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

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7 years ago

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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

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Orlando City

2025 Orlando City Season in Review: Luis Muriel

The Colombian forward showed more quality in his second season in Orlando, but his form faded down the stretch.

Published

13 hours ago

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November 8, 2025

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Image of Luis Muriel dribbling up the field against Charlotte.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City signed Colombian forward Luis Muriel as a Designated Player on a three-year contract through 2026 on Feb. 15, 2024. Muriel had some growing pains in adjusting to his new surroundings during his first season in Orlando, showing glimpses of the player fans thought the club was getting from Italian Serie A side Atalanta, but never really seizing a starting position with the club or showing enough consistency to be relied upon as an offensive threat.

His five goals and seven assists in 33 appearances (14 starts) during his first year in purple were not exactly the DP-level numbers anyone expected, but he was part of a good Orlando side that finished in the top four in the Eastern Conference and reached the conference semifinal in the playoffs. With a full season in the league behind him, it was reasonable to expect more from the crafty attacking player in his sophomore season in the City Beautiful.

His season started off brightly enough and he seemed to hit his stride in August, when he scored five goals over two matches, but Muriel’s performance tailed off at the end of the season. He was by no means the only Lion who seemed to run out of steam in the final two months of the year, but the drop-off in his scoring was partly responsible for Orlando’s tumble from fourth to ninth in the final standings.

Let’s take a look back at Muriel’s second season with Orlando City.

Statistical Breakdown

Muriel played in all four of the Lions’ competitions in 2025. He again appeared in 33 of Orlando City’s 34 regular-season games, but he started 25 times during his second year as a Lion, nearly doubling his total from the previous season, and played a total of 2,114 minutes — an increase of 532 minutes year over year. The 34-year-old scored nine goals and added nine assists. It was reasonable to expect double digits in both columns as he entered September needing just one goal and three assists to reach those totals, but he notched only two assists without a goal after Aug. 23. Muriel completed 72% of his 653 passes in 2025 — a surprising drop from his 81% passing in 2024 on three fewer attempts (despite playing 500+ more minutes), but he increased his number of key passes from 37 a year ago to 42 in 2025, with 13 successful crosses and 14 completed long balls. Defensively, Muriel chipped in 32 tackles, four interceptions, and a blocked shot. He committed 26 fouls, suffered 22, received one yellow card and was sent off once with a straight red.

The veteran attacker came off the bench in Orlando City’s playoff match against the Chicago Fire, playing 21 minutes without a goal contribution, a key pass, or a shot attempt, completing 71% of his 14 passes, although he was accurate on his one long ball. Muriel did not record any defensive stats in the match, did not commit a foul, and was not fouled or booked.

In the club’s U.S. Open Cup run, Muriel appeared in one match off the bench — the Lions’ 3-2 home loss to Nashville on May 21 — playing 29 minutes. He did not contribute to a goal, creating one scoring chance on 64% passing (7/11) with an accurate cross on his lone attempt. On the defensive end, Muriel contributed two clearances. He committed one foul and drew one on Nashville and was not booked in the match.

Muriel made appearances in all six of Orlando City’s 2025 Leagues Cup matches, starting the last four and playing 310 minutes in the competition. He scored three goals and added one assist in the Lions’ Leagues Cup run, putting five of his seven shots on frame. Muriel completed 71.7% of his 99 passes in the tournament with six key passes and one successful cross on three attempts. Defensively, he contributed seven tackles, three clearances, and one block. Muriel committed two fouls, suffered one, and was not booked in the competition.

Best Game

It’s hard not to select Muriel’s first-half hat trick in Orlando City’s 5-1 Leagues Cup win over Necaxa on Aug. 6. It was just the fourth hat trick in the club’s MLS era, joining Martin Ojeda’s from earlier in the season and the two Cyle Larin scored in 2015. However, that was a comfortable win for the Lions and it’s likely Orlando would have won big with a different player in that spot.

Where I think Muriel made a difference in the outcome of the match was his next appearance for the club, City’s 4-1 home win over Inter Miami on Aug. 10. Muriel picked up where he left off against Necaxa, scoring just two minutes into the match on his way to a brace, adding an assist as the Lions swept their Tropic Thunder rivals from South Florida. His first goal of the game was one of Orlando’s best team goals of the season, with Muriel taking a pass from Alex Freeman that Ojeda allowed to go through his legs. Muriel and Ojeda then worked a beautifully timed give-and-go before the Colombian held off a defender and slotted past Oscar Ustari to open the scoring.

After Miami had tied the game, Muriel untied it in the 50th minute. Accepting a short corner from Ojeda, Muriel made a sweet move at the end line to get around a well-positioned defender and then fired a shot from a tight angle that Ustari couldn’t handle, restoring Orlando’s lead.

After scoring Orlando’s first two goals himself, Muriel turned playmaker on the third, sending Ojeda down the right side. Ojeda used his defender as a screen and blasted a shot just inside the near post to make it 3-1.

Muriel came within inches of scoring hat tricks in consecutive games, and the one that didn’t go in would have been a dandy. The Colombian volleyed a poor Ustari clearance toward goal from near midfield in the 20th minute. The shot sliced to the right and hit off the post, denying him consecutive hat tricks. However, it was still his best overall performance of the season. He put four of his five shots on target — his only off-target attempt hitting the post — passed at an 81.3%, created three scoring chances for his teammates, and finished with goal contributions on three of Orlando’s four against the team’s most bitter rival. For his efforts, our Sean Rollins correctly named him Man of the Match in our Player Grades post for the game.

2025 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff awarded Muriel a composite rating of 6.5 out of 10 for his 2025 season. This is half a point higher than his 2024 rating of 6. There’s no doubt that Muriel took a step forward in 2025, and he was a dominant player a few times. In August, he was playing his best soccer and it looked like Orlando City might even make a run at the Supporters’ Shield. However, like a few others, Muriel tailed off. Unlike those others, he faded more dramatically down the stretch, earning just a 4.5 rating in three of his last six matches of the year. While the back-to-back games in which he totaled five goals and an assist was perhaps an unsustainable level of form, he largely lived up to the expectations that come with his Designated Player tag up to that point in the season. After August, he hardly played at the level one might expect of a TAM player. Again, he wasn’t the only one who slipped in form, but the team didn’t look as dangerous with him as it did without him over the final six weeks of the season, which prevented a higher grade.

2026 Outlook

Muriel is under contract for one more season, but it might be in the club’s best interests to try to transfer him out before that deal expires. At 34, Muriel’s best years are behind him, and although he was downright lethal at times in 2025, Orlando City might better be served by freeing up that Designated Player slot and using it on someone who can more consistently provide the game-changing plays that the club needs from its DPs. Ojeda and Marco Pasalic (if the latter doesn’t transfer out with reported interest from the Bundesliga) both scored more goals than Muriel and lived up to DP expectations more consistently despite making far less money than Muriel’s $2.5 million base salary and $4 million guaranteed total compensation.

He showed what he can do when he’s at his best, and when he’s at that level, he’s worth being the club’s most expensive player. But if Muriel returns for 2026, the Lions will need him to maintain his form and his consistency during the critical final weeks of the regular season and into the playoffs. Otherwise, that is money that could be better spent.

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Orlando City

2025 Orlando City Season in Review: Duncan McGuire

The MLS SuperDraft pick was limited by injuries during his third year in purple.

Published

2 days ago

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November 7, 2025

By

Image of Duncan McGuire celebrating his winning goal against Nashville SC.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City chose Duncan McGuire with the sixth overall selection in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft. He then spent his rookie year locking down the starting striker position and played well enough to get a contract offer from Blackburn Rovers, only for the deal to never materialize due to some issues with the paperwork.

Blackburn’s loss was Orlando City’s gain during the 2024 season, as McGuire contributed 10 goals and three assists to the cause, and earned a new contract in the process. He suffered a shoulder injury in the playoffs that required off-season surgery, meaning that he started the 2025 season on the sidelines as he worked his way back to full fitness. Unfortunately, he then had another shoulder surgery in June of this year, which kept him out until late August.

Let’s take a look at Big Dunc’s 2025 season.

Statistical Breakdown

McGuire made 18 regular-season appearances for Orlando in 2025, with six of them coming as a starter, and accumulated 726 minutes on the field. That limited time in action meant that his numbers took an understandable dip, and he finished with three goals and two assists. He attempted 19 shots and put five of them on target. The big striker passed the ball with 72% accuracy while completing 19 key passes, one cross, and one long ball. Defensively, he recorded one tackle, one interception, and 13 clearances. He also committed eight fouls while suffering 12 and picked up one yellow card.

McGuire started the wild card game up top alongside Martin Ojeda in a 4-4-2, and went the full 90 minutes. He took one shot, which he put on target, and passed the ball with 75% accuracy while also completing one key pass. Defensively, he contributed one clearance and drew one foul.

He appeared in both of Orlando City’s U.S. Open Cup matches as a substitute, compiling 51 minutes on the field. He scored one goal, which came in the 5-0 rout of the Tampa Bay Rowdies, and took two shots (one on target). He contributed one interception and passed with 94.5% accuracy. McGuire committed one foul and was not booked.

The striker made two substitute appearances in Orlando’s Leagues Cup campaign and totaled 23 minutes of action. He took one shot, which was off target, and provided a key pass while distributing the ball with 83.5% accuracy. He contributed one clearance but did not record any other defensive stats.

Best Game

McGuire got his first league goal of the season in a 1-0 home win over the Portland Timbers on May 24. The big forward started up top alongside Luis Muriel and was withdrawn in the 67th minute after smashing a 39th-minute game winner past Maxime Crepeau with authority.

Aside from the goal, McGuire took two shots on the night (one on target), completed one dribble, and passed with 77.8% accuracy while delivering a key pass. Defensively, he contributed one tackle, one interception, and one clearance.

That performance earned him a grade of 7.5 out of 10 from our Nic Josey in his Player Grades piece, and he narrowly missed out on the Man of the Match award to Eduard Atuesta, who also earned a score of 7.5.

2025 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff awarded McGuire a composite grade of 6 out of 10 for the 2025 season, which is a point lower than he earned in 2024, and a point-and-a-half lower than 2023. That being said, context is very important here, as McGuire played almost 900 fewer regular-season minutes than he did in the Lions’ previous campaign. While some of that can be attributed to Luis Muriel keeping him out of the team during a hot start to the campaign, the two months he spent recovering from injury are an extenuating circumstance that can and should be considered.

2026 Outlook

We know that McGuire is under contract with the club through the 2027 season, so barring a sale or trade, he will be in an Orlando City uniform next season. As things currently stand, the striker position isn’t very deep following the departure of Ramiro Enrique, and it could get even shallower if the front office decides to move on from Muriel. The club will presumably target attacking help during the off-season, but McGuire is a known quantity to Oscar Pareja and has shown himself to be capable of scoring goals across multiple seasons, so he figures to have a role to play in the team’s plans at striker.

The biggest question with Duncan right now is whether or not he can stay healthy. Having labral repairs in both shoulders inside a calendar year isn’t exactly a common occurrence, but it’s still never good for a guy to spend that much time on the shelf. He’s been able to score when he’s getting consistent minutes on the field, and that’s the key for him next year. Stay healthy and available, and the goals will likely come.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/7/25

Alex Freeman called up, Orlando Pride host Seattle tonight, Pride players nominated for The Best FIFA Women’s 11, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

November 7, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Not only is it Friday, but it’s also game day! The Orlando Pride’s playoff campaign kicks off tonight and I’m a bundle of nerves and excitement. If you’re headed to the stadium for tonight’s game, make sure to stay warm and hydrated. Have fun too! Let’s get to the links.

Alex Freeman Called Up for Friendlies

Orlando City right back Alex Freeman was one of 25 players called up by United States Men’s National Team Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino for friendlies against Paraguay and Uruguay this month. Freeman has made 11 appearances for the USMNT this year, but we’ll see how much action he sees with both Sergino Dest and Joe Scally returning to the fold. Giovanni Reyna is also back with the team, while Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, and Tim Weah are a few of the notable omissions. The USMNT will take on Paraguay in Pennsylvania on Nov. 15 before coming to Florida for a friendly against Uruguay in Tampa on Nov. 18.

NWSL Playoffs Kick Off Tonight

The Orlando Pride host the Seattle Reign at 8 p.m. tonight in the first game of this year’s NWSL playoffs. Although the Kansas City Current are the favorites heading into the postseason, any team can make a run at lifting the trophy. The defending champion Pride enter tonight’s game on a five-game unbeaten run with some needed momentum for a tough match against a Reign side that has found results despite struggling to create chances this year. Orlando will need to be at its best this month in order to win it all for the second year in a row.

Pride Players Nominated for FIFA Awards

The Pride’s Barbra Banda, Marta, Emily Sams, and Anna Moorhouse were all nominated for The Best FIFA Women’s 11, which honors the top performers in the world from Aug. 11 of 2024 to Aug. 2 of this year. The Pride had a historic season last year, with Banda, Marta, and Sams all being named to the 2024 NWSL Best XI First Team. Pride Head Coach Seb Hines is nominated for The Best FIFA Women’s Coach as well, while Moorhouse is also nominated for The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper. Make sure to vote!

Bradley Carnell Named MLS Coach of the Year

Speaking of awards, Philadelphia Union Head Coach Bradley Carnell was announced as the winner of the 2025 Sigi Schmid MLS Coach of the Year Award. In Carnell’s first year as head coach, the Union won a club-record 20 games this season and won the Supporters’ Shield. Philadelphia’s defense conceded just 35 goals this season and the team only lost once at home. Carnell garnered 37.78% of the total vote to win the award, with Vancouver Whitecaps Head Coach Jesper Sorensen coming in second with 26.53% and San Diego FC Head Coach Mikey Varas finishing third with 19.82%.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City defender David Brekalo was called up for Slovenia’s World Cup qualifiers against Kosovo and Sweden this month. Slovenia is third in the group and will need a win against Kosovo on Nov. 15 to remain in contention to qualify.

That’s all I have for you all this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

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