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Orlando City vs. Columbus Crew:Player Grades and Man of the Match

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9 years ago

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In Bobby Murphy’s last match as interim head coach before he hands over the reins to Jason Kreis, Orlando City was able to pull off a gutsy 2-2 draw against the Columbus Crew. Here are our grades and Man of the Match for a solid road point.

Starting XI

GK, Joe Bendik: 7 – Same ole reliable Joe Bendik. Time after time he made save after save. He really can’t be blamed on the goals; his back line really failed him in the first half. He made a couple more huge saves after the game was tied, particularly down the stretch. Joe continues to be the reason why this team still has a chance to reach the playoffs. Just think if he had a back line.

D, Kevin Alston: 5.5 – It is tough to grade this back line on just individual performances because at times Alston defended well. There were times where he looks lost in the positioning aspect of it, but so did the whole back line. He didn’t get dangerous until Kaká and Rivas came into the match.

D, Seb Hines: 5 – Seb as the center back needed to do better in his positioning with the Tchani goal. The goal came down the center of the field after one simple give and go. That just can’t happen in professional soccer. Hines did well to defend in the air, which is his strength, but don’t be surprised if the back four gets changed when Kreis takes over.

D, David Mateos: 5.5 – I am at the point where I don’t know which center back to put this on. Both Mateos and Hines are not keeping the back line organized and to be beat down the middle of the field multiple times is not going to make Kreis happy. Mateos was below average on his positioning and was able to make some key tackles. His play just doesn’t bring confidence. However, he was able to block a few shots to lighten Bendik’s load.

DF, Luke Boden: 5.5 – It takes a village to defend and Boden seemed to not be connected with the back four. The back line was disorganized but with all that being said Boden wasn’t too much to blame for the issues. He wasn’t outstanding defending and rarely got forward in the attack.

MF, Servando Carrasco: 5.5 -. Servando wasn’t committed to defend on the Tchani goal. He was able to deflect the ball but Tchani was able to continue his run. Carrasco did well to occupy the space in front of the back line but he wasn’t able to turn much of his possession into attack.

MF, Darwin Ceren: 5.5 – A very quiet but effective night. Ceren was getting the ball off his feet quickly with not much materializing. Ceren was effective in his positioning and defending the ball. He was a bit sloppy with giveaways at times, however.

MF, Hadji Barry: 5.5 – Barry had a couple of good moments on the ball but was not as effective getting forward as we saw last week in Vancouver. He wasn’t connected in the attack and at one point kept a Columbus striker on side in the first half. He was subbed but we should take each game as a great learning experience for the rookie.

MF, Julio Baptista: 5 – Not one of Baptista’s better matches. He couldn’t get involved in the attack. He was able to connect a couple of passes here and there but nothing special. Columbus looked to game plan against him as they were defending him as Orlando’s outlet.

MF, Kevin Molino: 8 (MOTM) – He was one of the few stars tonight. He had a somewhat invisible first half playing on his weaker left side. He has started to take over the workhorse role that Adrian Winter once held. The second half he was more involved in the attack once he moved back to the right side and was able to be in the right place at the right time on his goal. The Trinidadian served a brilliant ball to Larin for his goal and was able to create opportunities in the final moments.

FW, Cyle Larin: 7.5 – A bright spot in what was a dark, dark first half. Larin had some good opportunities in the first half when he was given a small window of a chance. He hit a post and a crossbar. The second half he was dangerous with the addition of Kaká and Rivas and was able to finish one of his opportunities and forced a great save by Steve Clark on another. If he can continue to stay hot, Orlando City will find results.

Substitutes

MF, Kaká (60): 7.5 – This team needed a game-changing, if not season-changing, moment and the captain’s entrance in the 60th minute may have been the answer. Orlando started to immediately attack in numbers and was able to find a goal after a scramble in front of the goal. His header off the cross bar and his role of connecting passes and developing the attack is something Orlando City desperately has missed during his absence. His corner kick cross led to Molino’s goal and he was able to hold possession so the Lions could get forward.

MF, Carlos Rivas (60′): 7 – Dangerous on the outside from the minute he entered the field. He was tearing up the outside backs and providing pressure on the back line. We need this output more consistently over a stretch of games. Once Rivas came on, Columbus’ dangerous fullback attack was largely stifled.

MF, Cristian Higuita (66′): 6 – Cristian has done well coming off the bench and ensuring he provides more defensive cover. He has been more controlled with his tackles and defending.

Those are the grades from a 2-2 tie against Eastern Conference rival Columbus. What are your thoughts? Vote for your Man of the Match in our poll below.

Polling Closed

Player Votes
Kaká 39
Joe Bendik 51
Kevin Molino 81
Cyle Larin 9
Other 2
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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/9/25

Orlando City’s next U.S. Open Cup match date revealed, MLS matches to watch, top soccer club valuations, and more.

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56 minutes ago

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May 9, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Friday! I hope the week has treated you well as we get ready for a Mother’s Day weekend packed with soccer. Orlando City and the Orlando Pride are both in action at the same time on Saturday, so make sure to plan accordingly depending on how you want to enjoy the action. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Orlando City Will Face Nashville in USOC on May 21

Orlando City will officially host Nashville SC on May 21 at 7:30 p.m. in the U.S. Open Cup’s Round of 16. That match is sandwiched between a road game against Inter Miami on May 18 and a home game against the Portland Timbers May 24, so at least there won’t be much travel during that week during an already jam-packed month. The Lions reached this stage of the tournament after beating the Tampa Bay Rowdies 5-0 Wednesday, while Nashville won 1-0 against the Chattanooga Red Wolves on Tuesday.

What to Watch In MLS This Weekend

We’ll all be tuned in for Orlando City’s match on Saturday against the New England Revolution, but there’s plenty more MLS action to look forward to as well. Before Orlando’s match, Inter Miami will head to St. Paul to take on a Minnesota United team that leads the league with six clean sheets this season. Another notable match this weekend is a clash between the top two teams in the Eastern Conference standings when the Philadelphia Union host the Columbus Crew. That game has Daniel Gazdag written all over it. Sunday night’s match should be a doozy between two heavyweight Western Conference teams, as LAFC will hit the road to take on the league-leading Vancouver Whitecaps.

MLS Clubs Listed Among World’s Most Valuable

Sportico announced the valuations for the top 50 most valuable soccer clubs in the world, and a whopping 19 MLS teams made the list. The Lions aren’t included, but it’s still neat to see some clubs like Minnesota, Sporting Kansas City, and Charlotte FC listed. LAFC is the highest listed MLS side, coming in at 16th with a $1.28 billion valuation. Real Madrid tops the list at $6.53 billion, and six of the top 10 are from the English Premier League. While valuations aren’t exactly hard evidence of success or influence, I think this is a testament to the growth and parity of MLS through an international lens.

English Clubs Reach Europa League Final

This year’s Europa League final will feature a pair of EPL teams as Manchester United and Tottenham breezed through the semifinals. United overcame a shaky first half to beat Athletic Club 4-1 at Old Trafford, with Mason Mount scoring two of the team’s four goals in the second half. Tottenham avoided an upset in Norway by winning 2-0 against Bodo/Glimt. The final will take place on May 21 in Spain, and there’s both a trophy and Champions League qualification on the line. Both United and Tottenham struggled this season and are respectively 15th and 16th in the league standings, but winning the Europa League is all that matters now.

Free Kicks

  • American midfielder Johnny Cardoso played every minute of Real Betis’ 2-2 result against Fiorentina to advance to the Europa Conference League final, where the Spanish club will face Chelsea on May 28. Enjoy this goal from Antony to help his side prevail.
  • In honor of Mother’s Day, AC Milan players will wear their mothers’ last names on the back of their jerseys in today’s match against Bologna. I love this idea and hope more clubs follow suit moving forward.
  • An ownership group led by David Beckham and Gary Neville acquired Salford City of England’s League Two.
  • Former Manchester United defender Patrice Evra’s MMA debut will have to wait, as the 43-year-old’s fight set for May 23 in Paris was postponed.
  • We’ll end our links with what looks to be some unexpected Orlando Pride representation in Vatican City!

That’s all I have for you this time around. Have a fantastic Friday and enjoy the holiday weekend!

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs New England: Three Keys to Victory

What do the Lions need to do to score some goals and secure a victory against New England?

Published

20 hours ago

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May 8, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City might have the scoring woes in MLS matches as of late, but the Lions broke out against the Tampa Bay Rowdies Wednesday night in the U.S. Open Cup match. Of course, the Rowdies are not a very good team this year and are not a top flight team, so take it all with a grain of salt. What does Orlando City need to do to earn all three points at home against the Revolution?

Stop Gil/Campana

New England has scored eight goals this season. Seven of those goals have come from Carles Gil (5) and Leonardo Campana (2). Gil has also contributed one of New England’s four assists on the season. The vast majority of the Revolution’s offense goes through these two players, meaning stopping the duo is priority number one.

I fully expect Oscar Pareja to field his first-team defense, including a back line of Alex Freeman, Rodrigo Schlegel, Robin Jansson, and David Brekalo. Orlando City will also need whoever is playing in the defensive midfield to be the first line of defense. Pedro Gallese cannot be expected to have eight saves every match. The defense needs to step up.

Streak vs. Streak

Orlando City is on an eight-match unbeaten streak. New England is on a four-match winning streak in league play and five in all competitions. One of these streaks will end Saturday night. The Revolution have scored six goals in the last four MLS matches with at least one goal in each match without conceding a goal during the streak. The Lions have only scored three goals in the last five MLS matches with all three coming in one match against Atlanta United. Orlando City has shut out five straight MLS opponents and six consecutive in all competitions.

Orlando City has given away too many points during the unbeaten run. The Lions have missed Eduard Atuesta’s ability to create opportunities for his teammates to score. I’m hoping he will be available, but if not, Pareja will need to figure a better adjustment than he has in previous matches.

No More Nil

Orlando City may be on an eight-match unbeaten streak, but the offense has been absent in four of those matches. In those 0-0 draws, Orlando City took 53 shots with only 12 on target (23% rate). Contrast that with the four matches in which they scored, when Orlando City took 68 shots with 25 on target (37% rate). The Lions will need as many chances as possible given New England has only allowed seven goals so far this season. This is a defensively solid team.

Marco Pasalic did not play in the Open Cup victory over the Tampa Bay Rowdies, meaning he will be well rested and ready to start scoring goals again. He seemed to be dialing in during the Chicago match but he was taken off before he could convert. I want him to pick up where he left off, so he and many others can score goals against the Revolution. Hopefully, the goals scored against the Rowdies will kickstart the offense.

That is what I will be looking for Saturday night. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/8/25

Orlando City steamrolls the Tampa Bay Rowdies in I-4 Derby, Orlando Pride aim to bounce back, U.S. Open Cup results, and more.

Published

1 day ago

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May 8, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? It’s not often we get to celebrate an Orlando City victory in the middle of the week these days, but hopefully it’s a habit we get used to. The Lions took care of business in my neck of the woods, and it’s given some nice optimism to finish this week strongly. Let’s dive into the big win and more in today’s links!

Orlando City Trounces Tampa Bay Rowdies

Take a bow, Gustavo Caraballo! The 16-year-old was the star of the show in Orlando City’s dominant 5-0 U.S. Open Cup win against the Tampa Bay Rowdies, scoring twice to jumpstart Orlando’s attack and making history along the way. There’s plenty of scoring to enjoy, so be sure to check out our full recap!

Hopefully this game was a nice shot in the arm for Orlando’s offense and something to build on in league play. It’s always nice to take down the Rowdies and the Lions are now the last Floridian team standing in the tournament. They’ll host Nashville SC in the round of 16 later this month in what should be a good game in the City Beautiful.

Orlando Pride Aim to Bounce Back in North Carolina

After a 1-0 loss on the road to the Portland Thorns, the Orlando Pride will look to return to their winning ways when they face the North Carolina Courage on Saturday. It’s going to be another tough environment for the Pride to play in, although the Courage have lost two of their three home games so far this season. Pride defender Emily Sams spoke on the team’s mentality heading into this match and how the team can raise its level after a disappointing loss in Portland.

U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 Wraps Up

MLS teams mostly cruised in the U.S. Open Cup’s round of 32, but it was still an exciting round of soccer filled with drama. In a vintage “cupset,” the Pittsburgh Riverhounds beat New York City FC 1-0 thanks to a goal in stoppage time from Orlando native Beto Ydrach. Indy Eleven nearly took down the Philadelphia Union, but the MLS side converted all five kicks in the penalty shootout to advance after a 1-1 draw.

The New England Revolution escaped Pawtucket with a 2-1 road win against Rhode Island FC, with 17-year-old Cristiano Oliveira scoring a late winner. Minnesota United squeezed past Louisville City 1-0, the Chicago Fire put Detroit City to the sword in a 4-0 win, and FC Dallas won 3-1 against USL League One side AV Alta FC.

UEFA Champions League Final Set

Paris Saint-Germain did everything it needed to and more at home against Arsenal, winning 2-1 to advance to the UEFA Champions League final. Great saves by Gianluigi Donnarumma and goals from Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi propelled PSG to victory, with Bukayo Saka providing Arsenal’s only goal of the two-leg series. PSG will take on Inter Milan in the final on May 31 and it should be an interesting matchup at Allianz Arena to close out the tournament. Will PSG lift its first Champions League trophy only a year after Kylian Mbappe left the club, or will Inter come out on top after finishing as runner-up in 2023? I can’t wait to find out.

Free Kicks

  • Congratulations to United States Women’s National Team star Mallory Swanson and her husband Dansby Swanson, as the couple announced that they’re expecting their first child!
  • Racing Louisville announced that goalkeeper Katie Lund and midfielder Maddie Pokorny will both miss the remainder of the season due to hip injuries. Jordyn Bloomer, who had five saves in Friday’s win over the Houston Dash, will serve as the team’s goalkeeper in Lund’s stead.
  • The Columbus Crew signed Daniel Gazdag to a contract extension through 2027, with a club option for 2028 as well.
  • Arsene Wenger proposed a change to the offside rule so that attacking players are onside so long as any part of their body is lined up with the last defender. We’ll see if anything comes of this, but it could lead to more goals in the future.
  • Here’s what to watch for in the second legs of the Europa League semifinals. Manchester United will host Athletic Club with a three-goal lead in aggregate, while Tottenham will aim to defend its two-goal advantage in Norway against a Bodo/Glimt side that has key players returning from suspension.
  • Tottenham will be without James Maddison, who is out for the rest of the season after a knee injury sustained in the first leg against Bodo/Glimt.

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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