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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls, Round 2: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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9 years ago

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The Lions have been victimized on the counter-attack many times this inaugural Major League Soccer season. So it was highly satisfying to see Orlando City flip the tables and become the clinical team on the rush.

Carlos Rivas and Kaká kept feeding Cyle Larin and the Canadian international kept putting them in the back of the net. The five goals is a new club MLS record for a road game, breaking the old mark of three set at Chicago in June and equaled at New York City FC.

Here are my player grades from Orlando City’s third consecutive victory (feels good to say that):

Starters

GK, Tally Hall, 6.5 – Hall made three saves on the night and couldn’t do much about the two goals allowed, but I thought he had a chance to get to a few more of those aerial balls that became more dangerous than they needed to be as a result of letting them go. Hall still had a fairly good game, but it wasn’t vintage Tally.

D, Luke Boden, 6 – A mixed night for Bodz, who was asked to shift into an unfamiliar position when Seb Hines was stretchered off. Had a bad early turnover at left back in the 21st but Hines bailed him out with a tackle of Lloyd Sam in the box. Completely lost track of Sam on the second goal. Aside from that, it was a hard-fought shift from Boden who was calm on the ball and looked to clear his lines whenever possible.

D, Aurelien Collin, 7 – Big No. 78 had his hands full marking New York’s attack but he did an admirable job. Was very calm and tried to keep the back line organized with Hines early on and later with Boden next to him. It would have been very easy for the makeshift back line to get disorganized but Collin didn’t let that happen. He was a leader in the back, with the most touches, clearances and interceptions of the back four.

D, Seb Hines, 7 – An unfortunately short night for Hines, who was carried off the pitch after New York scored off a set piece. He was caught in a collision between two attackers and went down hard on his shoulder. While on the pitch, Hines was solid and snuffed out a Lloyd Sam attack in the box in the 21st minute after Boden’s turnover. Completed 82% of his passes and had three long balls in his 33 minutes.

D, Rafael Ramos, 7.5 – Four clearances, three blocked shots and two interceptions for Rafa, who kept Mike Grella relatively quiet and held his ground when one-on-one out wide. Used his speed well defensively. A few misplaced passes and a lack of offensive threat keep his score from being even higher.

MF, Cristian Higuita, 8 – Showed incredible hustle after having a shot blocked in the 43rd minute, tracking all the way back to help with a tackle just above his own penalty area to start the sequence that resulted in Cyle Larin’s second goal. Will unfortunately miss the Montreal match after picking up a yellow card on a mis-timed tackle attempt from behind Sacha Kljestan in the 28th. Higuita just continues to impress, with four tackles, two interceptions and two clearances to go with 92.1% passing accuracy. Drew a game-high five fouls.

MF, Darwin Ceren, 7.5 – The El Salvadoran was all over the pitch. He got on the ball everywhere, making a team-high 51 passes and completing 86% of them. Three interceptions and three clearances. I may be being picky, but I deducted half a point for a number of late decisions that kept him from either completing a pass or intercepting one. Could just be a matter of getting his timing back after being out, but a solid night.

MF/LB, Brek Shea, 7 – Three games and three wins since Shea returned. Was forced to reprise his role at left back after Hines was subbed out for Carlos Rivas. Tied Collin with a team-high five interceptions with two clearances and a blocked shot. Started the play that resulted in Cyle Larin’s third goal with a gorgeous outlet to Rivas. Helped Orlando withstand a lot of pressure from Sam and Shaun Wright-Phillips.

MF, Kaká, 7.5 – The captain’s return was a good one. Aside from missing the net with his shot attempts (none of the four found the target), it was a solid game. Showed great hustle and leadership and was more active defensively than we’ve seen in awhile. Led the team with 94% passing accuracy and had a team-high five key passes, adding two assists — including a perfect service to Larin for the game’s first goal and a touch pass to Bryan Rochez for the final tally.

MF, Lewis Neal, 5.5 – Another typical Lewis Neal outing. Was a step slow to break up some of New York’s midfield play and didn’t do much terribly dangerous on the offensive end, although he did put himself in a good spot in the 48th for a Cyle Larin cross but a deflection allowed Robles to collect it.

F, Cyle Larin, 8.5 (MOTM) – The Canadian scored a hat trick and forced a Damien Perrinelle own-goal with his presence. Three shots, three goals. That’s clinical finishing and he mostly made the right runs with the exception of one time with Kaká leading the break. Didn’t seem to have the rubber legs of the last match. Was a difference maker, completing 83% of his passes, made two key passes…oh, and set the MLS rookie goal scoring mark in style, becoming the first player in league history to net two hat tricks his rookie year.

Substitutes

LW, Carlos Rivas (34′), 8 – It wasn’t a perfect night for the Colombian, who finished the night with two brilliant assists plus the cross that forced the own goal by Damien Perrinelle. He was a deadly force on Orlando City’s counter attack, but he continues to rush his shots (shooting from too far away on one occasion when he could have been in all alone on Luis Robles) or right at the goalkeeper. He also made a few rash challenges and had at least one cheap giveaway. Still, he was such a menace offensively that we’ll forgive that tonight.

MF, Adrian Winter (65′), 5.5 – It was a tough 25 or so minutes for Winter, who squibbed a shot well high and played a few passes too late and got them intercepted as a result. Still, he worked hard during his shift and generally got in the way defensively as New York looked for a way back into the match.

MF, Bryan Rochez (76′), 8 – What an eventful 14 minutes for the Honduran U-20 star. Rochez came on and immediately got involved, getting behind Matt Miazga in the 77th and forcing the Red Bulls defender to grab him from behind, earning him a second yellow and a sending off. Was active in the counter attack and finished calmly in the 93rd minute to extend his goal-scoring streak to three games.

Polling Closed

Player Votes
Brek Shea 16
Carlos Rivas 36
Kaká 25
Cyle Larin 162
Cristian Higuita 11
Darwin Ceren 9
Aurelien Collin 11
Other (tell us who in the comments section) 1
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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. FC Cincinnati: Three Keys to Victory

What does Orlando City need to do to ensure a victory over FC Cincinnati Saturday at home?

Published

6 hours ago

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May 2, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City looks to bounce back from the disappointing 2-1 loss to Toronto FC Saturday night at Inter&Co Stadium. Cincinnati has twice as many points as Orlando City and more than twice as many wins. FCC has only scored one more goal than Orlando City, but with only nine goals conceded compared to Orlando City’s 17, it’s easy to see why Cincinnati is sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference.

What I’m trying to say is that the task doesn’t get any easier this weekend. What does Orlando City need to do to secure all three points at home against FC Cincinnati?

Accost Acosta

Cincinnati’s attack revolves around Luciano Acosta. The attacking midfielder has four goals and five assists so far this season. To put that into perspective, Duncan McGuire — Orlando City’s leading scorer — also has four goals but only one assist. If we look at the Lions’ attacking midfielders, Facundo Torres has one goal and one assist, Ivan Angulo and Nico Lodeiro both have one goal and two assists, and Martin Ojeda has zero goals and only one assist. Luis Muriel is still at double zeroes.

The defensive midfield and the back line must do everything possible to mark him out of the match. It’s not enough to keep him from scoring, they must also keep him from setting up chances for his teammates. Most importantly, the defense must do that for 90 minutes plus stoppage time. There is no room for the mental lapses we’ve seen throughout the first part of this season.

Break Through

Cincinnati is stingy on defense. As I mentioned above, the club has only allowed nine goals this season. The back line is formidable with the likes of Matt Miazga, Miles Robinson, and Ian Murphy. On the wings are DeAndre Yedlin and Luca Orellano. This is a tough defense, and whether it is McGuire or Muriel who gets the start, they must find the spaces in between.

Just as importantly, Torres, Angulo, Ojeda, and Lodeiro — depending on who is in at any given moment — must be able to thread the passes in for McGuire, Muriel, or each other to create quality chances. On top of that, the Lions must convert on those chances, which is not something that has been a strength so far this season. If the Orlando City defense continues to give up cheap goals, then the offense will need to one-up the competition when it comes to scoring.

Deal with an Unknown

FC Cincinnati recently signed Venezuelan forward Kevin Kelsy from Ukrainian Premier League club Shakhtar Donetsk. Kelsy comes in as an MLS U22 Initiative player and is eligible to play against Orlando City. Even though Kelsy is only 19, he has 68 professional appearances, including UEFA Champions Leagues matches. At 6-foot-3, he can be a challenge for defenders, especially in the air.

Kelsy hasn’t had much time with the team, but he could be a second-half substitution for Cincinnati. Given that Orlando City just gave up two late headers against Toronto FC, the back line will need to be careful that Kelsy doesn’t hurt the Lions in the same manner — especially if he comes on late when legs and minds are tired.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/2/24

The Pride win big, OCSC celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month, USMNT news, and more.

Published

9 hours ago

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May 2, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

It’s Thursday, Mane Landers. Of course, the name Thursday comes from Thor’s day, and as such, it isn’t a big leap for us to consider it Thorhallsson’s day. Though I suppose that is a bit of a mouthful, so we’ll just keep things the way they are, but do hold Dagur Dan close to your heart today. Also, let us wish a happy birthday to the Orlando Pride’s Luana. Despite the devastating news that dropped about her health earlier this week, we hope that her spirits are high and we wish her nothing but happiness today. It’s also Dagur Dan Thorhallsson’s birthday today, so we’re celebrating him as well. Let’s get to the links.

The Pride Dominate the Courage

The Orlando Pride defeated the North Carolina Courage 4-1 in a midweek match at Inter&Co Stadium. The Pride did indeed dominate the Courage as much as the score line indicates. It was once again the Barbra Banda show, with the Pride’s newest player contributing a brace and an assist on the night. It is the Pride’s fourth straight victory and the undefeated run continues.

OCSC Celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month

Orlando City and the Orlando Pride are doing their part this May to observe Mental Health Awareness Month. The club is sponsoring and attending events and forums available to the general public, as well as holding club staff workshops around promoting mental health. I have to say my favorite is the therapy dogs visits that will be available to the staff. There’s nothing as good for my personal mental health as the joy and unconditional love a dog can bring. If I didn’t have dogs of my own, I’d be really jealous.

The Billionaires Clubs

Orlando City and Orlando Pride owners, the Wilf family, are not the only billionaire owners in the NWSL. There are more and more owners and ownership groups that fall into that category. The influx of more money is a growth opportunity for the league and potentially for those owners. It’s a bit of a “rising tide lifts all boats” mentality for these owners as they do better when the league as a whole does better. It’s not just the owners who think so. The NWSL was ranked No. 5 on the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2024. I’m just glad the Pride are in the club.

USMNT News

I hate starting off a section with bad news, but Sergino Dest tore his ACL in training with PSV Eindhoven and will miss the Copa America. Dest will require surgery though there is no time frame yet for when he may return. The loss of Dest is a blow to the U.S. defense heading into the competition this coming June. The USMNT plays Bolivia on June 23.

In better news, Tim Weah provided the assist for Juventus on Arkadiusz Milik’s goal against Lazio. Juventus entered the second leg of the Copa Italia semifinal up 2-0, but Lazio drew level before Milik’s goal. Juventus advanced 3-2 on aggregate and will play in the final.

Free Kicks

That will do it for today. There’s plenty more soccer to come this weekend with all three teams playing. Check back for more as we get you ready for those matches. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/1/24

Mason Stajduhar was arrested, Orlando Pride play at home tonight, Colin Guske discusses his signing, and more.

Published

1 day ago

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May 1, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday and welcome to May, Mane Landers. Don’t forget that the undefeated Orlando Pride are in action tonight, so check back for our match preview and the latest episode of SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride PawedCast for additional pre-match coverage. In the meantime, let’s get to the links.

Mason Stajduhar Arrested Early Sunday

Orlando City goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar and his wife Tatiana Stajduhar were both arrested on disorderly conduct charges following an incident at a nightclub overnight Saturday in the early hours of Sunday morning. The couple were reportedly disrespectful to the club’s staff and got into an altercation with the security guards. Mason stated he was only resisting the security guards to re-enter the club because the bouncers allegedly hit his wife. Tatiana allegedly pushed the police officers after they arrived, and she was not charged with battery on a law enforcement officer. The couple were released Monday after posting a bond. Orlando City provided the following statement to WESH 2 News:

“The Club is aware that goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar was arrested early Sunday morning. We are currently gathering more information and will have no further comment at this time.”

Orlando Pride Host the North Carolina Courage Tonight

After a 3-2 win on the road last Friday against the Washington Spirit, the Orlando Pride are back in the City Beautiful and will take on the North Carolina Courage tonight. Unbeaten in their six games so far this season, the Pride have also won their past three games and sit fourth in the standings. They’re tied on points with a Courage team that beat the Seattle Reign Saturday. Orlando has scored at least one goal in every match this season. Forward Barbra Banda had a great performance in that win against the Spirit, so hopefully the scoring trend continues tonight for the Pride.

Orlando City/Pride Earn Golden Brick Awards

Have you enjoyed the new food options at the stadium? I know I have, and I’m looking forward to trying even more. The efforts made by Orlando City’s front office to feature more local food and beverage options did not go unnoticed, as the club won the Hospitality & Dining category in the Downtown Orlando Partnership’s 2023 Golden Brick Awards. The Orlando Pride’s 2023 Highway Woman Kit also won the award in the Arts & Culture category. The home jersey was inspired by the work of Mary Ann Carroll, the sole woman in the famed Highwaymen artists from decades ago.

Colin Guske Speaks On Signing First Pro Contract

Orlando City Development Academy player Colin Guske signed his first professional contract with the club last month and spoke on the importance of this moment in his career. The 17-year-old is now on an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Orlando City B, and he has started in nearly every game for the Young Lions this year. Both of Guske’s brothers have also played for Orlando City’s academy over the years, and he thanked his family for helping him reach this point.

“It’s awesome to represent the Guskes,” Colin said. “Thanks to my brothers for always pushing me through early mornings and late nights, always putting in the work, doing video sessions, everything. My sister as well, for always being there for me and my parents, too. They’re always helping me and what was the best for me.”

Free Kicks

  • Enjoy all of the sights and sounds from the Pride’s big win over the Spirit in the nation’s capital.
  • The Champions League semifinals are underway and Real Madrid and Bayern Munich played to a 2-2 draw in Germany. The second leg will take place on May 8 in Madrid.

That will do it for today. If you can make it out to the stadium tonight to catch the Pride in action, I strongly suggest you do so. Barbra Banda is about to take the NWSL by storm and you’ll want to see it in person. Vamos Orlando!

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