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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. LA Galaxy: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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6 years ago

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Orlando City gave up a lead on the road again, this time falling to the LA Galaxy, 4-3 in a tough loss. Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored a hat trick to lead the Galaxy to victory as Orlando just was not able to keep up in the slugfest. In spite of not getting a result, the Lions played well offensively and here is how each Lion rated individually in the match.

Starters

GK, Earl Edwards Jr., 6.5 — Started the match strong and had his first real taste of the Galaxy attack in the seventh minute on an Ibrahimovic shot directly at him. Earl had an amazing cross-hand save in the 43rd minute on a header from Ola Kamara. He had numerous great saves against Zlatan, but possibly none better than the one-on-one save after Zlatan striped the ball away from Chris Schuler in the box and ended up alone with just Edwards to beat. Not a lot Earl could do on most of the goals as the back line left him high and dry.

D, Victor “PC” Giro, 5.5 — Starting at the left back position again, PC looked extremely shaky in the first half. He did get forward on the wings and was able to track back when required, the chaos of the back line left him isolated numerous times with Zlatan, who he stood up well once but could not out-jump him on the Galaxy’s second goal. His defensive positoning was questionable, but I am not sure if it was all on him, or simply a byproduct of the lack of cohesion on the back line. Also, 93% passing.

D, Amro Tarek, 5 — Tarek was beaten in the air on the buildup to Zlatan’s second goal and then got beat in a race into his own area by Ibrahimovic, who finished a diving header off of Kamara’s cross. Had a great chance in the later stages of the match on a set piece, but could not get his header down. Unfortunately, his clearance header in the 71st minute went to a wide open Zlatan for his third, and the goal that gave the Galaxy the 4-3 lead.

D, Chris Schuler, 5 — Rough night for the defensive line, and Schuler certainly showed it. Although he finished the match with an 88% passing success, he was slow to recover on the dangerous Galaxy counters, was out of position too often, and the failed pass attempts were in dangerous positions and most led to LA chances. He also failed to get much distance on his headed clearances, leading to more sustained LA pressure in the second half.

D, Scott Sutter , 5.5 — It is certainly good to have Sutter back in the starting XI, but his lack of minutes was apparent. It was a bit quiet on the right side for the Lions, in fact the match, as most of the action was focused on the Lions’ left. He was the typical workhorse we have come to expect, but he started to look a bit tired after about the 65th minute.

MF, Cristian Higuita, 7 — How long will we be discussing that 18th minute passing and goal? Higuita was a man possessed on the pitch, leaving little open in the middle, with his one misstep seen in the challenge on Giovani Dos Santos at the top of the box in the 63rd minute It is amazing to watch his growth and progression, and you could certainly see the positive strides he has made in skill and attitude, plus a goal, 91% passing, and two shots.

MF, Tony Rocha, 6 — Played very well in the middle, completing 93% of his passes and three successful tackles. As with many of the other defensive-minded players, there were moments of being caught out of position and Rocha was not immune to this. Also, Rocha had a shot blocked in the 67th minute when he should have pushed the ball out to the left into wide open space. That block allowed a dangerous LA counter.

MF, Mohamed El-Munir, 7 — Although he has openly said it is not his favorite position to play, El-Munir looked like a natural playing the left midfield spot. Between the overlaps with PC, the interchange with Kljestan and Yoshi, and driving the end line, looking for Dom, as well as getting back to help the defense, it was also refreshing to see a Lion have no problem taking a shot on goal, and El-Munir ended the match with four shots, one on target with two blocked, and an assist.

MF, Sacha Kljestan, 7.5 (MotM) — As stated above, how long will we be talking about the interplay between Kljestan and Higuita on that first goal? That is what we have been waiting for from the league assist king, and he certainly showed up. Cannot argue that he got a bit lucky on the Michael Ciani own goal as he honestly should have put his laces through the ball and taken the shot, but if not for Ciani’s own goal, his pass would have hit Yotún in stride. He finished with just 81% passing accuracy, but held almost six percent of the Lions’ possession, and certainly helped to drive the offense. This was easily his best match in a long time, even on those tired legs.

MF, Yoshimar Yotun, 7 — Still running around on the pitch like a man with a chip on his shoulder, Yoshi started this match on the right side of the midfield, but didn’t play there the entire match. In fact, he seemed to be on the left infinitely more than on the right. His passing accuracy was a bit lower than normal at 83%, but he also held almost seven percent of the Lions’ possession. He was easily one of the most dangerous players for the Lions and it was obvious that the Galaxy were marking him closely.

F, Dom Dwyer, 7 — Dwyer was barely mentioned or seen in the first half, but the second was a completely different story. In the 54th minute, Dom was able to get that separation he is known for, rising for a cross from El-Munir, and burying a header in the back of the net, leaving David Bingham flat-footed. Possibly the biggest moment for Dom was in the 85th as he was pulled back in a two-armed bear hug trying to get under a ball in the box with no call. It was the perfect opportunity for a review, as it certainly looked like Dom was fouled.

Substitutes

M, Will Johnson (74’), 6.5 — Johnson came on for Huigita and had the same tireless work ethic we have come to expect. Completed all eight of his passes and made one tackle.

F, Stefano Pinho (79’), 5 — Pinho came on with about 10 minutes left in the match to try to inject some energy in the offense. He had a great chance in the 88th on a cross from Yoshi that should have been on frame, but he headed it over the bar. The hustle was there, but the quality just has not surfaced yet.

M, Josué Colmán (84’), N/A — Dangerous from the moment he stepped on the pitch. It is almost impossible to grade him in the time allowed, but he certainly made every effort to positively affect the match, and certainly made the right side dangerous despite flubbing a late cross from Kljestan that he should have been able to send back across the box.

That is how I saw it, with a little help, and suggestions, from fellow contributors. It was an exciting match, and one that the Lions should have secured points in, but the hectic July schedule may have just caught up to them in the second half. How would you rate the players this match, and who was your Man of the Match? Vote below, and let me know how you rated the squad in the comments.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Dom Dwyer1
Cristian Higuita45
Earl Edwards Jr.28
Sacha Kljestan35
Yoshimar Yotún7
Other10

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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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23 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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