Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Portland Timbers: Five Takeaways
Orlando City drew 1-1 with the Portland Timbers in a tough road match in which Orlando was missing key players due to international duty. Conceding a late penalty kept Orlando from taking all three points, but a draw in Portland is not the end of the world given the circumstances.
Here are five takeaways from the Lions’ draw with the Timbers.
Late Mistake Proves Costly
It seemed as though Orlando might be able to sneak out with two wins in two weeks playing on the west coast, however crucial mistakes late in the game meant Orlando drew with Portland. The most important mistake came in the 80th minute when Andres Perea committed a foul that led to a penalty kick. Timbers midfielder Cristhian Paredes put the ball in the back of the net to convert the penalty and level the game. It was a frustrating goal to concede for an Orlando team that went up a man after Josecarlos Van Rankin was shown a second yellow card minutes earlier. Benji Michel and Robin Jansson were both given yellow cards in stoppage time as well. Although neither card led to a goal for the opposition, Orlando should limit committing fouls and receiving cards so late in the game.
Junior Urso Continues His Excellent Play
One of the highlights for the Lions was Junior Urso’s performance as he continues to show signs of growth this season. Urso was responsible for the Lions lone goal of the day when he finished off a nice pass from Alexandre Pato in the 52nd minute. He led the club with three shots, putting two on target, and passed at a strong 88.9% success rate. It has been nice to see Urso’s game coming together this season as it gives Orlando another option on offense.
Robin Jansson and Antonio Carlos Anchor the Defense
Orlando’s defense was held together by the fantastic play of center backs Jansson and Carlos in Portland. Jansson had four tackles, three clearances, and two blocked shots to help out backup goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar. Carlos also blocked a shot and led the team with five interceptions and seven clearances. With Pedro Gallese in Peru for World Cup qualifying, it was crucial that Jansson and Carlos stepped up the way they did against a Portland offense that has some dynamic playmakers.
A Tale of Two Halves
Both Orlando and Portland came out of the gates a bit slow, with not many scoring chances generated early on by either side. One of the few chances in the first half was when Paredes missed an open header that would have given Portland the lead. Neither side had many actual scoring opportunities in the first half, but that seemed to change in the second half. Orlando got on the board early in the second half with Urso’s goal in the 52nd minute and both sides went back and forth with scoring chances for the rest of the match. The Lions’ expected goals went from 0.2 in the first half to 0.8 by the end of the match while the Timbers increased from 0.8 to 1.9 by the match’s end, meaning both squads were getting more chances in the second half than the first.
Orlando Did Well Out West
It may seem like the Lions should have left Portland with three points and I’d agree that they probably should have won. However, playing on the road in MLS is never easy, especially considering the distance the Lions traveled for this match. They did well in Portland, taking the game to the hosts and playing to win despite missing Gallese, Facundo Torres, and Sebas Mendez. This result is a good sign that this Orlando squad has plenty of fight and that bodes well for the Lions moving forward.
This is what I took away from Sunday’s road match against Portland. Let me know what you thought in the comments below and, as always, go Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 3/19/24
New kits for U.S. Soccer, Nottingham Forest hit with points deduction, Seattle Reign sale announced, and more.
Happy Tuesday, everyone. It might not have been the weekend Orlando City fans were hoping for, but Orlando City B and the Orlando Pride both gave fans plenty to cheer about. As usual, we have a lot to discuss this morning, so let’s jump into today’s links.
U.S. Soccer Releases New Kits
U.S. Soccer has unveiled the two new kits that its national teams will wear during 2024. The leaks that were making the rounds several weeks ago were accurate, with the home jersey being white with stripes on the sleeves and collar, and the away jersey evoking memories of the 2014 bomb pop kit. The kits go on sale this Thursday, just in time for the United States Men’s National Team’s Concacaf Nations League semifinal clash against Jamaica.
Nottingham Forest Deducted Points
Nottingham Forest has been deducted four points as punishment for violating the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules. That deduction takes Forest from 25 points down to 21, and drops the team into the relegation zone in 18th place, one point shy of newcomers Luton Town. The deduction is the second this season, following Everton being docked 10 points (reduced to six after an appeal), and the Toffees might still be in line for another deduction. The independent commission charged with looking into Forest’s breach had determined that the violation was originally worth a six-point deduction, but it was reduced to four due to cooperation with the investigation.
Seattle Reign Sale Announced
OL Groupe has announced the sale of the Seattle Reign to a group that includes the Seattle Sounders and the investment firm Carlyle. OL Groupe will sell the entirety of its 97% stake in the team, with the price of the deal coming to $58 million. The sale is subject to approval by the Board of Governors for both Major League Soccer and the National Women’s Soccer League, but there are not expected to be any issues. OL Groupe got a good return on its investment, as it bought the team in 2019 for an estimated $3.5 million.
International Absences Galore
A number of high profile players will not be joining up with their countries during the international break due to injury. Antoine Griezmann’s record of playing in 84 straight games for his country will come to an end, as the forward has suffered an ankle injury and will be replaced by Matteo Guendouzi. Darwin Nunez has withdrawn from the Uruguayan squad after picking up a hamstring injury during Liverpool’s FA Cup quarterfinal loss to Manchester United. Lionel Messi will also be missing for Argentina due to a hamstring injury.
Lion Links
- Hats off to the City Beautiful for winning some recognition.
- The Orlando Pride come in at the fifth spot in CBSSports.com’s NWSL power rankings.
- The Biden administration has urged the Supreme Court to allow an antitrust lawsuit against FIFA and U.S. Soccer to proceed to trial.
- Francesco Acerbi has left Italy’s training camp following allegations that he racially abused Napoli’s Juan Jesus.
- Fiorentina General Manager Joe Barone is on life support after suffering cardiac arrest.
That’s all I have for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!
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?
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.
Orlando City
Orlando City at Atlanta United FC: Five Takeaways
Here’s what we learned from Orlando City’s 2-0 loss at Atlanta.
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.
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