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Orlando City

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

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8 years ago

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On a rainy evening in Orlando, the Lions came away with a very wet 2-0 win over D.C. United to break the team's losing streak and get their first win in May.

After a weather delay pushed the kickoff back an hour, Orlando managed to fight through sloppy play and find its form in the second half and push through the final 25 minutes to win the first match in a three-game home stand.

Without further ado, let’s get into the grades.

Starters

GK, Joe Bendik, 7.5 — An incredible performance by the Lions keeper tonight. Started off the match quickly getting involved. Parried away a dangerous cross in the 13th minute that no one was around to clear. Had a quick save in the 25th minute from Jared Jeffery that bounced right in front of him. Had great timing on a low ball into the box that he snapped up in the 27th minute right away from Lamar Neagle. Almost got caught out as he tried to punch away a free kick in the 42nd minute and was forced into a diving stop to save a Julian Buescher effort. He was shown a yellow in the 65th for arguing with the ref after a no call. Produced an unbelievable save in the 74th minute, along with Spector, to deny the game-tying goal from D.C.

D, Donny Toia, 6.5 — A solid night for the fullback in his return to the starting lineup. Defensively, he was decent, leading the team in interceptions. Had a good recovery run in the 20th minute to stop a Buescher counter attack. Tried a header from outside the box in the 29th minute that almost gave Bill Hamid a problem as he was barely able to get to it. Received a yellow card for taking down Sam on a run in the midfield in the 35th minute. Took a volley from outside the box in the 64th minute, but it curled away from goal.

D, Jonathan Spector, 7.5 — A return to form for the center back, who had his best game all month. Led the team in clearances and blocked shots, including an incredible last ditch effort to stop a Neagle shot after he rounded Bendik following a Jose Aja turnover. Stabbed away a ball in the 57th minute to break up a D.C. attack. Stopped a dangerous Alhaji Kamara cross in the 85th minute.

D, Jose Aja, 6 — Honestly, it was a mixed bag for Aja. Defensively, he was solid. Stepped in to shut down a lot of early balls through the midfield, as well as some dangerous counter attacks. Made a number of poor turnovers throughout the game, the most notable came in the 74th minute that led to a surefire goal for D.C., but Spector and Bendik managed to somehow stop the shots. Somehow, despite the turnovers, led the team in passing accuracy with a 90% clip. Also led the team in clearances, with six.

D, Scott Sutter, 7 — A decent night for the Swiss fullback, but fairly quiet. Got forward into the attack a number of times and put in some dangerous crosses into the box. Defensively, he stayed at home and shut down a lot of attacks down the right side. Was second in the team in passing accuracy and third in key passes.

MF, Luis Gil, 6.5 — Not a great performance from the midfielder, but not a terrible one. Had a good number of defensive stops, but also turnovers. Was second on the team in tackles and tied for third in key passes. Had a poor turnover in his own half of the field that almost led to a counter, but Aja stopped play with a foul. Had a chance to run onto a ball in the box, but slipped on the wet surface in the 18th minute. Tried a shot from outside the 18 in the 39th minute, but it sailed wide off his foot. Came out in the 59th minute for Giles Barnes.

MF, Cristian Higuita, 6.5 — Much like the rest of the midfield, it was a lot of good and bad for the Colombian. Was second on the team in key passes, led the team in tackles, and was fourth in passing accuracy. On the other side of things, there were a number of turnovers, especially in the very wet first half, that could have been avoided. Did a great job patrolling the midfield early on and being aggressive, winning the ball in dangerous areas.

MF, Will Johnson, 6 — Through the first half of the match, it was a very poor showing from the veteran midfielder. Lots of turnovers in his own half of the field and poor passes, but he turned it around in the second half. Finished the game fifth in passing, and led the team in key passes. Had a few good setups, including on a Rivas shot in the fifth minute. Got caught waiting in his own box in the eighth minute and almost committed a costly turnover, but managed to clear it away. Turnover in his own half in the 29th minute that sent the team scrambling back on defense. His service provided the first goal and earned him an assist but his set piece crosses were inconsistent to say the least.

MF, Matias Perez Garcia, 7 — A bounce-back performance for MPG. Despite not scoring, his speed and dribbling ability was the creativity Orlando needed to create chances in the first half of the game. Finished second on the team with four shots on goal, second on the team in tackles, and led the team in fouls drawn. Had a glancing effort from outside the box in the seventh minute that went just wide. Had a number of good sends upfield for Rivas, but he was unable to do anything with them. Had a few chances between the 30th and 40th minute that provided some flair. Great hold-up play and pass to Toia in the 50th minute to create a chance in the final third. Had a chance to finish off a rebound in the 71st minute, but scuffed the shot wide. Came out in the 73rd minute for Tony Rocha.

F, Carlos Rivas, 7 — Carlos was his usual ball of energy throughout the match. A much improved performance from the Colombian. Took a curling effort in the 21st minute that just missed wide. Tried to send in Larin with a quick one-touch pass, but the ball was too strong. Set up a good scoring chance in the 67th after he ran for a loose ball down the sideline. Took a bit of a heavy touch in the 71st minute when Barnes played him in and scuffed the shot. Came out in the 83rd for Antonio Nocerino.

F, Cyle Larin, 6.5 — An all right night for the striker tonight. Through the first half, he struggled to make an impact, but found his game in the second half. Used his strength in the box in the 66th minute to score his first goal since Sporting Kansas City early in the month. Played solid defense. Had a breakaway in the 45th minute, but his shot was straight at Hamid.

Substitutes

MF, Giles Barnes (59’) (MOTM), 8 — Talk about instant impact. Barnes came into the match with 30 minutes to go and gave the team a much-needed spark. Made some good overlapping runs in the beginning, but then really started to make his presence known. He was pulled down in the 66th minute after splitting two defenders and earned a free kick, which turned into Larin’s opening goal. Had a beauty of a ball in to Rivas in the 71st minute, but neither he nor MPG were able to finish it off. Drove forward in the 88th minute through the midfield and tried a long effort on goal, and somehow the ball was too hot to handle for Bill Hamid, giving the Jamaican his first goal as a Lion.

MF, Tony Rocha (73’), 5.5 — Came in for MPG for a more defensive shape. Looked a bit apprehensive in the attack, though he did help start a counter and fed in Larin in the 78th minute. Outside of that, had a few poor turnovers and some good recoveries.

MF, Antonio Nocerino (83’), N/A — Subbed in for Rivas to help preserve the win. Didn’t really have time to impact the match much, outside of a few clearances

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
Giles Barnes124
Joe Bendik38
Carlos Rivas6
Cyle Larin1
Jonathan Spector60
Other6

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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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19 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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