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

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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

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Three Keys to Victory

What does Orlando City need to do to earn a second victory in a row at home this Saturday?

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City is coming off its first win of the MLS regular season and will look to carry that momentum into Saturday night’s Eastern Conference matchup against the New York Red Bulls. The Lions will have several players back from international duty, making Oscar Pareja’s job a bit easier, although some of them will be on short rest. What does Orlando City need to do to earn all three points against the Red Bulls?

Stop Morgan

Lewis Morgan has been on a tear this season with five goals in five matches. That is more than every Orlando City player combined so far this season. The Red Bulls were held scoreless in two matches, meaning those five goals have come in three matches, with Morgan scoring a hat trick against Inter Miami. I love that he took it to the Herons like that, but I’m going to need him to cool off a bit against the Lions.

If Orlando City is to stop Morgan it will take excellent defending from the Lions’ back line and of course Pedro Gallese, who is returning from international duty. Orlando City also gets Wilder Cartagena and David Brekalo back, meaning more of the first choice lineup will be available to keep a clean sheet. With the match at home, earning a clean sheet is all the more important.

Proper Rest and Preperation

It might seem silly to say, but having more than a few days between matches is conducive to earning points. When Orlando City was participating in the Concacaf Champions Cup, the Lions never had time to properly recover or train with a game plan for the next match. Now, the Lions are able to do so, and the result against Austin FC reflects that.

Pareja is a top level MLS coach. We know that he has a plan for about the first 20 minutes of any match, and then makes adjustments throughout the remainder of the match. Even so, many of those adjustments have been planned out prior to the match. That, paired with a more rested roster, allows the Lions to be the protagonists Pareja wants them to be.

Shots, Shots, Shots

Orlando City was able to create plenty of chances against Austin FC, and will need to do so again against the Red Bulls. The Lions took 22 shots Saturday night, with eight on target, and they put two in the back of the net against Austin. Hopefully, Orlando City can be more efficient going forward, but if you don’t create opportunities, you won’t score.

The Red Bulls have some decent defenders who Orlando City will have to deal with, including fullback John Tolkin and Carlos Coronel at keeper. If the Lions can pass even close to the way they did against Austin, the opportunities will come, and if that is the case, hopefully the goals will come. Orlando City still has a sizable goal deficit, thanks to the early part of the season, that can only be corrected with more goals on the other end.


That is what I will be looking for this Saturday night at Inter&Co Stadium. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/28/24

Getting to know Rafael Santos, Orlando Pride prepare for Chicago, Midge Purce out for the season, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope the work week has been treating you well as we gear up for another weekend of soccer. March flew by for me and April is shaping up to be a pretty busy month as well. In other news, I’m looking into adopting a cat and gathering the supplies to make that happen. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Getting to Know Rafael Santos

Orlando City left back Rafael Santos was the latest Lion to field questions as part of the club’s video series for fans to learn more about its players. The 26-year-old spoke about the decision process behind joining Orlando and playing outside of Brazil for the first time in his career after five years with Cruzeiro. He’s brought his attack-minded style of play to the team, particularly in terms of providing lethal crossing from the wing. Make sure to check out the full video as Santos also shared photos of his newborn and showcased his skill with a cavaquinho.

Orlando Pride Prepare to Host Chicago

After a pair of draws to start their season, the Orlando Pride will have a chance to claim their first win of the season when they host the Chicago Red Stars tomorrow night at 6 p.m. Head Coach Seb Hines spoke about how the Pride have shown plenty of resilience so far this young season. The team managed to secure a point in last week’s 1-1 draw with Angel City FC despite a patchwork back line due to injuries. That defense will likely have its hands full against Mallory Swanson and a Chicago team that won both of its first two games. Hines spoke about how the Pride are preparing for Chicago and how they will need the home crowd to bring the support tomorrow night.

Sophia Smith Signs Record-Breaking New Deal

American forward Sophia Smith signed a new contract with the Portland Thorns that will make her the highest-paid NWSL player, according to the club. The new deal will last through the 2025 season, with an option for 2026 as well. The 23-year-old was drafted by the Thorns with the first overall pick in the 2020 NWSL Draft and has gone on to score 34 regular-season goals. Smith re-signed with the club in 2022 and was set to become a free agent following this season, but will instead stay in Portland.

Midge Purce Out for NWSL Season

NJ/NY Gotham FC forward Midge Purce will miss the remainder of the NWSL season after tearing her ACL. The 28-year-old will undergo surgery and suffered the injury in her team’s 1-0 victory over the Portland Thorns this past weekend. She’s been with Gotham since 2020 and assisted on both goals in her team’s 2-1 win in the 2023 NWSL Championship. It’s a tough blow for the United States Women’s National Team too, as she will not be representing the U.S. during this summer’s Olympics in France.

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  • Orlando City B’s match against Carolina Core FC on April 14 has been rescheduled.

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: 3/27/24

Bally Sports will broadcast Orlando Pride matches, Pride players called up, USWNT announces SheBelieves Cup roster, and more.

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Hello, Mane Landers. I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I attended my friend’s wedding this past weekend and have been getting myself back into work mode by covering high school tennis this week. There is plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Bally Sports Will Broadcast Select Orlando Pride Matches

Bally Sports was announced as the new local television partner for the Orlando Pride. There will be 13 select Pride matches broadcast this season across Bally Sports Florida, Bally Sports Sun, and on the Bally Sports app. The partnership will begin this Friday, with the Orlando Soccer Insider show taking place before the kickoff of the Pride’s home match against the Chicago Red Stars at 7 p.m. The show will be broadcast on Bally Sports Florida, and then you can switch to the Bally Sports app to watch Friday’s match. Below are all the select matches that will be broadcast on Bally Sports this season.

Brazilian Orlando Pride Players Called Up

The Orlando Pride’s Marta, Angelina, and Luana were all called up by Brazil for next month’s SheBelieves Cup. Brazil heads into this tournament after a solid showing in the Concacaf W Gold Cup. The format is different for this year’s SheBelieves Cup, as there will only be four matches instead of six. Brazil’s first match of the tournament will be a semifinal on April 6 against Canada in Atlanta.

USWNT Announces Roster for SheBelieves Cup

United States Women’s National Team interim head coach Twila Kilgore announced the 23-player roster for the 2024 SheBelieves Cup matches next month. The USWNT has won this competition four consecutive times since 2020, and is going for a seventh title in 2024. Of those called up, 19 players on this squad were part of the team that won the Concacaf W Gold Cup earlier this month. San Diego Wave forward Jaedyn Shaw, the Concacaf W Gold Cup’s MVP, is back on the roster after she led the USWNT with four goals. The squad also includes familiar names like former Pride forward Alex Morgan, Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman, and Olympique Lyon midfielder Lindsey Horan. Mallory Swanson and Catarina Macario return to the squad after being sidelined with injuries. The USWNT will begin its quest to defend its SheBelieves Cup title when it faces Japan on April 6 in Atlanta.

MLS Referees Agree to New CBA

After a lockout that resulted in Major League Soccer starting the season with replacement referees, the Professional Soccer Referees Association voted to ratify a new collective bargaining agreement with the Professional Referee Organization. The new CBA is a seven-year deal that runs through January of 2031. This deal will also include significant pay raises for referees, assistant referees, and video assistant referees. The PRO referees will return to the pitch for this weekend’s MLS matches.

Ukraine, Georgia, and Poland Qualify for Euro 2024

Ukraine has qualified for this summer’s Euros after edging out Iceland 2-1 in its playoff final, with Mykhaylo Mudryk scoring the winning goal in the second half. Georgia eliminated Greece 4-2 on penalties after a 2-2 draw to book a spot in the tournament as well. Georgia qualifies for its first major tournament after coming up short in 2020. Poland also needed penalties to qualify, with goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny making the final save against Daniel James to beat Wales 5-4 on penalties after a scoreless draw.

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

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