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Player Grades: Orlando City vs. D.C. United

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10 years ago

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Orlando City welcomed back starters Brek Shea, Kevin Molino, Darwin Ceren and Rafael Ramos from international duty, and for the most part outplayed a very good D.C. United team, but in the end it was the same late heartbreak by Vancouver. Luis Silva put a stoppage time free kick past a diving Donovan Ricketts and now we’re all angry, sad and any number of other negative emotions right now.

At some point, out-playing your opponent means nothing if there’s no reward at the end of the 90 (or so) minutes. Some teams go months without the number of outstanding scoring chances Orlando had during tonight’s 1-0 loss to United, but a combination of missing the net and the omnipotence of Bill Hamid in the DC goal combined to keep the Lions scoreless for the second consecutive home match.

And that Silva goal really did spoil a marvelous effort by Orlando City.

Let’s get to tonight’s player grades before I start drinking and never stop.

Player Grades

G, Donovan Ricketts, 6 — He got his hands on the game winner but couldn’t keep it out, which ruined an otherwise fine performance. Positionally, Ricketts was good all night, he controlled his box as a veteran should and he made two vital saves on Chris Pontius and Conor Doyle to keep the game scoreless during D.C. United’s best sequence.

D, Brek Shea, 8 — We saw perhaps the best crossing of the season out of Orlando’s left back, who was playing after featuring for the USMNT for 90 minutes early in the week in Switzerland and flew back from Europe. Shea was dangerous, linked up with the midfielders well and provided beautiful crosses for his teammates. Defensively, he lost Sean Franklin once but other than that was solid. When he got caught forward, he recovered well. Oh, and he was the only one in the wall who jumped on Silva’s game-winning free kick. Oh, and he saved a goal on the line. For my money he was man of the match.

D, Seb Hines, 6.5 — Once again you didn’t notice him much, and once again that was a good thing. Hines has provided solid play in the position that was the last one to be settled in preseason.

D, Aurelien Collin, 7.5 — We didn’t see much in the way of reckless play from Collin tonight. The Frenchman was good in the air, and made important tackles out in front of his box to stop United attacks. However he did make a mess of two chances in front of goal off corners, one with his head and one with his feet.

D, Rafael Ramos, 7 — The Portuguese U-20 international was very solid once again, not really putting a foot wrong defensively and keeping the pressure on the left side of D.C. United’s defense. He continues to impress and aside from not trusting his speed to get forward a few times, really had a great overall game.

MF, Darwin Ceren, 6 — A few cheap giveaways and a few fouls tonight from the El Salvador international, who didn’t get back to Orlando until Wednesday afternoon, but he was otherwise solid in breaking up plays in midfield, and playing passes forward. Seemed to tire in the second half and it affected the team keeping possession.

MF, Amobi Okugo, 7 — Another very good outing for the defensive midfielder. Okugo controlled the back end for Orlando, provided coverage for defenders who went forward, and was involved throughout the game. If there was a flaw in his game tonight it was the two fairly open headers off corners that he pushed wide.

MF, Eric Avila, 5 — Although he was involved and played fairly well in the first half, he all but disappeared after the break, even to the point where Kaká and Shea were ignoring him when he was open wide to the left side in the second half. He gave way to Carlos Rivas in the 71st minute and that quickly gave the Orlando attack a boost.

MF, Kaká, 8 — The Brazilian was outstanding with his distribution and seemed OK with acting as playmaker, attempting only one shot all night, and that one was squibbed well wide as he tried to pull it back for a left-footed try. He sprung Larin, Kevin Molino and Carlos Rivas several times for what could (and maybe should) have been goals. The only thing he did wrong all night was fail to jump on Silva’s free kick, which went right over his head en route to the back of the net. Was it his calf injury acting up? He did get fouled and was slow to get up in the second half and hardly took any of the free kicks after that, so…maybe?

MF, Kevin Molino, 6.5 — It may have been his best game of the season for about the first 70 minutes, but Molino still must take another step forward. He rocked the post on one shot and took four total shots. His pass to spring Rafael Ramos was sublime and his link-up play was good once again, but he lacked the vision to give Cyle Larin a tap-in and really should have beaten even a top notch keeper like Hamid on the play anyway.

F, Pedro Ribeiro, 5 — Continued to work hard up top and earned an early corner to set up a chance. Might have opened the scoring at 19th minute mark but appeared to pull a hamstring before he could open himself up for a shot, trying to fight off Kofi Opare.

Substitutes

F, Cyle Larin, 7 — The Canadian really opened up the game when he came on for the injured Ribeiro. He gave Molino and Kaká space and got four shots off, with two on target, but unfortunately both were right at Hamid. You can see the talent but the rookie hasn’t quite put it together just yet.

MF, Carlos Rivas, 6.5 — Provided much more of an attacking force on the left than Avila and did manage a few chances, with his best coming on a free kick denied by Hamid’s best save of the night, a diving effort to his left on a ball labeled for the bottom corner. But Orlando still needs more from the Colombian, who seemed to have too much time in the box with no defender in front and missed the net entirely.

F, Bryan Rochez, N/A — Came on in stoppage time and didn’t really have time to make an impact on the game.

Polling Closed

Player Votes
Amobi Okugo 3
Kaká 16
Brek Shea 99
Cyle Larin 7
Aurelien Collin 13
Rafael Ramos 0
Other (let us know in the comments section) 2
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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/21/25

Orlando Pride release preseason camp roster, scouting Costa Rica, women’s soccer transfer grades, and more.

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20 hours ago

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January 21, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone! If you had yesterday off for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, then I hope you enjoyed some restful time off. If not, then I hope you got your week started off on a good and productive note. There’s a lot going on around here this week as the United States Men’s National Team is in town, and Orlando City will play its first preseason match on Saturday. That means we have plenty to discuss, so let’s dig into today’s links.

Orlando Pride Drop Preseason Roster

Monday might have been a holiday but the Orlando Pride were busy, as they announced the roster for their upcoming preseason camp. Almost all of the usual suspects from the 2024 season are back, as the Pride return 98% of the player-minutes from last season and every single scorer. Mariana Larroquette is on the list although she’s currently on loan in Argentina, and Amanda Allen is likewise included after her loan at Lexington Sporting Club was terminated due to a torn labrum. The biggest intrigue comes from the trio of non-roster invitees: goalkeeper DeAira Jackson, midfielder Aryssa Mahrt, and forward Simone Jackson.

Scouting Costa Rica

The USMNT takes on Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium to wrap up the team’s annual January camp. Like the U.S., Costa Rica is bringing a roster devoid of the majority of its important players. Costa Rica also has a new manager at the helm in Miguel Herrera, who will take charge of the team for the very first time on Wednesday. Herrera typically lines his teams up in a 5-3-2 where the wingbacks take on a very important role and the team looks to hit on the counter while staying compact at the back. This will be the last time we see the USMNT in action until the Concacaf Nations League semifinals in early March.

Women’s Soccer January Transfer Grades

January has been a busy time for transfers in the women’s soccer world, so which teams have done the best business? Well, the Orlando Pride received an A grade for signing Marta to a new two-year deal, retaining a player who helped the team win its first ever trophies. Liverpool got an A for signing Julia Bartel on loan from Chelsea. Leicester City made an interesting call by transferring goalkeeper Lize Kop to Tottenham despite just being a point above the relegation zone. The Foxes get a C for the move, while Spurs get a B+ for adding a capable netminder.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans taking part in some very important games over the course of this week. Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus face Club Brugge today in the UEFA Champions League, while Ricardo Pepi, Richy Ledezma, Esmir Bajraktarević, Malik Tillman and PSV Eindhoven take on Crvena Zvezda in the same competition. Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan will play Girona in the UCL on Wednesday, while Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic take on Young Boys. On Friday, John Tolkin could make his Bundesliga debut when his new team, Holstein Kiel, travels to face Wolfsburg.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando Pride players reported for their preseason physicals on Monday.
  • Meanwhile, Orlando City took on the dreaded beep test during Monday’s training session.

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

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Orlando City

Striker Suddenly a Position of Need for Orlando City

Departures and a key injury mean Orlando City needs a striker heading into the 2025 MLS season.

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2 days ago

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January 20, 2025

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Image Courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City reached the Eastern Conference Final for the first time in 2024, a milestone for the club. The core of the team was locked up through the 2025 season, so there was no reason to believe it needed to add much this off-season. Unfortunately, injuries and departures have created a serious problem for the team.

The group of forwards last year consisted of Duncan McGuire, Ramiro Enrique, and Jack Lynn. McGuire scored 15 goals in 2023 and was expected to depart for Blackburn Rovers before a clerical error allowed the Lions to keep their target man. The team’s primary striker scored 11 goals in 37 games — the same number as the previous season — but split time starting with Enrique. The Argentinian improved greatly in 2024, increasing his total goal tally from four to 12. Even Lynn showed tremendous improvement last year, playing a greater role in the team and scoring his first two MLS goals.

The future also seemed bright for the Orlando City forwards because of their ages. Lynn is the oldest of the trio at just 25 years old. Meanwhile, McGuire and Enrique are only 23, so there was no reason to believe this group couldn’t produce this coming season.

The problem at striker began in the postseason when McGuire was pulled down by Charlotte FC midfielder Djibril Diani in the final first round game of the playoffs. McGuire suffered a shoulder injury during the challenge that required surgery on Dec. 13. It’s expected that the striker could take four to five months to return to action, possibly leaving him out until May or June.

Another blow to Orlando’s attack occurred Saturday when Lynn surprisingly announced his retirement from professional soccer. In just over a month, Orlando City went from having three strikers to having just one as preseason training starts.

With McGuire injured and Lynn gone, one option would be to have Designated Player Luis Muriel play up top. However, the Colombian prefers to play a more withdrawn position and proved to be effective in that role last year. Since Head Coach Oscar Pareja prefers to play a 4-2-3-1 formation, the Lions need someone up top to control the ball and involve the midfielders in the attack. That’s not Muriel’s game.

The result of these issues is that nobody is currently behind Enrique when the season begins. If the Argentinian gets tired, hurt, or simply needs rest, Pareja is limited in his options. 

Whether there was a lack of strikers or a lack of goals from the position previously, that problem was resolved by the club’s all-time leading goal scorer. Facundo Torres scored 20 goals in 2024, becoming the first player in Orlando City’s MLS history and the second player in club history to do so. He went on to set a new club record for total goals of 47.

However, Orlando City sold its best player to Brazilian side Palmeiras on Dec. 20. It was a gut punch to fans as Torres had signed a new contract on Jan. 10, 2024 that ran through the 2026 season. There had been talk for the last couple of years that the attacker would look for a move to Europe and rumors of a move to South America arose this off-season. Still, it created a huge gap the club has to fill.

There are players on the roster that can make up for the injury and departures. Martin Ojeda had a strong season in 2024, finishing with seven goals and 13 assists. His seven goals ranked fourth on the team and his 13 assists topped the squad alongside Nico Lodeiro. Muriel came on strong later in the season, finishing with five goals and eight assists. But those numbers are a long way from the 20 goals that Torres tallied last year.

Even if you consider all goal contributions, Ojeda and Muriel fall well short of Torres. Ojeda had a total of 20 goal contributions in 2024 while Muriel had 13. In addition to Torres’s 20 goals, he added nine assists for a team-leading 29 goal contributions.

All of this information leads to one undeniable fact — Orlando City needs to sign a striker prior to the season. And there’s not much time for Luiz Muzzi to act. The European transfer window closes on Feb. 3 and many MLS teams have already been filling similar needs. With the season starting in just over a month, the options will be limited if the Lions don’t do something soon.

After the best postseason finish in Orlando City’s MLS history, things were looking good heading into 2025. While the back line and most of the midfield is returning, McGuire’s injury and the departure of Torres and Lynn have left the Lions in a tough spot offensively. If they don’t do something in the next couple of weeks, it could be a long 2025.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/20/25

Orlando City signs Nicolas Rodriguez, Jack Lynn announces retirement, USMNT defeats Venezuela in friendly, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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January 20, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope you’re all having a good holiday weekend as we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Over the past week, I’ve been working and covering high school ice hockey. It will be a busy week in Orlando, with the United States Men’s National Team’s match against Costa Rica on Wednesday and Orlando City’s first preseason match against Atletico Mineiro on Saturday. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Signs Nicolas Rodriguez

Orlando City announced on Friday that the club has signed forward Nicolas Rodriguez from Fortaleza CEIF in Colombia’s top flight. The deal is through the 2027 season, with a club option for 2028, and Rodriguez will occupy a MLS U22 Initiative slot. Rodriguez made 19 appearances for Fortaleza, recording 1,607 minutes, five goals, and three assists during the 2024 Primera A Clausura season. The Lions add a young attacking player the club can develop and Rodriguez can play on the right wing, the right side of a three-man midfield, or in the No. 10 spot.

Jack Lynn Announces Retirement

Orlando City forward Jack Lynn announced his retirement from professional soccer on Saturday. Lynn was drafted by Orlando in the first round of the 2022 MLS SuperDraft. He became a regular starter for Orlando City B, scoring a team-record 38 goals in over three seasons with the MLS NEXT Pro side. Lynn also won the Golden Boot with 19 goals during the 2023 season and became the first OCB player to be named MLS NEXT Pro MVP. He played sparingly with the first team, but he scored twice last season as his role increased. The Lions will likely look to add another striker for more depth up top.

Orlando Pride Acquire Allocation Money in Trade

On Friday, the Orlando Pride announced that the club has acquired $50,000 in Allocation Money from the Washington Spirit. In exchange, the Pride sent the Spirit a 2025 international roster spot. The Pride will face the Spirit in the NWSL Challenge Cup final on March 7 at Inter&Co Stadium.

USMNT Defeats Venezuela in Friendly

The USMNT defeated Venezuela 3-1 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday in a friendly. Jack McGlynn and Patrick Agyemang scored in the first half to give the USMNT a 2-0 lead just before halftime. Matko Milijevic scored the third goal for the Americans in the second half, with Venezuela pulling one back thanks to a goal from Jorge Yriarte. Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has led the USMNT to winning four out of its first five matches since he took charge last September. The USMNT’s next match will be against Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium.

Alyssa Naeher Named U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year

On Saturday, goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher was voted 2024 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year. Naeher won 40% of the vote, while defender Naomi Girma finished in second with 32%. In her final year with the USWNT, Naeher ended 2024 with 18 starts, playing 1,170 minutes and only conceding 11 goals. She played a crucial role with clutch saves to help the USWNT win the 2024 SheBelieves Cup, 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup, and gold at the Olympics in Paris. Naeher is the second goalkeeper to win the award since Hope Solo won it in 2009.

Free Kicks

  • Manchester City forward Erling Haaland has reached an agreement with the club on a record-breaking contract that extends his deal through 2034.

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

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