International: Orlando City to host AS Roma

Photo: OCSC

By Mike Gramajo

Orlando City SC will welcome Italian giants AS Roma for the second time, when both sides collide at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex on May 23 in an international friendly at 7:30 p.m.. 

Both sides met in January 2013 at Rollins College, which resulted into a 4-0 victory for the Italian side against an Orlando City side not having a solid preseason yet. 

“AS Roma are one of the top clubs in the world and we are delighted to have them back in Florida again,” Orlando City President Phil Rawlins said in a statement on Thursday. “I know our fans will enjoy seeing The Lions take on a world class team like Roma.”

Despite having lost their last encounter against Roma, the Lions will look to have a slight advantage in regards to form, since they will be in midseason form while the Italian side will be arriving toward the end of the Serie A season. 

Valentino: Our focus is USL Pro, not MLS

Photo: Joe Petro / OCSC

By Mike Gramajo

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Orlando City’s 3-1 victory over the Rochester Rhinos not only displayed a winning result, their first winning result, but for defender Rob Valentino it was a performance that served as a wake up call. 

“I think it’s important to set the tone for the club, ourselves and not necessarily about MLS,” Valentino told reporters after the result. “We’re going to hear from every single player, we’re not focus on MLS, we’re focus on this season, and the tone in that locker room is what matters this year, not next year.

“We have to focus on every single game, every single Saturday not letting the level drop. Like I said, we set our own standards and we need to know that stays the same. We have the same goal every year, and we want to win both trophies.” 

Valentino, who scored OCSC’s second goal, has been a vital player to the club since their arrival to the minor leagues in 2011. 

Despite the victory, both head coach Adrian Heath and defender Rob Valentino told reporters that the result and performance were two halves, with one outweighing the other. 

“Everything you saw today, it wasn’t them outclassing us, it was us giving them everything,” said Valentino. “It’s their first game, so if we think that performance was good enough, we won’t have a performance like that all through the year.” 

After Orlando City’s ability to score multiple goals came to question during week one and two of the USL Pro, Saturday’s performance did answer those questions. However, it was self-evident that OCSC were lacking in another department, foolish defensive errors, if not the first two weeks then tonight. 

Despite Heath and Valentino criticizing their performance, Valentino did mention that the chemistry in the back line is doing well, it’s just the blinded mistakes that tend to gift the opponents the chance to score. 

“I think Brad (Rusin) and myself have a good communication between the two of us. Bods (Luke Boden) has been with us for the last four years, him and I have a good understanding, and we’re trying to mix Tyler (Turner) in, it’s his third game professionally. He’s still learning, understanding this is the real deal.” 

Orlando City claim first win over Rochester

By Mike Gramajo 

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — After three weeks of USL Pro action, Orlando City SC finally earned their first victory of the 2014 campaign. 

Goals from Kevin Molino, Rob Valentino and Dennis Chin helped pave the way for Orlando as they went on to claim a 3-1 win over the Rochester Rhinos on Saturday night at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, in front of 4,776 spectators. 

“I’m pleased that we won the game, I’m pleased that we scored three goals. I’m not pleased with the way we played,” Orlando City head coach Adrian Heath told reporters after the game. “Collectively we were poor, I’m really disappointed in our decision making and if we play like that, we will get beat, I guarantee that. 

“We did deserve to win the game last week, tonight I’m not so sure. It’s their (Rochester) first game, if they had been in three or four games into the season, they would of scored more. I stickup for my players all the time, but it’s too difficult to do so tonight.” 

The Lions took the lead in the opening minutes after Defender Tyler Turner founds Kevin Molino in a low-cross, who then capitalized on the pass for the 1-0 lead in the second minute. 

Adrian Heath’s men continued their dominance in possession in the first half, but it was their set pieces that helped double the lead for the Lions. Midfielder Austin da Luz played a corner kick, which resulted into Yordany Alvarez firing a shot, which hit off a wall of Rochester defenders. Defender Rob Valentino was able to execute on the rebound and double City’s lead 2-0 in the 35th minute. 

Miguel Gallardo’s chance for a clean-sheet was soon spoiled after a bad giveaway from midfielder Aodhan Quinn gave Rhinos forward JC Banks the clear-cut chance to slide the ball past Gallardo from close range in the 54th minute. 

With Rochester playing more of an aggressive second-half, Heath made several changes to the midfield, bringing forward Dennis Chin, and midfielders Adama Mbengue, Mikey Lopez to help a depleted Orlando forward line. 

Dennis Chin, who was subbed in the 71st minute for Corey Hertzog, wasted no time in giving Orlando the insurance goal after he was able to execute on a rebound from a low-cross from Kevin Molino for the 3-1 lead. 

OCSC got the best of the Rhinos when it came to shots, outshooting the Rochester side 8-4 in the first half, finishing 14-9 for the game in favor of Orlando. 

Defender Luke Boden, who has been the catalyst for Orlando in the last two matches, was more quiet in the left flanks after being heavily guarded by Rochester’s line of midfielders and defenders. Meanwhile, defender Tyler Turner had some difficulties in challenging for the 50/50 ball. 

With the victory, Orlando City sit provisionally in first place of the USL Pro standings with five points, and they return to Disney World when they take on Charleston Battery on Saturday, April 12 with a 7:30 kickoff. 

Orlando City SC 2014 USL Pro roster

Photo: Mark Thor / OCSC 

By Mike Gramajo

With Orlando City already in USL Pro action, the Lions made some more moves this past week which include bolstering their midfield.

OCSC announced the arrival of Brian "Cobi" Span on Wednesday, after agreeing with MLS side FC Dallas to loan the midfielder for the 2014 USL Pro season.

With the addition of Span, Orlando's midfield now jumps to 10 players filling that position. City head coach Adrian Heath did tell the OSJ that the formation won't change, but did add after last Saturday's home-opener that another player will be added to increase bodies in the final third.

Midfielder Kevin Molino was moved up top alongside forward Corey Hertzog last week, signaling that Heath is utilizing Molino as a false No. 9.

Orlando City return to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex on Saturday when they welcome the Rochester Rhinos at 7:30 p.m. (WATCH HERE).

Below is the latest update on the Lions 2014 roster: 

Boden makes case for soccer growth in Central Florida and rest of nation

Photo: Allison Petro / OCSC 

By Mike Gramajo

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Although Orlando City SC failed to earn a victory during their USL Pro home-opener vs. the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, which ended in a 1-1 draw last Saturday at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, defender Luke Boden show cased what soccer in America has the potential of doing. 

The former Sheffield Wednesday man scored the equalizer for Orlando, after trailing 1-0 early in the second half, however, his stunning performance not only raised questions, but also gave an idea of what Orlando City’s style of play can bring to the table in terms of high standard soccer. 

“I think the culture here is great,” Boden told reporters after the draw vs. Pittsburgh. “People have come over and trained with us from England, and after the training session they say, ‘I wasn’t expecting that’ because people have the perception of, ‘this is America, America is not like that’ that’s not the case. 

“You see the kids now and you ask what’s your favorite sport, and they’ll say, ‘soccer, soccer, soccer’ and it’s massive already, and it’s only gonna grow. When we do possession and things like that, and when you go see MLS games the standard is way up there.”

If it’s not attendance figures, it’s Orlando City’s possessive style of play that has received plenty of praise from managers in MLS to those that guide clubs in the Barclays Premier League in England. 

“The club has all the right things to be in MLS,” said then-Stoke City manager Tony Pulis after the Orlando’s 1-0 friendly defeat to the Potters in 2012. 

With Major League Soccer making a return to Florida in the upcoming years, it’s only evident to say that the demographics have shifted not only across the nation, but in Florida as well. 

Orlando City is expected to make the jump to MLS in 2015, which will follow with Miami once David Beckham and his ownership group are granted access to property in Port of Miami for a privately-funded stadium. The goal for Miami’s entrance has been set for 2016 or 2017. 

Must-See Goal: Former Orlando City Dom Dwyer scores stoppage-time winner for SKC

Orlando City draws Pittsburgh Riverhounds, Boden's goal salvages point for Lions

Photo: Ty Wright / Valencia Voice 

By Mike Gramajo  

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Orlando City’s final USL Pro home season didn’t get off to a great start. 

After conceding an early second-half goal, defender Luke Boden salvaged Orlando City SC one point, drawing 1-1 vs. the Pittsburgh Riverhounds on Saturday night at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. 

“We ended up chasing the game when you consider how much possession we had,” Orlando City head coach Adrian Heath told reporters after the game. “I got every confidence in this group, we scored a lot of goals in the last three years, and I guarantee we’ll score more goals this year.” 

Boden, who contributed in Orlando’s tying goal last week at Charleston, gave OCSC the 1-1 draw in the 57th minute after his cross towards the center box was reflected back to him, leaving him to drill the dead ball past the wall of defenders. 

“It was disappointed to draw than to win,” Boden told reporters. “We should of won the game, comfortably. We want to win the league and the championship, and with the group of players that  have, we can win. 

“The goals will come, I feel like everybody wants to beat us for the way that we play, that’s football. We have to keep playing how we are.” 

Despite maintaining possession for much of the game, the Lions would suffer a defensive collapse toward the early part of the second-half. Riverhounds forward Jose Angulo opened up the lead in the 49th minute after a miscue from defender Rob Valentino resulted into the Colombian slipping the ball past goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo. 

Final shot stats favored Orlando City, who outshot the Riverhounds 17-7, 12 of which came in the second half. 

The Lions come back the WWOS Complex when they meet the Rochester Rhinos on Saturday, April 5. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

Here are the match highlights: