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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Miami FC: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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8 years ago

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Orlando City Head Coach Jason Kreis put it best: “For me this is the most disappointing night I’ve had since I’ve been here with Orlando.”

It was a highly embarrassing performance from the home side where there was no motivation and it was outplayed by an NASL team. All the credit goes to Miami FC, as the South Floridians were clearly the better team.

Here are the grades from tonight’s performance, or lack thereof.

Starters

GK, Josh Saunders, 5: Stefano Pinho was unmarked in the 6-yard box on the first goal. The second goal hit Saunders in his arms and he should have saved it. The third goal he was slow coming over on, but he never had a chance at saving it anyway as Pinho was again unmarked in the 6-yard box. Saunders had no help from his defense, and while he did not have an amazing game by any means — there were also a few poor distributions — he did what he had to do. The second goal he arguably should have kept out, but the end result is well off Saunders’ shoulders. 

D, PC, 5.5: PC had the most passes out of anyone on the field, and the second-most touches. Combined with his 87% passing accuracy, he was one of the better players for the Lions. He also created the most chances for Orlando City, including providing the cross for the first shot of the game for the home side, which did not occur until the final 10 minutes of the first half. 

D, Léo Pereira, 3.5: Pereira had the worst match of all the defenders, and that is saying something in a terribly disappointing 3-1 loss at home. His distribution started out poor, although he did improve as the game went on. Defensively he was slow getting up and left Miami attackers onside on multiple attempts. The final Miami goal was most likely his fault, too, as Pinho ran right past him to find the back of the net. 

D, Jonathan Spector, 4.5: Earning the captain’s band tonight, Spector tried to control the team and be that leader on the field. However, his defense failed to step up and let Miami play with the ball. Players were left unmarked, and there were holes in the defense all night. Spector’s man was the goal scorer on the second goal of the game, albeit on a perfect cross into the box. On the third goal of the game, Pinho was completely unmarked with both Spector and Pereira watching him ease the ball into the back of the net.  

D, Rafael Ramos, 4: Ramos’ biggest moment of the game came on Miami’s first goal of the match. Michael Lahoud had the ball down the Lions’ left-hand side looking to put a cross into the box. Ramos was completely focused on him and missed Pinho running straight by him. Ramos also had many turnovers in the game, and was caught up the field a few times. 

MF, Pierre Da Silva, 4.5: Da Silva played one minute for Orlando City coming into this game, but after playing well for OCB had earned himself a start for Jason Kreis. He only lasted 45 minutes, and in that time it was evident that he just is not ready for first-team action quite yet. He had just 76% accuracy on his 21 passes, which was the least among all Lions besides Hadji Barry, and was slow to the ball on countless occasions. He also was out of position multiple times and through balls were played to where he should have been, resulting in turnovers. 

MF, Servando Carrasco, 5: On the offensive side of the ball, Carrasco was quiet, and did not have much of an effect. He stayed back most of the time and could have ventured forward a little more, particularly at the end of the match. However, he was one of the better defenders on for Orlando City and was not afraid to get stuck in on challenges. 

MF, Antonio Nocerino, 5.5: Nocerino controlled the game for the Lions to start. His 90% passing accuracy was one of the best in the game, and he had the most energy for the majority of the time. 

MF, Luis Gil, 5: Gil had the worst passing accuracy for the Lions (74%), and second-worst of any player in the match, and offensively he was bad. He did manage two shots, and his one shot on target — or half of Orlando City’s shots on target — was a long-range one that went right into the stomach of Daniel Vega. Defensively he was much better though, and forced some turnovers for the opposition. On a night where the entire team played absolutely awful soccer, Gil had moments to forget and moments of success, which is better than many of his teammates can say. 

F, Hadji Barry, 5.5: Barry did not have much of an impact in this game, but much of it was not his fault. The rest of the team could not connect any passes in the final third, resulting in just 11 first-half touches and nine in the second half. His one real chance of the game came in the 62nd minute, but he could not get on the end of the ball. He was very quiet throughout, and a little slow to some balls, but, there were some positive signs from the young forward. 

F, Giles Barnes, 6 (MOTM): Orlando City’s only goal scorer was the best player on the field for the Lions. In the second half, all the Orlando City players’ heads were down, they were standing still, and the body language showed that they had given up. All but Barnes, that is. He kept going right up until the final minute and was rewarded with a goal for his efforts. His two shots on goal could have been better but, just as with Barry, the midfield failed to get the ball to him. 

Substitutes

D, Tommy Redding (46’), 5.5 : Redding came in for Da Silva at halftime, and played on the right side of a three-man defense. While he has no experience playing with three defenders with Orlando City, he does for the USMNT youth teams. Considering his team was down two goals when he came on, and they were pushing up and in a new system, Redding did not do poorly. He had some crucial interceptions that led to Orlando City counter attacks. 

M, Kaká (63’), 4.5 : Kaká did what only he could do when he came in — brought the crowd to its feet when the home team is down three goals. Every time he was on the ball, The Wall got louder and tried to help bring the Lions some energy. It did not happen, though, and Kaká was underwhelming at best. He attempted to force the ball into the box over and over, and Miami’s defense had no trouble with defending him. He had two shots, but both were long-range and blocked. He mostly stayed on the left side of the field, and did not create the impact that the game needed. 

F, Carlos Rivas (69’), 5 : Well, he played a perfect ball in off a corner that led to Barnes’ goal. For that his rating goes up, but other than that Rivas did not have any impact. He may have been standing around more than he was running, and it looked like he had given up on the game by the time he entered. He did not have a single shot, and as a forward that is not OK. He also had no forward passes in the final third, and just three successful passes in the final third. 

That’s the way I saw the individual performances. Let us know what you thought in the comments section and vote in our poll.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Antonio Nocerino15
PC3
Giles Barnes26
Tommy Redding6
Other21

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Lion Links: 4/18/25

Orlando City set to play the Tampa Bay Rowdies, Lions reach Generation Adidas Cup semifinals, Angel City hires Alexander Straus, and more.

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2 hours ago

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April 18, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday! I hope today finds you well as we gear up for another Saturday filled with soccer to enjoy. I don’t have many plans this Easter weekend beyond working, catching soccer when I can, and playing Baldur’s Gate 3 for the first time if I find some spare hours. Let’s dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Orlando City Learns U.S. Open Cup Opponents

Orlando City’s 2025 U.S. Open Cup campaign will begin on the road against the Tampa Bay Rowdies on May 7 at 7:30 p.m. in what will be the latest edition of the I-4 Derby. It will be Orlando’s first game of this year’s tournament, while the Rowdies joined in the previous round and got past FC Naples in penalties. The Rowdies have lost four of their five games so far this season in the USL Championship and fired Robbie Neilson as head coach earlier this month. The Lions also notably would have hosting priority if they reach the round of 16, where they will play either Nashville SC or the Chattanooga Red Wolves.

Here’s the full schedule for the round of 32, which includes some interesting matchups across the country. The Tacoma Defiance are the only MLS NEXT Pro side left and will face the Portland Timbers, while the New York Red Bulls will have a long road trip to take on the Colorado Springs Switchbacks.

Lions Advance to Generation Adidas Cup Semifinals

Orlando City’s U-18 team beat Real Salt Lake 1-0 in the Generation Adidas Cup to secure a spot in the semifinals. The Young Lions have won four of their five games of the tournament and will take on Santos Laguna in the semifinal on Saturday. The winner of that match will face whichever team becomes victorious in the other semifinal between Atlanta United and the Colorado Rapids.

The U-16 team’s run in the Premier bracket is also going strong after a 1-0 win over Bayern Munich, and Orlando will take on the New England Revolution in the semifinals on Saturday.

Angel City FC Hires Alexander Straus

Bayern Munich’s Alexander Straus was named Angel City FC’s next head coach and will officially join the club on June 1. The Norwegian coach has won back-to-back Bundesliga titles and has Bayern positioned well to make it three straight this season. He’ll join an Angel City team that’s unbeaten in its first four games of the season under interim head coach Sam Laity, who will stay on as an assistant coach once Straus joins.

Europa League Quarterfinals End In Dramatic Fashion

Old Trafford hosted one of the wildest games in Europa League history, with Manchester United and Lyon battling for a spot in the quarterfinals. United scored twice in the first half, then conceded twice in the second, sending the game to extra time. Lyon took the lead despite being a man down and then the teams traded penalty kicks as the madness continued. Casemiro orchestrated Manchester’s victory in the end, assisting on two late goals within a minute of each other to beat Lyon 5-4 and advance. This United fan pretty much sums up just how much of a rollercoaster this match was.

There was also drama in Italy, as Lazio came back in the second leg to force extra time against Bodo/Glimt. The match went to penalties and Bodo/Glimt goalkeeper Nikitka Haikin denied former New York City FC player Taty Castellanos from the spot to book his team’s place in the semifinals. Although Tottenham was without Son Heung-Min, it got the job done in a 1-0 road win against Eintracht Frankfurt, while Athletic Club beat Rangers 2-0 in Spain to advance as well. In the semifinals, Tottenham will face Bodo/Glimt and Manchester United will take on Athletic Club.

Free Kicks

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

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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?

Published

22 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

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.

Published

1 day 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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