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

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7 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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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Toronto FC: Three Keys to Victory

What does Orlando City need to do to ensure a victory over Toronto FC Saturday at home?

Published

16 hours ago

on

April 25, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

After a successful, four-point road trip, Orlando City returns from Montreal to the friendly confines of Inter&Co Stadium to face one of the other Canadian clubs, Toronto FC. The Lions are hoping to add to a four-match unbeaten streak. A win offers the opportunity to take another step up the standings.

What does Orlando City need to do to secure all three points at home against Toronto FC?

No Early Mistakes

In the last three matches, Orlando City has conceded the first goal of the match. Worse than that, each of those goals happened within the first 21 minutes. Yes, coming from behind for two draws and one win is good, but not giving up those early goals may have meant three wins instead.

Last season, Orlando City’s defense was good. We didn’t see nearly so many mental mistakes by the defense, especially so early in the match. What is frustrating is that these mistakes were seemingly preventable. The back line, the defensive midfielders, and Pedro Gallese need to tighten up in the early going so that the Lions are not chasing the match so early on.

Take Advantage of Tired Legs

Toronto FC played a match against Simcoe County Rovers in the Canadian Championship tournament on Wednesday. I’m in no way saying that Toronto trotted out their first choice lineup for the match, but even if only some of the players got a run out, that could create some tired legs for the match against Orlando. Add in the travel from Canada to Florida on short rest and it could be good news for the Lions.

If the Lions can possess the ball and make Toronto FC chase them, or if Orlando can get the first goal (see above) so that Toronto is chasing the match as well, it might pay dividends in the second half. Orlando City is good enough in the passing game to do so, though it will be interesting to see whether Martin Ojeda rejoins the starting lineup or if Nico Lodeiro gets the nod again.

One Down, Two to Go

Facundo Torres was the first of Orlando City’s three Designated Players to score a goal in the regular season. While it didn’t come in the run of play, it might still spark him to add some more since he usually starts slow and then catches fire at about this point in the season. Of course, both Luis Muriel and Ojeda contributed to the scoring against Montreal. Muriel drew the penalty that Torres took, and Ojeda provided the assist to Ivan Angulo.

Now it is time for either Muriel or Ojeda — or both — to join Torres on the scoreboard. Standing in their way will be a good keeper in Sean Johnson. So far this season, he has allowed seven goals and has 22 saves, with three clean sheets. Muriel seems to be getting closer to scoring with each shot taken, and Ojeda has missed some close ones. If all three of Orlando City’s Designated Players can start scoring regularly, this team will become dangerous quickly.

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: 4/25/24

Duncan McGuire is an Olympic frontrunner, Orlando Pride get ready for the Washington Spirit, Colin Guske signs with Orlando City B, and more.

Published

20 hours ago

on

April 25, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this work week hasn’t been too stressful for you as we get ready for another weekend packed with Orlando soccer. All of the European soccer this week has been enjoyable as well, as teams fight for silverware and survival. It should be a fun next few days, although most of my match following will be digital. I’m hoping to get out to the stadium for a game or two over the next couple of months as well. But for now, let’s dive into today’s links!

Duncan McGuire Likely to Play in Olympics

Orlando City forward Duncan McGuire was listed as one of the frontrunners to join the U.S. for this year’s Olympics. It won’t be much of a shock if McGuire is in Paris this summer, as he’s been impressive in the time since being drafted sixth overall in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft by the Lions. The 23-year-old has followed up a strong rookie year with three goals and an assist so far this season. It will be interesting to see who McGuire could compete with for minutes in the Olympics, with Ricardo Pepi noted as another possible option up top for the U.S. Overall, it’s nice to see McGuire is doing what’s needed to stay in the contention for Paris. I think that staying in Orlando rather than going to England has definitely helped his case.

Orlando Pride Prepare for the Washington Spirit

The Orlando Pride are riding a five-game unbeaten streak and will take it to the nation’s capital for a difficult road match against the Washington Spirit Friday night. The Pride have won their past two games and will face a Spirit side that has won four of its five games this season. Both teams have been defensively sound, each conceding just four goals, so it may come down to moments of individual brilliance to make the difference. Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke about the difficulty of the matchup, Orlando’s grit this season, and the impact Barbra Banda had in her debut last weekend.

Orlando City B Signs Colin Guske

Midfielder Colin Guske, who joined Orlando City’s academy back in 2020, signed an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Orlando City B through this 2024 season. The 17-year-old made his OCB debut in the team’s season opener this year and scored the game-winning goal. He’s carved out a spot in OCB’s midfield this season, starting in four of the team’s five games. Guske has two brothers who have also gone through the club’s academy and played with OCB. A solid year with the Young Lions from Guske could result in a Homegrown Player contract for the senior team.

Columbus Crew SC Wins First Leg Against Monterrey

The Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals are here and the Columbus Crew are the only MLS team still in the tournament. They came up with a big 2-1 home win in the first leg of their matchup against Monterrey. Cucho Hernandez gave the Crew the lead in the first half and 21-year-old Jacen Russell-Rowe scored the winner in the second. An away goal by Monterrey could prove crucial though due to the tiebreakers, and the second leg will take place on May 1. The winner of this matchup will take on either Club America or Pachuca in the final on June 2.

Free Kicks

  • Former Lion Dom Dwyer is reportedly headed out west to sign with Oakland Roots SC in the USL Championship.
  • Toronto FC traded away $200,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money (GAM) to Atlanta United in exchange for winger Derrick Etienne Jr. The 27-year-old has not received much playing time this season, and Atlanta could earn another $175,000 in GAM if performance-based metrics are met.
  • The San Jose Earthquakes have reportedly signed Hernan Lopez from Godoy Cruz. It would give a-needed boost to the team, which has just three points from nine games this season.
  • St. Louis City winger Celio Pompeu won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his great strike from outside the box in his team’s 3-3 draw with Sporting Kansas City.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/24/24

Orlando City and Orlando Pride power rankings, USMNT player news, USWNT will host Costa Rica, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

April 24, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s that time of the week for some tasty links. Two seven-point weekends for Orlando’s soccer teams is nothing to sneeze at, unlike the pollen that coats my hometown of Tallahassee. It’s the time of the year that I make my money back with the unlimited car wash next to my work. Enough with my weather-related car issues, let’s get to the links.

Lions Move Up (and Down) in Power Rankings

There’s nothing that shows the value of “power rankings” better than when you can compare two different ranking lists for the same week for any given club. We all know Orlando City is undefeated in its last four matches thanks to the late heroics of Ivan Angulo to draw CF Montreal over the weekend. But, did you know that was both good and bad?

In ESPN‘s MLS power rankings, Orlando City dropped a spot from 16th to 17th despite “treading water” with a point on the road in Montreal. Meanwhile, the Lions roared ahead three spots from 21st to 18th in MLSsoccer.com’s power rankings. So, do you like that Orlando is 17th in the ESPN piece despite the drop? Or do you prefer the positivity of a three-spot jump to 18th in the MLSSoccer.com rankings?

Orlando Pride Rise in Power Rankings

Forget everything I wrote up there regarding power rankings — at least as far as the Orlando Pride are concerned. After starting the season with three draws, the Pride now have two wins in a row. As such, ESPN moved the Pride up three spots from eighth to fifth in its NWSL power rankings. Their move up the list is entirely deserved and the writer was correct in their assessment. Of course, I’m kidding but it’s still nice to see the Pride get recognized for their results. Now, we just need the Pride to continue the winning streak.

Keeping Up With USMNT Players Abroad

As we shared yesterday, Sergino Dest will likely miss this summer’s Copa America thanks to a knee injury suffered during PSV Eindhoven training. That means the USMNT has a right back situation to address and there are quite a few well known candidates to step in for Dest.

Meanwhile, Weston McKennie has reportedly rejected Juventus’ latest extension offer. I can understand his decision given it doesn’t include any additional salary. McKennie has been very good for Juve, with 10 assists on the season. He’s not the only American making a difference, as Tim Weah provided the assist on Arkadiusz Milik’s goal to send Juventus to the Coppa Italia final.

USWNT Olympic Send-Off Match

The United States Women’s National Team will play a match against Costa Rica at Audi Field on July 16. It will be the final match for the USWNT prior to the Olympics that start nine days later against Zambia. New coach Emma Hayes will join the team on June 1, which isn’t a ton of time before the Olympics start, but she has been a part of the process for months.

Free Kicks

  • The New England Revolution have acquired veteran defender Xavier Arreaga from the Seattle Sounders for a 2025 international roster slot, and up to $75,000 in General Allocation Money depending on performance.
  • Inter Miami’s Jordi Alba will be out for several weeks due to a hamstring injury. Fortunately, he is expected to be back in time for the match against Orlando City on May 15. Where did I put the sarcasm font?

That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the Pride’s match against the Washington Spirit this Friday, and Orlando City’s match against Toronto FC on Saturday. Vamos Orlando!

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