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Orlando City vs. San Jose Earthquakes: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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9 years ago

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Orlando City came out with pride and the supporters were treated to an excellent effort with a gut-wrenching result. The team gave it their all tonight and that needs to be applauded. Many of the players laid down on the field after emotionally and physically giving their fullest effort.

The fans and community at Camping World Stadium tonight were the true players of the game. Here are our player grades and Man of the Match:

Starters

G, Joe Bendik, 6.5 – Made some big saves when he needed to. Nothing he could do on the Earthquake goals. He did his job tonight. This is the life of goalkeeper — do everything in your power to keep the ball out of the net and sometimes it just doesn’t go your way.

D, Kevin Alston, 5 – Slightly below average night for him. Alston looked at fault for the Chad Barrett goal in the 85th minute. His crosses seemed off and looks like the two games in the week caught up to him tonight. He was arguably Orlando City’s worst player on the field tonight not counting one of the subs.

D, Tommy Redding, 5.5 – It wasn’t his best night but it wasn’t a nightmare. Tommy was in good position for most of the match and did well to run down Quincy Amarikwa and kept him to a quiet night. Another player who looked gassed in final moments when Orlando City needed to finish off the match.

D, Seb Hines, 7 (MOTM) – Seb had his best game since preseason. Hines had a golden opportunity on a Boden corner kick in the 31st minute that he sent over. However, he was was able to redeem him self in the 66th minute with a headed goal off a Winter corner kick. He defended well and although this was a team performance he gets our Man of the Match by the smallest of margins.

D, Luke Boden, 7 – He was dangerous on the flank and he was making runs all night long for Orlando City. Boden’s services both from corner kicks and the outside were challenging the San Jose back line. Luke defended well and was the best player who played tonight and also played on Wednesday night.

M, Adrian Winter, 6.5 – Winter again was the workhorse tonight, running down balls and winning possession for Orlando City. Winter missed a great opportunity in the 36th minute when he was one-on-one with Earthquakes goalkeeper David Bingham, only to send it over the bar. Winter’s service was on point in the 66th minute when his corner found Hines on the goal.

M, Servando Carrasco, 6.5 – Carrasco had an excellent strike in the 56th minute that Bingham made an excellent save on in traffic. He possessed the play well and was in hard on tackles. He was at the wrong place at the wrong time when he tried to get his foot to clear a ball at the end, which deflected right to Salinas for the tying goal.

M, Cristian Higuita, 6.5 – Higuita connected most of the attack in the first 45 for Orlando City. He obtained his normal yellow card in the 69th minute. Connected on most of his passes tonight and did well with Molino to facilitate the possession in Kaká’s absence.

M/D, Brek Shea, 5.5 – Brek had some dangerous runs in the first half but wasn’t able to connect some of his passes. He looked more at home on the wing. Brek had a chance to clear a ball that could have ended the game, but he wasn’t able to get enough on it and San Jose was able to push forward one final time. Shea was gutted after the match as he and the team really wanted the three points.

M, Kevin Molino, 6.5 – Molino was all over the pitch tonight trying to fill the number 10 role. There were streaks where he was connecting the dots and creating in the attack and other times his first touch failed him. Molino was in the middle of it all as he drew multiple yellow cards. He could have put the game out of reach on the breakaway in the second half only to be chased down by Marvell Wynne.

F, Cyle Larin, 6.5 – Cyle’s blue collar work tonight might have gone unnoticed until 65th minute when he applied some pressure to a San Jose defender and forced a corner kick that helped to set up the Hines goal. Larin had some great runs that extended the San Jose back line. A couple of dangerous chances that he wasn’t able cash in on, though.

Substitutes

M, Julio Baptista (62′), 7 – World class touch and turn by the Brazilian in stoppage time. Absolutely brilliant strike by Baptista. One of the best goals of the season. He did well to hold the ball and came in and occupied the space in the middle of the field that San Jose was conceding.

M, Antonio Nocerino (78′), N/A – Nocerino did not play a factor in this game. He occupied space and tried to get the team to lock in after the the Baptista goal. The way Harrison Heath has been playing he might have been a better option.

M, Carlos Rivas (87′) N/A – Helped to stretch the field after the San Jose goal. He brought a spark to the team and his entrance helped to bring energy back into the crowd. His ball in to Baptista was amazing for only coming in a few moments before.

Those are the grades in this 2-2 draw. Let us know who you think is your Man of the Match by voting below, and feel free to add your comments about the game.

Polling Closed

Player Votes
Seb Hines 23
Luke Boden 12
Julio Baptista 50
Kevin Molino 17
Joe Bendik 2
Other 14
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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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21 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

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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2 days 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

Lion Links: 6/3/25

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

Published

3 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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