Orlando City explodes into Leagues Cup against C.F. Monterrey | OneFootball

There are negative notes on Orlando City SC scouting reports. But the scouts have to retype them after their performance against C.F. Monterrey.

Orlando City SC opened its Leagues Cup competition with a 2-1 win over C.F. Monterrey. The match looked like a romp over the Liga MX side despite the close score.

No one expected Rayados de Monterrey to leave the pitch quietly, win or lose. They’ve won Liga MX and Concacaf Champions League five times each.  They’ve won the Copa MX three times.

The Lions prepared well for their opponent. In the 28th minute, midfielder Tyrese Spicer aimed a low-driven cross to striker Antoine Griezmann, who guided the ball in at the near post for the only score for either team in the first half.

Spicer has enacted a campaign to factor in frequent goal contributions for Orlando. His assist of Griezmann – his second across all competitions – was his second helper in two matches and third across all competitions. He has five goal contributions over the last three matches.

Then, 15 minutes into the second half, Spicer earned and converted a penalty. He lofted the shot over diving keeper Luis Cardenas into the upper left corner.

The penalty is what set scouts to retyping their profiles of Spicer. His strengths are many, including dribbling, finishing, tackling, and crossing. His greatest strength is in his defensive contributions. But the scouts haven’t trusted his concentration. Spicer’s shot reworked the chart.

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It requires more than luck to push a penalty at Cardenas. He earned global notoriety in Qatar during the FIFA Club World Cup in 2019. There, he saved two penalties from Al-Hilal. Then the keeper scored the decisive penalty, winning Monterrey the Bronze Medal.

In the 2025 Leagues Cup, Cardenas claimed penalty-shot hero status again as he saved a crucial penalty against the New York Red Bulls during a shootout.

Spicer exhibited supreme focus and concentration in driving the high shot above Cardenas as he flew to claim still another penalty. It looked as if Spicer knew the keeper as well as he knew himself. The ball went in the same direction as Cardenas. Yet, it entered the net where the keeper wasn’t.

The importance of the 60th-minute penalty wasn’t evident until stoppage time. Monterrey was down 2-0, but the team never gives up.

Nine minutes into stoppage time, Hugo Cuypers caught up to a cross by Lucas Ocampos and headed it home. That was their last chance to score, and the final score was settled at 2-1.

Orlando City SC waited a long time this season to assemble a winning squad. But in Leagues Cup and MLS conditions, it’s great to see.