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

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
Player | Votes |
Kaká | 22 |
Tommy Redding | 75 |
Jonathan Spector | 17 |
Scott Sutter | 35 |
Carlos Rivas | 7 |
Other (Please let us know in the comments!) | 1 |
Lion Links
Lion Links: 6/24/25
Orlando City’s upward aspirations, Tim Weah reportedly set for transfer, Club World Cup roundup, and more.

Happy Tuesday, everyone. We’ve got a busy week ahead of us with the Club World Cup approaching the end of the group stage, OCB at home on Wednesday, and Orlando City back in action with a pair of games. That means we have plenty to talk about, so let’s get straight into today’s links.
Orlando City’s Lofty Goals
Kyle Smith took some time after training on Monday to speak to the media and shed some light on where OCSC is at right now. The utility player was candid in saying he believes this year’s team is the best one he’s seen since he’s been with the club, and that’s saying something considering he’s the longest-tenured player on the team. Smith said the team is focused on climbing higher in the standings and that the two recent breaks will help the team do just that. He emphasized the importance of handling extra time off between games the right way by making sure the players are taking care of their bodies, getting in the gym, and recovering afterwards. That sort of professionalism paid off in the 1-0 win over the Colorado Rapids, so hopefully the same is true of Wednesday’s game against St. Louis City.
Tim Weah Reportedly on the Move
Nottingham Forest has reportedly agreed a deal with Juventus to sign Tim Weah and fellow Juve player Samuel Mbangula for roughly €22 million. That being said, personal terms have not yet been agreed upon with Weah, and that will likely take some time, since he’s playing for them at the Club World Cup, and the Italian side is probably keen to minimize outside distractions. Weah broke out with Lille during a four-season spell with the French side, earning a move to Juventus in 2023 as a result.
Club World Cup Roundup
The Club World Cup continues to roll on, as the tournament entered its final round of group stage games on Monday. Atletico Madrid became the first big name to exit the competition, as it beat Botafogo 1-0 to finish level with the Brazilians on six points but will be going home due to having worse goal difference. Atletico needed to win by at least three in order to overtake Botafogo in the standings and might have managed it if not for some poor finishing. In Group B’s other game, Paris Saint-Germain took down the Seattle Sounders 2-0 to finish top of the group. Seattle was given a brutal draw and accounted itself as well as can be expected, but ultimately, the Sounders exit the competition without picking up a point.
Club World Cup Takeaways
Speaking of the Club World Cup, what are some of the impressions so far of the expanded tournament? There have been plenty of good things, as teams have been taking it seriously with strong lineups, and barring the outlier that is Auckland City, no one team has been consistently getting shelled. On the other hand, making the jump from six teams to 32 simply feels like too much too soon, and that’s probably contributed to fluctuating levels of interest from local fans. High ticket prices and games starting in the heat of the day haven’t helped much either, as weather conditions have been a recurring concern among both fans and players. The competition is still a net positive overall, but there are certainly some things to learn from and improve upon next time around.
Free Kicks
- Check out some of the scenes from the Lions’ training session on Monday.
- The Orlando Pride slid down to fifth in ESPN.com’s NWSL power rankings.
- Three people are dead while a further 81 have been injured following the collapse of a stand at an Algerian soccer match.
- Manchester United has reportedly submitted an improved offer for Bryan Mbuemo.
- Manchester City’s Rico Lewis has had his Club World Cup ban extended for two additional matches.
That’s all I have for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 6/23/25
Pride fall to Racing Louisville, Seb Hines and Giles Barnes share insight on path to success in Orlando, USMNT defeats Haiti, and more.

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been busy working and catching up with friends over the past week. Before we get started, let’s wish a belated happy birthday to Orlando Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter, who turned 41 on Saturday. The Pride was the lone team in action over the weekend, while the Lions and OCB were off. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.
Pride Fall at Racing Louisville
The Orlando Pride fell to Racing Louisville 2-0 Friday at Lynn Family Stadium. Arin Wright scored the opening goal in the first half, and former Pride midfielder Taylor Flint converted a penalty kick for Racing Louisville. The Pride struggled offensively and failed to capitalize on their scoring chances. Orlando’s struggles in Louisville continue, as the club is winless in five matches at Lynn Family Stadium. The Pride will be on a long break, and their next match will be Aug. 3, taking on the Utah Royals at Inter&Co Stadium.
Seb Hines, Giles Barnes Share Insight on Path to Success in Orlando
Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines and Assistant Coach Giles Barnes were featured in an interview in The Guardian. Both Hines and Barnes shared insight into their longtime friendship, which began with playing in English youth international camps, their different paths to playing in Major League Soccer, and how they became involved in coaching. Hines discussed his time as interim manager of the Pride in 2022 and how he brought in Barnes to help change the club’s culture. Hines and Barnes helped change the perception of the club and led the Pride to winning both the NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship last season.
USMNT Defeats Haiti to Win Group D in Gold Cup
The U.S. Men’s National Team defeated Haiti 2-1 Sunday night at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX, in their final match in the group stage of the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup. The USMNT finished atop its group with three wins and nine points. Orlando City defender Alex Freeman made his third consecutive start and played 90 minutes.
Malik Tillman scored the opening goal 10 minutes into the match to give the USMNT the early lead. Haiti tied the match not long after Tillman’s goal. In the second half, Patrick Agyemang pulled the USMNT back in front. The USMNT advances to the quarterfinals as the group winner and will play its next match Sunday against the Group A runner-up which was the late game Sunday night and had yet to conclude as of this writing.
Club World Cup Weekend Recap
Another weekend of matches from the FIFA Club World Cup is in the books. On Friday, Benfica crushed Auckland City FC 6-0, while Flamengo beat Chelsea 3-1. LAFC was eliminated from advancing to the knockout round after a 1-0 defeat to ES Tunis. Bayern Munich edged Boca Juniors 2-1. On Saturday, Borussia Dortmund defeated Mamelodi Sundowns 4-3. Inter Milan needed a late stoppage-time winning goal from Valentin Carboni to edge Urawa Red Diamonds 2-1. Fluminense beat Ulsan HD 4-2, and River Plate and Monterrey ended in a scoreless draw. On Sunday, Juventus cruised to a 4-1 win over Wydad Casablanca. Xabi Alonso secured his first win as manager of Real Madrid with a 3-1 victory against Pachuca. Red Bull Salzburg and Al-Hilal played to a scoreless draw, with Manchester City playing Al-Ain in the late match Sunday. Today’s matches feature Atletico Madrid facing Botafogo, the Seattle Sounders hosting Paris Saint-Germain, FC Porto vs. Al Ahly, and Inter Miami taking on Palmeiras.
Free Kicks
- Orlando Pride midfielder Ally Lemos and forward Simone Jackson have been called-up to the U-23 U.S. Women’s National Team. The U-23 camp will be led by Orlando Pride Assistant Coach Yolanda Thomas.
USL Championship side San Antonio FC has signed former Orlando City defender Abdi Salim to a 25-day contract.
San Diego Wave winger Maria Sanchez has reportedly reach an agreement to return to her former club, Tigres of Liga MX Femenil, on a four-year contract.
Paul Pogba is reportedly set to return to playing soccer and has signed a two-year contract with Ligue 1 side AS Monaco.
That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.
Opinion
Orlando City Has Been Better than Expected Halfway Through the Season
While there was plenty to worry about at the start of the season, Orlando has had a good first half of 2025.

With 18 matches in the books, we’ve moved just past the halfway point of the 2025 Major League Soccer season, and based off my feelings before Orlando City played its opening game of the season, the Lions have performed above expectations so far. There were plenty of valid reasons to be concerned heading into the year. Orlando had sold its all-time leading goal scorer, and there were questions about whether he’d been adequately replaced. There were worries about depth at multiple positions, and the defense was coming off an uncharacteristically poor year. Here we are though, with the Lions sitting fifth in the Eastern Conference, just three points out of second place and seven points out of first. So how did we get to this point?
For one thing, Marco Pasalic has been much better than I (and I think a lot of other people) expected him to be. The Croatian has six goals and four assists across 18 matches, and is second on the team in both categories. He scored 10 goals in 49 appearances in the Croatian first division before coming to Orlando and was extremely one-footed, which was enough evidence to sow real doubt about whether he could adequately replace the impact of Facundo Torres.
So far, it’s mostly been so good. His direct style of play is a good complement to the styles of Martin Ojeda and Luis Muriel, and he’s largely hit the ground running in a league that can be difficult to adapt to. It hasn’t been perfect, as he’s still very one-footed, and can sometimes disappear if he’s stringently man marked, but on the whole there’s been much more good than bad.
Speaking of Ojeda and Muriel, they’ve also had strong years. Ojeda in particular has continued his great second half of the 2024 season and has nine goals and five assists in 18 games to show for it. He looks fast, confident, and decisive and is a far cry from the player who struggled frequently during his first year as a Lion. Muriel has cooled off a little after a scorching start to 2025, but he still has six goals and three assists in 18 matches. He looks vastly improved from last year, when he looked a little off the pace of play and quickly lost the starting striker role. He still has a tendency to not be as selfish as he needs to be in front of goal, but he’s been much better than 2024.
I mentioned depth being a big concern, and not just at one position. At the beginning of the season Orlando City was, and arguably still is, thin at striker, center back, defensive midfield, and fullback. Duncan McGuire was injured to start the year and is now injured again, leaving Orlando with two true strikers in Muriel and Ramiro Enrique. There was no true backup left back, only one reliable backup center back, and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson starting at right back meant that defensive midfield depth consisted of rookie Joran Gerbet and the Swiss army knife that is Kyle Smith.
Things have mostly worked out though. David Brekalo has supplanted Rafael Santos, meaning the Brazilian is now a proven backup option at the position, and Smith has filled in there as well. That means that in games in which Rodrigo Schlegel or Robin Jansson are unavailable, Brekalo fills in at center back, Santos starts at left back, and Smith is the backup for both positions, so it isn’t a flawless system. Gerbet has been playing better and better and got some valuable minutes when Eduard Atuesta and Cesar Araujo were unavailable. His emergence has been a crucial piece of the puzzle this year. So too has the rise of Alex Freeman, as his locking down the right back role has allowed Thorhallsson to fill in at defensive midfield, attacking midfield, and right back. The situation isn’t perfect, as a couple untimely injuries to the wrong guys would leave the Lions looking pretty threadbare, but so far it’s just about worked.
Another big concern was the defense. The Lions conceded 50 goals in the regular season last year, which was tied for the second-most of any Eastern Conference playoff team and fourth-most of any playoff team. With no defensive signings and the aforementioned depth concerns, there were plenty of reasons to worry about Orlando’s ability to keep the ball out of the back of the net.
Things have looked much better in 2025, though. The 22 goals OCSC has conceded are the fifth-fewest in the league, and Pedro Gallese’s eight clean sheets are tied for most in the league. Aside from a few egregious defensive performances against the Philadelphia Union, Atlanta United, and the Chicago Fire, things have mostly been tidy at the back, and when they haven’t been, El Pulpo has been around to pick up the slack. Again, things haven’t been perfect, as there have been moments where individual and collective errors have hurt the team, but it’s been better.
I thought the Lions would struggle this year. Going into the start of the season, we were talking about a team that lost Torres, arguably didn’t do enough to strengthen the team across the board, was facing depth issues, and was dealing with a leaky defense — all while pretty much every other contender in the East got stronger on paper. Instead, OCSC tied a club-best unbeaten streak and is just three points out of second place.
That being said, the East is so tight that Orlando is only five points above the playoff line, and injuries to the wrong guys could easily topple the fragile ecosystem that is the depth chart, but so far things are going better than I thought they would be. There are still a lot of matches to play, but this isn’t a bad position to be in at the halfway mark.
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