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2017 Orlando City Season in Review: Joe Bendik

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8 years ago

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Joe Bendik came into his second season with the Lions firmly holding the 2017 No. 1 goalkeeper spot with no one behind him really threatening to overtake him. Neither Josh Saunders, an aging veteran backup, nor Earl Edwards Jr., who was wisely sent to Orlando City B, gave Bendik much worry on who would be between the pipes all year long.

Our Gavin Ewbank hit the nail on the head last year with his 2017 outlook after the 2016 season:

Orlando City has found its goalkeeper moving forward. There’s no reason to think Bendik won’t be back next season as the No. 1 heading into the preseason. If Jason Kreis can fix up the back line this winter, Bendik will be much better off for having to work less, which of course is best for all parties involved. That’s the biggest key for the Lions.

In a year that had a lot of folks thinking playoffs — especially after the hot 6-1 start with three shutouts — Joe had an up-and-down season behind a back line that could not find consistency. An MLS Save of the Week winner three times this season, Bendik certainly performed admirably at times. But as his back line began to fail due to center back Jonathan Spector’s injury and Kreis’ inability to find a pairing that worked — despite nine different center back pairings rotating in and out — Bendik and the Lions were never able to find a rhythm on defense, leading to shaky goals throughout the back half of the year.

Before we get into his season grade, I think we need to give Bendik his props on a ridiculous save. While it was an outcome from a personal mistake, this save showed the drive of a guy that wouldn't quit even when it could have been easy to do so.

On a rainy Wednesday night in Orlando, the Lions faced D.C. United and were up, 1-0. A poor giveaway by Jose Aja about 30 yards from goal gave United the chance it was looking for. While Bendik initially made the wrong decision and charged out of his box with a wild slide tackle, he quickly bounced up to sprint back to the goal, and I won't spoil what happened next.

Statistical Breakdown

To no surprise, Bendik started 33 of the 34 matches for the Lions this season. His lone miss was the final match of the season against Philadelphia while going through MLS concussion protocol. Those 33 matches tied Joe with Seattle Sounders’ Stefan Frei for second in total minutes played, behind New York Red Bulls’ Luis Robles and Columbus Crew’s Zack Steffen, who played in all 34 regular season matches.

It was a busy year for Bendik to say the least. He faced the second-most shots in the league (173), only one behind Minnesota United’s Bobby Shuttleworth’s 174. Out of that 173, Bendik produced a league-high 118 saves, leading to a 68.2% save percentage. That save percentage puts him eighth for goalkeepers who started over 14 matches. If you were to cut out Brad Guzan, Bendik still sits seventh among starters with more than 24 matches (the number Bill Hamid started).

With seven shutouts, Bendik had more than notable names like Hamid and Tim Howard and ended up tied for 12th in the league in that category.

Unfortunately for Joe, the good news stops there, as he ended up giving up the second-most goals in MLS (52) this season only behind Shuttleworth (60). That led to a 1.58 goals-against average (GAA), which would put him 16th of the 18 goalkeepers that started over 24 matches.

Best Game

For Bendik’s best game we go all the way back to the first match of the season against New York City FC. Everything circling around that match could have anyone’s nerves twitching. From it being opening day, to the first home match in the new stadium, against our expansion “rival,” and certainly in a year where we were all hoping to start off strong after a rough 2016, there was a lot on the players’ minds.

With a grade of 8.5 and MotM honors, it was a pretty easy decision in a game where Bendik showed everything he had. Facing seven shots on goal, with six saves, Bendik had to pull out a variety of saves, from breakaways to point-blank range stops, to give the Lions their first shutout of the season.

Two saves stood out from the rest, in the 32nd minute, Bendik was forced to race off his line and face Jack Harrison in a one-on-one situation 16 yards away from goal, and he wonderfully stretched out to make a great save to his right.

In the other big save in the game that earned him MLS Save of the Week honors, Bendik made an unbelievable save in the 53rd minute, moving to his right in a crowd to deny Harrison again — this time just seven yards from goal — to keep City’s lead.

Final 2017 Grade

The staff here at The Mane Land gave Bendik a composite grade of 7.5 on the year. While that’s lower than the 8 he received last year, we can argue that expectations were much higher in the season for Bendik in his second year in purple, with an improved defensive front in three out of the four positions.

Additionally, Bendik seemed to succumb to the fatigue that can often happen in a long, rough season in which a goalkeeper is getting blasted week in and week out. This leads to sloppy mistakes and goals that just shouldn't happen.

In no way did Bendik have a poor year, and in many ways he was Orlando’s best player this season. But it takes a lot to be locked in every week and we felt that he waned over the course of the year.

2018 Outlook

This is a very interesting question as Bendik will finally face a challenger for the No. 1 shirt next season in Earl Edwards Jr.. The Landlord, as he’s affectionately called, had a banner year for OCB and in no way should that final MLS regular season match vs. Philadelphia be held against him. With better athleticism and technical play (from his feet) from Edwards, Bendik is going to need a strong off-season and consistent play to keep one of the USL’s hottest young prospects at bay.

If he wins his spot, I definitely look for everything in the defensive third to improve, which will in turn improve Bendik’s play. I’ve said it a ton already, but it’s damn hard to be at a high level for 34 matches and you need to have that defensive consistency.

The battle for the No. 1 shirt is what I’m most looking forward to this off-season and I can't wait to see who comes out on top.

Previous 2017 Player Season in Review Posts (Date Published)

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Orlando City vs. New York City FC: Final Score 5-0 as 10-Man Lions Crushed at Yankee Stadium

Maxime Crepeau’s early red card provided unnecessary help to the hosts as NYCFC throttled Orlando.

Published

14 hours ago

on

March 7, 2026

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Orlando City At NYCFC
Image coutesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

In a one-sided affair at Yankee Stadium, Orlando City (0-3-0, 0 points) extended its club-record winless run to start the year with a 5-0 dismantling by New York City FC in an away game fans and players alike would no doubt like to forget. An early red card on Orlando goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau put NYCFC (2-0-1, 7 points) firmly in total control for essentially the entire match. Agustin Ojeda, Nicolas Fernandez Mercau, Maxi Moralez each scored a goal apiece while Keaton Parks earned a brace, and the Lions were shut out for the first time in 25 matches.

“I have been in processes that needed time, but again, I think at this point, the only way that we can overcome is just embrace the reality and detect every day what we need to get better,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “I think [that] Orlando has tremendous footballers, [ones] younger than others, but we’re not going to use that as an excuse. They are tremendous professionals that will be able to do the job.”

Pareja’s starting XI featured Crepeau in goal behind a back line of Tahir Reid-Brown, Nolan Miller, David Brekalo, and Griffin Dorsey. Luis Otavio —making his first MLS start — and Braian Ojeda started in central midfield with wingers Ivan Angulo and Marco Pasalic, with Tyrese Spicer and Martin Ojeda in the attack.

Orlando City began the match with high energy and purpose, while New York City FC looked to exploit the counter. NYCFC remained composed early on, absorbing Orlando’s pressure and keeping play largely confined to its own half.

However, New York was in control and fashioned a few attacks in the opening minutes. A reckless foul by Tahir Reid-Brown in the seventh minute drew an early yellow card, putting the young defender and Orlando at an immediate disadvantage. The resulting free kick sailed just wide, narrowly missing Hannes Wolf, who might have had simple tap-in if not for a little Lion luck.

Orlando quickly responded, winning a corner that ultimately led to nothing more than a half-hearted NYCFC counter. Ever the dangerous team in possession, NYCFC started to apply pressure and created some chances and half-chances, including a sitter for Moralez, who fired over the crossbar in the 14th minute.

In an absolutely inexplicable turn of events, Crepau was shown a red card for handling the ball just outside the 18-yard box and denying a goal-scoring opportunity as a result of the infraction, putting the Lions in a desperate situation. Javier Otero replaced Crepeau in goal, with Spicer making way as the sacrificial substitution.

NYCFC then managed a spectacular shot in the 21st minute through sheer effort and a smart finish. Agustin Ojeda redirected a Moralez lob into the ground and over Otero to make it 1-0 in the 21st minute.

The match briefly settled into a lull, with NYCFC crafting the better of the chances and Orlando making occasional trips into the New York half, but lacking any real threat without any numbers in the attack.

A New York City corner caused chaos in the box, leaving goal scorer Agustin Ojeda on the ground for a few minutes after a knock. Taking advantage of the restart, NYCFC struck again, this time through a header by Fernandez Mercau, catching Orlando flat-footed. The lead was 2-0 in the 42nd minute.

Orlando’s defense was stretched to its limits, relying on last-ditch heroics to stay in the game. Griffin Dorsey’s individual brightness offered a rare positive, but it was far from enough. Desperation set in, and Otávio made an ill-advised sliding tackle in the box, which gifted Morález a penalty—and NYCFC a third goal—deep in stoppage time.

The first half ended 3-0 and NYCFC held the advantage in possession (67.9%-32.1%), shots (12-1), shots on target (5-0), corners (2-1), and passing accuracy (91.3%-72.9%).

Little changed in the second half with another near-miss connection for Moralez which was ultimately called offside anyway. New York struck with a fourth goal in the 49th minute through quality buildup and a touch by Parks past Otero, who perhaps could have come off his line a bit earlier.

For Orlando, the first and only shot on goal came in the 51st via a header by substitute Duncan McGuire, but it was an easy save for goalkeeper Matt Freese.

Only three minutes later Parks scored another goal off a very poor clearance attempt by Dorsey which made it 5-0.

McGuire took a long-distance shot in the 58th that was deflected out for a corner. The resulting set piece fell to Dorsey, who fired wildly over the endline.

It was just a day in the park for New York City from that point on and the hosts started resting their veterans and giving time to the youngsters. New York decided to let the Lions play around in its attacking half for a while, but the Lions couldn’t fashion a shot.

NYCFC regained control and started to casually work in the Orlando half with the Lions parking the bus and trying not to concede any more goals.

New York made a triple substitution in the 71st to rest some vets and give more time to the kids. Nothing changed with the substitutions, as the kids nearly scored in the 75th with Magno putting one in the net but he was correctly ruled offside.

The Lions found a way to create an 83rd-minute Brekalo header which was sent off target and right to Freese. Nothing came of the final remaining minutes and, mercifully, no added time was given.

“I understand we’re also frustrated in how we’re playing, and we want to win more than anyone, so I think just be patient with us,” McGuire said. “There’s been times where we haven’t started off the season well before, and we’ve come back and ended the season [on a] high. So, I think just be patient with us, and we’ll start getting results.”

NYCFC dominated the final stats with the advantage in possession (68.3%-31.7%), shots (14-4), shots on target (6-1), corners (5-2), and passing accuracy (91.9%-76.3%).

“I don’t know any other road but just working…just wake up in the morning and trying to improve things,” Pareja said. “I think this is a responsibility from all of us as a footballers, the coaches, people who belong to this competition, and there is nothing else. I don’t know any formula that can be successful, other than work and trying to just [turn] the corner and improve the team.”

Orlando City has a week to prepare for a struggling CF Montreal side at home a week from today. With his red card, Crepeau will be suspended for the match.

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Orlando City vs. New York City FC: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Lions hit the road for the first time in 2026, hoping to turn things around and get their first win of the season.

Published

23 hours ago

on

March 7, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to your match thread and preview for a Saturday matinee matchup between Orlando City (0-2-0, 0 points) and New York City FC (1-0-1, 4 points) at Yankee Stadium (2:30 p.m., Apple TV). This is the first of the two scheduled meetings between the Lions and Pigeons this season with the return leg in Orlando set for Oct. 24.

Here is what you need to know ahead of the match.

History

The Lions are 7-11-8 in 26 meetings with NYCFC in the all-time series in MLS play and 7-11-10 including one playoff match and one U.S. Open Cup meeting (remember, games that go to penalty shootouts in knockout competitions officially count as draws). Orlando is 2-8-2 on the road in regular-season games in the all-time series. Things have trended the Pigeons’ way the last few years, as the Lions are 0-5-2 in the last seven meetings between the teams.

The teams met twice last year and NYCFC swept the season series. In the most recent matchup, Orlando City blew a late 1-0 lead at home on July 16 through Robin Jansson’s goal. But Rodrigo Schlegel smashed a clearance attempt off Kyle Smith and into his own net just a few minutes before the end of normal time, tying the game. Alonso Martinez scored the winner on a counterattack in stoppage time to end the game 2-1 in favor of the visitors.

In Orlando City’s first road game of the 2025 season, the Lions fell 2-1 at Yankee Stadium on March 8. Martinez opened the scoring in the second half, with Luis Muriel equalizing. However, just two minutes after Muriel’s goal, Hannes Wolf scored what turned out to be the game winner.

In Orlando, on July 20, 2024, the two 2015 expansion rivals played to a 1-1 draw. Ramiro Enrique and Wolf traded goals five minutes apart in the second half to account for all the scoring. The Lions and Pigeons met at Yankee Stadium on June 28, 2025, with New York City FC winning 4-2. An early Santiago Rodriguez goal opened the scoring and then things went horribly wrong when an obviously offside Malachi Jones collided hard with Orlando goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar. Both players left the game and both had season-ending surgery to repair broken tibias and fibulas. Javier Otero made his MLS debut in goal off the bench and the Lions allowed two goals in first-half stoppage time to let a close game get out of hand. Orlando pulled two goals back through Dagur Dan Thorhallsson and Duncan McGuire, but Mounsef Bakrar sealed the game late for NYCFC.

The teams met at Citi Field — a different baseball stadium than NYCFC’s usual one — on Sept. 20, 2023. The Pigeons were rude hosts, winning 2-0 on goals by Bakrar and Talles Magno. It snapped Orlando’s five-game unbeaten run but the Lions clinched a playoff spot that day anyway due to other results around the league. These teams also met in Orlando on May 17, and with the Lions poised for a 1-0 win, NYCFC eked out a late 1-1 draw with an 89th-minute Gabriel Segal goal out of nowhere. Ercan Kara scored for Orlando City early.

The teams faced off at Red Bull Arena (one of NYCFC’s many homes away from home) on Oct. 2, 2022, with the Pigeons erasing a 1-0 halftime deficit that Facundo Torres provided. The “hosts” got second-half goals from Alex Callens and Magno to complete the comeback and win, 2-1. Earlier in the year at Exploria Stadium, the Lions got a Tesho Akindele goal at the death, stunning NYCFC as Orlando City won 2-1 on Aug. 28, 2022. Junior Urso and Maxi Moralez had scored early in the first and second half, respectively.

Orlando City had a five-game unbeaten streak in the series (1-0-4) absolutely demolished on July 25, 2021 in a 5-0 OCSC loss at Yankee Stadium. The Lions started a makeshift lineup, and it showed, as the Pigeons got goals from Jesus Medina, Ismael Tajouri-Shradi, Moralez, Malte Amundsen, and Valentin Castellanos. Why the makeshift lineup? That match was sandwiched between home games against Philadelphia and Atlanta, with quick turnarounds for each. The strategy was sound, as Orlando won the other two games in that nine-day span.

The teams met in Orlando on May 8, 2021 and drew 1-1. Nani smashed a golazo in the second half to put the Lions on top, but Joao Moutinho fouled Tajouri-Shradi in the box and Castellanos scored from the spot to equalize.

The last meeting of the 2020 season happened in the postseason and things got weird. Orlando City ultimately prevailed in penalties after a 1-1 postseason draw on Nov. 21, 2020. Nani put Orlando ahead from the penalty spot, only to see Maxime Chanot equalize on a set piece. Extra time couldn’t settle it, so to penalties we went, and the Lions advanced thanks to a save by Schlegel — after goalkeeper Pedro Gallese was sent off with a second yellow for coming off his line early. Benji Michel’s blast was the difference in the shootout. (Seriously, just click the above link in this paragraph and relive that madness.)

The Lions and Pigeons wrapped the 2020 season series on Oct. 14 at Exploria Stadium, playing to a 1-1 draw. Chris Mueller opened the scoring but Keaton Parks equalized just before halftime. The first meeting of 2020 also took place in Central Florida in the MLS is Back Tournament on July 14, when Mueller’s brace and a late Akindele insurance goal led Orlando to a 3-1 win. Medina scored for NYCFC. That win snapped Orlando City’s 0-4-3 streak in the previous seven competitive meetings with the Pigeons. The last match in that winless streak against NYCFC was a 1-1 draw, with the Lions then dispatching NYCFC from the U.S. Open Cup in a penalty shootout on July 10, 2019. That night has been immortalized for the running of The Wall and Adam Grinwis’ heroics in goal.

The teams drew both regular-season meetings in 2019, 1-1 on April 27 at Yankee Stadium, and 2-2 on opening day at Exploria Stadium. NYCFC took all three meetings in a dismal 2018 season series. The Lions went 2-1-0 against New York City FC in 2017, including a win to christen the stadium now known as Exploria with Cyle Larin scoring the only goal in a 1-0 OCSC win. Orlando was 3-1-2 in 2015 and 2016 in the first six meetings with NYCFC.

Overview

Orlando City opened the season with two consecutive losses for the first time in club history. The Lions have played one good half and one bad one in each match but have yet to put a full 90 minutes together. Perhaps getting away from home would be a recipe to change the energy, but in this case, the club travels to one of its least-successful away venues. Orlando has been a decent road team since Oscar Pareja took over, but Yankee Stadium is still a difficult place for the Lions to pull points out of.

New York City FC, meanwhile, has opened the season unbeaten through two games with a win and a draw, and the Pigeons will be at home for the first time. This start is despite Martinez being out of the lineup due to injury. NYCFC opened the season with a road draw against the LA Galaxy and followed with a 2-1 win at Philadelphia. Like Orlando, the Pigeons have had three different goal scorers through two matches.

The Lions must try to keep Wolf at bay, as he’s hurt Orlando before and has one of his team’s goals already this season. Nicolas Fernández Mercau is another attacking player to watch. Moralez is always a dangerous provider and he too has hurt the Lions in the past. Defensive midfielder Keaton Parks has returned after blood clot issues a year ago and has picked up where he left off. In the back, Matt Freese is one of the league’s top goalkeepers, and Orlando will need to be clinical to beat him.

“First, we know in terms of results that we can bounce back. I think our team, in the last game, already gave us signs of improvement, cohesiveness, and doing what we need much more efficiently in order to win,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said ahead of the game. “Now we need to keep doing that but win games. And there’s no doubt that we are urgent to get results, and on a field this weekend that is a challenge, but I think we have a good mentality and that the boys are ready.”

Orlando City will be without Colin Guske (suspension), Joran Gerbet (knee), Wilder Cartagena (thigh), and Jansson (foot), while Adrian Marin (thigh) remains questionable. The good news is that center back Nolan Miller, who left last weekend’s game with a knock, is not on the availability report. NYCFC will be without Martinez (leg), Malachi Jones (leg), and former Lion Andres Perea (leg).

Match Content

Official Lineups

Orlando City (4-4-2)

Goalkeeper: Maxime Crepeau.

Defenders: Tahir Reid-Brown, Nolan Miller, David Brekalo, Griffin Dorsey.

Midfielders: Ivan Angulo, Braian Ojeda, Luis Otavio, Marco Pasalic.

Forwards: Martin Ojeda, Tyrese Spicer.

Bench: Javier Otero, Adrian Marin, Zakaria Taifi, Iago, Dylan Judelson, Eduard Atuesta, Harvey Sarajian, Tiago, Duncan McGuire.

New York City FC (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: Matt Freese.

Defenders: Kevin O’Toole, Kai Trewin, Thiago Martins, Tayvon Gray.

Midfielders: Keaton Parks, Maxi Moralez, Aiden O’Neill.

Forwards: Hannes Wolf, Nicolas Fernández Mercau, Agustin Ojeda.

Bench: Tomas Romero, Nico Cavallo, Drew Baiera, Strahinja Tanasijevic, Raul Gustavo, Jonathan Shore, Maximo Carrizo, Seymour Reid, Talles Magno.

Referees:

REF: Guido Gonzales Jr.
AR1: Gerard-Kader Lebuis.
AR2: Ben Pilgrim.
4TH: Ricardo Montero Araya.
VAR: Geoff Gamble.
AVAR: Tom Supple.

How to Watch

Match Time: 2:30 p.m.

Venue: Yankee Stadium — The Bronx, NY.

TV/Live Stream: Apple TV.

Radio: AM 810 FOX Sports Radio Orlando (English), Mega 97.1 FM (Spanish), Nossa Rádio 1160 AM-WRLZ (Portuguese).

Social: For rapid reaction and live updates, follow us on Bluesky Social at @themaneland.bsky.social or follow Orlando City’s official Twitter (@OrlandoCitySC) or Bluesky (@OrlandoCitySC) feed.

Enjoy the match. Go City!

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Intelligence Report: Orlando City vs. New York City FC

Get up to speed on this year’s NYCFC team, courtesy of someone who knows them best.

Published

2 days ago

on

March 6, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Another weekend brings another opportunity for Orlando City to pick up its first points of the still-young 2026 Major League Soccer season. To do that, OCSC will need to beat a team that is unbeaten through its first two games, as the Lions are heading to Yankee Stadium to take on New York City FC on Saturday.

A trip to the baseball diamond means I took the time to catch up with Matthew Mangam, who is one of the senior writers over at the independent and always excellent Hudson River Blue. He was kind enough to help us refamiliarize ourselves with the Pigeons, and I also answered some of his questions about Orlando City, which you can find over at their place.

Talk me through NYCFC’s off-season transfer business. Who went out the door, and who arrived to replace them?

Matthew Mangam: NYCFC’s biggest loss this off-season was Justin Haak, who joined the LA Galaxy as a free agent. Defensive midfielder and center back Kai Trewin joined the club from Melbourne City, serving as the unofficial replacement for Haak. Alonso Martínez, who tore his ACL, and Andrés Perea, who fractured his lower right leg, aren’t official departures but will spend most of the season recovering from their respective injuries. NYCFC also loaned out Julián Fernández and Mitja Ilenič. 

Of those new arrivals, who has been the most impressive through the first two games of the season?

MM: I’m going to cheat a little bit here and say Keaton Parks — he missed most of last season after undergoing surgery to address blood flow issues in his right leg. Since appearing in the season opener and starting the last game against Philadelphia, Parks looks like he hasn’t missed a beat. He’s contributed on both sides of the ball, bringing great energy and consistency. 

Who is an NYCFC player with the potential to be an X factor in this game, and why?

MM: Hannes Wolf. He scored the opening goal against Philadelphia in true Hannes Wolf fashion: opportunistically pouncing on a deflection in the box and burying it in the back of the net. The only issue is that Wolf struggles with consistency, but in his two seasons at NYCFC, he started each year in good form. I would say Nico Fernández Mercau could also be an X-factor, but he’s playing as the No. 9 — not his natural position — which has clearly affected him a bit.

Will anyone be unavailable due to injury, suspension, etc.? What is your projected starting lineup and score prediction?

MM: Besides Martínez and Perea being out with long-term injuries, NYCFC is healthy. Talles Magno is coming off a calf injury, which happened in preseason, but he will likely play at least 10 minutes off the bench. Jonny Shore is also working back to full fitness, so it’s unclear if he’ll get any time as a substitute on Saturday.

I expect NYCFC to keep its lineup the same from the win over Philadelphia:

Matt Freese; Kevin O’Toole, Raul Gustavo, Thiago Martins, Tayvon Gray; Aiden O’Neill, Keaton Parks; Agustin Ojeda, Maxi Moralez, Hannes Wolf; Nicolas Fernández Mercau.

I think NYCFC wins 2-0, with Wolf and Parks getting on the score sheet.

Thank you to Matthew for the excellent info on NYCFC. Vamos Orlando!

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