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Orlando City vs. Chicago Fire: Final Score 3-1 as Lions Lose Second Straight Game

Lions were wasteful in front of goal and two defensive lapses and a late transition goal undo what could have been a solid road performance.

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5 years ago

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Orlando City scored first but conceded once in first-half stoppage time and twice in the second half to fall 3-1 at Soldier Field. The Lions (6-3-3, 21 points) will rue missing on the scoring chances they created, which should have been sufficient to build a good lead on the road, but instead they’ll come home with no points as Chicago (3-7-2, 11 points) won consecutive matches for the first time this season.

Andres Perea opened the scoring to put the Lions on the front foot, but poor marking let Boris Sekulic tie it at the death of the first half. A bad defensive lapse allowed Robert Beric to put Chicago ahead in the second half, and Chinonso Offor scored an insurance tally late in stoppage time.

“Sad at the result, but happy to see all the good things that the boys did in the game,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the game. “I have to say that the boys fought for the game all the time and we couldn’t just put the ball in the back of the net today.”

Pareja rotated his lineup heavily in the midfield and forward lines but couldn’t do much at the back. Brandon Austin started again in place of Pedro Gallese behind a back line of the only four healthy defenders on the team: Kyle Smith, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Michael Halliday. Uri Rosell got his first start in central midfield, alongside Junior Urso, with Perea and Silvester van der Water shuttling the ball forward into the attack, featuring Tesho Akindele and Benji Michel up top.

The first good look of the match went to Chicago out of nowhere. Przemyslaw Frankowski got his head onto a long ball in the box and headed just over the bar and onto the roof of the net in the fifth minute.

The Lions got their first shot on a Michel header off a free kick service from van der Water, but his effort was hit weakly into the turf in front of Bobby Shuttleworth for an easy save. In the 17th minute, Urso headed on goal off a corner kick but Shuttleworth fought it off. Michel followed and saw his shot cleared off the line. Perea sent van der Water into the area in the 21st minute but the Dutchman hit his right-footed effort at Shuttleworth.

The Lions did a good job deflecting Chicago shots, including a potentially dangerous one by Beric in the 28th minute.

Orlando got forward off a cleared corner kick in the 30th minute and Michel ended up with the ball, making a nice move around a defender, but another deflected his shot out for a corner. On the ensuing set piece, Schlegel nodded it weakly at Shuttleworth.

The breakthrough came in the 34th minute when Halliday got down the right flank and sent a cross into the area. A defender got a touch on it but couldn’t prevent it from reaching Perea, who smashed it up under the bar for his first MLS goal to make it 1-0.

“I’m really happy for my first goal with Orlando City,” Perea said, but added that the result kind of took the shine off of it. “Everybody’s sad because we had the chances to score in the first half, and maybe in the beginning of the second half.”

Most of the remainder of the half was played in the middle of the pitch until Chicago earned a couple of late corners. Orlando dealt with them but then switched off at the worst possible moment.

At the death of the first half, Smith strayed too far from Sekulic and Alvaro Medran made him pay for it. Urso was a step slow in closing down Chicago’s playmaker, who sent an inch-perfect cross over Smith that Sekulic nodded back across goal over Austin and in to tie the match in stoppage time. It was essentially the last action of the half and the teams went to the locker room even at 1-1.

“It was tough to struggle for sure, because you have the game in control at that point and the half was about to end,” Pareja said about the late first-half goal. “And the lack of concentration that we had in that moment cost us the equalizer. So we just come into the half with that frustration. Obviously it was difficult. We have to be better.”

Orlando out-shot Chicago 8-7 in the first half (6-1 on target). Chicago led in corners (5-2), possession (52.4%-47.6%), and passing accuracy (79.5%-73.8%).

Michel should have restored the Orlando lead in the 47th minute. A nice passing play led to van der Water finding him on the left. Benji was alone against the goalkeeper but fired his shot right at Shuttleworth.

Chicago nearly took the lead in the 55th minute when Halliday blocked a pass but it bounced right back to a Fire player who then fed it across the goal for Beric to finish, but the flag was rightfully up. The Chicago striker was a step offside.

Van der Water got his head to a backside cross in the 58th and headed it softly back across goal where it bounced twice in lots of space before Chicago recovered it. No Lions were crashing that side of the goal and the Dutchman was visibly upset when he saw that. Three minutes later, van der Water got to the end line first and kicked a high ball back into the area. Akindele got to it but headed it right at the goalkeeper on another wasted chance.

Michel freed himself for a shot in the 63rd minute and looked as if he’d finally score, but his shot hit the heel of a lunging Fire defender and deflected just over the bar. The Orlando Homegrown showed his frustration after the shot went harmlessly out of play.

At this point in the game, van der Water and Rosell especially looked winded and in need of a sub, but Pareja held his changes. That turned out to be costly.

Beric fired over the bar in the 71st after two Lion defenders prevented each other from clearing a corner kick delivery. The Fire forward got his goal a minute later, though. Medran fed a simple ball straight up the middle that hit him in stride. Smith kept Beric onside on the run and Jansson couldn’t get a foot on the ball to redirect the pass. Beric finished past Austin and gave Chicago a 2-1 lead in the 72nd minute.

Pareja brought on Nani, Mauricio Pereyra, and Sebas Mendez in the 76th minute, but at that point the Lions were chasing the game. Pareja waited three additional minutes to send Chris Mueller — the team’s hottest player entering the match — into the game.

Urso went for the spectacular in the 86th and damn near got it. The Bear went up and smashed a bicycle kick on target but Shuttleworth was there to make the save. Two minutes later, Mueller sent a dangerous cross through the six-yard box but none of the three Lions crashing could give it the touch it needed to get in.

Smith had a good look in the 94th minute but his shot sailed over the bar. Two minutes later, the Fire put it away. Smith’s cross into the box was too low and easily cut out and the Fire countered. Mendez was unable to commit the necessary professional foul to prevent the break, and the hosts headed down field with numbers in behind the Orlando defense, which was pushed up to chase the tying goal. Offor finished the play and made it 3-1.

“You know, I think we had a lot of opportunities and then just maybe lost focus a couple times in the back,” Smith said. “And at the end of the game we were pushing forward. They got another goal, a little disappointed. But yeah, we just have to move on to the next game and get a good week of training in and get back on the winning streak.”

Orlando City finished with more shots (19-13), more shots on goal (9-4), more possession (53.1%-46.9%), and greater passing accuracy (79.1%-79%). Chicago held a slight edge in corners won (9-8).

“We have to keep going because there’s more than 20 games left,” Pareja said. “Our objectives (don’t) change and our vision and desire is going to be the same.”

“It’s a game that, it’s just gonna make us better,” Perea said. “We’re gonna keep our feet on the ground, keep developing the team, (and) keep learning from this.”

The Lions now get a bit of time to rest and heal up with the next game set for July 17 against Toronto. At this point in time, that’s another “road match” at Exploria Stadium.

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Lion Links: 10/27/26

Martin Ojeda named to MLS Team of the Matchday bench, MLS and NWSL power rankings, Diego Chara will retire in 2027, and more.

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9 hours ago

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October 27, 2026

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Image of Martin Ojeda fighting for the ball against LAFC.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

I don’t know about all of you, but I’m looking forward to the time changing this weekend so I can enjoy an extra hour of sleep. The cooler weather has made staying bundled up in bed seem like paradise. Let’s get this Tuesday morning started with today’s links from around the soccer world.

Martin Ojeda Makes MLS Team of the Matchday Bench

Orlando City star Martin Ojeda earned a spot on the bench of the MLS Team of the Matchday for his performance in the team’s 2-2 draw against New York City FC. He contributed to both of Orlando’s goals, providing an excellent cross for the assist on Antoine Griezmann’s goal before scoring himself in the second half. It was another great showing from Ojeda, who received Man of the Match honors in our player grades from the match as well. The 27-year-old now has 16 goals and five assists this season as a key part of Orlando’s attack. Hopefully, he can find the back of the net again when the Lions play on the road against the Chicago Fire on Wednesday.

Orlando City Drops in MLS Power Rankings

The Lions fell two spots to 11th in ESPN‘s MLS power rankings after blowing a lead late against NYCFC. It’s another disappointing result with dropped points, but the Lions are unbeaten in their last four games. Of their remaining three opponents, all three are above them in the Eastern Conference and both the Chicago Fire and New England are in the top five of these power rankings. Charlotte FC fell six spots to 13th though following its 3-2 loss to the Portland Timbers.

NWSL Power Rankings Ahead of Decision Day

The Orlando Pride remained in 13th in ESPN‘s NWSL power rankings following a 2-1 loss to Gotham FC. The Pride ultimately weren’t able to stop Gotham from leaving the City Beautiful with all three points, but they at least created good chances against the league’s top team. Orlando is already eliminated from playoff contention but will still be part of an important game on Decision Day against the Seattle Reign on Sunday. The Reign are just two points ahead of the North Carolina Courage and three points ahead of the Denver Summit as the three fight for a playoff spot, so the Pride have a chance to play spoiler.

Diego Chara Will Retire After 2027 MLS Sprint Season

Portland Timbers defensive midfielder Diego Chara announced that he will retire from professional soccer next year after the 2027 MLS Sprint Season. He’s been with the Timbers for the entirety of his MLS career, joining the club as its first Designated Player back in 2011. He’s made more than 500 appearances with the club across all competitions and helped the Timbers win the 2015 MLS Cup and the 2020 MLS is Back Tournament. Despite still playing regularly for the club, the 40-year-old spoke on how he’s nearing the end of his career.

“Once you cross the line of 35 years old, you start thinking about what is next. That happened to me,” said Chara of retirement. “I always prepare myself to be competitive, try to give the performance, but at some point the body says, ‘Ok, it’s enough.’ 

“I think I’m getting that moment, and for me, I think it is the right time to do it.”

Ballon d’Or Winners Announced

Harry Kane won his first Ballon d’Or after scoring a whopping 73 goals for club and country. The 33-year-old helped Bayern Munich win a double and scored six times at the World Cup, claiming the award for Men’s Striker of the Year as well. Spain won plenty of awards after winning the World Cup, with Lamine Yamal winning Men’s Young Player of the Year, Luis de la Fuente claiming Men’s Coach of the Year, and Unai Simon winning Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year. Paris Saint-Germain was named Men’s Club of the Year.

Barcelona swept most of the women’s soccer awards after completing a quadruple last season. Alexia Putellas, who left Barcelona after 14 years this past summer, won her third Ballon d’Or, with midfielder Vicky Lopez, goalkeeper Cara Coll, and coach Pere Romeu winning awards as well. Mexican forward Charlyn Corral bucked the trend though by being named Women’s Striker of the Year after lighting it up for Pachuca. The Orlando Pride’s Barbra Banda finished 18th in the voting.

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That’s all I have for you this time around. Thanks for reading and I hope you all have a great Tuesday!

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. New York City FC: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s 2-2 draw with New York City FC?

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1 day ago

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October 26, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Orlando City gave up two costly points against New York City FC, allowing the visitors to score an equalizing goal with nearly the last kick of the ball. The 2-2 draw puts the Lions in a precarious position with two of the next three games on the road. Despite the disappointing result, some players still had good games.

Let’s take a look at the individual performances.

Starters

GK, Maxime Crepeau, 6.5 — While Crepeau didn’t have a perfect game, the Lions likely would’ve lost without his presence in goal. The entry ball in the 18th minute was just barely within reach of him getting a touch on, but he couldn’t change its trajectory and it allowed Alonso Martinez to tap in the opener. The second took a deflection and went through a lot of traffic in front of him, slipping inches inside his far post, so it can’t be blamed on him. He ended up touching the ball 35 times and completing 80.8% of his 26 passes, including four of his nine long balls. He saved four of NYCFC’s six shots on target and had multiple outstanding saves. If he’s able to gather the ball on the first goal, he probably gets my Man of the Match.

D, Vinicius Nogueira, 5.5 — The newly-aquired Brazilian defender had 32 touches in this game, completing 77.3% of his 22 passes, including one key pass and three of his five long balls. He technically had an assist on the second goal, flicking the ball behind him to Martin Ojeda. He didn’t have any defensive statistics, but he did win an aerial duel and put his only shot on target, although his free header went straight at the goalkeeper. It wasn’t a stellar game for the left back, but it wasn’t the worst performance either. He was replaced by Adrian Marin in the 71st minute.

D, Iago, 5 — With Robin Jansson injured, Iago got the start at center back alongside David Brekalo. Iago finished with 50 touches and completed 95.1% of his 41 passes. His six clearances tied David Brekalo for the team lead and he added one blocked shot. He didn’t get forward much on the attacking end, taking one dribble and not taking any shots. He was replaced by Zakaria Taifi in the 71st minute after getting beaten one time too many and picking up a yellow card.

D, David Brekalo, 5.5 — Brekalo was in his regular center back position, touching the ball a team-high 59 times. He completed 86.3% of his 51 passes, but none of his four long balls. The Slovenian tied Iago with a team-high six clearances and won two aerial duels. He also didn’t have any shots in this game. Unfortunately, Brekalo’s most impactful play was losing Talles Magno, forcing Wilder Cartagena to lunge in and concede a penalty. He got lucky that Magno went on to miss the target, or his grade might have been lower.

D, Ivan Angulo, 6 — Angulo continued his run of playing on the back line, starting on the right side. He touched the ball 58 times, second only to Brekalo and Eduard Atuesta. The Colombian completed 89.2% of his 37 passes, including a key pass, two of his three crosses, and two of his four long balls. Defensively, he recorded a team-high four tackles and one clearance. The cross in for the first goal came in from Angulo’s side, and he gave the ball away in his own half multiple times in his defensive half in the opening 45 minutes. He was also beaten badly down the left side on the play that set up the second NYCFC goal, but as a winger on team that had healthy fullback options on the bench, he shouldn’t be put in position to have to defend so much.

MF, Eduard Atuesta, 6 — Starting in the central midfield, Atuesta tied Brekalo with 59 touches. He completed 84.8% of his 46 passes but none of his three long balls nor his one cross. However, he did record one key pass. The defensive midfielder attempted two shots with both going off target. Defensively, he added a tackle in what was a solid game.

MF, Wilder Cartagena, 5.5 — One of the other regular defensive midfielders, Cartagena touched the ball 52 times and completed 87.5% of his 40 passes, including three of his four long balls. Defensively, Cartagena added a tackle, an interception, and three clearances. When Brekalo lost Magno in the 78th minute, it was Cartagena’s lunge that caused Magno to go down, forcing referee Elijio Arreguin to point to the spot. Fortunately, Magno missed the penalty. He had a solid performance other than conceding the penalty, even if that wasn’t all his fault.

MF, Braian Ojeda, 6 — This was Ojeda’s first start since Aug. 1 as he returns from an injury and his first time playing over 20 minutes. The Paraguayan midfielder had 20 touches while completing all of his 18 passes, including both long balls. His only shot was off target and he won one aerial duel. In the 32nd minute, his beautiful cross-field ball to Martin Ojeda was the start of an attack that resulted in Antoine Griezmann’s equalizing goal. He came off at halftime for Joran Gerbet in a move that was solely based on minutes.

MF, Justin Ellis, 6 — This game saw Ellis start for the first time since the international break when he suffered a minor injury against Canada. Again on the right, Ellis recorded 28 touches and completed 94.7% of his 19 passes, including a key pass but not his only long ball. Both of his shots were off target and he recorded one dribble. Despite being an attacker, Ellis contributed defensively with a clearance before being replaced by Marco Pasaslic in the 60th minute.

F, Martin Ojeda, 7 (MotM) — The club’s all-time leading goal scorer had 38 touches and completed 86.2% of his 29 passes, including three key passes and one of his three crosses. He put one of his two shots on target, netting the go-ahead goal in the 49th minute. The attacker sent a beautiful cross from the left to Griezmann in the 32nd minute, adding an assist to his game. Overall, it was a stellar performance that ended in the 83rd minute when he was replaced by Daryl Dike. His performance earns him my Man of the Match.

F, Antoine Griezmann, 6.5 — Griezmann had another strong performance in this game, touching the ball 33 times and completing 71.4% of his 21 passes, including a key pass and one of his three crosses. He put two shots on target, both headers. The first, from an Angulo cross, was right at NYCFC goalkeeper Matt Freese, and the second was his 32nd-minute goal. In addition to his shots, Griezmann recorded a dribble, two tackles, an aerial duel won, and a clearance.

Substitutes

MF, Joran Gerbet (46’), 5.5 — Gerbet entered the game at halftime for Braian Ojeda, touching the ball 25 times and completing all 19 of his passes. He drew two fouls, recorded a tackle, and made an interception. The French midfielder didn’t take any shots or record any other stats in his 45 minutes of action.

MF, Marco Pasalic (60’), 5 — A regular substitute, Pasalic replaced Ellis in the 60th minute. He touched the ball just five times in that half hour, completing two of his three passes. He didn’t take any shots or record any defensive statistics in his otherwise forgettable appearance.

D, Adrian Marin (71’), 5 — Marin entered the contest in the 71st minute for Nogueira but took over Iago’s spot at center back while Zakaria Taifi played right back and Angulo moved over the left back. The Spanish defender recorded just five touches in those 19 minutes, completing two of his four passes. He didn’t take any shots and his only defensive statistic was a clearance.

D, Zakaria Taifi (71’), 5 — During the same stoppage that saw Marin come on, Taifi replaced Iago and took over at right back. In his 19 minutes, the academy product only had eight touches and completed his three passes. He didn’t record any shots but contributed two tackles defensively.

F, Daryl Dike (83’), 5.5 — The last substitution of the game, Dike entered in the 83rd minute for Martin Ojeda. The striker completed one of his two passes and did well to hold up the ball, something he’s struggled with this year. But he wasn’t able to do anything else in his short appearance.

That’s how I viewed the individual performances in what looked to be a big win and turned into a devastating draw. Let us know how you saw the game in the comments and don’t forget to vote on your Man of the Match below.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/26/26

Lions draw New York City FC, Pride fall to Gotham FC, Rafaelle announces retirement, and more.

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1 day ago

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October 26, 2026

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Image of Rafaelle playing the ball.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been keeping myself busy covering high school soccer playoff action up here in Chicago. Sunday marked the 16th anniversary of the United Soccer League’s announcement of Orlando City joining the league. Both the Lions and Pride played over the weekend, and we’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Draw New York City FC

Orlando City drew New York City FC 2-2 on Saturday at Inter.co Stadium, dropping two points on just about the final kick of the match. The Lions trailed 1-0 in the first half, but Antoine Griezmann equalized for Orlando before halftime. In the second half, Martin Ojeda scored to put the Lions in front. However, in stoppage time, Jonathan Shore buried a late equalizer for New York City FC as the Lions couldn’t hold on to the lead. Orlando missed a chance to gain ground in the MLS playoff race and remains eighth in the Eastern Conference table with 42 points. Orlando City will have a busy week ahead with a two-game road trip. The next match is Wednesday against the Chicago Fire, followed by a trip to North Carolina to face Charlotte FC on Saturday.

Orlando Pride Fall to Gotham FC

The Orlando Pride fell 2-1 to Gotham FC on Sunday at Inter.co Stadium in the club’s final home match of the 2026 NWSL season. The Pride trailed 2-0 early in the second half before Solai Washington cut the deficit to one. Despite a great performance, dominating Gotham FC in total shots and earning plenty of breakaway chances, the Pride wasted their opportunities in front of goal and couldn’t find a late equalizer against the league leaders. The Pride will close out their 2026 season on the road, taking on Seattle Reign FC on Sunday.

Rafaelle Announces Retirement

Orlando Pride defender Rafaelle will retire from the National Women’s Soccer League following the 2026 season. She has played with the Pride since 2023, making 53 appearances in all competitions, scoring two goals, and playing a key role on the 2024 squad that won the NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship. The 35-year-old began her NWSL journey with the Houston Dash in 2014 and has played abroad for Arsenal, Palmeiras, and Changchun Zhuoyue. She also represented Brazil internationally for more than a decade, playing in 2 FIFA Women’s World Cups, captaining Brazil at the 2022 Copa America Femenina, and winning a silver medal at the 2024 Olympic Games. The Pride honored Rafaelle on the field after Sunday’s home finale.

Americans Abroad

Let’s catch up on Americans in action abroad in Europe. Former Lion Alex Freeman played a full 90 minutes and scored for Villarreal in a 2-1 win over Valencia on Saturday in La Liga. Freeman shared insight after the match about scoring his first goal in Villarreal’s comeback derby win against Valencia.

Joe Scally scored his third goal of the season for Borussia Monchengladbach in a 3-2 win against VfB Stuttgart in the Bundesliga. Tyler Adams played a full 90 minutes for AFC Bournemouth in a 3-0 victory against Manchester United in the English Premier League. Weston McKennie scored the opening goal for Juventus in a 2-0 win against Lecce. Christian Pulisic scored for AC Milan in a 2-0 win against Udinese in Serie A. In the EFL Championship, Aidan Morris scored his second goal of the season for Middlesbrough in a 5-1 win against Bolton Wanderers.

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  • The U.S. Men’s Cerebral Palsy National Team fell 2-1 to England on Saturday in the final of the 2026 IFCPF World Cup.

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

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