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Orlando City at New York Red Bulls: Player Grades and Man of the Match

Published

7 years ago

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That was an ugly one.

Orlando City took an early lead on the road for the third week in a row, but were tied with the New York Red Bulls heading into halftime and a slow start to the second half cost them as the Lions ended up falling to the Red Bulls, 3-1. Kaká saw himself being sent off in stoppage time thanks to video review, and the club ended its string of three straight on the road with just one point from three games as the Lions head back home to take on the Columbus Crew next Saturday, Aug. 19.

Anyway, on to grades.

Starting XI

GK Joe Bendik, 6.5 — It was a tough night overall for Bendik. Not only did he allow three goals, but he suffered a slash on his right cheek on Bradley Wright-Phillips’ goal in the second half — it wasn’t the first time he’s taken a hit to the face playing at Red Bull Arena, by the way. But Bendik did make a couple of big saves not much earlier, making a stop on Alex Muyl in the 47th minute, then an even bigger diving stop on the ensuing corner kick, ranging down to his right to save the ball off the line.

D, Donny Toia, 5.5 — The first thing that jumps out about Toia’s night is his 54% passing accuracy, which is pretty poor. But it’s reasonable that his passing would suffer from lack of chemistry, playing next to the inexperienced Leo Pereira and behind Yoshimar Yotun in his first MLS start. Still, it was a mixed night. Toia was more active getting forward on the offensive end than we’ve seen from him lately, with one key pass. Defensively, he led all players with eight interceptions and added two clearances. However, the second Red Bulls goal came from his side, as did the cross for Wright-Phillips’ near-miss on a bicycle kick.

D, Tommy Redding, 6 — Redding finally cracked his way back into the starting lineup with Jonathan Spector sidelined, and he did what he had to do. He made a strong, clean first-half tackle on on Wright-Phillips in the penalty area in the 29th minute to clear the area of danger, but did get beat by Muyl on BWP’s second-half goal; Muyl ran right between him and Donny Toia, Redding could get to Muyl in time and he sent in the cross to BWP, who was just to Tommy’s left, for the goal.

D, Leo Pereira, 4 — Leo was responsible for the Red Bulls’ first goal of the night when his attempt to clear Sacha Kljestan’s cross into the box instead went into his own net. He was also tied for a team-high three fouls on the night. In fairness, it was his first MLS match since June 4.

D, Scott Sutter, 6.5 — Sutter played a sound game defensively, as he often does, and on the offensive side of the ball finished with 84 percent passing, four crosses, and five accurate long balls forward. A quietly exceptional night for the right back.

MF, Will Johnson, 7 — Johnson was very much himself throughout the night. He brought passion and energy early on, and his fight for the ball started everything off for Orlando City on the goal, winning the ball in midfield and getting it to Cyle Larin, who quickly found Kaká before he passed off to Rivas. Johnson passed for 86 percent on the night, had a game-high four tackles and three interceptions. All in all, a good night.

MF, Antonio Nocerino, 6 — Nocerino was six inches away from finally opening his MLS account, bending a shot around the outside post in the 70th minute, but outside of that it was a pretty meh night for the Italian midfielder, who got the start in the holding role over Cristian Higuita. Nocerino finished with 74 percent passing, two interceptions, and just one tackle, but he did make a solid play in the 14th minute to save Orlando from danger, taking the ball away from a Red Bulls player before they could dribble into the box.

MF, Yoshi Yotun, 8 (MOTM) — A very solid debut for the team’s newest Designated Player. Yotun looked comfortable, collected, and nothing like a guy playing his first game with a new team. He was active on both ends in the first half, and was clearly making a noticeable impact, but the second half was much different, and probably not his fault, as he struggled to spread the first like he did in the first half, and was mostly contained to the left side of the midfield. He did have a long-range ball down the field in the second half to find Carlos Rivas, who split the defenders to reach it, but the Colombian’s shot attempt was blocked. He was fouled three times, was credited with one key pass, and finished with an 83 percent overall in the passing game. He also should have scored the equalizing goal for in the 77th minute, hitting a shot off of the crossbar. An unlucky break in his debut.

MF, Kaká, 7 — All things considered, it was a good night for the captain. Kaká’s fifth assist of the season helped put Orlando up in the first half. He was credited with three key passes, two tackles, one interception, and had a great run from midfield all the way into the penalty area in the 73rd minute that ended with winning his side a corner kick. The red card in stoppage time shouldn’t do anything to put a damper on his otherwise solid outing.

F, Carlos Rivas, 6.5 — Rivas missed a golden opportunity to score in the 17th minute; with nobody but Luis Robles to beat, and he sailed the shot over the bar. But he made up for it not even a minute later, finishing off an assist from Kaká for his fifth goal of the season. Rivas was a menace throughout the first half, doing a great job of making runs in behind the Red Bulls’ defense; they couldn’t contain him. But the second half, again, was a different story, and he struggled to make an impact.

F, Cyle Larin, 6 — Larin looked dangerous in the first half, and had a couple of really good opportunities to put the ball in the net. In the 24th minute, he received a throw-in in the box on the near side, turned and forced Robles into a acrobatic save to keep the Lions off the board. A couple of minutes later, he got loose in the box on a Kaká free kick from roughly 40 yards out but flat out missed the ball in the air. A golden opportunity wasted. Story of the day, he was active in the first half but disappeared in the second as New York choked off the Lions in midfield. He did have 27 touches and drew four fouls before being subbed off in the 86th minute.

Substitutes

F, Giles Barnes (81’), N/A — Barnes entered for Will Johnson late and didn’t have enough time to make an impact.

MF, Cristian Higuita (81’), 1 — Higuita came on for Nocerino at the same time Barnes did, right after New York’s third goal, and didn’t have enough time to make an impact, but he did stay on the field long enough to get a yellow card in stoppage time during the scuffle that also included Kaká’s red card. Peak Cristian Higuita move to earn that yellow right before the whistle.

MF, Richie Laryea (86’), N/A — Richie got into the game in the final moments, and while he did get a shot off in the 87th, moments after coming on for Cyle Larin, it wasn’t enough to earn him a grade.

That’s how I saw the individual performances. What did you think? Let us know in the comments and vote for your MotM in our poll below.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Carlos Rivas27
Yoshimar Yotun39
Will Johnson5
Kaká25
Other6

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/3/24

MLS roster profiles revealed, Marta’s best moments, Kelley O’Hara announces her retirement, and more.

Published

30 mins ago

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May 3, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Happy Friday! We’ve reached the homestretch of the week and I couldn’t be happier. A busy weekend awaits me, but I’m hoping for some quiet, nice moments to offset some of the hustle and bustle. It’s also another weekend packed with Orlando soccer to enjoy, so make sure to plan your next couple of days accordingly. But for now, let’s get to the links!

MLS Unveils Club Roster Details

There’s a little more transparency in Major League Soccer after the league released helpful snapshots of each club that detail the composition of each roster. From Designated Players and MLS U22 Initiative Players to international roster slots and contract lengths, the graphics are easy to comprehend and give a nice look behind the curtain on each team. Using this, we can see that Orlando City midfielder Cesar Araujo no longer takes up a U22 Initiative slot and that the team also has an open international roster slot. It should be a fairly nice reference guide for fans moving forward, as well as a way to check out how other MLS teams are building their rosters.

Emily Sams Earns Recognition as Potential USWNT Player

Orlando Pride defender Emily Sams was mentioned as one of the top 20 eligible Americans who have yet to make an appearance with the United States Women’s National Team according to Pro Soccer Wire. The shout out is well deserved, as Sams has helped anchor a Pride defense that’s only given up seven goals this season. Only time will tell if Sams will earn a call-up once Emma Hayes is at the helm of the USWNT, but it does feel inevitable given how she’s been playing. Other notable players on the list include Ajax’s Lily Yohannes, Washington Spirit rookie Croix Bethune, and Angel City FC defender Sarah Gorden.

Marta’s Top Moments

All For XI compiled some of the best moments from Marta’s career into a tidy top five. Considering how prolific she has been for Brazil over the years, it was nice to see a pair of goals from her time with the Pride receive some recognition. Both of those moments were from 2018, with her free kick to equalize against the Seattle Reign placing fifth and her solo effort to stun the Spirit taking third. It’s fitting though that the top moment on the list showcases the impact she’s had off the field, as it’s Marta’s emotional speech after Brazil’s exit in the 2019 World Cup.

Kelley O’Hara Will Retire After 2024 Season

USWNT defender Kelley O’Hara announced that she will retire from professional soccer following the 2024 season. Over the course of her international career, she’s played in four World Cups, three Olympic Games, and was named to the FIFA FIFPro World XI in 2019. O’Hara has played in every NWSL season since the league’s inception, winning the title with the Spirit in 2021 and again with NJ/NY Gotham FC last year. She joined Gotham as the first free agent signing in NWSL history and she is set to close out her illustrious career there.

Free Kicks

  • Curve Fragrances was named the official fragrance partner of Orlando City. As part of the partnership, there will be giveaways and product sampling at select games this season.
  • Wrexham’s women’s squad for The Soccer Tournament this summer will include a trio of former Pride players, with Bridget Callahan, Danica Evans, and Nickolette Driesse all taking part. I can’t wait to see if Callahan will make SkoRed a rallying cry at the tournament.
  • Orlando City won’t have to contend with FC Cincinnati forward Aaron Boupendza tomorrow, as he will miss the next six to eight weeks due to a broken jaw suffered in an off-field incident.
  • The Europa League semifinals are underway and Bayer Leverkusen extended its unbeaten run to 47 games after a 2-0 road win against Roma. In the other matchup, Atalanta and Marseille drew 1-1 in France.
  • American midfielder Johnny Cardoso hasn’t been with Real Betis for long, but he’s doing well enough that Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, and Borussia Dortmund are among the clubs reportedly interested in signing the 22-year-old.
  • Lucas Hernandez suffered an ACL injury in Paris Saint-Germain’s loss to Borussia Dortmund and will miss out on this summer’s Euros with France.
  • Reims and Will Still have mutually agreed to part ways, with the coach leaving now despite just having three games left in the Ligue 1 season. It will be interesting to see where the 31-year-old coaches next, as he had a notable 19-game unbeaten stretch with Reims last season.
  • Here’s a detailed dive into the obstacles Everton has faced in recent years, as well as how the club has avoided relegation amid another difficult season.

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

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. FC Cincinnati: Three Keys to Victory

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

Published

21 hours ago

on

May 2, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City looks to bounce back from the disappointing 2-1 loss to Toronto FC Saturday night at Inter&Co Stadium. Cincinnati has twice as many points as Orlando City and more than twice as many wins. FCC has only scored one more goal than Orlando City, but with only nine goals conceded compared to Orlando City’s 17, it’s easy to see why Cincinnati is sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference.

What I’m trying to say is that the task doesn’t get any easier this weekend. What does Orlando City need to do to secure all three points at home against FC Cincinnati?

Accost Acosta

Cincinnati’s attack revolves around Luciano Acosta. The attacking midfielder has four goals and five assists so far this season. To put that into perspective, Duncan McGuire — Orlando City’s leading scorer — also has four goals but only one assist. If we look at the Lions’ attacking midfielders, Facundo Torres has one goal and one assist, Ivan Angulo and Nico Lodeiro both have one goal and two assists, and Martin Ojeda has zero goals and only one assist. Luis Muriel is still at double zeroes.

The defensive midfield and the back line must do everything possible to mark him out of the match. It’s not enough to keep him from scoring, they must also keep him from setting up chances for his teammates. Most importantly, the defense must do that for 90 minutes plus stoppage time. There is no room for the mental lapses we’ve seen throughout the first part of this season.

Break Through

Cincinnati is stingy on defense. As I mentioned above, the club has only allowed nine goals this season. The back line is formidable with the likes of Matt Miazga, Miles Robinson, and Ian Murphy. On the wings are DeAndre Yedlin and Luca Orellano. This is a tough defense, and whether it is McGuire or Muriel who gets the start, they must find the spaces in between.

Just as importantly, Torres, Angulo, Ojeda, and Lodeiro — depending on who is in at any given moment — must be able to thread the passes in for McGuire, Muriel, or each other to create quality chances. On top of that, the Lions must convert on those chances, which is not something that has been a strength so far this season. If the Orlando City defense continues to give up cheap goals, then the offense will need to one-up the competition when it comes to scoring.

Deal with an Unknown

FC Cincinnati recently signed Venezuelan forward Kevin Kelsy from Ukrainian Premier League club Shakhtar Donetsk. Kelsy comes in as an MLS U22 Initiative player and is eligible to play against Orlando City. Even though Kelsy is only 19, he has 68 professional appearances, including UEFA Champions Leagues matches. At 6-foot-3, he can be a challenge for defenders, especially in the air.

Kelsy hasn’t had much time with the team, but he could be a second-half substitution for Cincinnati. Given that Orlando City just gave up two late headers against Toronto FC, the back line will need to be careful that Kelsy doesn’t hurt the Lions in the same manner — especially if he comes on late when legs and minds are tired.

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: 5/2/24

The Pride win big, OCSC celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month, USMNT news, and more.

Published

1 day ago

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May 2, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

It’s Thursday, Mane Landers. Of course, the name Thursday comes from Thor’s day, and as such, it isn’t a big leap for us to consider it Thorhallsson’s day. Though I suppose that is a bit of a mouthful, so we’ll just keep things the way they are, but do hold Dagur Dan close to your heart today. Also, let us wish a happy birthday to the Orlando Pride’s Luana. Despite the devastating news that dropped about her health earlier this week, we hope that her spirits are high and we wish her nothing but happiness today. It’s also Dagur Dan Thorhallsson’s birthday today, so we’re celebrating him as well. Let’s get to the links.

The Pride Dominate the Courage

The Orlando Pride defeated the North Carolina Courage 4-1 in a midweek match at Inter&Co Stadium. The Pride did indeed dominate the Courage as much as the score line indicates. It was once again the Barbra Banda show, with the Pride’s newest player contributing a brace and an assist on the night. It is the Pride’s fourth straight victory and the undefeated run continues.

OCSC Celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month

Orlando City and the Orlando Pride are doing their part this May to observe Mental Health Awareness Month. The club is sponsoring and attending events and forums available to the general public, as well as holding club staff workshops around promoting mental health. I have to say my favorite is the therapy dogs visits that will be available to the staff. There’s nothing as good for my personal mental health as the joy and unconditional love a dog can bring. If I didn’t have dogs of my own, I’d be really jealous.

The Billionaires Clubs

Orlando City and Orlando Pride owners, the Wilf family, are not the only billionaire owners in the NWSL. There are more and more owners and ownership groups that fall into that category. The influx of more money is a growth opportunity for the league and potentially for those owners. It’s a bit of a “rising tide lifts all boats” mentality for these owners as they do better when the league as a whole does better. It’s not just the owners who think so. The NWSL was ranked No. 5 on the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2024. I’m just glad the Pride are in the club.

USMNT News

I hate starting off a section with bad news, but Sergino Dest tore his ACL in training with PSV Eindhoven and will miss the Copa America. Dest will require surgery though there is no time frame yet for when he may return. The loss of Dest is a blow to the U.S. defense heading into the competition this coming June. The USMNT plays Bolivia on June 23.

In better news, Tim Weah provided the assist for Juventus on Arkadiusz Milik’s goal against Lazio. Juventus entered the second leg of the Copa Italia semifinal up 2-0, but Lazio drew level before Milik’s goal. Juventus advanced 3-2 on aggregate and will play in the final.

Free Kicks

That will do it for today. There’s plenty more soccer to come this weekend with all three teams playing. Check back for more as we get you ready for those matches. Vamos Orlando!

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