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

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Well, was that a fun night, wasn’t it? Orlando City managed to christen its new soccer palace with a grind-it-out 1-0 victory over NYCFC. It wasn’t the greatest performance from an Orlando City team, especially after losing captain Kaká within the first 10 minutes of the game. The team was able to persevere and hang on defensively to a shutout victory.

Now, without further ado, let’s talk some grades.

Starters

GK, Joe Bendik, 8.5 (MotM) – Once again, Joe Bendik saves Orlando City. Time and time again, the keeper came up with numerous big saves, including a breakaway stop in the 32nd minute on Alexander Ring. The 27-year-old also came up with a huge stop on Sean Okoli’s long distance shot in the 85th minute.

D, Will Johnson, 7.5 – While it wasn’t the position he usually plays, Johnson, normally a midfielder, did a really good job at fullback. There were times that Johnson was caught too far forward and had to scramble to get back into position, but he was very much able to do so. The Canadian came up with some big stops on the defensive end and put in a workmanlike performance. Kreis compared the team’s effort tonight to a "Will Johnson Performance."

D, Jonathan Spector, 7.5 – For his first game in MLS, Spector had a fantastic match. He led the team in clearances, with 14, led the team in aerial battles won, with four, and was the fifth-highest percentage passer for the Lions. He was constantly able to clear away danger with timely slide tackles and high pressing defense. Spector’s biggest moment came when he delivered a huge tackle in the 75th minute to stop a goal-scoring chance.

D, Jose Aja, 7.5 – The Uruguayan put in a solid shift along with Spector. He was third on the team in interceptions and third in clearances. He was also third on the team in total touches and second in long balls. Both he and Spector have seemed to form a good partnership and, while there are still kinks to work out, both of them looked solid against a potent attacking team.

D, Donny Toia, 7.5 – A fantastic performance on both sides of the ball, Toia seemed to be all over the left side of the field. He made some key stops on the defensive end of the field and also provided a boost down the flank on the offensive end. Toia did give away a ball in the 65th minute that almost turned into a goal, but he recovered well and knocked it away.

MF, Servando Carrasco, 7 – A good night for the defensive midfielder. Led the team in passing percentage and commanded the midfield with Nocerino. Played more of a reserved role in the midfield, with Nocerino playing higher up.

MF, Antonio Nocerino, 7 – The Italian, along with Carrasco, put in a good shift in the midfield. The fourth-highest passer on the team, Nocerino quietly held down the midfield and prevented a lot of play through the middle.

MF, Kaká, N/A – The captain looked poised for a massive game through the first 10 minutes, but the injury bug bit Orlando once again and Ricky was forced to come out of the game. You can read more about his injury here.

MF, Matias Perez Garcia, 7.5 – An offensive dynamo, MPG took the role of the offensive catalyst once Kaká was forced to come off. He led the team in interceptions, was third in total tackles and was third on the team in passing accuracy. His night ended when he came off in the 89th minute after cramping up.

F, Carlos Rivas, 6 – Despite not putting a ball in the back of the net, Rivas was credited with an assist on the only goal of the night, laying the ball off to Barnes who sent it in to Larin. Still, a better performance than we’re used to seeing from Rivas. He has a high ceiling and is looking to put it all together. Rivas put in a great ball in the 62nd minute to Larin, who couldn’t finish off the goal. He also had a good look at a shot in stoppage time, after putzing around at the top of the box for a bit, but it was deflected wide.

F, Cyle Larin, 6.5 – He scored the only goal of the night, but had chances to put in more. With chances being slim, Larin had opportunities to put the game away, but the ball got tangled in his feet too much. Was forced to come off in the 73rd minute due to cramping in both his legs.

Substitutes

MF, Giles Barnes (11’), 8 – Can’t really ask for a better debut, under tough circumstances. With no warm-up, Barnes was forced onto the pitch and with one of his first touches of the ball, he delivered a pinpoint cross to the back post to Cyle Larin for the only goal of the night. Barnes did a solid job on the defensive end as well, leading the team in both tackles and crosses.

MF, Cristian Higuita (73’), 6.5 – A typical Higuita night. Came in for the final 17 minutes and provided defensive depth and helped the Lions preserve the win. Also, no yellow cards.

F, Hadji Barry (88’), N/A– Had a good defensive stop in stoppage time, but other than that, he wasn’t in long enough to give a grade.

That’s how I saw tonight’s performances. Let us know what you thought below and be sure to vote for your Orlando City Man of the Match.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Jose Aja1
Jonathan Spector85
Will Johnson3
Cyle Larin10
Joe Bendik213
Other (tell us who in the comments section)7

Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/7/24

Orlando Pride prepare for the playoffs, Lewis Morgan named MLS Comeback Player of the Year, Champions League roundup, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to Thursday, Mane Landers. Playoff soccer looms here in the City Beautiful, as Orlando City and the Orlando Pride both host games in which defeat means elimination. I’ll unfortunately be spending the next few days working but am still looking forward to following along when I can. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Orlando Pride Focus On Playoff Game

A historic season for the Orlando Pride will continue Friday when they host the Chicago Red Stars in their first playoff game at home. Preparing for the postseason is unfamiliar territory of sorts for this Pride team, but NWSL veterans like Morgan Gautrat and Carson Pickett can help the team get in the playoff mindset. Emily Sams, who is in just her second year with the Pride but has experience winning an NCAA championship with Florida State, spoke on how the team is focused on its goal of winning the championship that’s driven the team forward this year.

“We’ve come back to that at different points in the season and reminded ourselves that our big goals are to win the shield and to win the championship,” Sams said after training. “We know that it’s very serious and that if we don’t perform well, we could possibly go home. But also knowing that Chicago’s in the same boat, they’re coming to our environment, they’re in front of our fans, where we can control things and just know that we’re the better team and that we can, if we play our best and play up to the standard that we want to, that we’ll be the ones happy at the end of the game.”

Lewis Morgan Named MLS Comeback Player of the Year

New York Red Bulls midfielder Lewis Morgan was voted 2024 MLS Comeback Player of the Year for his performance this season after undergoing hip surgery in September of last year. The 28-year-old led his team with 13 goals and also had seven assists to help the Red Bulls clinch a spot in the playoffs. Morgan was also called up by Scotland for the Euros and UEFA Nations League. Injuries kept him out for most of the 2023 season and there were concerns over whether he would be able to return to form this year. He received 37.69% of the vote to win the award over Robin Lod and Maxi Moralez.

Hector Herrera Not Returning to Houston

The Houston Dynamo declined the option on captain Hector Herrera’s contract for next year. Herrera joined the Dynamo from Atletico Madrid in the middle of the 2022 season and helped the club win the 2023 U.S. Open Cup and make the playoffs the past two years. He had five goals and 21 assists over 62 regular-season matches and was named an MLS All-Star twice. It will be interesting to see what the Dynamo do with the now open Designated Player spot. Only two Western Conference teams scored fewer goals than the Dynamo’s 47 this season, so we’ll see how they add some firepower to the attack heading into next year. Houston is also in discussions with five players regarding returning for next year, including goalkeeper Steve Clark and midfielder Latif Blessing.

Champions League Reaches Midway Point

The fourth round of the UEFA Champions League wrapped up and there were plenty of great games held across Europe. Atletico Madrid went to France and left with all three points after a win against Paris Saint-Germain that included a winner in stoppage time from Angel Correa. A penalty kick right before halftime was the difference in Inter Milan’s 1-0 win at home against Arsenal. Aston Villa was handed its first loss of its campaign in a 1-0 loss to Club Brugge due to Tyrone Mings picking up the ball in his own box. Barcelona, Atalanta, and Bayern Munich all won, while RB Salzburg got its first win of the tournament by beating Feyenoord on the road.

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That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a great Thursday and rest of your week.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/6/24

Orlando City and Orlando Pride set for upcoming playoff games, Rafaelle out for the season, UEFA Champions League results, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s win or go home time for both Orlando City and the Orlando Pride this weekend. As if this week wasn’t stressful enough, we have that to occupy our collective minds. I know that I often prefer to concentrate on soccer, so let’s let to the links.

Do or Die Time for the Lions

Thanks to a lackluster performance by Orlando City in the second match against Charlotte FC away from home, the Lions need a victory to advance in the playoffs. Fortunately, the next match will be back at Inter&Co Stadium. The Lions will need Facundo Torres and Martin Ojeda to return to form if they are to win. Orlando City isn’t the only home squad looking to win this weekend.

The NWSL Playoffs Are Here

With the NWSL playoffs imminent, it is any club’s championship to win. Of course, we want the Orlando Pride to win a second trophy. Each club has a chance to win, though some are better positioned to do so than others. The argument against the Pride stems from the two road matches they recently lost, and the goals given up after winning the NWSL Shield. If the Pride can return to the defensive form from earlier in the season, their odds will be better.

Rafaelle’s Season is Over

Any hope we had of Rafaelle bolstering the Orlando Pride back line came to an end Tuesday, as did her season. The Brazilian has been placed on the Season Ending Injury list with a partial tear of her quadriceps tendon in her right leg. The club is working with Orlando Health on a recovery program for Rafaelle, in hopes she’ll be available for the 2025 season. We wish her a complete and speedy recovery.

Champions League Doesn’t Disappoint

It was quite a day in the UEFA Champions League Tuesday. Liverpool dispatched Bayer Leverkusen 4-0 on the back of a Luis Diaz hat trick, with all four goals coming after the 60th minute. Another high-scoring match saw Sporting CP down Manchester City 4-1 thanks to a hat trick from Victor Gyokeres.

Christian Pulisic helped AC Milan defeat Real Madrid 3-1 with the American providing an assist off a corner. It really was quite a beauty with a finish by Malick Thiaw.

The USMNT’s Malik Tillman scored a goal and added two assists in PSV’s 4-0 victory over Girona. Of course, Girona played a man down after Arnau Martinez received a second yellow card 10 minutes into the second half.

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  • This Atalanta supporter will have a story to tell that few, if any, could ever dream of when talking about his club.
  • If you were wondering what a day in the life of Felipe looks like, wonder no more.
  • If you’re looking for something to do tonight perhaps you’d like to meet Simone Charley and Grace Chanda? The info is in the post below from Tuesday.

That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for both matches this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/5/24

Orlando City announces preseason match, how the Orlando Pride turned things around, Americans in midweek action, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Tuesday, everyone. We have a massive week ahead of us, as the Orlando Pride take on the Chicago Red Stars in the NWSL playoffs on Friday. That will be followed up by a pivotal Game 3 for Orlando City against Charlotte FC on Saturday. Both matches will be at home, so suffice it to say we have a lot going on around these parts. As usual, we have lots to talk through today, so let’s get into the links.

Orlando City Announces Friendly

Orlando City has announced that the club will play a preseason match against Inter Miami in Tampa on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14. The game will take place at Raymond James Stadium at 7:30 p.m., with tickets going on sale to the general public on Nov. 14. There will also be a pregame fan festival set up outside the stadium, which is free if you have a ticket. The decision to play Miami in a preseason game isn’t a surprising one, as it involves minimal travel for both clubs, and a chance to capitalize on the box office draw of Lionel Messi. It is a little surprising that the decision was made to host the game at Raymond James Stadium rather than Orlando’s Camping World Stadium, but it’s possible that the latter wasn’t available, or that there was a desire to capitalize on the additional gate money from the extra 15,000 seats at Raymond James.

How the Pride Escaped the Cellar

In a season that featured several teams who played outstanding campaigns, the Orlando Pride still managed to finish first in the National Women’s Soccer League. It’s a feat made even more impressive when considering how the club has historically struggled, but the change didn’t happen overnight. The rebuild really got underway in 2021, which was when a series of high profile exits and trades began to take place, which would eventually allow the Pride to do a lot of maneuvering in the transfer market. It was a long process though, and it took the arrival of Haley Carter in the front office and Seb Hines as the head coach for things to really start coming together. It’s been an all-around effort, but one that paid off with a first-place finish this season.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans playing this week, so make sure you’ve got everything marked down on your calendar. UEFA Champions League action returns tomorrow, as Malik Tillman, Ricardo Pepi, and Richie Ledezma will take on Girona with PSV Eindhoven. Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan face Real Madrid, and Tim Weah, Weston McKennie, and Juventus hit the road to take on Weah’s former club, Lille. European action then continues on Thursday as Tanner Tessmann and Lyon face Hoffenheim on the road in the Europa League, and Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis host Celje in the Conference League.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

As always seems to be the case, there are a number of transfer rumors floating around. First up, Spanish outlet Marca says that if Vinicius Jr. becomes available then Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain would be interested in signing him. This comes amid reports that the Brazilian is considering a move to Saudi Arabia. Speaking of Chelsea, Enzo Fernandez could seek an exit from the Blues reportedly due to not being favored by boss Enzo Maresca, with Barcelona and Inter Milan as possible destinations. Finally, Eintracht Frankfurt star Omar Marmoush is reportedly attracting interest from some of Europe’s big clubs, with Bayern Munich and Liverpool both interested in signing him.

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That’s all I have for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!

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