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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. FC Dallas: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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9 years ago

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Orlando City looked lethargic, lifeless, leggy, and any other pejorative ‘L’ word you can think of in tonight’s 4-0 loss to FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium. Of course, the Lions have still never scored in MLS play against the Hoops, after falling 2-0 at home last year, but this was the first time Orlando has been shut out in 2016.

The match was also lopsided enough to give the Lions a negative overall goal differential.

It seemed almost as if City’s players decided to play along and compete against Joey Chestnut in the big Independence Day hot dog eating contest. The Lions looked tired and lacked energy almost from the first kick of the ball. It was a disappointing way to come out against one of the league’s best teams.

Enough said, because there’s not much good to say. Let’s get to tonight’s player grades.

Starters

G, Joe Bendik, 6.5 (MOTM) -€” The fact that the keeper gets Man of the Match in a 4-0 loss tells you all you need to know about this game, really. He wins the award by default as there is literally no outfield player who could even conceivably have earned the accolades. Bendik did make several key saves that kept the score line from being even more embarrassing, but a timely save early may have kept his team in the game. Not too much he could have done better on the goals but we’ve seen him stop some of those this season.

D, Luke Boden, 3 -€” Got turned inside out on the second goal and allowed Michael Barrios to slip in and chip Bendik to make it 2-0. Bodz didn’t get forward much, although he did manage to earn a corner once, but on another occasion his penchant for avoiding his right foot like the plague got him trapped behind the ball as he couldn’t beat the last defender on his crossing attempt.

D, Tommy Redding, 3.5 -€” The youngster wasn’t necessarily any worse than anyone else, but on this night, that’s not saying much. Was subbed out at halftime after a first-half performance that wasn’t on par with some of his other recent displays. Earned a booking after being beaten in the 39th minute.

D, David Mateos, 3.5 -€” Was culpable on Hedges’ goal, as he failed to stay with the Dallas center back, after failing to fight through a pick. Was caught up field on the Barrios goal but so was the entire rest of the back line as the long ball was headed well forward by a Dallas defender and the ball was quickly played behind the defense. Had a few decent moments cutting out crosses and played Diaz well in the 26th minute down the sideline to earn a goal kick but it was a tough night for the Spaniard (as it was for most), who earned a second-half booking that seemed unnecessary.

D, Kevin Alston, 4 -€” Alston did well to make a few vital saving deflections and cut out a few through balls but like most of his teammates, struggled to complete passes at times and wasn’t able to get forward much at all.

MF, Darwin Ceren, 5.5 –€” His service wasn’t great after taking over free kick duties in the second half, he gave away a dangerous free kick just above the box, and wasn’t his usual energetic self in central midfield. Where the Salvadoran will typically break up play and make life miserable for the opposition, this was a night when he didn’t impose his will on the game. However, he did manage to have one of the highest passing ratings on the night (87%) for the Lions and had three tackles and two interceptions.

MF, Cristian Higuita, 4 -€” A bad giveaway early led to a Dallas break and even though the Lions recovered from that, Higuita decided to fire a pass back to Mateos that was too hot to handle in that short a space, instead of simply turning into the open space in front of him. That bad back pass ended up going out for the corner kick that gave FC Dallas its first goal. In fact, Higuita often chose to make difficult back passes into traffic rather than turning and linking with the attacking midfielders.

MF, Brek Shea, 4.5 -€” His passing rate was too low at 72.7% and he attempted only two crosses, neither which found its target. But at least Shea was one of the few players that created occasional problems for the Dallas back line moving forward. He earned a few free kicks in dangerous areas and perhaps should have shot instead of trying to square a ball for Larin, because there wasn’t much pace on the pass and Hedges closed and broke it up.

MF, Kaká, 4 -€” A forgettable 45 minutes for the captain, who hopefully was subbed out at halftime to save him for Friday’s match against Houston rather than due to a knock. He completed 83% of his passes and touched the ball 26 times in the first half, but he wasn’t able to really spring anyone for a chance at goal.

MF, Kevin Molino, 3.5 -€” The Trinidadian looked lethargic and seemed to lack passion and energy throughout. He completed 80% of his passes but was easily dispossessed and didn’t track back well to help on defense. Seemed running in mud most of the night and on at least one occasion eased off his run, forcing a Kaká pass to miss him and be turned over.

F, Cyle Larin, 2.5 -€” The Canadian had only 12 touches in his 68 minutes in the game and it didn’t even seem like that many. Part of it was the lack of quality of his teammates, but, like Molino, Larin didn’t seem to have any real energy or movement. He got himself into a dangerous attacking position twice in the entire match. The first was nicked off his feet in the box in the game’s opening moments, and the second was the opportunity when Shea crossed to him only to see it deflected out for a corner. He completed six of his nine passes and failed to register a shot.

Substitutes

D, Seb Hines (45′), 5 –€” With three tackles, an interception, two clearances, and a blocked shot in his 45 minutes, Hines was the most active of Orlando’s defenders on the night. He nearly got to a corner kick but his collision with Seitz while both were going for a 50/50 ball drew a foul call.

MF, Servando Carrasco (45′), 5 -€” Serva came on at halftime for Kaká and completed 88% of his passes and gave the Lions a little more bite in the central midfield. He finished with a tackle, a clearance and a blocked shot.

F, Julio Baptista (68′), 4.5 –€” Like Larin, The Beast had trouble getting on the ball and late in the match, his teammates weren’t really even trying to get it to him much. He had only eight touches but completed all six of his passes and registered one of the Lions’ three shots on the night, although the effort from outside the box was well over the bar.

Well, like I said above, there’s not much good to say about this performance. Vote for your Man of the Match in the poll below and let me know what you thought.

Polling Closed

Player Votes
Joe Bendik 119
Servando Carrasco 13
Seb Hines 5
Darwin Ceren 6
Other 16
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Orlando City

Orlando City Signs Defender Thomas Williams Through 2026

Orlando City signs Homegrown center back Thomas Williams to a new contract through 2026 with a club option for 2027.

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3 hours ago

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January 22, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Orlando City announced this morning that the club has signed defender Thomas Williams through the 2026 season with a club option for 2027. The Homegrown Player has been with the first team since 2021 and will continue for at least two more years.

“Thomas is someone whose future we’re still very excited about and we’re happy to get him locked in with us for a couple more years,” Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi said in a club press release. “He’s shown a lot of growth these last few seasons, continuing to get game action with Orlando City B and proving the importance of our development pathway, and we’re looking forward to having him with us for the foreseeable future.”

The Titusville native joined the Orlando City Academy in 2015 and made his professional debut for the club on Aug. 7, 2020 against New England Revolution II. He played in 13 games that year with 10 starts and recorded 844 minutes. His play on the Young Lions’ back line earned him a first-team contract on June 15, 2021, at just 16 years old, making him the youngest player in club history to sign a Homegrown contract.

The 20-year-old center back made his MLS debut on April 16, 2022 in a 2-0 win over the Columbus Crew in Ohio. He made five appearances with three starts in all competitions that season, recording 271 minutes. To date, those are the only appearances he’s made with the first team.

Since joining OCB in 2021, Williams has made 69 appearances with 61 starts and recorded 5,132 minutes. He’s been booked 19 times and sent off twice, both times after receiving second yellow cards.

What It Means for Orlando City

Williams is the fourth natural center back for Orlando City on the current squad behind Robin Jansson, David Brekalo, and Rodrigo Schlegel. He played well early in his OCB and MLS career, but has struggled recently. Last year, he played exclusively with the second team, partnering with Nabi Kibunguchy.

While Williams hasn’t made much of an impact on the first team so far, he’s only 20 years old and still has plenty of time to develop. Extending his contact shows that the club still has faith that he can turn into a key player for the MLS side.

It’s unlikely that Williams will see any time with the first team in 2025 (barring injuries and/or suspensions), considering that he’s also been behind versatile defender Kyle Smith at the center back position. He’ll likely spend the upcoming season with OCB, continuing to develop and earn his spot with the first team. As a Homegrown Player, there isn’t much risk in signing Williams to a new contract, especially if the club’s technical staff thinks he can develop into a quality defender.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/22/25

Orlando City transfer rumors, Orlando Pride preseason begins, USMNT at Inter&Co, and more.

Published

7 hours ago

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January 22, 2025

By

Dan MacDonald, The ManeLand

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Up here in Tallahassee, I’m waking up to snow/sleet, closed schools, closed government offices, and potentially icy roads. Many people will get an extra day off of work, however, I still get to go to work. I’m sure you can imagine how happy I am about that. Enough of my winter grumbling. Let’s get to the links but not until after we wish Orlando City fullback Michael Halliday a happy 22nd birthday.

Orlando City Reportedly Targeting Croatian International

While I can no longer say that Orlando City hasn’t signed any new players, the club is still moving at its traditionally slow speed as compared to other MLS clubs. We had the signing of Nicolas Rodriguez last week. Now, we have Tom Bogert report of yet another winger prospect for the club in Croatian Marco Pasalic from HNK Rijeka, though it is not a done deal. Hopefully the other targets Bogert mentions are of the striker variety.

https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/1881755961125449765?s=46&t=pMoq7Wulqfb35D7C8ydroA

Pride Preseason Begins

The 2024 NWSL champions are back to defend their title. The Orlando Pride returned to training on Tuesday. The club hasn’t needed to add many pieces, though some of the players already here, like Simone Charley and Grace Chanda, haven’t actually played any minutes for the Pride yet. Most of the chemistry is in place for Seb Hines, but reinforcing those bonds will be the challenge as the Pride look to repeat.

USMNT at Inter&Co Tonight

Hopefully you have tickets to the USMNT friendly match versus Costa Rica at Inter&Co Stadium tonight. The match starts at 7 p.m. and there are television and streaming options if you’re not going in person. Despite the squad having 14 players with three or fewer caps, Mauricio Pochettino does not consider this an “alternative” squad, nor does he want the players to think of themselves like that.

Girma Reportedly Nearing Completion of Chelsea Move

USWNT defender Naomi Girma is reportedly headed to Chelsea FC Women for a record $1.1 million transfer fee. That is a very big chunk of change for San Diego FC to use to try to replace one of the best defenders in the world. The deal is not complete as of Tuesday evening, but according to the original report from The Athletic, it is close to being done. Girma would be the first women’s soccer player to earn a transfer fee of over $1 million.

MLS Transfer Updates

Other MLS clubs keep on putting pen to paper when it comes to new players. The Chicago Fire are bringing in Jonathan Bamba on a Designated Player deal from La Liga side Celta de Vigo. The Luca de la Torre loan from Spain’s RC Celta de Vigo to San Diego FC is also official.

https://twitter.com/sandiegofc/status/1881741042904350864

Cucho Hernandez evidently wants to stay with the Columbus Crew, though he is still waiting on a new offer.

https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/1881786193693823104

Free Kicks

https://twitter.com/weareangelcity/status/1881749040863588770?s=12&t=_WZBNG4ILAyRLdwBeB4mpQ
  • Keep your eyes peeled later today for the NWSL schedule drop.
https://twitter.com/nwsl/status/1881749035218042954?s=46&t=pN-YJp3s7ZQlCXqnTAgSfw

That will do it for today. Stay warm out there, my friends. Vamos Orlando!

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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.

Published

1 day 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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