Orlando City
Intelligence Report: Orlando City at Philadelphia Union

Winless in five games (0-4-1), Orlando City will try to close out the 2016 MLS season on a high note with two more matches against teams currently above the playoff line. That starts tomorrow afternoon at Talen Energy Stadium in Philadelphia with an afternoon (3 p.m.) meeting with the Union.
Philadelphia is also winless in five (0-3-2), free falling down the standings over the last two and a half months. In that span, the Union have won just three of the last 13 matches, in posting a record of 3-6-4. To put Philly’s plight into perspective, Orlando City has an identical 3-6-4 record over that same span. Welcome to our world, Sons of Ben!
You may recall that Orlando City had not yet tasted defeat in 2016 until visiting Philadelphia back on April 8. That 2-1 loss to Philadelphia should have been a draw, but alas, breaks must be earned; they are not given. The loss spoiled a 2-0-2 start for the Lions that had us all wondering what tifo we’d see the Ruckus and Iron Lion Firm unveil at the MLS Cup final. It seems like a lifetime ago.
The return leg in Orlando didn’t go that much better, with the Union scratching out a 2-2 draw at Camping World Stadium on May 25 on a late goal by Ken Tribbett of all people (that’s how you know your season is not going well).
The Lions will be without center back David Mateos, who is out for the rest of 2016 with an MCL tear. Brek Shea (foot) is a bit banged up after suffering an injury in training but may be available.
Here with us again to help us scout the Union is Eugene Rupinski from SB Nation’s Philadelphia blog, Brotherly Game. I’ve answered Eugene’s questions as well, if you’re interested in checking that out over on their site.
Philadelphia has slid down to sixth in the Eastern Conference table. How did the Union get to this point after being up among the conference’s top teams through much of the season?
Eugene Rupinski: Quite simply, they haven’t won many games lately. Winning only three of the last 13, while teams like Toronto FC, the New York Red Bulls, and New York City FC were able to pick up points, saw the Union plummet from a comfortable first place in the conference down. The cause of this is a little more complicated. When midfielder Vincent Nogueira up and left the club, it left a gaping hole in the Union’s midfield. The Union’s identity is based around the ability to shift quickly between offense and defense, and Nogueira allowed for that to happen.
When he left the Union tried several players at the position, however, none of the options really worked out. They tried defensive midfielder Warren Creavalle, who predictably excelled at the defensive side but was a bit wanting on the offensive side of the ball. Then they tried Tranquillo Barnetta and Roland Alberg, however, they excelled on the offensive side of the ball but were wanting on the defensive end. This isn’t an indictment of any of these players – they were just square pegs being forced (out of necessity) into a round hole. This has since been fixed with the addition of Alejandro Bedoya – the improvement was immediately evident, however, the chemistry is still a work in progress. The defense is still leaking goals, however, hopefully that trend will reverse itself soon.
Chris Pontius looks reborn in Philadelphia this season. What is he doing differently this year that he wasn’t doing with D.C.? Is it just a matter of a change of scenery or is he being utilized differently?
ER: I think it has a lot to do with a change of scenery, but perhaps more importantly, Chris has been able to remain healthy for the first time in a long time. Chris has always had the talent, but it’s hard to have that talent show through when you miss half a season or more with injuries. The change of scenery has helped immensely as well. With the Union, Chris has a world class 10 in Tranquillo Barnetta distributing the ball to him in dangerous positions, allowing him to get good looks on goal. He also has a left back in Fabinho who likes to run forward and get in the mix, which also allows him to have even more freedom on the left wing. This offensive system, in addition to him playing in 32 of 32 games thus far, has led to Pontius’ re-emergence.
Orlando City and the Union have played some very close matches. On a scale from 1 to 10, how worried are Philly fans about facing a team looking to play spoiler and players competing for their jobs?
ER: If there’s one thing Philadelphia sports fans fear, it’s the epic collapse. The fans here have been let down at the last minute by all major teams in this city, so the fear is very real for a lot of people. A team with nothing to lose is a dangerous team, so I wouldn’t be surprised if Orlando looks as good as they have in a long time thanks to the pressure being completely off of them. Any team with Cyle Larin and Kaká on the pitch is going to be a dangerous team, even if that’s not necessarily reflected in the standings. This is not a match that the Union players and fans should take lightly. That being said, this is a match the Union should win and would go a long way to ensuring they make their first post-season appearance since 2011.
What suspensions/injuries will keep players out of the Union lineup? What’s your projected starting XI and your final score prediction for Sunday’s game?
ER: No suspensions, however Alejandro Bedoya is dealing with sore ribs and Josh Yaro has been undergoing concussion protocol after being knocked cold in a collision with Andre Blake and Aurelien Collin. Both are expected to be available for selection. For a starting XI, look for Andre Blake in goal with a defensive line of Fabinho, Richie Marquez, Ken Tribbett, and Keegan Rosenberry. At deep midfield look for Warren Creavalle and Alejandro Bedoya to play, although Creavalle might be replaced with either Brian Carroll or Maurice Edu since Creavalle played 120 minutes for Guyana in Guyana on Tuesday. Up top will be a midfield of Chris Pontius, Tranquillo Barnetta, and Fabian Herbers behind CJ Sapong. As much as I hate predictions, I’ll go with a 3-1 Union victory.
* * *
Big thanks to Eugene from Brotherly Game for giving us some insight on the Philadelphia Union. Now let’s see if the Lions can get their first win in the series.

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.

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.
Free Kicks
- USWNT midfielder Korbin Albert is heading to eight-time European champions OL Lyonnes on a free transfer.
- Albert will be joining Washington Spirit head coach Jonatan Giraldez who is leaving the Spirit midseason to coach OL Lyonnes.
- Chicago Fire owner Joe Mansueto has plans for a $650 million, 22,000-seat, soccer-specific stadium. It will be built in the area known as “The 78.”
- Former Lion Daryl Dike will have a new manager, as West Bromwich Albion has appointed Ryan Mason to a three-year contract. Mason comes from Tottenham Hotspur, where he was Ange Postecoglou’s assistant.
- USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino compared Christian Pulisic to Lionel Messi, though probably not in the way you are thinking.
- The U-20 U.S. Women’s National Team defeated Costa Rica 4-0 to take first place in its third and final Group A match at the 2025 Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship.
- The Orlando City Academy teams start play in the 2025 Patterson Cup today. The tournament runs through the the June 8.
That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the return of the Orlando Pride this weekend. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 6/3/25
Orlando City B announces signings, details of Concacaf W Champions Cup, UEFA Nations League preview, and more.

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.
Free Kicks
- Here’s a first look at Alex Freeman in his USMNT kit:
- Orlando City dropped two spots to No.9 in ESPN.com’s MLS power rankings.
- Mancester City’s Mateo Kovacic will miss the Club World Cup after having surgery for an Achilles injury.
- Maurizio Sarri has returned to Lazio as head coach just over a year after resigning from the position.
- Atletico Madrid has signed Antoine Griezmann to a new contract.
That’s all I have for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!
Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Chicago Fire: Player Grades and Man of the Match
How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s 3-1 loss against the Chicago Fire?

Orlando City turned one loss into two heading into the international break. The Lions gave up three first-half goals and lost 3-1 at home to the Chicago Fire. A determined but ineffective offense wasn’t able to make up for lapses on the defensive end. The break is about a week late, but perhaps the players can get some rest. Let’s take a look at how Orlando City’s players rated individually in their Eastern Conference matchup.
Starters
GK, Pedro Gallese, 5 — El Pulpo literally had the ball slip through his hands on Philip Zinckernagel’s early goal. The other two goals weren’t on him, but it’s hard to forgive the first howler. He recorded one save and one clearance. It was not a great night from Gallese, but every keeper has one like that occasionally. He had 22 touches, completing 89.5% of his 19 passes and five of his seven long balls.
D, David Brekalo, 6 —Brekalo started at left back as usual, but after Rodrigo Schlegel subbed off he moved inside with Robin Jansson. He was busy in both halves of the pitch as he pressed into the attack when at fullback. He didn’t push forward quite as much after moving to center back, though he did still contribute as Orlando chased the match. He recorded 71 touches, completing 86.2% of his 58 passes. Brekalo also completed four of his five long balls. Like many, he managed one shot, though it wasn’t on target as his effort off a corner kick was blocked. Defensively, he tallied three interceptions and one tackle.
D, Robin Jansson, 5.5 — The captain let his emotions get the better of him in the first half. He was battling Hugo Cuypers all night, and given Cuypers scored a brace, I can’t say Jansson won the matchup. His frustration resulted in a yellow card in the 45th minute. After the half, he was able to get back on track, though the damage was done. Jansson had 70 touches, completing 100% of his 59 passes. He had one key pass and even took one shot, though it wasn’t on target. Defensively, he recorded three clearances and one tackle.
D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 4.5 — It was not a good night for Schlegel. He lost Cuypers on the second and third Chicago goals, and it’s not recommended to allow the opposition’s best goal scorer to be alone in the box or to get in behind the back line. Defensively, he only contributed two tackles and recorded no interceptions or clearances. He managed 30 touches and completed 88.9% of his 27 passes. Schlegel committed two fouls and received a yellow card in the 49th minute. He was subbed off in the 54th minute for Rafael Santos.
D, Alex Freeman, 6 — Freeman scored Orlando’s only goal in the 39th minute, putting a header off the corner kick on target and into the back of the net by way of a deflection in front. It was his lone shot on target in two attempts. The right back recorded 77 touches, completing 78.4% of his 51 passes, including five crosses and one key pass. Defensively, he recorded three interceptions, one clearance, and one tackle.
MF, Ivan Angulo, 6 — Angulo still doesn’t have a goal in 2025, which isn’t surprising given his one shot on goal was well off target. He wasn’t bad in this match, but he also didn’t play very long, as he only touched the ball 19 times. He got lost defensively on the second Chicago goal as there was poor communication and he strayed inside, leaving Zinckernagel out wide alone for an easy cross to Cuypers. His best moment in the match came after tracking back to help recover the ball in his own end before making an incredible long run deep into the attacking box and backheeling a pass to Luis Muriel, who dropped it to Marco Pasalic for a good scoring chance. Angulo completed all of his 12 passes. He came off at halftime for Ramiro Enrique, but he was one of the few players who appeared to have a lot of jump in his legs in the first half.
MF, Eduard Atuesta, 6.5 (MotM) — Atuesta showed how important he is to Orlando City club in this match. His vision and ability to connect passes put teammates in dangerous places, even if they couldn’t convert those chances. He continued to make good passes in and around the box trying to get Orlando’s offense going. Atuesta had a team-high 94 touches, completing 89.7% of his 78 passes, including two key passes. He connected on five of his seven long balls and one of his seven crosses. Atuesta attempted two shots, though neither was on target. Defensively, he contibuted one tackle.
MF, Joran Gerbet, 6 — Gerbet started in place of the suspended Cesar Araujo and continues to have some rookie struggles midway through the season. If he hadn’t been so good earlier in the season, it wouldn’t seem like he’s having difficulty lately. Like others, he got a little bit better as the match went on, though he came off in the 77th minute for Dagur Dan Thorhallsson. Gerbet had 44 touches, completing 93.8% of his 32 passes, winning one aerial, and recording one key pass. Defensively, he contributed four tackles, and one interception,
MF, Marco Pašalić, 6 — Pasalic was active if ultimately ineffective in Orlando’s attack with four shots, though he only put one on target. He recorded 63 touches, completing 82.2% of his 45 passes, including two of his four long balls. Pasalic contributed two key passes and connected on one of his five crosses. He took a nasty tumble, hitting the back of his head when he landed, though he was able to continue. He exited in the 88th minute for Gustavo Caraballo.
F, Martín Ojeda, 6.5 — It was Ojeda’s corner kick that found the head of Freeman to give Orlando its only goal. He wasn’t able to contribute a goal in this match, though not for a lack of trying. He took four shots with one on target, led the team with eight key passes, and recorded the assist. Ojeda touched the ball 62 times, completing 90.6% of 32 passes. He was fouled three times, one of which earned a free kick outside the box in the 58th minute. He even contributed on defense with two tackles and an interception.
F, Luis Muriel, 6 — On another night Muriel has at least a brace. He took six shots with none on target, though he had a free kick that went into the wall 59th minute, and he hit the crossbar in the 64th. If that ball is two inches lower, Orlando maybe climbs back into the match. He still dribbled into blind alleys and gave the ball away to the opposition, though not as much as in some other matches. He had 65 touches, completing 80% of his 35 passes, including one cross and two key passes.
Substitutes
F, Ramiro Enrique, (45′), 6 — Enrique came on for Angulo to start the second half as the Lions pushed for a comeback. He was fairly accurate, putting two of his four shots on target. One shot in the 62nd minute went right to the keeper, though the other shot was saved it was a very well taken chance on the outside of his right foot as he moved towards the goal. He also made a great tackle in the 86th minute to take the ball back from Jonathan Bamba. He did all of that on only 19 touches, completing 88.9% of his nine passes, including one key pass.
D, Rafael Santos, (54’), 5.5 — With both Schlegel and Jansson on yellow cards, Santos came on to replace Schlegel to allow Brekalo to move inside with Jansson. Perhaps it was because of the desperation with which Orlando City was playing, but it wasn’t too bad of an outing for Santos. He was active on the left side, putting in five crosses, but he completed just one. Santos tried to combine with his teammates while looking to break down the Chicago defense. He had 34 touches, completing 95.8% of his 24 passes. Defensively, he had one clearance.
MF, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, (77’), 6 — I feel like Dagur Dan could have started in place of Gerbet rather than subbing on. His motor was obviously better than those that had played more minutes during the month of May. He was persistent in trying to win the ball back when Chicago tried to counter attack. He only managed nine touches, completing 100% of his six passes. His individual effort in stoppage time was a highlight, as he did well to win the ball back and jumpstart the counter, but ultimately Enrique not only strayed offside prior to the pass but also fired his shot off target anyway.
MF, Gustavo Caraballo (88′), N/A — The youngster came on late for Pasalic. He only managed six touches, completing 80% of his five passes. The four he completed were all back passes. He made some runs into the box, but the ball never arrived for him to get a chance.
That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando City’s disappointing 3-1 loss at home against Chicago. Let us know what you thought of the game in the comments below and don’t forget to vote for your Man of the Match.
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