Enrique’s Very Good, Not Bad Day

Ramiro Enrique was already a hero for scoring the equalizer in the 86th minute against the visiting Columbus Crew. It wasn’t enough for the young striker, as he earned a free kick close enough to goal to give Orlando City the opportunity to win the match. That still wasn’t enough for Enrique, so he decided to score the winner. If you somehow forgot what it looked like, please enjoy watching it over and over again.

Oscar Pareja said he was proud of his team and confident that the Lions could not only earn a draw but actually win in the last 15 minutes of the match. That belief was held by the players as well. Enrique experienced a moment of pure joy after scoring the winner — you can see it in his celebration — though he was most happy for the three points. Mauricio Pereyra said he is just proud to be the captain of this team. I think it is safe to say that after that result we’re all proud of this team.

Orlando Pride Stun Courage

Two first-half goals were enough to give the Orlando Pride a rare 2-1 win against the North Carolina Courage and in September. Neither of those things have historically come easy for the Pride, but given the fact that Ally Watt scoring the earliest goal in Pride history set the right tone for the evening. The win moved the the Pride into seventh place and — just as importantly — only one spot out of the playoffs. The Pride will be in action next on Oct. 2 at Angel City. If you missed our recap late last night, click the link above and enjoy Sean Rollins’ description of the match.

How USMNT Players Fared Abroad

Folarin Balogun went right from scoring a goal for the USMNT to scoring a goal for AS Monaco in a 2-2 draw with Lorient. Balogun came on as a sub and provided the equalizer for his new club. The USMNT striker is red hot, as is Ricardo Pepi, which makes Gregg Berhalter’s choice difficult going forward. Weston McKennie made his 100th appearance for Juventus and provided an assist in a 3-1 win over Lazio. Much like he did for the USMNT, McKennie played an excellent match.

English Premier League Highlights

Manchester City and Liverpool each scored three goals to win easily against West Ham United and Wolves, respectively. The two top four clubs earned easy, controversy-free victories. However, both Tottenham and Arsenal won, but they did not do so easily or without controversy.

Everton is not good. The Toffees are sitting in the relegation zone with zero wins and only one draw so far this season. Despite that, it took Arsenal until the 69th minute to score the only goal of the match to get the win. It was even harder for Tottenham, given it took two second-half, stoppage-time goals to defeat Sheffield United. United manager Paul Heckingbottom was furious with the officiating.

Free Kicks

• Do you think you can play in most pick-up soccer matches? You almost certainly cannot make the cut for this one in Manchester, England. The players were once paid to play, though they now pay to play — they play a whopping £5.
• FIFA President Gianni Infantino attended the Dallas Cowboys game on Sunday. AT&T Stadium is a possible venue for the next World Cup. Does anyone else think — and I say this as a Cowboys fan — that this was a meeting of the sports equivalent of the Legion of Doom?
• Never mind that, this is the actual Axis of Evil. I can’t believe I’m giving Atlanta United credit, but this was well done at Inter Miami’s expense.

Check back with The Mane Land as we get you ready for the midweek match Wednesday against New York City FC. That will do it for today other than one plea to the Orlando City front office and the Wilf family: please give Oscar Pareja, Luiz Muzzi, and Ricardo Moreira new contracts. Vamos Orlando!

What does Orlando City need to do to earn all three points at home against the Columbus Crew?

Score All the Goals

Though I doubt that Oscar Pareja agrees with me, the Orlando City attack is hanging on for dear life. The departure of Ercan Kara was a big blow to Orlando City’s postseason. The Lions are in a good position to make the playoffs, but how far the club is able to go will in large part be determined by which players contribute goals. Losing and not replacing a DP-level striker — whether he was starting or not — doesn’t help.

The match against the Crew is the opportunity for others to chip in on the attack. Duncan McGuire is the obvious choice, but Big Dunc hasn’t scored in a few matches and needs to put the scoring boots back on. Facundo Torres needs to continue his run of form. Most importantly, Ramiro Enrique and Jack Lynn need to turn a corner in their careers starting this weekend. The training wheels are off, and it’s time to ride, boys.

Stop Hernandez and Co.

Cucho Hernandez scored a hat trick in Columbus’ last match against CF Montreal. Is Orlando City’s defense better than Montreal’s? Absolutely. That doesn’t mean Hernandez is not a threat to score multiple goals, because he absolutely can. Limiting his opportunities to do so will be crucial.

Oh, and let’s not forget about Darlington Nagbe, Diego Rossi, Aidan Morris, and Christian Ramirez. All of those players are a threat to score at any point. The Crew have scored an Eastern Conference-high 54 goals so far this season. That is 13 more goals than Orlando City has on the year. The defense is going to have to be solid once again if the Lions are hoping for a victory at home.

The Battle of the Midfield

Columbus is no slouch in the midfield. I already mentioned Morris and Nagbe, but the Crew also have Julian Gressel and Yaw Yeboah. How this match plays out might depend on which team is able to control the midfield, on both offense and defense.

Mauricio Pereyra’s form will be critical, because even though Torres is the star, Pereyra is the linchpin. We will most likely see Ivan Angulo on the left doing Angulo things — taking on defenders and being speedy on the wing. The attack starts with these players so it’s up to them to create chances.

Defensively, Orlando City will be missing Wilder Cartagena due to the red card he received in the match against FC Cincinnati. That means it will be up to Cesar Araujo to do more and with someone else in the midfield. It might be Felipe, but it will likely be Junior Urso. Bossing the defensive midfield without Cartagena will be a challenge, but it will be necessary.

That is what I will be looking for this weekend as Orlando City looks for a sixth result in a row. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Luca Petrasso, Celia Spotlighted During FIFA Break

If you were curious about Luca Petrasso, there is a good interview from the Orlando City defender in the latest episode of Orlando City Insider. Evan Weston and Miguel Gallardo also looked back at Orlando City’s win over FC Cincinnati and outlined the challenges facing the Lions with the departure of Ercan Kara. The pair also spoke about the Orlando Pride’s playoff chances, and Celia sat down for an interview. It’s always nice to learn about the players’ backgrounds and their thoughts on the club and their place in it.

USMNT Outlasts Uzbekistan, Preps for Oman

Despite the 3-0 victory, the U.S. struggled in the final third of the pitch against Uzbekistan on Saturday night. Tim Weah got things started in the fourth minute of play, but the U.S. did not score again until Ricardo Pepi’s second-half stoppage time goal. Christian Pulisic added another goal on a penalty kick to finish the scoring. In between the first and second goals, the U.S. had a hard time connecting passes and creating chances.

Gregg Berharlter knows the U.S. will need to improve going forward, and the first opportunity to do so comes tomorrow night against Oman at Allianz Field in Minnesota. Other than the absence of Gio Reyna and Tyler Adams due to injury, Berhalter has brought in a first-choice squad for these friendlies. Hopefully, the USMNT can clean things up against Oman.

Revolution, Germany Part Ways with Coaches

It often feels like when there is one coaching change in a sport, a bunch more follow. The big news in MLS is the resignation of former USMNT coach Bruce Arena from the New England Revolution. On July 30, Arena was put on administrative leave pending an investigation. That investigation found merit to the allegations leading to Arena’s resignation.

Internationally, Germany fired Hansi Flick following a 4-1 loss to Japan. Despite the result, Flick said he felt he was still the man for the job, but the German Football Association did not agree. Germany have not won any of their past five matches. For the next friendly Germany will be coached by committee.

Courage Win Challenge Cup

It was a Challenge Cup to be forgotten for the Orlando Pride, but for the North Carolina Courage it ended up being a trophy. The Courage defeated Racing Louisville 2-0 to capture a second straight Challenge Cup. The Courage are the first club to win multiple Challenge Cups, though the second one was delayed due to a two-and-half-hour lightning delay. Ultimately, the weather couldn’t stop North Carolina from celebrating a big victory.

Free Kicks

• Manchester United’s Antony is taking a leave of absence due to allegations of abuse by the player from three women. There is no timeline for his return.
• Neymar received a plaque for becoming Brazil’s all-time scoring leader, breaking Pele’s scoring record. There is an asterisk though since the award is for goals scored against national teams. As such, there are some Brazilians that are saying Pele is still the leader.
• Luis Rubiales resigned as president of the Spanish soccer federation after intense pressure from players, fans, and the general public for an unwanted kiss with Spanish footballer Jennifer Hermoso.
• Former USMNT coach Bob Bradley returned to manage Stabaek in the Norwegian Eliteserien. Bradley previously coached Stabaek in 2014 and 2015.

That will do it for today. Please check back with us as we preview the upcoming matches for Orlando City, the Orlando Pride, and OCB. The USMNT is back in action tomorrow. Go USA!

“Your Quest stands upon the edge of a knife. Stray but a little and it will fail, to the ruin of all. Yet hope remains while all the Company is true.”

Let’s take a look at the potential glory or ruin facing the Lions in the race to the playoffs.

The Strikers

This Orlando City team has grown into a club that can grind out results against the best in the league, but that doesn’t mean there are no potential issues. The biggest is the loss of Ercan Kara to Turkish Super Lig club Samsunspor. Though there are those that are happy to see the Designated Player head out, the timing couldn’t be worse. 

On The Mane Land PawedCast, we spoke of the danger of having only Ramiro Enrique and Jack Lynn as the backups to rookie sensation Duncan McGuire. McGuire rightly earned the starting position, but he’s still a rookie. He hasn’t played a full MLS season — the college season is shorter — meaning he might tire down the stretch. McGuire also hasn’t scored a goal in MLS since mid-July. The biggest risk is if he gets hurt, as he did in the last match against FC Cincinnati.

We don’t know the extent of McGuire’s shoulder injury, but any lost minutes are not good for the club. Enrique only has two goals and one assist to his name in his time with Orlando City. If McGuire is unavailable then Enrique is your starting striker. I like the young man, but do you want to bet the playoffs on his scoring prowess?

Behind Enrique is Jack Lynn, who has spent most of his time tearing it up in MLS NEXT Pro with Orlando City B. Yes, Lynn has 17 goals this season, but it’s not against the caliber of defense he will face if he sees minutes for the senior team. Having a guy with 13 total minutes played as the primary backup if McGuire is injured is not great. This is the one of the challenges ahead of Oscar Pareja as the hunt for the playoffs continues.

The Schedule

The Lions earned seven points over a tough eight-day stretch recently and are 6-1-3 over the last 10 MLS regular-season matches. That run of form is why Orlando City is sitting in third place in the Eastern Conference and even on points with the second-place New England Revolution — a club which the Lions will host in the last home match of the regular season. Maintaining that form will be a challenge.

At first glance, things don’t seem too bad for Orlando City with regard to the remaining matches. Orlando City faces four clubs below the line — CF Montreal, Inter Miami, New York City FC, and Toronto FC. So far this season, Orlando City has wins over Inter Miami and Toronto, a draw with NYCFC, and a loss to Montreal. Of course, that was before Messi arrived at Miami. NYCFC is almost a rivalry match and is away on a baseball diamond, and the Toronto match is also away.

The Lions also face three clubs currently above the playoff line — the Columbus Crew, the New England Revolution, and Nashville SC. Earlier this season, the Lions lost to both the Revolution and Nashville, while managing a road draw with Columbus. What I’m getting at is the final stretch of games is not going to be as easy as it might seem.

Some Hope

As I stated above, Orlando City’s margin for error is smaller thanks to the departure of Kara, but all is not lost. There’s every chance that McGuire will be able to get past the injury by the next match on Sept. 16, and the players really have come together to be better as a unit.

The emergence of Dagur Dan Thorhallsson highlights the depth of this club at certain positions. The availability of players like Martin Ojeda and Junior Urso to come off the bench or start as needed is crucial. It’s also possible that Enrique could blossom in a bigger role. Pareja is good at getting the most out of his players, and the recent results bear that out. Here’s hoping the club can have a strong finish to the regular season and head into the playoffs on a roll.

Pareja Proud and Enrique Enthusiastic

Oscar Pareja spoke of his pride regarding Orlando City’s big win over FC Cincinnati on Saturday. He said he wanted the club to be consistent on the right side especially in dealing with Luciano Acosta, and the players responded. Ramiro Enrique said he was pleased he was able to provide the assist on Facundo Torres’ winning goal. He added that he’s hopeful that the Lions can continue to step up the remainder of the season. Pareja isn’t the only one impressed with Orlando City’s current “giant-killer” reputation as others recognize what the Lions are doing.

Pride Fall Again in Seattle

The Orlando Pride traveled across the country to take on OL Reign, which is usually difficult enough, given the Pride have never won a match there. Anna Moorhouse decided that wasn’t a big enough challenge and earned a red card for denial of a scoring opportunity in the third minute. Despite that hardship, the Pride were able to limit the Reign to one goal, losing 1-0. Unfortunately, the Pride were unable to maintain possession or capitalize on any chances to equalize. The end of the season woes continue for Orlando.

OCB Stomped by Crown Legacy

Orlando City B hosted Crown Legacy at Osceola Heritage Park and to say it got ugly is an understatement. By halftime the Young Lions were down 4-0. OCB ultimately scored three goals to try to make a match of it, but not before giving up another two goals, falling to Crown Legacy, 6-3. If you’re looking for a bright point, Jack Lynn scored a brace to stay in contention for the Golden Boot.

USMNT News

Gregg Berhalter will make his return as the USMNT head coach in a pair of friendlies against Uzbekistan and Oman on Sept. 9 and 12, respectively. Berhalter has selected his 24-man roster, consisting of players from European and MLS clubs. Some of those players were in action this weekend.

Folarin Balogun will be in the squad following his debut for AS Monaco. He was unfortunately booked for diving only four minutes after coming on. Over with PSV, Malik Tillman scored for his new club, with fellow USMNT players Ricardo Pepi and Sergiño Dest all playing as well. At Juventus, Weston McKennie got the start over fellow USMNT player Tim Weah. Both McKennie and Weah did well in the right wingback position in the 2-0 win over Empoli.

Free Kicks

• Arsenal and Liverpool both won to stay close to top of the table Manchester City. Declan Rice and Gabriel Jesus scored two stoppage time goals to give Arsenal the 3-1 win over Manchester United. Liverpool scored two goals in the first 22 minutes — one an own goal — before Mo Salah scored a third to complete the 3-0 win over Aston Villa.
• Sergio Ramos is set to return to Sevilla now that his Paris Saint-Germain contract ended.
• U.S. District Judge Pamela K. Chen granted a motion of innocence which overturned two convictions in a FIFA bribery case.
• Nottingham Forest signed former Liverpool player Divock Origi on loan from AC Milan.
• The Florida State University women’s soccer team utterly dominated in-state rival University of South Florida with the Noles defeating the Bulls 5-1 on Sunday in the Seminoles’ home opener.
• As far as I’m concerned, this type of behavior for any supporter is ridiculous no matter what the result of a match.

That will do it for today. Have a great Labor Day holiday. Go City!

El Pulpo’s Eventful Evening

In the 36th minute, Pedro Gallese made a massive reaction save one on one against Derrick Jones. Honestly, it probably should have been a goal, but Gallese got the better of the encounter. The goal that was scored on him in the second half was not stoppable. Facing Enzo Copetti from the penalty spot, Gallese picked the correct side and dove fully extended, but Copetti put it in the bottom right corner with pace. Sometimes you can guess correctly and there is still nothing a keeper can do.

Idalia Still a Factor

Given that Hurricane Idalia was making its way towards Florida, I thought it was a good thing that Orlando City was playing on the road. Instead, Idalia blew past my house in Tallahassee, and made its way north. It moved fast enough that some of the outer bands of what was left of the storm made an appearance at the match at Bank of America Stadium. The wet conditions meant that some passes were slower than desired, some touches were off, and the wet ball was difficult to handle. There were a few from Facundo Torres that were not typical for the DP. As such, there were some opportunities for both sides that came to nothing due to the conditions.

Jansson’s Absence Felt

Robin Jansson led Orlando City’s defense with the back line doing a good job of dealing with crosses and set pieces put into the box by Charlotte FC. The one time that the defense didn’t head the ball out, Ben Bender put it in the back of the net. Fortunately, he came from an offside position and the goal was correctly disallowed. Jansson had a terrific game until he picked up a late knock and had to come off. Mere minutes after Jansson was subbed off for Abdi Salim, Rodrigo Schlegel fouled Copetti in the box to give Charlotte a penalty kick and ultimately the lead.

Schlegel vs. Copetti

There was a battle between Schlegel and Copetti that got a bit chippy. It was Schlegel that committed the foul on Copetti to give Charlotte the lead, although Copetti came in from behind and it’s doubtful the defender knew he was even there. In the waning minutes of the match, Copetti threw a forearm into Schlegel’s neck and throat area. The forward was ultimately only given a yellow for the foul. The review could have gone either way for forcible contact with the head and neck area but the referee did not see enough on replay to change his initial call. It was a proper battle between the two, even if Copetti got the better of it.

Ojeda’s Miracle

Martin Ojeda has not done as much as most Orlando City supporters would like. All of that was forgotten in the 88th minute when Ojeda’s free kick went over every defender’s and attacker’s head and off the hand of Kristijan Kahlina into the back of the goal. Whether it was intentional or not, it was exactly what Orlando City needed. The kick was an in-swinger that fell perfectly. Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.

That is what I saw in Orlando City’s draw against Charlotte FC. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Orlando City’s Thoughts on the Win

It’s not very surprising, but Oscar Pareja was very happy with the win against St. Louis City SC on Saturday night in Exploria Stadium. Obviously the way the Lions were able to overcome some bad calls — in my opinion — score enough goals, and limit St. Louis City’s opportunities contributed to his happiness. He also loved the atmosphere and enthusiasm that all the supporters brought that night. Facundo Torres and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson shared their thoughts as well.

Orlando City B Drubs Crew 2, 4-1

Like almost every OCB match, the 4-1 win over Columbus Crew 2 had its share of excitement. Goals from Wilfredo Rivera, Shakur Mohammed, Jhon Solis, and of course, Jack Lynn were more than enough to secure the win. Columbus helped out a bit with Clay Holstad getting a straight red card, allowing OCB to be a man up from the 53rd minute. Jack Lynn’s goal was his 15th of the season and pulled him into second place for the Golden Boot. OCB is next in action against top of the table Crown Legacy FC on Sept. 3.

Loyola’s Surgery Successful

Orlando City/OCB attacker Favian Loyola underwent a successful surgery to remove a blood clot in his left arm. The Homegrown midfielder usually plays for Orlando City B rather than the senior team, but is still considered to be part of the future for the Lions. Loyola was treated by the club’s official medical team at Orlando Health. At this time, there is no timeline on his return. We at The Mane Land wish him a full and speedy recovery.

English Premier League Highlights

Manchester City is once again sitting on top of the English Premier League, thanks to a late goal from Rodri in a 2-1 win over Sheffield United. City was without Pep Guardiola for the match as he recovers from back surgery. Meanwhile, Manchester United bounced back from a loss to Tottenham, coming from behind to defeat Nottingham Forest, 3-2. Despite the win, there are still concerns for United.

One of the most compelling matches of the weekend was Liverpool’s 2-1 win over Newcastle United. Newcastle went up a goal early and then Liverpool went down a man as Virgil van Dijk was shown a straight red card. Things did not look good for the Reds, but Darwin Nunez finally had the type of match Liverpool supporters have been looking for, scoring a brace in the last 10 minutes of the match to give the Merseyside club the victory.

Free Kicks

• Former Orlando City keeper Earl Edwards, Jr. re-signed with the New England Revolution on a one-year deal with an option through 2025.
• USWNT and Portland Thorns striker Sophia Smith suffered an injury in Sunday’s match against the Washington Spirit. It was bad enough that Smith left using crutches. Hopefully it isn’t too bad of an injury.
• While he isn’t heading anywhere immediately, Juventus has dropped the asking price for USMNT midfielder Weston McKennie.
• Christian Pulisic continued his excellent start with AC Milan as the American scored his second goal in his second start for his new Serie A club.
• Josh Sargent was injured while scoring for Norwich City in the 4-0 victory over Hudderfield. It looks like a serious ankle injury, though the club is still waiting to hear how bad it is.

That will do it for today. For those on the Florida’s west coast and in the Panhandle — like myself — please stay safe as the storm makes its way to our shores. Thankfully, our Lions will be on the road in Charlotte, NC. Vamos Orlando!

First Half Folly

Right from the first kick, the match was fairly open with each club getting a share of the possession and a share of the chances. Though the match was played end to end, neither team was able to find that last bit of quality to get on the scoreboard. Nicholas Gioacchini barely missed on a ball sent across the front of Pedro Gallese’s goal. For Orlando City, both Duncan McGuire and Mauricio Pereyra had barely missed chances. Neither club was able to score in the first half, but that changed in the second half.

Torres Takes Control

It didn’t take long for Orlando City to jump out to a lead, thanks to Facundo Torres scoring a goal in consecutive matches for the first time since June. As Orlando City moved into the attack, Mauricio Pereyra did well to catch up the ball and lay it off to Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, who beat a defender and put it on a platter for Torres to run on to and score the first goal of the match. It’s the type of thing that can give Torres confidence heading into the last part of the season.

A Pair of Interesting Calls

Pereyra got to the ball before a St. Louis player, he then tipped it over Rafael Santos, who sent the ball up the pitch to a streaking Torres. Torres was behind the defense, setting up a one on one with the keeper, but referee Joe Dickerson decided that Pereyra had somehow committed a foul on the play and called it back. There’s no way to know for certain that Torres was going to score, but it seems likely. That was bad call number one.

Bad call number two came on St. Louis City’s goal. The St. Louis player went to the end line and from my perspective at home on replay, Nokkvi Thorisson seemingly crossed the ball after it was over the line, meaning the ensuing goal was no good. That was the call on the field. Video assistant referee Sorin Stoica got involved and Dickerson took a look at the video monitor. In my view, there was nothing clear and obvious to overturn the call on the field from the angles shown, but that is exactly what happened. These two decisions were a potential two-goal swing against Orlando City.

Ball Don’t Lie

Orlando City may have been wronged with some of the officiating decisions, but justice was served when Dickerson changed the call from a corner kick to a handball on St. Louis defender Anthony Markanich, giving Orlando City a penalty kick. Once again it was Torres who took the penalty kick, and for the second match in a row, he finished it perfectly to give Orlando City the win. It was the correct call, but I was still worried that Dickerson would not make the correct decision. Fortunately, he did make the correct call, which gave the home team the chance to regain the lead.

Playing the Odds

Coming into this match, I felt it was very important for Orlando City both to score multiple goals, and to keep St. Louis to one goal or less. As I wrote in the Three Keys to Victory:

“When St. Louis’ opponents have scored two or more goals, the club has a 2-6-0 record. Just as important, 10 of Orlando City’s 11 wins this season saw the Lions score more than one goal. It is of paramount importance that Orlando City score more than one goal against St. Louis…”

The Lions were able to do both, and the result followed. Limiting a high-scoring offense like St. Louis took effort and a little luck, especially down the stretch. A win against the best team in the Western Conference is the type of result the club can use heading into the home stretch of the season.

That is what I saw in Orlando City’s result against St. Louis City SC. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Orlando City is coming off an impressive 3-1 win over Chicago Fire FC, but will the Lions be able to keep up with the Gateway City club’s propensity for scoring goals en masse? What does Orlando City need to do to earn all three points at home against a tough St. Louis squad?

Say No to Niko

Former Lion Nicholas Gioacchini was taken by St. Louis City SC in the 2022 MLS Expansion Draft. Despite his not getting many minutes in his time with Orlando City, most of us on The Mane Land staff were not particularly happy with losing the young striker. In fact, Michael Citro wrote the following in our article detailing Gioacchini’s move:

“At Gioacchini’s age, he’s got plenty of upside, and it’s a shame that Orlando City has lost him. The Lions will be able to apply his $350,000 salary elsewhere in search of attacking depth, but with the forward’s experience and room for growth, it will be tough to watch if he succeeds in St. Louis.”

So far this season, Gioacchini leads his club with 10 goals, including a brace in St. Louis’ 6-3 win over Austin FC last Sunday. It is tough to watch his success, but it will be even tougher if Gioacchini is able to score on his former club. Stopping Niko is one part of the defensive job facing Orlando City.

Big-Time Beefy Swede

Gioacchini is not the only attacker Orlando City will need to deal with. St. Louis has scored 49 goals this season, with 10 different players scoring more than one goal this season. St. Louis has also scored two or more goals in 12 matches this season. In fact, every time St Louis scores more than one goal, the club has won the match. As such, keeping St. Louis from scoring more than one goal is absolutely crucial to getting any points from this match.

Orlando City’s normally tough defense is dealing with some issues at the moment. Antonio Carlos’ status is unknown at this point in the week, meaning backup Rodrigo Schlegel will likely get another start. Michael Halliday returned to the pitch last Sunday, but he’s most likely not 90 minutes fit. That means we’ll probably see another start from Dagur Dan Thorhallsson instead of Kyle Smith. All of this means it is time for Robin Jansson to step up. 

I’m not saying the Beefy Swede doesn’t normally step up, but his leadership on the back line will be needed as St. Louis’ attack presses the Lion’s defense. He will need to keep his cool, while keeping his head on a swivel. That’s a lot of things for one head to do. Obviously, having Cesar Araujo and Wilder Cartagena blunting the opponents before they get too deep is important, but it will be up to Jansson to pull it all together and limit St. Louis’ opportunities to score.

More Goals, Please

When St. Louis’ opponents have scored two or more goals, the club has a 2-6-0 record. Just as important, 10 of Orlando City’s 11 wins this season saw the Lions score more than one goal. It is of paramount importance that Orlando City score more than one goal against St. Louis — preferably a repeat of the Chicago match. 

Duncan McGuire didn’t score in the last match, and I feel like he’s due for another goal. Facundo Torres did score a penalty and provided an assist against Chicago, which is good, because Torres tends to be streaky, and having him go on a goal contribution run is needed. As for other goal contributors, it doesn’t really matter as long as Orlando City finishes whatever chances arise.

That is what I will be looking for this weekend as Orlando City looks for a third league win in a row. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Orlando City Wins at Chicago Fire

Orlando City traveled to the Windy City to take on the Chicago Fire and came away with a 3-1 victory. Two quick goals following Chicago’s opening strike in the second half gave Orlando City the lead, and the Lions never looked back. Facundo Torres came alive in a match that also saw the return of Junior Urso and Michael Halliday. Despite facing the likes of Kacper Przybylko, Xherdan Shaqiri, and Kei Kamara, the Lions were able to bring back all three points on the road.

Orlando Pride Dominate Chicago Red Stars

The Orlando Pride defeated the Chicago Red Stars 5-0 in the first match back for the Pride players who participated in the Women’s World Cup. The Pride benefited greatly from the return of the international players, as Rafaelle and Mariana Larroquette both scored their first goals for the Pride on their debuts. Those two goals, along with a brace from Rookie of the Year contender Messiah Bright and one from Mikayla Cluff were more than enough to give the Pride their biggest margin of victory of the season and equaling their best in club history.

Spain Wins Women’s World Cup

Spain defeated England 1-0 to win the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup on a goal by Olga Carmona. It is Spain’s first women’s world title. Spain is a young team that can challenge for years to come, though if the Royal Spanish Football Federation and Head Coach Jorge Vilda don’t do a better job of taking care of the women’s side, it will be much tougher. England had some chances early, but Spain dominated the match and England was unable to find an equalizer. In a bit of sad news, Carmona received news that her father had passed away a few hours after her World Cup-winning goal. Our thoughts are with her and her family.

USMNT Players Abroad

Bournemouth officially acquired Tyler Adams from Leeds United for an estimated $30.5 million. The USMNT captain had been linked to Chelsea, but will now return to the English Premier League with the Cherries. Over in Serie A, Tim Weah made his debut for Juventus, and Weston McKennie came on for him at the half. Both players acquitted themselves well in the match, and will hopefully have a good season with Juventus.

Free Kicks

• It shouldn’t be surprising, but it still hurts that the USWNT is lower down the pecking order in world soccer. These are not the official FIFA rankings, but where is the lie?Chelsea’s woes continue after losing 3-1 to West Ham United. Even worse, West Ham was playing with 10 men from midway through the second half.
• Evidently, Lionel Messi gave DeAndre Yedlin the captain’s armband for the trophy celebration. I don’t care if it’s “classy” or not.

That will do it for today. If you aren’t already following SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride PawedCast, you really should, as we’re going to have a special guest this week. All you have to do is subscribe on your favorite podcast provider. Vamos Orlando!