David Brekalo

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs New York Red Bulls – 12.04.2025

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Orlando City SC showed grit and growth last Saturday, grinding out a hard-earned 0-0 draw at Philadelphia Union to claim our first clean sheet of 2025. Despite key midfielders César Araújo and Eduard Atuesta being unavailable, the Lions rallied to extend their unbeaten run to four games (2-2-0).

Now back on home turf and buoyed by a strong defensive display, City will look to keep the momentum rolling against familiar foes. Just four MLS games ago, Orlando City SC and New York Red Bulls played out a 2-2 draw in Harrison, New Jersey, and with last season’s bitter Eastern Conference Final loss still fresh, this one carries extra edge. Both sides come into the contest in good form. Red Bulls are fresh off a 2-1 win over in-form Chicago Fire, while City are looking more solid and settled with each passing game. Another step forward here could keep the Lions firmly in the playoff mix, albeit at this early stage of the season. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: LA Galaxy vs Orlando City SC – 29.03.2025

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Are you not entertained? Recency bias aside, I think we just witnessed one of Orlando City SC’s most complete MLS performances, dismantling an unbeaten D.C. United side (1-3-0) with a dominant 4-1 victory at Inter&Co Stadium. On Javier Otero’s first MLS career start, the Lions were ruthless in attack, with Luis Muriel, Martín Ojeda, and Marco Pašalić continuing their fine form. For the first time in club history, all three of our Designated Players scored in the same game – making Facundo Torres’ absence feel surprisingly manageable. What is this sorcery? Am I dreaming?

Having scored the most goals (13), yet conceded the second-most goals (11) across MLS this season, City now head cross-country to face defending MLS champions LA Galaxy in Carson, California. This is a matchup that could have been the 2024 MLS Cup Final! But Greg Vanney’s side are experiencing a shocking title defence. Galaxy are winless (0-2-3) this season, holding the worst-ever record for a defending MLS champion through five games. Most recently, they salvaged a late 2-2 draw at Minnesota United, but the Lions will be looking to capitalise on their shaky form. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs D.C. United – 22.03.2025

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Orlando City SC’s defensive struggles continued last time out, as the Lions let two leads slip in a frustrating 2-2 draw at New York Red Bulls. While Martín Ojeda and Marco Pašalić produced moments of brilliance, soft goals at the other end proved costly once again. On a positive note, Luis Muriel has been more effective this season, helping the Lions adopt a more direct attacking style under Oscar Pareja.

Now, City return home to Inter&Co Stadium, facing Troy Lesesne’s unbeaten D.C. United side (1-3-0) who drew 0-0 with CF Montréal last weekend. With Pedro Gallese away on international duty, young keeper Javier Otero is set for a big opportunity, while Duncan McGuire’s return from injury offers us a timely boost. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: New York City FC vs Orlando City SC – 08.03.2025

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The sun always shines after the storm, right? Orlando City SC flipped the script last Saturday, securing their first MLS win of 2025 with a commanding 4-2 victory over Toronto FC at Inter&Co Stadium. After falling by the same scoreline a week prior, the Lions got that monkey off their back at the second time of asking, proving that a week is a long time in soccer!

Now, City hit the road for the first time this MLS regular season, facing New York City FC at Yankee Stadium – a tough test that kicks off a stretch of four away games in our next five. This game is NYCFC’s 2025 MLS home opener, but The Pigeons come into it scarred after losing 1-0 at Los Angeles FC on Matchday 2. Continue reading →

Twitter reacts to… Houston Dynamo acquiring Nicolás Lodeiro and Michael Halliday from Orlando City SC

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Earlier today, Orlando City SC traded Michael Halliday to Houston Dynamo and mutually terminated Nicolás Lodeiro’s contract, clearing the way for him to join Dynamo as well. In news first exclusively revealed by Tom Bogert yesterday, the Lions exercised a buyout option to free Lodeiro’s corresponding salary from their budget space. In the end, Dynamo only paid slightly above league minimum salary. As for Halliday, City traded the 22-year-old to Dynamo in exchange for a natural first round pick in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft.

Orlando City SC’s eighth all-time Homegrown Player, Michael Halliday, moves on after making 36 MLS appearances for the Lions since signing a first team contract in July 2020. Hailing from Apopka, and successfully graduating through both our academy and Orlando City B, Halliday made his senior debut in a 2-1 defeat at New York Red Bulls back on May 29, 2021. With Alex Freeman having surpassed him in the depth chart and Dagur Dan Thórhallsson being our starting right back, Halliday now embarks on a fresh start in Texas.

Meanwhile, Nicolás Lodeiro departs Orlando City SC after just one season in Central Florida. City signed Lodeiro in January 2024 as a Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) player, expecting him to play a key role. However, under Oscar Pareja, the two-time MLS Cup champion found himself used more as a depth option rather than a guaranteed starter. Still having made 34 MLS appearances for the Lions last season, Lodeiro won Orlando City UK’s 2024 ‘Newcomer of the Year’ award. Beating out competition from David Brekalo and Luis Muriel, he now moves on to play in the Western Conference again. Continue reading →

Orlando City SC announce 19 players on 2024 MLS Expansion Draft protected list

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When new clubs join Major League Soccer, the league requests that existing clubs release protected player lists at the end of each campaign, and Orlando City SC did just that today.

With the 2024 MLS Expansion Draft taking place tomorrow (December 11), new boys San Diego FC start construction of their inaugural 2025 roster, but the Southern California franchise will not be able to sign these 19 Lions. Continue reading →

Twitter reacts to… Orlando City SC’s 2024 end-of-season roster update

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Earlier today, Orlando City SC officially announced their updated first team roster following the end of the 2024 Major League Soccer campaign.

The first comprehensive evidence as to who is staying, potentially remaining and departing Inter&Co Stadium before 2025, five players were named in the ‘option declined’ column. Continue reading →

Votes now open in Orlando City UK’s 2024 end-of-season awards

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Reaching our first-ever Eastern Conference Final this season, Orlando City SC have come a long way since our disappointing early years in Major League Soccer. Yet, we still desperately yearn for that elusive first-ever MLS Cup title!

In a year that saw the Lions score more single-season goals than ever before (59) – finishing fourth in the Eastern Conference despite a really poor start to the year – our latest public vote is designed to recognise the standout players in the Lions’ 2024 season. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs New York Red Bulls – 30.11.2024

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Drink it in and savour the moment, folks! Orlando City SC have reached their first-ever Eastern Conference Final. This is all thanks to last Sunday’s well-deserved 1-0 victory over fierce rivals Atlanta United. On a historic night to remember at Inter&Co Stadium, the Lions needed no luck to send The Five Stripes packing. Holding our nerve, we delivered a statement performance that put the ‘L’ in Atlanta. It was a landmark triumph that sent a clear message to the rest of Major League Soccer – “We ready”! Bless Atlanta United’s hearts because deep down, they know we are the true football kings of the Southeastern United States!

The type of night that doesn’t come around too often, last Sunday helped cap what was undoubtedly the best-ever weekend in Orlando’s sporting legacy. Last Saturday, Orlando Pride made history, triumphantly winning the 2024 NWSL Championship with a gritty 1-0 victory over Washington Spirit in Kansas City. This followed their 2024 NWSL Shield win just 48 days earlier. Being the first professional team to win a major league title for The City Beautiful, the Pride set the tone for Orlando City SC’s own historic 1-0 victory the next evening. Considering Barbra Banda (37 minutes) and Ramiro Enrique’s (39 minutes) goals were just two minutes apart – across the same weekend – perhaps the stars are truly aligning? Could 2024 be the year where Orlando Pride and Orlando City SC BOTH win U.S. Soccer’s biggest domestic prizes? We sure hope it pans out this way!

While City’s 1-0 scoreline over Atlanta United may not sound commanding, the Lions’ performance was super mature. We were hungry, controlled, and virtually untroubled throughout the entire 90+7 minutes. Orlando City SC were so composed and determined that you had to wonder: was this really the team that had just eliminated Lionel Messi and Inter Miami? As you know, Orlando always welcomes tourists, and for the travelling Atlanta United supporters scattered around Inter&Co Stadium, we hope they enjoyed their latest visit to the Sunshine State! Now, having finally won an Eastern Conference Semi-Final at the third attempt, Orlando City SC are just 180+ minutes away from the ultimate prize: 2024 MLS Cup glory!

With Inter Miami (#1 in East), defending MLS Cup champions Columbus Crew (#2 in East), and Los Angeles FC (#1 in West) already eliminated, we’ll never have a better opportunity to win MLS Cup – plain and simple! It truly has been one of, if not the most unpredictable MLS Cup Playoffs of all-time. Next up though, the Lions face Sandro Schwarz’s New York Red Bulls. While many favourites have already fallen, Red Bulls are still a top-quality, tough opponent, and can never be taken lightly. Playing the gritty Red Bulls way, their super high press, aggression, and intensity make them a dangerous opponent, season in and season out. Should we prevail, the reward is monumental – a trip out west to battle either LA Galaxy or Seattle Sounders in 2024 MLS Cup itself! Having now gone further than any Orlando City SC side has before, this is the moment we’ve all been waiting for – so let’s make it count! Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Atlanta United – 24.11.2024

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It’s time, Orlando! With potential 2024 MLS Cup glory just 270+ minutes away, Orlando City SC are on the cusp of reaching their first-ever Eastern Conference Final. Standing in City’s way are fierce Georgia rivals Atlanta United who visit Inter&Co Stadium this Sunday in a single elimination Eastern Conference Semi-Final. Both teams have played each other 21 times in MLS, but never in a playoff match, until now. With just eight teams remaining in the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs, the stage is set, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. This is what we’ve worked all season for – and now, it’s all about executing when it matters most.

After our heart-stopping game three victory over Charlotte FC in Round One, Orlando City SC have proven once again that we know how to handle pressure. Our thrilling 4-1 shootout victory (1-1 at full-time) saw us progress to our third-ever Eastern Conference Semi-Final, but this has been the end of the line twice before. Still carrying scars from our semi-final exits to New England Revolution (2020) and Columbus Crew (2024), it’s now up to Oscar Pareja’s Lions to go further than any Orlando City SC team has before. So, let’s be THAT team and say ‘why not us?’.

In Round One (game three), Facundo Torres’ buzzer-beater heroics and Pedro Gallese’s clutch penalty shootout saves were a testament to the grit and determination that define our team. With our momentum building, we’re hungrier than ever. Ultimately, Orlando City SC will never have a better opportunity to reach their first-ever MLS Cup. After all, the top three seeds in the Eastern Conference – Inter Miami (first), Columbus Crew (second), and FC Cincinnati (third) – shocked everyone by getting eliminated in Round One of the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs. If we can get past Atlanta United, Orlando City SC will host either sixth seed New York City FC or seventh seed New York Red Bulls at Inter&Co Stadium – a tantalising prospect with our fourth seed home advantage paying dividends.

Over the years, Atlanta United have been the bane of Orlando City SC’s existence. They not only won MLS Cup in their second-ever season (2018). Across all competitions, they also hold an impressive 11-7-4 all-time record against City since joining Major League Soccer in 2017. A team our supporters love to hate, it would be incredibly sweet to knock out The Five Stripes. We’d be one step closer to clinching what we’ve all yearned for since 2015 – that coveted Philip F. Anschutz Trophy and a first-ever MLS star above our crest! With a sellout crowd expected to pack out Inter&Co Stadium, Orlando City SC must be bold, focused, and disciplined. We can’t allow rash decisions, hot-headedness, and red cards to be our downfall like in post-seasons of old. Let’s show we’re #AllTeeth and ready to send Atlanta United packing! LFG. Vamos Orlando! 😈 Continue reading →