Connect with us

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Sporting Kansas City: Player Grades and Man of the Match

Published

10 years ago

on

Orlando City will come home from Kansas City without any points, extending the team’s winless streak to six (0-3-3) after a 2-1 loss to Sporting KC. The Lions are still 6-4-3 against the Western Conference since joining MLS, but that and a couple of dollars still won’t get you much at Starbucks.

The Lions — without Head Coach Adrian Heath, who served his suspension, and minus the suspended Cristian Higuita — were completely outclassed in Kansas City, yielding a sickening 34 shots, and putting none of their own seven attempts on target. Herein I’ll try to grade the individual performances of Orlando City players in the match, although the positives were fewer and farther between than we’d all like.

I’m sure I’ll be blasted for rating players too high today. But I have to rate these players individually, when I think the larger issue was team play. Plus, these are lower than my usual ratings, which somewhat follow the scholastic rating system, where a 9 would be the equivalent of an A, and I’m not sure I’ve given more than one of those…ever. Here we go:

Starters

GK, Joe Bendik, 7 (MotM) -€” Orlando’s goalkeeper made 10 saves and deserved much better support from his teammates than he got. He kept the game level at 0-0- by making a pair of massive saves on Dom Dwyer and Graham Zusi at the end of the first half with Darwin Ceren down injured in his own box, keeping everyone onside. He was relentlessly peppered throughout the match and came close to blocking Dwyer’s tying goal, despite being left to fend off two attackers by his defense. He wins Man of the Match by default, because it was a bad team performance, but he was the brightest spot for Orlando, and he had to be to keep the Lions from being completely embarrassed on the score sheet.

D, Brek Shea, 4 – Cost Orlando a goal in the seventh minute when he went for goal rather than serve a tap-in to Larin. In the 21st minute he sent an aerial cross for Larin instead of keeping it on the ground and the Canadian couldn’t get to it. However, he was the most active attacker for Orlando throughout the first half and only some timely blocks by Tim Melia and his defenders prevented sitters for Lion attackers. Despite his high work rate and ability to get crosses in, he was a liability on the defensive end throughout, getting turned around on one possession by Roger Espinoza and nutmegged by him on another.

D, David Mateos, 5 -€” A mixed day for the Spaniard, who had some uncharacteristic bad moments, such as an easy pass in the 52nd minute that he mishit and it went out of bounds for a cheap turnover. He set up the own-goal with his header back across goal on the corner. Tied with Redding for the team lead in clearances (8). However, he must share some of the blame on both goals. He got caught ball-watching a bit on the Feilhaber scoop pass that led to the first. And on Jacob Peterson’s game-winning goal, he and Tommy Redding both stayed on Dwyer, leaving Ramos to guard two wide players at the back post.

D, Tommy Redding, 5.5 -€” The youngster returned to the lineup and completed all 20 of his passes and had eight clearances, with four interceptions and a blocked shot. He was slow to react to Dwyer’s run on the first Sporting KC goal, allowing the former Lion to get behind him. Redding seems to have a bright future, but as young and inexperienced as he is at this level, you’re bound to see a few of these moments per game.

D, Rafael Ramos, 4.5 -€” Rafa’s best contributions were his two vital blocked shots, which kept the score from being worse than it was. Oh, and he didn’t get booked. He passed at an 81.8% clip. But on the winning goal, when faced with two players to defend on the weak side, Ramos should have been defending from inside-out. So, he should have been on Peterson and took his chances that the ball wouldn’t reach the fullback out wide. Instead, he Peterson have a free run. He was also not alert to Peterson’s run on the Dwyer goal.

MF, Servando Carrasco, 4.5 -€” Led the team with 72 touches and passed at a respectable 85.7% clip, blocked two shots, and had four interceptions, two tackles and two clearances. But his handball just outside the area set up a dangerous free kick and he allowed guys like Zusi, Davis, and Feilhaber too much room to operate and pull strings in front of the Orlando back line.

MF, Darwin Ceren, 4.5 -€”The Salvadoran had a team-high four tackles but no interceptions, completing about 85% of his passes. Kind of a similar game to what Carrasco had, and his grade therefore reflects that. Went down with an injury just before the half and kept the entire population of Kansas City onside by going down where he did. Unfortunately, he had to be stretchered off late in the game with an apparent injury to his left leg.

MF, Antonio Nocerino , 4 – Defended well on the left flank throughout the first half and completed 12 of 17 first-half passes with one key pass. But being pinned in the left defensive corner, defending the wide flank attacker — in this case Saad Abdul-Salaam — prevents Nocerino from giving any kind of support to the attack. Shea was tucked well inside the penalty area often, leaving the Italian as the only wide defense. His three tackles tied for second on the team. Passing rate was just 69%, the lowest among midfielders.

MF, Kaká, 6 – Completed 20 of his 21 first-half passes and had one of Orlando’s two shots in the first 45 minutes, although it was well off target. In the second half, it was a different story, as the Brazilian completed just of eight of 14 after the break and two of his corner kicks went over the end line before coming back in, wasting two valuable set pieces. His one good corner from the left side resulted in Orlando’s only goal, though.

MF, Kevin Molino, 5.5 -€” Kevin completed 81.4% of his passes and was one of the few Lions contributing to the attack, but I can’t overlook that he was also dispossessed a team-high five times. The Trinidadian contributed one shot, one key pass, three tackles and an interception, but he wasn’t the dangerous presence he had been over the last month.

F, Cyle Larin, 4.5 -€” It’s hard to even grade the Canadian International. He had only five first-half touches and only six in the second half before being subbed off for Julio Baptista in the 71st minute. Some of that can be attributed to poor service, but you have to blame some of it on movement and being offside a four times. He lost the ball in his feet on a 1-v-1 with Matt Besler in the 30th minute and failed to get a shot off. In fact, he failed to even attempt a shot.

Substitutes

D, Luke Boden (65′), 6 -€” On what may have been the first of his 12 touches, he sent a cross into the box that earned a corner instead of the penalty that should have been awarded for a clear handball on Zusi. The Lions did capitalize on the corner by scoring on a Jimmy Medranda own-goal. His passing accuracy (75%) was a tad worse than Shea’s (79.5%) but he brought a calmer approach to defending the left flank.

F, Julio Baptista (71′), 4 -€” It’s hard to even grade the Brazilian. He got eight touches in his 19 minutes (plus five minutes of stoppage) but wasn’t able to do much with them, as his passing accuracy was only 60 percent. Like Larin, he didn’t attempt a shot.

MF, Carlos Rivas (86′), N/A -€” Didn’t have a lot of time to make an impact, and had only five touches, but he still came within a couple of feet of being a hero. With his first touch, the Colombian sent a curling shot off the volley that sailed just wide of goal in the 87th minute.

* * *

That’s the way I saw the individual performances at Children’s Mercy Park. Be sure to vote for your Man of the Match below and let’s hope the winless streak stops at six.

Polling Closed

Player Votes
Kaká 11
Kevin Molino 3
Joe Bendik 212
Tommy Redding 6
Other 9
Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/16/26

Orlando City wins friendly, Orlando Pride beaten at home, MLS season returns tonight, and much more.

Published

5 hours ago

on

July 16, 2026

By

Image of Antoine Griezmann and Martin Ojeda celebrating a goal during Orlando City's 2-1 friendly win at FC Dallas.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Justin Glatt

How’s it going, Mane Landers? For those of us in Florida, it looks like some storms could be heading our way this week. While that can be a bit annoying if you have outdoor plans, hopefully it will make some of this oppressive heat a bit more bearable. Both the Orlando Pride and Orlando City B are on the road on Saturday, so we may get to dodge some dreaded weather delays as well. But for now, let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Wins Friendly at FC Dallas

The Lions went to Texas for a friendly against FC Dallas and won 2-1 at Texas Health Mansfield Stadium — home of North Texas SC, FC Dallas’ MLS NEXT Pro side. Antoine Griezmann seems to be settling in nicely with the club, scoring yet again in this friendly after doing so a week ago against the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Martin Ojeda also got on the scoresheet in the first half and you can check out both finishes below.

While I don’t put too much stock in friendlies, it sure does feel better to be on the winning side of them. This was the final tune-up for Orlando before the Lions hit the road for a match against the San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday in their first league game since May.

Orlando Pride Shut Out At Home

The Orlando Pride hosted the Boston Legacy and weren’t able to get a result in a 1-0 loss at Inter&Co Stadium. Barbara Olivieri scored the game’s only goal in the 17th minute to give Boston the lead. Orlando had its chances to equalize but couldn’t manage to put together a finished product in the end. This was Orlando’s third loss to an expansion side this season (0-3-1) as the Pride picked up only one point out of 12 in four matches against Boston and Denver. It’s been a season of inconsistency for the Pride, but hopefully that means they’ll come back stronger in Saturday’s road match against the Utah Royals.

MLS Season Returns Tonight

MLS is back! While the Lions aren’t in action until Wednesday, the season resumes tonight with an exciting slate of games. Many eyes will be on the match between the Chicago Fire and Vancouver Whitecaps, as it could include Robert Lewandowski’s MLS debut. While it’s a brand new team and league for the forward, he’d be going up against a familiar face in former Bayern Munich teammate Thomas Muller, who has helped Vancouver climb to the top of the Western Conference. Other intriguing matchups tonight include a Canadian clash between CF Montreal and Toronto FC and a rivalry game between the Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers. On Friday, Nashville will host Atlanta United before the LA Galaxy and LAFC square off in the latest edition of El Trafico.

Argentina Will Face Spain in World Cup Final

Argentina orchestrated yet another dramatic victory this World Cup, beating England 2-1 to advance to the World Cup final to face Spain. After a scoreless first half, Anthony Gordon gave England the lead in the 55th minute with his first goal of the tournament. England shifted gears and parked the bus to defend its lead, but Enzo Fernandez scored an equalizer in the 85th minute and Lautaro Martinez gave Argentina its winner in stoppage time. Lionel Messi assisted on both goals, and Argentina is now just one game away from winning its second consecutive World Cup. Sunday’s final should be a great match pitting Argentina’s potent offense up against a Spanish defense that has only conceded once all tournament.

Free Kicks

  • Former Lion Alex Freeman was noted as one of many players whose stock likely went up due to their World Cup performance. Hopefully, a solid summer translates to more playing time with Villarreal and an eventual transfer for Orlando City to benefit from due to the sell-on percentage.
  • Duncan McGuire wasted no time scoring for his new team, putting the ball in the back of the net early on in the Houston Dynamo’s 2-1 friendly win against America de Cali.
  • The Galaxy added Finnish forward Robert Taylor as a free agent, signing him to a contract through the end of the year with an option for all of 2027 as well.
  • The Philadelphia Union are reportedly finalizing the return of Kai Wagner, who only just left the Union for Birmingham City in January.
  • The San Jose Earthquakes are reportedly close to signing Australian forward Luka Jovanovic, who scored 11 goals last season for Adelaide United.

🇦🇺 Sources: San Jose Earthquakes are finalizing a deal to sign Australia youth int'l forward Luka Jovanovic from Adelaide UnitedJovanovic, 21, was co-Golden Boot winner of the A-League with 11g/3a in 1,639 mins last season. Joins on a U-22 initiative deal.

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2026-07-15T16:58:50.262Z

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

Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/15/26

Daryl Dike’s potential return, Orlando Pride prepare for Boston, World Cup news, and more.

Published

1 day ago

on

July 15, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Oh boy, do we have some news for you today. Between the Orlando Pride match tonight, the World Cup this afternoon, and some potential big signings, we have a lot to get to. We also want to wish a very happy birthday to Orlando City B goalkeeper Tristan Himes. Now, let’s get to the links.

The Return of Dike(?)

Forget “It’s coming home,” rather he’s coming home! Per Tom Bogert, Daryl Dike is set to return to Orlando City after his multi-year stint with West Bromwich Albion. Dike had a rough go of it in England, mainly due to injuries he sustained. I figure he just needs some Florida sunshine and the team at Orlando Health to help find the form that made him a terror to Orlando City’s opponents.

It also seems that the departure of Marco Pasalic is not a done deal. There has not been an official bid as of yet, and if Orlando City’s valuation isn’t met, then he may be staying. If he stays, he bolsters the attack. If not, well that’s what Dike is coming back to do and it would supply the Lions with plenty of coin to bolster the roster.

Orlando Pride Set for Boston Legacy

The Orlando Pride host expansion side Boston Legacy FC at Inter&Co Stadium tonight. The Pride will look to avenge a 2-1 loss earlier this season in Boston. After defeating the Kansas City Current over the weekend, Seb Hines’ squad will want to keep the home winning streak going. This may be Barbra Banda’s last match before heading out for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations tournament later this month, so take the opportunity to head to the match if you are in the Orlando area.

World Cup News

France was unable to keep things going as Spain defeated Les Bleus 2-0 on Bastille Day. La Roja now wait to see whether Argentina or England will be the opponent in the final. As they have done so many times this World Cup, the Spanish did not allow a goal and did enough offensively to advance. Lamine Yamal earned a penalty that Mikel Oyarzabal slotted home to give Spain a lead in the 22nd minute. Pedro Porro added another in the second half and France was unable to muster any magic.

Later today, England and Argentina square off to see which team will play the Spaniards. The amount of history between these teams at World Cups is enough to make most watch the match. I think the bigger question is which team does Gianni Infantino want to win, and will we see the same shenanigans we’ve seen in previous matches featuring these two teams? Don’t worry, England. I’m sure it’ll be fine.

USMNT Reflections

There’s been a bit of space and time for all of us to process the USMNT’s performance at the World Cup and it isn’t all doom and gloom. None other than Carli Lloyd said that despite the way it ended, it was a successful outing for the U.S. Matt Freese is trying to see the positives even though he made a costly mistake that gave up a goal to Belgium. Folarin Balogun said what I was thinking in that a certain phone call about his red card did affect the USMNT’s nerves heading into the match against Belgium. Lastly, the future could be bright thanks to these five USMNT prospects.

Free Kicks

🇨🇱 Atlanta United has signed Chile int'l defedner Paulo Diaz. Versatile but likely to play center back.Joins on a free transfer after spending years at River Plate. Diaz, 31, has 56 caps for Chile.

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2026-07-14T14:06:23.290Z

That will do it for today. Check back later for our coverage of the Orlando Pride’s match against Boston Legacy FC. You can follow The Mane Land on Bluesky for updates. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/14/26

Marco Pasalic transfer rumor, Marta up for weekly award, MLS transfer roundup, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

July 14, 2026

By

Image of Marta looking for an outlet in action against Kansas City.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone. I write to you from Texas, specifically Dallas, as I was in Austin to see friends over the weekend and decided to pop up the road to take in the energy of the World Cup semifinal that will be played in the city later today. I won’t be attending the game, since I don’t wish to sell one of my kidneys but am looking forward to mingling with some of the fans who have traveled here for it. We’ve got a lot to talk about this morning, so let’s get into the links.

Marco Pasalic Transfer Rumor

There have been some quiet rumblings for awhile now that Marco Pasalic may leave Orlando City during the summer transfer window. We now have a more concrete report regarding a potential departure, as the streets are saying that the winger is set to sign for newly promoted Hull City, with a price tag of at least €7 million.

If the move does come to pass, it would reunite him with manager Sergej Jakirovic, who he briefly played for during his time at HNK Rijeka. Jakirovic also stated in a recent interview that he wants to sign Pasalic, so this is a rumor that could have some legs.

Marta Up for Weekly Honors

The Orlando Pride picked up an excellent win on Friday by knocking off the Kansas City Current 3-0, and Marta has been rewarded for her efforts in the victory with a nomination for the NWSL Player of the Week. The Brazilian legend bagged the team’s first goal shortly after halftime, when she found herself in space well outside the box and unleashed a low left-footed drive into the bottom corner for her 50th goal as a Pride player. For some reason, she was snubbed in the Goal of the Week voting despite her impressive strike, so make sure you go vote for her for Player of the Week!

MLS Transfer Roundup

With the MLS summer transfer window opening on Monday, we’ve got a slew of moves to get caught up on. We begin with confirmation of an item that we covered in Monday’s Links, as Nathan Ordaz has officially moved to D.C. United in exchange for up to $2.875 million. The New England Revolution have extended Matt Turner’s loan from Lyon, with the new deal lasting through December. It also has an option to extend the loan again until December 2027, after which the Revs have a purchase option. Atlanta United has signed Paraguayan center back Junior Alonso on a free transfer, with his deal running through the 2028-2029 season. Finally, Charlotte FC has announced the signing of forward Allan Saint-Maximin as a Designated Player. He will occupy the DP slot vacated by Wilfried Zaha.

USWNT Announces Fall Friendlies

The United States Women’s National Team has announced that it will play a pair of October friendlies against Spain in a matchup of the reigning World Cup champions against the reigning Olympic champions. The USWNT will face the top-ranked team in the world on Oct. 10 at Audi Field in Washington D.C., and again on Oct. 13 at Subaru Park in Chester, PA. The Oct. 10 match will also have a pregame retirement celebration for USWNT defender Crystal Dunn. This will be just the fourth time that the two teams have faced each other, with the U.S. winning two of the three previous meetings. The two friendlies will be the last games that the USWNT plays before beginning World Cup qualifying.

Previewing France vs. Spain

The World Cup semifinals begin today, with France and Spain set to throw down in Dallas. For France, the stars are too many to count, with Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, and Michael Olise all taking turns lighting up both the field and the scoreboard for the team that has made back-to-back appearances in the final. As far as Spain goes, all the focus is on Lamine Yamal, as the young winger has been key to Spain’s success despite scoring just one goal. If Nico Williams is able to start on the opposite wing, the French won’t be able to key so heavily on Yamal, and it could open up more space for him in which to operate. The matchup between the youngster and Lucas Digne will be key, as will the ability of either Mikel Oyarzabal or Ferran Torres to be effective up top for Spain.

Free Kicks

  • Former Lion Daryl Dike is leaving West Bromwich Albion. We know a team that just traded a striker.

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

Continue Reading

Trending