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Orlando City

Orlando City at Philadelphia Union: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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7 years ago

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A season for Orlando City that has had its fair share of highs and lows, has now come to an end on what will surely be remembered as one of the lower lows. Falling 6-1 to a Philadelphia team that the Lions had beaten earlier this year is a tough pill to swallow, especially when you consider that Orlando got more shots off, and won the possession battle.

As a whole in this game, the Lions found a way to continuously shoot themselves in the foot. Since soccer is played with your feet, that’s something that is definitely going to make the game more difficult for you as a team, and as individuals.

I was always told as a kid, that things are going to get worse before they get better. Well, this was Orlando City at its worst, so let us hope that this means things are looking up for the off-season, where we can pretty much assume some drastic changes will be made.

Starters

GK, Earl Edwards Jr. 2 — ‘The Landlord’ was awarded his well deserved first career start in MLS after a stellar season with OCB and an injury to regular starter Joe Bendik. Edwards Jr. ended up having a very rough day, with little to no help from his back line, making only one save, from seven Philadelphia shots on goal. That one save came in the closing moments of the game, after a very poor giveaway by Antonio Nocerino. That one save was nice too, for what it’s worth.

D, Victor “PC” Giro, 1 — In a rare start for PC, not a lot went well for him. He was beat down the line quite a few times, which led to goals and goal-scoring opportunities. Even when PC got forward, poor touches, and crosses into the box didn’t help the team going forward.

D, Leo Pereira, 2 — I give Pereira a slightly higher score than the rest of the defense, primarily because he made it through the entire game. There is not a lot I can really say about Pereira’s performance though because his effort was incredibly forgettable.

D, Seb Hines, 1 — Tonight was a real struggle for all of the defense, but it seemed as though Hines may have suffered the worst. He just found himself in poor positions time after time which just made the balance of the game always tip in Philadelphia’s favor. His speed is also a massive problem after seeing how badly he was burnt by Picault on C.J. Sapong’s first goal. The team’s carelessness with the ball predictably put Hines in footrace situations and that’s not good.

D, Scott Sutter, 1 — Sutter could have had a higher rating had it not been for that awful header back towards goal from midfield. That ball was scooped up by the Philly speedster Picault, which he put in the back of the net for his second goal of the game. He also got beat in the air on Picault’s first goal. Needless to say, our entire back line should have nightmares of Fafa Picault, Marcus Epps, C.J. Sapong, and Ilsinho for the way those four players outclassed our defense in the first half.

MF, Richie Laryea, 3 — I was really excited to see Laryea get a start and a full game with the first team. He did do some things well, but the team’s poor play overall really overshadowed any good he was able to do. He drew a multitude of fouls in good areas, and also played some good balls into threatening areas, including a great pass in to Barnes in front of the net.

MF, Dillon Powers, 2 — Much like Pereira it was a very forgettable performance from Powers. Given the opportunity to start and make a good impression with that, I feel as though he squandered his chance. He got one shot off that was wildly erratic, and his best moment was a header in to Dwyer off a corner, which resulted in a shot and a fine save by Andre Blake.

MF, Yoshimar Yotun, 4 — One thing I will say about Yoshi is that he has one heck of a left foot. His assist on Dwyer’s goal was one of the few bright spots in this game. The other positive for Yotun is how great he is at trying to win the ball back when he loses possession. It was far from a great game by Yotun, but you could tell he was still playing with heart all the way through the final whistle.

F, Carlos Rivas, 3 — Rivas moving forward actually played some of the better balls into the box. He put crosses and through balls in to dangerous areas that resulted in chances created. Again it was a lackluster performance overall, but if he can continuously do the things he did well in this game, I’d be content on bringing him back under a regular contract next season. But if he’s going to play on the forward line, he must get into the box.

F, Dom Dwyer, 4.5 (MotM) — Orlando’s lone goal, which came from a diving effort off of a free kick, was great, albeit a little late to make an impact on the result. Dwyer was really all alone in the running for Man of the Match for me. He drew fouls, he was tenacious getting back, and had five shots, four of which were on target, and two caused Andre Blake to make great saves. I’m excited to see Dwyer next year for a full season in purple.

F, Giles Barnes, 3.5 — A lot of the primary action moving forward came through the feet of Giles Barnes, he was creative on the ball, and fought hard to maintain possession. Late in the game he played a ball across to Dwyer, and his shot caused a fantastic save by Blake. On that play I would’ve liked to have seen Barnes be more selfish and have taken Blake on himself as he had the Philadelphia defense beat.

Substitutes

D, Tommy Redding (46’), 3 — Coming in for Seb Hines, it wasn’t too hard for Redding to look better by comparison. The defense still let the ball into the net twice in the second half, and you could debate that Redding not stepping in on a counter attack could be the reason why Philadelphia scored its fifth goal.

D, Donny Toia (46’), 3 — Similar situation to Redding: with how bad the defense looked, Toia was an improvement. Played some decent crosses in, but still lacked the pace to keep up with Ilsinho on his second goal of the night.

MF, Antonio Nocerino (66’), 2.5 — Nocerino really wasn’t an improvement on Rivas, and didn’t do much to impact the game when he came on. One bad giveaway that resulted in a great save from Earl Edwards Jr. But that isn’t much of a contribution to be proud of.

That’s how I saw it today in the season finale from Talen Energy Stadium. It was a pretty abysmal display if you ask me, but what I want to ask you, is did you see it differently? Have a different Man of the Match? Be sure to let us know in the comments below.

Personally, with a depleted roster I would’ve liked to have seen Jason Kreis play more of the younger kids like Hadji Barry and Pierre Da Silva. They might be mainstays on the first team roster next year. In a blowout like this, it wouldn’t have hurt to give them some minutes with absolutely nothing to lose.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Dom Dwyer37
Yoshimar Yotun20
Giles Barnes1
Carlos Rivas1
Tommy Redding1
Other15

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/21/25

Orlando Pride release preseason camp roster, scouting Costa Rica, women’s soccer transfer grades, and more.

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22 hours ago

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January 21, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone! If you had yesterday off for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, then I hope you enjoyed some restful time off. If not, then I hope you got your week started off on a good and productive note. There’s a lot going on around here this week as the United States Men’s National Team is in town, and Orlando City will play its first preseason match on Saturday. That means we have plenty to discuss, so let’s dig into today’s links.

Orlando Pride Drop Preseason Roster

Monday might have been a holiday but the Orlando Pride were busy, as they announced the roster for their upcoming preseason camp. Almost all of the usual suspects from the 2024 season are back, as the Pride return 98% of the player-minutes from last season and every single scorer. Mariana Larroquette is on the list although she’s currently on loan in Argentina, and Amanda Allen is likewise included after her loan at Lexington Sporting Club was terminated due to a torn labrum. The biggest intrigue comes from the trio of non-roster invitees: goalkeeper DeAira Jackson, midfielder Aryssa Mahrt, and forward Simone Jackson.

Scouting Costa Rica

The USMNT takes on Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium to wrap up the team’s annual January camp. Like the U.S., Costa Rica is bringing a roster devoid of the majority of its important players. Costa Rica also has a new manager at the helm in Miguel Herrera, who will take charge of the team for the very first time on Wednesday. Herrera typically lines his teams up in a 5-3-2 where the wingbacks take on a very important role and the team looks to hit on the counter while staying compact at the back. This will be the last time we see the USMNT in action until the Concacaf Nations League semifinals in early March.

Women’s Soccer January Transfer Grades

January has been a busy time for transfers in the women’s soccer world, so which teams have done the best business? Well, the Orlando Pride received an A grade for signing Marta to a new two-year deal, retaining a player who helped the team win its first ever trophies. Liverpool got an A for signing Julia Bartel on loan from Chelsea. Leicester City made an interesting call by transferring goalkeeper Lize Kop to Tottenham despite just being a point above the relegation zone. The Foxes get a C for the move, while Spurs get a B+ for adding a capable netminder.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans taking part in some very important games over the course of this week. Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus face Club Brugge today in the UEFA Champions League, while Ricardo Pepi, Richy Ledezma, Esmir Bajraktarević, Malik Tillman and PSV Eindhoven take on Crvena Zvezda in the same competition. Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan will play Girona in the UCL on Wednesday, while Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic take on Young Boys. On Friday, John Tolkin could make his Bundesliga debut when his new team, Holstein Kiel, travels to face Wolfsburg.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando Pride players reported for their preseason physicals on Monday.
  • Meanwhile, Orlando City took on the dreaded beep test during Monday’s training session.

That’s all I have for you today. Vamos Orlando!

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Orlando City

Striker Suddenly a Position of Need for Orlando City

Departures and a key injury mean Orlando City needs a striker heading into the 2025 MLS season.

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2 days ago

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January 20, 2025

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Image Courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City reached the Eastern Conference Final for the first time in 2024, a milestone for the club. The core of the team was locked up through the 2025 season, so there was no reason to believe it needed to add much this off-season. Unfortunately, injuries and departures have created a serious problem for the team.

The group of forwards last year consisted of Duncan McGuire, Ramiro Enrique, and Jack Lynn. McGuire scored 15 goals in 2023 and was expected to depart for Blackburn Rovers before a clerical error allowed the Lions to keep their target man. The team’s primary striker scored 11 goals in 37 games — the same number as the previous season — but split time starting with Enrique. The Argentinian improved greatly in 2024, increasing his total goal tally from four to 12. Even Lynn showed tremendous improvement last year, playing a greater role in the team and scoring his first two MLS goals.

The future also seemed bright for the Orlando City forwards because of their ages. Lynn is the oldest of the trio at just 25 years old. Meanwhile, McGuire and Enrique are only 23, so there was no reason to believe this group couldn’t produce this coming season.

The problem at striker began in the postseason when McGuire was pulled down by Charlotte FC midfielder Djibril Diani in the final first round game of the playoffs. McGuire suffered a shoulder injury during the challenge that required surgery on Dec. 13. It’s expected that the striker could take four to five months to return to action, possibly leaving him out until May or June.

Another blow to Orlando’s attack occurred Saturday when Lynn surprisingly announced his retirement from professional soccer. In just over a month, Orlando City went from having three strikers to having just one as preseason training starts.

With McGuire injured and Lynn gone, one option would be to have Designated Player Luis Muriel play up top. However, the Colombian prefers to play a more withdrawn position and proved to be effective in that role last year. Since Head Coach Oscar Pareja prefers to play a 4-2-3-1 formation, the Lions need someone up top to control the ball and involve the midfielders in the attack. That’s not Muriel’s game.

The result of these issues is that nobody is currently behind Enrique when the season begins. If the Argentinian gets tired, hurt, or simply needs rest, Pareja is limited in his options. 

Whether there was a lack of strikers or a lack of goals from the position previously, that problem was resolved by the club’s all-time leading goal scorer. Facundo Torres scored 20 goals in 2024, becoming the first player in Orlando City’s MLS history and the second player in club history to do so. He went on to set a new club record for total goals of 47.

However, Orlando City sold its best player to Brazilian side Palmeiras on Dec. 20. It was a gut punch to fans as Torres had signed a new contract on Jan. 10, 2024 that ran through the 2026 season. There had been talk for the last couple of years that the attacker would look for a move to Europe and rumors of a move to South America arose this off-season. Still, it created a huge gap the club has to fill.

There are players on the roster that can make up for the injury and departures. Martin Ojeda had a strong season in 2024, finishing with seven goals and 13 assists. His seven goals ranked fourth on the team and his 13 assists topped the squad alongside Nico Lodeiro. Muriel came on strong later in the season, finishing with five goals and eight assists. But those numbers are a long way from the 20 goals that Torres tallied last year.

Even if you consider all goal contributions, Ojeda and Muriel fall well short of Torres. Ojeda had a total of 20 goal contributions in 2024 while Muriel had 13. In addition to Torres’s 20 goals, he added nine assists for a team-leading 29 goal contributions.

All of this information leads to one undeniable fact — Orlando City needs to sign a striker prior to the season. And there’s not much time for Luiz Muzzi to act. The European transfer window closes on Feb. 3 and many MLS teams have already been filling similar needs. With the season starting in just over a month, the options will be limited if the Lions don’t do something soon.

After the best postseason finish in Orlando City’s MLS history, things were looking good heading into 2025. While the back line and most of the midfield is returning, McGuire’s injury and the departure of Torres and Lynn have left the Lions in a tough spot offensively. If they don’t do something in the next couple of weeks, it could be a long 2025.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/20/25

Orlando City signs Nicolas Rodriguez, Jack Lynn announces retirement, USMNT defeats Venezuela in friendly, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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January 20, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope you’re all having a good holiday weekend as we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Over the past week, I’ve been working and covering high school ice hockey. It will be a busy week in Orlando, with the United States Men’s National Team’s match against Costa Rica on Wednesday and Orlando City’s first preseason match against Atletico Mineiro on Saturday. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Signs Nicolas Rodriguez

Orlando City announced on Friday that the club has signed forward Nicolas Rodriguez from Fortaleza CEIF in Colombia’s top flight. The deal is through the 2027 season, with a club option for 2028, and Rodriguez will occupy a MLS U22 Initiative slot. Rodriguez made 19 appearances for Fortaleza, recording 1,607 minutes, five goals, and three assists during the 2024 Primera A Clausura season. The Lions add a young attacking player the club can develop and Rodriguez can play on the right wing, the right side of a three-man midfield, or in the No. 10 spot.

Jack Lynn Announces Retirement

Orlando City forward Jack Lynn announced his retirement from professional soccer on Saturday. Lynn was drafted by Orlando in the first round of the 2022 MLS SuperDraft. He became a regular starter for Orlando City B, scoring a team-record 38 goals in over three seasons with the MLS NEXT Pro side. Lynn also won the Golden Boot with 19 goals during the 2023 season and became the first OCB player to be named MLS NEXT Pro MVP. He played sparingly with the first team, but he scored twice last season as his role increased. The Lions will likely look to add another striker for more depth up top.

Orlando Pride Acquire Allocation Money in Trade

On Friday, the Orlando Pride announced that the club has acquired $50,000 in Allocation Money from the Washington Spirit. In exchange, the Pride sent the Spirit a 2025 international roster spot. The Pride will face the Spirit in the NWSL Challenge Cup final on March 7 at Inter&Co Stadium.

USMNT Defeats Venezuela in Friendly

The USMNT defeated Venezuela 3-1 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday in a friendly. Jack McGlynn and Patrick Agyemang scored in the first half to give the USMNT a 2-0 lead just before halftime. Matko Milijevic scored the third goal for the Americans in the second half, with Venezuela pulling one back thanks to a goal from Jorge Yriarte. Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has led the USMNT to winning four out of its first five matches since he took charge last September. The USMNT’s next match will be against Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium.

Alyssa Naeher Named U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year

On Saturday, goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher was voted 2024 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year. Naeher won 40% of the vote, while defender Naomi Girma finished in second with 32%. In her final year with the USWNT, Naeher ended 2024 with 18 starts, playing 1,170 minutes and only conceding 11 goals. She played a crucial role with clutch saves to help the USWNT win the 2024 SheBelieves Cup, 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup, and gold at the Olympics in Paris. Naeher is the second goalkeeper to win the award since Hope Solo won it in 2009.

Free Kicks

  • Manchester City forward Erling Haaland has reached an agreement with the club on a record-breaking contract that extends his deal through 2034.

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

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