A Sellout Crowd at Orlando's Inter&Co Stadium Sees Orlando City Fail to Reach the MLS Cup Final.
"You have to take your chances" may be an overused term but that phrase was never so evident in last night's 1-0 Eastern Conference Final. Orlando City's defense again was outstanding, and only one glaring error allowed the Red Bulls to convert off of their very few chances. Appearing in their fifth consecutive MLS playoffs, the Lions end the 2024 campaign with the most goals scored in the regular season in Club history with fifty-nine. Manager Oscar Pareja, after a few games in question, finally found the right role for attacking midfielder Martin Ojeda, leading to +21 goal difference in the Lions' last fifteen home matches.
I have often discussed Orlando City's roster build and depth, led by manager Oscar Pareja, Executive Vice President Luiz Muzzi, and Vice President Ricardo Moreira. The depth and rotation employed by Pareja punished many opponents late in games and provided the necessary 'plug and play' options that are necessary with the March through November fixture schedule. Pareja, Muzzi, and Moreira will be at it again in the off season, with decisions to make on the existing player pool as well as adding players that fit with Pareja's system and style of play.
The following list and comments are my take only and do not represent any information from Orlando City Soccer Club. Note: the information and contract dates have been taken from Transfermarket:
Left Back Rafael Santos: out of contract; resign
Left Back Luca Petrasso: out of contract; resign especially if Santos moves on
Right Back Dagur Dan Thorhallsson: contracted through 2026
Defender Kyle Smith: out of contract; resign for his ability to both start and close out games.
GK Pedro Gallese: out of contract; resign unless Moreira has the next Carlos Coronel waiting in the wings.
GK Mason Stajduhar: contracted through 2025; injury issue; keep unless he retires.
GK Javier Otero: out of contract; may need to resign depending on Gallese and Stajduhar.
CB David Brekalo: signed through 2027; mission critical to get him fully fit.
Rodrigo Schlegel: out of contract with options for '25 and '26; resign as a backup center back.
Robin Jansson: signed through 2025. Can Brekalo be his go-to partner in the center?
Thomas Williams: out of contract; resign unless Schlegel does not return.
Right Back Michael Halliday; signed through 2025. Keep.
DM Cesar Araujo: out of contract with an option for 2025; exercise that option.
DM Wilder Cartagena: contract through 2025; Araujo and Cartagena best tandem DM in the MLS.
CM Heine Gikliing Bruseth: contract through 2026. Time to for him to impose his will.
CM Felipe Martins; out of contract; do not resign.
CM Jeorgio Kocevski: out of contract; resign
CM Nicolas Lodeiro: out of contract; do not resign
AM Martin Ojeda: contracted through 2025. Keep
LW Ivan Angulo: contracted through 2025. Keep
LW/LB Gaston Gonzalez: out of contract; do not resign
RW Facundo Torres: contract through 2026; may leave for a European Club?
F Duncan McGuire: contract through 2027; needs more playing time or sell on
F Ramiro Enrique: contract through 2025: Keep and send to the "Eric Cantona school of clinical finishing."
F Luis Muriel: contract through 2026; waste of a DP slot; too much salary; not enough production. Sell on.
F Jack Lynn: out of contract; do not keep.
Like every year, and every team, Orlando's front office has a good bit of work to do. We are only eleven weeks away from the opening of the 2025 MLS season. I am very much looking forward to watching all of the off-season changes.
Gary Levitt @gary1123 justmytake.net
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