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Intelligence Report: Orlando City at Philadelphia Union

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8 years ago

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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.

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Orlando City

Orlando City Season in Review: Shakur Mohammed

The Ghanaian forward spent most of his second pro season with OCB but made his first-team debut.

Published

1 hour ago

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December 12, 2024

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Orlando City selected forward Shakur Mohammed with the No. 2 overall selection out of Duke in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft. The Kumasi, Ghana native signed a Generation Adidas deal with Major League Soccer prior to the draft, meaning the club selecting him would receive salary cap relief during the early part of his career while he developed.

Mohammed spent the 2023 season with Orlando City B in MLS NEXT Pro, where he scored six goals and added three assists in 24 appearances, helping the Young Lions reach the postseason. In his second pro season, Shak spent pretty much the entire year with OCB again, taking a step forward and providing a team-high 11 goals and two assists and helping the Young Lions return to the playoffs. However, he also saw some minutes with the first team, making his debut in the Concacaf Champions Cup and also getting his first few minutes of MLS action.

Let’s take a look at Mohammed’s limited minutes in his second season.

Statistical Breakdown

The 21-year-old Duke product appeared in two consecutive MLS regular-season matches — both off the bench. They were his only appearances of the regular season. He made his MLS debut March 17 off the bench in a 2-0 loss at Atlanta and came on late again March 23 in a 2-0 home win over Austin FC. He tallied just four minutes in total. As such, he did not record a goal contribution or a shot attempt, but he completed all four of his passes without a key pass, cross, or long ball among them. Defensively, he won an aerial duel. He did not commit a foul, but drew one on the opposition, and he wasn’t booked.

Mohammed’s first appearance ever for the senior side — and his only start so far — came in Concacaf Champions Cup action in a 3-1 home victory over Cavalry FC Feb. 27, playing the first 45 minutes of the match. He did not record a goal contribution or attempt a shot, but he completed 85.7% of his 21 passes, including his only cross attempt, but he did not provide a key pass. Mohammed didn’t register a defensive statistic in his 27 touches, nor did he commit or draw a foul or receive a card.

The second-year pro did not appear in the MLS Cup playoffs or Leagues Cup.

Best Game

With such a small sample size, let’s go with his start against Cavalry FC in Concacaf Champions Cup action. While Mohammed wasn’t able to leave a mark on the game, and he didn’t show enough to stay on the pitch past halftime, the young forward played his first 45 minutes with the senior team, made himself available with some good runs, and used his speed to help push back the visitors’ attack. Ultimately, he helped the Lions advance in the competition for the first time. Just 20 years old at the time, Mohammed made his first start with the first team, a moment he’s sure to remember forever.

2024 Final Grade

With just a combined 49 minutes played with the first team this year, Mohammed receives an incomplete grade in 2024 from The Mane Land staff. But that’s an improvement over last year, when he didn’t play first-team minutes, meaning he didn’t get a Season in Review piece. Perhaps next season he’ll qualify for a grade if he continues to develop.

2025 Outlook

Mohammed just turned 21 in late August, so he’s still a young player and at times his game is still quite raw. However, he improved from OCB sidekick to Jack Lynn in 2023 to the Young Lions’ main attacking threat in 2024, showing he is learning the professional game. With his pace and shifty moves, Mohammed has a lot of upside. He is still under contract for the 2025 season, but I expect he’ll spend most of 2025 with OCB again due to the makeup of the current roster. If he can continue to develop his game, he may get more than just a few token appearances late in the game as a reward for his hard work next season.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 12/12/24

Orlando City loses Heine Gikling Bruseth, Facundo Torres now linked with Cruz Azul, Orlando Pride sign goalkeeper Kat Asman, and more.

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6 hours ago

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December 12, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

How’s it going, Mane Landers? December is flying by and the clock is ticking to get things squared away before the holidays are fully upon us. I still have some shopping I need to knock out and then need to decide what I’m baking for when I visit my family in a couple of weeks. Let’s dive into today’s links.

Lions Lose Heine Gikling Bruseth in Expansion Draft

Midfielder Heine Gikling Bruseth is no longer a Lion after San Diego FC selected him in the 2024 MLS Expansion Draft. Orlando City signed the 20-year-old from Norwegian side Kristiansund BK in August as a U22 Initiative player, and he has yet to play in an MLS game. We won’t get a chance to see what impact Bruseth can have here in Orlando and he’s now part of San Diego’s plans on the other side of the country. Bruseth joins Kamal Miller, Nicholas Gioacchini, and Mikey Ambrose on the list of Lions taken in the MLS Expansion Draft, as Orlando just can’t seem to catch a break in these events.

San Diego also selected Colorado Rapids midfielder Jasper Loffelsend and Charlotte FC defender Hamady Diop as well. New York City FC forward Thiago Andrade was selected and promptly traded to Toronto FC. St. Louis City midfielder Hosei Kijima is on the move as well after being selected and traded to D.C. United.

Cruz Azul Joins Hunt for Facundo Torres

Orlando City forward Facundo Torres, who was linked with a move to Palmeiras earlier this week, is reportedly being courted by Cruz Azul of Liga MX as well. While Orlando and Palmeiras have reportedly agreed to terms on what would be a club-record deal, Cruz Azul has not yet submitted a bid to Orlando. If Torres does leave the club this winter, I’d personally rather see him head to Palmeiras in Brazil instead of Cruz Azul. The idea of the Lions going up against Torres in the Leagues Cup or another competition makes me sick to my stomach.

Orlando Pride Sign Kat Asman

The Orlando Pride are already making moves this off-season, signing goalkeeper Kat Asman to a two-year contract. Asman was drafted with the 39th overall pick by the Portland Thorns last year but didn’t make any appearances as a rookie. She now joins a Pride goalkeeping group that currently includes Anna Moorhouse, McKinley Crone, and Sofia Manner. While Asman may not make much of an impact next year, she’ll have the opportunity to grow her game and push the players ahead of her on the depth chart.

MLS Free Agency Opens Today

The MLS off-season is in full swing and the free agency officially kicks off today. There is plenty of talent across all positions available, which should make for an exciting flurry of wheeling and dealing as clubs prepare for 2025. It will also be interesting to see where former Lions wind up, as Ruan, Junior Urso, and Benji Michel are all free agents. As for other notable players to keep an eye out for, forwards like Josef Martinez and Jeremy Ebobisse could give clubs some additional firepower. Goalkeeper Tim Melia, center back Jack Elliot, and journeyman striker Kei Kamara are a few of the other interesting players out there.

Champions League Roundup

The latest round of Champions League matches wrapped up, but the standings remain a murky mess where only three points separate the team in third and team in 19th. The heavyweight match of the day Wednesday was between Juventus and Manchester City in Italy, with Juventus putting in a great defensive performance to win 2-0. Americans Weston McKennie and Tim Weah linked up for Juventus’ second goal after coming off the bench.

Atletico Madrid won its third straight Champions League match, beating Slovan Bratislava 3-1, thanks to a brace from Antoine Griezmann. Arsenal cruised past Monaco 3-0 to stay near the top of the standings, Ferran Torres scored twice in Barcelona’s 3-2 win over Borussia Dortmund, and Benfica and Bologna battled to a scoreless draw in Portugal.

Free Kicks

  • Curt Johnson has resigned as the North Carolina Courage’s chief soccer officer after 14 years with the club in order to pursue other opportunities.
  • San Diego FC sent up to $100,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) to D.C. United in order to sign defender Christopher McVey, inking him to a contract through 2026. San Diego is also reportedly set to sign New York Red Bulls center back Andres Reyes for a hefty amount of GAM.
  • Speaking of the Red Bulls, they announced a 13-year partnership with Sports Illustrated Tickets and their stadium will now be named Sports Illustrated Stadium. Starting in 2026, Sports Illustrated Tickets will also be the official ticketing partner for events at the stadium, including Red Bull and NJ/NY Gotham FC home matches.
  • MLS announced the 44 players invited to take part in this year’s MLS College Showcase. The closed-door scouting event will take place over the next few days, with the MLS SuperDraft set for 3 p.m. Dec. 20.
  • There will be two matches between MLS teams in the first round of the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup, with Sporting Kansas City facing Inter Miami and LAFC taking on the Colorado Rapids. The Columbus Crew and LA Galaxy won’t join the fun until the round of 16 after earning byes.
  • 2024 MLS NEXT Pro MVP David Poreba will be joining the big leagues, with the Chicago Fire signing the 22-year-old to a contract that will run through 2025, with options for 2026, 2027, and 2028.
  • Wolfsburg forward Sveindís Jónsdóttir came off the bench and put on a show, scoring four goals to help her team beat AS Roma in the Women’s Champions League.
  • It’s official, Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 FIFA World Cup. FIFA also confirmed that the 2030 edition of the tournament will have matches in six different countries.

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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Orlando City

2024 Orlando City Season in Review: Jack Lynn

The young striker played a career high in minutes for Orlando City and played in all four
competitions.

Published

1 day ago

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December 11, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Jack Lynn joined Orlando City through the 2022 MLS SuperDraft, when he was selected in the first round by the Lions with the No. 18 overall pick out of Notre Dame. He primarily played with OCB during the 2022 and 2023 seasons, scoring 15 goals in 2022 and 19 in 2023 while earning the MLS NEXT Pro MVP for that season. He was a depth player for most of the 2024 season with Orlando City, but late in the season he returned to playing more frequently with OCB, and quickly found his goal-scoring form once again with the Young Lions.

Let’s take a look back at Lynn’s 2024 season.

Statistical Breakdown

After two seasons of double-digit goal scoring in MLS NEXT Pro, the young forward looked to be a leading candidate to serve as the backup to Duncan McGuire, and in the opening few months he was frequently in the game day squad. However, the signing of Luis Muriel meant that he often was an unused substitute as the Lions used McGuire and Muriel as their strikers. Ramiro Enrique then returned from a prolonged absence and took over the starting spot with McGuire as the primary sub off the bench, and in the second half of the season, Lynn did not dress for Orlando City as frequently. He got some starts for OCB and scored four goals and had one assist in his eight games played with the Young Lions.

For Orlando City, Lynn appeared primarily in MLS regular-season games, making 11 appearances with two starts, playing 253 minutes. He took six shots, putting three on target and scoring two goals. He passed at a 66.7% completion percentage but did not have any key passes or assists. On the defensive side deuces were wild, as he won two tackles, made two blocks and had two clearances. He committed five fouls, drew two on the opposition, and was not booked.

Lynn also made one appearance late in the Lions’ final MLS playoff match, coming in for two minutes and recording just one touch of the ball, with no shots, passes attempted or defensive actions, and he did not receive a booking.

During Concacaf Champions Cup play, the Notre Dame product came off the bench in both games against Cavalry FC, playing 21 total minutes without a goal contribution, recording one shot that was off target, completing all three of his passes, and suffering one foul. He did not contribute any defensive actions or get booked.

Lynn participated in one Leagues Cup match, subbing in against CF Montréal. He played 12 minutes and did not have a goal contribution or take any shots, but he completed both of his passes, with one being a key pass. On the defensive side, he made two recoveries and committed one foul, but he wasn’t booked.

Best Game

The 24-year-old striker earned his first-ever starting nod for Orlando City on March 23 against Austin FC, and in the 42nd minute, he scored his first MLS goal. He timed his run perfectly to get wide open at the back post and finished with a powerful header off a cross from Dagur Dan Thórhallsson to give the Lions a 1-0 lead.

Lynn went on to play 73 minutes, completing 10 of his 13 passes (76.9%) and adding one additional off-target shot. He contributed a tackle and a clearance on defense. Orlando City won the game 2-0, making Lynn’s goal in the opening half the game-winner. Head Coach Óscar Pareja said he was pleased with Lynn’s performance, praising him in the post-game press conference:

“(Jack) is a player who patiently has been waiting (for) his opportunity,” Pareja said. “I could say that maybe he should have more games at this point with the way he has performed in the second group and what he has achieved as an individual. He’s very lethal and he has goals. Today, he opened the game. Jack’s discipline and constant effort has paid off and we’re happy.”

2024 Final Grade

With only 288 minutes on the field across all competitions in 2024, Lynn did not play enough minutes to get a grade for the season, receiving an incomplete from The Mane Land staff. Still, he showed that he was capable of contributing when called upon to play first-team minutes.

2025 Outlook

After watching how prolific Lynn was in MLS NEXT Pro in 2023, and then once again this season when he returned to play a few matches with OCB, Lynn has clearly proven that he is above the level of play in that league. In limited minutes at the MLS level, he has shown flashes, but based on the substitution patterns as the season went along, it was clear that he was at best the third option at striker. Orlando City appears to be bringing back both Enrique and McGuire, so while they picked up Lynn’s option for 2025 season, I expect that it will be another season similar to 2024, where he is a depth player who primarily comes in off the bench, if he comes in at all.

I believe that Lynn is an MLS-caliber player, as he is an excellent finisher of the “fox in the box” ilk, but my projection is that 2025 will look similar to 2024 and he will be fighting for minutes off the bench at the MLS level.

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