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

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11 years ago

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I’ll be honest, grading this squad, on the first day of the 2019 season is not something that I would wish on anyone. Pretty much no matter the outcome of the match, good, bad, or the draw we witnessed, this is a daunting task. I will give this my best go.

Starters

GK, Brian Rowe, 6 — First time out for new Lion Rowe, whose one-on-one stop was the icing on the cake for a pretty good outing. It was a bit surprising to see Rowe sending kicks long, considering that we all witnessed the certain play from the back towards the end of last season, but it could be because the height of the targets may have increased this season. Rowe ended the night with four solid saves. I am not sure there was much he could have done on the two NYCFC goals, but the ones that he should have handled, I give him credit for handling them very well.

D, Kamal Miller, 6.5 — How long has he officially been a Lion? I will say the left side was easily the more dangerous side for the home squad all evening, and Miller was a big part of that. Tracking back was solid, the communication was good, and the vision was there. For a back line that seems a bit patchwork, Miller was a very bright light throughout the match. Two aerials won, three tackles, and an 81% passer rating was a solid outing.

D, Alex De John, 6 — One goal might be on Alex, but he made up for it as the match went on. Being the center of three in the back, as a new Lion, would be a tall task for anyone, but you could certainly see the chemistry starting to blossom. The task was fairly tall, especially after NYCFC went up by two, but Alex grabbed the back line by the back of the neck and pulled the boys together, ending the afternoon with three solid tackles and an 85% passer rating.

D, Shane O’Neill, 6.5 — The second year Lion was solid again. The “veteran” on the back line played well both in defense and running up the sideline in attack. He passed at an 83% rate, with one attacking dribble, and one tackle, highlighting a good outing. He also showed good speed tracking back against counter attacks.

WB, Danilo Acosta, 6.5 — Again, part of the left side of the formation that certainly seemed the more dangerous all evening. The give-and-go play with Miller, Sebas Mendez, Chris Mueller, and Sacha Kljestan was solid, as was the tracking back to assist on defense. A solid first outing in purple, and certainly a stake in the ground to keep starting in that position. His 82% passing was decent, and you could certainly see the sparks flying and what the future holds.

MF, Sebas Mendez, 6 — He was given the softest of soft yellows from my vantage point, but the rest of the match was interesting to say the least. The rating here may be due to being with a new team, and Sebas expecting players to be in places where they weren’t. However, the fire was there, the drive was there, and seeing him grab players during every break and talk to them was extremely impressive, as was his 91% passer rating, and his two tackles on defense.

MF, Sacha Kljestan, 6 — It was a decent outing for the captain, and he certainly had many moments of shock and awe. It was certainly a bit crowded in the middle of the pitch all match, as NYCFC kept its formation fairly tight for the match, which was certainly a factor in keeping his passer rating at 76%. To his credit, he also had three total shots, with one on target and two blocked, but it was good to have him shooting on goal, if for no other reason than to keep the defense thinking. He could have had an assist on a shot Mueller missed just wide.

MF,Will Johnson, 7 — If only that first shot had gone in. If tonight didn’t remind you why Johnson is in purple, I am not sure what will. He had two shots, although both were a bit off target, a 90% passer rating, one aerial won and five solid tackles, which had him in the running for MotM. Tonight should endear him to the detractors, as he was still running his guts out in stoppage time, and if you still have questions, just re-watch the match. Solid night for Will, and a solid sign for what to expect for the season to come.

WB, Kyle Smith, 6 — Another new Lion to get familiar with, Smith had a good outing, with an 89% passer rating and three shots — with one on target and two blocked — and one tackle to round out his time on the pitch. He may not have the name recognition yet, and his crosses need a bit of work, but it is coming. Smith worked extremely well with O’Neill to hold down the right side. Keep an eye on this guy moving forward.

F, Chris Mueller, 7.5 (MotM) — Cash Rules Everything Around Me (CREAM). Just remember, Wu Tang is for the masses, and so is Chris “Cash” Mueller. Do not let the 71% passer rating detract you from the fact that Mueller was that beast mode player we saw last year, only more so. The free kick, put in the most dangerous of places, was so good that no one touched it, and it ended up in the back of the net. His hustle on offense and defense was infectious, and every time he got on the ball, the crowd was just waiting for the magic to happen. It might be a close call, but he certainly deserves the MotM call today for his goal, his team-high five chances created, and his hustle in multiple positions.

F, Tesho Akindele, 7 — Another field player with a deceptively low passer rating, Akindele finished at 73%. It was the rest of his time on the pitch that made the impact. He had one shot, and oh by the way it went into the back of the net, to go along with the aerial battles and two tackles. Can any of you remember a more consistent threat up top as a true striker behind Dom Dwyer? Yes, that statement was a bit rhetorical, but think back to last season and let me know the last time you can say the high press, the target striker, and hold and attack worked as well as it did today. Tesho was a very big part of that, a driving part.

Substitutes

F, Dom Dwyer (69’), 6.5 — It only took Dom a few minutes to make an impact, and that impact was assisting on the game tying goal, with a great run and assist to Tesho in the 75th minute. As Dom gets more minutes, it will be interesting to see he and Tesho gain more minutes together. He nearly provided the game winner that Maxime Chanot knocked down with his hand, too.

MF, Nani (70’), 6 — As hard as it is for me to cheer for a former Red Devil, Nani is going to be a name, and a player, to watch this season, Although we didn’t get to see much on the offensive side, he unlocked New York City’s defense with one long through ball that found Dwyer to set up the tying goal, earning him the proverbial hockey assist. His defensive prowess was on display, ending the evening with two solid tackles. With a solid 15 minutes on the pitch, you could see the vision, but the 67% passing rating might deceive you (small sample size). His passes were to where players should have been, and will get there with a bit of time.

MF, Josué Colmán (77’), 6 — When Colmán came on for Tesho, it was the first time this season that Orlando City has had all of its DPs (regular and YDP) on the pitch at the same time. His effort was solid, but 13 minutes is not a good amount of time to completely show what you have learned since last season. There were some flashes, like the pass that sent Mueller to the end line to cross for Dwyer, and we certainly saw a bit more confidence in going directly at opposing players. This is definitely a player to whom more minutes will mean the world.

It was a solid first outing for 2019, and the Lions have continued their tradition of being undefeated to begin the MLS season. Again, OCSC fielded a starting XI that may not be the ultimate best XI, but we may have just been witness to the depth that is to come. Head Coach James O’Connor has shown a wildly different side to team and tactics, something that many did not expect. It should stand as a positive as to what is to come moving forward in the 2019 season. Who was your MotM? Let us know in the poll below, and give me an idea how you rated the Lions in the comments below.

Polling Closed

Player Votes
Tesho Akindele 7
Will Johnson 29
Danilo Acosta 3
Chris Mueller 210
Shane O’Neill 8
Other 13
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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/12/26

Barbra Banda up for weekly honors, Johnny Cardoso to have surgery, Americans in midweek action, and more.

Published

11 hours ago

on

May 12, 2026

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Good morning, everyone. It was a mixed bag for Orlando’s soccer teams over the weekend, as the Orlando Pride and Orlando City B both picked up victories, while Orlando City lost. There’s no rest for the wicked though, because the Pride take on Boston Legacy on the road tonight, while the Lions will host the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday. We’ve got a lot to talk about this morning, so let’s get into the links.

Barbra Banda up for Weekly Honors

Barbra Banda’s game-winning strike over the North Carolina Courage has been nominated for the NWSL Goal of the Week. Banda cut across her marker in the 87th minute with the match tied 0-0 and curled a great strike inside the far post to give the Pride a lead that wouldn’t be relinquished. The victory got Orlando back on track after dropping two games in a row, and the goal was Banda’s league-leading eighth strike of the year. Make sure you go vote for her to win!

Surgery for Johnny Cardoso

Atletico Madrid announced on Monday that midfielder Johnny Cardoso will have surgery to repair an injury to his right ankle. Cardoso was hurt during a training session, with Atletico classifying the injury as a “high-grade sprain involving joint damage.” The club’s statement did not specify a timeline for his return to the field and U.S. Soccer has not made any statement besides wishing Cardoso a speedy recovery. That said, with this summer’s World Cup less than a month away, its tough to imagine that he’ll be healed up and ready to be part of the United States Men’s National Team roster. If that’s the case, it’ll be a bitter blow for both the USMNT and a midfielder that looked like a sure bet to be on the squad.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans who will be taking part in games during the working week, so let’s make sure we’ve got everything on the schedule. Things got started on Monday when Brenden Aaronson played 63 minutes in Leeds United’s 1-1 draw with Tottenham. Action continues today when Aidan Morris and Middlesborough face Southampton in the second leg of an EFL Championship playoff promotion semifinal. Wednesday sees Auston Trusty and Celtic take on Motherwell in a game with massive ramifications on the title race in the Scottish Premier League. Wednesday also has Alex Freeman and Villarreal hosting Sevilla in La Liga play, while Chris Richards and Crystal Palace will try to play spoiler against Manchester City.

MLS Matchday 12 Lessons

Matchday 12 is officially in the books for Major League Soccer, so what did we learn from the weekend’s action? For one thing, Jack McGlynn was imperious in his second game back from injury, as his brace helped the Houston Dynamo knock off LAFC on the road while USMNT assistant Jesus Perez was watching from the stands. The New England Revolution are now unbeaten in the club’s last seven league games, and Carles Gil was a big reason why, as he nabbed a goal and an assist in the Revs’ 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Union. He’s got four goals and four assists so far, and the Revs are sitting pretty at second in the Eastern Conference.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

European seasons aren’t quite wrapped up yet, but that isn’t stopping transfer rumors from flying thick and fast. We start with the Premier League, where Manchester City is reportedly prepared to trigger the release clause of 16-year-old Hertha Berlin midfielder Kennet Eichhorn, before immediately sending the player on loan to continue his development. Elsewhere in England, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Arsenal are all said to be interested in signing Juventus fullback Andrea Cambiaso. Switching lanes to the managerial side of things, Chelsea has reportedly identified Xabi Alonso as the leading candidate to become the next manager of the team, with the Spaniard said to be open to taking the job. Finally, Jose Mourinho is said to be open to taking the Real Madrid job, although he reportedly has a couple conditions that he wants met first.

Free Kicks

  • Kickoff times have been set for Orlando City’s three group stages matches in this year’s Leagues Cup.
  • The Lions will be launching a new merch collection Friday at The Final Whistle.

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

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. CF Montreal: Player Grades and Man of the Match

Here’s how your favorite Lions performed in Orlando City’s 2-0 loss to CF Montreal.

Published

1 day ago

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May 11, 2026

By

Image of Griffin Dorsey trying to send the ball upfield against a Montreal defender.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

If you play Football Manager enough, you play plenty of games where the after-match comment is “a bore draw.” That appeared to be where Orlando City’s road game at CF Montreal was headed until a mistake by Robin Jansson in added time led to a penalty which opened the scoring for the hosts. They tacked on another late in stoppage time and the Lions will return home for a three-game set (one of them in the U.S. Open Cup) sore from Saturday’s 2-0 loss to CF Montreal.

Let’s take a look at how Orlando City’s players rated individually in their matchup with the Quebecois.

Starters

GK, Maxime Crépeau, 5.5 — With 25 shots by Montreal, one would’ve figured Crepeau was busy. Not really — he finished with three saves. A goalkeeper is almost never responsible for being scored on from the penalty spot, but Dagur Dan Thorallsson’s goal at the death is one Crepeau will want back, although in fairness it was perfectly placed. The Canadian goalkeeper finished with a 72.7% passing rate and was helped out after being rounded by Prince Owusu in a 1-v-1 opportunity that his teammates should never have allwoed for what would have been a goal if not for Iago’s sliding block to clear it off the line.

D, Adrián Marin, 5.5 — Marin got caught ball-watching in the 34th minute to allow a Wiki Carmona rocket that just went wide. Otherwise, he just didn’t impact the game one way or the other. Marin completed 87.8% of his passes and added one tackle, one block, and three clearances.

D, Robin Jansson, 5 — Jansson played his normal emergency role all game. Unfortunately, he got put off-balance in the first minute of added time in the second half and fell into the legs of Luca Petrasso, giving a penalty. It was a rough ending for the captain, but Orlando left the door open for Montreal and the hosts took it. The Swede also couldn’t close down Thorhallsson to prevent the second late Montreal goal. Jansson completed 78.7% of his passes, with one tackle, 10(!) clearances, and one block.

D, Iago, 6 — We saw both sides of Iago. He had a really nice pass in the 17th minute to free up Eduard Atuesta on goal but the Colombian missed the target to waste Orlando’s best chance of the game. The Brazilian’s biggest highlight moment was in the 76th minute, when Owusu dribbled past Crepeau for an open look at goal but Iago was there to clear it off the line. On the flip side, he also had a dangerous header defending a corner that almost created an own goal, instead hitting the left post. He got pulled wide in the first minute of the second half, allowing a dangerous shot by Owusu. On the offensive end, he got on the end of a corner but headed it right at Thomas Gillier. He was all over the place, which you can expect from a young player. He would’ve gotten a higher grade had the game finished scoreless because of his goal-line clearance and a couple of sparkling long balls that should have led to more. Alas. He finished with zero interceptions or tackles, three blocks, six clearances, and a 92.3% passing rate. He also picked up a yellow card in the sixth minute of added time in the second half preventing a counter on one of his attacking teammates’ many turnovers.

D, Griffin Dorsey, 5.5— While Orlando City was heavily weighted to the left side all game, when the Lions went down the right, it was through Dorsey. He led the break down that side multiple times but had trouble connecting. Dorsey finished with one tackle, three clearances, and one cross while passing at a 79% rate.

MF, Iván Angulo, 4.5 — When Angulo whiffed on a ball in the second minute which caused a Montreal counter, it was an indicator of the night to come. He was sloppy all game long and, by The Mane Land’s unofficial tally, turned the ball over eight times, with the majority of those coming in his own defensive half. It was an ugly night that looked a touch better when Tyrese Spicer departed, changing Angulo’s duties, but it didn’t wipe out a forgettable match. He finished with 90.2% passing, despite being loose with the ball. He was two out of six for successful dribbles and two out of seven in winning ground duels.

MF, Eduard Atuesta, 5.5 — A major part of the toothlessness of the Lions in the match was the midfield play. While Atuesta had a 95% passing rate, the only real impact he had was in the 17th minute, when Iago broke him free with a great pass. Atuesta made a well-timed run, but he ended up doing nothing with it when he sent his shot wide of goal. He had a turnover in the fourth minute to leave Montreal with a 3-on-2 break, leaving me to wonder if it was going to be one of those nights for him. Luckily no, but there was no real contribution either. He picked up a yellow card in the 62nd, was dispossessed once, and committed four fouls.

MF, Braian Ojeda, 5.5— Atuesta’s midfield partner also had trouble linking the play but contributed a touch more defensively. His sloppy handling in the 41st minute allowed Montreal to keep possession and created a corner. In the end, he finished with one tackle, one block, one clearance, and a 90% passing rate.

MF, Tyrese Spicer, 6— Unfortunately, most of Spicer’s contributions came on the defensive end this game because he could never get himself in the flow offensively. While he was 10-for-11 passing, he attempted two shots, one right at the goalkeeper and the other that missed so badly it almost went behind the net without hitting anything. He had just two touches in the opposition box. His biggest highlight was a tackle in the 23rd minute to end a dangerous Montreal possession. He was replaced in the 67th minute by Duncan McGuire. Spicer finished with a 91% passing success rate, led the team in tackles with four, and added two interceptions.

F, Martín Ojeda, 5 — This grade may be a bit harsh. However, when you are a Designated Player, you have to contribute, and Martin Ojeda was invisible at best. With 44 total passes, he was the one having to compensate for the lack of midfield control and it showed by his lack of offensive contribution. He had zero touches in the opposition box, which is not going to be a recipe for Orlando City success. Martin took one shot that was on target and passed at a 91% rate.

F, Justin Ellis, 6.5 (MotM)— Someone has to win Man of the Match. Ellis almost wins it by default as his overall play was the only positive thing all game. While his stats were mediocre, and there was not one moment you can pick to point to, he was the most talented when on the ball, tracked back to collect the ball occasionally, did more to link play than the midfield did, and just didn’t have a negative impact. He was replaced in the 80th by David Brekalo and finished with a 94% passing rate, was four-for-four on successful dribbles, and went five-for-six on ground duels won.

Substitutes

F, Duncan McGuire (67′), 5— McGuire started out playing out of position on the wing and while asked to pick up the offense, McGuire was unable to show anything of promise. Dorsey found him in the 88th minute with a cross, but McGuire turned down a quick shot and held the ball too long while deciding, and he ended up taking a low angle shot that had been there from the beginning that ended up harmless. He passed at a 75% rate and had three touches in the opposition box, turning those into a measly 0.05 expected goals. One of his touches on a promising attack was heavy and wasted the opportunity to get a shot off late in the game.

D, David Brekalo (80′), N/A — Brekalo came on for Ellis with a few minutes remaining, maybe a tactical choice to see out the draw. He completed all seven of his passes and had one clearance. He was not able to do anything to prevent Montreal’s two late goals, but he wasn’t the only one.

MF, Tiago (90′+5), N/A — Tiago entered right after the penalty to try to claw back a goal. Unfortunately, he whiffed on a 50/50 ball just moments before Thorhallsson ended up scoring the game’s second goal. He wasn’t on long enough to issue a grade, however.

D, Zakaria Taifi (90′+5), N/A — The best thing you can say about Taifi’s time is that he didn’t turn the ball over conceding a goal in the five minutes he was on the field.

That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando City’s loss to CF Montreal. Let us know what you thought of the game in the comments below, and don’t forget to vote for your Man of the Match.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/11/26

Lions fall to CF Montreal, Pride defeat North Carolina Courage, OCB beats Atlanta United 2, and more.

Published

1 day ago

on

May 11, 2026

By

Image of Barbra Banda taking a shot against North Carolina.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Justin Glatt

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida, and belated happy Mother’s Day to all you moms out there. I spent the weekend in Texas catching up with friends and family. Let’s wish a happy birthday to Orlando City goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau, who turns 32 today. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Fall to CF Montreal

Orlando City fell 2-0 to CF Montreal at Stade Saputo Saturday on a pair of late goals. After a scoreless first half, the Lions were minutes away from escaping with a point on the road but conceded twice in stoppage time, with former Lion Dagur Dan Thorhallsson adding the insurance goal for Montreal as Orlando City left Canada with zero points. The Lions could not capitalize on their few scoring chances throughout the match. Orlando City returns home for its next match on Wednesday against the Philadelphia Union at Inter&Co Stadium.

Banda’s Late Goal Lifts Pride Over Courage

The Orlando Pride defeated the North Carolina Courage 1-0 at Inter&Co Stadium Friday, as Barbra Banda scored the lone goal late in the second half to help the Pride secure a much-needed win, snapping their two-match losing streak. Banda scored her eighth goal of the season, and she has scored five goals in the last three matches. The Pride will be on the road this week, facing the Boston Legacy Tuesday at Gillette Stadium, followed by another match Saturday against the Denver Summit at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.

OCB Beats Atlanta United 2 on the Road

Orlando City B defeated Atlanta United 2 with a goal in each half, winning 2-0 at Turner Soccer Complex in Athens, GA Sunday. Gustavo Caraballo scored the opening goal from the spot to give the Young Lions the early lead. In the second half, Issah Haruna added another goal for the Young Lions to put it away and take three points. OCB will be back on the road Sunday to face New England Revolution II at Beirne Stadium in Smithfield, RI.

Americans Abroad

Austin Trusty played a full 90 minutes as Celtic won its sixth consecutive match across all competitions 3-1 against Rangers. Gio Reyna scored his first goal of the season for Borussia Monchengladbach to snap his 16-month goal drought at the club level, but his side fell 3-1 to FC Augsburg. Weston McKennie played 86 minutes for Juventus in a 1-0 win against Lecce. In the Women’s FA Cup semifinals, Alyssa Thompson played 78 minutes for Chelsea, but her side fell 3-2 to Manchester City after extra time. Lindsey Heaps scored for OL Lyonnes while Lily Yohannes and Korbin Shrader were also in action in a 4-1 win against Paris Saint-Germain to lift the Coupe De France trophy. Later today, Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United will face Tottenham Hotspur.

Free Kicks

  • Check out this video on Orlando City’s social media pages featuring some players writing letters to their moms for Mother’s Day.
  • James Rodriguez will reportedly leave Minnesota United this week and will not return to the club after the World Cup concludes this summer.
  • Slavia Prague chairman Jaroslav Tvrdik stated that the club will impose a lifetime ban to fans who invaded the pitch as the club was minutes away from defeating rivals Sparta Prague Saturday to win the Czech First League title before the match was abandoned.
  • Leandro Trossard scored a late winner in the second half to help Arsenal beat West Ham United 1-0 to keep its five-point lead over Manchester City and pull a step closer to clinching the English Premier League title.

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

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