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

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Orlando City’s win streak was snapped at six after a frustrating and emotional match against Atlanta. They out-possessed (55%-45%), passed (433-364), and shot (11-8) Atlanta United but the Lions could not overcome an early deficit. This loss ends the Lions’ win streak at six.

Here’s how the Lions did individually:

Starters:

GK, Joe Bendik, 6— There was nothing Bendik really could have done on either goal, and he did not have much of an effect on the game otherwise. The first goal was a penalty kick and the second was a combination of being partially shielded by Lamine Sané and Ezequiel Barco being wide open inside the 18. He did pick up a bad yellow card in the 32nd minute for yelling at referee Alan Kelly about what he thought was a foul but otherwise he made one save off a Héctor Villalba shot in the 77th minute.

D, Mohamed El-Munir, 7 (MOTM)— In the 32nd minute, El-Munir hustled back and recovered nicely to make a sliding challenge that slowed down the Atlanta attack and prevented a goal. About five minutes into the second half he was too fancy and lost the ball but Orlando’s goal started from his hard work and hustle. His tackle in the 56th minute stopped the visitors in their tracks and transitioned the Orlando play into the attacking end, ending with a goal. He also had one shot on target, created two chances, and was on the ball the second most on the field, behind only Yoshi. On the defensive end he made a total of two tackles.

D, Amro Tarek, 6.5 — Tarek made multiple stops in the middle of the first half. In the 25th minute, his sliding tackle pickpocketed Josef Marinez. Seven minutes later, Tarek got back defensively and was in the perfect position after Bendik was beat to block what would have been a goal. In the 55th minute his sliding tackle stopped the Atlanta attack and then he got up and dribbled down the field but no one on Orlando was there to help him and he eventually lost room to move forward. Overall, a solid night from the center back.

D, Lamine Sané, 6.5 — Similar to Tarek, an overall solid game from the center back. The first goal he could not do much about as it was a penalty, but on the second goal he was covering space instead of a man. This led to Ezequiel Barco wide open on the top of the box. Sané might have also shielded Bendik from seeing the shot. He did have many positives, though. On the very last play of the first half Atlanta had a two-on-one. Sané was the lone defender and stopped the entire attack by himself. While he did not get a shot off, he was a force on the attacking end when he got forward, even playing up top in the dying minutes, and the Atlanta defense struggled to defend the 6-foot-4 defender.

D, Will Johnson, 6 — Johnson was the best passer on the team, connecting on 91% of his 43 passes. He got beat on speed a couple of times throughout the game but he played solid and did not get beat often. He finished with two tackles, but conceded four fouls. The highlight of his night was his long distance shot in the 57th minute that was too powerful for Kann to hold onto. Kann pushed away the ball and it led to Orlando’s lone goal on the night.

MF, Yoshimar Yotún, 5 — An overall poor night by Yoshi. Statistically, he finished with the most touches on the ball and most passes among anyone on the field, but he did not provide a great deal going forward. He turned the ball over often and finished with a 84% passing accuracy. On Atlanta’s second goal, Yotún was caught ball watching on the top of the box. If he had kept running, he would have been in the way of Greg Garza’s assist and Orlando would have only been down one at half. He made a bad pass in 77th minute that led to an Atlanta counter attack that it should have scored on.

MF, Cristian Higuita, 4.5 — Atlanta’s first goal came off a penalty kick. Higuita was called for the foul but it was an extremely soft call and there was not much else that he could have done on the play. In the 28th minute he was too slow in transition and ended up with a poor pass that stopped the attack. Towards the end first half he could have put the Lions on the board but his header went directly at Kann. He picked up a yellow card in the 43rd minute and only lasted through the first half. He did have an impressive 90% passing accuracy and helped out moving the ball forward.

MF, Justin Meram, 6.5 — The best part of his night was clearly getting his first goal of the season. Johnson took a shot from distance and Meram was in the right place at the right time, and all he had to do was pass the ball into the back of the net. He ended the game as the only Lion to have multiple shots on goal, with the other coming in the 52nd minute when he cut inside and nearly caught Kann on the near post. He played 74 minutes, and finished with a 77% passing accuracy. He was hustling more than most players and earns some hustle stats, as well.

MF, Sacha Kljestan, 4.5 — Disappointing night for Kljestan. Most of the attack tried to go through him but he was not sharp and often passed the ball into pressure. As Jason Kreis pointed out after the game, Orlando City was too quick on the attacking end. Kljestan was a big culprit of this and often tried too play way too quickly. He created the most chances among Orlando City players (3), but that number should have been higher. In the 41st minute he made a poor pass that went out for a throw and killed the Orlando attack. Emotions were definitely getting to him as in the second half he and El-Munir got into an argument near the Orlando City bench that had to be broken up by Stefano Pinho. While many players on Orlando City did not do particularly well, Kljestan could have turned the game around but did not have a big enough effect.

MF, Chris Mueller, 4.5 — A very quiet night from the rookie. The best part of his night was a perfect cross that he put on a platter for Higuita, but the Colombian could not find the back of the net off of it. Other than that he did not do much. He only had 23 touches and connected on just nine passes.

F, Dom Dwyer, 5.5 — A poor rating for Dom but, in his defense, he did not have many opportunities on the ball. He only had 30 touches on the ball and his first shot did not come until the 46th minute. He finished the game with three total shots, of which just one was on target in the 92nd minute. He worked hard being the first line of defense but going forward he did not create enough.

Substitutes:

MF, Oriol Rosell (45’), 6 — The second half was much better by the Lions and a part of it has to be because of Rosell coming in. Much of the play in the second half went through him but the team could not get much going on the offensive end. By watching him, it is clear that he needs more playing time to gain chemistry and confidence. A solid outing for Uri, but nothing spectacular.

MF, Josué Colmán (66’), 5.5 — Much of the same story for Colmán as Uri — he needs more game time. Immediately, when he came in, he brought a spark to the team but his flashy footwork was easily defended by Atlanta. He looks impressive on the ball but does not get very far and this led to his 80% passing accuracy — one of the lowest on the team. Some more playing time will build confidence and help the 19-year-old learn when to take players on and when to pass it.

MF, Stefáno Pinho (74’), 5 — Pinho was, well, quiet. He played 16 minutes and touched the ball just nine times. He did not provide much of a spark that he should have when he was brought in and was overall disappointing. He did have an opportunity right when he came on but the Atlanta defense just had to step in front of him near the top of the 18-yard box and Pinho lost control. There was not much that he could have done as Orlando City struggled to transition into the attack.


Vote for your Man of the Match or comment your thoughts on these game grades.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Joe Bendik1
Mohamed El-Munir38
Lamine Sané5
Justin Meram31
Oriol Rosell25
Amro Tarek136
Other10

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.

Free Kicks


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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/26/24

Jack Lynn named to MLS Team of the Matchday bench, Nico Lodeiro and Marta up for weekly awards, USMNT stock watch, and more.

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Happy Tuesday, everyone! It was an enjoyable weekend for fans of Orlando soccer as the Lions got in the win column, the Pride stayed unbeaten, and Orlando City B picked up two points by way of a shootout win. As usual, we have plenty to discuss this morning, so let’s dive in.

Jack Lynn Makes Team of the Matchday Bench

Jack Lynn’s efforts in Orlando City’s 2-0 win over Austin FC have earned him a spot on the bench in the latest edition of the MLS Team of the Matchday. Lynn opened the scoring with a well-finished header in the first half, a tally which was also his very first for the senior side. Aside from his goal, he took another shot that was off target, completed 77% of his passes, and recorded 21 touches. The performance earned him a 6 out of 10 grade from Sean Rollins in his player grades from the match. Lynn’s inclusion in the TotM is well deserved, and hopefully it’s the first of many!

Orlando Players Up for Weekly Honors

Nico Lodeiro’s free kick during Orlando City’s win has been nominated for the MLS Goal of the Matchday. In the 64th minute, with the Lions holding a 1-0 lead, courtesy of Lynn’s goal, the good guys were awarded a free kick due to a handball on the edge of the box. Lodeiro proceeded to deliver the goods, scoring his first league goal for OCSC with a powerful, bending effort that Brad Stuver was unable to keep out of the top corner. Make sure you go and vote for Nico to win this week’s award!

He wasn’t the only Orlando player who had an impressive goal either, as the Orlando Pride’s Marta has been nominated for the National Women’s Soccer League Goal of the Week. It was a well-deserved nomination too, as she leveled the score and rescued a point for the Pride in spectacular fashion. With time ticking down in the 88th minute, she expertly volleyed in a corner kick at home. Go and vote for her to win the honor!

Post-Nations League Stock Watch

Several United States Men’s National Team players either boosted or hurt their stock over the course of last week’s Concacaf Nations League matches. Guys like Giovanni Reyna and Tyler Adams turned in impactful and timely performances. Reyna was named the best player of the tournament at a time when minutes at the club level are tough to come by, while Adams looked great as he continues to work his way back from a long injury layoff. Joe Scally and Folarin Balogun struggled though, with Scally being hooked at halftime against Jamaica and Balogun having a relatively quiet two games while fellow striker Haji Wright was the hero against Jamaica. Nobody’s stock dropped more than Mexico’s though, which has now gone seven games without beating the U.S., and hasn’t scored in almost 500 minutes. *Insert eagle screech here*

Big Names Missing for Euro 2024

The club season won’t be over for a couple more months, but there are a number of big stars who we either already know won’t be appearing at this summer’s Euro 2024, or who have a race against the clock in order to feature. The Real Madrid duo of David Alaba and Thibaut Courtois will both miss the tournament through injury, although Courtois’ rocky relationship with Belgium manager Domenico Tedesco means he may not have been called up anyway. Sven Botman will be unavailable for the Netherlands due to an ACL tear. Ivan Perisic suffered the same fate, sidelining him for Croatia. Then there are the cases of Sandro Tonali and Paul Pogba, who are unavailable for Italy and France, respectively, due to suspensions for off-field issues.

Free Kicks

  • Happy National Athletic Training Month from one AT (me) to another!
  • The young Yanks engineered a late comeback to earn a 2-2 draw with France, with Cade Cowell scoring the equalizer.
  • A vote has reportedly taken place on a new tentative agreeement between PRO and the PSRA.
  • LAFC has reportedly sent a formal contract offer for Olivier Giroud to join the Western Conference side once the Serie A season concludes.

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

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Austin FC: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s 2-0 win over Austin FC?

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City claimed its first win of the 2024 MLS season, defeating Austin FC 2-0. It was undoubtedly the best performance of the young season by the team and an essential result after the worst start to a season in club history.

Let’s take a look at the individual performances in this much-needed win.

Starters

GK, Mason Stajduhar, 6 — Stajduhar got the start with usual starter Pedro Gallese on international duty and had little to do in this game. Austin only put one shot on target and it was right to Mason, requiring little effort to stop it. He completed 81.8% of his 11 passes and three of his five long balls while recording his third career clean sheet.

D, Rafael Santos, 6 — This was arguably Santos’ best game of the season, recording a team-high 70 touches. He completed 77.8% of his 45 passes and one of his four long balls, while his lone cross was incomplete. He attempted three shots, putting one on target. However, he was most effective on the defensive end with a team-high four interceptions, 10 recoveries, and two clearances. The left back was solid in the back and contributed to the clean sheet.

D, Robin Jansson, 6.5 — It was another strong performance by the Orlando City captain, who touched the ball 48 times on the night. The center back completed 87.5% of his 40 passes, including two of his six long balls. He intercepted two Austin passes and recorded a team-high four clearances.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6 — Schlegel got the start in this game with David Brekalo on international duty with Slovenia. The center back has had some tough outings this year, but was solid alongside Jansson. He completed an impressive 88.4% of his 43 passes, including four of his seven long balls. The Argentinian wasn’t as active as Jansson defensively, but recorded a tackle and two clearances. He also had a shot that was off target.

D, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, 6.5 — Thorhallsson had a quality game, both in the attack and defense. His 66 touches were second most on the team and he completed 75.6% of his 45 passes. While he only completed one of his four crosses and one of his five long balls, he had a team-high six key passes, including his perfect cross for Jack Lynn, resulting in the opening goal. His two shots were wildly off target, but he was strong defensively with an interception, three clearances, and a team-high four tackles. He was even involved in the second goal, setting up Nico Lodeiro for the shot that resulted in a handball.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 6 — Angulo had possibly his best game of the season against Austin. He made the most of his 53 touches, completing 91.4% of his 35 passes, including three key passes. His one shot hit the frame and he had one successful dribble. He also helped out defensively, recording a tackle and a clearance.

MF, Nico Lodeiro, 7 (MotM) — Lodeiro was very involved in this game, recording a team-high 70 touches. He completed 87% of his team-high 54 passes, including a key pass and three of his six long balls. He put two of his six shots on target, including a glorious free kick goal, which was created by his shot that went off the arm of a defender. He was also involved in the buildup on the first goal, playing a 1-2 with Thorhallson before the fullback’s cross in to Lynn. He also had two tackles, contributing to the clean sheet. Overall, Lodeiro had an excellent performance and earns my Man of the Match.

MF, Kyle Smith, 6 — For the second consecutive game, Smith lined up just in front of the back line in a role usually occupied by Cesar Araujo. The long-time Orlando City defender touched the ball 47 times and completed 89.2% of his 37 passes, including a key pass and a long ball. However, his biggest impact was on defense, where he recorded three tackles, an interception, and a clearance.

MF, Martin Ojeda, 6.5 — While I gave my Man of the Match to Lodeiro, it also could’ve gone to Ojeda. The 25-year-old touched the ball 57 times and completed 97.4% of his 39 passes, including two key passes, one of seven crosses, and all eight of his long balls. Three of his five shots hit the target, though he wasn’t able to find the back of the net. He also added a tackle and came off in the 88th minute for Mikey Halliday.

F, Luis Muriel, 6 — Muriel played just behind Lynn and in front of the attacking midfield, recording 51 touches on the night. He completed 76.7% of his 30 passes, which included two key passes, and all four of his long balls. He also had three successful dribbles, but both of his shots were off target. While he didn’t help in the scoring, he caused problems for the Austin defense before being replaced in added time by Jeorgio Kocevski.

F, Jack Lynn, 6 — The absence of Duncan McGuire saw Lynn get his first start for the first team. Playing the target striker position, he had 21 touches and completed 76.9% of his 13 passes. However, his biggest contribution was his header in the 42nd minute for the opening goal. It was put on a platter by Thorhallsson, but he still handled it well, heading it down and off Brad Stuver. He had one other off-target shot before coming off in the 74th minute for Felipe.

Substitutes

MF, Felipe (74’), 6 — The defensive midfielder came on for Lynn in a defensive move as the Lions looked to see out the three points. He didn’t do much in the attack, only touching the ball seven times and completing all four of his passes. But he recorded a tackle and an interception in his 16 minutes on the field.

D, Mikey Halliday (88’), N/A — Halliday entered the game for Ojeda in the dying minutes in an attempt to kill some time to see the game out. He only had one touch and one clearance, without attempting any passes.

MF, Jeorgio Kocevski (90+4’), N/A — Kocevski came on for Muriel four minutes into added time, touching the ball once and completing one pass without recording any other stats.

F, Shak Mohammed (90+4’), N/A — Mohammed came on with Kocevski, replacing Lodeiro. He had two touches, but didn’t see any other action in his short time on the field.


That’s how I saw Orlando City’s huge 2-0 win over Austin FC. Let us know what you thought of the performance and vote on your Man of the Match below.

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