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Orlando City vs. Seattle Sounders: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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8 years ago

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Orlando City didn’t win. While that’s not news, at least the Lions fought back and made a game of a match that began looking like it was going to be another lopsided blowout loss. The team started slowly and at times seemed to not even care but after falling behind 2-0, the lads in purple showed some resolve and some pride in fighting to the end, scoring in the second half pressing until the final whistle.

The positives? Well, the club snapped a 507-minute scoreless drought through Dom Dwyer and there were opportunities to tie things up but the shots didn’t go in. The negatives? There are many, starting with the team setting a new MLS record for goals conceded in a season (72 and counting) and only one win in the last 23 games.

Let’s just get to the grades before the tears blur my vision.

Starters

GK, Adam Grinwis, 5.5 — The young keeper got caught on the first Sounders goal — too far off his line but not close enough to Victor Rodriguez — and looked bad as a result. There was nothing he could do about the second, which took a deflection off his teammate. Grinwis wasn’t as sharp with his passing in this match as in his first two but generally speaking he held his positioning well and had to come out of his box a few times in the second half with his teammates pushed up the pitch to avoid trouble.

D/MF, Will Johnson, 6.5 — It was just another night at the office for Will, who worked hard, passed well (91%), created three chances, attempted one shot, and had two tackles, an interception, and a clearance. He tracked back well although he nearly put a ball in his own net sneaking in from behind to deny a Seattle scoring chance. He played all over the pitch, starting at left back and moving into the midfield after a halftime shape change. He led the team with 88 touches on the night — 10 more than the next highest total.

D, Lamine Sané, 6 — The big man started a bit slowly with a couple of wayward pass attempts but he settled into the game nicely, ending at 96% pass accuracy, a team high four clearances, one tackle, and three interceptions. He commanded the back line well, especially when the team went to a three-man line. His biggest issue came early when Victor Rodriguez split the two center backs and headed in the first goal but it was difficult for me to see which player was responsible for him.

D, Shane O’Neill, 6 — O’Neill had a bit of a bad break when the ball deflected into the goal off of him in the 13th minute. He and Sané should have communicated better on the first goal when Rodriguez split the two on a run and headed over Grinwis. He finished with a tackle, two interceptions, two clearances and a blocked shot. He played a more advanced role in the second half, often getting forward to help with the attack. He passed at a 91% rate and had one cross in the match.

D, Scott Sutter, 6 — It was a mixed night for Sutter who got roasted on the first Seattle goal and allowed players in behind multiple times in the first half. But he was great in the attack and the Orlando goal wouldn’t have happened without his service. He had a blistering shot in the first half that forced a good diving save from Stefan Frei and created three chances on the night. His 92% passing rate was good and he had one tackle, two interceptions and a clearance. If not for the early defensive issues, he would have definitely been a clear cut Man of the Match.

MF, Oriol Rosell, 6 — Uri returned after an ankle injury and put in a full shift with mixed results. He looked like he could have done better closing down Rodriguez on the opening goal after Sutter lost him. He did well in the middle of the pitch, with three tackles and a team high five interceptions. He created two chances, had one shot attempt (off target), and passed at a 91% rate. It was a decent night for the Spaniard.

MF/D, Carlos Ascues, 5.5 — The Peruvian started at defensive midfield but shifted to the left side of the three-man back line in the second half. His 86% passing rate was the worst of anyone who played on the back line through the night and position didn’t matter because it was 85% at halftime when he had played only in the midfield. He had one key pass, two tackles, and two interceptions, and took an unnecessary yellow card late in the match.

MF, Cristian Higuita, 4 — The Colombian was poor on this night in my view — not terrible but certainly below what we’re used to from him this season. His passing rate of 79% wasn’t great but more than that he seemed not to care much. Most of his forays into the attacking third didn’t end well, with poor passing, backing out of a promising attack, or just a lack of ideas. Then again, that’s not his skill set. He produced no tackles and had only one interception, so even his usual good defense wasn’t on display, and he was slow tracking back in transition several times in the first half.

MF, Sacha Kljestan, 4.5 — While his 88% passing rate (on a team high 70 passes) and two chances created were good, Sacha was wasteful with his chances, getting none of his four shot attempts on frame, including a golden opportunity late to tie the game on a sweet give-and-go with Josué Colmán.

MF, Chris Mueller, 5.5 — If anyone could turn Mueller’s work rate into tangible success, it would be nice to see. Once again he ran his tail off, won a couple corners, but didn’t have much to show for it. He attempted one shot that was off frame, and passed at a 96% rate, but did not create any scoring chances. There were a few opportunities for him to make runs but he held his position at the top of the area and it took away options in the attack for his teammates. That’s something he’ll learn to do better with as he develops. A good example of that was when he picked up the secondary assist on the Lions’ goal. He dished off to Sutter and then stood and watched as the ball went in to the only Orlando player in the area instead of giving Sutter a second option. Defensively he had one tackle.

F, Dom Dwyer, 6.5 (MotM) — Dom finally broke the 507-minute drought and for that he edges out Johnson and Sutter for game MVP honors. He beat Kelvin Leerdam with a good back post run and put a difficult bouncing ball into the net past Stefan Frei. Like Johnson and Mueller, he ran and worked all night, and with Seattle’s defensive posture, he had to work that hard just to get touches. His passing rate was only 60% but several times he tried passing into the box from wide areas expecting runs from teammates that never came. He led the team with five shot attempts and had two of Orlando’s three shots on goal.

Substitutes

MF, Josué Colmán (58’), 5.5 — As usual, the Paraguayan had a couple individual moments of brilliance but there was a whole lot of nothing in between, including some loafing on plays where he could have made a difference. His back heel to Kljestan in the 73rd minute on a give-and-go was spectacular and should have resulted in an equalizer. Neither of his two shots were on target but he did pass well at 94%, creating two scoring chances. Defensively he had one tackle.

MF, Richie Laryea (74’), 4 — With 18 touches, the Canadian should have done better than no shots, no chances created, and just a 72% passing rate. He got into the area in the 85th minute and had plenty of room to pull back a pass but opted instead to hold onto it and then went down looking for a penalty and instead gave Seattle a goal kick. He did draw a free kick from distance after a good run through traffic shortly after coming on.

Those are the individual performances as I saw them. Who stood out to you? Don’t forget to vote in the poll below.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Will Johnson6
Scott Sutter7
Uri Rosell18
Dom Dwyer14
Shane O’Neill7
Other13

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Lion Links: 6/22/26

OCB falls to Philadelphia Union II, Orlando City linked to Santiago Gimenez, USMNT defeats Australia in World Cup, and more.

Published

3 hours ago

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June 22, 2026

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Image of Matthew Belgodere of OCB firing a shot against Philadelphia Union II.
Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Justin Glatt

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida, and belated happy Father’s Day to all you dads out there. I checked out a couple of World Cup watch parties with friends up here in Chicago over the past week while staying busy at work. Besides that, I’ve been watching plenty of World Cup matches over the last few days. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

OCB Falls to Philadelphia Union II

Orlando City B fell 2-1 to Philadelphia Union II at Osceola County Stadium Sunday, ending its four-match winning streak. After a scoreless first half, Philadelphia took a 1-0 lead in the second half. Theo Reed added another for Philadelphia, increasing the lead to 2-0 . Bernardo Rhein pulled one back for the Young Lions with a goal in stoppage time, but it was not enough as Philadelphia held on for the three points and snapped its three-match winless streak. OCB will be back in action against Columbus Crew 2 Sunday at Osceola County Stadium.

Orlando City Linked with AC Milan Forward Santiago Gimenez

The latest transfer rumor links Orlando City with AC Milan forward Santiago Gimenez for a potential move to the club this summer. No official offer from the club has been made, but according to reports in Italy, Orlando City is prepared to offer a $30 million transfer fee for Gimenez for AC Milan to consider. AC Milan would be open to letting Gimenez leave the club if an appropriate offer arrives, as the club is reportedly set to pursue Paris Saint-Germain forward Goncalo Ramos.

USMNT Defeats Australia, Clinches Group

The U.S. Men’s National Team defeated Australia 2-0 at Lumen Field in Seattle Friday to win its second match in the group stage and advance to the knockout round in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Former Lion Alex Freeman played a full 90 minutes and scored his first World Cup goal. The Yanks took the lead from an own goal by Australia defender Cameron Burgess to take a 1-0 lead. Later in the first half, Freeman delivered a fantastic header that was initially ruled offside, though replay showed he was able to remain onside. After video review, the goal counted, extending the USMNT’s lead to 2-0, and the Yanks saw it out from there. The Americans held on to secure two consecutive wins in a World Cup for the first time since 1930, have clinched the top of Group D, and will face a third-place team in the Round of 32. The USMNT will face Turkey Thursday in its final group stage match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. After Friday’s match, midfielder Tyler Adams offered his perspective on Freeman’s goal.

World Cup Roundup

On Friday, Paraguay beat Turkey 1-0 to stay alive while eliminating its opponents from advancing to the knockout round. Orlando City midfielder Braian Ojeda was on Paraguay’s bench but did not play for the second straight game. Morocco defeated Scotland 1-0, and Matheus Cunha scored twice for Brazil in a 3-0 win over Haiti. On Saturday, the Netherlands crushed Sweden 5-1, Germany overturned a 1-0 deficit to defeat Ivory Coast 2-1, and Japan beat Tunisia 4-0. Curacao goalkeeper Eloy Room tied the modern FIFA World Cup saves record in regulation with former USMNT goalkeeper Tim Howard, making 15 saves in a scoreless draw against Ecuador and securing his country’s first-ever point in a World Cup match. On Sunday, Lamine Yamal started and scored his first World Cup goal for Spain in a 4-0 win against Saudi Arabia. Belgium and Iran played to a scoreless draw, Uruguay and Cape Verde settled for a 2-2 draw, and Egypt came from behind to beat New Zealand 3-1 in the late game. Today’s matches will feature Argentina facing Austria, France taking on Iraq, Norway battling Senegal, and Jordan playing Algeria.

Latest MLS Transfer News

While Major League Soccer is on break for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a few clubs have been busy finalizing moves ahead of the summer transfer window opening next month. Inter Miami is reportedly finalizing a deal to sign Fricio Caicedo.

Miami reportedly has reached a verbal agreement with former Manchester United midfielder Casemiro, although it has reportedly not yet reached a deal with the Galaxy for his Discorvery Rights.

Lastly, Robert Lewandowski has reportedly reached an agreement to join the Chicago Fire, with an announcement confirming the move is expected soon following his departure from FC Barcelona last month.

Free Kicks

  • Check out this shoutout from Orlando City on its social media pages to all the dads on the team for Father’s Day.
  • The English Premier League released its full schedule for all its clubs for the upcoming 2026-2027 season. The new season will kick off Aug. 21, with league champions Arsenal hosting Coventry City.
  • Ipswich Town is reportedly close to finalizing an agreement with RC Strasbourg manager Gary O’Neil to become the club’s new manager.

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

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Orlando City

Flashback Friday: June 18, 2022 vs. Houston Dynamo

Let’s relive a yellow-card filled match with the Dynamo that took place just over four years ago.

Published

3 days ago

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June 19, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

The main event for today is, of course, the United States Men’s National Team’s second game of group play against Australia this afternoon. I’ll be fortunate enough to take that game in live, and I’ll probably report back on it during Monday’s subscriber newsletter, so keep an eye out for that if you’re signed up! If you’re not, you can do that here (the newsletter is a TAM or DP level perk).

In the meantime though, let’s continue our reminiscence on some memorable Orlando City games from years gone by. Last week we relived a shutout win over the Colorado Rapids that took place a little over two years ago, and today we’ll be going a little farther into the archives to June 18, 2022 and a home match against the Houston Dynamo.

The Lions were in slightly uneven form going into the match. They were on a three-game winless run (0-1-2) in league play, a four-game winless run in all competitions (0-1-3 with a shootout win after a U.S. Open Cup draw against Inter Miami), and hadn’t picked up three points in just over a month. Changing that wasn’t going to be the easiest task due to Rodrigo Schlegel being unavailable for selection due to a suspension for yellow card accumulation.

That meant that Oscar Pareja’s team consisted of Pedro Gallese in goal; Joao Moutinho, Robin Jansson, Kyle Smith, and Ruan in defense; Cesar Araujo and Junior Urso in the double pivot; Jake Mulraney, Mauricio Pereyra, and Facundo Torres in attacking midfield; and Ercan Kara leading the line.

OCSC got off to a lively start and created its first chance after just two minutes, when Moutinho sent in a cross for Mulraney, whose effort was blocked. Kara sent a header straight at Houston goalkeeper Steve Clark shortly afterward, before Corey Baird sent a shot of his own into Gallese’s chest four minutes later.

Jansson then picked up a yellow for dissent in the 14th minute, which meant he’d miss the next game due to yellow card accumulation. The Dynamo seemingly took inspiration from his booking, as Robert Avila, Adam Lundqvist, and Matias Vera all picked up yellows of their own in the space of the next seven minutes.

Orlando finally provided a non-discipline-related event in the 25th minute, when it broke the deadlock. Pereyra played a delightful stabbed ball over the top of the defense with his first touch, which fell perfectly into the path of an onrushing Torres. He then used his own first touch to play the ball hard and low across the top of the six-yard box, where Kara was on hand to put it home from close range.

The next notable moment came in the form of — you guessed it — another yellow card, as Zeca picked up Houston’s fourth of the game in just the 32nd minute. Orlando responded by Mulraney carving out a good chance for Torres four minutes later, but his effort was blocked by defender Tim Parker. Pereyra then cut Orlando’s yellow card deficit in half in the 39th minute, as he fouled Baird and paid the price.

The closing moments of the half saw a flurry of activity. Pereyra got behind the defense in the 44th minute but could only send his shot directly at Clark. Just as the clock struck 45 minutes, the Lions thought they had a penalty after the ball hit Avila on the arm, but video review rightfully changed the call to a free kick on the edge of the box. Kara nearly scored as he was somewhat surprisingly the man to take the ensuing set piece, but Clark once again made a save to keep his team in the game.

Oh, and Teenage Hadebe picked up a yellow card in the 45th minute.

At halftime, the Lions boasted more possession (52.9%-47.1%), shots (9-3), and shots on goal (4-1), but just had the 1-0 lead to show for it. The Dynamo had a vastly superior lead in yellow cards (5-2).

Houston made a couple of changes at halftime, with Darwin Quintero coming on for Avila, and Daniel Steres coming on for Parker, but Orlando started the second half as hot as it had finished the first.

Clark saved from Urso in the 48th minute after the midfielder was set up well by Torres, but the game then entered a bit of a lull as both teams tried to adjust to the Dynamo substitutions. Fortunately for Orlando, things sprang back into life in the 57th minute. Moutinho put a ball into the box that Mulraney flicked on, and while Hadebe tried to clear it, he could only get it as far as Pereyra. The captain lashed the ball on the half-volley with his left foot, and it took the slightest of deflections off Kara and ended up in the net for the Austrian’s second of the night.

It took Houston less than a minute to cut Orlando’s 2-0 lead in half, though. Zeca sent a dangerous ball into the box from the right wing, and Carlos Ferreira was able to beat Smith to it. He stuck a great header into the far corner beyond a fully stretched Gallese, and the Dynamo had life at 2-1.

The Lions nearly got their own response just a minute after conceding, but Kara’s snapshot attempt at the top of the six-yard box flashed just wide, denying the big striker a hat trick.

The 64th minute saw Gallese come off his line to try to clear the danger during a Dynamo break, but he got none of the ball and all of Ferreira. Fortunately, referee Rosendo Mendoza was content to give El Pulpo a yellow card and the Lions managed to keep all 11 men on the field.

Pareja made a series of changes to try to keep Orlando fresh and in control, but Houston kept carving out good chances. The Dynamo hit the post with the free kick that was awarded for Gallese’s foul, and substitute Tyler Pasher forced El Pulpo into saves in the 72nd and 76th minutes to preserve OCSC’s slim advantage.

The 87th minute had hearts in mouths for the Orlando City faithful, as Thorleifur Ulfarsson went down in the box under pressure from Smith, and there were immediately questions about a foul. The Accountant was proven innocent by the replays though, and when Mendoza went to his pocket it was to show Ulfarsson a yellow card for simulation.

Orlando had a chance to put the game to bed as the clock ticked into the 90th minute, but Benji Michel put his shot over the bar from about seven yards away, and it looked to be a hugely consequential miss when Quintero put the ball into the net for Houston in the final minute of added time. The assistant referee rightfully pulled the play back for offside though, and the Lions managed to escape with a welcome three points.

The final stats saw Houston with the edge in possession (53.8%-46.2%) but the Lions with an edge in shots (18-13), shots on target (6-5), and duels won (52-45). Perhaps most crucially, the Dynamo finished with a whopping six yellow cards to Orlando’s pitiful (by comparison) three.

Ryan Smith handled our Player Grades for this one, and he gave Pereyra the Man of the Match nod with a grade of 8 out of 10. Other high earners were Kara with a 7.5, and Gallese and Torres, who each received a 7.

That’ll do it for today’s glimpse into the past. I’ll see you right back here next Friday for another trip down memory lane. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 6/19/26

USMNT takes on Australia today, Christian Pulisic’s availability still in question, Canada wins big, and more.

Published

3 days ago

on

June 19, 2026

By

Image of Maxime Crepeau taking a goal kick against Atlanta.
Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Happy Friday! Last Friday, we all got to enjoy the U.S. kicking off its World Cup campaign with an emphatic win. Hopefully, the Yanks can replicate that performance in today’s game. It should be a fun start to a weekend filled with soccer, including an Orlando City B home game on Sunday. If the soccer bug has bitten you this month, make sure to go out and support the Young Lions!

USMNT Hosts Australia Today in World Cup

The United States Men’s National Team returns to action this afternoon with a match against Australia in Seattle — the team’s second game of this year’s World Cup. Both teams won their first games of the tournament, with the U.S. dominating Paraguay 4-1 and Australia beating Turkiye 2-0. American forward Folarin Balogun scored a brace in that win and the U.S. will look to keep the attacking momentum flowing against a formidable Australian defense. A win tonight by either side would go a long way towards winning Group D, which would notably face one of the third-place teams to start the knockout stage.

Christian Pulisic’s Availability Up in the Air

It’s still unclear if American star Christian Pulisic will play for the USMNT today as he works his way back from injury. The 27-year-old notched an assist in the win against Paraguay but had to exit at halftime after aggravating a calf injury picked up in training. Sebastian Berhalter came on for him in that match, but it will be interesting to see if USMNT Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino opts for Giovanni Reyna or Tim Weah instead. Pochettino did state that he’ll be available for the game against Turkiye if he doesn’t play today, so that’s good at least.

Canada Cruises to Big Win Over Qatar

Orlando City goalkeeper Maxine Crepeau started in goal but had little to do in Canada’s 6-0 win over Qatar, which was its first-ever win at a World Cup. Former Lion Cyle Larin got the scoring started for Canada in the 16th minute with his second goal of the tournament and Jonathan David scored a hat trick. Qatar was reduced to 10 men when Homam Al-Amin was shown a straight red in the 32nd minute, and then Assim Madibo was sent off early in the second half for a tackle that resulted in a gruesome leg injury to Ismael Kone. The Canadian midfielder was stretchered off, and his replacement, Nathan Saliba, scored from a free kick and raised Kone’s shirt in celebration. Canada now sits atop Group B with a better goal differential than Switzerland, meaning it will win the group with a win or draw against the Swiss on Wednesday.

Keeping Up With the World Cup

As for the other Group B game, Switzerland beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 4-1 by scoring four times in the second half after the hydration break. Substitute Johan Manzambi scored twice, but Bosnia’s consolation goal from Ermin Mahmic could play a role in goal-differential tiebreakers. In Group A, South Africa kept its hopes alive thanks to a late penalty that Teboho Mokoena converted in a 1-1 draw against Czechia.

Along with the U.S. game, today’s action includes Morocco taking on Scotland and Brazil playing against Haiti in Group C. We’ll also get to see if Orlando City midfielder Braian Ojeda takes the field when Paraguay faces Turkiye late tonight.

Free Kicks

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

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