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Orlando City vs. Chicago Fire: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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8 years ago

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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

PlayerVotes
Joe Bendik79
Will Johnson117
Jonathan Spector43
Leo Pereira18
Other14

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Orlando City

Orlando City at CF Montreal: Three Keys to Victory

What do the Lions need to do to earn all three points on the road against Montreal?

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4 hours ago

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April 17, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City heads to the Great White North to take on CF Montreal. The Canadian squad sits in last place in not just the Eastern Conference but also the entire MLS, with only two points from a pair of draws. To say it’s not been a good start to the season is an understatement. Of course, it’s exactly that type of situation that makes it feel like a trap. What does Orlando City need to do to take all three points against CF Montreal?

Designated Goal Scorers

What do you do if you haven’t scored a goal in the last two matches? You play a team that has given up 13 goals in eight matches with a -9 goal differential. Montreal doesn’t have the worst defense in the league — I’m looking at you, D.C. United — but it’s not far off. That presents an opportunity for Orlando City to get back on track when it comes to scoring goals.

Through the first six matches of the season, Orlando City was leading the league in scoring with 15 goals. Over the last two matches, the spigot has dried up. The Lions must seize on this opportunity to create and finish their chances. Much like earlier in the season, I want to see Luis Muriel, Martin Ojeda, and Marco Pasalic lead the way. If anyone can get the first goal, then I’m hopeful the dam will break and the scoring drought will be over.

Keep it Clean

There is some good news of late when it comes to the Orlando City defense. The club has two clean sheets over the last two matches, and that is without Cesar Araujo. There is also some bad news, given Rodrigo Schlegel will be serving his red card suspension this match. That means David Brekalo will move back to center back with Robin Jansson, and Oscar Pareja will have to employ either Rafael Santos or Kyle Smith at left back. Santos has been less than good so far this season.

Montreal has scored a paltry four goals so far in 2025, but two of them have come from striker Prince Owusu. The defense will also need to deal with Caden Clark facilitating in the midfield. I get that this isn’t a prolific attack. Montreal has not looked very good this season and is looking for both its first win and its first points of any sort at home. That means the hosts may be desperate for a result, and desperate is often dangerous. How well the defense does — in particular, how well Santos does if he plays — may determine if Montreal is able to break out of its slump. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.

Give the Midfield Time

Before the last match, I was a little worried about the midfield. Having both Araujo and Eduard Atuesta out at the same time seemed to be a concern. Now, after seeing how well Joran Gerbet and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson worked together against the New York Red Bulls, I’m way less worried. If Araujo and Atuesta need a little more time to get fully healthy, then let them. The Franco/Icelandic combo seems to be a potent one.

Of course, if the normal starters are ready, then by all means bring them back, but maybe not until the 60th minute. Perhaps Pareja could even mix and match. One never knows how yellow card suspensions or minor injuries will affect player availability. This is a good match for Gerbet and Thorhallsson to work their magic.

That is what I will be looking for Saturday night. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 4/17/25

Oscar Pareja signs new contract with Orlando City, Orlando Pride prepare for the Washington Spirit, Orlando’s youth teams win, and more.

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8 hours ago

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April 17, 2025

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I can’t believe we’re already into the back half of April and Easter is right around the corner. There’s plenty of soccer to enjoy between now and then and we also have the draw for the U.S. Open Cup’s round of 32 this morning at 9:15. MLS teams are finally joining the fray, so we’ll see where the chips fall for Orlando City. Let’s get to the links!

Oscar Pareja Signs New Contract

Orlando City and Head Coach Oscar Pareja have agreed to a new three-year contract that will keep him in the City Beautiful through 2028. Pareja was hired as Orlando’s fourth head coach in its MLS era back in December of 2019 and he’s led the Lions to the playoffs in all five seasons he’s been at the helm.  Under Pareja, the Lions won the U.S. Open Cup in 2022, set club records in points and wins in 2023, and reached the Eastern Conference final for the first time last year. This year was the final one on the contract he signed in December of 2023, so it’s nice to know Pareja will be sticking around in the future.

Orlando Pride Prepare for the Washington Spirit

The Orlando Pride will look to make it five wins in a row when they host the Washington Spirit on Saturday in another rematch of last year’s final. While this is the first match between Orlando and Washington this season, the two clashed in the NWSL Challenge Cup on March 7 and the Spirit lifted the trophy after a penalty shootout. Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on how the team has grown since that game and has benefitted from depth and consistency carried over from last year.

Orlando City Youth Teams Win in Bradenton

Orlando City’s U-18 team won in the Generation Adidas Cup’s round of 16, beating St. Louis City 1-0 to advance to the quarterfinals. The Young Lions remain unbeaten in that age group and will take on a Real Salt Lake team that also won its group and just beat Toronto FC in a penalty shootout following a scoreless draw.

Orlando’s U-16 squad didn’t qualify for the Championship bracket, but still advanced in the Premier bracket. After a 1-1 draw with Toronto, Orlando prevailed in the ensuing penalty shootout and will play Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals.

UEFA Champions League Semifinals Are Set

The quarterfinals for this year’s UEFA Champions League are over and only four teams remain in the tournament. Arsenal secured its spot in the semifinals after an impressive 2-1 road win against Real Madrid that included two assists from Mikel Merino. The Spanish club couldn’t muster its usual magic in the tournament and forward Kylian Mbappe exited in the second half due to injury. In Italy, Inter Milan held on for a 2-2 draw against Bayern to advance on aggregate, with defender Benjamin Pavard scoring a crucial goal for Inter against his old team. The semifinals will take place at the end of the month and will feature Arsenal taking on Paris Saint-Germain and Inter going up against Barcelona.

Free Kicks

  • Our thoughts go out to the friends and family of former FC Cincinnati player Aaron Boupendza, who died after falling from the 11th floor of a building in China.
  • The Chicago Fire are reportedly strongly interested in signing star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne on a free transfer. If any Western Conference teams could join the hunt for him, that would be great.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

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Orlando City

Orlando City Extends Oscar Pareja’s Contract through 2028

The most successful coach in Orlando City’s MLS history has signed on for another three seasons.

Published

17 hours ago

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April 16, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Orlando City SC announced today that the club and Head Coach Oscar Pareja have come to terms on a new three-year contract through 2028. The winningest head coach in club history, Pareja’s previous two-year contract was scheduled to expire after the 2025 season. With the Lions off to a 3-2-3 start, and coming off the deepest MLS Cup playoff run in the organization’s history — the 2024 Eastern Conference final — the club locked down the veteran coach

“Throughout his career, Oscar has proven to be a coach deeply committed not only to winning and competing for championships, but also to building teams that fans can proudly rally behind,” Orlando City Owner and Chairman Mark Wilf said in a club press release. “Here in Orlando, he’s shown that same passion and dedication — taking immense pride in representing our club with integrity and driving us closer each year to our ultimate goal of winning it all. His unwavering positivity and focus have helped shape a culture grounded in respect and ambition. We’re thrilled to have Oscar continue leading us forward in the City Beautiful.” 

Pareja has led Orlando City to a record of 89-59-55 across all competitions in 203 matches, reaching the playoffs in each of his seasons at the helm of OCSC. He also won the team’s first MLS-era trophy by leading the Lions to the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title, and he’s guided the club to its first two appearances in Concacaf Champions League/Cup and to the MLS is Back Tournament final in 2020.

With 176 MLS victories, Pareja is No. 5 on the league’s all-time wins list. He ranks second among all active coaches. Orlando City initially hired Pareja, 56, as head coach on Dec. 4, 2019. He succeeded James O’Connor, Jason Kreis, and Adrian Heath as OCSC head coaches in the club’s MLS era. Prior to joining the Lions, Pareja spent one season in Liga MX with Club Tijuana after five successful seasons as head coach at FC Dallas. Pareja started his MLS head coaching career with the Colorado Rapids in 2012, leading the ‘Pids for two seasons, including a playoff appearance in 2013. He also coached the U.S. U-17 Men’s National Team from 2007-2008. 

“First and foremost, I want to express my deepest gratitude to Mark Wilf, his family, the entire ownership group, and our executive board for their continued trust in the vision and culture we’ve built over the years,” Pareja said in the club’s release. “Their unwavering support is the foundation of everything we strive to achieve each day. Above all, I’m profoundly thankful to our incredible fans and the dedicated staff who pour their hearts into making Orlando City such a remarkable club. Together, we’ve grown stronger with each passing season, moving steadily closer to our shared ambition of bringing more trophies home to this great city. I remain deeply inspired by what lies ahead and look forward to continuing this journey in pursuit of more championships.” 

As a player, Pareja spent 1987-1995 with Independiente Medellin in his native Colombia as a midfielder, appearing in 263 matches and scoring 18 goals. He moved to Deportivo Cali, where he scored 11 more goals in 122 games from 1995-1998 and then joined the New England Revolution, appearing in 13 games that year. He finished his playing career with FC Dallas, scoring 13 goals in 170 appearances from 1998-2005. He also earned 11 caps from 1991 to 1996 with Colombia’s national team, scoring three goals.

What It Means for Orlando City

As I wrote when Pareja re-signed in December of 2023: quite simply, it means the Lions retain their most successful coach since joining Major League Soccer. Pareja has created a culture and an identity that was lacking at the club prior to his arrival. While it’s common for players to say the team feels like a family and a city feels like “home,” the Lions have walked that walk during Pareja’s tenure in the City Beautiful.

Pareja’s challenge for the upcoming season is to improve upon the club’s deepest run in the playoffs and perhaps the fourth-place finish the Lions enjoyed in 2024. That’s not an easy task, and it shouldn’t be held against him if he can’t reach those lofty heights.

In the short term, Pareja’s job is to get the team scoring goals again while maintaining the high defensive standards set over the last two matches.

Pareja’s tenure with Orlando City will ultimately be measured in trophies. So far, he’s won one of them. That’s more than everyone who came before him won with Orlando in the MLS era, but it’s understandable for fans and ownership to ask for more.

Oscar Pareja’s Coaching Record at Orlando City (W-L-D)

Major League Soccer Regular Season: 167 games, 74-48-45
MLS Playoffs: 12 games, 5-6-1 (Note: MLS considers draws losses if they happen in the best-of-three round but if it goes to penalties in a single-elimination game, it’s a draw.)
U.S. Open Cup: 7 games, 4-1-2
Concacaf Champions League/Cup: 6 games, 2-1-3
Leagues Cup: 7 games, 2-2-3
MLS is Back Knockout Stages: 4 games, 2-1-1

Total: 203 games coached, 89-59-55

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