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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Philadelphia Union: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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9 years ago

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Orlando City’s season is over, as is the five-game winning streak the club took to Philadelphia with them. They return empty-handed and it’s no consolation that the Lions didn’t get the result they needed from New York City FC game either.

The Lions turned in a rather tame performance, weathering the typical early storm but never responding with any biting attack of their own. A frustrating evening of officiating couldn’t have helped, but the fact is Orlando City wasn’t good enough on this night and somehow failed to register a single goal in two meetings with one of the league’s worst defensive teams. No one else has had any trouble scoring against the Philadelphia Union but for some reason Orlando could not find the net.

Chris Penso’s officiating was, well, interesting at times. For example, who gives two minutes of stoppage in a second half that saw Fabinho lay on the pitch injured for about four minutes in the final 10 minutes of the match? Penso came in with a reputation for being quick to go to the pocket, and was giving a red card every three matches. But I don’t think anyone saw eight yellows, a sending off and a penalty all being piled on Orlando’s dinner plate of woes.

“I was disappointed with the sending off, disappointed at some of the things we did, some of it was a bit silly,” said Head Coach Adrian Heath after the match. “I’m at a loss about the referee’s performance. I really am. I’m at a loss with it. I don’t want to say anymore, I don’t want to say anything about him.”

That’s probably smart because Don Garber is quick to issue those fines if you dare criticize those beyond-reproach PRO referees.

Here are my player grades from a really stupid game that should never be spoken of again:

Starters

GK, Josh Ford, 8.5 (MOTM) – Making his first MLS start, Ford was outstanding. He came up with several big stops early, including a pair of early back-to-back saves and a tap to push a shot off the right post. He did a nice job cutting off crosses and with his general positioning all night. He couldn’t do much about the penalty in the 41st minute and deserved a better fate than a 1-0 loss in his first league start.

D, Luke Boden, 7 – A good, solid outing for Bodz, but nothing too spectacular. Got forward when he could and his crosses were decent but nothing really stood out as exceptional. His corner in first-half stoppage time was plenty dangerous, but the deflection it took went straight to Philadelphia goalkeeper Andre Blake.

D, Aurelien Collin, 8 – Solid night for the big Frenchman, who did well in the air, per usual. Just about had a goal in the 37th minute off a corner kick but the whistle blew as the ball went in due to Seb Hines colliding with Blake. Made a few vital challenges in the box and was his usual stalwart self.

D, Seb Hines, 8 – Good night for Seb, who worked his tail off. Did bump the keeper which may have cost the team a goal, but it wasn’t intentional, as he was attacking the ball in the air. Got a bit out of position a few times but always seemed able to make up for it. Along with Collin, Hines did a good job of defending crosses and corners. Won a game-high six aerials. The team didn’t play well as a whole, but the center backs had a good night overall.

D, Brek Shea, 6 – Shoehorned into the right back slot once too often, apparently. Shea never looked comfortable crossing the ball with his weaker foot and was eventually replaced by Rafael Ramos, moving forward to take Adrian Winter’s spot at midfield for awhile. He got caught forward a few times and was forced into a jersey tug that earned him a yellow card. Just generally never affected the game from right back or midfield and was subbed off in the 75th minute.

MF, Cristian Higuita, 5.5 – Higuita drew five Philadelphia fouls. Unfortunately, he committed six of his own, two of which drew yellow cards. He was also responsible for the foul in the box that resulted in Sebastien Le Toux’s penalty, and, therefore, the only goal of the game. It was just a little nudge, but it was also unnecessary. All the breakup play and solid passing in the world means nothing if you can’t stay on the pitch or allow the other team scoring opportunities.

MF, Darwin Ceren, 6.5 – Wasn’t quite as sharp as his normal self on this night. Completed 87.5% of his passes and provided two accurate crosses and six of eight accurate long balls, with a team-high 62 passes. That part was fine, but he seemed a bit off with his positioning or a step slow on this night and that led to six fouls committed and one of Orlando City’s eight yellow cards. Didn’t draw a single foul or take any shots.

MF, Carlos Rivas, 6 – The Colombian didn’t have one of his best nights. Only one of his seven crosses was accurate and he continually was careless in his passing, knocking the ball off opponents’ shins time after time. Completed just 69% of his passes. Only one of his four shots was on target and that one went straight at the goalkeeper on a chance he really should have buried. Did have two key passes but wasn’t his usual dangerous self, drawing only one foul.

MF, Kaká, 6.5 – The captain didn’t get a lot of help on this night. He was sometimes playing chess while his teammates played checkers, not giving him the right movement he either expected or wanted. Hit 84% of his passes and a shot on target, but had trouble getting the ball in dangerous areas.

MF, Adrian Winter, 5.5 – Had one shot on target, one cross and one key pass. The Swiss had a low passing rate (66.7%) and stayed behind Kaká on a counter attack, earning a scolding from the Brazilian for not using his movement to open up space. Ironically, he did end up getting his shot on goal out of that sequence. Disappeared for stretches and was subbed off in the 61st when Ramos came in at right back, bumping Shea up to the midfield.

F, Cyle Larin, 6 – A quiet night for the Canadian international, who tallied one shot, but it wasn’t on frame. He made only 19 passes on the evening, his first touch was a tad heavy at times, and he had trouble in hold-up play. While it’s true he didn’t get a lot of help and was often isolated, and that he didn’t get the service off the wings that he’s gotten in recent weeks, this is one of those matches where you remember that for all the good Kid Fantastic did this season, he was still playing in his rookie season. I can’t say why Bryan Rochez wasn’t in the 18, but his absence (muscle strain) was missed, as there was no clear like-for-like substitute available.

Substitutes

D, Rafael Ramos (61′), 6 – Rafa’s insertion into the game changed the dynamic immediately but the Lions couldn’t take an advantage. Made two key passes and completed 88.2% of his passes, but also earned a yellow card with his petulance after being called for a foul. It was a frustrating night for everyone and it wasn’t the only challenge Orlando City got whistled for that didn’t appear to be a foul, but by now he should know by now to keep his anger in check.

F, Pedro Ribeiroz (75′), 7.5 – Came on for Shea and did some good things. Completed all eight of his passes and did well with the ball in tight spaces. Got two shots off, with one forcing a good save from Blake. Generally made the most of his 15 minutes, plus the two paltry minutes of stoppage time that Chris Penso allowed.

Those are my player ratings. Vote below for your Orlando City Man of the Match.

Polling Closed

Player Votes
Seb Hines 0
Aurelien Collin 7
Josh Ford 49
Darwin Ceren 1
Other (tell us who in the comments section below) 1
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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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