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Orlando City vs. Colorado Rapids: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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7 years ago

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The Lions traveled not only west, but up, to battle the Colorado Rapids at altitude today. It was looking a bit scary for the first 10-15 minutes, but once the boys settled down a bit, it was certainly a match dictated by the Lions. They held 56% of possession, and led in almost every other statistical category. These were three big road points, and not just to extend the winning streak to five matches.

So without further ado, lets dig into how the Lions fared this evening:

Starters

GK, Joe Bendik, 7.5 — Joe got some help from the post in the 18th minute, and had some great saves. Had a big save from distance in the 23rd minute, and what could only be considered a superhuman effort in the 64th minute. Was a definite contender tonight for MotM, but a few mistakes, primarily in distribution, kept him out of the final running.

D, Mohamed El-Munir, 8.5 (MotM) — You should have known the day he was planning to have while watching him dribble through four defenders in the 10th minute. Mo was all over the pitch, all match, leading the team in touches and making the left side extremely dangerous for most of the game. His perfectly timed sliding save in the 92nd minute stopped what was probably a tying goal to help maintain the lead and hold on for that 2-1 victory.

D, Amro Tarek, 7.5 — After what looked to be a tough fall in the 14th minute after being undercut on a header, he settled nicely into position and played fantastic. In the 20th minute, after a tragic giveaway, tracked back to make a great defensive recovery and win the ball back. Picked up a yellow in the 86th, for a play I definitely question, but did not let that affect him for the limited time left in the match. He had some nervy minutes late, as did many of his teammates.

D, Lamine Sane, 7 — Had moments of greatness, had moments that left me scratching my head. Had some amazing defensive play, and then could have been the body that kept Dominique Badji onside. This obviously was something on his mind the remainder of the match as he worked hard to make up for the mistake. Solid performance, especially on the road, from the Lions’ central defense pair.

D, Will Johnson, 6.5 — Johnson was just as consistent as he typically is. His work ethic cannot be questioned, although there may have been a few times he found himself out of position. Overall, he played the right back position as best as we could expect.

MF, Cristian Higuita, 8 — Rough start for Cristian, and by start I mean the first 10 minutes. After that, and I will need to re-watch the match, something switched on and he became a completely different player. He was a force in the midfield, and not the force of old that we were all just waiting to get a card. This Higuita is a controlled, precise, defensive midfielder. If he had played a full 90, I am positive he would have been an even bigger contender for MotM. The central midfield position is getting more and more competitive by the week, and Higuita is making a strong case for continuing to start every week.

MF, Yoshimar Yotun, 8 — As with Higuita above, Yoshi was looking to make an impact today. With an unbelievable 96% passing efficiency, and a heat map that shows him all over the pitch, Yoshi was another solid contender for MotM. I was honestly a bit surprised when he grabbed the ball and placed it on the spot for the penalty, but after he buried it, I understood why. His game is only improving, and the team needs to maximize his time before Russia 2018.

MF, Justin Meram, 7 — Meram played very well today. Like so many other Lions, the first 10-15 minutes were spotty. At some points in the first half, it looked as though he was trying a bit to hard to force a pass, take one to many dribbles, or get just a bit too fancy and give up the ball. That being said, he still proved to be extremely dangerous, constantly drawing multiple defenders when he had the ball in the attacking third. He came close to opening his Orlando City account again with a diving Zac MacMath save off the post the only thing standing between him and the score sheet. He should have had an assist on a cross to Sacha Kljestan but the latter smashed his shot right at MacMath. And it was his heel flick into the box that led to the foul on Yoshi. The magic that he has shown is starting to show, and will only improve with time.

MF, Sacha Kljestan, 7 — Thoughts on Sacha mirror thoughts on Meram. It is obvious that for both of these veterans, when things get a bit tough, muscle memory takes over and the results may not look good. They may not look good yet. Just hold on everyone, because the 200-foot drop that leads into the epic double loop is looming. Eight matches is not enough for the entire midfield to have that psychic knowledge, but if this is the result this early, you will get no complaints from me. He notched the assist on Higuita’s goal, and looks more comfortable every match.

MF, Chris Mueller, 7 — Welcome to MLS, rookie. This seemed to be the message that the Rapids were trying to send to Mueller from the first whistle. The one thing that stood out to me was he handled it extremely well. He was the target of at least two defenders all match, and was professionally fouled more times than I could count. His demeanor never changed, he was all over the pitch, and he had some absolutely critical moments. His blocked shot and clearance off a 79th minute corner at the top of the box was amazing, and his dribble into the box and look at goal in the 82nd minute was close, just missing right as he tried the near post.

F, Dom Dwyer, 6.5 — Two moments stand out. The bicycle attempt, and how he handled himself after getting cup checked. It was a tough day for Dom, and it was obvious that the central defense pair from the Rapids were not going to let Dom back flip. Unfortunately for Dom, sometimes you need to realize this and find another way to impact the match, and he did. I give a ton of credit to him, because I am not sure I would keep my head after someone tried to ruin my chances of having another child. I guess we will all have to wait one more week to see number 101.

Substitutes

MF, Oriol Rosell (67’), 6.5 — Uri is starting to see more and more minutes, and it is getting more and more interesting to watch. He played a solid 23 minutes, but to be honest, he came in for a player that was on fire, so the grading is even more difficult. I am truly looking forward to seeing what Uri can do for a solid 90 minutes.

MF, Stefano Pinho (83’), N/A — Coming on for Meram with seven minutes left doesn’t give us much time to grade. He was in the box for a number of late Colorado corners, and his height was appreciated.

D, RJ Allen (91’), N/A — Again, not a lot of time to grade, but considering the outcome of the match didn’t change, job well done.

What else can I say, folks? That is five wins in a row, Orlando City currently sits third in the East, and the team has won two straight road matches for the first time since 2015. The boys just went a month undefeated and untied, and I cannot think of a better time, unless they can repeat in May. Let me know your thoughts below in the comments, and who you feel the Man of the Match was in the poll below.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Joe Bendik7
Cristian Higuita71
Mohamed El-Munir70
Yoshimar Yotún68
Sacha Kljestan3
Other (comment below)3

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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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