Orlando City fell short offensively in a 1-0 defeat to the New York Red Bulls at Inter&Co Stadium during the Eastern Conference final. The deciding goal came from a redirected John Tolkin free kick by Andres Reyes early in the second half, leading to the Lions being shut out for the second time in this postseason, scoring only four goals in five matches.
While Orlando had some opportunities, they were limited and lacked the killer instinct in front of goal, especially on a first-half chance that would have changed the momentum of the game. Consequently, Orlando ended the season with a record of 0-2-1 against New York in 2024, failing to score a single goal against their opponents.
From the start, the match was cautious, with New York dominating possession. Orlando remained disciplined in defense and did not allow many scoring chances, but they also struggled to counterattack effectively against the Red Bulls. The Lions were also sloppy in their passing, leading to missed opportunities to advance into the opposing team’s territory.
For over 30 minutes, the game was evenly matched until an opportunity to score finally arose, and it was a promising one. In the 32nd minute, Cartagena made a key pass to Ojeda, who raced down the left side, outmaneuvering two defenders before setting up Torres in the penalty area. Despite having an ample opportunity to score, Torres’ shot was blocked by goalkeeper Carlos Coronel, who managed to make a solid save to maintain the deadlock in the game. Two minutes after the start of the game, New York had an opportunity when Lewis Morgan fell easily, resulting in a free kick awarded by referee Rosendo Mendoza. The kick was taken from a distance of at least 30 yards, leading to a short pass since it was too far for a direct shot. Dante Vanzeir managed to redirect the ball towards the goal, narrowly missing the upper right corner. The Lions missed a chance to score in the 39th minute when Enrique intercepted the ball in the opponent’s territory. Despite having a defender close behind him, he opted not to take a shot with his right foot and instead attempted to outmaneuver his marker to get into a better position, resulting in the missed opportunity.
The key moment in the game occurred shortly after the game resumed, when Angulo committed a foul near New York’s offensive right side of the penalty area. Tolkin delivered a cross to the far post, where Reyes was left unmarked and managed to score by hitting the inside of the post, giving his team a 1-0 lead in the 47th minute.
The visitors only scored once, as Orlando hardly troubled Coronel’s goal, with two more shots on target in the second half that posed little danger. Orlando was able to secure some set pieces in the following minutes, but was unable to capitalize on them. In an attempt to catch up in the game, Pareja decided to make some substitutions in the 61st minute by bringing in Duncan McGuire and Luis Muriel for Enrique and Thorhallsson. This resulted in Angulo shifting to the right back position. Despite the change, a controversial moment happened shortly after when Reyes, who was already on a yellow card, made a dangerous high boot that hit McGuire in the head. Surprisingly, the referee did not show Reyes a second yellow card, allowing New York to maintain a full team on the field. It was a clear and obvious decision to give a second yellow card, but it was overlooked. Shortly after, Reyes was hit in the face by an Ojeda free kick and had to leave the game, possibly due to caution or because he had already received a second yellow card and the Red Bulls didn’t want to risk it. The Lions were presented with an opportunity in the 84th minute following a Santos pass that deflected off a defender’s head and landed close to the back post. Angulo’s attempt narrowly missed the right post.
In the second minute of stoppage time, Orlando once more appealed for a penalty. The ball, sent into the box from a set piece, was swept to the top, where it seemed to have made contact with Cory Burke’s outstretched arm. Despite the potential infringement, no penalty was awarded, allowing Burke to dash down the field for a breakaway opportunity.
Gallese took a decisive step out of his box to intercept the ball, and Schlegel, in order to prevent any imminent danger, committed a professional foul by holding back an opposing player and earning a yellow card in the process. After that, the Lions were unable to generate any significant offense, and the final whistle signaled the end of Orlando City’s season in 2024. The Red Bulls secured their place in the MLS Cup final with a quick and unexpected goal on their only shot on target. The Lions made unprecedented progress, but ultimately fell short on their home turf against a team they were unable to score against in three previous matches.
