Orlando City
Orlando City at Real Salt Lake: Player Grades and Man of the Match
Orlando City SC was taken down for the first time on the road in the 2019 Major League Soccer season, as the Lions lost 2-1 to Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium, in Sandy, UT. The Lions, who have been alternating from losses to wins over the last five matches, conceded two goals before Nani came off the bench and scored one, but were unable to get another one before the final whistle.
Here are our player grades in a night in which Orlando struggled with some individual defensive mistakes.
Starters
GK, Brian Rowe, 6 – The goalkeeper couldn’t really do much to avoid either of RSL’s goals, even if Sam Johnson’s finish was near him — but way too powerful. He did make a pair of important saves in the second half on low shots from Jefferson Savarino that kept the Lions alive in the game.
D, Kamal Miller, 6 — The Canadian tried to cover Ruan and was easily beaten by Sam Johnson inside the penalty box on RSL’s first goal. The opponents repeatedly found space behind him and, not by coincidence, scored the second on a play that started on the left side of Orlando’s defense. He finished with a tackle, an interception, a clearance, and a blocked shot.
D, Robin Jansson, 6.5 — The Swede lined up as the centerpiece of Orlando’s back line and had a busy night, trying to cover both Miller and O’Neill when they were beaten on the run, registering three clearances. He was the best passer among the starters with an 89.2% rating.
D, Shane O’Neill, 5.5 — O’Neill had trouble with Johnson’s pace for most of the night, but still managed to lead the team in clearances, with four. He had a decent chance to tie the game near the end, but misplaced his header big time. He had one interception and blocked one shot but his passing was at just a 66% rate.
WB, Joao Moutinho, 6 — The Portuguese showed some disconnection with Miller when defending Orlando’s left flank, but still managed to have three interceptions and three clearances. Offensively, he made an interesting run into the penalty box in the first half, but couldn’t place his header on target. He was a 72% passer on the night with one tackle, a team-high three interceptions, and three clearances.
MF, Sebas Mendez, 7.5 (MotM) — The Ecuadoran showed good energy in the center of the field and helped the Lions on both sides of the ball with a team-high six tackles and a smart and simple distribution (89%). He created a dangerous opportunity after winning the ball in Orlando’s attacking third and linking it with Sacha Kljestan, who failed to score.
MF, Will Johnson, 5.5 — The veteran didn’t have a terrible night, but it’s baffling that a player of his experience could be naïve enough to complain with the referee after a free kick and allow Damir Kreilach to quickly restart the match behind his back (Kljestan also did this). It began the play that resulted in Real Salt Lake’s goal. He was also one second late when trailing Kreilach. His passing was just 75% for the match and he made one clearance with no interceptions or tackles, but he did have one vital deflection to deny a cross.
MF, Sacha Kljestan, 6 — The captain tried to organize the team’s offense, but couldn’t really connect his final passes. He should have done better in the 31st minute, when he had a clear chance to tie the match, but fired right on Nick Rimando weakly, though it appeared he may have slipped a little while gearing up to take the shot. He played a little deeper in the second half, but it didn’t change much his performance. He was an 83% passer and made one tackle.
WB, Ruan, 5.5 — The Brazilian was very active at the start of the match with numerous runs down the right side, but didn’t manage to be really dangerous with his shots or crosses. On the defensive end, he seemed to have missed his step and made a weird mistake on RSL’s first goal. He was embarrassed by Albert Rusnak on a play near the sideline later in the match. He finished with three tackles and two clearances but only one of his eight crosses was accurate on a 78% passing night.
F, Chris Mueller, 5.5 — Cash was granted a starting spot after two impressive performances coming off the bench and wasn’t nearly as effective. The 22-year-old forward played on the left side of the field, but was taken off after being repeatedly dispossessed and with no shots fired towards RSL’s goal. He was a 69% passer with only one accurate cross on seven tries.
F, Tesho Akindele, 5 — The forward was nearly invisible in the first half, in which he had just 18 touches, which was a product of poor team play in the final third all night. The situation didn’t change to start the second half and Tesho was subbed out when James O’Connor decided to bring Dom Dwyer and Nani into the game. Akindele was just a 68% passer and he created one scoring chance on the night.
Substitutes
F, Dom Dwyer (56’), 6.5 — The striker entered the game with the team down two goals and seemed to be a little nervous, with multiple complaints with the referee and some arguments with RSL players. He never stopped fighting though, and forced RSL’s defense into some mistakes and drew the free kick that resulted in Nani’s goal. He took one shot but didn’t get it on frame and completed his only pass attempt.
F, Nani (56’), 7 — The veteran tried to instantly bring some energy off the bench and had a dangerous volley from outside the box in his first minutes, but kind of faded after it, struggling to create from the left side. He returned to his best in an important moment when he converted a free kick to put the Lions back in the game. He finished with the team’s best passing percentage (minimum two attempts) at 93%, and created one scoring chance.
MF, Josue Colman (77’), 5.5 — The young Paraguayan was tasked with providing a more reliable offensive threat on the right side for Orlando, but didn’t manage to produce either by combining with Ruan or when trying to dribble. He did create two chances but his passing overall was poor (29%).
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This is how I saw the performances as the Lions headed west to play Real Salt Lake. Let me know where you agree and/or disagree in the comments below and be sure to vote for your Orlando City Man of the Match in the poll below.
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Polling Closed
| Player | Votes |
| Sebas Mendez | 23 |
| Nani | 34 |
| Robin Jansson | 0 |
| Joao Moutinho | 2 |
| Other | 3 |
Opinion
Orlando City Needs a Strong Start from its Defense
The defense will need to come together quickly in 2025 for Orlando City to avoid another slow start to the season.
The opening day of the 2025 Major League Soccer season is less than 30 days, and Orlando City is preparing for the opener against Philadelphia. With a full slate of preseason matches that recently dropped, the 2025 Lions will soon take to the field to put the final touches on preparing various tactics for the season ahead. That starts today with a friendly against Atletico Mineiro.
While there are numerous questions regarding the offensive side of the pitch for Orlando City, the defense should be an area of strength for OCSC as the season begins, and it may need to be, as any new attacking pieces brought in this late in the off-season will need time to settle in.
Starting with the dynamic duo of Cesar Araujo and Wilder Cartagena, Orlando once again will have the good fortune of fielding one of the best defensive midfield pairings in all of MLS. While both Araujo and Cartagena are technically sound and strong defenders on their own, there is a noticeable difference in overall team defense when they both play together. Araujo, who has recently been the target of transfer speculation, is now expected to be locked into Orlando City purple for the upcoming season. He and Cartagena have demonstrated a great ability to take opposing star players out of the game plan, and there is little question regarding their importance when it comes to the successful start of the season.
Moving back toward the goal, Orlando City also returns a complete back line consisting of captain Robin Jansson, Rafael Santos, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, and either David Brekalo or Rodrigo Schlegel. The tactics employed by Head Coach Oscar Pareja call for the fullbacks to get into the offensive flow as often as the game allows, and both Thorhallsson and Santos have shown that they are capable of attacking. While that part of their game is a bonus, their ability to get back and defend — especially against the counter — will be an early skill to watch as the season begins.
At this point in his career, there will be very few surprises from Jansson, as fans and the coaching staff know exactly what type of effort to expect out of the center back. The only piece of the back line puzzle that will be interesting to watch throughout the early part of the season will be who earns the right to slot in next to Jansson. Due to injury and international duty a season ago, Schlegel wound up winning the starting role from the newly acquired Brekalo. My gut instinct tells me that with an off-season of preparation, we will likely see the younger and more athletic Brekalo get the nod to start the year, with Schlegel the primary backup for both starting center back positions.
Finally, the man who anchors it all, goalkeeper Pedro Gallese, will have the benefit of familiarity when it comes to the defenders in front of him. Gallese ended the 2024 season on a hot streak, in great form, showing his quality in the second half of the season and the playoffs, stopping multiple penalty kicks. He tied for fifth place among all goalkeepers with eight clean sheets in 2024 and will undoubtedly look to add to his career club record as the 2025 season begins.
With all of the defensive starters from the 2024 season back for 2025, Orlando City’s defense is expected to be the cornerstone of early season matches while the offense sorts itself out. The success then, especially during those first few matches, will likely live or die on the shoulders of the back seven defensive players.
Do you expect any cracks in the Orlando City defense to start the year or are you feeling confident in their ability to handle the new attacking pieces that have been added to the Eastern Conference? Let us know in the comments below and as always, vamos Orlando!
Orlando City
Orlando City Releases Full 2025 Preseason Schedule
The Lions will face three MLS sides, a Brazilian Serie A club, a USL Championship team, and a Canadian Premier League side this preseason.
On the eve of Orlando City’s first preseason friendly of the team’s 2025 camp — and 11 days into training — the club has released its full schedule for the remainder of the preseason. The Lions will play six matches, calling two of them “friendlies” and the other four “scrimmages,” but they all amount to competitive minutes for the squad ahead of the 2025 MLS regular season.
Two of the games are open to the general public, including Saturday’s FC Series friendly against Atletico Mineiro and the Feb. 14 preseason finale against Inter Miami at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. In addition, season ticket members can access a preseason scrimmage against CF Montreal on Feb. 8. Club staff will reach out to season ticket members with the details for that game. The other three scrimmages will be closed door.
The preseason schedule is similar this year to what the club has had for the last several years under Oscar Pareja, with mostly closed scrimmages and a mixture of MLS and other assorted competition.
After facing the Brazil Serie A side on Saturday, the Lions will head to Mexico for a week of training and team bonding, with one scrimmage against Forge FC from the Canadian Premier League. Orlando City will play three MLS clubs in the preseason, along with one team each from the Canadian Premier League and the USL Championship.
Orlando City will kick off its 2025 regular season at home against the Philadelphia Union at Inter&Co Stadium on Saturday, Feb. 22 at 7:30 p.m.
2025 Orlando City Preseason Schedule
- Saturday, Jan. 25 — Preseason friendly vs. Atletico Mineiro at Inter&Co Stadium
- Sunday, Jan. 26 — Preseason camp opens in Mexico
- Tuesday, Jan. 28 — Preseason scrimmage vs. Forge FC (Closed Door)
- Wednesday, Feb. 5 — Preseason scrimmage vs. Atlanta United (Closed Door)
- Saturday, Feb. 8 — Preseason scrimmage vs. CF Montreal (Season Ticket Members Exclusive Match)
- Tuesday, Feb. 11 — Preseason scrimmage vs. Rhode Island FC (Closed Door)
- Friday, Feb. 14 — Preseason friendly vs. Inter Miami at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa
Lion Links
Lion Links: 1/24/25
Cesar Araujo will reportedly stay in Orlando, USMNT takeaways, MLS transfer news, and much more.
Happy Friday! It should be a pretty decent weekend with plenty of soccer to enjoy both in Orlando and abroad. Orlando City’s first preseason game is Saturday against Atletico Mineiro at Inter&Co Stadium. While I won’t be in attendance, I’m looking forward to learning how they do. But for now, let’s jump into today’s links!
Cesar Araujo Will Reportedly Stay in Orlando
There have been rumors and reports swirling around regarding midfielder Cesar Araujo leaving Orlando City this off-season. However, the 23-year-old will reportedly stay in Orlando for the 2025 season according to Tom Bogert. Uruguayan club Nacional has reportedly been trying to sign Araujo while he has a year left on his contract.
It makes all the sense in the world for Orlando to want to keep Araujo in the center of its midfield for 2025. He’s been incredible since joining Orlando back in 2022 and has been integral to the club’s success in recent years. Clubs were always going to come knocking for Araujo’s talents, but I expect it would take a hefty offer for the Lions to let him go before his contract is up.
Takeaways From USMNT January Camp
While the United States Men’s National Team’s January camp usually isn’t too impactful, this year’s edition had some extra intrigue due to some standout performances across the two friendly wins. Zack Steffen had a statement game against Costa Rica, making a few sensational saves to secure a clean sheet. He needed a game like that to stay in the mix for the starting job after a rough season with the Colorado Rapids. Striker Patrick Agyemang played his first two USMNT games this month and scored in both, making the most of his opportunity. Diego Luna taking an elbow to the face and coming back out to assist on the team’s first goal against Costa Rica is also the kind of moment that could earn him more looks in the future.
MLS Transfer News Roundup
MLS teams other than Orlando City continue to make moves ahead of the 2025 season. The exodus from FC Dallas rolls on, as Alan Velasco was officially transferred to Boca Juniors in Argentina for a reported $12 million transfer fee. Dallas also traded center back Nkosi Tafari to LAFC in exchange for $300,000 in 2026 General Allocation Money and an international roster slot.
The Karol Swiderski era in Charlotte is over, as the club transferred him to Panathinaikos for a reported transfer fee of $2 million. Real Salt Lake added a young striker, signing 20-year-old Ariath Piol from MacArthur FC in Australia. Nashville SC signed American goalkeeper Brian Schwake from CD Castellon in Spain’s second division to provide more depth behind Joe Willis. Austin FC’s busy off-season continued by signing Zan Kolmanic to a new contract through 2026. The club is also reportedly closer to signing forward Myrto Uzuni for a club-record fee.
Europa League First Phase Nears Conclusion
Lazio is the only team to guarantee a spot in the Europa League’s round of 16 so far, doing so after a 3-1 win over Real Sociedad. English clubs Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur edged closer to securing a spot. A late winner from Bruno Fernandes gave United a 2-1 victory against Rangers, while Tottenham beat Hoffenheim 3-2 thanks to a brace from Heung-Min Son. The upset of the round belonged to Latvian club FK RFS, which took down Ajax in a 1-0 win at home. Eintracht Frankfurt, Union Saint-Gilloise, and Midtjylland also picked up wins this week. This phase of the tournament will wrap up with 18 games on Thursday.
Free Kicks
- Bay FC bought out Deyna Castellanos’ contract, with the midfielder joining the Portland Thorns as a free agent soon after.
- After a vote approving funds to repair Al Lang Stadium, the Tampa Bay Rowdies announced that they will play there for their upcoming USL Championship season.
- Manchester City defender Kyle Walker will reportedly join AC Milan on loan for the remainder of the season, with an option for the Italian club to buy him after the loan.
- Barcelona extended defender Ronald Araujo’s contract to keep him at the club through 2031.
- Tottenham striker Dominic Solanke will be out for around six weeks due to a knee injury according to Ange Postecoglou.
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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