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Orlando City at Toronto FC: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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8 years ago

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It wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if Orlando City never had to travel to Toronto again.

For the third time in four trips to BMO Field, the Lions will be coming back to the States with nothing to show, after a 2-1 loss to Toronto FC. Kaká’s second goal of the season just before the halftime whistle wasn’t enough for Orlando City to overcome a pair of first-half goals from Sebastian Giovinco, who now has six in his career against the Lions.

It was a tough loss for the club, which will be reminiscing about a couple of big missed chances by Cyle Larin in the second half. Although, you have to be happy with the fight the team showed in the second half after struggling to find chances and letting in two goals in the first 45 minutes.

Anyway, it’s time to break down grades.

Starters

GK, Joe Bendik, 6 — Joe only made two saves on the night as he returned again to his old stomping grounds in Toronto. Neither of Giovinco’s goals can be placed solely on him, as the Italian striker used just pure skill to find the net on both occasions.

D, Donny Toia, 6 — I thought it was a very average — if not above average — night for Toia, who did a lot of good defending. He did get beat badly by Beitashour in the second half when the defender dribbled right through his legs, but lucky for him it didn’t turn into anything serious for Toronto.

D, Jonathan Spector, 7 — Without Will Johnson and Antonio Nocerino in the lineup, this was a big game for Spector’s leadership to will Orlando City on. He collected three tackles, an interception, and three clearances. It’s easy to sit back and say, “yeah, the defense gave up two goals, so they weren’t good,” but I certainly don’t think that was the case in this one. Giovinco simply scored a really good goal followed by one, okay, that maybe should have been marked better.

D, Tommy Redding, 8.5 — Tommy has played a lot of good games in MLS, but this one might just rank near the top. He played a great game and kept Jozy Altidore right in his pocket throughout the entire night. There were also a couple of really big moments he had on Giovinco that I thought played a key role in keeping Toronto off of the board down the stretch, including a play in the 64th minute when Giovinco took the ball down into the penalty area. Redding stuck right on to him and forced Giovinco out of the shot and made him pass it off to an incoming Altidore, who didn’t challenge Bendik.

D, Scott Sutter, 8.5 (MOTM) — If I’m not giving the Man of the Match award to Redding, it’s definitely Sutter’s for the taking. The English-Swiss defender was all over the right side, and contributed to the attack in major ways with a slew of crosses (eight, to be exact) from the wing. He made seven total tackles, which was the highest of any player on the field, with one interception and two clearances. He also passed to an 86% accuracy, and made a couple of strong runs up the field in the second half.

MF, Servando Carrasco, 5.5 — If there’s some blame to hand out — some, not all — it could go to Carrasco for Giovinco’s first goal. Raheem Edwards cut inside and tried to dish the ball back up near the top of the box, but while Carrasco was able to cut it off, he doesn’t get a very good clearance on the ball, which puts it right at the Italian’s feet, and sets up an opportunity that he rarely doesn’t finish. An 88% passing rate is a good night in the midfield, including a nice ball served forward that Kaká was able to find for a quality headed chance.

MF, Luis Gil, 6 — I didn’t really think much of Gil’s first start with the club, to be honest. I was a bit excited to see him get the start because it meant the opportunity to actually get a good look at him after only seeing him for short stints late in games. I thought he was pretty weak offensively, and his 80% passing backs that up. He did start to look a lot better when he moved over to the right side late in the match, and made a big tackle in the midfield in the closing minutes to break up a Toronto counter. Three tackles and two interceptions is a good defensive night, and exactly what Kreis likes to see out of his midfielders in the diamond system.

MF, Cristian Higuita, 5.5 — I had Higuita marked down for several good tackles throughout the match, but overall he was really bad in this one. He won three aerial balls and passed for 90%, but he also failed to complete key passes and was dispossessed eight times, while also earning yet another yellow.

MF, Kaká, 6.5 — It’s really good to see the captain come back and score two goals in two games, even if they’re not the toughest of goals. He obviously did a great job following through on his corner and getting into the position to clean up that loose ball in the box for the goal, but I think we could have seen a little more from Kaká on the night. He did pass for 91%, which included one key pass, while putting up three shots.

F, Carlos Rivas, 6 — I didn’t think it was a great game from Rivas, but it also wasn’t that bad. He could have done a lot more with the ball that we would normally have seen him do at home this season, which is taking the ball and exposing defenders on runs. But he didn’t have those opportunities, and he struggled to find his teammates on passes, coming in at the 71% mark on 31 passes, which is pretty low. He did, however, get off nine crosses including a couple of dangerous ones that nearly found his teammates in the second half. And he did send a good free kick service forward in the late minutes that nearly created an opportunity.

F, Cyle Larin, 4 — Larin continues to struggle on his home turf in Canada, with just one goal now in eight MLS games north of the border. He had two chances he absolutely should have scored on in the 59th and 67th minutes that Alex Bono just made outstanding saves on. If both of those go in, we’re talking about a completely different game and most likely Orlando City walking out of Toronto with three points for the first time. He was dispossessed of the ball six times, and was marked down for seven bad touches. And his only two shots on goal were the weak should-have-beens I already mentioned. Rough night for the Canadian striker.

Substitutions

M, Matias Perez Garcia (65’), 6 — MPG pretty much came on as a straight replacement for Kaká, giving some fresh legs on the attack, but to also provide a little bit more cover on the defensive side of things. He shifted to the wing when Giles Barnes came on not long afterwards, and made one tackle while also sending in two crosses. Not a bad 25-minute shift.

MF, Giles Barnes (75’), 6 — Nothing too spectacular from Barnes in his short time on the field. Like I mentioned, he came on for Carrasco and shifted to the top of the diamond while MPG went out wide and moved Higuita to the holding midfield role at the bottom. He only attempted seven passes.

M, Tony Rocha (87’), N/A — Rocha came on in the closing minutes for Higuita moments after he picked up his yellow card and closed out the match in the defensive midfield.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Kaká22
Tommy Redding75
Jonathan Spector17
Scott Sutter35
Carlos Rivas7
Other (Please let us know in the comments!)1

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/21/25

Orlando Pride release preseason camp roster, scouting Costa Rica, women’s soccer transfer grades, and more.

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20 hours ago

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January 21, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone! If you had yesterday off for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, then I hope you enjoyed some restful time off. If not, then I hope you got your week started off on a good and productive note. There’s a lot going on around here this week as the United States Men’s National Team is in town, and Orlando City will play its first preseason match on Saturday. That means we have plenty to discuss, so let’s dig into today’s links.

Orlando Pride Drop Preseason Roster

Monday might have been a holiday but the Orlando Pride were busy, as they announced the roster for their upcoming preseason camp. Almost all of the usual suspects from the 2024 season are back, as the Pride return 98% of the player-minutes from last season and every single scorer. Mariana Larroquette is on the list although she’s currently on loan in Argentina, and Amanda Allen is likewise included after her loan at Lexington Sporting Club was terminated due to a torn labrum. The biggest intrigue comes from the trio of non-roster invitees: goalkeeper DeAira Jackson, midfielder Aryssa Mahrt, and forward Simone Jackson.

Scouting Costa Rica

The USMNT takes on Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium to wrap up the team’s annual January camp. Like the U.S., Costa Rica is bringing a roster devoid of the majority of its important players. Costa Rica also has a new manager at the helm in Miguel Herrera, who will take charge of the team for the very first time on Wednesday. Herrera typically lines his teams up in a 5-3-2 where the wingbacks take on a very important role and the team looks to hit on the counter while staying compact at the back. This will be the last time we see the USMNT in action until the Concacaf Nations League semifinals in early March.

Women’s Soccer January Transfer Grades

January has been a busy time for transfers in the women’s soccer world, so which teams have done the best business? Well, the Orlando Pride received an A grade for signing Marta to a new two-year deal, retaining a player who helped the team win its first ever trophies. Liverpool got an A for signing Julia Bartel on loan from Chelsea. Leicester City made an interesting call by transferring goalkeeper Lize Kop to Tottenham despite just being a point above the relegation zone. The Foxes get a C for the move, while Spurs get a B+ for adding a capable netminder.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans taking part in some very important games over the course of this week. Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus face Club Brugge today in the UEFA Champions League, while Ricardo Pepi, Richy Ledezma, Esmir Bajraktarević, Malik Tillman and PSV Eindhoven take on Crvena Zvezda in the same competition. Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan will play Girona in the UCL on Wednesday, while Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic take on Young Boys. On Friday, John Tolkin could make his Bundesliga debut when his new team, Holstein Kiel, travels to face Wolfsburg.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando Pride players reported for their preseason physicals on Monday.
  • Meanwhile, Orlando City took on the dreaded beep test during Monday’s training session.

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

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Orlando City

Striker Suddenly a Position of Need for Orlando City

Departures and a key injury mean Orlando City needs a striker heading into the 2025 MLS season.

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2 days ago

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January 20, 2025

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Image Courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City reached the Eastern Conference Final for the first time in 2024, a milestone for the club. The core of the team was locked up through the 2025 season, so there was no reason to believe it needed to add much this off-season. Unfortunately, injuries and departures have created a serious problem for the team.

The group of forwards last year consisted of Duncan McGuire, Ramiro Enrique, and Jack Lynn. McGuire scored 15 goals in 2023 and was expected to depart for Blackburn Rovers before a clerical error allowed the Lions to keep their target man. The team’s primary striker scored 11 goals in 37 games — the same number as the previous season — but split time starting with Enrique. The Argentinian improved greatly in 2024, increasing his total goal tally from four to 12. Even Lynn showed tremendous improvement last year, playing a greater role in the team and scoring his first two MLS goals.

The future also seemed bright for the Orlando City forwards because of their ages. Lynn is the oldest of the trio at just 25 years old. Meanwhile, McGuire and Enrique are only 23, so there was no reason to believe this group couldn’t produce this coming season.

The problem at striker began in the postseason when McGuire was pulled down by Charlotte FC midfielder Djibril Diani in the final first round game of the playoffs. McGuire suffered a shoulder injury during the challenge that required surgery on Dec. 13. It’s expected that the striker could take four to five months to return to action, possibly leaving him out until May or June.

Another blow to Orlando’s attack occurred Saturday when Lynn surprisingly announced his retirement from professional soccer. In just over a month, Orlando City went from having three strikers to having just one as preseason training starts.

With McGuire injured and Lynn gone, one option would be to have Designated Player Luis Muriel play up top. However, the Colombian prefers to play a more withdrawn position and proved to be effective in that role last year. Since Head Coach Oscar Pareja prefers to play a 4-2-3-1 formation, the Lions need someone up top to control the ball and involve the midfielders in the attack. That’s not Muriel’s game.

The result of these issues is that nobody is currently behind Enrique when the season begins. If the Argentinian gets tired, hurt, or simply needs rest, Pareja is limited in his options. 

Whether there was a lack of strikers or a lack of goals from the position previously, that problem was resolved by the club’s all-time leading goal scorer. Facundo Torres scored 20 goals in 2024, becoming the first player in Orlando City’s MLS history and the second player in club history to do so. He went on to set a new club record for total goals of 47.

However, Orlando City sold its best player to Brazilian side Palmeiras on Dec. 20. It was a gut punch to fans as Torres had signed a new contract on Jan. 10, 2024 that ran through the 2026 season. There had been talk for the last couple of years that the attacker would look for a move to Europe and rumors of a move to South America arose this off-season. Still, it created a huge gap the club has to fill.

There are players on the roster that can make up for the injury and departures. Martin Ojeda had a strong season in 2024, finishing with seven goals and 13 assists. His seven goals ranked fourth on the team and his 13 assists topped the squad alongside Nico Lodeiro. Muriel came on strong later in the season, finishing with five goals and eight assists. But those numbers are a long way from the 20 goals that Torres tallied last year.

Even if you consider all goal contributions, Ojeda and Muriel fall well short of Torres. Ojeda had a total of 20 goal contributions in 2024 while Muriel had 13. In addition to Torres’s 20 goals, he added nine assists for a team-leading 29 goal contributions.

All of this information leads to one undeniable fact — Orlando City needs to sign a striker prior to the season. And there’s not much time for Luiz Muzzi to act. The European transfer window closes on Feb. 3 and many MLS teams have already been filling similar needs. With the season starting in just over a month, the options will be limited if the Lions don’t do something soon.

After the best postseason finish in Orlando City’s MLS history, things were looking good heading into 2025. While the back line and most of the midfield is returning, McGuire’s injury and the departure of Torres and Lynn have left the Lions in a tough spot offensively. If they don’t do something in the next couple of weeks, it could be a long 2025.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/20/25

Orlando City signs Nicolas Rodriguez, Jack Lynn announces retirement, USMNT defeats Venezuela in friendly, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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January 20, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope you’re all having a good holiday weekend as we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Over the past week, I’ve been working and covering high school ice hockey. It will be a busy week in Orlando, with the United States Men’s National Team’s match against Costa Rica on Wednesday and Orlando City’s first preseason match against Atletico Mineiro on Saturday. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Signs Nicolas Rodriguez

Orlando City announced on Friday that the club has signed forward Nicolas Rodriguez from Fortaleza CEIF in Colombia’s top flight. The deal is through the 2027 season, with a club option for 2028, and Rodriguez will occupy a MLS U22 Initiative slot. Rodriguez made 19 appearances for Fortaleza, recording 1,607 minutes, five goals, and three assists during the 2024 Primera A Clausura season. The Lions add a young attacking player the club can develop and Rodriguez can play on the right wing, the right side of a three-man midfield, or in the No. 10 spot.

Jack Lynn Announces Retirement

Orlando City forward Jack Lynn announced his retirement from professional soccer on Saturday. Lynn was drafted by Orlando in the first round of the 2022 MLS SuperDraft. He became a regular starter for Orlando City B, scoring a team-record 38 goals in over three seasons with the MLS NEXT Pro side. Lynn also won the Golden Boot with 19 goals during the 2023 season and became the first OCB player to be named MLS NEXT Pro MVP. He played sparingly with the first team, but he scored twice last season as his role increased. The Lions will likely look to add another striker for more depth up top.

Orlando Pride Acquire Allocation Money in Trade

On Friday, the Orlando Pride announced that the club has acquired $50,000 in Allocation Money from the Washington Spirit. In exchange, the Pride sent the Spirit a 2025 international roster spot. The Pride will face the Spirit in the NWSL Challenge Cup final on March 7 at Inter&Co Stadium.

USMNT Defeats Venezuela in Friendly

The USMNT defeated Venezuela 3-1 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday in a friendly. Jack McGlynn and Patrick Agyemang scored in the first half to give the USMNT a 2-0 lead just before halftime. Matko Milijevic scored the third goal for the Americans in the second half, with Venezuela pulling one back thanks to a goal from Jorge Yriarte. Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has led the USMNT to winning four out of its first five matches since he took charge last September. The USMNT’s next match will be against Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium.

Alyssa Naeher Named U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year

On Saturday, goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher was voted 2024 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year. Naeher won 40% of the vote, while defender Naomi Girma finished in second with 32%. In her final year with the USWNT, Naeher ended 2024 with 18 starts, playing 1,170 minutes and only conceding 11 goals. She played a crucial role with clutch saves to help the USWNT win the 2024 SheBelieves Cup, 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup, and gold at the Olympics in Paris. Naeher is the second goalkeeper to win the award since Hope Solo won it in 2009.

Free Kicks

  • Manchester City forward Erling Haaland has reached an agreement with the club on a record-breaking contract that extends his deal through 2034.

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

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