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Louisville City: Breaking Down the First Three Signings

Published

12 years ago

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With the MLS Expansion Draft and a few trades and signings mixed in, the Orlando City roster has really begun to take shape over the last week. Orlando's USL Pro affiliate, Louisville City FC, has been making some roster noise as well. While the fledgling club hasn't received any Orlando City players on loan (yet), the club had some landmark news last week with the announcement of its first three signings. While we've yet to hear any specifics about the formations or systems which Coach James O'Connor will employ in the upcoming campaign (hopefully more details in the coming weeks), player signings make for even more substantial news.Here's the breakdown of the boys who will take the pitch next spring at Louisville Slugger Field.

Kadeem Dacres F/M (Highlights) –

Bio: Dacres is a 23-year-old forward/midfielder who was deployed a good deal as a left winger at his most recent post at Arizona United SC in USL Pro. He played college soccer at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County, where in his last season he was named his conference’s Midfielder of the Year. He was also first-team all-conference, as well as on the NSCAA All-Northeast Region first team. Dacres was drafted in the fourth round of the 2013 MLS SuperDraft by the Chicago Fire. He played for Reading United of the USL PDL before heading to Arizona United, where he scored three goals and registered one assist in 24 appearances in 2014. He has been involved with the USA youth setup at the U-15, U-17 and U-18 levels.

(Limited) Analysis: Dacres is a pacey attacker who shows flashes of talent. Skilled with both feet, he displays an eagerness and capability to take on opposing defenders with the ball at his feet and he has the pace to run past multiple defenders at a time. Although no one will mistake him for Steven Gerrard anytime soon, he has a strong enough leg to put the ball on frame from outside the box to test the keeper and also shows some finishing ability in front of goal. He draws fouls well, putting his defenders in positions to make mistakes on which he largely capitalizes. However, scoring only three goals on 21 shot attempts would suggest that he either could use some polish on that finishing ability or have better shot selection; while his one assist in 24 appearances posits that he may need to work on link-up play and service into the box from out wide.

O'Connor on Dacres: "Kadeem is a talented player who is fast, direct, and a real threat to opposing teams. He has great potential and I think he is one that will really excite our fans this upcoming season."

Absolutely Out-of-This-World Unfair Poor Man's Comparison: Asamoah Gyan.

Juan Guzman M/DM (Highlights) –

Bio: Not to be confused with the jheri-curled World Series-winning pitcher or the MLS referee of the same name, Guzman is a 28-year-old holding midfielder who last played for the Charlotte Eagles of USL Pro. (Orlando City fans may remember Guzman from the 2013 USL Pro Playoff Final, which Orlando won.) Before Charlotte, he played college soccer at Liberty University, where he was team captain. Guzman was named to the all-conference first team once and was twice named to the NSCAA All-South Atlantic Region first team. Signing with Charlotte in 2010, Guzman made 92 appearances for the Eagles, scoring four goals, including two in 2014. In 2013 he had a preseason trial with the Colorado Rapids. Guzman previously has experience with the US U-15 setup.

(Limited) Analysis: Guzman plays in a holding midfield role and displays many of the qualities which are ideally found in a number six. Playing in front of the back four, he shows good positional intelligence and tackling ability. One of his best traits is his passing ability and field vision, which he uses in a deep-lying playmaker role, pinging passes off of his right foot towards attackers ahead and with the ability to switch fields. At only 5-foot-9, Guzman may lack some of the physical presence of some defensive midfielders.

O'Connor on Guzman: "He has very good attributes. He's a holding midfielder, so he can play a specific role and he's going to be a very good asset for us."

Absolutely Out-of-This-World Unfair Poor Man's Comparison: Andrea Pirlo.

Guy Abend D/RB/DM (Highlights) –

Bio: Abend is a 24-year-old, jack-of-all-trades defensive player. He has been a player in the Israeli Football League system for six seasons, making over 100 appearances across all competitions for four different clubs in both the first and second divisions — including at Hapoel Rishon LeZion, where he served as team captain. He scored two goals in 37 appearances for Rishon LeZion last season. Abend has made appearances for the Israel U-19 national team.

(Limited) Analysis: Abend's personal highlight tape lists his playing positions as "Defensive Midfielder, Stopper, Right Back." Stopper. Need I say more? Abend displays physical talents to be a defensive destroyer for Louisville City. He has good technical ability with his feet, and is is a good leaper, which make his headers both useful defensively and dangerous in the attacking third, particularly on set pieces. He has good enough speed to get forward out of central positions and to beat defenders down the touchline when he bombs forward from right back. He also has good passing ability out of the defensive third, which he uses both when making long defensive clearances towards attacking outlets, and when he brings the ball up from the back on the ground in combination plays with teammates. He has played in multiple positions throughout his career, but O'Connor sees him as a midfielder.

O'Connor on Abend: "We're really excited to sign Guy. He is a player I've had my eye on for a while. I'm thrilled we could come to terms."

Absolutely Out-of-This-World Unfair Poor Man's Comparison: Geoff Cameron.

More of O'Connors thoughts on the three new signings:

Louisville City FC News and Notes for December 11:

  • Louisville City has began construction of the new locker rooms at Louisville Slugger Field for next season. I promise, there is a locker room somewhere in this picture.

  • The USL Pro League meetings are underway down in Florida. Hopefully this means that we will get some concrete news about the schedule and kit in the near future.

  • Lastly, the official Louisville City scarf, which has been mentioned previously in this space, is finally available (it uses lyrics from “My Old Kentucky Home” which seems pretty cool). Louisville peeps: go buy one.

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Podcasts

SkoPurp Soccer Episode 144: Gotham Rewind, Seattle Preview, and More

The Pride finished their home schedule with a loss to Gotham and hope to finish their road schedule with a win in Seattle.

Published

1 week ago

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October 28, 2026

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Image of Solai Washington running onto a ball behind the Gotham defense.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride tried to send their fans home happy in their regular-season home finale, but despite an impressive overall performance against the league leaders, the Pride wasted numerous chances in front of goal and paid for two big mistakes at the back in what ultimately ended as a 2-1 loss in a season filled with far too many defeats. Solai Washington did so many things well, but despite a month’s worth of chances, she could only muster one goal. Still, it was a promising outing albeit in a developing story that won’t continue much longer this year.

We discuss the key plays, players, and moments, look back at our score predictions from last week, and select our Player of the Match.

This week’s mailbagbox asked us about Marta, the reasons for the Pride’s struggles in 2026, and more. Remember, you can ask us anything by hitting us up on Twitter at either @TheManeLand or @SkoPurpSoccer and using the hashtag #AskSkoPurp. You can use that same hashtag and hit @TheManeLand.bsky.social up on Bluesky. Or you can visit our show page, scroll down, and fill out the handy form. We’d also appreciate any ratings or reviews you can leave wherever you get your podcasts, and if you do that on Apple Podcasts, we’ll find them easily and read them on the show.

Finally, we look ahead to Sunday’s season finale at the Seattle Reign. The Pride opened their 2026 season with a home loss to the Reign but would like to close it with a road win over Seattle to enter the off-season on a positive note. It won’t be easy, as the Reign are clinging to the last playoff spot and trying to catch rival Portland as multiple teams are trying to catch them. We look at Orlando’s attempt to play spoiler, check back on the series history, compare the teams’ positions in the table, provide our key matchups, and more.

Here’s how Episode 144 went down:

0:15 – The Pride finished their home schedule with a good performance but another poor result against the league’s top team.

20:07 – Our mailbagbox has questions about the GOAT.

38:26 – Seattle was the first 2026 opponent and will be the last 2026 opponent. We preview for the last time this season.

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Podcasts

SkoPurp Soccer Episode 140: Bay FC Rewind, San Diego Preview, and More

The Pride keep their playoff hopes alive by eliminating Bay FC but things get tougher with San Diego visiting Friday.

Published

1 month ago

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September 30, 2026

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Image of Jacquie Ovalle dribbling toward the Bay FC defense.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Justin Glatt

The Orlando Pride remained perfect on the road against Bay FC with a 3-1 win on Sunday. Deuces were wild, as Haley McCutcheon, who wears jersey No. 2, scored in the second minute of both halves, and her two goals in California gave the midfielder her second brace of both the 2026 NWSL season and her career. Barbra Banda figured heavily in pulling defenders out of position on two of the three Orlando goals and assisted on Jacquie Ovalle’s right-footed thunderbolt in stoppage time to put the game away. But make no mistake, it’s not as if the Pride played well, turning the ball over often and conceding 28 shot attempts to the hosts.

We break down a road win that may have been more exhausting to watch than to play in (although I wouldn’t bet on it), check back on our score predictions, and make our selections for Player of the Match.

This week’s mailbagbox asked us about Haley McCutcheon, where to most strongly place the blame for the Pride’s disappointing season, and more. Remember, you can ask us anything by hitting us up on Twitter at either @TheManeLand or @SkoPurpSoccer and using the hashtag #AskSkoPurp. You can use that same hashtag and hit @TheManeLand.bsky.social up on Bluesky. Or you can visit our show page, scroll down, and fill out the handy form. We’d also appreciate any ratings or reviews you can leave wherever you get your podcasts, and if you do that on Apple Podcasts, we’ll find them easily and read them on the show.

Finally, we looked ahead to Friday, when Orlando will host San Diego Wave FC, looking to both complete a season sweep and to keep its faint playoff hopes alive. We look at the series history, provide our key matchups for the contest, and make our predictions for the final score.

Here’s how Episode 140 went down:

0:15 – The Pride improved to 2-1-1 under Yolanda Thomas, but a lot of good Cosette Morche saves were required to get that second win.

20:00- The mailbagbox asks us to play the blame game.

33:36 – The Pride continue to face California-based competition, but Friday’s opponent is much higher in the table than Sunday’s was.

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. San Jose Earthquakes: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

Orlando City restarts its 2026 MLS campaign late tonight out west at San Jose.

Published

4 months ago

on

July 22, 2026

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Image of Braian Ojeda taking a shot in a friendly against FC Dallas.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Justin Glatt

Welcome to your match thread for a late night midweek matchup tonight between Orlando City (4-9-2, 14 points) and the San Jose Earthquakes (10-3-2, 32 points) at PayPal Park (10:30 p.m., Apple TV). This is the only scheduled meeting between the teams in 2026 and the first time the teams have met since 2024.

Here’s what you need to know ahead of tonight’s match.

History

Orlando City is 3-1-3 in the previous seven MLS meetings with the Quakes since the club joined Major League Soccer in 2015. The Lions got their only away win in the series in the last meeting and enter tonight 1-1-2 on the road against San Jose.

The teams last met on May 18, 2024, with Jack Lynn coming off the bench to score the game’s only goal. Lynn’s strike in the 89th minute broke the scoreless deadlock and lifted the Lions to a 1-0 victory.

The teams met in Orlando most recently way back on June 22, 2021, with the Lions beating the Quakes down, 5-0. Orlando got things started with an early penalty kick goal by Nani, followed by braces from Benji Michel and Daryl Dike to easily put the game away. The lasting memory from the game is Michel’s celebratory dance wearing a cowboy hat that came out of the stands.

Prior to that Orlando City romp, the last time the teams met was on Aug. 31, 2019 when the Lions got freight trained 3-0 at Avaya Stadium, giving the Quakes their first win in the series. San Jose’s offense came via a Chris Wondolowski brace and an early opening goal by Magnus Eriksson. Orlando looked flat and weary out of the gate.

The Lions were victorious in Exploria Stadium in the 2018 meeting on April 21, a 3-2 Orlando win. It was the first win in the series for either side after three straight draws. Chris Mueller, Sacha Kljestan, and Dom Dwyer gave the Lions a 3-0 lead before Florian Jungwirth pulled two back in the game’s late stages.

The Lions led all of the first three matches in the second half only to see San Jose pull level, with two of those tying goals coming late. In the 2017 meeting, Carlos Rivas finally broke the scoreless tie and gave Orlando City the lead in the 81st minute, but Wondolowski spoiled the Lions’ night with an equalizer two minutes later as the teams drew at Avaya Stadium, 1-1.

In 2016, the Lions were gut-punched in the 94th minute in an emotional match that ended in a 2-2 draw. It was the first home match following the Pulse nightclub tragedy and what appeared to be a storybook ending to a cathartic win turned sour on a last-gasp equalizer by Shea Salinas. Seb Hines — now the Orlando Pride’s head coach — opened the scoring for Orlando, only to see Chad Barrett tie it up. Julio Baptista restored the lead in stoppage time, but Salinas ruined everything.

The two teams also drew in the first meeting, a 1-1 affair at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, with the Lions down to 10 men after Brek Shea was sent off in the first half. Kaká and Wondolowski each scored from the penalty spot four minutes apart in that initial meeting.

Overview

The teams meet tonight to get their post-World Cup portion of the season started. Orlando City has been terrible on the road all season long, keeping only one MLS opponent under two goals all year away from home and allowing five goals twice (at New York City FC and Nashville) and six goals twice (at LAFC and in the team’s most recent match away at FC Cincinnati just before the break).

Orlando City is a putrid 1-6-1 on the road this season, and now the Lions must face the Western Conference co-leaders tonight before coming home to face Supporters’ Shield-leading Nashville SC at home on Saturday. They’ll have to play at least tonight’s game without Martin Ojeda, who is out with a thigh injury sustained some time between his first-half goal a week ago in a friendly against FC Dallas and the time the availability report dropped on Tuesday.

But it isn’t all bad news for the Lions, who should have both Antoine Griezmann and Dike in the lineup. Griezmann was the club’s highly prized and widely publicized summer Designated Player signing, while Dike’s return to Orlando came together more recently, following his departure from West Bromwich Albion. They’ll help the club’s offense, but the attack hasn’t been the issue in 2026 — it’s been the historically porous defense, which is on pace to shatter the MLS record for goals conceded.

Meanwhile, San Jose is one of the first half of the season’s biggest surprises, as the Quakes have been outstanding in 2026. Scoring 34 goals while conceding just 15, San Jose is among the league leaders in goals scored (tied for third), goals conceded (third), and goal differential (+19, third).

The Earthquakes are 4-2-1 at home and are coming off a 3-1 road win at Portland in their last game prior to the World Cup break. San Jose boasts Golden Boot challenger Preston Judd, who leads the Quakes with 11 goals, adding two assists in his 15 appearances. Ousseni Bouda has chipped in five goals and three assists. Niko Tsakiris leads the team with seven assists to go along with his two goals, but he’s still recovering from a lower body injury and is not available tonight. However, the arrival of Timo Werner (four goals and five assists in just seven games) has truly elevated Bruce Arena’s Quakes, and he’ll need to be one of the main focal points for the Orlando defense.

To have any shot at taking something from this game, the Lions will need to play better road defense than they have all season. Orlando can score goals, but with Ojeda out, Griezmann will need to adapt quickly, and someone other than the team’s leading scorer will need to find the net.

The Lions will play without Ojeda (thigh), Joran Gerbet (knee), Nolan Miller (knee), Colin Guske (international duty), and Clovis Archage (international duty). In addition, Marco Pasalic may or may not have returned to the team after the World Cup. He was not in training Monday, although interim head coach Martin Perelman said he expected the Croatian back soon. The Earthquakes will be without Nonso Adimabua (lower body), former Lion Earl Edwards Jr. (lower body), DeJuan Jones (lower body), and Tsakiris (you guessed it, lower body…come on, San Jose).

Match Content

Official Lineups:

Orlando City (4-4-2)

Goalkeeper: Maxime Crepeau.

Defenders: Adrian Marin, David Brekalo, Robin Jansson, Griffin Dorsey.

Midfielders: Ivan Angulo, Braian Ojeda, Eduard Atuesta, Tiago.

Forwards: Justin Ellis, Antoine Griezmann.

Bench: Javier Otero, Bernardo Rhein, Tahir Reid-Brown, Zakaria Taifi, Iago, Wilder Cartagena, Luis Otavio, Harvey Sarajian, Tyrese Spicer

San Jose Earthquakes (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Angus Gunn.

Defenders: Jamar Ricketts, Reid Roberts, Daniel Munie, Benjamin Kikanovic.

Defensive Midfielders: Beau Lerouox, Ronaldo Vieira.

Attacking Midfielders: Timo Werner, Nick Fernandez, Ousseni Bouda.

Forwards: Preston Judd.

Bench: Jonathan Gonzalez, Dave Romney, Paul Marie, Jack Skahan, Jack Jasinski, Ian Harkes, Francesco Montali, Max Floriani, Darius Johnson.

Referees

REF: Elijio Arreguin.
AR1: Adam Wienckowski.
AR2: Mike Nickerson.
4TH: Timothy Ford.
VAR: Jose Carlos Rivero.
AVAR: TJ Zablocki.

How to Watch

Match Time: 10:30 p.m.

Venue: PayPal Park — San Jose, CA.

TV/Live Stream: Apple TV.

Radio: AM 810 FOX Sports Radio Orlando (English), Mega 97.1 FM (Spanish), Nossa Rádio 1160 AM-WRLZ (Portuguese).

Social Media: For rapid reaction and live updates, follow us on Bluesky Social at @themaneland.bsky.social or follow Orlando City’s official Twitter (@OrlandoCitySC) or Bluesky (@OrlandoCitySC) feed.

Enjoy the match. Go City!

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