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

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8 years ago

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Orlando City and New York City FC squared off for the third time this year and this time NYCFC came away with the victory, handing Orlando its first defeat at home this year. The loss also continues a downward trend for the Lions in May, as they have yet to win a game this month.

An unlucky break for Orlando saw David Villa slot away a penalty after a Kaká handball in the box. Then NYC doubled the lead after Rodney Wallace put away a back post cross that skimmed across the face of goal. A missed penalty by Cyle Larin summed up the night as Villa added another with 10 minutes left to seal the 3-0 loss for Orlando

Well, let’s break it down

Starters

GK, Joe Bendik, 5 — Rough night for Orlando’s net minder. Couldn’t really be blamed for the three goals he gave up, except maybe the second one that skimmed across the face of goal. Still was able to hold of the bleeding with some solid saves. Had a good save off a bending effort by Jack Harrison in the 71st minute.

D, Donny Toia, 4.5 — As with his most recent games, seemed a step slow trying to cover Jack Harrison on the wing. Got dragged too much inside and struggled to recover on overlapping runs. Offensively, he couldn’t get much going forward and struggled to get back on defense.

D, Jonathan Spector, 5 — After missing the last game with an illness, Spector looked a bit off. Some uncharacteristic play from the defender, including a few poor passes, bad touches and a 76% passing accuracy accumulated into an off day for the American.

D, Leo Pereira, 4.5 — Just like the rest of the defense, it was collectively an off day for the rookie. Started out with a silly foul on David Villa in the ninth minute just outside the box that gave NYC its first big chance of the game, but luckily Orlando was able to clear it. Came in on Villa again in the 16th minute, clipping him from behind. He struggled to come up against the NYC pressure and just booted a lot of balls down field, which disrupted play. Yellow shown in stoppage time after a foul. Sliding clearance in stoppage time to prevent an easy tap in.

D, Scott Sutter, 5 — Had arguably the best game out of the defensive line than the rest of the back line. Struggled offensively to get forward and help in the attack, which is shown by the 70% passing accuracy he had in the game, although he did draw the penalty that Larin ultimately missed in the 62nd minute. Still did well marking Rodney Wallace for the most part, other than the goal he scored in 35th minute. Still, it seemed that he had the better game than the others.

MF, Will Johnson, 5 — Much of the game, Johnson looked like the multitude of games played recently had caught up to him. Not his usual ball of energy that helped dominate the midfield over the past games and NYC had an easier time breaking them down as a result. He did have 89% passing through the game, but a lot of those passes were back into the defense. Also was second on the team in clearances. Had a volleyed shot in the 77th minute that went wide.

MF, Antonio Nocerino, 5.5 — Much of the Italian’s night was spent in the back line, trying to provide defensive depth and help in distributing the ball. His 85% passing accuracy was second on the team, and led the team in tackles and interceptions. Gave away a dangerous free kick just outside of the box in the 40th minute. Ended up coming out in the 60th minute for MPG.

MF, Cristian Higuita, 5 — Higuita tried to be the usual ball winner that he is known to be, but like the rest of the team, he was a step slow. His passing was much improved with an 85% clip. He was fourth on the team in interceptions and tackles.

MF, Kaká, 4.5 — Tough break for Ricky in the early parts of the game. Was called for a handball in the 13th minute, which didn’t look intentional, but his arm was well outstretched, leading to the Villa penalty kick. Struggled for the most part to make an impact in the game. Came off in the 60th minute for Barnes.

MF, Carlos Rivas, 6 (MOTM)— In a mix of lackluster performances, Rivas showed the most out of anyone. Received a yellow card for tripping Villa as they were going for a loose ball. In the second half, he continued to pressure the back line and run at the defense. Helped Orlando earn a penalty after a through ball to Sutter played him in on goal. Had a chance at a header in the 78th minute, which flew wide. Took a free kick just a minute later which flew way into the stands. He was really the only player to threaten Sean Johnson much.

F, Cyle Larin, 4 — It was not meant to be for Cyle Larin. The forward just did not have anything going for him on the night. He tried his best to create something in the attack, but credit to Maxime Chanot, who kept Larin quiet throughout the match. The Canadian did have a chance to get off the schneid with a penalty in the 63rd minute, but blasted it off the post. Summed up the night in a nutshell for Larin and the Lions.

Substitutions

M, Matias Perez Garcia (60’), 5 — Came on in the 60th minute and provided a bit of speed on the wings, but only touched the ball 12 times. A few of those touches led to chances, but ultimately they led to nothing.

F, Giles Barnes (60’), 5 — Also came on in the 60th minute. He had one more touch than MPG and tried to do a bit on his own, but the NYC defense shut him down.

M, Luis Gil (75’), 5.5 — Came on for Higuita. With his first touch of the game, he blasted an effort outside the box, which was just parried away by Sean Johnson. Completed 100% of his passes.

That’s how I saw it. What did you think? Vote for your Orlando City MotM below and let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Carlos Rivas61
Scott Sutter15
Antonio Nocerino16
Joe Bendik2
Other30

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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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18 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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