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Orlando City at Vancouver Whitecaps: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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9 years ago

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The depleted Lions will take a 2-2 draw in Vancouver, but they’ll feel they could have taken all three points back home. Bobby Murphy didn’t have much to work with, but his lineup made do and Orlando City played the best they have under his short tenure. But how did the team grade out on their longest road trip of the season?

Starting XI

GK, Joe Bendik: 6.5 – Bendik can’t be faulted too much for Mezquida’s rebound goal, and he might have gotten to Kudo’s free header but it needed to have been a moment of brilliance. He managed two saves and, as always, the Lions would have been worse off without him.

DF, Kevin Alston: 4 – Alston lost his footing on the set piece and his man, Masato Kudo, was free for the header for Vancouver’s second goal. He was up and down all match, either giving the ball away or jump-starting attacks. It’s been a long week as Orlando’s best-available right back.

DF, Seb Hines: 6 – Seb didn’t have a huge impact on the match but that also means he didn’t hurt the team. It’s not a bad thing if you go unnoticed as a center back. He only misplaced two passes at a reasonable distance and he had a decent amount of blocks and interceptions.

DF, David Mateos: 6.5 – Mateos almost had the winner in the dying minutes, but David Ousted made a wonderful save on his glancing header. Mateos had a lot of last-ditch efforts to deny an attempt on goal and expectedly played well with the ball at his feet. He could have had more of an impact on Vancouver’s first goal, but the defense as a whole was in shambles on the play.

DF, Luke Boden: 4.5 – Boden was poor in the sequence leading to the Whitecaps’ first goal, allowing his man to get a shot off even as Boden gave a hard foul in the area. He didn’t give the ball away too much and he assisted Baptista’s goal, but he just couldn’t manage to connect on any of his crosses.

MF, Servando Carrasco: 6 – Without Cristian Higuita in the lineup, it looked like the defensive side of the midfield would be lacking. Carrasco made up for the lack of a destroyer with some key tackles and breaking up the ‘Caps attack. He also took care of the ball on offense with an 89% pass completion percentage and sent some threatening balls into the box.

MF, Darwin Ceren: 5 – Ceren wasn’t quite his usual self, only managing to win one tackle all night. He had an even better completion percentage than Carrasco (92%) but he had a careless giveaway in his own half that set up a threatening Whitecaps attack. He was invisible at times, which is a shame when he’s been so good at controlling the midfield.

MF, Hadji Barry: 7 – Hadji had a bright start to the match, testing the Whitecaps’ right flank and creating some dangerous chances. Whether he was splitting Vancouver defenders or rounding them with his pace, he caused a lot of problems in his first MLS start. If only he’d been able to keep it up during the second half, Orlando might have come away with more.

MF, Julio Baptista: 5 – Baptista had the opening goal and earned the penalty but absolutely botched the execution. It was a black mark on a decent night for the Brazilian, but missing that poorly on a chance to take the lead is hard to overcome.

MF, Kevin Molino: 7 – Kevin gave away a needless free kick that led to Vancouver’s second, but he sent in a beautiful ball to level the score. He was his usual threatening self, even on the left side of the midfield where he’s less comfortable.

FW, Cyle Larin: 7.5 (MOTM) – Larin soared over the Vancouver defense to score Orlando’s second and tie the match. The Canadian was battling two physical defenders every time the ball came near him and still managed to get off several good chances. Molino may have played the ball in, but it was Larin’s sheer effort to get up over the ‘Caps defense to level the score. He only had three attempts on goal due to the blanketing defense, but he would have had two goals if not for a fantastic Ousted save.

Substitutes

MF, Cristian Higuita (79’): 5 – Higuita was brought on to preserve the point, and he did his job. He didn’t do anything silly and didn’t give the ball away cheaply, which is about all you can ask from him that late in the game.

MF, Antonio Nocerino (84’): 5.5 – It’s tough to ask Nocerino to be the lone offensive spark off the bench, but he made some daring runs into the box and put the ball in dangerous areas in the small time he saw the field. He gave his all on the offensive end, but it just wasn’t enough.

That’s how I graded the Lions, what do you think? Vote for your Man of the Match in our poll below.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Hadji Barry17
Joe Bendik15
Cyle Larin55
David Mateos7
Kevin Molino11
Other16

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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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15 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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