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Orlando City vs. Chicago Fire, Round 3: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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10 years ago

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For only the second time during this inaugural MLS season, Orlando City has back-to-back victories. Saturday night’s 1-0 win at Toyota Park marked the first road win by the Lions since they did it on the same field back on June 6. They followed that with a win over D.C. United on June 14 and that was the only other two-game MLS winning streak City has mustered this season.

The win allowed Orlando to stay within a point of the final Eastern Conference playoff spot on a night when all the other results went against the Lions. It also effectively ended Chicago’s faint playoff hopes.

Let’s get to tonight’s player ratings and Man of the Match:

Starters

GK, Tally Hall, 8 – Hall didn’t have a lot to do, but when he did have things to do, he was outstanding. Only four of Chicago’s 14 shots were on target but some of those were quality chances and the veteran keeper was there to earn the clean sheet. He also showed a lot of fire, getting into it with David Accam and Patrick Nyarko.

D, Luke Boden, 6 – A mostly good game for Bodz. He got turned inside out by Nyarko at one point, leading to a Chicago chance but he was fairly steady in defending and helped the team get forward up the left side. Worked well with Carlos Rivas.

D, Aurelien Collin, 7 – There is a fine partnership growing between Aurelien and David Mateos. Collin worked hard to help Rafael Ramos handle Chicago’s speed up the left wing, but was still able to help Mateos in the middle with Kennedy Igboananike. Had to resort to a shirt pull and got booked for it when he slipped trying to stop the speedy Chicago forward, but another solid night in defense for No. 78.

D, David Mateos, 8.5 (Man of the Match) – The Spaniard continues to improve with every MLS game. He was all over the field, winning everything in the air, slide tackling balls away from Chicago attackers and even got forward on an early free kick and got a header toward goal. Really helped Tally Hall control the box tonight and kept Chicago at bay.

D, Rafael Ramos, 6.5 – A lot of good things tonight for Rafa, although some of his final balls weren’t close to their targets. He got beaten more than once by the fast left flank Fire players but was usually able to recover OK. Forced to take a tactical yellow to prevent an Accam counter. Had to be warned about his temper once by the referee in the first half.

MF, Cristian Higuita, 7 – Another very strong outing by Higuita. If his passing in the attacking third was just a bit more accurate, he’d be the perfect defensive midfielder. Still, he continues to run for days, thumping the ball away from attacking players all over the pitch. His weakness and strength were on display in the 64th minute when he gave the ball away cheaply but then hustled to get it back. Important clearance from behind in the 30th may have saved a goal.

MF, Servando Carrasco, 6.5 – A second consecutive strong outing for Carrasco. We didn’t see the all-out effort to break up the attack like we did against Sporting KC, but that may have been more strategy, to force attackers wide rather than react aggressively and potentially get burned.

MF, Carlos Rivas, 6.5 – Was a danger man all night. Blasted a shot off the crossbar in the 18th minute and fed in a number of good passes that Cyle Larin should probably have done more with. Left his feet too easily a couple times looking for a foul, but otherwise had a solid outing and used his speed well, including drawing a yellow card on Michael Stephens on a counter. More dangerous as a passer than a shooter on this night.

MF, Lewis Neal, 5.5 – A typical Lewis Neal outing. He did what he needed to do defensively in the middle of the pitch but his passing going forward left a lot to be desired. It seemed every time he got involved in the attack, he’d pass the ball to a Chicago defender.

MF, Adrian Winter, 5.5 – A good work rate from Winter, who tracked back well to help with Accam but he sometimes disappeared from the game for spells. Wasn’t very active in the offensive third after scoring two goals in the last game.

F, Cyle Larin, 5 – Ran as if he had more legs than last week vs. SKC, but did little with the ball. Received a perfect through ball from Rivas at 67′ but shot weakly right at Jon Busch. Missed the net completely just a minute later after Rivas found him again. Credit for getting into the right spots, but he needs to do more with his chances.

Substitutes

F, Bryan Rochez (71′), 7.5 – Scored the game-winner at 86′ just moments after a header forced a vital save from Jon Busch. He continues to present a danger late in games, although he does sometimes get knocked off the ball easily. Took two shots and got them both on frame.

MF, Brek Shea (71′), 7 – Once again, Shea came on as a substitute and made an impact for the Lions. In a surprise move, he played on the right side and changed the dynamic on that side. He did give away a silly free kick in the 76th minute, but his presence changed the attack. Shot over the bar in the 81st and then fed the ball in to Darwin Ceren that resulted in the Rochez goal. Two games back, two wins.

MF, Darwin Ceren (81′), 6.5 – Nine minutes isn’t a lot of time to leave a mark on the game, yet Ceren still managed to do so. He assisted on Rochez’s goal, pushed the ball forward playing an unfamiliar left wing position, and even drew a critical late foul as Orlando City tried to see the game out. Nice outing in his return from injury.

Polling Closed

Player Votes
Tally Hall 78
Aurelien Collin 2
David Mateos 23
Cristian Higuita 13
Carlos Rivas 1
Bryan Rochez 40
Brek Shea 20
Other (please let us know in the comments section) 1
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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/24/25

Orlando Pride prepare for Angel City FC, MLS deadline day deals, OCB slips in power rankings, and more.

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3 hours ago

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April 24, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

How’s it going, Mane Landers? It’s been a few days since a rough weekend for Orlando City and the Orlando Pride. Time heals all wounds, but let’s also hope it heals offenses considering both teams were shut out. Let’s go ahead and manifest some good officiating this weekend as well while we’re at it. That might be a tall order, but I’m feeling optimistic. Let’s get to the links!

Orlando Pride Prepare for Angel City FC

The Orlando Pride will look to bounce back when they welcome Angel City FC to the City Beautiful for a home game Friday night. Orlando lost its first game of the year and first home game since 2023 last week against the Washington Spirit, falling 1-0. Angel City is also coming off of its first loss of the season, falling 4-0 at home to NJ/NY Gotham FC at home. Pride defender Kerry Abello spoke on how the Pride will need to create better chances compared to last week as they prepare to right the ship with a home victory.

Orlando City B Drops a Spot in Power Rankings

Although OCB fell from third to fourth in the latest MLS NEXT Pro power rankings, the Young Lions are solidly in the top five teams in the league. OCB was on a bye last weekend, so not moving too much in the rankings can be expected. While the Young Lions fell 3-2 in their last league game against Inter Miami II, spirits are likely high with the team due to the Orlando City U-18 team’s success in the Generation Adidas Cup. Let’s hope the Young Lions can ride that momentum into Sunday night’s match with New York Red Bulls II.

MLS Deadline Day Transfer News

The MLS transfer deadline day has come and gone and there were some notable moves to catch up on. Real Salt Lake’s deal with Boavista for forward Robert Bozenik reportedly collapsed, but the club still added striker William Agada from Sporting Kansas City in exchange for $500,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money and another $350,000 in GAM if he re-signs. Inter Miami traded winger Robert Taylor to Austin FC in exchange for up to $750,000 in GAM, with only $50,000 of that being conditional. Atlanta United traded winger Xande Silva to St. Louis City SC for up to $250,000 in GAM as well.

The Houston Dynamo also have a new forward, signing Toyosi Olusanya from Scottish club St. Mirren. The New England Revolution traded Noel Buck to the San Jose Earthquakes for up to $650,000 in cold, hard cash, reuniting the 20-year-old with Bruce Arena. Frankie Amaya is back in MLS, joining LAFC on loan from Toluca. As of this writing, Minnesota United are reportedly in hot pursuit of Miami’s Julian Gressel.

Sources: Minnesota United in advanced talks to acquire Julian Gressel from Inter Miami.Nothing done yet. Still details to figure out. Optimism something gets done, but not there yet.

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2025-04-24T00:25:26.971Z

Keeping Up With the Americans Abroad

The race for a place in the English Premier League is heating up in the EFL Championship and Americans are right in the thick of it. Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United have already secured promotion, along with Burnley. Forward Haji Wright has scored 12 goals for Coventry City this season, and his club currently holds the final playoff spot. Midfielder Aidan Morris and Middlesbrough are three points behind, while former Lion Daryl Dike and West Brom will need to win their remaining two matches for a shot at sneaking in.

In Italy, Christian Pulisic started in AC Milan’s 3-0 victory over rival Inter to book a spot in the Italian Cup final on May 14. Fellow American Yunus Musah was an unused substitute. Catarina Macario scored twice and Mia Fishel added a goal as well in Chelsea’s 4-0 win against Crystal Palace, helping their team get ever closer to winning its sixth straight Women’s Super League title.

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That’s it for today’s links! Make sure to stay hydrated out there as we get closer and closer to summer. Have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/23/25

The Orlando Pride drop, OCSC Academy awards, USMNT characters, and more.

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1 day ago

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April 23, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. This weekend we have the most convenient schedule, with the Orlando Pride playing Friday night, Orlando City on Saturday night, and Orlando City B on Sunday night. It’s nice knowing what I’ll be doing each night. Now, I just need all three teams to get back on the winning side of things. Until then, let’s get to the links.

Bad Pride, Good Pride

It might have been the dumbest way to lose a match against the Washington Spirit, but — actually nevermind, there is no “but” about it. We can, however, decide to move forward rather than dwell on it after today. Unsurprisingly, the Pride dropped in the all-knowing power rankings. All for XI only dropped the Pride one spot to No. 2 since everyone has a bad day now and again. The CBS power ranking dropped the team to No. 3. That was the “bad.” The “good” is that we can revisit the puppies that showed up at Inter&Co Stadium. The loss still hurts, but it’s hard to stay mad after looking at the puppies.

The (OCSC) Academy Awards

Assuming you read Lion Links on Monday morning (or listened to The Mane Land PawedCast this week) you know that the Orlando City SC Academy U-18 team won the Generation Adidas Cup. Now we know that three of the very young Lions — Gustavo Caraballo, Jackson Platts, and Justin Ellis — were named to the U18 Best XI. Additionally, Caraballo and Ellis earned MVP and Top Scorer awards, respectively. It was truly the bright spot of an otherwise forgettable weekend.

Pochettino Prepares

The USMNT did not do well in the Concacaf Nations League, falling to Panama and then Canada in the third place match. Now, U.S. Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has to prepare the team for the Gold Cup. Pochettino said that he needs the “right characters” on the squad, whether they are the most talented or not. He also spoke of the need for the players to fight for the badge and the flag. Former USMNT coach Bruce Arena said Pochettino may not be the right man for the job because he’s not an American. The USMNT’s next matches are friendlies against Turkiye and Switzerland on June 7 and June 10, respectively.

MLS Transfer News

The Columbus Crew are making moves. The club received $250,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) from the Houston Dynamo in exchange for a 2025 international roster slot. The club then sent DeJuan Jones to the San Jose Earthquakes for $425,000 in GAM and a 2025 international roster slot. Elsewhere, Sporting Kansas City acquired forward Santiago Muñoz on loan from Liga MX side Santos Laguna.

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That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the full slate of matches coming up.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/22/25

Pedro Gallese earns recognition, Americans in midweek action, English promotion update, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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April 22, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Well it wasn’t the worst weekend that Orlando soccer has ever had, but it certainly wasn’t the best either. Fortunately, all three of Orlando’s teams will be back in action soon, so there’s no need to dwell on the past too much. Let’s take a moment to wish a happy birthday to the Orlando Pride’s Brianna Martinez, as well as to Kaká! Now, it’s time to turn our attention to today’s links.

Pedro Gallese Earns Weekly Recognition

Pedro Gallese kept a third clean sheet in a row and Orlando City’s third clean sheet of the year in the team’s scoreless draw on the road against CF Montreal. In recognition of his efforts during the match, Gallese was named to the bench of the latest edition of the MLS Team of the Matchday. El Pulpo made six saves to blank a Montreal team that intently searched for a breakthrough, and made a couple of truly excellent second half stops that kept the score level. Congrats to Pedro and keep up the good work!

Americans in Midweek Action

A number of Americans will be playing games during the working week, and there are some big matches to keep an eye on. The main event is on Wednesday, when Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan face Inter Milan in the second leg of the Coppa Italia semifinal, which is tied 1-1 after the first leg. Also on Wednesday, Chris Richards, Matt Turner, and Crystal Palace will play Arsenal in the Premier League. Thursday then has Malik Tillman, Richy Ledezma, and PSV Eindhoven playing FC Twente in the Eredivisie, while Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis play Valladolid in La Liga action.

English Promotion Update

Following results in the EFL Championship on Monday, Leeds United and Burnley have both secured promotion to the Premier League for next season. Both teams won their respective games and are each on 94 points, and with just two matches left, third-placed Sheffield United has no way to catch them. The other promoted side will be determined after the promotion playoffs, which would feature Sheffield United, Sunderland, Bristol City, and Coventry City if the season ended today. Meanwhile in League One, Wrexham’s 2-1 victory over Blackpool meant the Dragons retook second place and the automatic promotion spot that comes with it. If they beat Charlton on Sunday and Wycombe Wanderers drop points against Leyton Orient, then Wrexham would secure promotion to the Championship.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

Transfer rumors continue to fly thick and fast as we approach the business end of most European seasons, so let’s take a look at a few items worth catching up on. Manchester United is said to be keen on signing 17-year-old Argentine Franco Mastantuono from River Plate. Liverpool is reportedly interested in signing winger Ademola Lookman from Atalanta, although the Reds would likely face competition from several other Premier League teams. Finally, Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro has revealed that he and Xabi Alonso have a gentleman’s agreement that if a team the Spaniard used to play for is interested in hiring him as its coach, then the club will not hinder the process. The statement has led to renewed speculation that Alonso will be named Real Madrid coach if Carlo Ancelotti leaves in the summer.

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

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