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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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I can’t sugarcoat this performance. You can point to the short rest and tired legs compared to Chicago’s full week of rest. You can talk about playing on the road against the hottest team in the league and their 7-0-1 home record. You can even mention the missing presence of Cyle Larin, who has played well at Toyota Park.

But in the end, the result is all that matters, and — tough task or not — the Lions simply weren’t good enough and the performance was unacceptable if not inexplicable.

So…about those grades…

Starters

GK, Joe Bendik, 5.5 — Joe made three saves on seven shots on target but he was under fire all night, facing 17 total attempts and constantly having the Chicago attack coming at him. He had zero chance on Accam’s hat trick of goals (honestly, he had a better shot at stopping the penalty than either of the first two), or Nemanja Nikolic’s 1-v-1 opportunity. Solid stop on Nikolic at 14’ and alertly off his line at 24’ to deny Accam 1-v-1 although the offside flag had gone. Made a huge reaction save to deny Nikolic from point-blank range in the 31st minute. Distribution was poor at times and may have done better in terms of being alert to Accam’s speed.

D, PC, 5 — Victor Giro wasn’t able to put any kind of pressure on Matt Polster out wide throughout the night, allowing the Chicago midfielder to make crosses rain into Orlando’s penalty area. He also wasn’t able to get forward too much, although he did have one of the Lions’ three shot attempts, but only two cross attempts of his own. His passing wasn’t great at 70.5%, but he did lead the team in interceptions (5) and finished with two tackles.

D, Jonathan Spector, 5.5 — Spector kept it from being even worse. Made a good play to disrupt Michael de Leeuw in the 34th minute to throw off a potentially dangerous header. Had two vital clearances in the second half to prevent easy tap-in goals in the 50th and 74th minutes. One of his worst passing performances, at just 66.7% though. Defensively, he had one tackle, one interception, a blocked shot, and four clearances.

D, Tommy Redding, 6 — Left Accam unattended on the first goal and was one of several players caught flat-footed on Accam’s run on the second. However, Redding put in a solid defensive shift, tallying two tackles, four interceptions, six clearances, and a blocked shot. He was one of the few Lions who could control the ball and his 88.5% passing led the back line and was second among all starters.

D, Scott Sutter, 4.5 — It looked like a tired Scott Sutter out there on this night. His usual energy was lacking and he seemed a step slower than usual. He managed only two crosses (one accurate) in the attack although his 84.4% passing accuracy was decent. His foul in the box on Accam seemed unnecessary and added a goal against to the team’s tally. His only defensive statistic was a single clearance — no tackles or interceptions on the night.

MF, Luis Gil, 4 — No defensive or offensive statistics of note and just a 66.7% passing night. Gil was mostly invisible for 57 minutes before being subbed off for Barnes. When looking for a positive, the best I can come up with is that it looked like he was trying and he was running while others weren’t. That’s about it.

MF, Cristian Higuita, 3.5 — Repeatedly lost the ball and conceded dangerous free kick opportunities in the 32nd and 34th minutes, getting booked on the latter. Finished with four tackles but no interceptions or clearances and more turnovers than tackles, with two unstable touches and dispossessed three times. His 84.6% passing accuracy seems decent until you look at the passing chart and everything is sideways or backwards. Just a horror show of a road trip for the Colombian. I don’t mean to be harsh on Cristian, because I like him as a player, but he has not been good the last couple of matches.

MF, Antonio Nocerino, 5.5 — With a 94.7% accuracy, Nocerino was the team’s best passer among all starters, and on the most attempts (58). He also had a key pass, which was in short supply on this night. In fact, it was the only one the Lions registered. He had three tackles and a clearance defensively and was about a half yard offside or he’d have scored his first MLS goal in the 66th minute. He ran hard all night despite having played 90 on Wednesday in Seattle.

MF, Will Johnson, 5 — Usually you notice Will Johnson during a soccer match. He gets into passing lanes, forces attackers back, and generally just makes a nuisance of himself. He didn’t do that at Chicago. He passed pretty well (85.1%) and had good long ball accuracy (4/5), and was never dispossessed. However, he didn’t do much that was memorable from a good perspective either. He had two tackles and an interception on defense but was booked for a tactical foul at 22’ and wasn’t really able to connect the back line with the attacking tandem, on a night when Jason Kreis deployed almost a full midfield of DMs.

F, Kaká, 4.5 — I’ll admit, I had to double check to make sure Kaká had a passing accuracy of 83.3%, because it sure didn’t seem like it. He was more careless than usual with the ball against the Fire. Playing as a second forward with Carlos Rivas, the Brazilian didn’t add a lot to the attack. He had zero shot attempts, three crosses (but none found the target), and registered no defensive statistics. Had an awful turnover in the 42nd minute that ignited a Chicago counter and several others throughout the match that didn’t produce quite as much danger. He was dispossessed three times and was forced to tackle Accam and endure a booking in the second half before being subbed off.

F, Carlos Rivas, 4.5 — The most notable thing Rivas did was get stomped on by goalkeeper Matt Lampson on the Colombian’s best scoring opportunity of the night in the 75th minute. He did manage two of Orlando’s three shots in the game but neither was troublesome, with one well wide of the target — on an impatient long-range effort during a promising attack — and the other a free kick into the wall. He attempted only 13 passes and completed 61.5% of them. The stomp ended his night early and he may miss some time with an ankle injury that will be evaluated when the team returns to Orlando.

Substitutes

MF, Matias Perez Garcia (57’), 5 — MPG was able to add a little bit of energy and hold-up play where none was previously present. He should have shot instead of feeding in an offside Nocerino at 66’ but it’s hard to fault unselfish play and the Italian did have a better angle. He was able to draw a couple of free kicks, as usual, but passed at only a 75% clip and didn’t register any defensive statistics.

MF, Giles Barnes (57’), 4.5 — The Jamaican didn’t offer a lot on this night, although he did work hard in his 33 minutes. He drew a couple of free kicks and had an interception but he offered no shots and little in the way of offense at all — just one cross and a 72.7% passing rate. Got an elbow up on a late challenge which may get looked at by DisCo but it didn’t look intentional.

F, Richie Laryea (64’), 6 (MotM) — Came on for Kaká and didn’t accomplish a lot but brought good energy to the team in his MLS debut. Didn’t have many glaring errors either. The moment didn’t seem too big for him and he was able to work well with his teammates to try to create around the top of the box. Completed all six of his passes. On a night when most of the team looked either bad, lethargic, or both, this performance was good enough for Man of the Match, in my book, although that says more about Laryea’s teammates in this game than it does about Richie.

That’s the way I saw the individual performances on this night. Vote for your Lion of the Match in the poll below.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Joe Bendik10
Tommy Redding6
Jonathan Spector2
Antonio Nocerino 12
Richie Laryea 19
The liquor cabinet89
Other6

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/19/25

Alex Freeman details his soccer journey, Orlando Pride players called up, Orlando City’s U-19 team advances to semifinals, and more.

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1 hour ago

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June 19, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B

Happy Juneteenth, Mane Landers! I hope everyone has a nice holiday as we commemorate the anniversary of the end of slavery in the U.S. There’s plenty of soccer going on, and I’ve enjoyed seeing the Club World Cup and Gold Cup here and there when not working. Let’s go ahead and dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Alex Freeman Details His Path to Pro Soccer

Orlando City right back Alex Freeman has been getting plenty of buzz during this breakout year, but an interview with Goal gave some great insight into how he reached this point. He made the bold decision to head to Orlando at 16 years old to chase his dream, and he detailed some of the difficulties of that move that may get overlooked as his career blooms.

“I remember my 16th birthday, it was the first birthday I ever spent without my family,” Freeman says. “It was the day after I moved to Orlando. I’ve never really talked about this, but, at first, it really took a toll on me. At 16, you really just want your family around for those important moments, and I felt like I was balancing so much without my family being there with me. I did so much of this in Orlando without my family. It’s hard for people to comprehend that.”

Freeman also talked about the pace of his development within Orlando’s organization, along with what it was like to play against Juventus winger Kenan Yildiz in his recent international debut. There are also some great quotes from Oscar Pareja and United States Men’s National Team Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino worth checking out.

Orlando Pride Players Called Up by USWNT

Orlando Pride defenders Emily Sams and Kerry Abello were both called up for the United States Women’s National Team’s training camp roster ahead of friendlies against Ireland and Canada later this June. Both players were on the USWNT roster for recent friendlies, with Abello making her international debut on June 3 against Jamaica. The only player outside the NWSL who was called up for this roster is Naomi Girma. Rose Lavelle was called up for the first time this year, and 2024 NWSL Rookie of the Year Croix Bethune is also back in the fold. Jordyn Bugg, Lilly Reale, Izzy Rodriguez, and Sam Meza were all called up for the first time, as Head Coach Emma Hayes continues to grow the player pool.

Orlando City Makes MLS NEXT Cup Semifinals

Orlando City’s U-19 team continues to impress this year and advanced to the semifinals of this year’s MLS NEXT Cup. Forward Justin Ellis was named Player of the Day for scoring twice in a 3-3 draw against Toronto FC, with Orlando coming out on top in the ensuing penalty shootout.

The U-19 team is the last Orlando academy team still playing across the tournament’s age groups. It will take on Cedar Stars Academy in the semifinals on Friday with a spot in Sunday’s final on the line. Enjoy watching the youngsters celebrate clinching a spot in the next round.

Upcoming NWSL Action Before League Break

We have another weekend of NWSL soccer to look forward to before the league pauses until August due to various international tournaments. The Pride will look to make it four straight wins when they face Racing Louisville FC on the road Friday night. Louisville has allowed 22 goals this season, so hopefully Barbra Banda and the rest of Orlando’s offense can get things going after close wins in the past two games.

Elsewhere in the league, I think Saturday’s match between NJ/NY Gotham FC and Bay FC will be an interesting showdown. Gotham forward Esther González leads the league with nine goals this season, but it’s ultimately a close Golden Boot race at this point. Sunday’s match between the San Diego Wave and Washington Spirit pits two of the league’s top four teams against each other, making it a great way to close out the weekend before the break.

USMNT Takes On Saudi Arabia Tonight

The Yanks are back in action tonight for a Concacaf Gold Cup group game against Saudi Arabia, the guest nation of this year’s tournament. After a 5-0 win over Trinidad & Tobago, the U.S. can claim the top spot in the group and all but guarantee a place in the next round with a win over Saudi Arabia. There are still some question marks regarding who will rise to the occasion in the midfield and at forward, but the USMNT has the talent to get the job done tonight at Q2 Stadium in Austin. The U.S. will then close out group play on Sunday against Haiti in Arlington, TX.

Free Kicks

  • Sams, Banda, Anna Moorhouse, and Cori Dyke were all named to CBS Sports‘ NWSL Team of the Week after the Pride’s 1-0 win over Bay FC.
  • Joao Klauss won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his lethal strike on the volley from a tight angle. The goal equalized things in stoppage time against the LA Galaxy and completed Klauss’ hat trick in the 3-3 draw.
  • USWNT and Portland Thorns defender Meghan Klingenberg has officially retired from professional soccer. She won two NWSL Shields, two NWSL Championships, and the 2015 Women’s World Cup, while also making an impact off the field speaking up for equality.
  • The San Jose Earthquakes have begun the process of selling a controlling interest in the club.
  • Xabi Alonso’s tenure as Real Madrid’s new manager began with a 1-1 draw against Al Hilal at the Club World Cup. Federico Valverde had a chance to win it in stoppage time from the penalty stop, but Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou came up with the critical save.
  • Chris Wilder and Sheffield United have parted ways less than a month after the club fell 2-1 to Sunderland in the playoff final for promotion to the English Premier League. Ruben Selles, who was dismissed as Hull City’s manager last month, was named as Wilder’s replacement.

That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a wonderful Juneteenth and rest of your week!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/18/25

Scouting Saudi Arabia, Club World Cup summary, MLS midseason superlatives, and more.

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1 day ago

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June 18, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Happy Wednesday, everyone. I’m pretty worn out after doing some traveling for most of the last two weeks, and I’m happy to be back home in Tampa for a bit before heading out on the road again. The soccer world has not paused during my time out on the road, and if anything its only picked up in intensity. That means we have a lot to talk about, but before we get into today’s links, let’s wish Orlando Pride defender Rafaelle a happy birthday.

Scouting Saudi Arabia

The United States Men’s National Team will continue its 2025 Gold Cup campaign on Thursday when it takes on Saudi Arabia in Austin, TX. That means this is a good time to familiarize ourselves with Arabian Falcons. They’re coached by Herve Renard, who deployed the team in a 4-2-3-1 in a 1-0 victory over Haiti in the team’s first game of the tournament. He isn’t married to that formation though, and will use a variety of tactical setups depending on the situation. Across all of them, Saudi Arabia plays with an emphasis on pressing in specific areas and quickly breaking in transition once winning the ball. Like the USMNT, the Saudis are missing a few first-choice players, and the midfield battle should be a particularly interesting area to keep an eye on.

Club World Cup Roundup

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup continued on Wednesday, so let’s take a look at the action. Fluminense and Borussia Dortmund got things started as they battled to a scoreless draw at MetLife Stadium. The Brazilian team had the better of the game overall, but Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel made five saves to preserve a point for his team. The second game of the day was much livelier, as River Plate dispatched Urawa Red Diamonds 3-1 in Seattle. The Argentinians scored after just 12 minutes and never looked back despite Urawa making it a 2-1 game with a 58th-minute penalty. The third match took place at Inter&Co Stadium, and saw Mamelodi Sundowns beat Ulsan HD 1-0. While the scoreline didn’t reflect it, the South African team mostly dominated proceedings and finished with 68% possession and 718 passes to 325 for the South Korean side. However, it was a free-flowing game that offered both sides to take more from the match. Our Michael Citro was there to recap it for you at the link above.

Midseason MLS Superlatives

As much as it seems like the 2025 Major League Soccer season just started, we’re actually just past the halfway point of the campaign, and that means it’s a good time to look at some league superlatives. In a category that will be music to the ears of Orlando City fans, Bradley Wright-Phillips named fullback the most overlooked position and specifically took some time to praise Alex Freeman. BWP previously coached against Freeman with New York Red Bulls II when Alex was still with Orlando City B, so it’s interesting to hear his input from that additional aspect. It’s no surprise that the Vancouver Whitecaps got a lot of love, as they were named biggest surprise, and Jesper Sorensen was named best coach.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

Transfer season is in full swing, so here are some of the big rumors currently flying around. Manchester United is reportedly interesting in signing Callum Hudson-Odoi from Nottingham Forest, but the Red Devils face competition from Roma and Napoli. Arsenal might hit a snag in searching for a striker, as the Gunners are balking at paying the asking prices for either Benjamin Sesko or Viktor Gyokeres, because they consider those numbers to be too high. Three different teams from the Saudi Pro League have reportedly shown interest in signing Son Heung-Min from Tottenham Hotspur, as he only has 12 months left on his current contract.

Free Kicks

  • Get a peek at the Orlando Pride putting in work on the training ground.

And that’s it for me today. Have a great rest of your week. Vamos, Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/17/25

Orlando City and Orlando Pride players on Team of the Week, USMNT Gold Cup continues, and more.

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2 days ago

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June 17, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wedn…er…Tuesday, Mane Landers. That’s right, I’m here a day early and not a moment too late. Orlando is knee deep in soccer, thanks to the FIFA Club World Cup on top of our favorite Orlando City and Orlando Pride clubs. We will have coverage of the matches taking place in the City Beautiful. Before we get started today, join us in wishing a happy 25th birthday to Orlando Pride midfielder Summer Yates. Now, let’s get to the links.

Schlegel Honored

Rodrigo Schlegel had a pretty good match against the Colorado Rapids. Despite not being named Man of the Match in our Player Grades, he did make the MLS Team of the Week bench. Meanwhile, Orlando held steady at the ninth spot in ESPN’s MLS Power Rankings, while dropping two spots from seventh to ninth in SI.com’s Power Rankings despite winning on the road. It just shows how very accurate and scientific power rankings are, doesn’t it?

Quadruple Honors for the Pride

The Orlando Pride saw Schlegel’s TotW Bench honor and said we can do better. Barbra Banda, Cori Dyke, Emily Sams, and Anna Moorhouse all made the NWSL Team of the Week from the Attacking Third. Congratulations to the Pride for covering a third of the Attacking Third’s selections.

Moorhouse is also up for Player of the Week and Save of the Week. As of this morning, she is not leading either category so you know what to do.

The USMNT Gold Cup Journey Continues

The Concacaf Gold Cup group stage is underway, with the USMNT securing a 5-0 victory over Trinidad & Tobago Sunday evening. I’m always for beating Trinidad & Tobago, but more talented teams and tougher matches lie ahead. Next up for the USMNT is Saudi Arabia. I know what you’re thinking, and you’re correct. Saudi Arabia isn’t a Concacaf nation, but the team is the invitee for this Gold Cup. The match is Thursday night at 9:15 p.m. at Q2 Stadium in Austin, TX. The U.S. will most likely need a win to secure the top spot in the group.

FIFA Club World Cup Results

The Club World Cup, which will visit Orlando’s Inter&Co Stadium later today (we’ll be on hand with the coverage, naturally), continued early this week with Bayern Munich obliterating Auckland City 10-0, PSG defeating Atletico Madrid 4-0, Botafogo beating the Seattle Sounders 2-1, and Facundo Torres and Palmeiras drawing Porto 0-0 on Sunday. In the Monday slate, Chelsea defeated LAFC 2-0, and Boca Juniors and Benfica drew 2-2. Overshadowing all of this is the poor attendance, despite FIFA spending millions to boost said attendance.

Free Kicks

  • One might think that a club sitting second in the official standings on a three-match winning streak would have matching ranks in all the various power rankings. However, one would be wrong, because although the Pride are in the second spot in the SI.com Power Rankings, the club sits at third in the ESPN.com Power Rankings. Do I need to say anything?
  • You don’t often see Barcelona get passed over for an MLS club, but that is exactly what happened despite Barcelona calling FIFA to get a spot in the Club World Cup. That MLS club was LAFC, and it had to earn its way in by beating Club America.
  • Liverpool has set a date for the medical for Florian Wirtz following the record transfer.
  • Congratulations to Orlando City’s Alex Freeman on his performance in his first cap for the USMNT in a competitive match.

Stacked the stat sheet 📈– 10 duels won (led team)– 3 tackles won (led team)– 54 passes completed– 95% passing accuracy– 90 minutes played– 2 clearances– 2 fouls drawn– Clean sheet ✅

— Orlando City SC (@orlandocitysc.com) 2025-06-16T23:03:59.932Z

That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the matches this week. Vamos Orlando!

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