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Player Grades: Orlando City vs. Montreal Impact

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10 years ago

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Orlando City was missing seven international players, but in the end, it was two Brazilians who earned the Lions a point on the road.

Orlando City came out in an unusual 5-2-2-1 formation, and the unfamiliarity showed in the opening half hour. The Impact got on the board early in the 13th minute when Orlando conceded a penalty kick, and they doubled their lead in the 27th on a Jack McInerney chip.

The rough start seemed to wake up the Lions though, who scored two in quick succession to draw even with the Impact before the half. Pedro Ribeiro’s 29th-minute strike opened the Lions’ account, and Kaká followed it up a minute later with a goal of his own. The game slowed down in the second 45 minutes, and Orlando wisely seemed content to hold on for the point on the road.

Kaká and Pedro Ribeiro were the goal scorers for Orlando, but it was the younger of the two Brazilians who truly excelled in the match. Read on to see how we rated the team’s performance.

Player Grades

G, Donovan Ricketts, 5.0 — Easily Ricketts’ worst performance of the season. He was at least partially culpable on both Montreal goals. He guessed correctly on the PK but failed to get a solid hand on the ball to push it wide. On the second, he was caught in no-man’s land, and McInerney was able to chip the Jamaican to turn a one-on-four break into a goal.

D, Luke Boden, 6.0 — A fairly quiet night for the veteran USL defender, though his crossing did provide a significant improvement over Brek Shea. If we can’t find a place for him in the starting XI, can he at least give Shea some crossing lessons in practice?

D, Seb Hines, 6.5 — Hines was solid again on the night, though he did occasionally find himself out of position defensively. He got forward well though, and his distribution was the best of the three center backs.

D, Sean St. Ledger, 4.5 — The five-man back line was a tough ask for all involved, but St. Ledger in particular seemed to struggle. The penalty kick was certainly an accident, but there’s no reason for his arms to be up in the air like that in the box. He was more culpable on the second goal however, as his lack of hustle was inexplicable.

D, Aurelien Collin, 7.5 — The Frenchman looked to have finally regained his form tonight! He found himself as the last defender on multiple occasions, but his well-timed tackles were enough to halt the Impact attack. The veteran adjusted well to the five defender formation.

D, Tyler Turner, 6.0 — A solid debut for the Lions’ rookie fullback. He was a bit out of control at times, but he also got forward well on occasion and played hard for a full 90 minutes in an unfamiliar position. Most importantly, he didn’t do anything to make me feel uncomfortable about him starting another match for Orlando.

M, Amobi Okugo, 5.0 — This was Okugo’s worst match of the season for Orlando, though he did get things under control in the second half. The Lions have come to rely on Amobi’s communication and coolness in the midfield, and the first 30 minutes of this one made it clear just how important his role is.

M, Eric Avila, 5.0 — It was a big ask for Avila to step into an unfamiliar role in the central midfield, so all things considered it was a solid performance. The lack of familiarity with Okugo clearly showed at times on the defensive end, though Avila was able to get involved offensively on occasion.

M, Kaká, 7.5 — The captain didn’t quite exert his will on the game, and Montreal looked to rough him up at every opportunity. Still, how do you argue with a goal and an assist? Given the poor turf and unfamiliar lineup, I’ll gladly settle for a couple moments of brilliance from the Brazilian.

M, Pedro Ribeiro, 8.0 (Man of the Match) — The only question now is how do we get this guy in the starting lineup when everyone comes back? He looked incredibly comfortable in the attacking midfield role today next to Kaká, but there’s only one central spot in Heath’s standard 4-2-3-1. Is a formation change in order? Regardless, this was a man of the match-level performance for Ribeiro.

F, Danny Mwanga, 4.5 — A fairly invisible 66 minutes for Mwanga, which is no huge surprise given his position on the Orlando City depth chart. He only earned the start due to the absence of Rivas, Larin, Molino, and Neal. To be fair, his intelligent run did draw the defense to open up Kaká on the first Orlando goal.

Subs

F, Bryan Rochez, 5.0 — Different forward, same result. It seems that no matter the formation or the player, Coach Heath has yet to be able to get much out of his strikers so far. Rochez pressured well, and did force Nigel Reo-Coker into a yellow card challenge in the 74th.

Thoughts on the match? Do you agree with our grades? As always, let us know in the comment section!

Polling Closed

Player Votes
Kaká 43
Pedro Ribeiro 89
Aurelien Collin 8
Luke Boden 7
Other 1
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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/26/25

Orlando City rises in MLS power rankings, Emily Sams called up, Orlando City B faces Crown Legacy FC tonight, and more.

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10 hours ago

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March 26, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve been spending the week reading and eating my way through a pork shoulder after making way too much of it in my slow cooker this weekend. It wasn’t as tender as I was shooting for, but it’ll take some time before I can take another crack at it. But enough about that, let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Orlando City Rises in MLS Power Rankings

The league’s latest power rankings are out and Orlando City has moved up two spots to 14th after its 4-1 victory over D.C. United. Orlando’s Designated Players are firing on all cylinders and no MLS team has scored more goals this year. The breakout of 20-year-old defender Alex Freeman, who was noted as one of the top young performers from this past weekend, is also worth recognition. The Lions have been in need of a young player to step up, and Freeman has done well so far. Orlando will be back in action on Saturday for a road match against an LA Galaxy side still searching for its first win of the season.

Emily Sams Called Up For USWNT Friendlies

Orlando Pride defender Emily Sams was one of 24 players called up by United States Women’s National Team Head Coach Emma Hayes for the training camp prior to friendlies against Brazil next month. Forward Trinity Rodman, who hasn’t played for the U.S. since the Olympics, is back in the mix after missing time due to injury. Houston Dash defender Avery Patterson and Manchester United goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce are other interesting players to keep an eye on. The U.S. will take on Brazil April 5 at SoFi Stadium before a rematch on April 8 at PayPal Park.

OCB Plays Crown Legacy FC Tonight

The Young Lions are back in action tonight for a road match against Crown Legacy FC at 7 p.m. It’s OCB’s first away match of the season after a pair of solid results at Osceola Heritage Park to start the season. Orlando will take on a Crown Legacy team that’s only played one game so far this season, losing a shootout to New York City FC II after a 1-1 draw back on March 7. Following tonight’s match, OCB will get some time off before taking on Chattanooga FC in Tennessee on April 5.

Takeaway From USMNT Defeats

After losing both Concacaf Nations League matches, there is plenty of concern surrounding the United States Men’s National Team as it prepares for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Fullback Joe Scally struggled in both matches, putting more of an emphasis on Antonee Robinson and Sergino Dest being ready to roll next summer. Weston McKennie lost duels left and right and there are some real questions regarding where he fits in Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino’s system. There were bright spots as well though. Diego Luna and Patrick Agyemang likely boosted their stock after solid offensive efforts, and Tanner Tessmann was effective in his time on the field. Overall, the Yanks will have to be better in this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup.

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That’s all I have for you all this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday. Go Young Lions!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/25/25

Lions earn plaudits, Marco Pasalic up for Goal of the Week, Kylie Nadaner’s performance honored, and more.

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1 day ago

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March 25, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Tuesday, everyone! It was a great weekend for Orlando soccer as the two teams that were in action each picked up wins for a six-point weekend. It was done in exciting fashion too, as Orlando City and the Orlando Pride combined to score six goals between them. With a little luck, we’ll get to enjoy some similar results this coming weekend. We’ve got a lot to discuss this morning though, so let’s talk through today’s links.

Lions’ Performances Earn Plaudits

Orlando City blew D.C. United away 4-1 on Saturday, and some of the key performers from the win have been rewarded with places in the MLS Team of the Matchday. Martin Ojeda and Alex Freeman are named to the starting XI while Luis Muriel slots in on the bench to ensure the squad has a decidedly purple tint. Ojeda tallied a goal and two assists in a Man of the Match performance, Freeman did his best to match him with a goal and an assist of his own, and Muriel made his own impact by scoring the opening goal and logging a secondary assist. Here’s hoping they keep up the good work!

Marco Pasalic Up for Weekly Honors

Marco Pasalic was the only goal scorer from Saturday’s win to not be included in the MLS Team of the Matchday, but instead he finds himself nominated for the MLS Goal of the Matchday. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you which strike I’m talking about, but in case you’ve been living under a rock for the last several days, the Croatian did this to score Orlando’s fourth goal of the win.

Between the fluid buildup and the beauty of the strike itself, if this doesn’t win Goal of the Week then we live in a world without justice. Make sure you go vote!

Pride’s Kylie Nadaner Earns Recognition

The Orlando Pride beat NJ/NY Gotham FC 2-0 on the road on Sunday, and center back Kylie Nadaner has been nominated for the NWSL Player of the Week due to her contributions in the match. Nadaner got the start at center back and helped the Pride keep a clean sheet — marking the first time the club has ever begun a season with back-to-back shutouts. While it wasn’t the Pride’s cleanest defensive performance, Nadaner and her fellow defenders mostly did a good job at preventing any truly dangerous chances, and in the end Orlando picked up three good points away from home.

U.S. Women Announce Three Matches

The United States Women’s National Team has announced three friendlies that will take place during the summer, with two occurring in June and the other in early July. The first two will be against Ireland in Colorado on June 26 and again against the Irish on June 29 in Cincinnati. The last match will be held on July 2 with an opponent and location for the game to be announced at a later date. It will be the first meeting between the U.S. and Ireland since April 2023, when the sides met in a pair of matches during the buildup to the 2023 Women’s World Cup. The USWNT won both of those matches and will try to replicate the feat in a few months.

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  • Barba Banda had hateful language directed towards her during Sunday’s game, and the NWSL, Pride, and Gotham FC have all come out with strong responses.

That’s all I have for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/24/25

Lions and Pride win, USMNT falls to Canada, UEFA Nations League quarterfinals recap, and more.

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2 days ago

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March 24, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve had a very busy week, finishing my orientation and ballpark training to return to working ballgames and concerts at Wrigley Field for the Chicago Cubs. Our Lions and Pride won while OCB was off this weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Beats D.C. United at Home

Orlando City defeated D.C. United 4-1 on Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium in a dominating performance. Luis Muriel, Martin Ojeda, Alex Freeman, and Marco Pasalic all scored for the Lions as they raced out to a 4-0 lead. You’ve no doubt heard this a lot since Saturday, but it was the first time in club history that all three Designated Players for Orlando scored a goal in the same match. Also, Freeman became the second-youngest player in club history to score a goal and add an assist in the same match. The youngest was Daryl Dike.

D.C. United pulled one back in stoppage time, but the Lions claimed the three points. Goalkeeper Javier Otero made his first MLS start while Pedro Gallese was away on international duty with Peru, and despite not getting a shutout, he made six saves. Orlando City will be on the road for its next match Saturday, facing the LA Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park.

Orlando Pride Shut Out NJ/NY Gotham FC on the Road

The Orlando Pride defeated NJ/NY Gotham FC 2-0 Sunday at Sports Illustrated Stadium to get back-to-back wins to start the season. The Pride were the fortunate recipients of an own goal from Gotham defender Lilly Reale to take an early lead in the first half. Angelina’s crafty cutback drew a penalty just before halftime, and Marta converted it from the spot to extend Orlando’s lead to two goals just before halftime. The Pride held on to earn the shutout to secure their first road win of the season. The Pride return home to Inter&Co Stadium on Saturday to take on San Diego Wave FC.

USMNT Falls to Canada in Nations League Third-Place Match

On Sunday, the U.S. Men’s National Team fell 2-1 to Canada at SoFi Stadium in the third-place match in the Concacaf Nations League. It’s the second consecutive loss for the USMNT after dropping a 1-0 decision to Panama in the semifinals last week. The Yanks finish fourth in the tournament after winning the first three editions. Canada struck first before Patrick Agyemang scored the equalizer for the USMNT just before halftime. Jonathan David scored the winning goal in the second half to seal the win for Canada. The USMNT has lost consecutive matches to Canada for the first time since 1985. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup just 14 months away, things don’t look good at the moment for the United States men. The next pair of matches are friendlies against Turkey on June 7 and Switzerland on June 10.

UEFA Nations League Quarterfinals Recap

There was plenty of drama Sunday in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Nations League. France overturned a 2-0 deficit in the first leg and defeated Croatia 5-4 on penalties after a 2-0 win in the second leg to advance. Spain also defeated the Netherlands 5-4 on penalties to advance after the second leg ended in a 3-3 draw and level 5-5 on aggregate. Germany blew a three-goal lead in the second leg against Italy to end the match in a 3-3 draw but won 5-4 on aggregate to move on to the semifinals. Portugal needed extra time against Denmark after being tied 3-3 on aggregate in the second leg. Francisco Trincao scored his second goal of the match, and Goncalo Ramos added another in extra time to help Portugal win 5-3 on aggregate after a 5-2 win in the second leg. The semifinals are set as Portugal faces Germany on June 4 while Spain takes on France on June 5.

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That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.

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