Connect with us

Orlando City

Orlando City at D.C. United: Five Takeaways

Published

2 years ago

on

Orlando City scored early but missed multiple opportunities to extend the lead and conceded twice in stoppage time in a 2-1 loss on the road against D.C. United. Head Coach Oscar Pareja rolled out the same lineup as the one used in last week’s U.S. Open Cup semifinal win, but the Lions weren’t able to replicate that success. Although winning on the road in MLS isn’t easy, the Lions had plenty of opportunities to ensure they left Audi Field with all three points. Here are our five takeaways from the loss.

The Bear Stepped Up

Junior Urso’s goal was one of the best scored by Orlando this year and he did a great job providing some needed oomph to Orlando’s offense. When it comes to scoring, the Lions have leaned heavily on their Designated Players this year. While that’s what DPs are for, it’s resulted in opposing defenses locking down those players and daring someone on Orlando to beat them instead. Urso did so in this match and put three of his four shots on target to serve as a constant threat in the first half. The lineup allowed Urso to thrive on the right wing and attack the goal, filling that void on the wing opposite of Facundo Torres that has been empty for most of the year. Missed shots aside, Alexandre Pato and Benji Michel also did great jobs creating chances so that the burden didn’t completely fall on the shoulders of Facundo Torres and Mauricio Pereyra. With Ercan Kara on the bench, it was important that Urso and the others stepped up to provide new ways for Orlando to score. While the floodgates didn’t exactly bust open, it was nice to see a goal between two Orlando players that weren’t DPs.

Poor Finishing Plagues the Lions

Urso’s chip shot to beat Rafael Romo and give Orlando a goal in the ninth minute was a great start to the match. However, the Lions wasted plenty of chances in the first half to increase that lead on the road. While poor finishing has plagued the team all season, misses from Pato and Michel were especially egregious in this match. Pato had four shots and none were on target as he seemed intent on putting the ball in the stands. His worst miss was in the 28th minute as he got too much under a shot that just needed to be on frame as Romo was miles away from the net. It still wasn’t the worst shot of the afternoon as Michel shanked a sitter right in front of goal in the 38th. While the offense did a great job creating chances in the first half, they didn’t impact the scoreboard all too much. Orlando’s one-goal lead was razor thin and D.C. made Orlando pay for not putting the game away when it could.

The Defense Bends and Then Breaks

Orlando’s defense was solid until it wasn’t, conceding twice in stoppage time as all points were lost to the hosts. While the timing of the goals makes it look like a complete collapse from Orlando’s defense, D.C.’s offense was getting closer and closer to scoring as the second half wore on. Heroic goalkeeping from Pedro Gallese and calculated defensive plays from center backs Antonio Carlos and Robin Jansson kept the Lions alive throughout the match, but ultimately it wasn’t enough. The congested July schedule seemed to catch up to the Lions all at once as they were sluggish when D.C. switched the run of play and men were left unmarked in the box. Tired legs or not, Orlando allowed the same player that scored a hat trick in Exploria Stadium earlier this month to beat them yet again. It was the third straight road match that Orlando’s defense was unable to hold onto a lead in the second half.

Mauricio Pereyra’s Exit Changed the Flow

Orlando City’s captain came off the field in the 55th minute due to knee pain and the Lions struggled to maintain possession while he was off the field. Pereyra’s passing ability allows him to sit deep in the midfield to serve as an outlet for passes out of the back while sending accurate balls up the field to jumpstart the offense. He completed all but two of his 30 passes and was sorely missed as D.C. found its footing in the second half. Andres Perea came on for Pereyra but lacked the offensive bite that kept D.C. on its toes. While Perea completed all of his passes, he only had 14 of them in over half an hour of action and Orlando lost some of its flow as a result. The Lions don’t have a like-for-like replacement for Pereyra, so hopefully his injury isn’t too serious.

Four Subs Offered Few Solutions

None of Pareja’s subs helped much in the second half, although a couple of them didn’t necessarily hurt the team either. The substitution of Perea for Pereyra, as noted earlier, was out of necessity and changed the match. Perea simply can’t do what Pereyra can and it’s not fair to expect it from the 21-year-old, especially in his 2022 form. Perea watched the assist pass go right by him on Chris Durkin’s equalizer and he was also a bit passive on the buildup to the winner, allowing Martin Rodriguez plenty of time and space on the ball to pick out Kimarni Smith on the far side. Kyle Smith didn’t necessarily do anything wrong in the match, but Joao Moutinho left the game with the team lead in touches (79) and his exit deprived the Lions of one of their most composed passers and ball handlers in the back. The game may have gone differently had Smith gone in for Ruan, but it’s understandable given Moutinho’s injury history to be careful with the left back’s workload.

Nicholas Gioacchini came on for Torres, but he’s still getting used to the team and the system and didn’t seem quite connected with the group. It might have been better to have used Tesho Akindele in that role, given the game situation, or to have dropped Michel to the wing and brought on Kara. Niko attempted a shot in the 87th minute, but missed well wide of the target from a tight angle.

Rodrigo Schlegel was brought on for the usual see-it-out situation but not until the 89th minute. That didn’t work out either, even if it was tactically sound. The reasons the Schlegel sub didn’t work were down to bad luck and a starter switching off for half a second. With Ruan getting hurt on the lead-up to Durkin’s goal, D.C. had plenty of space to pick out the passes on the two United goals and Schlegel couldn’t stop either from his spot on Jansson’s left. Schlegel could perhaps have blocked Durkin’s effort if he’d shot to the right, but he shot left for the goal. On the second, Jansson switched off for only a heartbeat, calling for an offside on Kimarni Smith. That hesitation was just enough to allow Taxi Fountas the bit of space he needed to cleanly collect the cross and score the winning goal.

That’s what I took from Orlando’s frustrating loss to D.C. United on the road. What stood out to you when watching the match? Let me know in the comments down below.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Toronto FC: Three Keys to Victory

What does Orlando City need to do to ensure a victory over Toronto FC Saturday at home?

Published

3 hours ago

on

April 25, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

After a successful, four-point road trip, Orlando City returns from Montreal to the friendly confines of Inter&Co Stadium to face one of the other Canadian clubs, Toronto FC. The Lions are hoping to add to a four-match unbeaten streak. A win offers the opportunity to take another step up the standings.

What does Orlando City need to do to secure all three points at home against Toronto FC?

No Early Mistakes

In the last three matches, Orlando City has conceded the first goal of the match. Worse than that, each of those goals happened within the first 21 minutes. Yes, coming from behind for two draws and one win is good, but not giving up those early goals may have meant three wins instead.

Last season, Orlando City’s defense was good. We didn’t see nearly so many mental mistakes by the defense, especially so early in the match. What is frustrating is that these mistakes were seemingly preventable. The back line, the defensive midfielders, and Pedro Gallese need to tighten up in the early going so that the Lions are not chasing the match so early on.

Take Advantage of Tired Legs

Toronto FC played a match against Simcoe County Rovers in the Canadian Championship tournament on Wednesday. I’m in no way saying that Toronto trotted out their first choice lineup for the match, but even if only some of the players got a run out, that could create some tired legs for the match against Orlando. Add in the travel from Canada to Florida on short rest and it could be good news for the Lions.

If the Lions can possess the ball and make Toronto FC chase them, or if Orlando can get the first goal (see above) so that Toronto is chasing the match as well, it might pay dividends in the second half. Orlando City is good enough in the passing game to do so, though it will be interesting to see whether Martin Ojeda rejoins the starting lineup or if Nico Lodeiro gets the nod again.

One Down, Two to Go

Facundo Torres was the first of Orlando City’s three Designated Players to score a goal in the regular season. While it didn’t come in the run of play, it might still spark him to add some more since he usually starts slow and then catches fire at about this point in the season. Of course, both Luis Muriel and Ojeda contributed to the scoring against Montreal. Muriel drew the penalty that Torres took, and Ojeda provided the assist to Ivan Angulo.

Now it is time for either Muriel or Ojeda — or both — to join Torres on the scoreboard. Standing in their way will be a good keeper in Sean Johnson. So far this season, he has allowed seven goals and has 22 saves, with three clean sheets. Muriel seems to be getting closer to scoring with each shot taken, and Ojeda has missed some close ones. If all three of Orlando City’s Designated Players can start scoring regularly, this team will become dangerous quickly.

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

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/25/24

Duncan McGuire is an Olympic frontrunner, Orlando Pride get ready for the Washington Spirit, Colin Guske signs with Orlando City B, and more.

Published

6 hours ago

on

April 25, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this work week hasn’t been too stressful for you as we get ready for another weekend packed with Orlando soccer. All of the European soccer this week has been enjoyable as well, as teams fight for silverware and survival. It should be a fun next few days, although most of my match following will be digital. I’m hoping to get out to the stadium for a game or two over the next couple of months as well. But for now, let’s dive into today’s links!

Duncan McGuire Likely to Play in Olympics

Orlando City forward Duncan McGuire was listed as one of the frontrunners to join the U.S. for this year’s Olympics. It won’t be much of a shock if McGuire is in Paris this summer, as he’s been impressive in the time since being drafted sixth overall in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft by the Lions. The 23-year-old has followed up a strong rookie year with three goals and an assist so far this season. It will be interesting to see who McGuire could compete with for minutes in the Olympics, with Ricardo Pepi noted as another possible option up top for the U.S. Overall, it’s nice to see McGuire is doing what’s needed to stay in the contention for Paris. I think that staying in Orlando rather than going to England has definitely helped his case.

Orlando Pride Prepare for the Washington Spirit

The Orlando Pride are riding a five-game unbeaten streak and will take it to the nation’s capital for a difficult road match against the Washington Spirit Friday night. The Pride have won their past two games and will face a Spirit side that has won four of its five games this season. Both teams have been defensively sound, each conceding just four goals, so it may come down to moments of individual brilliance to make the difference. Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke about the difficulty of the matchup, Orlando’s grit this season, and the impact Barbra Banda had in her debut last weekend.

Orlando City B Signs Colin Guske

Midfielder Colin Guske, who joined Orlando City’s academy back in 2020, signed an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Orlando City B through this 2024 season. The 17-year-old made his OCB debut in the team’s season opener this year and scored the game-winning goal. He’s carved out a spot in OCB’s midfield this season, starting in four of the team’s five games. Guske has two brothers who have also gone through the club’s academy and played with OCB. A solid year with the Young Lions from Guske could result in a Homegrown Player contract for the senior team.

Columbus Crew SC Wins First Leg Against Monterrey

The Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals are here and the Columbus Crew are the only MLS team still in the tournament. They came up with a big 2-1 home win in the first leg of their matchup against Monterrey. Cucho Hernandez gave the Crew the lead in the first half and 21-year-old Jacen Russell-Rowe scored the winner in the second. An away goal by Monterrey could prove crucial though due to the tiebreakers, and the second leg will take place on May 1. The winner of this matchup will take on either Club America or Pachuca in the final on June 2.

Free Kicks

  • Former Lion Dom Dwyer is reportedly headed out west to sign with Oakland Roots SC in the USL Championship.
  • Toronto FC traded away $200,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money (GAM) to Atlanta United in exchange for winger Derrick Etienne Jr. The 27-year-old has not received much playing time this season, and Atlanta could earn another $175,000 in GAM if performance-based metrics are met.
  • The San Jose Earthquakes have reportedly signed Hernan Lopez from Godoy Cruz. It would give a-needed boost to the team, which has just three points from nine games this season.
  • St. Louis City winger Celio Pompeu won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his great strike from outside the box in his team’s 3-3 draw with Sporting Kansas City.

That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/24/24

Orlando City and Orlando Pride power rankings, USMNT player news, USWNT will host Costa Rica, and more.

Published

1 day ago

on

April 24, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s that time of the week for some tasty links. Two seven-point weekends for Orlando’s soccer teams is nothing to sneeze at, unlike the pollen that coats my hometown of Tallahassee. It’s the time of the year that I make my money back with the unlimited car wash next to my work. Enough with my weather-related car issues, let’s get to the links.

Lions Move Up (and Down) in Power Rankings

There’s nothing that shows the value of “power rankings” better than when you can compare two different ranking lists for the same week for any given club. We all know Orlando City is undefeated in its last four matches thanks to the late heroics of Ivan Angulo to draw CF Montreal over the weekend. But, did you know that was both good and bad?

In ESPN‘s MLS power rankings, Orlando City dropped a spot from 16th to 17th despite “treading water” with a point on the road in Montreal. Meanwhile, the Lions roared ahead three spots from 21st to 18th in MLSsoccer.com’s power rankings. So, do you like that Orlando is 17th in the ESPN piece despite the drop? Or do you prefer the positivity of a three-spot jump to 18th in the MLSSoccer.com rankings?

Orlando Pride Rise in Power Rankings

Forget everything I wrote up there regarding power rankings — at least as far as the Orlando Pride are concerned. After starting the season with three draws, the Pride now have two wins in a row. As such, ESPN moved the Pride up three spots from eighth to fifth in its NWSL power rankings. Their move up the list is entirely deserved and the writer was correct in their assessment. Of course, I’m kidding but it’s still nice to see the Pride get recognized for their results. Now, we just need the Pride to continue the winning streak.

Keeping Up With USMNT Players Abroad

As we shared yesterday, Sergino Dest will likely miss this summer’s Copa America thanks to a knee injury suffered during PSV Eindhoven training. That means the USMNT has a right back situation to address and there are quite a few well known candidates to step in for Dest.

Meanwhile, Weston McKennie has reportedly rejected Juventus’ latest extension offer. I can understand his decision given it doesn’t include any additional salary. McKennie has been very good for Juve, with 10 assists on the season. He’s not the only American making a difference, as Tim Weah provided the assist on Arkadiusz Milik’s goal to send Juventus to the Coppa Italia final.

USWNT Olympic Send-Off Match

The United States Women’s National Team will play a match against Costa Rica at Audi Field on July 16. It will be the final match for the USWNT prior to the Olympics that start nine days later against Zambia. New coach Emma Hayes will join the team on June 1, which isn’t a ton of time before the Olympics start, but she has been a part of the process for months.

Free Kicks

  • The New England Revolution have acquired veteran defender Xavier Arreaga from the Seattle Sounders for a 2025 international roster slot, and up to $75,000 in General Allocation Money depending on performance.
  • Inter Miami’s Jordi Alba will be out for several weeks due to a hamstring injury. Fortunately, he is expected to be back in time for the match against Orlando City on May 15. Where did I put the sarcasm font?

That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the Pride’s match against the Washington Spirit this Friday, and Orlando City’s match against Toronto FC on Saturday. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Trending