Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Toronto FC: Player Grades and Man of the Match

Orlando City defeated Toronto FC 4-0 at Exploria Stadium on Saturday night. It was a dominating performance from the Lions heading into the international break. Earning all three points at home was a big help as Orlando City is looking to make the playoffs for a third season in a row. It was also the most goals scored by the Lions during the 2022 regular season.
Let’s look at how the Lions performed individually in the win.
Starters
GK, Pedro Gallese, 6.5 — El Pulpo didn’t have a lot to do on the night since Toronto only took 11 shots, and only three of those were on target. His toughest challenge of the night came on a reaction save in the 88th minute. This was Gallese’s ninth clean sheet in the regular season, and his first since the 1-0 over New York Red Bulls on Aug. 13.
D, Joao Moutinho, 6 — It was another solid outing from Moutinho. On defense, he made two tackles, three clearances, and committed two fouls. He stood up former Lion Richie Laryea in the 61st minute, taking the ball right off his foot. He did receive a yellow card in the 38th minute for a hand to the face as he tried to create some separation. Moutinho sent in six crosses on the night with the one in the 48th minute resulting in an own goal by Lukas MacNaughton.
D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6.5 — Schlegel showed why he’s the best backup center back in MLS. He had two tackles, seven clearances, and one blocked shot. He passed the ball at an impressive 91.7% rate and completed five of eight long balls on the night. Long balls like those are something that Orlando City has missed with Robin Jansson out due to injury, so it was nice for Schlegel to provide that for the Lions.
D, Antonio Carlos, 6.5 — Carlos was determined to get into the attack against Toronto. He took two shots — one on target — and provided the nifty back heel pass to Facundo Torres that led to the first goal. He was his typical efficient self on defense with two tackles, six interceptions, and two clearances. He passed at an 84.4% rate and was successful on one of four long balls.
D, Ruan, 6 — Ruan was his typical self. He played pretty well in defense with one tackle, one interception, and one blocked shot in the 73rd minute that saved a goal. He attempted two crosses, one of which actually made it into the 6-yard box, though Kara wasn’t able to do anything with it. He subbed off for Kyle Smith in the 80th minute.
MF, Wilder Cartagena, 6.5 — Cartagena did exactly what he was brought in to do — be an effective backup for César Araújo. He made three tackles and two interceptions on defense. He also got involved in the offense, taking one shot and making two key passes. He passed at an 88.9% rate and completed five of seven long balls. This was a very solid performance from the Peruvian.
MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 6.5 — The captain once again played a little deeper in the midfield providing more defense while still directing the offense. Defensively he made one tackle and had two interceptions. Offensively, he did not take any shots but did have two key passes, including a perfect through ball to Kara for Orlando City’s second goal. He completed 84.4% of his passes, including five of five long balls. He was subbed off for Andres Perea in the 71st minute.
MF, Ivan Angulo, 8 (MotM) — From the start, Iván Angulo was all over the pitch on both offense and defense. Angulo led the team with five shots — two on target — and contributed two key passes. He had a team-high 92.6% passing rate on 27 passes, with one cross. He completed his only long ball, and his only through ball provided the assist on Tesho Akindele’s goal. On defense, he made two interceptions, and on clearance. Most importantly, his work rate was outstanding. He was everywhere along the left side, and seemed to be completely in tune with Torres. He figured in three of the four goals, getting a primary assist on Akindele’s, a secondary assist on Torres’ opener, and his pass sent Moutinho to the end line on the play that resulted in the own goal. This was Angulo’s best match so far as a Lion and as such it was deserving of our pick for Man of the Match.
MF, Junior Urso, 6.5 — The Bear put in his normal efficient shift. He sniffed out trouble in Toronto’s half before it could develop. He had three dribbles and worked well with Pereyra and Torres in attack. His only shot was on target, but it was saved. He passed at an impressive 91.2% rate, with two key passes, and connected on three of his four long balls.
MF, Facundo Torres, 7.5 — Torres continued his run of good form scoring the first goal of the match in the 9th minute. After receiving the back heel pass from Carlos, he moved from the right side, along the top of the box, and finally smashed the ball inside the near post with his left foot. It was such a perfect shot that he froze Toronto keeper Quentin Westberg. As I mentioned, he and Angulo were seemingly reading each other’s minds. He almost scored a brace on a pass from Angulo, but he hit the left post. To be especially fair, the angle on that shot wasn’t great. He finished with three shots — one on target — and one key pass. He drew four fouls, and made one interception. He wasn’t perfect, as he passed at an 81.2% rate, and had a giveaway in the 60th minute that was the result of poor communication with Urso. Regardless, this was another excellent performance from the Young Designated Player.
F, Ercan Kara, 6.5 — Kara showed what he can do when given proper service. His run on Pereyra’s assist in the 22nd minute was perfectly timed and his finish was clinical. He almost added an assist when he chested the ball in the box to Angulo for shot that resulted in a corner kick rather than a goal. Kara’s second shot was not on target and seems to have been an homage to Carlos Rivas, as it hit the Heineken sign. Kara actually assisted on the defensive end as well, making one interception. He was subbed off in the 71st minute for Benji Michel.
Substitutes
F, Benji Michel (71’), 5 — Michel only had six touches after coming on for Kara, and two of those were aerials he won. The other four touches were passes, but he only completed one of them. He probably should have won a free kick and a red card on Shane O’Neill for denial of a goal-scoring opportunity on a late potential breakaway but the foul wasn’t given. The important thing is he didn’t do any harm and helped the team see out the victory.
MF, Andrés Perea (71’), 6 — Perea was pretty active after he came on for Pereyra. He took two shots, including a header that went wide in the 95th minute. He passed at an 83.3% rate, with one key pass, and he completed one of two long balls. Defensively, he made four tackles, one interception, and committed two fouls. A very solid night for the young man.
D, Kyle Smith (80’), 5.5 — The Accountant didn’t have any last-minute heroics in this match, and that is fine. The match was well in hand before he entered the match, and he helped see it out. Defensively, he made one tackle, one interception, and one clearance. Smith made one key pass — a good ball to Perea that was headed wide — and one cross.
F, Tesho Akindele (80’), 6.5 — Akindele scored his third goal of the season in the 84th minute to really emphasize how over the match was at that point. He made a nifty little move to run onto the pass from Angulo, and one-timed the ball inside the far post. Akindele also contributed a key pass.
MF, Nicholas Gioacchini (85’), N/A — Gioacchini came on late for Cartagena. He only had three touches, and passed at a 33.3% rate.
That’s how I saw the individual performances for Orlando City in this Eastern Conference bout. Let us know how you saw the game in the comments and don’t forget to vote on your Man of the Match.
Polling Closed
Player | Votes |
Facundo Torres | 17 |
Ercan Kara | 0 |
Ivan Angulo | 29 |
Mauricio Pereyra | 0 |
Other (Tell us in the comments below) | 0 |
Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/29/25
Lions earn weekly plaudits, Barbra Banda up for Goal of the Week, Orlando City announces affiliation agreement, and more.

Good morning everyone! It was a pretty good weekend for Orlando’s soccer teams as two out of the three picked up victories to collect six out of the nine points available. In the process, Orlando City stretched its undefeated streak to seven games and the Orlando Pride got back to winning ways. There’s no time to rest on our laurels though, as Orlando City B returns to action on Friday. We’ve got plenty of things to talk through this morning, so let’s jump into the links.
Two Lions Garner Weekly Recognition
Marco Pasalic and Alex Freeman both played important roles in Orlando City’s 3-0 win over Atlanta United on Saturday, and they’ve each been rewarded with a place on the bench in the most recent MLS Team of the Matchday. Freeman scored his third goal of the season while Pasalic scored a goal and provided the assist for Freeman’s strike, and the Croatian was also David Rohe’s pick for the Man of the Match. The good vibes don’t stop there though, because Pasalic’s fantastic strike from distance was also named the Energy Moment of the Matchday, which I admittedly wasn’t aware was an actual thing until this week. Not to be outdone, Freeman got some props as one of the standout young players from the matchday, which is far from the first time he’s gotten some love in that particular category. Keep up the good work guys!
Barbra Banda Up for Goal of the Week
Continuing the trend of Orlando players earning praise for their performances over the weekend, Barbra Banda has been nominated for the NWSL Goal of the Week. She scored the Orlando’s Pride’s 76th-minute equalizer that drew the team level with Angel City FC after going into halftime down 2-0. Carson Pickett did a great job saving the ball before it went out of bounds, and then whipped a dangerous cross into the box. Banda did the rest, getting halfway around her defender and contorting her head low to meet the ball and send it into the upper corner off the post. It was the sort of outstanding finishing that we’ve come to know and love from Banda, and here’s hoping we’ll see plenty more of it.
Orlando City Announces Affiliation Agreement
Orlando City announced on Monday that it has begun an affiliation agreement with Black Knight Football Club that will focus on “player development, scouting operations, executive collaboration, and commercial opportunities across both organizations.” This is technically a multi-club partnership, as BKFC has a number of different clubs in its network, including Bournemouth, FC Lorient, and Hibernian. BKFC is a partnership that was formed in 2022 when Bill Foley and Cannae Holdings purchased Bournemouth. Representatives from both Orlando City and Black Knight were enthusiastic when talking about the opportunities that the partnership will provide players and staff members from both sides, so it’ll be very interesting to keep an eye out for if/how it affects the on-field product.
Americans in Midweek Action
There are a number of Americans taking part in games during the working week, and cup competitions are a big point of focus. Things start on Wednesday with Barcelona taking on Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League, as youngster Diego Kochen will likely be on the bench for the Spaniards. Also on Wednesday, Brian White and the Vancouver Whitecaps will try to knock off Inter Miami in the second leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup tie. Thursday has Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis hosting Fiorentina in the first leg of the UEFA Conference League semifinals. Things then wrap up on Friday with Gianluca Busio and Fiorentina traveling to play Torino in Serie A.
Free Kicks
- The Orlando Pride held fast at no.1 in ESPN.com’s NWSL power rankings.
- Orlando City rose one spot to no.14 in ESPN.com’s MLS power rankings.
- Southampton is reportedly considering Minnesota United’s Eric Ramsay as a candidate to fill the club’s empty managerial position.
- D.C. United has reportedly held exploratory talks with free agent Paul Pogba, although no official offer has been made yet.
- Carlo Ancelotti will reportedly become the next Brazil manager.
That’s all I have for today. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/28/25
Lions defeat Atlanta United, Pride bounce back against Angel City FC, OCB falls to New York Red Bulls II, and more.

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I will cover high school volleyball and soccer later this week. Let’s wish a happy birthday to Orlando City B forward Thalles, who turns 20 today. Our beloved Lions finally won a match this month, the Pride bounced back with a win, and OCB lost over the weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.
Lions Defeat Atlanta United at Home
Orlando City snapped its three-game winless streak and extended its unbeaten streak to seven games, beating rival Atlanta United 3-0 Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium. Luis Muriel, Alex Freeman, and Marco Pasalic scored for the Lions. With Pasalic’s goal and assist in Saturday’s match against Atlanta, he added his name to the club record books by becoming the fourth player in club history to have seven goal contributions in his first 10 matches.
Orlando set a club record early in the match for the most consecutive shutout minutes. By the end of the match, Orlando had not conceded a goal in 436 minutes. The Lions’ last goal conceded was to Christian Ramirez in the 14th minute against the LA Galaxy last month. Orlando City will be on the road Saturday to take on the Chicago Fire at Soldier Field.
Pride Rally to Defeat Angel City FC at Home
The Orlando Pride completed the comeback, overcoming a 2-0 deficit late in the second half and defeating Angel City FC 3-2 Friday at Inter&Co Stadium. In the final 20 minutes, Marta and Barbra Banda scored to tie the match after Orlando trailed 2-0. Orlando also got an own goal in stoppage time from Angel City FC defender M.A. Vignola and escaped with a win at home. The Pride bounced back after a defeat to the Washington Spirit the previous week. With the Kansas City Current losing to the North Carolina Courage over the weekend, the Pride are tied with the Current atop the NWSL table. After the match, Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines shared his thoughts on his team’s resiliency to overturn a 2-0 deficit and fight back for the win at home.
The Pride will travel to the Pacific Northwest to face the Portland Thorns in their next match Saturday at Providence Park.
Orlando City B Falls at Home to New York Red Bulls II
Orlando City B started slowly and dug too deep a hole to climb out of on Sunday night in a 4-2 loss to New York Red Bulls II at Osceola County Stadium. The Young Lions trailed 2-0 early in the first half. Jhon Solis pulled one back for OCB before Red Bulls II added another goal to make it 3-1 just before halftime. In the second half, Justin Ellis scored to pull the Young Lions within one again before Ibrahim Kasule converted a penalty kick goal in stoppage time to seal the win against OCB. New York Red Bulls II moves to second in the Eastern Conference with 13 points, while Orlando City B has lost back-to-back matches and is in fifth with 11 points. OCB will be on the road Friday to take on Chicago Fire II at SeatGeek Stadium.
NWSL Announces Plans to Launch a Second Division Women’s League
The National Women’s Soccer League has submitted an application to the U.S. Soccer Federation to launch a second-division soccer league in 2026, the league announced on Friday. The plan for this new league is to focus on furthering player development and building a pipeline between the NWSL and the second division league, similar to Major League Soccer and MLS NEXT Pro. Eight clubs are reportedly set for the league’s inaugural season, including the Orlando Pride. Joining Orlando in committing to the league are Bay FC, the Kansas City Current, the North Carolina Courage, NJ/NY Gotham FC, Racing Louisville, the Seattle Reign, and the Washington Spirit. The Division 2 clubs would play in the same stadiums as their parent clubs. The season format would be a round robin, featuring 14 matches, home and away, and will include playoffs with two semifinals and a championship match.
Free Kicks
- MLSsoccer.com featured an interview with Orlando City forward Marco Pasalic. He gave insight into adjusting to a new team in a new league, his soccer journey, working in construction with his brother, and learning Spanish.
- MLSsoccer.com also praised Orlando City defender Alex Freeman for his stellar form in April scoring three goals and adding an assist, while highlighting his versatility and athleticism on defense and in midfield.
- Real Salt Lake has added former Sporting Kansas City winger and captain Johnny Russell to its roster for the 2025 season.
- Inter Miami has waived midfielder Julian Gressel as he is reportedly set to join Minnesota United.
- Barcelona defeated Real Madrid 3-2 in extra time to win the Copa del Rey for the 32nd time. It’s the third time Barcelona has beaten Real Madrid this season.
- Ipswich Town became the final Premier League club to be relegated after a 3-0 defeat to Newcastle United on Saturday.
- Wrexham sealed promotion for the third consecutive season, moving to the EFL Championship after beating Charlton Athletic 3-0 on Saturday.
- Liverpool dominated Tottenham Hotspur 5-1 on Sunday to win the Premier League title and become champions of England, tying Manchester United’s record for 20 league championship titles.
That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.
Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Atlanta United: Player Grades and Man of the Match
How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s 3-0 win over Atlanta United?

Orlando City poured it on in the second half to defeat Eastern Conference rival Atlanta United 3-0 at Inter&Co Stadium Saturday night. After not scoring in three straight matches, it was very satisfying to have the team dominate Atlanta on both sides of the ball. This was an important win with the club heading back out on the road next week.
Let’s take a look at how Orlando City’s players rated individually in the victory over rival Atlanta United.
Starters
GK, Pedro Gallese, 6.5 — Gallese did not have much to do in this match, thanks to the defense. While Atlanta took 12 shots, none were on target. El Pulpo made the right decisions on when to come out of goal to gather the ball before the offense could pounce. He had an 83.1% passing rate on his 16 attempts while completing three of his six long-ball attempts. This result makes it four straight clean sheets for Gallese.
D, David Brekalo, 6.5 — With the suspension of Rafael Santos, Head Coach Oscar Pareja moved Brekalo back out to left back. Brekalo touched the ball 87 times and completed 90.9% of his 66 passes including one of his three long-ball attempts, and one key pass. Defensively, he recorded one tackle, recorded a team-high six clearances, and suffered one foul. Like many on the team, he was active in pressing the attack but making certain that the defense recovered to keep a numerical advantage over Atlanta’s attack.
D, Robin Jansson, 6.5 — Orlando City’s captain led the defense to another clean sheet. He was his usual solid self, making important defensive plays, like a great tackle in the 33rd minute to stop a potential Atlanta breakaway. He logged a team-high 94 touches, completed 91.7% of his 84 passes, and completed two of his eight long-ball attempts. Defensively, he made four clearances and blocked two shots. He even made one of his patented long runs up through the defense, where no one seems to want to stop him.
D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6.5 — Rodrigo Schlegel returned to the starting lineup from his red card suspension. Despite earning a yellow card late in stoppage time, it was a solid outing from the center back. He logged 82 touches and completed 97.4% of his 77 passes and one of his three long-ball attempts. Defensively, Schlegel recorded four clearances and committed one foul. It was good to have him back next to Jansson, and even better that he kept his head to assist in another clean sheet.
D, Alex Freeman, 7 — Freeman played well against Atlanta. The highlight was his perfectly placed goal in the 51st minute. He took a through ball from Pasalic on the right side of the six-yard box, put the ball on his right foot, and fired it across the goal into the bottom left corner. He touched the ball 55 times, completed 83.8% of his 37 passes, and had one successful cross. Defensively, the young Lion contributed one tackle and three clearances. Offensively, Freeman took two shots, with one (his goal) on target.
MF, Kyle Smith, 6 — Smith moved from the back line to the midfield with Cesar Araujo still out due to personal reasons. El Soldado had a few errant passes but nothing that ultimately harmed Orlando City. He did a workman’s job in one of the many positions he was asked to play. Smith touched the ball 50 times and completed 85.4% of his 41 passes, including one of his two long-ball attempts. Offensively, Smith took two shots with one on target, and suffered one foul. Defensively, he made one tackle, contributed one clearance, and suffered two fouls.
MF, Eduard Atuesta, 7 — Atuesta returned to his starting role and quietly had an excellent match. He did exactly what the team needed of him by connecting the defense to the offense and contributing on both sides of the ball. Atuesta logged 85 touches and completed 87.1% of his 70 passes, including three key passes. He logged one shot, which was just off target, and drew a team-high four fouls. Defensively, he logged an interception, three clearances, and a blocked shot. He was active and was able to go the full match.
MF, Ivan Angulo, 6 — Angulo wasted too many offensive chances but still helped the team in other ways. He managed two shots, with one on target. It was a one-on-one with Brad Guzan, but he wasn’t able to put it past him. Angulo did well tracking back on defense, contributing two interceptions and generally getting in the way of Atlanta. He touched the ball 36 times and completed 83.3% of his 24 passes, including two key passes and one of his three long-ball attempts. He made way for Nico Rodriguez in the 86th minute.
MF, Luis Muriel, 7 — Muriel dropped into the attacking midfield in the spot usually occupied by Martin Ojeda. Muriel does well when playing a little deeper, and it ultimately paid off when he won a penalty in the 37th minute. He then confidently put the ball in the back of the net, sending Guzan the wrong way for Orlando City’s first goal in 312 minutes. Muriel logged 50 touches, completing 71% of his 31 passes, including one key pass. He took four shots with two on target. Defensively, he logged one interception and committed one foul. After Duncan McGuire was subbed off, he moved back up into the striker position.
MF, Marco Pasalic, 7.5 (MotM) — Pasalic, at times early in the match, was trying to force some passes into some tight spots. You could see the idea, but the execution wasn’t there. Fortunately, like many of his teammates, he turned it on later in the match. His first goal contribution was the assist on Freeman’s goal. It was one of those passes he tried earlier, but this time he found his target. Pasalic put the icing on the cake for Orlando City with his 67th-minute goal. It was an absolute stunner that froze Guzan in place and rocketed into the bottom right corner of the goal. He touched the ball 43 times and completed 84.9% of his 33 passes, including two key passes. Defensively, Pasalic contributed one clearance and one tackle. Offensively, he took two shots with one on target (his goal). Two goal contributions earn him our Man of the Match. He also set up Atuesta for a golden chance but the midfielder missed just wide of the right post on what could have been Pasalic’s second assist of the match.
F, Duncan McGuire, 6 — McGuire made his first start of the season, taking over for Muriel at the striker position. He was active early, making good runs, getting back on defense, and stretching the defense. McGuire managed one shot on the night in the 46th minute, but unfortunately he couldn’t take the shot quickly enough and it was blocked. It was a good run-out for the striker, who touched the ball 25 times and completed 70.6% of his 17 passes, including one key pass. Defensively, he contributed one clearance and drew two fouls. Duncan looked to be dealing with some tightness or cramping in his legs prior to coming off for Martin Ojeda in the 60th minute.
Substitutes
MF, Martin Ojeda (60′), 6 — Ojeda came on for McGuire, who is still working his way back into full fitness. He moved into his normal role, pushing Muriel into the striker position. The match was well in hand by the time he came on, but he did record 21 touches and completed 86.7% of his 15 passes, including two successful crosses and two key passes. He attempted one shot, but it was not on target.
MF, Nico Rodriguez (75′), N/A — Rodriguez made his second appearance of the season, coming on for Angulo. He showed plenty of energy, especially in defending, as Atlanta pushed late trying to make something work. He recorded 12 touches and completed 87.5% of his eight passes. On offense, he took one shot that was badly off target, suffered one foul, and won an aerial ball.
MF, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson (86′), N/A — Thorhallsson was one of three late subs brought on to see out the victory. He only managed three touches, completed his only pass, and contributed one blocked shot.
MF, Colin Guske (86′), N/A — Guske saw his first minutes since his one-minute debut against the Philadelphia Union. He had four touches, completed both of his passes, and drew two fouls.
MF, Gustavo Caraballo (86′), N/A— Like the other late subs, Caraballo only managed five touches, but he completed his only pass — a key pass — and suffered one foul. He also added a blocked shot on defense.
That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando City’s excellent 3-0 victory. Let us know how you saw the game in the comments below, and don’t forget to vote for your Man of the Match.
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