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

Published

9 years ago

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Orlando City has a knack for dramatic last-minute goals to turn losses into draws. On this night it was Scott Sutter’s first goal as a Lion as he used his head to knock in the equalizer in the 94th minute at Seattle, one game after Jonathan Spector did the same exact thing against Montreal.

The Lions didn’t play a great game but they also didn’t play that poorly. There was a noticeable lack of quality in the final third but Seattle is a good defensive club at home and they can do that to teams. The important thing is that Orlando hung around all night and can move on to Chicago with another point.

Let’s get to our grades:

Starters

GK, Joe Bendik, 8 (MotM) — Terrific night for Joe, who kept the Lions in the game long enough for Sutter’s goal to matter. He finished with five saves and few of those were easy. He was alone against Will Bruin on the 19th-minute goal and the shot had too much power for him to stop. He read the game well and was quick off his line a few times to keep shots from happening, taking the ball off Jordan Morris’ foot in the 57th on one such occasion. His back-to-back stops of Clint Dempsey and Osvaldo Alonso in the 59th minute will likely be up for MLS Save of the Week and he denied Deuce again on a break in the 62nd minute. Great bounce-back game for Bendik.

D, Donny Toia, 6 — Spent much of the night blocking crosses and was unable to get forward much with Cristian Roldan and Nicolas Lodeiro working his side of the field. Finished with a tackle, two interceptions, and four clearances but he did get beat wide once by Morris on a play that led to the back-to-back Bendik saves. Passed at only a 75% clip, which was lowest on the back line. Made way for PC in the 85th minute.

D, Jonathan Spector, 7 — His step in the 19th minute nearly prevented the first goal but unfortunately he missed the ball and it fell perfectly for Bruin to score the opener. Other than that, Specs had the usual outing you’d expect, for the most part. He led the back line with a 91.2% passing accuracy and three of his four long balls were accurate. Tallied two tackles, three interceptions, a blocked shot, and a team-high eight clearances. His repeated sliding challenges prevented even more danger from Seattle.

D, Tommy Redding, 7.5 — Tommy may literally have only put one foot wrong all night and that was on the Morris run in the 57th minute, when he tried to stab at the ball and whiffed. Other than that, it was quite a solid night from the U.S. youth international. He even won a few aerial balls, which isn’t always his strongest skill. Finished with two tackles, a team-high six interceptions, a blocked shot, and three clearances. His passing was a robust 81.6% and he even got a shot on target with a glancing header in the second half.

D, Scott Sutter, 7.5 — Even before scoring the game-tying goal on the last touch of the ball, it was a good night for Sutter. He had two key passes and six crosses, one of which nearly found Will Johnson late. He was accurate passing (82.9%), and defensively held his ground well, finishing with a pair of interceptions and two clearances. He tried to set up Kaká in the 54th minute with a nice pass but the captain had his shot blocked. His first goal as a Lion was a memorable one.

MF, Kaká, 6.5 — It was another mixed night for the captain, who did a lot well, but also had some curiously bad turnovers and a few poor decisions. His delivery on the game-tying goal was superb, though. Sent Carlos Rivas in 1-v-1 with a great through ball early. Was set up at the top of the box by Rivas in the 37th minute but opted not to shoot and that decision led to a Seattle break. He picked out the wrong pass in the 41st minute, ignoring Giles Barnes and lifting a cross that was cut out by the defense. He passed at a 77.6% clip and notched two key passes, leading the team in touches (73) and finishing second in pass attempts (58).

MF, Antonio Nocerino, 6 — The Italian had a quietly solid night (again) but added several runs forward, getting into the box more than we’ve seen much of lately. Unfortunately, he went largely ignored by his teammates when he did so, but those runs did open up some space at the top of the box for others at times. He was the most accurate passer of all Lions with a minimum of 10 attempts (96.3%) and was often able to move the ball quickly to avoid Seattle’s pressure. Because Seattle played mainly down the wings and on balls over the top, he didn’t rack up any real defensive stats, but he was accurate on four of five long balls and his lone cross.

MF, Cristian Higuita, 4 — The Colombian lacked sharpness on this night, turning the ball over needlessly and carelessly far too many times. He started the night with a 14th-minute shot that was well off target from a good spot juts above the box. He had three bad turnovers in the first half. The first at 27’ broke up an offensive buildup; the second in the 30th led to a Seattle counter attack that eventually broke down; and the third forced Toia to clear it out for a throw. In the 43rd minute he worked a nice attack with MPG up the right but then didn’t pick his head up and crossed blindly to the back post where no one was. His passing turnovers continued through the second half, igniting a pair of Seattle counter attacks. Neither of his two shots threatened goal. Defensively, he did provide five tackles, an interception and a clearance. His overall passing accuracy was good (85.3%) on a team-high 61 passes but most of his success came on square or backward balls and much of his attacking play was poor.

MF, Matias Perez Garcia, 5.5 — MPG lacked the sharpness we saw on Saturday but it wasn’t a bad performance, so much as he just kind of got lost at times. He had a shot on target in the 56th minute on a pretty decent rip. His passing accuracy was good (81.6%) with one key pass but he was dispossessed a team-high five times. His set piece service was also lacking, with none of his four crosses finding its target. Contributed two interceptions and a clearance on defense. Subbed off in the 64th minute for Luis Gil.

F, Carlos Rivas, 5.5 — Not the best of nights for the Colombian, who had Orlando’s two best scoring chances but failed to bury either, but also not the worst. Had a chance to start the game off perfectly with a 1-v-1 against Stefan Frei five minutes in, but his right-footed shot was too close to the keeper, who made the save. His 35th-minute turnover led to a Nicolas Lodeiro shot on goal. Did well to find Kaká two minutes later but the chance went awry when the captain didn’t pull the trigger. He was fairly active defensively, with a tackle and four interceptions. His passing was accurate (88.2%) but only on 17 attempts. At least both of his shots were on target — no sky shots in this game.

F, Giles Barnes, 5.5 — The Jamaican worked hard as usual but not much came from his efforts in the final third. His one shot was off target. Passing accuracy was good (80%) but like Rivas, had few attempts (20) and didn’t create any chances off of them. He did draw a couple of fouls, earning an early set piece in a good spot. Finished with one tackle and an interception defensively. He came off in the 74th minute for Will Johnson.

Substitutes

MF, Luis Gil (64’), 6 — It was quietly a good game for Gil, who helped set up the late free kick that ended up tying the game. His interplay down the left with PC sent the Brazilian left back forward and down the Seattle flank. His passing was spot-on (94.4%) and he tallied one blocked shot and an interception.

MF, Will Johnson (74’), 6 — I thought Will’s night was kind of a mixed bag. He seemed to struggle to find his footing in the game but he nearly got onto Sutter’s late cross just ahead of Stefan Frei, and he also lashed a shot on target that forced a diving save. He managed to help provide some late energy and notched one interception but also picked up a yellow card for dissent.

D, PC (85’), N/A — Victor “PC” Giro came on late for Toia and his last-second run up the left side set up the game-tying goal. It’s probably unfair to give him a grade for about eight minutes of work, so I’ll give him an “N/A” but his actions definitely impacted the game and he completed all eight of his passes.

That’s the way I saw the individual performances from the match. What did you think? Let me know in the comments below and vote for your OCSC Man of the Match in our poll.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Tommy Redding22
Jonathan Spector12
Scott Sutter20
Joe Bendik107
Other10

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Orlando City

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

The Lions welcome the Pigeons to Orlando in another big game with playoff implications.

Published

11 hours ago

on

October 24, 2026

By

Image of David Brekalo
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to your match thread and preview for a Saturday night matchup between Orlando City (12-13-5, 41 points) and New York City FC (8-12-10, 34 points) at Inter.co Stadium (7:30 p.m., Apple TV). This is the second of the two scheduled meetings between the Lions and Pigeons this season.

Here is what you need to know ahead of the match.

History

The Lions are 7-12-8 in 26 meetings with NYCFC in the all-time series in MLS play and 7-12-10 on their home grounds in all competitions, including one playoff match and one U.S. Open Cup meeting (remember, games that go to penalty shootouts in knockout competitions officially count as draws). Orlando is 4-3-6 at home in regular-season games in the all-time series, 5-3-6 in all regular-season matches in the greater Orlando area when factoring in the win in the group stage of the MLS is Back Tournament in 2020, and 5-3-8 in home games in all competitions against NYCFC. Things have trended the Pigeons’ way the last few years, as the Lions are 0-6-2 in the last eight meetings between the teams.

The Lions and Pigeons last met at Yankee Stadium on March 7 and it was a nightmare for OCSC fans. Maxime Crepeau was sent off early and New York City FC bludgeoned 10-man Orlando 5-0 in Oscar Pareja’s last match in charge of the Lions. Agustin Ojeda, Nicolas Fernandez Mercau, Maxi Moralez (penalty), and Keaton Parks (two goals) did the offensive damage.

The teams met twice last year and NYCFC swept the season series. Orlando City blew a late 1-0 lead at home on July 16, 2025, through Robin Jansson’s goal. But Rodrigo Schlegel smashed a clearance attempt off Kyle Smith and into his own net just a few minutes before the end of normal time, tying the game. Alonso Martinez scored the winner on a counterattack in stoppage time to end the game 2-1 in favor of the visitors.

In Orlando City’s first road game of the 2025 season, the Lions fell 2-1 at Yankee Stadium on March 8. Martinez opened the scoring in the second half, with Luis Muriel equalizing. However, just two minutes after Muriel’s goal, Hannes Wolf scored what turned out to be the game winner.

In Orlando on July 20, 2024, the two 2015 expansion rivals played to a 1-1 draw. Ramiro Enrique and Wolf traded goals five minutes apart in the second half to account for all the scoring. The Lions and Pigeons met at Yankee Stadium on June 28 of that season, with New York City FC winning 4-2. An early Santiago Rodriguez goal opened the scoring and then things went horribly wrong when an obviously offside Malachi Jones collided hard with Orlando goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar. Both players left the game and both had season-ending surgery to repair broken tibias and fibulas. Javier Otero made his MLS debut in goal off the bench and the Lions allowed two goals in first-half stoppage time to let a close game get out of hand. Orlando pulled two goals back through Dagur Dan Thorhallsson and Duncan McGuire, but Mounsef Bakrar sealed the game late for NYCFC.

The teams met at Citi Field — a different baseball stadium than NYCFC’s usual one — on Sept. 20, 2023. The Pigeons were rude hosts, winning 2-0 on goals by Bakrar and Talles Magno. It snapped Orlando’s five-game unbeaten run but the Lions clinched a playoff spot that day anyway due to other results around the league. These teams also met in Orlando on May 17, and with the Lions poised for a 1-0 win, NYCFC eked out a late 1-1 draw with a Gabriel Segal goal at the end of normal time. Ercan Kara scored for Orlando City.

The teams faced off at Red Bull Arena (one of NYCFC’s many homes away from home) on Oct. 2, 2022, with the Pigeons erasing a 1-0 halftime deficit that Facundo Torres provided. The “hosts” got second-half goals from Alex Callens and Magno to complete the comeback and win 2-1. Earlier in the year at Exploria Stadium, the Lions got a Tesho Akindele goal at the death, stunning NYCFC as Orlando City won 2-1 on Aug. 28, 2022. Junior Urso and Moralez had scored early in the first and second half, respectively.

Orlando City had a five-game unbeaten streak in the series (1-0-4) absolutely demolished on July 25, 2021 in a 5-0 loss at Yankee Stadium. The Lions started a makeshift lineup and it showed, as the Pigeons got goals from Jesus Medina, Ismael Tajouri-Shradi, Moralez, Malte Amundsen, and Valentin Castellanos. Why the makeshift lineup? That match was sandwiched between home games against Philadelphia and Atlanta, with quick turnarounds for each. The strategy was sound, as Orlando won the other two games in that nine-day span.

The teams met in Orlando on May 8, 2021 and drew 1-1. Nani smashed a golazo in the second half to put the Lions on top, but Joao Moutinho fouled Tajouri-Shradi in the box and Castellanos equalized from the spot.

The last meeting of the 2020 season happened in the postseason and things got weird. Orlando City ultimately prevailed in penalties after a 1-1 postseason draw on Nov. 21, 2020. Nani put Orlando ahead from the penalty spot, only to see Maxime Chanot equalize on a set piece. Extra time couldn’t settle it, so to penalties we went, and the Lions advanced thanks to a save by Schlegel — after goalkeeper Pedro Gallese was sent off with a second yellow for coming off his line early. Benji Michel’s blast was the difference in the shootout. (Seriously, just click the above link in this paragraph and relive that madness.)

The Lions and Pigeons wrapped the 2020 season series on Oct. 14 at Exploria Stadium, playing to a 1-1 draw. Chris Mueller opened the scoring but Parks equalized just before halftime. The first meeting of 2020 also took place in Central Florida in the MLS is Back Tournament on July 14, when Mueller’s brace and a late Akindele insurance goal led Orlando to a 3-1 win. Medina scored for NYCFC. That win snapped Orlando City’s 0-4-3 streak in the previous seven competitive meetings with the Pigeons. The last match in that winless streak against NYCFC was a 1-1 draw, with the Lions then dispatching NYCFC from the U.S. Open Cup in a penalty shootout on July 10, 2019. That night has been immortalized for the running of The Wall and Adam Grinwis’ heroics in goal.

The teams drew both regular-season meetings in 2019, 1-1 on April 27 at Yankee Stadium, and 2-2 on opening day at Exploria Stadium. NYCFC took all three meetings in a dismal 2018 season series. The Lions went 2-1-0 against New York City FC in 2017, including a win to christen the stadium now known as Exploria with Cyle Larin scoring the only goal in a 1-0 OCSC win. Orlando was 3-1-2 in 2015 and 2016 in the first six meetings with NYCFC.

Overview

Orlando City is coming off a 4-1 demolition of D.C. United a week ago, with Antoine Griezmann leading the way with two goals and an assist. Martin Ojeda scored that goal and also picked up an assist, with Marco Pasalic giving Orlando a hat trick of Designated Player goal scorers on the night. Despite the Lions’ being just four goals from tying the club’s single-season record for goals conceded (74 in 2018), they find themselves above the playoff line in seventh place with just four matches remaining. That is the final guaranteed first-round spot, with eighth and ninth places going to a single-elimination Wild Card match. Orlando can greatly improve its chances of finishing in the postseason places with a win tonight, as a difficult two-game road trip lies ahead next. Orlando is 9-4-2 at home this season and has won five consecutive matches in the purple palace.

New York City FC is coming off a 1-1 home draw against LAFC last weekend, but the Pigeons are winless in five (0-3-2), owing some of that to key injuries. Orlando’s 2015 expansion rivals will come in desperate to get a result to improve on a decent 4-6-5 road record in 2026. The team has the same exact record at home despite clobbering the Lions back in March, but every point is precious and the Pigeons are getting some bodies back.

The Lions must try to keep Fernandez Mercau under wraps. The Argentine midfielder paces the Pigeons with 15 goals and nine assists on the year, but Wolf and Agustin Ojeda have given Orlando fits in previous meetings as well. Wolf is second on NYCFC in goals (6) and has added three assists, while New York’s Ojeda has scored five times and leads the team in assists (11). Meanwhile, NYCFC has a stout defense that has allowed just 41 goals this season, which is tied with New England for second fewest allowed in the Eastern Conference. USMNT goalkeeper Matt Freese is one of the reasons for that, but NYCFC has a good group at the back in front of him.

Orlando City will be without Griffin Dorsey (back), Jansson (foot), Tyrese Spicer (foot), and Luis Otavio (suspension), while Vinicius Nogueira (shoulder) and Bernardo Rhein (lower leg) are listed as questionable. NYCFC will be without Moralez (leg), Parks (leg), Drew Baiera (leg), Arnau Farnos (leg), and Kai Trewin (yep, leg).

Match Content

Official Lineups

Orlando City (4-4-2)

Goalkeeper: Maxime Crepeau.

Defenders: Vinicius Nogueira, Iago, David Brekalo, Ivan Angulo.

Midfielders: Eduard Atuesta, Wilder Cartagena, Braian Ojeda, Justin Ellis.

Forwards: Martin Ojeda, Antoine Griezmann.

Bench: Javier Otero, Adrian Marin, Bernardo Rhein, Zakaria Taifi, Nolan Miller, Joran Gerbet, Harvey Sarajian, Marco Pasalic, Daryl Dike.

New York City FC (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: Matt Freese.

Defenders: Kevin O’Toole, James Sands, Thiago Martins, Tayvon Gray.

Midfielders: Andres Perea, Nicolas Fernández Mercau, Aiden O’Neill.

Forwards: Hannes Wolf, Alonso Martinez, Agustin Ojeda.

Bench: Tomas Romero, Nico Cavallo, Matt Miazga, Benie Traore, Talles Magno, Luighi, Jonathan Shore, Raul Gustavo, Malachi Jones.

Referees:

REF: Elijio Arreguin.
AR1: Cory Richardson.
AR2: Adam Wienckowski.
4TH: Igor Bych.
VAR: Kevin Stott.
AVAR: Robert Schaap.

How to Watch

Match Time: 7:30 p.m.

Venue: Inter.co Stadium — Orlando.

TV/Live Stream: Apple TV.

Radio: AM 810 FOX Sports Radio Orlando (English), Mega 97.1 FM (Spanish), Nossa Rádio 1160 AM-WRLZ (Portuguese).

Social: 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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Orlando City

Intelligence Report: Orlando City vs. New York City FC

Get up to speed on the Pigeons ahead of Saturday’s game, courtesy of someone who knows them best.

Published

1 day ago

on

October 23, 2026

By

Image of Braian Ojeda playing against New York City FC.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday, everyone. Orlando City got a week of rest after taking care of business against D.C. United at home, and it returns to the purple palace Saturday night to face a New York City FC team with its back against the wall in the race for a playoff place.

A showdown with the Pigeons means I caught up with Matthew Mangam of New York Soccer Journal. As always, he was helpful in getting us up to speed on NYCFC, and we appreciate his help. I also answered some of his questions about Orlando City, so make sure you check them out over at their place!

Talk me through NYCFC’s summer transfer business. Who’s out, who’s in to replace them, and how have they performed?

Matthew Mangam: NYCFC’s summer business wasn’t anything groundbreaking. The club brought in striker Luighi on loan from SE Palmeiras and got back midfielder/defender James Sands, whose loan with St. Pauli ended. 

Luighi started off well, bagging four goals in his first seven league appearances. But since then, the 20-year-old is on a five-game drought. To his credit, Luighi started only two of his last five games. As for Sands, this is his third stint at NYCFC, so the versatile 26-year-old was welcomed back with open arms. 

The biggest acquisition this summer, though, was Bénie Traoré. The winger joined the club as a Designated Player from FC Basel in Switzerland, but it hasn’t gone well. In 15 league appearances, Traoré has one goal — a penalty kick that hit off the post and went in — and no assists. 

The club’s last move that didn’t happen in the summer surprised everyone: adding free agent Matt Miazga. The veteran defender hasn’t made his debut yet, and I’m honestly not sure when he will. 

New York City has been a wildly different team since the league restarted after the World Cup. What’s happened to cause the change in form?

MM: I honestly don’t know where to start with this one. There’s so much I could say, but if I did then I’d be here all day. I’ll narrow it down to this: NYCFC can’t play a complete 90 minutes. 

NYCFC has conceded six goals in stoppage time this season, is 0-4-12 after falling behind 16 times, and is 4-5-6 at home. So, they can’t hang onto leads — they’ve lost seven points after the 75th minute — they have no come-from-behind wins, and they’re poor at home. 

There are other smaller factors, like injuries, individual mistakes from usually solid players (Matt Freese and Sands), and players struggling, but, as I said, it’s a lot.

The playoffs are still in reach, as NYCFC is just two points out of eighth. What needs to happen in order to get above the line and stay there?

MM: Simply put, NYCFC needs to win all four remaining games, or, at the very least, go 3-1-0. Teams around them, like Toronto, Columbus, and Cincinnati, are picking up wins and building separation, so NYCFC is in a do-or-die situation. 

Getting Alonso Martínez back and starting again is huge, but you can’t expect him to return from a brutal injury and save the team immediately; it’s not fair. Traoré has to step up and show why the club paid DP money for him — one lone goal that, in my opinion, fortunately went in, and no goals from open play is extremely concerning. 

Also, Nico Fernández Mercau hasn’t scored in five matches. He’s getting double- and triple-marked because teams are now well aware of how talented the Argentine is, but he has to find a way back on the scoresheet in this stretch. NYCFC needs him to. So, so badly. 

Will any players be unavailable due to injury, suspension, etc.? What is your projected starting lineup and score prediction?

MM: The only players out are the ones with long-term injuries: Keaton Parks, Kai Trewin, Maxi Moralez, Arnau Farnós, and Drew Baiera. 

Given that NYCFC needs to win or the season is practically over, I expect Head Coach Pascal Jansen to leave it all out there with his best possible lineup:

Matt Freese; Kevin O’Toole, James Sands, Thiago Martins, Tayvon Gray; Andres Perea, Aiden O’Neill; Hannes Wolf, Nico Fernández Mercau, Agustin Ojeda; Alonso Martínez.

I think Nico Fernández Mercau and Alonso Martínez score, but it won’t be enough, as Antoine Griezmann gets a brace and both teams settle for a 2-2 draw. 

Thank you to Matt for his excellent refresher on NYCFC. Vamos Orlando!

Image of the famous "The more you know" graphic from TV.
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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/23/26

Orlando City prepares for New York City FC, Antoine Griezmann’s impact in Orlando, U.S. will host FIFA Women’s Club World Cup, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

October 23, 2026

By

Image of Antoine Griezmann taking a set piece against Monterrey in Leagues Cup action.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! It’s been a pretty nice week for me, as I was able to watch all of Slow Horses and finish reading Bad Words by Rioghnach Robinson, both of which were brilliant. Attention now turns to this weekend’s soccer, with both Orlando City and the Orlando Pride playing at home over the next couple of days. Let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Prepares for New York City FC

The Lions host New York City FC on Saturday in one of the marquee matchups in MLS as the regular season nears its conclusion. Plenty has changed since Orlando’s 5-0 loss to NYCFC on March 7. The Lions have clawed their way up the table while the Pigeons have only won once in their past 13 league games. NYCFC enters this match after a 1-1 draw with LAFC that included an equalizer by former Lion Andres Perea to give the team a valuable point amid the playoff race. Nicolas Fernandez Mercau, Luighi, and Benie Traore are all NYCFC players the Lions will need to keep in check, or else it could end up being another high-scoring affair in the City Beautiful.

Antoine Griezmann’s Impact on Orlando’s Offense

Orlando’s wait for Antoine Griezmann to join in the summer has proven to be well worth it, as he’s transformed Orlando’s attack into a force to be reckoned with just as the playoffs near. Although Griezmann wasn’t able to enjoy a fairytale ending with Atletico Madrid by lifting the Copa del Rey or Champions League trophies this year, he’s breathed life into an Orlando side that struggled mightily prior to his arrival. The 35-year-old has recorded 12 goals and seven assists in just 14 appearances this season. Not only has he excelled when it comes to getting the ball in the net, but he’s done well in terms of defensive metrics and intangibles as well.

U.S. Will Host Women’s Club World Cup

The inaugural FIFA Women’s Club World Cup will be held in the U.S. in January of 2028 with the host cities still to be determined. There will be 19 clubs taking part, with Gotham, Arsenal, Barcelona, and Club America having already qualified along with three other teams so far. This tournament is sandwiched between the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil and the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, so there’s plenty of exciting women’s soccer to look forward to in the coming years.

U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team Wins at World Cup

The United States U-17 Women’s National Team won 6-1 against Kenya in the group stage of the FIA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, clinching a spot in the round of 16. Maggie DiMaria scored four goals to bring her total to 10 across just two games. The U.S. will play its final group game on Sunday against China PR, which also won both of its games against Kenya and Samoa to secure a spot in the knockout stage. The winner of this group will get to avoid a match with Spain in the round of 16, so there’s still plenty to play for before the next round gets underway.

Free Kicks

  • The first leg of the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal between the United States Men’s National Team and Haiti has been moved from Kingston to Miami. Haiti has had to play games outside of the country due to unrest and submitted a request to Concacaf to play in the country of its opponent.
  • American center back Naomi Girma is now dealing with a calf injury that may sideline her for a few weeks according to Chelsea Head Coach Sonia Bompastor. She missed out on the team’s recent friendlies against Spain and may be absent for the Concacaf W Championship quarterfinal against El Salvador next month too.
  • The United States Women’s Cerebral Palsy National Team beat Ireland 15-0 to advance to the IFCPF Women’s World Cup final, which takes place today against Australia. Annie Wickett scored five goals with four other players scoring braces.
  • The San Diego Wave signed defender Mimi Van Zanten to a contract extension through the 2029 season. She’s made 27 appearances for San Diego during her rookie season, helping the club keep pace in the NWSL Shield race.
  • After being stretchered off the field due to a head injury in the U.S. Open Cup final, St. Louis City goalkeeper Roman Burki is alert and in good spirits, according to the club.

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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