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Orlando City vs Atlanta United: Player Grades and Man of the Match

Published

9 years ago

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Well, that was quite a game now, wasn’t it? A brace for Dom Dwyer, six goals between the two teams, and some truly awful defending in wide areas. If you’d said before the game we’d get a point on the road at Atlanta I’d have been a very happy man, but it would have been nice to see Dom get his hat trick. Let’s get into how the team did today.

Starters:

GK, Joe Bendik,7.5 — Joe made some massive saves in the early going, including pushing a shot onto the post to keep the score at 1-0. He perhaps could have done better getting out to the left of the goal to prevent the cross by Julian Gressel that provided the first Atlanta goal. He continued to make good saves afterwards, however, and was largely helpless on the second and third goals.

D, Jonathan Spector, 7 — Spector did very well in the early going, marshaling the back line well and making several key interventions to prevent Atlanta chances. Lost Martinez on his second goal and was caught in no man’s land. Worryingly, he was forced off due to injury in the 63rd minute, cutting off what was an overall good performance.

D, Tommy Redding, 6 — Redding was good in the first half, as he stayed organized and made good clearances. He turned in a pretty good performance for most of the game, but he completely lost Martinez for his third goal, and won’t be at all happy at being smoked like a Virginia ham.

D, Donny Toia, 6.5 — Perhaps could have done better containing his man on the first Atlanta goal. He was given quite a bit of grief down his side by the Atlanta wingers. Provided an excellent cross for Dom’s first goal, as he probably couldn’t have placed the ball any better.

D, Scott Sutter, 6.5 — Sutter was also given a lot of trouble by Atlanta’s wide men, as most of the true opposition danger came down the flanks on the wide pitch at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. He provided an absolute peach of a cross for Dwyer’s second goal, but like Toia, should have done better stopping some of the crosses into the box.

M, Antonio Nocerino, 7 — Again given the captain’s armband for the night, Nocerino was also given a lot to do at the base of the midfield diamond and did it well enough, running all night and popping up all over the field. Seemed to lose his man in the buildup to the first goal and could only appeal for offside. He worked hard in a position that isn’t his natural one however, and made a good tackle late in the game to stop Miguel Almiron on an especially troubling Atlanta break.

M, Yoshimar Yotun, 6.5 — He did fairly well with his set piece delivery on the day, putting in more than one teasing ball. He was quieter than he has been in past games, not doing anything spectacular but also not making any egregious errors. His contribution was perhaps limited by the lack of Orlando possession.

M, Dillon Powers, 7 — Often found himself dropping deep into the middle of the field to help out defensively, and was running all night. Unable to dictate play due to a lack of possession but dug in and worked hard. Overall a good 73 minutes from Powers, who will be hoping that this game will be a stepping stone to more playing time.

M, Giles Barnes, 7.5 — Looked lively on the night, and did well to get involved further up the field. Should have done better when put through on goal in the first half but could only hit a ball that seemed neither a cross nor shot. He was another player who found himself tracking back often to help out the defense.

F, Cyle Larin, 8 — Given few opportunities in the first half but was still able to cleverly release Barnes behind the defense. Struggled with his first touch initially, but settled down and did a good job holding up the ball. He placed his header very well for the Lions’ third goal, and seemed to grow into the game more afterwards.

F, Dom Dwyer, 9 (MOTM) — Dom was an absolute menace whenever the ball came into the box. A powerful and well-aimed header for his first goal and while he might have had some help on his second from Guzan’s questionable keeping, he still did well to beat Anton Walkes and take the chance. A delightful left-footed cross for Larin’s goal rounded off his night nicely. Hopefully the goals will continue to flow. Easy decision for Man of the Match.

Substitutes:

D, Leo Pereira (63’), 6.5 — The Brazilian came on to replace the injured Spector, and slotted into the back line well enough. He perhaps could have done more on the third Atlanta goal but Redding was far more at fault than he was. Overall, he did a solid job in a game where it would have been very easy to make a fatal error.

M, Carlos Rivas (73’), 5.5 — Brought on to try to help open up the game in the later stages and perhaps provide a winner, but found it difficult to get meaningfully involved. Like most of the players on the field, he didn’t see an overwhelming amount of the ball in the opposition half, but he failed to do much with it when he did.

That’s my analysis of today’s individual performers. Let me know what you think by voting in the Man of the Match poll below, and feel free to leave any comments with other thoughts.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Joe Bendik3
Cyle Larin0
Giles Barnes2
Dom Dwyer98
Antonio Nocerino4
Other3

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/7/26

Orlando City players on international duty, the Pride hire some coaches, the USMNT defeats Canada, and more.

Published

14 hours ago

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October 7, 2026

By

Image of Justin Ellis playing the ball against Charlotte.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. What an international break it was for the USMNT, going undefeated in four matches by defeating Peru, Chile, Mexico, and Canada. The Yanks outscored their opponents 12-3 across the four matches, with Orlando City’s Justin Ellis scoring two goals in his two starts. There’s plenty to digest today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Players on International Duty

Several Orlando City players were on international duty on Tuesday, including Ellis for the USMNT. He scored a goal against Canada (see below) but also picked up a knock that saw him limping for all too long and forcing him off at halftime. Hopefully, he will be able to go this weekend for Orlando City. Marco Pasalic did not get any minutes for Croatia in the team’s 2-1 loss to Spain. Meanwhile, David Brekalo got the start and played the entire match for Slovenia in a 2-1 win over Scotland.

Orlando Pride Add to Coaching Staff

The Orlando Pride hired Mykell Bates and Lewis Amos as assistant coaches and Brian Periman as goalkeeper coach. The trio joins interim head coach Yolanda Thomas’s coaching staff, and the timing of these hires is interesting, given there are only three matches remaining in the season and there’s been no indication that the interim tag is being removed from Thomas. These hirings raise a lot of questions, like, are these short term signings through the end of the season? If not, do they indicate Thomas will be given the permanent position, or are have they been hired knowing there is another head coaching announcement coming?

USMNT Defeats Canada

If you thought a match between the U.S. and Canada wouldn’t be very Concacaf-y, you’d be wrong. So many non-calls, lots of chippiness, and a few injuries proved otherwise. Fortunately, the USMNT was able to see out a 1-0 victory following a goal from Orlando City’s Ellis that gave the Yanks the lead in the 29th minute.

Oh, what could have been if Alex Freeman stayed in Orlando. The win capped a successful run for the start of Maurcio Pochettino’s new contract. We also saw a ton of younger players across the four matches, including three appearances from Ellis.

USWNT to Face Spain

The USMNT is done for the moment, but now we get to see how the USWNT does in a pair of friendlies against reigning FIFA Women’s World Cup champion Spain. NWSL Golden Boot leader Ashley Sanchez is getting back up to speed with the team after she was called up for the pair of friendlies. As was previously reported, Naomi Girma is out due to injury, but Emma Hayes intends to work with Chelsea to manage her recovery. A new camp means opportunities for different players, so which players’ stock is up or down?

Free Kicks

That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the Orlando City match on Saturday. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/6/26

International call-ups for Pride players, scouting report on Canada, roster changes for the USWNT, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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October 6, 2026

By

Image of Solai Washington attacking against Chicago.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Justin Glatt

Good morning, everyone. The end of the men’s international break is almost upon us, but the women’s break will immediately follow. That means that Orlando City will return to play on Saturday, while the Orlando Pride will have some time off before their next game. We’ve got plenty to talk about this morning, so let’s get into the links.

Orlando Pride International Call-Ups

Three more Orlando Pride players have been called to represent their nations during the October international window, joining Oihane, who will be with Spain for its matches against the USWNT. First up is Barbra Banda, who will represent Zambia in the team’s Olympic qualifying games against Uganda.

Then there’s Jacquie Ovalle and Solai Washington, who will be facing off against each other in back-to-back games. Ovalle has been called up for Mexico, while Washington will represent Jamaica.

At the U-23 level, Ally Lemos will be with the U.S. and Sanne Lekven will be with Norway during this window.

Scouting Canada

The United States Men’s National Team will play its final game of the October international window when it takes on Canada tonight in Saint Paul, MN. Jesse Marsch’s current roster has a number of notable absences, including Alphonso Davies, Jayden Nelson, Alistair Johnson, and Ismael Kone; while Derek Cornelius, Jeevan Badwal, and Alfie Jones left the team during the break because of injuries. Canada typically sets up in a 4-4-2 and will employ a high press paired with a vertical style of play that aims to win the ball and then quickly get it forward to the team’s dangerous attackers. Jonathan David and Tany Oluwaseyi provide that danger up front, while Stephen Eustaquio runs things in the middle, and Richie Laryea provides danger up and down the left flank.

United States Women’s National Team Roster Tweaks

The United States Women’s National Team has made a pair of changes to the squad that will take on Spain in a pair of friendlies this month. Utah Royals defender Kate Del Fava has been named as the replacement for the injured Naomi Girma, after it was announced last week that the center back would be unavailable for this window. Del Fava was going to be one of the overage players at the USWNT U-23 training camp also taking place this month, but now has an opportunity to make her first appearance for the senior side. Additionally, midfielder Jaelin Howell will replace Sam Coffey, after the latter was injured during Manchester City’s win over the weekend. Howell has made six appearances for the USWNT, with the most recent one coming in a 2-0 victory over Italy during the team’s final game of 2025.

UEFA Nations League Roundup

Monday marked the penultimate round of UEFA Nations League play during the current international window, and we were treated to some doozies. The highlight of the day was a five-goal thriller that saw France score four goals in the final 15 minutes to overturn a one goal deficit and beat Belgium 4-1 at the Stade de France. Italy knocked off Turkiye 3-1 to climb to second place in Group A1, while the result sees Turkiye remain winless and anchored to the bottom of the table. Finally, Ukraine looked to have rescued a point with Roman Yaremchuk’s 83rd-minute goal, only for Mark Csinger to bag a winner for Hungary just two minutes later. The 2-1 result means Hungary is second in Group B2 with seven points, while Ukraine is third with four points.

Free Kicks

  • The Pride dropped three spots to no.13 in ESPN.com’s NWSL power rankings.
  • Alex Freeman flexed his pipes and sang Happy Birthday to USMNT coach Jesus Perez during Monday’s training session.

That’s all I’ve got for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/5/26

Pride fall to San Diego Wave, Tyrese Spicer has successful foot surgery, USMNT beats Mexico, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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October 5, 2026

By

Image of Haley McCutcheon wearing a protective mask on her face playing against San Diego.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Justin Glatt

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been busy at work covering high school soccer and flag football throughout the week. We only had the Pride in action over the weekend, but we’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Pride Fall to San Diego Wave at Home

The Orlando Pride fell 2-1 to the San Diego Wave on Friday at Inter.co Stadium in the latest in a series of games that they had to have. Orlando trailed 2-0 in the first half, conceding twice on defensive errors. In the second half, Barbra Banda pulled the Pride within one after she buried a penalty kick that she won herself. However, it wasn’t enough, as Orlando couldn’t find a late equalizer and San Diego took all three points. The Pride are off this weekend due to the international break but will return to action on Oct. 18 to face the Houston Dash on the road.

Tyrese Spicer Has Successful Foot Surgery

Orlando City forward Tyrese Spicer underwent successful foot surgery to repair a Jones fracture in his right foot, the club announced on Friday. Spicer had suffered the injury while away on international duty with Trinidad & Tobago in a Concacaf Nations League match against Haiti on Sept. 24. We at The Mane Land wish Spicer a speedy recovery, but his 2026 MLS season is likely over.

USMNT Shuts Out Mexico in Friendly

The U.S. Men’s National Team defeated Mexico 3-0 on Saturday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ. Orlando City forward Justin Ellis came off the bench to make his second USMNT appearance in the second half, playing 25 minutes. Former Lion Alex Freeman started and played 90 minutes. Julian Hall scored the opener in the first half for the Yanks. In the second half, Cavan Sullivan doubled the Americans’ lead to become the USMNT’s youngest scorer in team history just four days after Mathis Albert set that mark with his goal against Chile on Tuesday. Malik Tillman added the final goal as the Yanks have won three consecutive matches during the international break. The USMNT will close out this round of friendlies on Tuesday, taking on Canada at Allianz Field in Saint Paul, MN.

Other Lions on International Duty

Multiple Orlando City players represented their national teams over the weekend during the international break. Forward Marco Pasalic was on the bench but did not play for Croatia in a 7-0 defeat to England in a UEFA Nations League match on Saturday. Croatia will face Spain on Tuesday. Lions defender David Brekalo was on the bench but came on after halftime and played 45 minutes for Slovenia in a 2-1 defeat to Switzerland in the UEFA Nations League. Slovenia will take on Scotland on Tuesday. Midfielder Wilder Cartagena started and played 45 minutes for Peru, while former Lion Yoshimar Yotun was also in action in a 2-0 loss to Canada in a friendly. Peru will play Colombia on Tuesday in another friendly match.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City forward Yutaro Tsukada, who is on loan at Rhode Island FC, notched another assist over the weekend in a 3-1 win against Brooklyn FC in the USL Championship.
  • Check out this piece on the Orlando City website featuring Head of Player Care Pedro Cox and Team Administrator Danny Quesada, who help welcome new players and their families, get acquainted with the club, ensure their needs are met, and thrive off the field.
  • The Lions were at Osceola Heritage Park on Saturday and spent time with the Orlando City U-12 squad during training.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.

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