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Orlando City vs. Philadelphia Union, U.S. Open Cup: Five Takeaways

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2 years ago

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Orlando City drew the toughest possible opponent out of the three in the team’s draw for the fourth round of the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Rather than facing USL League One side South Georgia Tormenta or 13th-place Eastern Conference foe Inter Miami, the Lions had to face Eastern Conference-leading Philadelphia. No matter. The Lions took care of business at home with a 2-1 victory over the Union at Exploria Stadium Tuesday night.

Goals by Ercan Kara and Andres Perea in the second half lifted Orlando to a 2-0 lead. The Union pulled one back late off a second ball in on a set piece but otherwise Orlando City took care of business to advance to the Round of 16.

Here are the things that stood out to me in the match:

Caution: Bear Active in Area

Junior Urso was asked to play as a winger when Orlando was in possession and to be his usual hard-working self when the Union had the ball. Oscar Pareja praised his veteran Brazilian midfielder after the match, saying he had a “phenomenal game.” The Bear was definitely not hibernating in this match. He was one of the game’s most active participants. Urso led Orlando City with half of the team’s 12 shot attempts, putting two on target. His teammates combined to get only three other shots on target, but at least two of those were goals. Urso led the team in passing rate (92%), got into the box, and pressured the Union throughout the match, and he also tracked back well, won balls back in the midfield, earned fouls to relieve pressure (five of them!), and did all the little things we’ve come to expect from him.

Mixed Night for Mikey

Michael Halliday finally got some first-team minutes with the start at right back against the Union. The Homegrown defender had some injury issues early in the season and, aside from some minutes with OCB, he hadn’t seen the pitch much in competitive action in 2022. Halliday’s night was, well, frankly brutal at times, but that’s what rust and comparative inexperience looks like. Halliday had some miscommunication and poor passing issues, particularly in the first half, a few poor crosses in the attacking third, and two absolutely brutal first touches that cost the Lions potential scoring opportunities. However, it wasn’t all bad for the Homegrown Player. The teenager had a vital defensive intercession in the first half to prevent a 1-v-1 opportunity for Philadelphia. And he grew into the match as the game progressed. While it would have been completely justified for Pareja to sub the 19-year-old off at halftime, Halliday played better in the second period and he showed glimpses of the kind of player the Orlando City technical staff believe he could become. He created two scoring chances, which trailed only Facundo Torres on the team. Halliday may not be ready to step into regular-season matches just yet but he may have earned another Open Cup start with his second half and kudos to Pareja, because — and I’m speaking from experience here — it’s not always easy to be patient with a teenager.

Hail César!

It was another standout performance from 20-year-old central midfielder César Nahuel Araújo Vilches, just days after his 21st birthday. The Uruguayan turned in another workmanlike effort, shielding his back line and goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar. He deftly won balls and put out fires. Like Urso, he drew five fouls on the Union. He won a team-high four tackles and passed at a solid 84.9% rate, which was fifth on the team among starters — third among those not on the back line. Araújo has made a solid case for being the team’s most valuable player thus far on the season.

Three Key Defensive Plays Saved the Day

Tuesday night’s win could have gone very differently if not for three massive defensive plays that Orlando City absolutely had to get right — and did. I’ve already mentioned one of those above, which was Halliday getting back in the first half on a Union counter-attack opportunity and toe-poking the ball away for Stajduhar to clear. Another of those plays came when Robin Jansson prevented Daniel Gazdag from being in 1-v-1 against Stajduhar in the 16th minute after a badly misplaced pass from Halliday. Those two plays alone kept the game scoreless at the break. Rodrigo Schlegel made the third critical defensive stop late in the match. With the Union sending more numbers forward in search of the equalizer, the Argentine was faced with multiple attackers on a transition opportunity. Just as the ball was being slipped in for a 1-v-1 chance, Schlegel, tracking back, was able to contort his body and dangle out a foot to prevent a key pass in the 85th minute. If any of those desperation defensive plays had gone differently, the Union could have turned things around.

Signs of Connectivity…Finally

For the past three games, Orlando City has been missing its connection between the back and the front. As a result, the Lions had only mustered a total of 12 shot attempts across three games, with five on target. Four of those five shots on target came against expansion Charlotte FC. Orlando had only three shots (none on target) in the loss to the New York Red Bulls and only two (one on target) in the loss at Montreal. The offense has been brutal and Kara has been isolated on an island, unable to affect matches the way he should. Last night was different. Against a good, and active, Philadelphia midfield, the Lions had more success. In addition to Urso’s help as mentioned above, Pareja utilized Andres Perea and dropped forward Alexandre Pato into much deeper role.

It wasn’t perfect. Perea still had some curiously poor passes and touches and showed too much of the ball to defenders at times (how about that golazo, though?). Pato didn’t have a good passing rate — just 62.1% — and tried a few too-fancy maneuvers in traffic that didn’t come off. Still, the duo made very few critical mistakes and, more importantly, created space and held the ball long enough for players to make the transition from defense to offense. This has been a missing component of the team. Against the Union, Kara and Torres were able to stay higher on the pitch than they’ve been in recent games, and that helped the offense. Kara fired two shots and one of them went in. Torres also had a shot on target and created a team-best four scoring chances. With more time on the ball, as well as receiving it in better positions, both of the Lions’ two most advanced attacking players passed at 80% or better (85.3% for Torres). It was a small adjustment that led to a much bigger performance. A little better night from Pato — who came tantalizingly close several times to pulling off audacious moves in traffic — and Perea would have helped Orlando become even more dominant.

Bonus Takeaway: She Said Yes!

Stajduhar made a diving stop off a set piece chance at the death to preserve the victory — one of three saves on the night. He stayed focused all game long and couldn’t do much about the lone Union goal, which was placed beyond his reach. His focus was just as sharp after the match, as he quickly tracked down the member of the Orlando City staff with whom he’d left a ring. After securing that ring and getting his girlfriend, Tatiana, onto the pitch, the Homegrown goalkeeper got down on one knee and popped the question.

Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

She accepted, and I’d like to think she would have said yes even if that final Union shot had gone in. But would Stajduhar have popped the question on the pitch after a loss? We didn’t ask him in the postgame press conference, and thankfully the result prevented us from finding out. Congratulations to the happy couple!

That’s what stood out to me from Orlando City’s best performance in weeks. What did you notice? Let me know in the comments.

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Orlando City

Orlando City at CF Montreal: Three Keys to Victory

What does Orlando City need to do on the road against CF Montreal to take home all three points ?

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2 hours ago

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April 18, 2024

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Orlando City opened the season against CF Montreal, playing to a 0-0 draw at Inter&Co Stadium back in February. Now, the Lions head to the Great White North to play the pesky Canadian club again. There’s no Concacaf Champions Cup competition to worry about this time, so hopefully Orlando City can get a victory.

What does Orlando City need to do to follow up the D.C. United victory with another win?

Just Say No

Outscoring your opponents while giving up two goals is all well and good, but outscoring your opponents while also keeping a clean sheet is much better. Orlando City has given up 13 goals over seven matches. It’s actually worse than that considering that the club has two clean sheets meaning those 13 goals came in just five matches. The Lions need to do better at not conceding goals.

Of course, one of those clean sheets came against Montreal to start the season, and the entire defense is seemingly healthy and ready to go. Our old foe Josef Martinez is always a threat and Matias Coccaro has three goals for Montreal so far this season. Stopping them is crucial. If Orlando City can maintain the same defensive discipline it showed in the previous match against Montreal, it will make earning points on the road much easier.

Designated Player Goals

Orlando City has scored seven goals so far this season. Duncan McGuire leads the team with three goals, thanks to his goal last week. Do you know who hasn’t scored yet? If you said any of Orlando City’s Designated Players, you would be correct. I’m not going to ring any emergency bells just yet, but it’d be a lot cooler if Luis Muriel, Martin Ojeda, or Facundo Torres scored a goal this week.

I think they are all close to breaking out. Torres has scored this year, just not in the MLS regular season. Muriel has been getting closer each match, and is still contributing in other ways. The same can be said of Ojeda. My point is that the goals are coming. Perhaps a trip to another country is exactly what they need to get off the mark.

The Battle on the Wings

Orlando City will be playing against former Lion Ruan. He lines up on the right for Montreal and will be a challenge for either Rafael Santos or Kyle Smith, depending on who gets the start. Of course, if Ivan Angulo is playing in his usual role on the left side of Orlando City’s attack, there could be some interesting races between the two speedy players.

I think that the other side of the field is where the match might be won or lost. Since Orlando City fell out of the Concacaf Champions Cup, the team has been on a more regular schedule. That has allowed Dagur Dan Thorhallsson to regain his form in the right fullback position for the Lions. He scored a goal last week, has an assist on the season, four crosses, and 10 key passes. He is an integral part of Orlando City’s attack and if he can win the battles against Raheem Edwards and Joaquin Sosa on the right side of Montreal’s lineup, he could have another big night.

That is what I will be looking for Saturday night. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/18/24

Barbra Banda’s opportunity in Orlando, Omar Gonzalez’s mental health struggles, UEFA Champions League quarterfinals finish, and more.

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6 hours ago

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April 18, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this week has been treating you well as we gear up for another weekend packed with Orlando soccer. It’s been a fairly busy week for me as I juggle work with keeping an eye on my cat. He’s a bit of a menace, but at least in a cute way. I’ll spare you my rambling on how great he is, and instead give you today’s links from around the soccer world.

Opportunity Knocks for Barbra Banda

Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda landed in the City Beautiful and spoke on how her first week with the team has been going. While there’s plenty of buzz surrounding the Pride on how Banda should improve the team’s offense, playing in the NWSL will also help the 24-year-old further develop her game.

“I think the league is quite good. I’ve been following it from way back,” she said. “I think it’s a very interesting league, very strong. All the teams are very physical, fast. So I think it’s good for myself to improve.”

Now that she’s with the Pride, soccer fans around the world will now have better access to watch one of the best forwards in women’s soccer. Banda also talked about the warm welcome she received at the airport and you can check out more of her reaction to that and some of her first few days in Orlando in the video below.

Portland Thorns Head Coach Reassigned

Mike Norris is no longer the head coach of the Portland Thorns after the club made him a technical director instead. The Thorns have never had a worse start to an NWSL season, losing three of their four games this year and still searching for their first win. Rob Gale will serve as the team’s interim head coach while the club does a global search for a replacement. I’m a bit surprised that Norris wasn’t given a few more weeks to turn things around, considering Portland is just a win away from being back in the thick of things. We’ll see if the Thorns will get that win with Gale at the helm when they take on the struggling Houston Dash Saturday.

Omar Gonzalez Shares His Mental Health Journey

American defender Omar Gonzalez discussed the difficulties he’s had over the course of his year and the toll it has had on his mental health. His own goal in the USMNT’s loss to Trinidad & Tobago that cost the team its chance to qualify for the 2018 World Cup would be rough for any player to overcome, but Gonzalez stated that head injuries made a stressful few years of his life much more difficult. Gonzalez admitted that he had daily suicidal thoughts until he reached out for needed help while with Toronto FC. Things have since improved and he’s currently with his hometown team, FC Dallas. I think it’s helpful for players like Gonzalez to be open about the mental health problems athletes face. Hopefully this lets other athletes know they aren’t alone in these struggles and encourages them to reach out for help if needed.

UEFA Champions League Semifinals Are Set

Only four teams are still standing in the UEFA Champions League after the quarterfinals wrapped up with plenty of dramatic soccer. The matchup between Real Madrid and Manchester City lived up to expectations with a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw in England. Real Madrid prevailed and ended City’s run, with Andriy Lunin making two saves in the shootout. In the other quarterfinal, Bayern Munich advanced after beating Arsenal 1-0, thanks to Joshua Kimmich’s head.

It all sets up for a thrilling pair of semifinals and potential storylines for the final. Will Bayern and Borussia Dortmund reach the final for a rivalry match for the ages? Can Kylian Mbappe finally give Paris Saint-Germain a Champions League title, and will it be at the expense of Real Madrid? If the semifinals are anything like the quarterfinals, it will be great soccer to enjoy.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City Director of Equipment Operations Charles Raycroft received some deserved recognition after reaching an impressive milestone in his career.
  • Romario, who was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 1994 after helping Brazil win a World Cup, has registered himself as a player for America Football Club. The 58-year-old has been the president of the club since 2009 and now has the chance to play alongside his son Romarinho.

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: 4/17/24

Orlando City rises in power rankings, Orlando Pride waive two players, Champions League results, and more.

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1 day ago

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April 17, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Time to start your day with some tasty links. It’s shaping up to be an exciting weekend with Orlando City, the Orlando Pride, and Orlando City B all playing. Last week, Orlando’s teams ended up with seven out of nine possible points. Here’s hoping we see nine out of nine this weekend. Let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Moving On Up

Starting the season 0-3-1 is a good way to be in the cellar of the utterly meaningless MLSsoccer.com power rankings. Orlando City is now starting to climb up the rankings thanks to three straight results. The Lions moved up four spots to 21st after the 3-2 victory over DC United. It was Duncan McGuire’s goal that secured the win, and his performance off the bench was a talking point for this week as well.

Farewell Kaylie Collins and Tori Hansen

The Orlando Pride announced that goalkeeper Kaylie Collins and defender Tori Hansen were waived on Tuesday. Both players were on loan in Australia’s A-League Women ,with Collins at Western Sydney Wanderers FC and Hansen with Melbourne Victory FC. Collins and Hansen were both NWSL draft picks for the Pride, though neither saw significant minutes with the club.

Barbra Banda Begins Training

Barbra Banda participated in her first training with the Pride Tuesday. It’s uncertain how much playing time she may get this week, but it’s possible she makes her first appearance against the San Diego Wave this Friday. Please remember that it sometimes takes new players time to get used to a new club, a new city, and a new league. Of course, I’m still hoping she comes on and scores a brace against the Wave.

Wild Matches in Champions League Quarterfinals

Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund both overcame deficits in the first leg to advance to the UEFA Champions League semifinals. PSG dropped four goals on Barcelona to win 6-4 on aggregate. Barcelona scored first, but made things hard on itself when Ronald Araújo was sent off.

Borussia Dortmund also scored four goals, defeating Atletico Madrid 5-4 on aggregate. Dortmund gave up an own goal, but battled back to take the lead in the match and then the lead in the tie thanks to goals scored in the 71st and 74th minutes. It was a wild, fun match to watch. Dortmund and PSG will meet in the semifinals.

Free Kicks

  • MLS will now start implementing the new rules for off-field treatments, timed substitutions, and in-stadium VAR announcements. The idea is to maximize effective match time.
  • The International Football Association Board (IFAB) will test new time limit rules during the 2024-2025 season for how long keepers can hold the ball with potential consequences including giving the opposing team a corner or a throw-in.
  • Finally, our thoughts are with the friends and family following the passing of Joel McKell.

That will do it for today. Check back later in the week as we get you ready for the Orlando City, Orlando Pride, and OCB matches this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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