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Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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5 years ago

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In a game that I have to play back to believe, the New York Red Bulls fell to Orlando City in the Lions’ first win of the season. For a recap of a match I still can’t believe you can head over to read Michael’s write-up. In my first attempt at player grades, here’s how the Lions fared as they scooped up three points in arguably the hardest venue in MLS.

Starters

GK, Brian Rowe, 7.5 — So many fans have had very mixed feelings about Brian Rowe. Tonight, I think he may have just proven why he’s Orlando’s starting keeper. The Red Bulls never let up, with nine shots, four of which were on target. He was quick to react in the sixth minute, punching the ball to safety, sending a message early on to the Red Bulls that he wasn’t going down easy. With three saves he helped lead OCSC to the team’s first clean sheet of the season.

D, Robin Jansson, 7 — Jansson made his MLS debut with the Lions tonight and made himself known on the pitch with two tackles, three interceptions, seven clearances and a 58% pass success rate (though the plan wasn’t to play out of the back, so the passing success suffered as a result). Jansson stretched the field with 15 long ball attempts off his left foot, finding space on the right wing to Ruan numerous times. He seemed calm, cool, and collected with every touch of the ball, and it was refreshing to see so much control. He earned a yellow in the 51st minute with a challenge on Omir Fernandez. I can’t wait to see more of his defending.

D, Alex De John, 6.5 — De John was back in the starting XI near his hometown in front of a huge crowd of supporters. Before going off in the 65th minute with a leg injury after a challenge, De John was having a decent game with three interceptions, six clearances, and a blocked shot. His pass success rate was 53%. No major errors made him a valuable member of the back line.

D, Shane O’Neill, 6.5 — With one tackle, nine clearances, and a blocked shot and a pass success rate of 51%, O’Neill seemed more like himself out there tonight providing much needed coverage in the back. He started an attack with a long pass off a Red Bulls set piece but Santiago Patino wasn’t able to complete it. He also started the sequence that led to Orlando’s goal, sending the ball up to Dom Dwyer.

WB, João Moutinho, 7.5 — Offensively Moutinho had the assist to Sacha Kljestan for the lone goal of the match. We saw three tackles, three interceptions, one clearance and a 47% pass success rate in his OCSC debut. There’s room for Moutinho to grow, but it was not a bad game and the assist set him above a seven in my book.

MF, Carlos Ascues, 6.5 — Ok, I’m probably going to hear it on this one. Ascues was all over the place tonight with his performance — three tackles, two interceptions, three clearances, two blocked shots, and a 50% pass accuracy. Some of his passes left me scratching my head and led to New York scoring chances. Then he goes and clears the ball off the line only three minutes after the goal from Kljestan to preserve the lead.

MF, Sacha Kljestan, 8 (MOTM) — With one goal, leading in touches, and a 73% pass success rate Sacha was the man Orlando City needed on the field tonight against his former teammates in their house. Some fans have strong feelings about Kljestan, but this is why he’s a starting player. He’s quiet a lot, but when he makes noise, he’s deafening. He was fun to watch tonight.

MF, Uri Rosell, 7 — Leading in tackles (four more than the next closest) and with three interceptions, five clearances, one shot attempt, and a 69% pass success rate in his first minutes of the season, Uri did not disappoint. Seven of his 13 long balls found their target and he had the second most touches at 73, just one fewer than Kljestan. There’s no doubt that against the Red Bulls tonight, Rosell made the midfield a tough place to play.

WB, Ruan, 6.5 — Ruan and his speed had a lot to offer the offense tonight while his play in the back was only OK. Defensively, Ruan saw two tackles, one interception, three clearances, and he finished with a 63% pass success rate. He had two shot attempts, one on target, making a few nice runs into the box that really opened the right side of the field up with his pace of play.  

F, Nani, 6 — The man we all love to watch seemed to struggle a bit in the match as he continued to be taken down with no calls. It was hard for him to get anything past the New York defenders as they swarmed him any time he had the ball. Nani had a 69% pass success rate and not much else this match as he learned how physical MLS can be. It is evident however, that the chemistry is building between him and his teammates as he works to create space with his quality of play.

F, Santiago Patiño, 6 — Patiño played an hour against the Red Bulls in his first start and attempted one shot, which was blocked, and had an 80% pass success rate. The rookie used his size and pace to create multiple opportunities but was unable to finish as he adjusts to the physical demands of MLS play. He attempted only five passes but two of them created scoring chances.

Substitutes

F, Dom Dwyer (60’), 5.5 — Dom started the match on the bench after a rough game last weekend against Montreal. He came in for Patiño and in his time on the field he completed 75% of his passes (though only on eight attempts) and attempted a single shot, but it wasn’t on goal. But his presence was necessary, as his hold-up play was crucial in the buildup to Kljestan’s goal. He took down O’Neill’s long ball and sent it wide to Moutinho, then pulled the defense toward him as the cross went to Kljestan at the top of the box. He was also important in stoppage time as he carried the ball into the attacking third on multiple occasions to help burn some time off the clock and had a beautiful cross to Ruan, that almost resulted in a goal.

D, Lamine Sané (66’), 5.5 — Sané saw the 18 for the first time all season as he’s been recovering from an injury, coming on only to replace an injured De John in the 65th minute. He had one interception, four clearances, and picked up a yellow on a poorly timed clearance that resulted in Omir Fernadez running into his knee. His rust showed a little as he conceded a pair of late set pieces.

D, Kyle Smith (77’) , 5.5 — Smith came on to replace Nani in an attempt to shore up the defense to help preserve the win. In his short time on the field he saw one tackle, one interception, and one clearance with a 38% pass success rate. More importantly, he cleared the ball down the field whenever he had the chance, helping the Lions see the game off.

There you have it, Mane Landers, the first win of the season! Revel in it now, because Wayne Rooney and D.C. United are coming to try and take the win in the purple palace next weekend. We’re going to need some of the structure and pressure we saw from the team tonight if we’re to stand a chance. But before we get to that, please vote for your OCSC Man of the Match in our poll below.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Brian Rowe48
Robin Jansson27
Joao Moutinho12
Uri Rosell17
Sacha Kljestan72
Other12

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Orlando City

2023 Orlando City Season in Review: Jack Lynn

The 2022 draft pick spent most of his time with Orlando City B during his second year in purple.

Published

10 hours ago

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December 8, 2023

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Jack Lynn joined Orlando City through the 2022 MLS SuperDraft, when he was selected in the first round by the Lions with the No. 18 overall pick. He was then signed to a one-year deal in February of last year with options for the next three years. Much of his time during his first season was spent with Orlando City B, although he did make a few appearances for the first team.

Let’s take a look back at Lynn’s second year in purple.

Statistical Breakdown

Lynn made three appearances in Major League Soccer with the senior side, all of which came as a substitute, and finished with 33 minutes on the field. Defensively, he recorded one interception and two clearances, while committing one foul. Offensively, he won four aerial duels, took one shot, which was on target, drew two fouls, and completed three long balls while passing with 76% accuracy. He did not score a goal or assist on one.

As in 2022, the majority of Lynn’s season was spent in MLS Next PRO with Orlando City B. He had a phenomenal year in the developmental league, and his campaign finished with him being named the league’s MVP and winning the Golden Boot. He played in 27 games for the young Lions, 20 of which were starts, and racked up 1,826 minutes. Defensively, he recorded three interceptions, committed 16 fouls, and was shown four yellow cards. On offense, he took 72 shots and put 40 of them on target, scored 19 goals, drew 15 fouls, and passed with 74% accuracy while completing 13 long balls and 12 key passes but no assists.

Best Game

There weren’t a lot to pick from, but I’ve gone with his longest appearance of the year, which was a 20-minute shift during Orlando City’s 4-3 comeback win over the Columbus Crew. He didn’t record many statistics on the night, as he won two aerial duels, committed a foul, and passed with 50% accuracy. However, he provided a big target up front as the Lions continued to lump the ball forward in search of goals, and he factored in on Facundo Torres’ goal, pulling players away so Ramiro Enrique could collect the ball and start the move that ended with the ball in the back of the net. Michael Citro graded him as a 5 out of 10 in our Player Grades piece, the only game this year in which he received a grade.

2023 Final Grade

As he fell well short of the 450 minute threshold that we require for a player to be given, Lynn has been given a grade of incomplete for the 2023 season. After spending the bulk of his time with Orlando City B in his first two seasons as a Lion, we still don’t have a great idea of what he might be able to contribute to the first team, and we simply need to see more of him to get a better read on his abilities.

2024 Outlook

Lynn remains fairly young and inexpensive, has option years left on his contract, and just tore up MLS Next PRO with Orlando City B. With there being some whispers about overseas teams scouting Duncan McGuire, and the Lions already a little thin at the striker position, it wouldn’t be at all surprising to see Lynn’s option year exercised. What sort of role he’ll have will then likely depend on what he’s able to show during preseason, but if nothing else he should remain a key part of OCB.

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Lion Links: 12/8/23

Orlando City will play Flamengo in preseason friendly, Kylie Strom signs new deal, USMNT’s Copa America group draw, and more.

Published

14 hours ago

on

December 8, 2023

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Happy Friday! The work week is almost over and I’m really looking forward to the weekend. I’ll be celebrating a friend’s birthday and knocking out most of the holiday shopping that I haven’t gotten around to just yet. Hopefully the malls aren’t too chaotic. Regardless, it should be a nice next few days. But for now, let’s get to the links!

Orlando Will Face Flamengo in 2024 FC Series

Orlando City’s first preseason game will take place on Jan. 27 when it takes on Flamengo at Camping World Stadium as part of the 2024 FC Series, which was previously known as the Florida Cup. Going up against one of Brazil’s powerhouses should be great preparation for the Lions after a record season in 2023 that earned them a spot in the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup. It will be the second meeting between the two sides after a 2015 friendly in Brazil that Flamengo won 1-0. It will be nice to see the Lions in action at Camping World Stadium again and the kickoff time for next month’s match will be unveiled at a later time.

Kylie Strom Signs New Deal With Pride

Defender Kylie Strom, who was a free agent following the 2023 season, will return to the Orlando Pride after signing a three-year deal with the club. She joined the Pride in the summer of 2021 from Atletico Madrid and started in 26 games this past year, holding down the left back position. The Pride now retain their starting back line heading into 2024 and have full protection in Tuesday’s expansion draft. Although the defense struggled at times, it improved as the season wore on and the Pride nearly made the playoffs. Jordyn Listro is now the only free agent left from last year’s squad.

NWSL Announces Blueprint for 2024 Schedule

The framework for the 2024 NWSL season was revealed and the 182-match regular season has been formatted so that NWSL games don’t take place during international breaks. The biggest change is that the NWSL Challenge Cup is no longer a tournament and now just a match between the NWSL Shield winner and the NWSL champion, meaning San Diego Wave FC will play NJ/NY Gotham FC on March 15. However, there will be a weekend tournament organized by the league for all 14 teams during a break in the regular season while the Summer Olympics take place. The playoffs will feature eight teams and won’t include byes this year, with the quarterfinals starting on Nov. 9 and the NWSL Championship set for Nov. 23. Clubs can begin their preseason camps as early as Jan. 22 and no later than Jan. 29.

Copa America Teams Learn Their Groups

The United States Men’s National Team will take on Uruguay, Panama, and Bolivia in its group in the 2024 Copa America. Uruguay was one of the strongest opponents the U.S. could get drawn against, as the South American team has scored 13 goals so far in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying. The important match between the USMNT and Uruguay will take place on July 1 in Kansas City. We’ll see how much Orlando City winger Facundo Torres plays for Uruguay in the tournament. As for Orlando’s Peruvian pair of Pedro Gallese and Wilder Cartagena, Peru is in a tough group against Argentina, Chile, and whichever nation prevails between Canada and Trinidad & Tobago.

We also have a clearer idea on which teams will be playing in Orlando. Two games will take place at Exploria Stadium, with Chile playing either Canada or Trinidad & Tobago on June 29 before Bolivia and Panama face off on July 1.

Gisele Thompson Signs With Angel City FC

Angel City FC signed young defender Gisele Thompson to a three-year contract that had this year count as the first year, with an option for an additional year in 2026. She turned 18 earlier this month and turned down an offer to play at Stanford to instead sign with Angel City, meaning the club did not need to use a draft pick for her to join. Gisele is the sister of Alyssa Thompson, who Angel City traded up to select with the first pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft. They are the youngest players on Angel City’s roster and will become the second pair of sisters to play in the league.

Free Kicks

  • The Colorado Rapids are reportedly in talks with American goalkeeper Zack Steffen to sign him from Manchester City.

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

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Orlando City

2023 Orlando City Season in Review: Favian Loyola

The Homegrown midfielder spent most of the year with OCB but made his MLS debut in July.

Published

1 day ago

on

December 7, 2023

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Orlando City signed midfielder Favian Loyola to a Homegrown Player deal through 2025 on Dec. 2, 2022, with club options for 2026 and 2027. The OCSC Academy product became the club’s 13th all-time Homegrown signing and it was no surprise after his fantastic 2022 season. The Camp Lejeune, NC, was coming off a breakout year in the club’s youth system, which culminated with his selection to the 2022 MLS NEXT All-Star Game, in which he was named MVP. After starting the 2022 season on an academy contract, Loyola earned an MLS NEXT Pro deal, signing it last August. When he signed his Homegrown deal in December he became the first player to climb the club’s developmental ladder from the academy, to the current OCB setup in MLS NEXT Pro, to the first team.

Let’s take a look back at Loyola’s 2023 campaign, which was abbreviated due to surgery on his arm to remove a blood clot on Aug. 27.

Statistical Breakdown

Loyola played in just one MLS match with the Lions, making his first-team debut July 1 in a 3-1 home win over the Chicago Fire. The 18-year-old came on as a substitute in the third minute of stoppage time for Facundo Torres and is officially credited with one minute played, although that match went to nine minutes of stoppage. In that short amount of time he managed six touches and attempted six passes, completing all of them — one of them being a key pass. Loyola did not attempt a shot or record any defensive stats, but he did commit one foul, but he was not booked for it.

The bulk of Loyola’s 2023 season was spent with Orlando City B in MLS NEXT Pro, where he was a key player off the bench for Martin Perelman’s side. He appeared in 20 of the team’s 28 matches, starting seven, and logging 732 minutes. He scored two goals and added three assists, putting 10 of his 21 shots on target during the year. Loyola completed 80.3% of his passes with OCB, served up seven key passes and six successful long balls, and completed three crosses. He recorded four tackles and three interceptions, committed 11 fouls while drawing 10, and was booked three times.

Best Game

With just the one MLS match to his credit, Loyola’s MLS debut against Chicago was his best game of the 2023 Major League Soccer Season. It was a memorable match, as he subbed on for Torres, who set the tone for the Lions with a brace that night, and it was also the game in which Mauricio Pereyra made his 100th appearance with Orlando City. Loyola made the most of his short amount of time on the pitch, despite committing a foul during his first minute of MLS play. He settled in and completed all six of his passes and created a scoring chance just seconds after his foul, when he sent a ball to Ramiro Enrique, although the Argentine had his shot attempt blocked from a tight angle.

2023 Final Grade

As Loyola came up short of the minimum total of 450 minutes played to receive a rating on our 1-10 scale, The Mane Land has no choice but to mark his grade as incomplete for the 2023 season. If his meteoric growth continues, Loyola will likely have much more than one appearance next season as his skills at passing and finding pockets of space translate well to the next level. He wasn’t able to return to the pitch after the surgery for his blood clot, but he should be ready to go for 2024.

2024 Outlook

With Loyola being just 18 years old and the club having him under contract, I would expect his role to be the same in 2024. He’ll be learning the ropes with OCB, playing most of the season with the club’s reserve side in MLS NEXT Pro, where he will continue to be a key player. However, if he continues to develop his game, he could push for more late substitute appearances with the first team or even get a start if the Lions draw a lower-league team in the U.S. Open Cup. One thing Loyola will need to work on is controlling the ball, as he turned the ball over 15 times with OCB in 2023.

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