Connect with us

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Vancouver Whitecaps: Player Grades and Man of the Match

Published

7 years ago

on

Orlando City lost 5-2 to the Vancouver Whitecaps in one of the more interesting three-goal matches you could watch. The match was 2-1 until the 85th minute, when the Caps scored three goals in five minutes on a 10-man Orlando squad. The game ended on a very rough note, but how did the Lions fare as individuals in the road loss in Vancouver?

Starters

GK, Joe Bendik, 4.5 — For any goalkeeper, giving up five goals is never a good thing. He allowed the five goals on nine shots on target, saving only 44% of the shots on target he faced. His save on Kei Kamara early in the second half was probably his best moment, but that was about it. Bendik also made 18 passes with only a 50% pass success rate. This was arguably the worst game Bendik has played all season even though his defense did not give him much to work with.

D, Will Johnson, 5.5 — Again being placed at right back, Johnson made an impact but also struggled on numerous occasions. On the good side, Johnson nearly scored in the first 25 minutes on a beautiful save from Brian Rowe. He also had another shot on target and had a few accurate long balls to spark attacking chances. On the bad side, his shot that was saved stacked up the wasteful chances the Lions had in the first half which played a major role in the loss. Johnson’s offensive contribution was overshadowed by his struggles against Alphonso Davies, but I will give Johnson some credit that he deserves for being on the pitch for 38 minutes.

D, Chris Schuler, 5.5 — Schuler is also to blame for the five goals due to being a part of the back line. He made a few nice tackles alongside Amro Tarek but was also responsible for the barrage of scoring chances in the closing minutes. He was the most disciplined player on the back line as well as being the only starting defender to not obtain a foul. Schuler also had a nice passing success rate at 90% which was not present in his teammates at all. Not a horrible game from Schuler, but not a great one either.

D, Amro Tarek, 4 — Tarek was just not great in this match at all. He struggled throughout and put a cherry on top of his struggles by slide tackling Yordy Reyna, resulting in Kamara’s second goal via penalty. The slide tackle play took away any hope of a win or draw away from the Lions. Tarek did nothing to help what was already a poor back line throughout the match. Hopefully the young defender can find his way after what was a lackluster performance and regain some of his confidence.

D, Mohamed El-Munir, 4.5 — Bad judgment call or not by the officials, El-Munir did not have a great match. He picked up a yellow in the first half that would become costly later, resulting in a red card in the 58th minute that put the Lions down a man. He was also beaten to the Davies cross by Kamara on the first goal. He did have a few good plays on defense with a few tackles and an interception, but when you obtain four fouls, none of that matters. Four fouls and poor judgment led to El-Munir’s worst game as a Lion.

MF, Cristian Higuita, 5 — Higuita had a rough match. He lost the ball in the midfield which led to the counter attack that put the Caps up 1-0 in the 35th minute. The midfielder failed to take a shot on goal and made zero contribution to the offensive attack. Higuita had three fouls, including a yellow card that also seemed to get into his head as the match continued. To be fair, Higuita did pass the ball well at a 91.7% success rate even though he only made 36 touches. This was not a usual game for Higuita after a strong last couple of matches.

MF, Uri Rosell, 6 — Rosell was arguably the quietest player on the pitch for Orlando City. He didn’t do much to impact the offense or defense in a positive or negative way. There honestly isn’t much to say about his performance as he made no major plays that turned the game in a different direction. No need to penalize Rosell or give him a boost in a conservative showcase that made him seem like he wasn’t even there.

MF, Chris Mueller, 6.5 — Mueller played his heart out in the match. He only took one shot but it was a solid one that almost ended up resulting in a goal. The rookie picked up an assist in stoppage time to Dom Dwyer to ease the pain a little after the flurry of goals from Vancouver. Mueller showcased his versatility in the midfield throughout the match as he kept himself involved through the full 90 minutes. He didn’t have many touches, at 38, but when he did he made something positive happen in what was an otherwise negative performance as a team. Good showcase of skill and grit from Mueller.

MF, Sacha Kljestan, 7.5 (MotM) — Kljestan was the major bright spot in this match. He put the Lions on the board shortly after El-Munir’s red card and continuously pressed the Vancouver defense. He had some accurate passes from short and long distances and he made some contributions on defense as well, clearing the ball out of the final third on three different occasions. Kljestan needed to be as good as he was to keep Orlando in the match for as long as possible but he could only do so much.

MF, Justin Meram, 5.5 — Meram was on the pitch for an hour before being subbed off and his impact was minimal. He made some solid passes but also had some undisciplined touches along the way. For being a goal scorer and an attacking mind, Meram did not attempt a shot in his time on the pitch. In my opinion, he played very passive instead of sticking with his aggressive nature which affected Orlando City in a major way.

F, Josué Colmán, 6.5 — Colmán had a solid game in an otherwise poor result. The young striker made numerous attacks on net with four shots and near goals on a few of them. Colmán also passed very well, creating chances for his fellow teammates as well, finishing with assists on both goals. A game like this for Colmán will help his overall confidence and how he plays in the future and I believe Jason Kreis will feel the same way.

Substitutes

D, RJ Allen (39’), 4 — Allen was brought on early in the match after Will Johnson left with a hamstring issue, but Kreis did not get nearly what he wanted from Allen. After the yellow card he picked up in the 50th minute, he made a tackle that was luckily not punished with a second yellow after a push of Davies near the sideline just minutes later.

D, Tony Rocha (61’), 6.5 — Rocha was the spark plug that got Orlando City back into this match for a time. Yes, the Lions lost 5-2, but without the beautiful cross he sent to Kljestan to tie the match 1-1 in the 64th minute, Orlando City would have had no fight to even attempt to get back into the match down a man. Rocha picked up the nifty assist and also played well defensively, picking up four tackles in his solid effort. Good game by Rocha coming off the bench.

F, Dom Dwyer (63’), 6.5 — Seeing Dwyer come back was a bittersweet feeling. After El-Munir’s sending off, the Lions saw Dwyer come onto the pitch and immediately flipped the tide of the game. He once again made the usual impact that he makes by making defenders focus on him completely, which allowed Rocha to find Kljestan to tie the match. He picked up a garbage time goal in stoppage time on the Mueller assist. Dwyer made his presence felt once again and had a solid match all around.

Agree or disagree with any of these grades or my Man of the Match? Let us know in the comment section. Also vote on your Man of the Match below.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Sacha Kljestan 19
Josué Colmán25
Dom Dwyer 11
Chris Mueller 15
Tony Rocha14
Other5

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Orlando City

Orlando City Signs Defender Thomas Williams Through 2026

Orlando City signs Homegrown center back Thomas Williams to a new contract through 2026 with a club option for 2027.

Published

3 hours ago

on

January 22, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Orlando City announced this morning that the club has signed defender Thomas Williams through the 2026 season with a club option for 2027. The Homegrown Player has been with the first team since 2021 and will continue for at least two more years.

“Thomas is someone whose future we’re still very excited about and we’re happy to get him locked in with us for a couple more years,” Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi said in a club press release. “He’s shown a lot of growth these last few seasons, continuing to get game action with Orlando City B and proving the importance of our development pathway, and we’re looking forward to having him with us for the foreseeable future.”

The Titusville native joined the Orlando City Academy in 2015 and made his professional debut for the club on Aug. 7, 2020 against New England Revolution II. He played in 13 games that year with 10 starts and recorded 844 minutes. His play on the Young Lions’ back line earned him a first-team contract on June 15, 2021, at just 16 years old, making him the youngest player in club history to sign a Homegrown contract.

The 20-year-old center back made his MLS debut on April 16, 2022 in a 2-0 win over the Columbus Crew in Ohio. He made five appearances with three starts in all competitions that season, recording 271 minutes. To date, those are the only appearances he’s made with the first team.

Since joining OCB in 2021, Williams has made 69 appearances with 61 starts and recorded 5,132 minutes. He’s been booked 19 times and sent off twice, both times after receiving second yellow cards.

What It Means for Orlando City

Williams is the fourth natural center back for Orlando City on the current squad behind Robin Jansson, David Brekalo, and Rodrigo Schlegel. He played well early in his OCB and MLS career, but has struggled recently. Last year, he played exclusively with the second team, partnering with Nabi Kibunguchy.

While Williams hasn’t made much of an impact on the first team so far, he’s only 20 years old and still has plenty of time to develop. Extending his contact shows that the club still has faith that he can turn into a key player for the MLS side.

It’s unlikely that Williams will see any time with the first team in 2025 (barring injuries and/or suspensions), considering that he’s also been behind versatile defender Kyle Smith at the center back position. He’ll likely spend the upcoming season with OCB, continuing to develop and earn his spot with the first team. As a Homegrown Player, there isn’t much risk in signing Williams to a new contract, especially if the club’s technical staff thinks he can develop into a quality defender.

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/22/25

Orlando City transfer rumors, Orlando Pride preseason begins, USMNT at Inter&Co, and more.

Published

7 hours ago

on

January 22, 2025

By

Dan MacDonald, The ManeLand

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Up here in Tallahassee, I’m waking up to snow/sleet, closed schools, closed government offices, and potentially icy roads. Many people will get an extra day off of work, however, I still get to go to work. I’m sure you can imagine how happy I am about that. Enough of my winter grumbling. Let’s get to the links but not until after we wish Orlando City fullback Michael Halliday a happy 22nd birthday.

Orlando City Reportedly Targeting Croatian International

While I can no longer say that Orlando City hasn’t signed any new players, the club is still moving at its traditionally slow speed as compared to other MLS clubs. We had the signing of Nicolas Rodriguez last week. Now, we have Tom Bogert report of yet another winger prospect for the club in Croatian Marco Pasalic from HNK Rijeka, though it is not a done deal. Hopefully the other targets Bogert mentions are of the striker variety.

https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/1881755961125449765?s=46&t=pMoq7Wulqfb35D7C8ydroA

Pride Preseason Begins

The 2024 NWSL champions are back to defend their title. The Orlando Pride returned to training on Tuesday. The club hasn’t needed to add many pieces, though some of the players already here, like Simone Charley and Grace Chanda, haven’t actually played any minutes for the Pride yet. Most of the chemistry is in place for Seb Hines, but reinforcing those bonds will be the challenge as the Pride look to repeat.

USMNT at Inter&Co Tonight

Hopefully you have tickets to the USMNT friendly match versus Costa Rica at Inter&Co Stadium tonight. The match starts at 7 p.m. and there are television and streaming options if you’re not going in person. Despite the squad having 14 players with three or fewer caps, Mauricio Pochettino does not consider this an “alternative” squad, nor does he want the players to think of themselves like that.

Girma Reportedly Nearing Completion of Chelsea Move

USWNT defender Naomi Girma is reportedly headed to Chelsea FC Women for a record $1.1 million transfer fee. That is a very big chunk of change for San Diego FC to use to try to replace one of the best defenders in the world. The deal is not complete as of Tuesday evening, but according to the original report from The Athletic, it is close to being done. Girma would be the first women’s soccer player to earn a transfer fee of over $1 million.

MLS Transfer Updates

Other MLS clubs keep on putting pen to paper when it comes to new players. The Chicago Fire are bringing in Jonathan Bamba on a Designated Player deal from La Liga side Celta de Vigo. The Luca de la Torre loan from Spain’s RC Celta de Vigo to San Diego FC is also official.

https://twitter.com/sandiegofc/status/1881741042904350864

Cucho Hernandez evidently wants to stay with the Columbus Crew, though he is still waiting on a new offer.

https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/1881786193693823104

Free Kicks

https://twitter.com/weareangelcity/status/1881749040863588770?s=12&t=_WZBNG4ILAyRLdwBeB4mpQ
  • Keep your eyes peeled later today for the NWSL schedule drop.
https://twitter.com/nwsl/status/1881749035218042954?s=46&t=pN-YJp3s7ZQlCXqnTAgSfw

That will do it for today. Stay warm out there, my friends. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/21/25

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

Published

1 day ago

on

January 21, 2025

By

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!

Continue Reading

Trending