Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Chicago Fire: Player Grades and Man of the Match
On a very damp evening in Orlando, the Lions survived. That’s the best word to use in this situation, after going down to nine men, weathering the 21-shot barrage and managing their second clean sheet in a row to the Chicago Fire.
It was a very good game up until the Rafa Ramos red card, then the game went from bad to worse after Antonio Nocerino received his marching orders. Through all that, however, the Lions managed to survive and come away with a very much earned draw.
Now, without further ado, let’s get into the grades.
Starters
GK, Joe Bendik, 8 — Forced to come up with a huge performance and had to save six of the Fire’s 21 shots in the game. Stonewalled David Accam on a 1-v-1 shot in the 14th minute. Managed a diving save in first-half stoppage time after a good combination of passes from the Fire. Had another play a minute later, stopping a follow-up shot from Nemanja Nikolic. Great save in the 56th minute on a Michael de Leeuw header in the box.
D, PC, 8 — A very good game for the Brazilian. Was forced all night to try and defend the wing and did a great job in doing so. Stopped a potential counter in the 15th minute on a dangerous challenge on Nikolic. Great clearance on a lofted ball into the box in the 44th minute. Foul in a dangerous area in the 62nd minute, leading to a free kick just outside the box for Chicago. Had a poor header in the 89th minute that almost gave Chicago a chance, but Pereira bailed him out.
D, Jonathan Spector, 8 — A great job not only defensively, but anchoring the back line and getting the team to play together, despite being down two men. Was second on the team in clearances. Good cut out of a cross in the fourth minute after the defense was stretched thin by the counter.
D, Leo Pereira, 8 — An incredible performance by the Brazilian. Met with a lot of pressure and for only his third ever game in MLS, he was excellent. Led the team in tackles and clearances and was second on the team in interceptions. Was fourth on the team in passing accuracy with 87% and led the team in blocked shots as well. Did a good job standing up David Accam in the 17th minute when he was inside the box and had great positioning on the turnover in the 88th minute by PC and knocked away a potential chance.
D, Rafael Ramos, 4 — Rafa Ramos is cursed. Honestly, the guy just can’t catch a break. Had a decent start to his evening, getting an early cross in the seventh minute, forcing Matt Lampson to come out to catch it. He was just starting to settle into the game and then in the 26th minute, he went in for a ball in the air, catching Brandon Vincent on his way down. He didn’t see Vincent as he went up for the ball, and after the foul was called, Ramos was shown a straight red card.
MF, Antonio Nocerino, 5 — Up until the sending off, Nocerino was having a solid game. Nothing too glaring in terms of offense or defense, but was just solid all around. Unfortunately, he had a poor challenge 68th minute as he put his cleat into Matt Polster’s back and earned him a straight red, ending his night.
MF, Cristian Higuita, 6 — A somewhat typical Higuita performance tonight. Had his usual defensive prowess and his usual passive backwards passing, but still provided a boost for the Lions. Had a 100% passing accuracy for the game and was the most fouled player on Orlando City, with three. Early on, he was a bit indecisive with passing, trying to get balls forward and passing them back and didn’t really improve as the game went on. Had a poor turnover in the 51st minute, giving the ball straight to Accam with space, but the Orlando defense provided depth and broke it up.
MF, Will Johnson (MOTM), 8.5 — Credit where credit is due. Johnson didn’t start out the game all that well, but after Ramos’ red card, he really took hold of the team defensively and did an excellent job in the back line and in the midfield. Forced to switch to fullback after the red card to Ramos for the remainder of the first half, and did great cutting out attacks and reading the game. Finished with the most tackles (3), interceptions (6), and third in clearances (4). Had a last-second defensive play in the 34th minute to knock away a back-post cross. Almost headed it into his own net in the 42nd minute trying to clear the ball away, but it went wide of goal. Great challenge in the midfield on Luis Solignac in the 53rd minute to break up a counter attack.
MF, Giles Barnes, 6.5 — Did a good job in the first half running at the defense and taking on players, but the end product just wasn’t there tonight. Good run into the box in the 40th minute, but couldn’t get the cross up in the air. Forced to come out for Scott Sutter after the first half due to the red card to Ramos.
F, Carlos Rivas, 6 — Still struggled with set pieces, like the free kick he had in the eighth minute. Had a bit of confusion in the 13th minute, when he got caught with the ball and didn't’ know what to do with it. Took a shot from way outside the box in the 24th minute that forced Lampson into a save. Had another effort a few seconds later he pulled wide right. Put in a long ball into the box in the 44th minute, but it was a bit too far for Larin. Had a chance in the 52nd minute to run with space, but his touch on the ball let him down. Came off for Kaká in the 59th minute.
F, Cyle Larin, 6 — Had a few chances early on in the game, but after the red card, was almost invisible offensively. Did well to cover defensively and helped on the wings before he came off in the 71st minute to make way for Carrasco and a more defensive shape. His best opportunity came in the 33rd minute when he caught Lampson off his line but he hit his shot right at the keeper.
Substitutes
D, Scott Sutter (45’), 8 — Forced to come in after the halftime break to provide cover defensively. Occasionally got forward into the attack, but after the second red card, he bunkered down and defended the wing well.
MF, Kaká (59’), 6.5 — Came on for Carlos Rivas in the 59th minute to get a bit more attacking variety, but after Nocerino’s sending off and Larin coming out, he was put alone on an island up top. He did have a chance in the 69th minute after he got the ball in the box, but his cross was right at Lampson in goal.
MF, Servando Carrasco (71’), 6.5 — Came in with a sliding challenge to knock the ball away in the 86th minute. Only managed nine touches on the ball and completed only two of five passes but he helped the team park the bus and got into passing lanes late.
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
| Player | Votes |
| Joe Bendik | 79 |
| Will Johnson | 117 |
| Jonathan Spector | 43 |
| Leo Pereira | 18 |
| Other | 14 |
Lion Links
Lion Links: 2/11/26
New Orlando City kit drops, Orlando City and Orlando Pride preseasons, MLS club valuations, and more.
Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling a bit anxious about the upcoming season. I think it’s because we don’t know much of what is going on. We’re only a few weeks away from the first match for goodness sake. Hopefully, we’ll see some more signings for both clubs, but until then let’s get to the links.
Orlando City’s New Kit
Orlando City dropped the new Sunken Treasure secondary kit yesterday, and it is a stunner. This is the first time the club has used gold as the primary color on a jersey. It looks great with the purple shorts, and the purple stripes. There are some great details like the coin on the collar and sublimated lion head on the chest. This is truly one of the better kits that Orlando City has introduced. The club produced a great reveal video. Check it out.
Orlando Preseasons
There’s not a ton of information to convey regarding Orlando City’s and the Orlando Pride’s preseasons. That seems to be purposeful on the part of the club, but a little news did slip out via social media. New center back Iago is fully participating in practice.
We also learned that goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau is back in training after missing last week. Of course, the Pride got in the action as well with various players trying to run drills. I’ll let you judge how well they did.
MLS Club Valuations
MLS clubs are increasing in value, including Orlando City. Sportico released the list of all MLS club valuations (paywall). Unsurprisingly, the top five were all big market teams with Inter Miami leading the way. When the Wilf family purchased Orlando City, they paid between $400 and $450 million. Now it is estimated to be worth approximately $565 million. That’s pretty good growth.
Chris Mueller’s Lost Year
We missed this last November, but former Orlando City attacker Chris Mueller had a tough time of things in 2025. The player was diagnosed with pericarditis. It meant that he couldn’t sleep laying down, let alone play or practice. He is now on the other side of it and has a new contract. It was a year of lessons for Mueller, and in typical fashion he has bounced back stronger.
Free Kicks
- The Lions weren’t the only team to announce new jerseys. There were 16 other clubs that did the same, though none are as nice as Orlando City’s new kit.
- The USMNT U-17 squad has secured a spot in the U-17 World Cup. The berth came after a 1-1 draw against the Dominican Republic.
- Former England, Chelsea, and Juventus forward Eni Aluko has reignited her debate over female pundits in soccer.
- Defender Noahkai Banks will not be switching from the USMNT to Germany despite contact from the German federation.
- Haley Carter was up for a job with Chelsea. However it seems no one told her.
That will do it for today, me hearties. I hope you have a wonderful day. Vamos Orlando!
Orlando City
Orlando City Unveils 2026 ‘Sunken Treasure’ Kit
Orlando City unveils the first primarily gold kit in club history.
The 2026 Lions will be golden. Orlando City unveiled the club’s new ‘Sunken Treasure’ kit ahead of the 2026 Major League Soccer season — to be worn through the 2027-2028 season.
Soccer season. For the first time, Orlando City has used its secondary color as the primary color of a jersey, going primarily gold.
According to the club, the new kit pays homage to the state’s famed Treasure Coast:
The Sunken Treasure Kit draws inspiration from the legend, mystery and enduring allure of Florida’s Treasure Coast, a region known for stories of lost gold and shipwrecked riches. Stretching along Florida’s east coast, the area takes its name from the legendary 1715 Treasure Fleet, a convoy carrying New World wealth back to Spain before a hurricane sank 11 of its 12
ships. Millions of dollars in gold, silver and jewels have been recovered from the wrecks since the 1960s, and coins still occasionally wash ashore today. That sense of history, discovery and lingering mystery anchors the Sunken Treasure Kit’s identity.
“We’re incredibly excited to unveil the first kit in club history to be predominantly Florida Gold, an iconic color inspired by a truly unique and authentic Florida story that reflects the rich history of our home state,” Orlando City Chief Marketing Officer Pedro Araujo said in a club press release. “This kit is a tribute to our fans and supporters, who are the true treasure of this club. It represents the memories we create together each season — moments that endure across time, much like the legends of Florida’s Treasure Coast. For us, real treasure isn’t found beneath the waves; it lives in the stands, in our community, and in the shared moments our players and fans bring to life every time we take the field.”
The gold kit’s accents are in the club’s traditional deep purple primary hue as well as white. Whereas the jersey is gold with the iconic three Adidas stripes in purple on the shoulders, the shorts are purple with gold Adidas stripes. While you need to be up close and personal with the kit to see it, a lion motif stretches across the kit, a touch inspired by old-time ship figureheads.
A coin on the back of the neck symbolizes Spanish doubloons, bearing the words “The treasure is the memories we make.” Another saying adorns the front hem jock tag around the outline of an ornate nautical compass bearing the year 2026: “Our anchors we will weigh, our sails we will set, 90 minutes with our City family we shall never forget.”
As usual, Orlando Health is the jersey sponsor, continuing a partnership dating back to 2011, the club’s first year in the USL.
The Sunken Treasure Kit is available at the Major League Soccer online store (MLSStore.com) and at OCMobileShop.com, with in‐person pickup at The Den at Inter&Co Stadium beginning Wednesday. Fans will have their first opportunity to purchase the kit at the club’s official jersey launch at The Final Whistle at Thornton Park Pub tonight, with the festivities starting at 6 p.m. There will also be live music, giveaways, player appearances, and a visit from club mascot Kingston. Attendees who purchase the jersey at tonight’s event will receive an exclusive CITYiD patch (while supplies last), along with a limited-edition coin (also while supplies last). The coin is inspired by the new kit. It will be a big year for coin collectors, as today’s is one of five exclusive coins the club is giving away as part of a campaign throughout 2026.
You can check out the kit in all its glory in the gallery of images below:
Lion Links
Lion Links: 2/10/26
Harvey Sarajian interview, checking in on former Lions, Americans in midweek action, and more.
Good morning, everyone. It’s hard to believe that we’re under two weeks away from the start of the Major League Soccer season, but time shows absolutely no sign of slowing down anytime soon. We’ve got a whole lot of things to discuss this morning, so let’s get right into the links.
Getting to Know Harvey Sarajian
Harvey Sarajian was born in Naples, and the first professional soccer game that he ever went to was when Orlando City took on the Chicago Fire all the way back in 2015. After becoming Orlando’s first pick in this year’s MLS SuperDraft, he’s now earned a contract with the team he watched 11 years ago, and he did so just four days after starting to train with the Lions. He spent a lot of time as a left winger in college, and spoke about his desire to beat defenders out wide and either get service into the box or cut onto his right foot and try to score. He also highlighted Duncan McGuire and Tyrese Spicer as two individuals who have helped him as he settles into his new surroundings.
Monitoring Former Lions Abroad
It’s been a busy few days for some of Orlando City’s former players who have taken their talents overseas. Cyle Larin got his debut for Southampton started with a bang on Saturday, as he entered the game as a substitute in the 67th minute and promptly scored the game’s only goal just three minutes later to lift the team to victory over Watford. The more recently departed Alex Freeman made his debut for Villareal on Monday, when he entered the game in the 73rd minute of a 4-1 win over Espanyol in La Liga action. Finally, Benji Michel has seemingly concluded his time with Finnish side HJK Helsinki, as he posted a farewell to the club on his Instagram page.
Americans in Midweek Action
As is usually the case, there are a number of American players taking part in games during the working week. Things will get started today when Brenden Aaronson and Leeds face Chelsea in the Premier League. Action in England rolls on Wednesday when Antonee Robinson and Fulham face Manchester United, while Chris Richards and Crystal Palace take on Burnley. The Wednesday action concludes when Alejandro Zendejas and Club America attempt to maintain their 2-1 first leg advantage over CD Olimpia, and advance to the next round of the Concacaf Champions Cup. Things then finish up on Friday when Folarin Balogun and Monaco host Nantes in Ligue 1 action.
MLS Transfer Roundup
Monday brought a fresh wave of movement in the transfer market for Major League Soccer, so let’s catch up on what happened. CF Montreal has signed forward Noah Streit from FC Basel on a deal that runs through the 2028-2029 season, with an option for 2029-2030. Moving to the Western Conference, Real Salt Lake signed defender Juan Jose Arias on loan from Atletico Nacional as an MLS U22 Initiative signing. The center back’s loan runs until July 13 and contains a purchase option. San Diego FC has signed free agent midfielder Bryce Duke on a contract that runs through June of 2027 and contains options for the 2027-2028 and 2028-2029 seasons. Finally, Nashville SC has signed center back Jeisson Palacios to a contract extension through the 2027-2028 season, with an option for the 2028-2029 campaign.
Free Kicks
- Take a look at the Orlando Pride’s continuing preseason preparations.
- We got another teaser from OCSC ahead of today’s jersey release.
- The Young Lions have been getting in some preseason preparations of their own.
- Orlando City youth player Lennox Alvarado got a callup to the U-16 National Team training camp.
- Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly ended his boycott of Al Nassr matches.
- Jack Grealish has confirmed that he has undergone a foot surgery that will end his season.
That’s all I’ve got for you today. Vamos Orlando!
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