This was as resounding and comprehensive a win as Orlando City have had all season in MLS... OK, it was our first win, I'm just excited OK? In all seriousness, this was a completely dominant performance from Oscar Pareja's team, who never allowed the Texans into the game at any stage. Truthfully, it could, and should, have been a much clearer margin of victory. Still, that Orlando managed to get the victory, is really all that matters at this stage. They are off and running. https://youtu.be/YNODyChB0J4?si=U7B3UzuB-IQ_nFHW Orlando were more like their old selves in this game. Question marks we ..read more

I'm gonna cut the BS and head straight into it this week. I'm not even going to make a silly Star Wars reference, okey day? That performance worried me. And it wasn't the players this time. Oscar Pareja worried me. https://youtu.be/ocpY9GMGOV8?si=1eq06zOrmaDWJTm- Kyle Smith, a right-back by trade, starting as a 6, on his own essentially, whilst Dagur Dan Þórhallsson, a midfielder by trade, started at right-back, was... A choice. A bold one (sorry). Atlanta were able to bypass our midfield with alarming frequency. This put unnecessary pressure on our back 4. Atlanta could have been out of sight ..read more

Anyone else getting a serious sense of déjà vu? In 2023 Orlando City started poorly as they struggled to get to grips with juggling MLS and CONCACAF play. It seems like history might be repeating itself. There is one key difference, however. We all remember the debates regarding the future of Oscar Pareja. You were either 'Papi in' or 'Papi out'. There was a reason for that. At the time Orlando's play was stodgy, lacking in imagination and tactically one dimensional. https://youtu.be/Iw2ZETgJBVo That's not the case this time around. As in Fort Lauderdale, the tactical set up was fine. We actua ..read more

I've always loved football. It truly is the greatest sport in the world. But sometimes, I absolutely bloody hate it. Saturday was one of those days. The first half of this game was one of the most horrendous performances I have ever seen from an Orlando City team. They looked like a deer in headlights. Their passing was slow, laboured and unimaginative. They were completely and utterly shell shocked from minute one. Overawed by the occasion. https://youtu.be/odgGGl69gfM?si=XQqM1ei6PzPdgLZK Fort Lauderdale have an ageing and largely very static defence and midfield. So we decided to play everyt ..read more

The eagerly anticipated 2024 home owner has come and gone, and just like the Star Wars sequel trilogy, it wasn't what everyone was hoping for. In a week where pundits galore have tipped Oscar Pareja's Lions for varying degrees of success this season, the Lions were stifled by the visitors. There were still plenty of positives to take from the game, however. The debut of David Brekalo in the heart of Orlando's defence, chief amongst them. Orlando displayed just how miserly their back line is likely to be this season. In Brekalo and Robin Jansson, Pareja's side have a potential All-Star pairing ..read more

It was important for Orlando City to get off to a good start in what represented a banana skin tie for the Lions. In the unfamiliar surroundings (for both teams) of Starlight Field, Vancouver Island, Orlando produced a dominant display to wrestle the tie away from their Canadian hosts. I felt Orlando were excellent in all areas of the pitch. They pressed well, they were aggressive in said press, they moved the ball around well, their attacking movement was positive... With all due respect to Cavalry, Orlando are the superior outfit. And even in the absence of head coach Oscar Pareja, serving a ..read more

When I sat down to watch this game, late on a crisp autumnal evening here in England, I was braced for a wild ride. After all, Orlando don't do things the easy way... Generally speaking. In the end, it was probably the easiest 1-0 win Orlando has ever experienced. That being said, with the start Orlando made to this game, neutral bystanders would be hard pressed to argue that Orlando didn't deserve more than the Wilder Cartagena wondergoal that their first half efforts surely deserved. A clutch of goal scoring opportunities were squandered by the likes of Duncan McGuire, Facundo Torres, Cesar ..read more

OK, so this piece is going to look a little different to the usual format. I wasn't sure how to frame this analysis, heading into the match, as I knew it would be particularly difficult to glean anything of note having seen our line-up. When you make so many changes and bring in players who have barely kicked a ball in anger for the last few months, you're going to get disjointed play. https://youtu.be/3CrgesrzkLY?si=RyNP6wneMyAzohsg It was a turgid first 45 minutes from Orlando City, which confirmed my initial feelings. Even from the second half, I don't think there's an awful lot to mull ove ..read more

Decision day was never going to be anything but incredibly stressful. That first half was fraught, frenetic and just downright chaotic at times. The second? Frustrating and rather depressing. The Pride probably had the better of the half, but the Dash had the two best opportunities with Nichelle Prince firing straight at the nervy Anna Moorhouse and Andressa Alves clipping the post with arguably the chance of the game, right on the stroke of half-time. The second half was poor, however. It was very flat until the final ten minutes or so, but, by that point, they had a mountain to climb. Angel ..read more

Orlando City can now put their feet up and relax for a bit on decision day. I mean, they won't. They'll want to go to Toronto and win; keep this momentum going into the play-offs. That being said it'll be nice to just be able to enjoy decision day, and not have to stress too much. Orlando City have sealed second place in both the Eastern Conference and Supporters Shield and thus, a place in next season's CONCACAF Champions *Cup. *Formerly League. https://youtu.be/ZqFIJppPXT4?si=5IfXbGEIRPYXE-9D With all the division amongst the fanbase, amidst a sluggish start to the season, no one could have ..read more