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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. LA Galaxy: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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9 years ago

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Orlando City remains perfect at its new home after a 2-1 win over the Galaxy, and showed tremendous resolve to battle back from the LA Galaxy’s late equalizer. The team responded immediately after the visitors leveled the game and started creating chances to snatch all three points and that’s exactly what happened. This team simply has an entirely different demeanor in 2017 and there’s a real belief in games, rather than an impending dread that something bad will happen.

The Lions will head to New York City FC next weekend for only their second road match of the year, but before we start talking about that match, let’s rate the individual performances in what was a solid team victory.

Starters

GK, Joe Bendik, 7 – Joe couldn’t do much about Romain Alessandrini’s goal, which was a rocket off the inside of the right post. But he finished with five saves on the day and a few of them were not the easy kind. His best save came in the 77th off a Gio dos Santos attempt that he got his fingertips on to keep the Galaxy off the board to that point. He had another good save in the 70th off a Gyasi Zardes attempt. He came off his line to win a cross in front of Alessandrini by sheer force of will in the 93rd minute and showed the fire we saw after his late save against Philadelphia. All in all, Bendik commanded his box and stopped everything he could get a hand on and that’s all you can ask of your keeper, but I’m knocking half a point off for his 27.3% passing accuracy.

D, Donny Toia, 7.5 – Toia led Orlando City with seven tackles and tied Tommy Redding with a team-high five clearances as he did well to deny Alessandrini the space he likes to attack down the right side of LA’s offense. Alessandrini didn’t start to have true success until he started playing more centrally, as Toia mostly held the DP at bay. Toia also passed well (82.1%) but he did concede three fouls, but that includes a head-scratcher because he was run over in the corner on the play. His foul on Alessandrini led to a good chance for LA, though. Solid day for Donny.

D, Jonathan Spector, 7 – The only thing Spector really did wrong was to overcommit to a shot fake by Alessandrini, who then cut to his right and scored the LA goal. Aside from that he had a good day, again directing his teammates, reading plays to sniff out danger before it manifested itself, and finished with an impressive 91.4% passing accuracy. He had three clearances – one off the goal line on a Daniel Steres effort – two interceptions and blocked a shot

D, Tommy Redding, 6.5 – Tommy had another mostly strong game, including some balls in the air that he can sometimes struggle with (he didn’t technically win any aerials but he did enough to ensure his mark didn’t either). His passing was solid (85.2%), and he tied Toia with five clearances, with a tackle and a blocked shot. At times he was not able to quite cut off the movement of dos Santos, Alessandrini, and Zardes, but marking those players is a lot to ask of anyone.

D Scott Sutter, 7.5 – The Swiss international may have been Orlando’s man of the match in the first half, with two tackles, two chances created, the assist on Will Johnson’s opening goal, and creating much-needed width for the Lions’ attack. He cooled off a bit after the break and only passed at a 65.6% clip, but he combined with Johnson to make Emmanuel Boateng nearly invisible on the day. Boateng owned Orlando in last year’s meeting but he wasn’t able to do much (0 key passes). Sutter continues to settle into the lineup nicely.

MF, Antonio Nocerino, 6.5 – Noce was quite accurate in the first half (92.3%) with his passing and finished at 85.4%, so he didn’t fall off much after halftime. He created a chance for Carlos Rivas, conceded only one foul, with two interceptions and a clearance. Five of his six long balls were accurate, including a scrumptious pass to Rivas in the 35th minute, but the Colombian made a mess of his cross for Cyle Larin. For only training the last couple days of the week, it was a good outing for the Italian. Jason Kreis praised his leadership and work rate after the match.

MF, Cristian Higuita, 6 – Cristian’s passing rate was typically good (82.4%) but he seemed a bit heavy with his first touch at times and was perhaps a tad slow to the ball a few times, but he did manage to avoid a booking and finished with two tackles, committing only one foul (and that came in like the first minute). He had the most bad touches of the non-forwards, who each had one more than his four, and was dispossessed three times. But he put in his usual tough shift and is slowly working his way back to 90-minute fitness.  

MF, Will Johnson, 8 (MOTM) – Maybe Will should just keep that captain’s armband when Ricky returns, eh? Johnson had a monster game with a beautiful goal and another assist, and has been spectacular on set pieces defensively, clearing a few out of harm’s way on this day (three in total). On his goal, he worked hard to ensure he got back onside after taking a corner kick, then chested down Sutter’s long ball and hit a gorgeous chip shot into the back post side netting on the half-volley. His corner delivery on Cyle Larin’s winner was as good as the one he had against the Red Bulls. He finished with a team-high three shots (tied with Giles Barnes), two of which were on target, and created two chances. His passing rate of 76.3% could have been better but he did complete five of his six long balls. He tallied two tackles.

MF, Giles Barnes, 6.5 – Taking over for Matias Perez Garcia at the top of Kreis’ diamond midfield, the Jamaican had a solid outing but it could have been so much more. Barnes could have had a brace but was denied twice on last-ditch blocks that may have been avoided had he been able to get his shots up under the bar. He got all three of his shots on frame, however, passed at an 85.7% clip, and won two fouls. Importantly, he moved the ball forward into space by dribbling right at defenders and forcing them to commit, which is a skill not all of his teammates have.

F, Carlos Rivas, 7 – Is there anyone in MLS more snake-bitten than Rivas is right now? He rattled the woodwork twice, made two beautiful passes that resulted in chances, created space down the left, proving to be a nightmare for right back Nathan Smith, and got a shot on frame that was stopped by Clement Diop. There were a few times he still hit the ball poorly and sent the ball into the seats, but this was a much better game than his last couple and he left with cramps in the 75th minute with no goals or assists to show for a good game. He deserved a goal on his 23rd birthday, but the posts took away his presents.

F, Cyle Larin, 5.5 – Until the winning goal, this was not a great night for the Canadian striker, but credit him for keeping his concentration and working hard on the game winner. I saw other sites that rated him high for scoring that goal, and he did put himself in good positions, but there were just too many times when he passed when he should shoot and shot when he should pass. His movement did bother Jelle Van Damme into fouling him repeatedly and taking a booking, but that movement didn’t result in much of an end product. He tried to field a high cross with his foot rather than head it on goal in the second half. He managed two shots, one on target, with the goal, and his passing rate of 80% was fairly high for him, but he did have five bad touches and was dispossessed a team-high five times.

Substitutes

MF, Luis Gil (72’), 6 – It took Luis a few minutes to get into the game but he settled in nicely, completing 92.9% of his 14 passes and helping hold onto the ball in the game’s late stages. He got himself into a good spot to get a header on target off Sutter’s cross in the 84th minute, but didn’t quite get all of it. Finished with a pair of tackles and generally harassed the right side players for the Galaxy over the game’s final stretch. He’s not yet integrated fully into the team, but it looks like Gil will fit in nicely when he finds his rhythm.

MF, Servando Carrasco (75’), 4.5 – Serva didn’t look like he got fully settled after coming on for Rivas. He made a mess of a couple of possessions and was more inaccurate than usual passing the ball (66.7%), managing nine touches in total. Finished with just one tackle despite a lot of Galaxy possession in the attacking third during his time on the pitch.

F, Hadji Barry (90’), N/A – The young striker wasn’t on long enough to do much, touching the ball only twice, but he did have a chance to be a hero. He was on only seconds when a ball fell for him in the box. His first touch was heavy but he gathered it in and had his shot blocked. That was about all for his contributions on the day.

That’s how I saw the individual performances from a solid 2-1 win over the Galaxy. What did you think? Vote for your Man of the Match in our poll.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Joe Bendik16
Jonathan Spector20
Carlos Rivas33
Donny Toia3
Scott Sutter10
Will Johnson174
Other (let us know who in the comments)3

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/14/26

Marco Pasalic transfer rumor, Marta up for weekly award, MLS transfer roundup, and more.

Published

3 hours ago

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July 14, 2026

By

Image of Marta looking for an outlet in action against Kansas City.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone. I write to you from Texas, specifically Dallas, as I was in Austin to see friends over the weekend and decided to pop up the road to take in the energy of the World Cup semifinal that will be played in the city later today. I won’t be attending the game, since I don’t wish to sell one of my kidneys but am looking forward to mingling with some of the fans who have traveled here for it. We’ve got a lot to talk about this morning, so let’s get into the links.

Marco Pasalic Transfer Rumor

There have been some quiet rumblings for awhile now that Marco Pasalic may leave Orlando City during the summer transfer window. We now have a more concrete report regarding a potential departure, as the streets are saying that the winger is set to sign for newly promoted Hull City, with a price tag of at least €7 million.

If the move does come to pass, it would reunite him with manager Sergej Jakirovic, who he briefly played for during his time at HNK Rijeka. Jakirovic also stated in a recent interview that he wants to sign Pasalic, so this is a rumor that could have some legs.

Marta Up for Weekly Honors

The Orlando Pride picked up an excellent win on Friday by knocking off the Kansas City Current 3-0, and Marta has been rewarded for her efforts in the victory with a nomination for the NWSL Player of the Week. The Brazilian legend bagged the team’s first goal shortly after halftime, when she found herself in space well outside the box and unleashed a low left-footed drive into the bottom corner for her 50th goal as a Pride player. For some reason, she was snubbed in the Goal of the Week voting despite her impressive strike, so make sure you go vote for her for Player of the Week!

MLS Transfer Roundup

With the MLS summer transfer window opening on Monday, we’ve got a slew of moves to get caught up on. We begin with confirmation of an item that we covered in Monday’s Links, as Nathan Ordaz has officially moved to D.C. United in exchange for up to $2.875 million. The New England Revolution have extended Matt Turner’s loan from Lyon, with the new deal lasting through December. It also has an option to extend the loan again until December 2027, after which the Revs have a purchase option. Atlanta United has signed Paraguayan center back Junior Alonso on a free transfer, with his deal running through the 2028-2029 season. Finally, Charlotte FC has announced the signing of forward Allan Saint-Maximin as a Designated Player. He will occupy the DP slot vacated by Wilfried Zaha.

USWNT Announces Fall Friendlies

The United States Women’s National Team has announced that it will play a pair of October friendlies against Spain in a matchup of the reigning World Cup champions against the reigning Olympic champions. The USWNT will face the top-ranked team in the world on Oct. 10 at Audi Field in Washington D.C., and again on Oct. 13 at Subaru Park in Chester, PA. The Oct. 10 match will also have a pregame retirement celebration for USWNT defender Crystal Dunn. This will be just the fourth time that the two teams have faced each other, with the U.S. winning two of the three previous meetings. The two friendlies will be the last games that the USWNT plays before beginning World Cup qualifying.

Previewing France vs. Spain

The World Cup semifinals begin today, with France and Spain set to throw down in Dallas. For France, the stars are too many to count, with Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, and Michael Olise all taking turns lighting up both the field and the scoreboard for the team that has made back-to-back appearances in the final. As far as Spain goes, all the focus is on Lamine Yamal, as the young winger has been key to Spain’s success despite scoring just one goal. If Nico Williams is able to start on the opposite wing, the French won’t be able to key so heavily on Yamal, and it could open up more space for him in which to operate. The matchup between the youngster and Lucas Digne will be key, as will the ability of either Mikel Oyarzabal or Ferran Torres to be effective up top for Spain.

Free Kicks

  • Former Lion Daryl Dike is leaving West Bromwich Albion. We know a team that just traded a striker.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/13/26

Pride and OCB win, Maxime Crepeau to compete in MLS All-Star Skills Challenge, Latest MLS transfer roundup, and more.

Published

1 day ago

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July 13, 2026

By

Image of Marta blasting a goal from long range against Kansas City.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been very busy at work, but I look forward to watching the 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinals and final this week. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Pride Shut Out Kansas City Current at Home

The Orlando Pride defeated the Kansas City Current 3-0 at Inter&Co Stadium Friday night, bouncing back from a tough outing at Angel City the previous week. After a scoreless first half, Marta scored the opener from long distance to give Orlando the lead. Hannah Anderson and Barbra Banda added a goal apiece as the Pride have won three out of their last four league matches. Goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse earned a clean sheet in her 100th appearance for the club. Orlando remains eighth in the NWSL table with 20 points. The Pride will be back in action at home Wednesday, taking on Boston Legacy at Inter&Co Stadium.

OCB Wins at FC Cincinnati 2

Orlando City B beat FC Cincinnati 2 by a 2-1 scoreline at NKU Soccer Stadium in Highland Heights, KY on Sunday. Issah Haruna’s goal gave the Young Lions the lead in the first half. In the second half, Cincinnati leveled the match, but Matthew Belgodere scored the winner on the road. That result pulls the Young Lions into third in the MLS NEXT Pro Eastern Conference standings with 33 points, just one point off leaders Chattanooga FC. OCB will be away for another road test Saturday against Chattanooga FC at Finley Stadium.

Orlando City Reportedly Submits Transfer Offer for Alex Moreno

Orlando City has reportedly submitted a transfer offer to sign Girona defender Alex Moreno. No agreement has been reached between the two sides, and conversations remain ongoing, according to reports. Moreno made 31 appearances for Girona last season in La Liga and recorded three assists. The 33-year-old left back remains under contract with Girona through 2027, but the club was relegated from La Liga to La Liga 2 last season. Several European clubs have also expressed interest in signing Moreno, including La Liga sides Real Betis and Rayo Vallecano.

Crepeau to Compete in MLS All-Star Skills Challenge

Orlando City goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau will compete in the 2026 MLS All-Star Skills Challenge at Truist Field in Charlotte on July 28, the club announced Friday. The competition will feature top players from Major League Soccer and Liga MX competing to test their soccer skills on the pitch. Five skills challenge competitions are featured, including the All-Star Goalie Wars, All-Star Crossbar Challenge, and the MLS vs. Liga MX Relay Challenge. Each competition will crown its own champion this year, switching from the traditional MLS-versus-opponent format used in previous years.

Latest MLS Transfer Roundup

According to Tom Bogert of The Athletic, Sporting Kansas City has emerged as a potential option to sign former Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah.

🚨🇪🇬 Sources: Sporting KC has emerged as top MLS suitor for Liverpool legend Mo Salah.Still a longshot of course, as sources believe he prefers Europe + Saudi very interested, but SKC the top MLS option now.More here with @paultenorio.bsky.social: www.nytimes.com/athletic/743…

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2026-07-10T19:35:14.046Z

D.C. United has reportedly acquired forward Nathan Ordaz from LAFC.

🇸🇻 BREAKING: D.C. United to acquire El Salvador international forward Nathan Ordaz from LAFC, per sources.Ordaz, 22, is a product of LAFC's academy. Made 98 first team apps. 9g/4a in 2,163 mins over last two years.Gets chance to earn more mins at D.C.

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2026-07-12T13:55:49.973Z

Meanwhile, the Seattle Sounders have reportedly traded defender Cody Baker to the New England Revolution.

Free Kicks

  • Former Lion Silvester van der Water has signed with Cambodian Premier League side Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng FC.
  • Ted Lasso actor Cristo Fernandez, who plays Dani Rojas in the show, made his professional debut for USL Championship side El Paso Locomotive over the weekend.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.

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Orlando City

Orlando City Trades Duncan McGuire to Houston Dynamo

The Lions send the 2023 first-round pick to Houston for a pile of Garberbucks.

Published

4 days ago

on

July 10, 2026

By

Image of Duncan McGuire playing the ball against New York City FC.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando no longer runs on Duncan as Orlando City has traded 2023 first-round draft pick Duncan McGuire to the Houston Dynamo. The big striker with the even bigger smile and the back flips joins the Dynamo, with the Lions receiving $600,000 in 2026 General Allocation Money (GAM), $400,000 in 2027 GAM, and $250,000 in 2027-2028 GAM. The return could also include up to $1.15 million in GAM add-ons if certain performance metrics are met. OCSC will retain a percentage of any sell-on by Houston.

It became clear that something was up with McGuire, as he did not dress for Orlando City’s friendly against Tampa Bay on Wednesday.

“Duncan has meant a great deal to this club since the day he arrived in Orlando,” Orlando City General Manager and Sporting Director Ricardo Moreira said in a club press release. “His resilience, determination, and willingness to fight through challenges both on and off the field have earned the respect of everyone throughout our organization. He has played a major role in our success over the last several years, and when the opportunity arose, we wanted to ensure it was a move that made sense for both Duncan and the club. We’re grateful for everything he has given to Orlando City and wish him and his family nothing but success in this next chapter.”

The Lions selected McGuire out of Creighton with the No. 6 overall selection in the first round of the 2023 MLS SuperDraft. Although he was not a Generation Adidas player, the striker had signed a pre-draft contract with the league, meaning Orlando City didn’t need to spend time agreeing to a contract. The 6-foot-1 forward quickly became a starter for the Lions during his rookie year, and put together back-to-back, double-digit goal-scoring seasons in his first two professional seasons. Now in his fourth pro year, McGuire has appeared in 85 MLS matches (45 starts) for the Lions, scoring 29 goals and adding eight assists. In all competitions, McGuire has contributed 32 goals and nine assists in 109 appearances (55 starts).

Once one of the most promising up-and-coming American strikers in any league after his 24 goals across his first two MLS campaign, Mcguire underwent surgery on both shoulders in separate procedures after the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs, which have restricted his availability, affected his form, and have limited him to just five goals and three assists in his last 29 matches. He has sat behind various other strikers starting in his place the last couple of seasons, including Ramiro Enrique, Luis Muriel, and Justin Ellis.

After his breakout rookie campaign, in which the Omaha, NE native scored 14 goals, he was courted by several teams in Europe. He signed with Blackburn Rovers in 2024, only to see the transfer rejected by the English Football League due to an administrative error by the EFL Championship club. Upon his return, the Creighton product signed his most recent contract on Aug. 22, 2024, locking him down through 2027 with a club option for 2028. That deal now belongs to the Dynamo.

McGuire’s hot start to his professional career had him climbing the U.S. Men’s National Team player pool. Gregg Berhalter called him up to the USMNT for the first time in January 2024 ahead of the team’s friendly against Slovenia. The striker made his first USMNT appearance in that match, coming off the bench to replace Brian White on Jan. 20, 2024, in a 1-0 loss. That is his only cap to date, although he had previously appeared nine times and scored one goal for the U.S. U-23 side.

The 2022 Hermann Trophy winner spent three seasons at Creighton, where he appeared in 24 games (23 starts) in his final (junior) season, logging 1,591 college minutes. McGuire scored 23 goals and added three assists in 2022.

What It Means for Orlando City

It makes sense to deal a striker making a base salary of $600,000 ($921,000 in total guaranteed compensation) if he can’t crack the starting lineup. While some of that comes down to coaching decisions and other players emerging, it didn’t help McGuire that he struggled to regain the consistent form he showed in his first two years in Orlando. In the end, this is a bit of a blow financially to the club, as the initial agreement with Blackburn was for a reported $4 million. He now departs for considerably less money, but his value understandably dropped with his production and the two shoulder surgeries.

McGuire is still just 25 years old, and sitting out after two surgeries means he has fewer miles on his legs than many players his age. He could still regain the form that saw him score 14 times in 2023 and 10 more times in 2024 and had the USMNT and European clubs paying attention. Orlando City will hope that he returns to form, because that will influence how much GAM the club eventually receives for this transaction.

A fan favorite since his arrival, McGuire will be missed, and while the Lions could perhaps have benefitted from getting a player back in return to bolster an area of need, the influx of GAM can help accomplish the same goal.

McGuire’s departure appears to solidify Justin Ellis’ position on the first team, although his play in the first half of the season likely already did that. It may also open up more minutes for Tiago. But the trade also tells us that unless a new striker is brought in, the Lions will play without a traditional target striker for the time being, allowing players who have typically either played as wingers, attacking midfielders, or false nines to have the freedom to fluidly change positions and force defenders out of their comfort zones when it comes to coverage. Martin Ojeda, Antoine Griezmann, Ellis, Ivan Angulo, Marco Pasalic, and the team’s fullbacks will be harder to keep tabs on under such a system.

Whether it will work or if it will further stress the team’s shoddy transition defense (or both) remains to be seen.

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