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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Minnesota United: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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8 years ago

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Orlando City is in free fall after the most promising start in its MLS existence. There are multiple reasons for it, which is fodder for other columns than this one, but they include other teams adjusting to what Orlando was doing early in the season, a lack of creativity in the final third, and a falling off in form of Cyle Larin and Carlos Rivas.

Those and others are topics for other posts.

This one is to rate Orlando City’s players individually for their part in Saturday night’s loss to expansion Minnesota. It feels bad to lose to a lower table team and to your ex-coach, especially when the opponent was missing its best player. But it’s really just another loss in a bad run of results and the opportunities were there for the Lions had they only taken them.

Usually, these grades are turned in shortly after the conclusion of the game but technical issues with a staff writer’s computer focused my attentions elsewhere. As a result, the delay offered me an opportunity to ignore the emotional reaction of just giving everyone a grade between two and four after the loss and gain perspective that can only come with time to reflect. This might be a good way to do it in the future, actually.

All that said, let’s get to the player ratings.

Starters

GK, Joe Bendik, 6.5 — It would be harsh to blame him overly much on the Christian Ramirez goal. He came off his line to try to make the play and nearly made it. He could possibly have recognized the danger a split second sooner but, again, it would be harsh to blame him too much for a one-on-one play. His 20th-minute save on Ramirez kept the score level early. His distribution was OK. He had to face only five shots and only two were on target.

D, PC, 6.5 — Although not the only player to struggle with his long balls, PC hit only three of 10 on the night. His passing was a decent-ish 78.7% (second among defenders) but he created no chances and attempted only one cross, which didn’t connect. He at least tried to get the attack going but made some curious mistakes, such as dribbling into a triple-team late in the game and then committing a foul after being dispossessed. Earned a free kick in a good spot late but the Lions wasted it by fouling with the ball in the air. Defensively, he was second on the team in tackles (6) and finished with three interceptions and three clearances but also tied for the team high in fouls (4) and kept Ramirez onside on the goal.

D, Jonathan Spector, 7 — Yet another workmanlike effort by Specs, who led the team in clearances (6) and tied for the most interceptions (4), with one tackle. Spector passed at a 76.7% rate, won two aerials, and drew two fouls. It wasn’t a standout game for the veteran center back but it was a solid performance and he generally did his job on the night. People will remember the final score, but likely won’t recall that the defense limited the home team to just five shot attempts and Spector was a big part of that.

D, Jose Aja, 6.5 — The Uruguayan lost track of Ramirez a couple of times – who doesn’t? – but otherwise his night was mostly solid. He gambled and lost in the 20th minute, trying to beat an attacker to the ball, forcing Bendik to make a big save. He bailed out Will Johnson in the 28th by blocking a dangerous cross in transition after the midfielder had turned it over and he did a nice job of holding off Ramirez on a cross in the 78th. His passing rate of 76% was about the same as Spector’s and he won one aerial and made three tackles with four interceptions and five clearances. He managed one key pass but was accurate with only three of 12 long balls.

D, Scott Sutter, 7 (MotM) — Sutter led the entire team in passing accuracy (89.7%) and was second in crosses (5), helping to create on a night when few players were able to do so. His shot in the seventh skipped just wide of the far post. His long throw-in created a chance for Cyle Larin in the ninth minute. He finished with three interceptions and four clearances. Honestly, it was a toss-up for me between Sutter and Spector as Man of the Match but on a night with so little offense, one of the few players who tried to create some gets my nod.

MF, Luis Gil, 6 — The midfielder created a team-high four chances (tied with MPG) and got his one shot on target in the 50th minute, although it was right at Bobby Shuttleworth. He seemed to struggle at times with connecting in the final third, which makes him pretty much like everyone else on the night, but he finished with a 78.1% passing rate. Gil tied Aja and Spector for the team high in interceptions (4) and had one clearance.

MF, Antonio Nocerino, 6 — With two tackles, an interception, and two clearances, Noce did his usual job of trying to shield the back four, albeit in a flat 4-4-2, which may not best suit his strengths. His best moment may have been in the 70th minute, when he dispossessed Johan Venegas inside the box to break up a Minnesota attack. He unleashed a screamer of a shot in the 54th minute that Sam Cronin blocked. His passing percentage of 76.7% was the lowest among the team’s midfielders but they were all within a couple of percentage points of one another. He was the only midfielder aside from Johnson to send a cross into the box.

MF, Will Johnson, 6 — The acting captain didn’t leave too much of a mark on the game but it wasn’t for a lack of trying. His effort and work rate continues to be among the best on the team. He nearly singlehandedly brought the Lions back in the 58th by testing Shuttleworth just two minutes after Minnesota opened the scoring. His worst moment came in the 28th minute with an uncharacteristic sloppy turnover. Had time and space but fired high in the 87th minute. He had two interceptions and three clearances and led the midfield with a 79.2% passing rate.

MF, Matias Perez Garcia, 6 — MPG’s night was a mixture of successes and failures, as usual. He tied for a team high with four chances created, had a game high seven tackles, and was second on the club in shots (4). Yet only one of his four shots was on target and the three misses weren’t close. He earned three free kicks, taking one in the 23rd minute and forcing a diving stop from Shuttleworth. He had better accuracy on his long balls (4/6) than most of his teammates.

F, Carlos Rivas, 4 — I’m noticing a difference between the home and away versions of the Colombian. Rivas was static most of the game, preferring to stand in place to send in crosses rather than take on defenders wide to get to the end line or try to turn the corner. He shoots (wildly) from distance but won’t shoot from close range. He led the team with six crosses but had a few others blocked simply by being unwilling to make an effort to make space for himself. Rivas passed at only a 72.7% rate and got only two of his six shots on target – both of which had little power and were right at the keeper. He was dispossessed a team-high four times. Just not a great night for the Colombian.

F, Cyle Larin, 4 — If anyone was off his game as much as Rivas, it was Larin. He should have done better when Sutter’s throw-in fell at his feet in the box in the ninth minute. He ruined numerous attacks by trying to pass through defenders, and misjudged a through ball that could have seen him in on goal. The Canadian also wasted a late free kick in a good spot with an obvious push that drew the referee’s attention. His passing accuracy (66.7%) tied Bendik for the team low, and he didn’t have goal kicks to drag down his percentage. He did manage to get both of his shot attempts on target and helped out defensively with an interception and two clearances.

Substitutes

MF, Giles Barnes (72’), 4.5 — The Jamaican came on for Gil and was mostly invisible for the game’s final 20+ minutes. The box score shows he had three shots but none were on target and I’m hard pressed to even remember any of them. He completed four of his eight pass attempts and neither of his two crosses.

MF, Cristian Higuita (74’), 5.5 — Despite coming on two minutes later than Barnes, he had six more touches (21 compared to 15) but aside from drawing a foul and winning an aerial, he didn’t have too much impact on the game. His passing rate was good (84.6%) in a limited number of passes (13).

That is what the individual performances looked like to me. What did you think? Be sure to vote below for your OCSC Man of the Match. 

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Jonathan Spector27
Scott Sutter20
PC6
Will Johnson0
Matias Perez Garcia4
Other8

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Charlotte FC: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Lions look to get over the draw doldrums and find a victory in a 2024 playoff rematch with Charlotte.

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4 hours ago

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May 14, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to your match preview and live thread for a midweek matchup between Orlando City (4-2-6, 18 points) and Charlotte FC (6-5-1, 19 points) at Inter&Co Stadium (7:30 p.m., MLS Season Pass on Apple TV). This is the first of two games on the slate between the Eastern Conference rivals in 2025, with the Lions’ return trip to North Carolina scheduled for July 5.

Here’s what you need to know ahead of the match.

History

The Lions are 3-1-2 in the regular-season series and 5-3-2 in all competitions against Charlotte. Orlando City is 2-1-0 at home in the regular season and 4-1-0 in its own stadium in all competitions against the North Carolina-based side. These games are usually close, as Orlando City all previous meetings decided by either one or two goals.

The teams last met in the first round of the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs, with Orlando City taking two of the three matches, winning the first outright, dropping the second on penalties after a late goal was called offside in the buildup, and advancing after a penalty shootout win following the third match of the best-of-three series.

The most recent meeting took place on Nov. 9, 2024, when Facundo Torres’ penalty late in stoppage time canceled out a Karol Swiderski goal and sent the deciding third match to penalties with a 1-1 score. Pedro Gallese made two saves and Orlando City won the shootout 4-1, advancing to the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The teams played eight days before that in Charlotte, without either side scoring in normal time, as Torres’ strike was disallowed for offside on Nico Lodeiro on Luis Muriel’s through ball. Charlotte won the ensuing penalty shootout 3-1 after the scoreless draw to tie the series at 1-1, because shootout wins are just as important as actual wins in this somewhat baffling format. That followed Orlando City’s 2-0 home win the previous Sunday. Torres and Martin Ojeda scored the goals on either side of halftime to lead the Lions to the Game 1 win. It was the first time Orlando scored more than one goal in an MLS playoff game.

The teams also met a month and a half prior to their first playoff meeting on Sept. 18 in Orlando. The Lions got second-half goals from Torres and Duncan McGuire to win 2-0, claiming the first multiple-goal win in the series. The teams also met on June 19, 2024, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte and played to a 2-2 draw. The hosts struck first with an early Kerwin Vargas goal and the Lions pulled one back through McGuire in the second half. But despite Charlotte going down a man on Scott Arfield’s red card, Brandt Bronico restored the hosts’ lead shortly after McGuire’s strike. Torres struck back moments later but the Lions could not find a winner on the road.

The previous match was also a draw at Bank of America Stadium, finishing 1-1 on Aug. 30, 2023. Enzo Copetti’s late penalty appeared to wrap things up for the hosts on a rainy night in Charlotte, but Ojeda’s seeing-eye set piece equalized just before stoppage time as the teams split the points.

Charlotte claimed a 1-0 “home” victory in U.S. Open Cup play on May 9 of that year. That game took place at Mecklenburg County Sportsplex in Matthews, NC, rather than at the club’s regular stadium. The first matchup of the 2023 season didn’t go any better for Orlando City, finishing as a 2-1 Charlotte win at Exploria Stadium on March 18. Copetti and Vargas put Charlotte up 2-0 by halftime. Ojeda pulled one back, but the Lions were wasteful in front of goal and couldn’t pull level.

In 2022, the teams met at Bank of America Stadium on Aug. 21. After a scoreless first half, Ercan Kara put the Lions ahead on the road, only to see McKinze Gaines equalize just four minutes later. Tesho Akindele’s late goal lifted Orlando to a 2-1 victory.

Orlando City won the first-ever meeting between the sides on April 30, 2022, at Exploria Stadium. Ruan scored the opening goal and set up Torres on the counter for the second as the Lions took a 2-0 lead into the locker room. Christian Fuchs scored from the spot after Rodrigo Schlegel was called for a foul in the box in the second half, but that was as close as Charlotte got in what was ultimately a 2-1 Orlando victory.

Overview

Orlando City is coming off a 3-3 home draw against the New England Revolution on a rainy Saturday night just days ago. Ojeda’s hat trick provided all the scoring for the Lions, but the defense made three costly individual errors allowing the Revs to erase deficits of 2-0 and 3-2 to steal a point on the road. The Lions are unbeaten in nine MLS games (3-0-6) and 10 matches in all competitions (4-0-6), but have spilled too many points over that span. In addition to blowing two leads on Saturday, the Lions have played four scoreless draws during this recent stretch despite creating enough good scoring chances to win all of them. Orlando City is 3-1-2 at home this season.

Charlotte is coming off a 2-1 road loss at Nashville SC on Saturday. Liel Abada’s goal wasn’t enough for the visitors to get a result in Tennessee. The club has lost its last three MLS games, although just prior to the Nashville loss Charlotte managed to advance in the U.S. Open Cup with a 4-2 win at North Carolina FC after extra time. Charlotte is 1-4-1 on the road in MLS matches this season.

These teams typically play tight, low-scoring matches against each other and any mistake can be the difference in the game. Goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina is a difference maker for Charlotte, and he always presents a challenge for the Lions. At the same time, Charlotte has picked up some gifted offensive players in recent years that have fit in well with Dean Smith’s system. Abada leads the attack with four goals on the season, while recent acquisition Wilfried Zaha and Pep Biel have three apiece. Biel also has a team-high six assists — he’s the only Charlotte player with more than one helper — so he’s the primary attacking threat from both a goal and setup standpoint. USMNT pool striker Patrick Agyemang has two goals on the year, but is always a dangerous threat.

Orlando City will need to be patient but also try to build a volume of shots against a stout defense led by Kahlina, who posted 119 saves last season and tied for the league lead in minutes played (3,060). Charlotte also has a strong back line that includes U.S. international Tim Ream and Adilson Malanda. The key to beating Charlotte is usually to get on the scoreboard and force Charlotte into opening up and taking risks, but that’s easier said than done. Both teams will also be fighting fatigue, as the May fixtures have been constant.

“We’re preparing well. The time [we have] to work is not much but I think we have done a lot of repetitions already,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said ahead of the match. “The team feels that we’re ready and that we’re good. So, this time right now is just trying to freshen them up and then see if we can get the same energy and execute the game plan that we have against Charlotte.”

The Lions will be without Wilder Cartagena (Achilles) and Yutaro Tsukada (knee) as they will be all season. Eduard Atuesta trained Tuesday but he was listed as out on the club’s game notes, while Favian Loyola (thigh) is questionable. Charlotte will be without Jahlane Forbes (thigh), Nimfasha Berchimas (foot), Nathan Byrne (neck), Brandon Cambridge (thigh), and Souleyman Doumbia (hamstring), while Biel (hamstring) and Tyger Smalls (knee) are questionable.

Match Content

Projected Lineups

Orlando City (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Pedro Gallese.

Defenders: David Brekalo, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, Alex Freeman.

Defensive Midfielders: Cesar Araujo, Joran Gerbet.

Attacking Midfielders: Ivan Angulo, Martin Ojeda, Marco Pasalic.

Forwards: Luis Muriel.

Charlotte FC (3-4-3)

Goalkeeper: Kristijan Kahlina.

Defenders: Tim Ream, Adilson Malanda, Nicholas Scardina.

Midfielders/Wingbacks: Pep Biel, Brandt Bronico, Ashley Westwood, Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty.

Forwards: Wilfried Zaha, Patrick Agyemang, Liel Abada.

Referees

Ref: Sergii Boiko.
AR1: Jose Da Silva.
AR2: Oscar Mitchell-Carvalho.
4th: Tori Penso.
VAR: Younes Marrakchi.
AVAR: Fabio Tovar.

How to Watch

Match Time: 7:30 p.m.

Venue: Inter&Co Stadium  — Orlando.

TV/Live Stream: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

Radio: AM 810 FOX Sports Radio Orlando (English), Mega 97.1 FM (Spanish).

Social Media: For rapid reaction and live updates, follow us on Bluesky Social at @themaneland.bsky.social or follow Orlando City’s official Twitter (@OrlandoCitySC) or Bluesky (@OrlandoCitySC) feed.

Enjoy the match. Go City!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/14/25

Orlando City hosts Charlotte FC tonight, Marta called up by Brazil, U.S. Soccer announces new kits, and much more.

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8 hours ago

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May 14, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers! Orlando City has midweek games throughout this month, which means we get to enjoy some soccer tonight. But before we get into that match and more in today’s links, let’s all wish a happy 18th birthday to Orlando City B forward Justin Ellis! On my 18th birthday, I won $10 on the first scratch-off ticket I could legally buy. I wish him similar good fortune today.

Orlando City Takes On Charlotte FC Tonight

Orlando City’s busy month continues tonight when it hosts Charlotte FC for a midweek matchup at Inter&Co Stadium in one of the more intriguing games of today’s MLS slate. The Lions haven’t lost since March 8, but they have also only won four of their 12 games this season and are a point behind Charlotte in the standings. Orlando’s offense has struggled mightily during this stretch, but may have turned a corner following Martin Ojeda’s hat trick against the New England Revolution on Saturday. The Lions could also benefit from the return of midfielder Eduard Atuesta, who was in training as he works his way back from injury. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s eased back into things though and the club has five more games this month after tonight. Even if Atuesta can’t go tonight, maybe he can get some minutes this weekend.

Marta Returns to Brazilian National Team

Marta was called up by Brazil Head Coach Arthur Elias for friendlies against Japan, which is pretty shocking news, considering she announced her retirement from international soccer last year.

“I was with Marta recently and spoke with her. She said she is available to help the team while she is playing at a high level, as she is now,” Elias told reporters. “Marta has had a great season and has been very important for her club, which is the American League champion.

“Her presence in some call-ups is very important for the younger players, for the renewal that is taking place in the national team.”

Marta’s international career seemed to end in Paris, where she helped Brazil claim the silver medal at the Olympics. The 39-year-old joins Pride teammate Angelina on Brazil’s roster as the team prepares for this summer’s Copa America. It will be interesting to see if Marta will take part in that tournament and it may be worth noting that the 2027 World Cup will take place in Brazil. That’s a couple of years away, but I wouldn’t rule out anything at this point.

U.S. Soccer Unveils New Kits

U.S. Soccer announced two new kits designed in collaboration with Nike and senior players from both the United States Women’s National Team and United States Men’s National Team. The “Brilliant Kit” is white and light blue with star details and celebrates 40 years of the USWNT. The “Heartbeat Kit” is a dark blue with vertical red and blue stripes and is meant to represent the passion of U.S. soccer fans.

I’m also a pretty big fan of the jacket featured as part of this collection. The USWNT will wear both of these jerseys throughout the year, while the USMNT will continue to wear its current white kit and will debut the darker kit on June 7.

USMNT Will Play South Korea and Japan in Friendlies

A pair of friendlies in September were announced for the USMNT, with the Yanks set to take on South Korea Sept. 6 in New Jersey before playing Japan Sept. 9 in Columbus. These will be the USMNT’s first matches following this summer’s Gold Cup and will help the team prepare for the 2026 World Cup. Japan has already qualified for the World Cup, and South Korea is on track to do the same. The USMNT hasn’t played South Korea since winning 2-0 in 2014, while its last match against Japan was a 2-0 defeat in Germany in 2022 before that year’s World Cup in Qatar.

Free Kicks

  • Marta and Angelina aren’t the only Pride players called up for international duty, as goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse will join England for UEFA Nations League games.
  • Time is running out on joining this year’s Purple Pride 5K on Saturday, so be sure to register if you’ve been meaning to and it slipped your mind.
  • Orlando City remained in 12th place in the MLS power rankings following its 3-3 draw with the Revolution.
  • The Lions were 11th in Tom Bogert’s “watchability” rankings, which rate teams based on their quality of play, style, and general wow factors. I’m admittedly surprised to see Orlando that high considering the glut of scoreless draws this year
  • Former Pride player and USWNT legend Alex Morgan has joined the San Diego Wave as a minority investor. Morgan retired from playing last year in her third season with the Wave and gave birth to her second child earlier this year.
  • Santiago Moreno won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his bicycle kick in the Portland Timbers’ 1-0 win over Sporting Kansas City.
  • Haji Wright and Coventry City drew 1-1 with Sunderland, losing on aggregate in the EFL Championship promotion playoffs. Dan Ballard scored for Sunderland deep in extra time, and Sunderland will face Sheffield United with a spot in the English Premier League on the line.
  • The historic Goodison Park will no longer be demolished and will instead serve as the home for Everton’s women’s soccer team, making it the first stadium in England dedicated to a women’s team.
  • In lieu of a parade if it wins the Europa League, Manchester United announced that there would be a celebratory barbecue at the club’s training ground. Players are also being restricted to just two free tickets for the Europa League final and club staff did not receive free tickets either.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I wish you all a wonderful Wednesday and a happy game day. Go Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/13/25

Martin Ojeda honored, Americans in midweek action, rivalry games on the horizon, and more.

Published

1 day ago

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May 13, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Tuesday, everyone. I hope you’ve been on top of things to start the week, because there’s going to be no time to catch our breath with Orlando City taking on Charlotte FC Wednesday, before facing Inter Miami on Sunday. We’ve got plenty to discuss this morning, so let’s jump right into the links.

Martin Ojeda Honored

After his starring role in Orlando City’s 3-3 draw with the New England Revolution on Saturday, Martin Ojeda has been named to the starting XI of the MLS Team of the Matchday. Ojeda was back in the starting lineup after spending the last few matches nursing a knock and he made the most of his return, scoring all three goals for just the third Orlando City hat trick in the club’s MLS existence and first since 2015. It was a shame that the defense couldn’t help him out on his historic night, but he was Sean Rollins’ clear choice for Man of the Match in his Player Grades piece, and it’s nice to see that he’s getting some much deserved wider recognition as well, even though he was snubbed for Player of the Matchday, which went to Emil Forsberg of the New York Red Bulls. Here’s hoping Ojeda’s success continues.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans who will be playing games during the working week, and we have some very high stakes at play. Things start today, when Haji Wright and Coventry City try to overturn a 2-1 first-leg deficit in the Championship promotion playoff semifinal against Sunderland. AC Milan takes on Bologna Wednesday in the Coppa Italia final, with Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah fighting for a chance to lift a trophy. Finally, Thursday has Johnny Cardoso and red-hot Real Betis visiting Rayo Vallecano in La Liga in a game that will have big ramifications on the race for European places.

Rivalry Games on the Horizon

Major League Soccer’s rivalry week is almost upon us, which means we have some heated matchups that we can start looking forward to. First and foremost, as far as we’re concerned, is Orlando City hitting the road to face Inter Miami in a series that is dead even across the board at 5-5-5 in 15 all-time meetings. There’s plenty more though, as El Trafico is the late game on Sunday, and we also get Hell is Real between FC Cincinnati and the Columbus Crew, as well as a Hudson River River Derby that features two teams in wildly different places. The New York Red Bulls hammered the LA Galaxy on Saturday and have won three of their last four in all competitions, while New York City FC was knocked out of the U.S. Open Cup last week, and has lost three of its last four in all competitions.

Carlo Ancelotti to Coach Brazil

Brazil has officially announced that Carlo Ancelotti will take over as the newest coach of the team. The Brazilian Football Confederation announced on Monday that he will leave Real Madrid after the last league game of the season, with his first day on the job for Brazil coming on May 26. Brazil wanted to have a new coach in place for June’s World Cup qualifiers, and Ancelotti will now become the Selecao’s first foreign head coach. As far as Real Madrid is concerned, the club is reportedly finalizing a deal for former player Xabi Alonso to become the new coach as soon as possible. Madrid would ideally like for him to be on the job before the start of this summer’s Club World Cup, and Alonso has already publicly announced that he will not manage Bayer Leverkusen past the end of this season.

Free Kicks

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

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