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

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9 years ago

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The tale of two halves. Orlando City got off to a slow start but responded well only to let the three points get away.

Here are the grades.

Starting XI

GK, Joe Bendik, 6.5 – He can’t be the hero every match. One bad clearance with his weak foot that led to a Union chance. The second goal he does well on the end line cross but puts the deflection in the dangerous area in front of goal. The save is a tough one but his back line wasn’t there to help him. Bendik responded with a big save to keep it 2-2 in the 80th minute on Herbers and again on a set piece.

RB, Kevin Alston, 6 – Decent first half. Made some good overlapping runs into dangerous spaces. The final ball was a little off tonight for Kevin. His fitness was an issue in the late minutes of the match, however, his defending was adequate and he wasn’t a liability on crosses.

CB, Tommy Redding, 7.5 – Solid match from the young center back, not much to complain about. He had a couple of fouls but nothing in a dangerous area. He had a few turnovers but recovered nicely from them. Played C.J. Sapong very physically and kept the Philadelphia striker quiet for the night. He and the whole back four were ball watching on the second goal.

CB, David Mateos, 4.5 – No one encompasses the tale of two halves more than Mateos. Had a great early clearance on a near post ball early in the first half. In the second half he started a counter by a well-timed tackle, but things turned sour when he lost Barnetta on his goal. Moments later, he had a bad foul that led to the dangerous set piece, and later on got away with a penalty in the 61st minute. The missed penalty caught up with him as he was sent off on a questionable call in stoppage time.

LB, Brek Shea, 4.5- Another match, another mediocre performance from the left back. Shea’s first touch left something to be desired. His sloppy touch led to an unnecessary corner that resulted in the second Union goal. He will continue to be this team’s left back as he does have his small moments of brilliance.

MF, Servando Carrasco, 6 – As the game went, so did Carrasco. The game ebbed and flowed and Carrasco’s play did as well. He was formidable in the defensive midfield, winning balls, but lost his cool later on in the match. He did well to occupy the space and keep the central midfield organized.

MF, Cristian Higuita, 5 – Above average defending and composure throughout the most of the night from Higuita. He had his one meltdown a game in the 89th minute as his yellow card will mean he will miss the New York City FC match. Higuita was a ball-winning machine in the defensive midfield. The problem with being a ball-winning machine is that when he did have the ball, he wasn’t doing well distributing it to his own team.

MF, Carlos Rivas, 2 – I am being terribly generous here. Rivas never seemed to be on the same page with anyone tonight. Lots of turnovers and his first touch was lacking. His foul set up the free kick on which Barnetta scored. His one moment in the 34th minute came when he helped to set up the Kaká PK. That really was it from the young Colombian. Adrian Heath had seen enough when he got an undisciplined yellow card. This will be a night Rivas will want to forget.

MF, Adrian Winter, 6 – An industrious 67 minutes from the midfielder tonight. Winter did his job like he does most nights — he possessed the ball well and made good runs between the midfield and the back line of Philadelphia. He wasn’t able to create many opportunities but sometimes keeping the ball and not turning the ball over is what this team needs.

MF, Kaká, 6.5 – Looked to get off to a weak start. The scouting report on his penalty taking ability caught up to him as he put the PK to the keeper’s right, and Andre Blake made the save. He became a different player with the addition of Molino and Baptista into the match. He had the worst passing percentage of the team tonight, which could be a result of his fitness in the final moments. Kaká played a part in both goals tonight with his services, so all was not bad for the captain.

F, Cyle Larin, 6.5 – Larin was pretty pedestrian in the first half. He was mostly an asset in defending, as he was key to breaking up Philly’s 54th-minute set piece. The Canadian international did well to hold balls through out the match. Finished the one chance that he was given and that is what you want from your starting striker.

Substitutions

MF, Julio Baptista (67′) 5 – Had a good chance off a cross that looked to be deflected wide. Baptista made some dangerous runs in the final third. His chemistry with Kaká and Molino helped to change the match.

MF, Kevin Molino (67′) 8.5 (MOTM) – His entrance to the game marked a turning point for Orlando as he brought the spark to the match. One of his first touches of the game, he finds the back of the net. I think that he would like the shot back in the 86′ minute that sailed over the bar. Aside from that it was a solid night for the Trinidadian and he really put Adrian Heath in a position to include him in the starting XI on Sunday.

FW, Hadji Barry (84′) N/A – Change of pace that was well needed as Larin started to run out of gas. His pace helped to set up a good opportunity late. Heath described him “as a little bit of an enigma still” which I couldn’t agree with more.

Lots of formidable play tonight from Orlando City to get the 2-2 draw and keep the unbeaten streak at Camping World Stadium in 2016. Let us know who you think is the Man of the Match and where your favorite Lion stacks up.

Polling Closed

Player Votes
Cyle Larin 6
Kaka 19
Kevin Molino 130
Tommy Redding 41
Joe Bendik 24
Other 9
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Lion Links: 6/5/25

MLS All-Star voting update, Kerry Abello shines with USWNT, Sergio Zapata earns recognition, and more.

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5 hours ago

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June 5, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this week has been treating you well as we enjoy some international soccer and prepare for the return of NWSL action this weekend. Before we jump right into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City B midfielder Dylan Judelson!

Pair of Lions Lead MLS All-Star Voting

Voting for this year’s MLS All-Star Game remains underway and an update was provided on which players are leading at each position. Orlando City defender Alex Freeman leads all right backs as he enjoys a breakout season. I was aware of the buzz he’s been getting this year, but it’s still surprising to see a Lion as an All-Star frontrunner. What’s even more surprising is that Pedro Gallese leads the voting for goalkeepers. The Peruvian made a rough gaffe last week, but has otherwise had a stellar season with Orlando that’s included seven clean sheets. Voting will close on June 11, so make sure to get those votes in before then.

Kerry Abello Impresses With USMNT

Orlando Pride defender Kerry Abello made her first appearance for the United States Women’s National Team Tuesday, playing every minute of the 4-0 win over Jamaica. The versatility she’s shown with the Pride translated well in Head Coach Emma Hayes’ system, as she was able to hold things down defensively and contribute to the attack as well. Abello could end up bringing solid depth to the USWNT as Hayes figures out the team’s future core of players. Enjoy this video from the USWNT that provides a look behind the scenes of Abello’s international debut.

Sergio Zapata Named Player of the Month

Sergio Zapata scored a whopping 11 goals for Orlando City’s U-19 team over the course of just four matches in May, winning the honor of MLS NEXT Player of the Month. He had three hat tricks last month, including one against Hoosier Premier at MLS NEXT Fest. Zapata committed to Cornell, so hopefully we’ll get to see him tear it up in the Ivy League over the next couple of years.

Zack Steffen Sustains Knee Injury

Goalkeeper Zack Steffen injured his knee at the United States Men’s National Team’s training camp and will reportedly miss this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup. It’s rough news for the 30-year-old, as he was expected to compete with Matt Turner for the starting job with the USMNT. He’s been having a great season with the Colorado Rapids and returned to the club for further evaluation on the injury.

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That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

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Lion Links: 6/4/25

USWNT wins as Abello gets first cap, Orlando Pride’s Concacaf W Champions Cup draw, Club World Cup in Orlando, and more.

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1 day ago

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June 4, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Tuesday was a busy soccer day, especially on the women’s side. We have plenty of Orlando Pride news, and the USWNT secured yet another victory. I’m hoping the good vibes continue since I’ll be coming down to Orlando for the Pride’s match this Saturday. If you’re going to the match, let me know, as I’d love to meet as many of our readers as possible. For now, let’s get to the links.

USWNT Blanks Jamaica

The USWNT defeated Jamaica 4-0 in a friendly at Energizer Park in St. Louis. The Orlando Pride’s Kerry Abello got her first start and her first cap in the match. She went the full 90 minutes and almost had her first international goal in the second half, but the chance went a bit wide of the right post. Ally Sentnor and Lynn Biyendolo each scored a brace as the U.S. rolled to an easy win.

Pride Internationals

Abello wasn’t the only Pride player to make an international appearance. Marta returned to international duty for Brazil getting the start and the captain’s armband in a 2-1 win over Japan. Both Grace Chanda and Barbra Banda started for Zambia in the 2-0 loss to South Africa in the Three Nations Challenge. Congratulations are also due to Zara Chavoshi, who earned her first cap with the Canadian Women’s National Team in the match against Haiti.

Concacaf W Champions Cup Draw

The Concacaf W Champions Cup draw happened yesterday and the Orlando Pride are in Group A with Club America Femenil, CF Pachuca Femenil, LD Alajuelense, and Chorrillo FC. Group B consists of NJ/NY Gotham FC, the Washington Spirit, CF Monterrey Femenil, Vancouver Rise FC Academy, and Alianza Women FC. The competition kicks off Aug. 19-21.

FIFA Loves Orlando

FIFA President Gianni Infantino sat for an interview with Jamie Seh of WKMG Orlando. Infantino spoke about the upcoming Club World Cup matches at Inter&Co Stadium and Camping World Stadium. FIFA loves Orlando enough for the city to host the Club World Cup, but not the actual World Cup. Here is the schedule for the matches in Orlando. We will be bringing you coverage of these matches.

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That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the return of the Orlando Pride this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 6/3/25

Orlando City B announces signings, details of Concacaf W Champions Cup, UEFA Nations League preview, and more.

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2 days ago

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June 3, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Good morning, everyone. It’s been a pretty brutal last two games for Orlando City, there’s no getting around that fact. While it’s never fun to not have the team in action, a two-week break between games maybe isn’t the worst thing in this particular case. Even though it’ll be a minute before the Lions are back in action, we still have plenty of things to talk about, so let’s get into today’s links.

Orlando City B Announces Signings

Orlando City B announced on Monday that it has signed Clovis Archange and Jackson Platts to MLS NEXT Pro contracts. The pair are graduates of the Orlando City Development Academy and were part of the team that won the U-18 Generation Adidas Cup earlier this year. The 18-year-old Platts captained the team in the final, while Archange was named as one of the players to watch before the tournament started. They’ve both featured for their countries at the youth level, with Platts appearing for the United States U-16 and U-18 teams, and Archange suiting up for Canada’s U-17 side. Congratulations to both players!

Concacaf Announces W Champions Cup Details

Concacaf has named the 10 teams that will participate 2025-2026 Concacaf W Champions Cup and has announced the pots for tonight’s draw. The Orlando Pride are one of three American teams participating in the second year of the competition, and have been placed into Pot 2. Teams will be divided into two groups of five, with each team facing every club in its group once, and the top two sides from each group then advancing to the semifinals. The winner gets a spot in the 2027 FIFA Women’s Champions Cup, and the FIFA Women’s Club World Cup, which is set to be held for the first time in 2028. The draw takes place tonight at 8 p.m.

UEFA Nations League Preview

The UEFA Nations League returns this week, with the semifinals set for tomorrow and Thursday, and the third-place game and final taking place on Sunday. Things get started on Wednesday afternoon with Germany facing off against Portugal in Munich. Germany put away Italy 5-4 on aggregate in the quarterfinals to get to the semis for the first time, while Portugal beat Denmark 5-2, and is hunting for its second Nations League trophy. Thursday has Spain taking on France in Stuttgart. The Spanish beat the Netherlands on penalties in the semis to get here, while France took out Croatia on penalties to punch its ticket. There’s plenty of recent history in this one as these teams also met in the semifinals of Euro 2024 last year, with Spain claiming a 2-1 win.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

The transfer rumor mill has kicked into full swing, so let’s catch up on some of the big talking points. Starting in England, Manchester United has reportedly increased its interest in Brian Mbuemo, with the Brentford forward said to also be interested in moving to the club. There are said to be a number of Premier League teams interested in signing Southampton midfielder Tyler Dibling after his team was relegated to the Championship this season. Jobe Bellingham will reportedly follow in his brother Jude’s footsteps, as he’s reportedly decided to join Borussia Dortmund. Finally, Inter Milan is reportedly interested in signing Marcus Rashford as the Italians look to rebuild the squad following a brutal defeat in the UEFA Champions League final.

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  • Here’s a first look at Alex Freeman in his USMNT kit:

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

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