Orlando City vs. New England Revolution: Player Grades and Man of the Match

Major League Soccer can be the worst some times.

Let’s get these grades over with.

Starting XI

GK, Joe Bendik: 7 – Bendik had another good game in goal, forget the two he let in. He made a couple of key saves in the 80th and 84th minutes to preserve the tied scoreline, and knocked away a dangerous corner earlier in the match. No blame can go his way for today’s result.

RB, Kevin Alston: 6 – Alston had a big opportunity to make the starting spot his own in his first start of the season for the Lions with Rafael Ramos out. He had some shaky moments on defense early, but rebounded to help the cause late, and almost put Orlando City ahead on a volley in the 83rd, sending a flick just over the crossbar.

CB, Tommy Redding: 6 – I can’t say Redding had a better game than Hines, but that doesn’t mean he was bad, either. He got pushed off the play on Teal Bunbury goal that opened up the space for Davies to get the ball, but other than that wasn’t a true liability at any noticeable point, although he did have a clearance that was blocked onto the foot of Charlie Davies, which necessitated Bendik’s best save.

CB, Seb Hines: 7 – Seb did far more good than he did bad. He got away with a couple of very close calls inside the penalty area, but defended well, and came up big at key moments, including in the 40th minute when he saved a goal by clearing the ball off the line.

LB, Brek Shea: 7.5 – Brek was quietly good at left back in this one, making a solid defensively effort. We didn’t see him get up the field much, which might have contributed to his more defensive effort.

M, Darwin Ceren: 6.5 – The midfield, more than ever, really missed Cristian Higuita, and while Ceren is a good player, he couldn’t do everything by himself. He got elbowed in the face early on; defended well, but missed some opportunities on offense.

M, Antonio Nocerino: 2 – Nocerino looked like me playing pick-up basketball in gym class: lost. He regained himself near the end before coming off in the 90th minute, but for most of the match — just as has been the case since he arrived in Orlando — he’s looked terrible, not involving himself in the action, and when he does, making careless, sloppy passes. Say what you will about my grade, but he was not good.

M, Adrian Winter: 6 – Adrian was nothing special. He had a pretty quiet game when you really look at it. He was one of the few people that didn’t look awful, so there’s that. Hard to find a moment in the match that really highlighted his afternoon.

M, Kaká: 6.5 – Kaká scored, played like Kaká, distributing well in the second half when Orlando really turned it on, enough to make up for a sloppy first-half performance, when really the entire team was awful.

M, Carlos Rivas: 6.5 – Rivas wasn’t the most threatening player on the field, but he did create some good opportunities down the sidelines, giving New England’s defense problems at times. He’s an explosive player, but leaves a lot to be desired. He did get in a couple of bad shots from distance, though. So there’s that.

F, Julio Baptista: 7.5 – For his first MLS start with Orlando City he played very well. Baptista draw the penalty 15 seconds into the match that put the team up front originally. He created chances, hustled, physically impacted the game, and made his presence felt. He tired at the end, but who didn’t see that coming? Dropped back to the midfield after Larin came on and helped push the attack forward and distributed well to his wide players.

Substitutions

M, Kevin Molino (61′): 8 (MOTM) – He, with Larin, changed the game almost immediately after coming on. He brought life to the Lions’ attack, which hadn’t been seen for much of the afternoon, finding ways to dribble through defenders. He, of course, scored in the 92nd to put Orlando City ahead momentarily. So extra credit for that, even if no one will remember it at the end of the season.

F, Cyle Larin (61′): 7 – The birthday boy didn’t have anything to celebrate in this one. He was dangerous on the attack though, and nearly found the net a couple of times, especially late when a cross from Kaká found him near the far post, before he had a short shot denied.

M, Servando Carrasco (90′): N/A – Aside from being called for the handball that definitely in no way shape or form was a handball, he was disrespected by a national soccer writer who thinks he’s being funny. It’s not funny. Servando is a soccer player and a person in his own right.

That’s it, folks. On to New York. Be sure to vote for your Man of the Match in the poll below.

Polling Closed