlando City substitute in this game as he made his MLS debut. He completed 83.3% of his 18 passes, but failed to complete his only cross or either of his two long balls. He added a dribble and tackle to his final totals.

F, Shak Mohammed (87’), N/A — Mohammed had a team-low seven touches and completed 83.3% of his six passes. He was fouled once and didn’t have any other statistics.

D, Mikey Halliday (87’), N/A — Halliday had eight touches in his minimal minutes while completing three of his six passes. He didn’t complete his one cross and his only shot was off target. Meanwhile, the defender didn’t record any defensive stats.


This is how I saw Orlando City’s tough Sunday night loss in downtown Atlanta. Let us know what you thought of the performances and vote for your Man of the Match.

Continue Reading

Orlando City

Orlando City at Atlanta United FC: Five Takeaways

Here’s what we learned from Orlando City’s 2-0 loss at Atlanta.

Published

on

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City traveled North to the unfriendly confines of Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and unfortunately the Lions’ early season woes continued as Orlando City fell 2-0 to their Eastern Conference rival. What did we learn from the disappointing third loss of the MLS regular season?

Troubling Transition Defending

Orlando City employed a high press to start the match, and the defense often didn’t recover well enough to keep Atlanta honest. The first goal the Lions gave up came on a quick break by Atlanta that saw Saba Lobjanidze beat Rafael Santos and Pedro Gallese to score the first goal of the match. There were several other times that Atlanta moved the ball quickly into the attack, though Robin Jansson was able to sniff out the others in the first half. Atlanta didn’t stop that type of attack, and a second goal resulted.

Double Volley Saves

Pedro Gallese made back-to-back reaction saves to keep Atlanta from getting a second goal to end the first half. Gallese also made other saves that weren’t credited because a foul preceded the save. He may have been caught flat-footed on the first goal, but he had his near post covered, and after that, he was quite good. It was funny seeing the reactions online after the first goal calling for him to be replaced. Thankfully, Oscar Pareja isn’t checking social media during matches and taking his directives from frustrated fans. Gallese had no chance on Atlanta’s second goal.

Beefy Swede Comes Up Big

Jansson was an absolute beast. He singlehandedly stopped multiple Atlanta United attacks in the first half and to start the second half. He did receive a yellow in the 49th minute, as the opposition prevented him from restarting the match quickly and he grew frustrated trying to grab the ball. But then he kept doing everything Orlando City needed. Of course, it’s easy to see the defending he does, but it’s all the other things as well — his passing to work the ball out of the back, and his leadership to organize the defense and, ultimately, the rest of the team. He was a commanding and calming captain in this match.

Possession Schmosession

Orlando City had the advantage of possession in the match. For long stretches, the Lions looked to be in control of the match. Two moments were all Atlanta United needed to ensure that Orlando City went home with no points. The Lions took a bit to grow into the match, but even once they did, the last bit of quality was missing. Duncan McGuire was a step too late on a couple of opportunities. Dagur Dan Thorhallsson took an extra touch when Muriel dropped a ball for him in the box. It was another frustrating night on offense.

The Missing Midfield

Have no doubt that the absence of Cesar Araujo and Wilder Cartagena made a difference in how this match played out. Sadly, I predicted that with Orlando City’s two starting defensive midfielders out, Pareja might employ Kyle Smith in the role. I wish I had been wrong. It’s not that Smith was particularly bad, but without the normal excellent double pivot combo of Araujo and Cartagena, Orlando City was out of sorts. Cartagena will be back, having served his red card suspension, and we wait on Araujo’s injury to heal up as he continues to be listed as questionable.


That is what I saw in the loss to Atlanta United. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/18/24

Orlando City falls to Atlanta United, the Pride get a late result at Louisville, OCB wins tops Atlanta United 2, and more.

Published

on

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Hello, Mane Landers. I hope you all had an excellent St. Patrick’s Day weekend. It was a mixed one for our teams, as OCB won, the Pride fought back for a draw, and the Lions suffered another loss. This weekend, I was busy at work between Under Armour and covering high school lacrosse. There is plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links, but first, join us in wishing a happy 32nd birthday to Orlando Pride fullback Kylie Strom.

Orlando City Falls to Rival Atlanta United

Orlando City lost 2-0 to Atlanta United on the road on Sunday and will have to wait for Saturday against Austin FC to get another chance at its first win of the MLS season. Saba Lobjanidze and Georgios Giakoumakis scored for the Five Stripes. Orlando City is now winless in five consecutive matches across all competitions. The Lions have also given up 10 goals in four league matches and are in the 14th place in the Eastern Conference with one point. Michael Citro has your match recap.

Orlando Pride Battle Back for 2-2 Draw at Racing Louisville

The Orlando Pride overcame a two-goal deficit to escape Lynn Family Stadium with a 2-2 draw against Racing Louisville in their season opener Saturday. The Pride also went down to 10 players when Strom was sent off in the second half after receiving a second yellow card. The Pride were down 2-1 late when Summer Yates scored her first career goal from a set piece to even the match. The Pride are winless in season openers, but earned their third opening day draw in NWSL play. Orlando also secured its first ever point in four road matches in Kentucky. The Pride return to action Friday in their home opener against Angel City FC.

OCB Opens Season with 3-2 Road Win Over Atlanta United 2

Orlando City B won its MLS NEXT Pro season opener on the road, beating Atlanta United 2. The Young Lions trailed 1-0 early in the first half but kicked on from there and won 3-2. Jhon Solis equalized with a penalty kick goal and Orlando City 2024 MLS SuperDraft pick Yutaro Tsukada scored on a great free kick to give the Young Lions a 2-1 advantage going into halftime. OCB struck quickly in the second half thruogh Colin Guske. Atlanta United 2 made things interesting with a late goal, but OCB held on. This is the third consecutive year the Young Lions have started a season with a win. OCB’s next match will again be on the road, as the Young Lions face Huntsville City FC on Friday.

Manchester United and Chelsea Win, Advance to FA Cup Semifinals

It was a seven-goal thriller at Old Trafford as Manchester United edged out Liverpool 4-3 after extra time in the FA Cup quarterfinals. The Red Devils were down 2-1 late in the second half before Antony scored the equalizer to tie the match 2-2. Liverpool took the lead in extra time, but Marcus Rashford and Amad Diallo scored to put this match away for United. In another thrilling match at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea and Leicester City were tied 2-2. Carney Chukwuemeka and Noni Madueke scored for the Blues deep in stoppage time and secured a 4-2 victory. Manchester City will take on Chelsea, while Manchester United will face Coventry City in the FA Cup semifinals.

Free Kicks


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

Continue Reading

Trending