Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Toronto FC: Player Grades and Man of the Match
Orlando City finally snapped a summer-long losing streak with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Toronto FC — just the club’s second victory over the Reds in 10 meetings. The Lions got on the board first and were able to double the lead before hanging on late to capture the win.
It was a good team win and one we’ve all been waiting for for quite a while. But how did the players rate individually? Let’s get to the evaluations.
Starters
GK, Earl Edwards Jr., 6.5 — “The Landlord” picked up his first ever MLS win and although his teammates helped him keep most of Toronto’s chances from less dangerous spots, he was still forced into a point-blank 1-v-1 save against the ever-dangerous Sebastian Giovinco in the 59th minute. His distribution could have been better — his throws were great but his kicks were sometimes a bit off — but there was little he could do about Hagglund’s late goal, as the Toronto defender came out of nowhere and tucked it in the far corner. Earl made three saves on Toronto’s four shots and probably gets a higher score here if he sees more shots. Great game to build on for Edwards.
D, Mohamed El-Munir, 6 — We saw a bit of a new side of El-Munir in this game. The left back played solidly on the defensive end and still gave us flashes of the attacking play he’s known for — but only flashes. He finished with two tackles, two interceptions, and three clearances, but more importantly he was better positionally than we’ve seen most of the season. The caveat here is that he failed to see the danger of Nick Hagglund on Toronto’s late stoppage-time goal and allowed the Reds’ defender to get inside of him. His 74% passing rate will need to be improved upon, but he was 2/2 on long balls and created a scoring chance.
D, Amro Tarek, 6 — The Egyptian played a mostly solid match but he did concede an unnecessary late foul that allowed Toronto to spoil the clean sheet. He finished with one tackle, two interceptions, and four clearances. His 84.6% passing rate was good but he wasn’t great on his long ball accuracy (3/9).
D, Chris Schuler, 7 — Schuler may never score an easier goal in his life but it was an important one, as the Lions got on the board first for the first time since April 21 and it allowed the team to settle into the game. His passing rate was 91.7% to lead the back line and his five clearances led Orlando. He also had two tackles and hit seven of his 10 long balls. He got abused by a Justin Morrow spin move in the first half but it was a mostly solid night for Chris and he’ll surely cherish his first goal as a Lion.
D, RJ Allen, 6.5 — RJ didn’t stuff the stat sheet, with one tackle, one interception, one clearance, and one block, but he kept a lot of the Toronto attack at bay and forced the Reds to play the ball backward a lot. He did a good job on Ryan Telfer, who had abused the Lions in Toronto, including fighting him to a stalemate in the 27th minute. He was 2/2 in cross accuracy and created a scoring chance, while completing 85.4% of his passes on the night. He came within a few feet of his first Orlando City goal in the 44th minute.
MF, Yoshimar Yotún, 7 — Yoshi probably would have a higher grade but he kind of faded from the game for about a 20-minute period of the second half. He created two chances, fired a shot on goal in the 20th minute — a screamer of a hopeful attempt from midfield that Alex Bono could only fight off for a corner — and drew five fouls on Toronto. He tied for the team lead in tackles (4) and made two interceptions. He completed 86% of his passes but his crosses (1/6) and long balls (6/12) weren’t up to his usual standards.
MF, Will Johnson, 7 — As usually happens with defensive midfielders, you barely notice them unless they do something wrong. Johnson did very little wrong on this night, completing 97.3% of his passes (2/2 on long balls) with a tackle and a clearance. He didn’t contribute a lot offensively, getting none of his three shots on frame, but his role was to stay home while Yotún roamed forward and he did a good job following Giovinco around the middle of the pitch and limiting the Italian’s influence on the game (as much as anyone realistically can).
MF, Tony Rocha, 7 — A surprise starter in the attacking midfield in JOC’s 4-2-3-1, Rocha had a solid match. He got an early shot blocked in the ninth minute and should have scored in the 42nd when his header sailed high after a terrific pass in from Sacha Kljestan, but he was influential all night on both ends. His terrific pass in the 44th found Dom Dwyer on a break and nearly led to a goal but Chris Mueller had his shot blocked and the follow-up from Allen was just wide. His four tackles matched Yotún’s total and he completed a solid 81% of his passes.
MF, Sacha Kljestan, 7 — It was another solid night for Sacha, who completed an impressive 89.6% of his passes, went 3/3 on long balls and 1/2 on crosses, with three key passes — a team high. He chipped in two tackles on defense and nearly scored on a late free kick that just missed the target but caught Bono flat-footed.
MF, Chris Mueller, 7 — If there’s a criticism for Mueller’s game it’s that he was probably a bit too unselfish. We got his typical hustle and work rate and he assisted on Dwyer’s second-half goal. He fired four shots, getting one on target, a 90th-minute effort that forced a good save from Bono. Defensively, he registered one clearance.
F, Dom Dwyer, 7.5 (MotM) — Dom was a menace all night, firing a team-high five shots and getting four of them on frame. He also created with two key passes on the night. His 60% passing rate isn’t much to write home about but with nearly all those passes coming in the final third, the degree of difficulty is higher. He essentially gifted Schuler a goal with his smash on target that Bono could only fight off and he doubled the Lions’ lead just three minutes after the restart on an unstoppable shot. Then he energized the crowd with his trademark back flip. It was a difficult decision to make him MotM, but so many players were fairly even and he was heavily involved in both goals, giving him the slightest edge for me.
Substitutes
MF, Dillon Powers (55’), 5.5 — The head-banded one subbed on for Rocha and was mostly solid if unspectacular. He completed 93% of his passes and created a scoring chance, while blocking one shot. He wasn’t terribly active, touching the ball only 16 times in his 35 minutes of work but he was mostly asked to gum up passing lanes, defend, and keep it simple.
D, Donny Toia (76’), 5.5 — Toia came on for Johnson but took up his customary left back spot as El-Munir pushed forward into the midfield. He completed all seven of his passes and won the team a late corner but was otherwise not involved much overall. He registered one clearance on defense.
F, Stefano Pinho (86’), N/A — Pinho came on for Dwyer and didn’t have a lot of time to influence the proceedings. He completed three of his four passes and didn’t register a shot.
Well, that’s the way I saw it. What did you see? Be sure to vote for your Man of the Match in our poll below.
Polling Closed
| Player | Votes |
| Earl Edwards Jr. | 27 |
| Yoshimar Yotún | 34 |
| Dom Dwyer | 60 |
| Sacha Kljestan | 2 |
| Will Johnson | 2 |
| Chris Mueller | 13 |
| Other (comment below) | 4 |
Orlando City
Ranking Orlando City’s MLS Away Kits
Where does the new Sunken Treasure kit rank all time?
With the release of Orlando City’s newest away kit, I thought it appropriate to rank all of the Lions’ MLS-era away kits to see how the new “Sunken Treasure” kit stacks up against those from the past. As I said last year regarding the home kit rankings, I’m no fashion guru, but I do know what I like.
I welcome everyone’s opinions on this topic, but since I’m writing the article, I get final say. Let’s rank Orlando City’s away kits.
Seventh Place
The Heart and Soul kit has the misfortune of coming in last place in the rankings. It is not a bad or ugly kit, I just think the others are better. For me, it’s the stark shoulder separation that I don’t like. It feels disjointed, like the color on the front was an add-on or that someone forgot to extend it up to the rest of the kit. While I don’t mind the three stripes being oriented front to back on just one side, I like the more traditional two-sided Adidas stripes formation.
Sixth Place
The look of the second-ever away kit was so close to being fantastic. First the good. The purple sleeves look great, especially with the gold ring near the cuff. And seeing the original Orlando Health logo certainly brings back memories. Now the not so good. I always prefer to have the Adidas stripes on the shoulder, though they’re not horrible running down the sides. The faux collar is the downfall of this kit. If it had a real collar it would be much higher up the rankings.
Fifth Place
The Sunshine Kit brought the first splash of color other than purple to the away kit. The way it blended into — or more accurately out of — the purple shorts looked very good. It also didn’t have the cutoff shoulder feel of the Heart and Soul kit. In fact, we get the traditional stripes with a ringer around the collar. It’s a nice touch.
Fourth Place
There is definitely something to be said about an almost completely white kit. The Origin Kit was so clean that it only needed two colors. Even the crest is monochromatic purple rather than the usual gold, purple, and white. Purple-accented Adidas stripes, cuff rings and a thin ringer at the V-neck are the only splashes of color to be found. It’s the type of kit you can wear out to a nice dinner. Just don’t order the spaghetti.
Third Place
You never forget your first…away kit. The amount of thought that went into the Inaugural City kit is impressive. It is seemingly simple and straightforward but full of little details. I love the overlapping collar with just a bit of gold. The Adidas stripes in the proper place and the original Orlando Health logo make this the classic it deserves to be. It might be at third place in the rankings, but it will always be the first.
Second Place
The new Sunken Treasure kit is striking. It is the first kit that uses gold as the primary color. The sublimated lion head is picturesque in detail. The Adidas stripes are in the right place, and the triple stripe at the cuffs and neckline are a nice touch. Paired with the purple shirts, I know that this is going to be a sought-after jersey for years to come. My only personal issue is I don’t look good in yellow. However, as I said on The Mane Land PawedCast, I will reserve final judgment on my potential purchase of the kit until I see it in person. I also want to add that the social media release of the kit was very well done.
First Place
As much as I like the new kit, it will be hard to ever top the Legacy Kit. We have the return of the Three Lions crest and the red color from the USL days. The very light purple used as the primary color is subtle, original, and looks really good. I like the three-color combo and button on the collar. The matching shorts bring the whole thing together like The Dude’s rug. This is such a departure from normal away kits that I literally have it framed on my wall.
There you have it. As for the kits, I’d love to hear how you rank them in the comments below. For now, you can select the spot where you’d place the Sunken Treasure kit in the poll below. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 2/12/26
Orlando City wins preseason game, Nolan Miller readies for rookie season, Hailie Mace settling in with the Orlando Pride, and more.
How’s it going, Mane Landers? It’s been a pretty hectic for me so far this week, but it’s nothing some ABBA and baking can’t help with. The return of Orlando soccer is right around the corner and I’m looking forward to seeing our favorite players back in action. Until then though, let’s enjoy today’s links from around the soccer world!
Orlando City Wins Preseason Game
Although Orlando City continues to keep most of the details of its preseason results close to the chest, we at least know that the Lions beat FC Cincinnati 3-2 in Tampa. Cincy got the scoring started with a goal from Evander, but Orlando came out swinging in the second half by scoring three goals in just five minutes. Martin Ojeda bagged a brace, with 20-year-old winger Tiago maintaining his solid preseason form with a goal as well. It’s a nice result and the Lions will play their final preseason game Saturday against the Colorado Rapids in a match open to season ticket members.
Nolan Miller Ready for Rookie Season
Drafted by the Lions with the ninth overall pick in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft, Nolan Miller spoke on how he fit the profile Orlando’s coaching staff was looking for in a center back in the draft. The 21-year-old can play out of the back and possesses leadership qualities as evidenced by deciding to stay at Michigan to help build the program into a Big Ten championship contender as its captain. Signed to a first-team contract earlier this month, Miller discussed how he’s mentally prepared for his rookie season in the MLS.
“I’ll tell you this, I’m the biggest guy in my mindset,” he said. “If you start thinking, ‘Wow, this is a big jump,’ it will be a big jump. But I tell myself I belong every day. I belong at this level. I know I belong. I’m mentally there, I’m physically there, and if I’m not there today, I’m going to be there tomorrow.”
Hailie Mace Finding Her Footing in Orlando
Orlando Pride defender Hailie Mace is the most notable addition to the Pride’s roster this off-season and she spoke on how she’s settling in with Orlando after a terrific season with the Kansas City Current. Like the Current, the Pride have boasted one of the league’s best defenses in recent years, and Mace fits the team’s defensive mindset. That being said, Head Coach Seb Hines could have her making more of an impact on offense in the City Beautiful.
“Seb wants me to join the attack more and play through the lines and those sort of things,” she said. “So I think he’s challenging me in that aspect. I would have liked to be more involved in the attack last year, but that wasn’t my role on the team. Coming here, having the freedom to join the attack and Seb encouraging me to do it, it’s nice and fun, and I’m excited to be able to do that.”
She also talked about how going up against attackers like Marta and Barbra Banda in training will only make her a better player. It’s hardly the first time Mace is adapting to a new team environment in her career, so hopefully she can be a difference maker for the Pride this season.
NWSL Star Midfielders On the Move
It seems we’re still in the NWSL’s silly season, as the Current made a pair of major trades. American attacking midfielder Croix Bethune is no longer with the Washington Spirit after being traded to the Current in exchange for $900,000 in intra-league transfer funds and $100,000 in Allocation Money. Bethune requested the move according to Spirit President of Soccer Operations Haley Carter and gives the Current a young and talented playmaker.
That’s not all though. The Current also traded defensive midfielder Claire Hutton to Bay FC in exchange for $1.1 million in intra-league transfer funds. The 20-year-old was a finalist for NWSL Rookie of the Year in 2024 and started 22 games for the Current last season, making the NWSL Best XI First Team.
Free Kicks
- Gustavo Caraballo scored a great goal in Orlando City B’s scrimmage against the U.S. Virgin Islands.
- Orlando City’s latest jersey placed 16th in CBS Sports’ rankings of the new MLS jerseys for the upcoming season. It’s nice to not be at the bottom of the list, where basic kits from Inter Miami and Nashville SC are joined by messy tries by St. Louis City and the Houston Dynamo.
- A big change is coming to the SheBelieves Cup, as any matches that end in a draw will now go to a penalty shootout for an additional point. There will also be new rules regarding rosters, with teams now able to field 26-player rosters for the tournament.
- U.S. soccer legend Abby Wambach announced that she is leaving Casey Wasserman’s talent agency and called for him to resign following the reveal of correspondence between him and Ghislaine Maxwell in the Jeffrey Epstein files.
- Lionel Messi did not participate in training due to a muscle strain in his hamstring. The club’s friendly against Puerto Rico was postponed to Feb. 26, which is just a few days before its match against Orlando City on March 1.
- Tottenham sacked Thomas Frank amid a disastrous season that has the club just five points above the relegation zone.
That’s all I have for you all this around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 2/11/26
New Orlando City kit drops, Orlando City and Orlando Pride preseasons, MLS club valuations, and more.
Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling a bit anxious about the upcoming season. I think it’s because we don’t know much of what is going on. We’re only a few weeks away from the first match for goodness sake. Hopefully, we’ll see some more signings for both clubs, but until then let’s get to the links.
Orlando City’s New Kit
Orlando City dropped the new Sunken Treasure secondary kit yesterday, and it is a stunner. This is the first time the club has used gold as the primary color on a jersey. It looks great with the purple shorts, and the purple stripes. There are some great details like the coin on the collar and sublimated lion head on the chest. This is truly one of the better kits that Orlando City has introduced. The club produced a great reveal video. Check it out.
Orlando Preseasons
There’s not a ton of information to convey regarding Orlando City’s and the Orlando Pride’s preseasons. That seems to be purposeful on the part of the club, but a little news did slip out via social media. New center back Iago is fully participating in practice.
We also learned that goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau is back in training after missing last week. Of course, the Pride got in the action as well with various players trying to run drills. I’ll let you judge how well they did.
MLS Club Valuations
MLS clubs are increasing in value, including Orlando City. Sportico released the list of all MLS club valuations (paywall). Unsurprisingly, the top five were all big market teams with Inter Miami leading the way. When the Wilf family purchased Orlando City, they paid between $400 and $450 million. Now it is estimated to be worth approximately $565 million. That’s pretty good growth.
Chris Mueller’s Lost Year
We missed this last November, but former Orlando City attacker Chris Mueller had a tough time of things in 2025. The player was diagnosed with pericarditis. It meant that he couldn’t sleep laying down, let alone play or practice. He is now on the other side of it and has a new contract. It was a year of lessons for Mueller, and in typical fashion he has bounced back stronger.
Free Kicks
- The Lions weren’t the only team to announce new jerseys. There were 16 other clubs that did the same, though none are as nice as Orlando City’s new kit.
- The USMNT U-17 squad has secured a spot in the U-17 World Cup. The berth came after a 1-1 draw against the Dominican Republic.
- Former England, Chelsea, and Juventus forward Eni Aluko has reignited her debate over female pundits in soccer.
- Defender Noahkai Banks will not be switching from the USMNT to Germany despite contact from the German federation.
That will do it for today, me hearties. I hope you have a wonderful day. Vamos Orlando!
Ranking Orlando City’s MLS Away Kits
Lion Links: 2/12/26
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