Orlando City took the field this afternoon in their first preseason scrimmage of the season. The Lions just started their preseason 12 days ago and looked to get off on the right foot. The scrimmage was a closed-door event but they had a few supporter group members and family of the players in attendance.
The details in this piece are based off photos that both clubs put out, as well as some information from our very own John Rawlins who was able to attend the scrimmage. There may be a detail or two missing but we filled in the gaps as best we could.
First Half
Based on what was seen before kickoff, here was the first-half starting lineup for the Lions:
Orlando City played a pretty competitive first half, considering the mixed lineup they rolled out. It was really interesting to see some of the players in certain positions. College draft picks Jaylen Yearwood, Nolan Miller, and Harvey Sarajian all got a look in the first half for Orlando City, each providing solid performances. Yearwood did well getting forward and was a decent defender but did pick up a red card late in the first half, ending his afternoon. Miller put in a nice shift and was solid with Brekalo as his partner. He looked fit and commanding in his role.
The Lions would get scored on in the 41st minute off a free kick where Otero saved the initial shot but parried it into danger, allowing Lexington to score.
How the first goal of 2026 played out ▶️ https://t.co/8Ga2SwXJL1 pic.twitter.com/uCgSziMPve
— Lexington Sporting Club (@LexSporting) January 24, 2026
Harvey Sarajian looked lively for most of the game and really displayed the skill that Orlando City had been seeing in his college and pre-college days. He had multiple chances that hit the woodwork and he got in some great places for some even better chances. A great start for the Naples native as he looks to cement his spot in the squad.
Second Half
After halftime, Orlando City rolled out different lineup to face Lexington:
Orlando City had strong start to the half with most of the team being rotated. The Lions would get on the board pretty quickly as Duncan McGuire would put one in from the PK spot after a hard-earned penalty. This tied the game up for Orlando at 1-1. The goal is below, courtesy of John Rawlins.
Duncan McGuire with the first Orlando City goal of the preseason. pic.twitter.com/LNtHcJBCZU
— John Rawlins TV (@JohnRawlinsTV) January 24, 2026
The half would become a bit more disjointed as more subs were made and different players would be brought on which resulted in Orlando City giving up another goal to Lexington late in the second half.
I mean… https://t.co/ItiRvqOKIV pic.twitter.com/tzpQqbyUyV
— Lexington Sporting Club (@LexSporting) January 24, 2026
Orlando City would not be able to find an equalizer so the scrimmage ended 2-1 in favor of Lexington.
Final Thoughts
While this was the first preseason scrimmage and the Lions did lose, there were some positives from this game and some additional notes:
- A lot of the young players had nice showings for Orlando this afternoon. The brightest was probably Harvey Sarajian, who just seemed to be in the right place at the right time, being just inches away from finishing multiple chances. With more time, he should easily step up his game and start turning those chances into goals. Zakaria Taifi put in a solid shift for Orlando, defending well and playing multiple positions when asked. He seemed quicker than last year and that only bodes well for a player looking to back up Freeman or Marin, eventually pushing into a starting role. Issah Haruna also had a solid half for the squad as he played on the wing as opposed to the midfield where he spent most of his time in college. He looked quick and shifty, really displaying his athletic talent. It was nice to see a variety of OCB/academy kids getting some time in the first scrimmage.
- Martín Ojeda, Robin Jansson, and Marco Pašalić did not see minutes in this scrimmage and only Ojeda was seen talking with some fans before the scrimmage. This could mean nothing since it was the first scrimmage but not having Jansson or Pašalić around for an extended period could be concerning for this team. We’ll have to see if they return for the next scrimmage.
- Luis Otávio, who missed the first week and a half of preseason due to visa issues, was seen in the crowd taking in the scrimmage. Jordan Gerbet, who’s recovering from his ACL injury, was also seen in the stands. Nice to see both of them around the team even if it was in the stands.
- Orlando City heads to Mexico for all of next week, as they do their annual trip down to the beach. This is the third year Orlando City will be taking the trip and they use it as a nice bonding experience for all the players. We’ll only get various reports and photos from the team but this is a great time for the team to really get to know each other and get away from the distractions of daily life.
A friendly reminder that preseason results don’t matter in the grand scheme of things. Some people are going to be upset that Orlando City lost to a club in a lower division. My advice: don’t be. This team has been together for a little over a week and is going to have things to figure out. If this scrimmage was February 14 and we dropped it to this level of opponent, I might be more worried. The goal now is to gel, build chemistry, and try things before the season starts. It’s not a time to be overly critical, expecting the worst from this team. There are a lot of new faces and time will help pave over the disconnect.
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