Connect with us

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. LA Galaxy: Player Grades

Published

10 years ago

on

Well, that was a lot of fun and we should do it again really soon, huh?

Orlando City had no trouble slicing apart the LA Galaxy defense in building a 4-0 lead to give Tally Hall — making his City debut — his first shutout in a purple kit. In fact, the back line and defensive midfield played so well that Hall faced only one shot on target and 10 in total, with most of those coming from far away.

This was a much needed three points for Orlando City, which was starting to get lost in the Eastern Conference standings. In the New England-DC-LA trio of games, the Lions took four of a possible nine points, which isn’t bad against three of the leagues blue bloods.

We’ll have much more to come from tonight’s win, so let’s get to the performances by tonight’s lineup:

Player Grades

G, Tally Hall, 7.5 — It’s hard to judge a keeper who wasn’t tested much, but Hall did what he was supposed to do in his first game with Orlando. He made no errors, stopped LA’s single shot on goal and kept crosses from reaching their targets. One game, one clean sheet.

D, Luke Boden, 7 — Other than a few issues controlling the skilled Stefan Ishizaki, Boden played well again at left back. His crosses are nearly always dangerous and his awareness and team play make him an asset to both the defense and the attack.

D, Sean St. Ledger, 7.5 — He and his central defense partner made the plays they needed to make when called on. They played within themselves. Adrian Heath called them “excellent” in his postgame presser.

D, Seb Hines, 7.5 — See St. Ledger, Sean. In his return from a quad injury, Hines didn’t show any signs of rust. He made perhaps the two biggest plays by the back line with an early tackle and a blocked shot in the first half. Hines had a few games where he was victimized one-on-one but his positioning tonight was sound.

D, Rafael Ramos, 8 — Each game, Rafa seems to have one or two inexplicable defensive lapses, but he generally makes up for them. His cross and movement on the first goal was outstanding and he kept Baggio Husidic occupied and harassed Leonardo.

MF, Darwin Ceren, 9 — Man of the Match for me, and Heath said the same in his presser. Ceren worked hard for 90 minutes and made things difficult for LA’s midfield and attack force throughout the night. He also got forward in attack more than he has in previous games and had a rocket shot tapped over by Jaime Penedo. Nevertheless, he got his first MLS goal later on a hard, low shot that took a deflection.

MF, Cristian Higuita, 8.5 — If Ceren wasn’t MotM, then Higuita may have been. The young Colombian was all over the pitch, making the Galaxy miserable with interceptions and hard-won takeaways. Like Ceren, he got more involved in the attack tonight to go along with his tireless work on defense.

MF, Brek Shea, 8 –– It wasn’t a perfect game for Brek, but he looked much sharper overall. With the exception of a few passes that were a bit off, Shea was dangerous. He showed outstanding vision to head across for his roommate, Eric Avila, on the first goal. He also made great crosses and helped Boden defensively down the left side. His best game to date at midfield for City and earned a deserved first assist in a purple shirt.

MF, Kaká, 8.5 –– After a few rough games, the maestro is back, with a key assist and his fourth goal (second on a PK). This was possibly Kaká’s best game in an Orlando shirt. He looked determined and involved and linked up well with everyone on the pitch. He made Tommy Meyer miserable on the Larin goal and sent the through ball to Ramos that ended in Avila’s goal. He tortured LA players by shielding the ball and keeping possession. On any other night he might have been my MotM, but for the way the defensive midfielders played.

MF, Eric Avila, 7.5 — Avila looked comfortable on the right side for the first time and opened his account with a timely run into the box. He doesn’t get a ton of credit for his work rate and doing the little things well in the midfield that he probably deserves, but he was very good tonight and scored his first MLS goal since 2013.

F, Cyle Larin, 8 — The Canadian international continues to get into dangerous spots and to score goals. Took a lesson from Kaká after over-hitting a long chip attempt and looked up for his teammates more after that, leading to the give-and-go with the Brazilian that resulted in Larin’s fourth goal in as many games (in all competitions). His control and runs are improving and he was strong all game.

Substitutes

D, Amobi Okugo, 5.5 — Came on at 75′ and was steady. He made no major errors but did nothing particularly noteworthy either. A fairly typical display for 15 minutes in defensive midfield against a team that had largely stopped pushing forward due to the lopsided scoreline.

MF, Carlos Rivas, N/A — Entered at 78′ and didn’t make much impact. With a big lead, Rivas was never going to be asked to do much other than keep the ball when possible and make lonely runs so his teammates could look for a potential long ball.

F, Martin Paterson, N/A — Making his debut in the 83rd minute, Paterson showed his veteran presence by trying to set up teammates rather than take bad-angle shots. But it’s hard to judge a guy who played seven minutes in a 4-0 game, so we’ll skip a grade this time out.

* * *

If Orlando City can duplicate tonight’s performance going forward, there are a lot of good results in the team’s future. For now, the club must find a way to put back-to-back wins together. Be sure to vote for your Man of the Match in the poll below.

The Lions get a week to rest but have a cross-country trip coming up for Sunday’s 7 p.m. game at the San Jose Earthquakes.

Polling Closed

Player Votes
Darwin Ceren 141
Kaká 96
Cristian Higuita 20
Brek Shea 7
Cyle Larin 15
Rafael Ramos 7
Other (Specify in the comment section) 4
Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Orlando City

Orlando City at CF Montreal: Three Keys to Victory

What do the Lions need to do to earn all three points on the road against Montreal?

Published

12 hours ago

on

April 17, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City heads to the Great White North to take on CF Montreal. The Canadian squad sits in last place in not just the Eastern Conference but also the entire MLS, with only two points from a pair of draws. To say it’s not been a good start to the season is an understatement. Of course, it’s exactly that type of situation that makes it feel like a trap. What does Orlando City need to do to take all three points against CF Montreal?

Designated Goal Scorers

What do you do if you haven’t scored a goal in the last two matches? You play a team that has given up 13 goals in eight matches with a -9 goal differential. Montreal doesn’t have the worst defense in the league — I’m looking at you, D.C. United — but it’s not far off. That presents an opportunity for Orlando City to get back on track when it comes to scoring goals.

Through the first six matches of the season, Orlando City was leading the league in scoring with 15 goals. Over the last two matches, the spigot has dried up. The Lions must seize on this opportunity to create and finish their chances. Much like earlier in the season, I want to see Luis Muriel, Martin Ojeda, and Marco Pasalic lead the way. If anyone can get the first goal, then I’m hopeful the dam will break and the scoring drought will be over.

Keep it Clean

There is some good news of late when it comes to the Orlando City defense. The club has two clean sheets over the last two matches, and that is without Cesar Araujo. There is also some bad news, given Rodrigo Schlegel will be serving his red card suspension this match. That means David Brekalo will move back to center back with Robin Jansson, and Oscar Pareja will have to employ either Rafael Santos or Kyle Smith at left back. Santos has been less than good so far this season.

Montreal has scored a paltry four goals so far in 2025, but two of them have come from striker Prince Owusu. The defense will also need to deal with Caden Clark facilitating in the midfield. I get that this isn’t a prolific attack. Montreal has not looked very good this season and is looking for both its first win and its first points of any sort at home. That means the hosts may be desperate for a result, and desperate is often dangerous. How well the defense does — in particular, how well Santos does if he plays — may determine if Montreal is able to break out of its slump. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.

Give the Midfield Time

Before the last match, I was a little worried about the midfield. Having both Araujo and Eduard Atuesta out at the same time seemed to be a concern. Now, after seeing how well Joran Gerbet and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson worked together against the New York Red Bulls, I’m way less worried. If Araujo and Atuesta need a little more time to get fully healthy, then let them. The Franco/Icelandic combo seems to be a potent one.

Of course, if the normal starters are ready, then by all means bring them back, but maybe not until the 60th minute. Perhaps Pareja could even mix and match. One never knows how yellow card suspensions or minor injuries will affect player availability. This is a good match for Gerbet and Thorhallsson to work their magic.

That is what I will be looking for Saturday night. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/17/25

Oscar Pareja signs new contract with Orlando City, Orlando Pride prepare for the Washington Spirit, Orlando’s youth teams win, and more.

Published

16 hours ago

on

April 17, 2025

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I can’t believe we’re already into the back half of April and Easter is right around the corner. There’s plenty of soccer to enjoy between now and then and we also have the draw for the U.S. Open Cup’s round of 32 this morning at 9:15. MLS teams are finally joining the fray, so we’ll see where the chips fall for Orlando City. Let’s get to the links!

Oscar Pareja Signs New Contract

Orlando City and Head Coach Oscar Pareja have agreed to a new three-year contract that will keep him in the City Beautiful through 2028. Pareja was hired as Orlando’s fourth head coach in its MLS era back in December of 2019 and he’s led the Lions to the playoffs in all five seasons he’s been at the helm.  Under Pareja, the Lions won the U.S. Open Cup in 2022, set club records in points and wins in 2023, and reached the Eastern Conference final for the first time last year. This year was the final one on the contract he signed in December of 2023, so it’s nice to know Pareja will be sticking around in the future.

Orlando Pride Prepare for the Washington Spirit

The Orlando Pride will look to make it five wins in a row when they host the Washington Spirit on Saturday in another rematch of last year’s final. While this is the first match between Orlando and Washington this season, the two clashed in the NWSL Challenge Cup on March 7 and the Spirit lifted the trophy after a penalty shootout. Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on how the team has grown since that game and has benefitted from depth and consistency carried over from last year.

Orlando City Youth Teams Win in Bradenton

Orlando City’s U-18 team won in the Generation Adidas Cup’s round of 16, beating St. Louis City 1-0 to advance to the quarterfinals. The Young Lions remain unbeaten in that age group and will take on a Real Salt Lake team that also won its group and just beat Toronto FC in a penalty shootout following a scoreless draw.

Orlando’s U-16 squad didn’t qualify for the Championship bracket, but still advanced in the Premier bracket. After a 1-1 draw with Toronto, Orlando prevailed in the ensuing penalty shootout and will play Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals.

UEFA Champions League Semifinals Are Set

The quarterfinals for this year’s UEFA Champions League are over and only four teams remain in the tournament. Arsenal secured its spot in the semifinals after an impressive 2-1 road win against Real Madrid that included two assists from Mikel Merino. The Spanish club couldn’t muster its usual magic in the tournament and forward Kylian Mbappe exited in the second half due to injury. In Italy, Inter Milan held on for a 2-2 draw against Bayern to advance on aggregate, with defender Benjamin Pavard scoring a crucial goal for Inter against his old team. The semifinals will take place at the end of the month and will feature Arsenal taking on Paris Saint-Germain and Inter going up against Barcelona.

Free Kicks

  • Our thoughts go out to the friends and family of former FC Cincinnati player Aaron Boupendza, who died after falling from the 11th floor of a building in China.
  • The Chicago Fire are reportedly strongly interested in signing star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne on a free transfer. If any Western Conference teams could join the hunt for him, that would be great.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

Continue Reading

Orlando City

Orlando City Extends Oscar Pareja’s Contract through 2028

The most successful coach in Orlando City’s MLS history has signed on for another three seasons.

Published

1 day ago

on

April 16, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Orlando City SC announced today that the club and Head Coach Oscar Pareja have come to terms on a new three-year contract through 2028. The winningest head coach in club history, Pareja’s previous two-year contract was scheduled to expire after the 2025 season. With the Lions off to a 3-2-3 start, and coming off the deepest MLS Cup playoff run in the organization’s history — the 2024 Eastern Conference final — the club locked down the veteran coach

“Throughout his career, Oscar has proven to be a coach deeply committed not only to winning and competing for championships, but also to building teams that fans can proudly rally behind,” Orlando City Owner and Chairman Mark Wilf said in a club press release. “Here in Orlando, he’s shown that same passion and dedication — taking immense pride in representing our club with integrity and driving us closer each year to our ultimate goal of winning it all. His unwavering positivity and focus have helped shape a culture grounded in respect and ambition. We’re thrilled to have Oscar continue leading us forward in the City Beautiful.” 

Pareja has led Orlando City to a record of 89-59-55 across all competitions in 203 matches, reaching the playoffs in each of his seasons at the helm of OCSC. He also won the team’s first MLS-era trophy by leading the Lions to the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title, and he’s guided the club to its first two appearances in Concacaf Champions League/Cup and to the MLS is Back Tournament final in 2020.

With 176 MLS victories, Pareja is No. 5 on the league’s all-time wins list. He ranks second among all active coaches. Orlando City initially hired Pareja, 56, as head coach on Dec. 4, 2019. He succeeded James O’Connor, Jason Kreis, and Adrian Heath as OCSC head coaches in the club’s MLS era. Prior to joining the Lions, Pareja spent one season in Liga MX with Club Tijuana after five successful seasons as head coach at FC Dallas. Pareja started his MLS head coaching career with the Colorado Rapids in 2012, leading the ‘Pids for two seasons, including a playoff appearance in 2013. He also coached the U.S. U-17 Men’s National Team from 2007-2008. 

“First and foremost, I want to express my deepest gratitude to Mark Wilf, his family, the entire ownership group, and our executive board for their continued trust in the vision and culture we’ve built over the years,” Pareja said in the club’s release. “Their unwavering support is the foundation of everything we strive to achieve each day. Above all, I’m profoundly thankful to our incredible fans and the dedicated staff who pour their hearts into making Orlando City such a remarkable club. Together, we’ve grown stronger with each passing season, moving steadily closer to our shared ambition of bringing more trophies home to this great city. I remain deeply inspired by what lies ahead and look forward to continuing this journey in pursuit of more championships.” 

As a player, Pareja spent 1987-1995 with Independiente Medellin in his native Colombia as a midfielder, appearing in 263 matches and scoring 18 goals. He moved to Deportivo Cali, where he scored 11 more goals in 122 games from 1995-1998 and then joined the New England Revolution, appearing in 13 games that year. He finished his playing career with FC Dallas, scoring 13 goals in 170 appearances from 1998-2005. He also earned 11 caps from 1991 to 1996 with Colombia’s national team, scoring three goals.

What It Means for Orlando City

As I wrote when Pareja re-signed in December of 2023: quite simply, it means the Lions retain their most successful coach since joining Major League Soccer. Pareja has created a culture and an identity that was lacking at the club prior to his arrival. While it’s common for players to say the team feels like a family and a city feels like “home,” the Lions have walked that walk during Pareja’s tenure in the City Beautiful.

Pareja’s challenge for the upcoming season is to improve upon the club’s deepest run in the playoffs and perhaps the fourth-place finish the Lions enjoyed in 2024. That’s not an easy task, and it shouldn’t be held against him if he can’t reach those lofty heights.

In the short term, Pareja’s job is to get the team scoring goals again while maintaining the high defensive standards set over the last two matches.

Pareja’s tenure with Orlando City will ultimately be measured in trophies. So far, he’s won one of them. That’s more than everyone who came before him won with Orlando in the MLS era, but it’s understandable for fans and ownership to ask for more.

Oscar Pareja’s Coaching Record at Orlando City (W-L-D)

Major League Soccer Regular Season: 167 games, 74-48-45
MLS Playoffs: 12 games, 5-6-1 (Note: MLS considers draws losses if they happen in the best-of-three round but if it goes to penalties in a single-elimination game, it’s a draw.)
U.S. Open Cup: 7 games, 4-1-2
Concacaf Champions League/Cup: 6 games, 2-1-3
Leagues Cup: 7 games, 2-2-3
MLS is Back Knockout Stages: 4 games, 2-1-1

Total: 203 games coached, 89-59-55

Continue Reading

Trending