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2019 Orlando City Season in Review: Adam Grinwis

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Orlando City signed goalkeeper Adam Grinwis on Jan. 5, 2018. The former Saint Louis FC player was brought in to compete for the backup spot against Earl Edwards Jr. By the end of 2018, Grinwis had started the last four matches of the season, and five of the last six. Prior to Brian Rowe being brought in, it was assumed that Grinwis would compete for the starting position in 2019. With nicknames like “Grinny” and “The Grinch,” he had become a fan favorite, but one that wouldn’t play one minute of the MLS regular season.

Statistical Breakdown

Grinwis made no appearances during the 2019 MLS season, but did get all four Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup starts for Orlando City. Two of those matches went to extra time, giving Grinwis a total of 420 minutes played. He made 13 saves over the four matches and allowed five goals, posting a record of 2-1-1 (advancing on spot kicks against New York City FC). The opposition took 63 shots, with 17 on target, plus six spot kicks against NYCFC. He saved 76% of the shots on target, had two punches, one cross caught, and earned one foul.

Best Game

Statistically speaking, Grinwis made more saves in the match against Atlanta United FC than he did against NYCFC. Of course, he also gave up an additional goal against Atlanta. Also statistically speaking, he had the same number of saves and goals allowed against Memphis 901 FC, and added a punch, a cross caught, and earned a foul. Regardless, his best game was against NYCFC.

Grinwis was the hero of the week with his penalty kick saves against Alexander Ring and Maxime Chanot to advance Orlando City to the semifinals — the furthest the team had ever been in the competition. It was the game that gave us the Running of the Wall, and his save in that match (3:15 mark in the video) will certainly be in contention for greatest moment of the 2019 campaign.

2019 Final Grade

Grinwis didn’t make the minutes threshold for a final grade due to not appearing in the regular season. As such, Grinwis earned an incomplete grade for the season. That is not to say he didn’t do well when called upon as James O’Connor’s pick for all the U.S. Open Cup matches.

2020 Outlook

Grinwis is one of three backup keepers on the roster. He is also an inexpensive backup with big game experience. Barring massive changes from Orlando City’s next coach, I expect that Grinwis will return. Depending on what happens with the other keepers on the roster and any additions made, he could stay in his backup role or potentially be loaned out.


Previous Season in Review Articles (Date Posted)

Orlando City

Orlando City Fullback Alex Freeman Selected to Participate in 2025 MLS All-Star Game

The 20-year-old, currently with the USMNT, was selected via fan vote to his first MLS All-Star Game.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Fullback Alex Freeman has been selected to the 2025 MLS All-Star Team to compete in Austin, TX on July 23, the club announced today. Freeman, 20, who is currently away on international duty with the United States Men’s National Team in the Concacaf Gold Cup, was selected via fan vote and is the youngest player on this year’s All-Star squad. The 2025 MLS All-Star Game will pit the MLS All-Star Team against the Liga MX All-Star Team at Q2 Stadium.

Freeman was selected through the league’s fan, media and player voting process, receiving
the highest vote total among MLS right backs. The young fullback has had a breakout season in 2025, appearing in 17 matches (16 starts) with Orlando City, playing 1,474 minutes and scoring four goals with one assist. His four goals are the most by a defender in MLS play this season.

Prior to this season, Freeman had made just three MLS appearances — all off the bench — for a total of nine minutes, putting just one shot on target. He picked up his first goal contribution last year with an assist against D.C. United on July 6, 2024.

Freeman’s play has been head-turning, and he’s earned his first USMNT call-up and appearance at the senior level this season. A member of the U.S. Gold Cup team, Freeman started all three group stage games, becoming just the second USMNT player aged 20 or younger to do so. He helped the United States win all three matches, keeping clean sheets against Trinidad & Tobago and Saudi Arabia.

Freeman is the first Orlando City player selected to the MLS All-Star Team since Pedro Gallese and Nani represented the Lions in Los Angeles in 2021. He is also the first OCSC defender to be selected to the MLS All-Star Team. Freeman becomes the seventh different player and eighth different representative of the club overall in the midseason exhibition (James O’Connor was head coach of the 2019 event held in Orlando).

Orlando City SC All-Stars

YearPlayerPosition
2025Alex FreemanDefender
2021Pedro GalleseGoalkeeper
2021NaniForward
2019NaniForward
2019James O’ConnorManager
2018Yoshimar YotunMidfielder
2017Dom DwyerForward
2017KakáMidfielder
2016Cyle LarinForward
2016KakáMidfielder
2015KakáMidfielder


2025 MLS All-Star Team

Goalkeepers (3)

  • Dayne St. Clair (Minnesota United FC / Voted In)
  • Brad Stuver (Austin FC / Coach’s Selection)
  • Yohei Takaoka (Vancouver Whitecaps FC / Coach’s Selection)

Defenders (8)

  • Jordi Alba (Inter Miami CF / Voted In)
  • Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew / Coach’s Selection)
  • Tristan Blackmon (Vancouver Whitecaps FC / Voted In)
  • Michael Boxall (Minnesota United FC / Voted In)
  • Alex Freeman (Orlando City SC / Voted In)
  • Jakob Glesnes (Philadelphia Union / Coach’s Selection)
  • Andy Najar (Nashville SC / Coach’s Selection)
  • Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati / Coach’s Selection)

Midfielders (6)

  • Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps FC / Voted In)
  • David Da Costa (Portland Timbers / Coach’s Selection)
  • Evander (FC Cincinnati / Voted In)
  • Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake / Voted In)
  • Jeppe Tverskov (San Diego FC / Coach’s Selection)
  • Philip Zinckernagel (Chicago Fire FC / Coach’s Selection)

Forwards / Wingers (9)

  • Patrick Agyemang (Charlotte FC / Commissioner’s Pick)
  • Tai Baribo (Philadelphia Union / Voted In)
  • Denis Bouanga (LAFC / Voted In)
  • Anders Dreyer (San Diego FC / Coach’s Selection)
  • Hirving ‘Chucky’ Lozano (San Diego FC / Commissioner’s Pick)
  • Lionel Messi (Inter Miami CF / Voted In)
  • Diego Rossi (Columbus Crew / Coach’s Selection)
  • Brandon Vazquez (Austin FC / Coach’s Selection)
  • Brian White (Vancouver Whitecaps FC / Voted In)
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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. St. Louis City: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Lions make their first trip to St. Louis looking to build on their win at Colorado.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to your match thread and preview for a Wednesday night matchup between Orlando City (8-4-6, 30 points) and St. Louis City SC (3-9-6, 15 points) at Energizer Park in St. Louis, MO (8:30 p.m., MLS Season Pass on Apple TV). This is the second meeting ever between the two sides, the first in St. Louis, and the only one on the 2025 regular-season schedule.

Here’s what you need to know about the match.

History

These teams have met just once before. Orlando City won that match 2-1 on Aug. 26 at Exploria Stadium on Facundo Torres’ penalty in the first minute of stoppage time. Torres completed his brace after a handball in the box by Anthony Markanich stopped a shot by Rafael Santos. Torres opened the scoring in the second half, but Rasmus Alm equalized, with his goal being awarded after video review revealed the referee’s assistant should not have raised their flag for the ball going out of play prior to the critical pass that led to the goal. Jake Nerwinsky was sent off late in that game for a foul denying Ramiro Enrique a goal-scoring opportunity.

Overview

The Lions are 3-2-4 on the road this season after coming off a tightly contested 1-0 road win at Colorado on June 14, snapping a two-match losing streak that ended a busy May schedule. Orlando has been off since beating the Rapids but will try to continue building momentum as the month of June comes to a close. The Lions have six matches against Eastern Conference competition after visiting tonight’s Western Conference opponents in the leadup to the 2025 Leagues Cup at the end of July.

Orlando City center back Rodrigo Schlegel will serve his one-game suspension for yellow card accumulation tonight, and with Alex Freeman away with the USMNT, the Lions will be missing half of their starters on the back line for this match as the entire right half will be out. Look for David Brekalo to move to right center back. Dagur Dan Thorhallsson is the most likely candidate to take the right back spot, with either Kyle Smith or Santos slotting in at left back.

St. Louis City is 2-3-4 at home this season and is coming off a wild 3-3 home draw against the LA Galaxy on June 14. Joao Klauss scored a hat trick in the match, putting his third goal of the game in the net in the fifth minute of stoppage time to steal a point against the defending champions. Tonight’s hosts are 0-1-1 in their last two matches, but they’ve been playing better lately, with five consecutive games either decided by a single goal or finishing in a draw.

Klauss may have gotten three of his five goals this season in the last game, but he can be one of the league’s most lethal finishers. It’s not the best night for Orlando to be missing half of its back line with the Brazilian rounding into form. On the other end, Roman Burki is one of the best goalkeepers in the league, so Orlando City will need to be clinical to finish chances — something that the team has struggled with at times.

“St. Louis is a team we don’t regularly play, but we’ve followed them over the last three or four games,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said ahead of the match. “They’ve changed coaches, even though it’s someone who has been within the system. We try to capture what their current modes are — how they’re structured, how they’re playing — and then merge that into our game plan. We don’t have as much context of a rivalry as we usually do, since it’s a team we don’t know very well. But we keep preparing in our way and keep insisting that imposing our style on the game is what we’re looking for.”

In addition to Schlegel (suspension) and Freeman (international duty) the Lions will be without Duncan McGuire (shoulder), Wilder Cartagena (Achilles), and Yutaro Tsukada (knee), while Joran Gerbet (thigh) is listed as questionable. St. Louis City will be without Alm (hip), Chris Durkin (knee), Henry Kessler (hamstring), Eduard Löwen (hamstring), Joakim Nilsson (knee), and Tomáš Ostrák (lower body).

Match Content


Official Lineups

Orlando City (4-4-2)

Goalkeeper: Pedro Gallese.

Defenders: Kyle Smith, Robin Jansson, David Brekalo, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson.

Midfielders: Ivan Angulo, Cesar Araujo, Eduard Atuesta, Marco Pasalic.

Forwards: Martin Ojeda, Ramiro Enrique.

Bench: Javier Otero, Rafael Santos, Zakaria Taifi, Thomas Williams, Colin Guske, Gustavo Caraballo, Justin Ellis, Nico Rodriguez, Luis Muriel.

St. Louis City SC (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: Roman Burki.

Defenders: Jayden Reid, Timo Baumgartl, Kyle Hiebert, Tomas Totland.

Midfielders: Marcel Hartel, Simon Becher, Akil Watts.

Forwards: Celio Pompeu, Joao Klauss, Cedric Teuchert.

Bench: Ben Lundt, Michael Wentzel, Joey Zalinsky, Josh Yaro, Jake Girdwood-Reich, Conrad Wallem, Alfredo Morales, Xande Silva, Brendan McSorely.

Referees

REF: Guido Gonzales, Jr.
AR1: Ryan Graves.
AR2: Walt Heatherly.
4TH: Matt Thompson.
VAR: Kevin Terry, Jr.
AVAR: TBA.


How to Watch

Match Time: 8:30 p.m.

Venue: Energizer Park — St. Louis, MO.

TV/Streaming: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

Radio: AM 810 FOX Sports Radio Orlando (English), Mega 97.1 FM (Spanish).

Social Media: For rapid reaction and live updates, follow us on Bluesky Social at @themaneland.bsky.social or follow Orlando City’s official Twitter (@OrlandoCitySC) or Bluesky (@OrlandoCitySC) feed.


Enjoy the game. Go City!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/25/25

Orlando City and OCB play tonight, the Club World Cup continues, and more.

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Image courtesy of Victor Tan / New Day

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It is a busy week here at The Mane Land. Orlando City and Orlando City B play tonight, there are FIFA Club World Cup matches, Concacaf Gold Cup, and USWNT friendlies. It’s a lot, but it also means there’s a ton of soccer to watch, which is a good thing. Let’s get to the links.

Go West, Orlando City

Orlando City heads to Missouri to take on St. Louis City FC tonight. The Lions will be without Alex Freeman (international duty) and Rodrigo Schlegel (yellow card accumulation). Orlando City will need to deal with St. Louis City striker Joao Klauss while finding goals on the road. This is a must-watch midweek match. We will have a preview later today, and you should also listen to The Mane Land PawedCast to prepare.

Orlando City B Returns Home vs. Toronto FC II

Orlando City B hosts Toronto FC II at Osceola County Stadium tonight. Like the first team, we will have coverage for you. The Young Lions are coming off a two-week break after a loss to Carolina Core FC. It will be interesting to see which OCB shows up for the match. You can watch the match on mlsnextpro.com.

Club World Cup, Orlando-Style

There might not be as many people in the seats at the Club World Cup as FIFA would like, but Orlando is still a big part of it. The group stage finishes this week as the competition heads into the Round of 16. There’s a ton of prize money up for all the competitors no matter where they are currently in the standings. Our Michael Citro was at Camping World Stadium last night to cover LAFC vs. Flamengo in Group D.

USMNT News

The USMNT will face Costa Rica Sunday in a Concacaf Gold Cup quarterfinal match in Minneapolis. Malik Tillman has been a bright spot on the roster, though Orlando City fans will be watching Freeman. The perpetual search for a consistent striker continues for the USMNT, though Patrick Agyemang may be the answer — at least for now.

Free Kicks

  • There’s nothing quite like having your number retired after playing for a team for two whole years after playing for another club for six years. It is especially special when the new club has been in existence for a whole four years. Congratulations to former Orlando Pride forward Alex Morgan.

Jesse Marsch cleared of all allegations by Concacaf.MORE: news.canadasoccer.com/jesse-marsch…

CANMNT (@canmntofficial.bsky.social) 2025-06-24T03:22:25.639Z
  • After the Gold Cup, Agyemang may be making the move from Charlotte FC to Derby County.

🚨🐏 Excl: Derby County are closing in on deal to sign 24 year old striker Patrick Agyemang from Charlotte FC. Talks underway with player’s green light already in place.

Fabrizio Romano (MIRROR) (@fabrizioromano.yopro20.com) 2025-06-24T23:28:28.124048+00:00
  • You may have seen that the USWNT is celebrating Pride month with rainbow numbers on the team jerseys. I am a supporter and ally, but it means even more to the players.

That will do it for today. Make sure you check back later for our match coverage. You can also follow our live coverage on Bluesky. Vamos Orlando!

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