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Orlando City

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

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6 years ago

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Will it ever be less frustrating watching teams battle it out on a little league soccer field? New York City FC had every opportunity to take the three points at home — they were in good form and have the advantage of knowing the mini-field well. Last season, OCSC struggled but especially on the road, so a point at Yankee Stadium? I’ll take it. The lineup wasn’t drastically different than last week, only seeing Tesho Akindele start over Dom Dwyer, who we later heard had picked up a knock during training. Here’s how they performed in my eyes:

Starters

GK, Brian Rowe, 7 — I mean, has he done it yet? Has he proven that he’s the keeper we’ve been needing? A fingertip knock away, coming off the line to snatch the ball mid-air, and a beautiful shot block that unfortunately saw no purple defenders and led to the NYCFC goal. The keeper certainly got a workout as hosts looked hard to come back from the 1-0 deficit and even harder to take the lead once they scored. 

D, João Moutinho, 6 — I love this kid, but he’s seemed off the last couple of matches. Nevertheless he came back to see two tackles, three clearances, and a blocked shot. His 60 touches saw only 57% passing accuracy. After being so impressed by him early on, this was a more disappointing match performance from him.

D, Robin Jansson, 7 — I just love watching Robin Jansson defend in purple. A tackle, an interception, a blocked shot, a yellow card, and six clearances summarize his performance. Wait? A yellow? Jansson picked up a yellow card late in the match for putting himself between the attacker and Rowe to let Rowe play the ball, but after a scrappy game with so few fouls actually called, players were shocked to see him get this yellow as we saw referee Drew Fischer lose control of the match.

D, Lamine Sané, 7 — I know, he had two very scary moments in the match that could have resulted in an own goal. He seemed to gather himself after that to come back and work to defend the back line for Orlando. With his 27 touches we saw 94% passing accuracy from the defender in addition to a tackle, an interception, and five clearances.

D, Ruan, 7 — Ruan’s speed will never stop amazing me, but there is a sure-fire way to slow him down: foul him repeatedly and get little to no calls against for doing it. His key pass in 18th minute led to Nani scoring. With 56 touches we saw his pass accuracy at 79% and we continued to see him perform despite looking a bit banged up. He finished the match with two tackles, three interceptions, two clearances, and what should have been an assist on the missed opportunity from Dwyer.

MF, Will Johnson, 6.5 — A bit of a quiet match for Will Johnson, and at times I forgot he was on the field. Just kidding, Johnson led the team with six tackles and tied Uri for the highest number of clearances, with seven. With 50 touches we saw Johnson produce 77% passing accuracy. Not a bad match for Johnson, who tends to get a lot of hate from fans.

MF, Uri Rosell, 7.5 (MOTM) — Everything seemed to come through Uri this match. He was focused and ready for NYCFC. He was the root of the goal in the 18th minute, having chipped a pass up to spring Ruan, who got his cross blocked by defenders, but Nani was there to clean it up. We saw another great series from Rosell to Mueller to Akendele resulting in a second goal that would later be called back because VAR + OCSC = disallowed goals (OK, Nani was a smidge offside coming back for the ball). With a passing average of 70% and leading the team in touches at 70, he kept the middle in check for most of the match, picking up a yellow for, I’m still not sure considering everything that went uncalled for NYCFC. You may not agree with my pick of Rosell for Man of the Match, but he has been something to watch as a starter, much like he was in the friendlies during preseason.

MF, Sebas Méndez, 6.5 — Méndez was pretty quiet this match but seemed to work well off Rosell with two tackles, an interception, and a 73% passing accuracy. I love how he commands the field and tends to be all over the place. I hope we have the opportunity to see the Uri and Sebas combination grow.

F, Nani, 7 — The man can score! I can’t help but think that if he hadn’t pulled back on the wide-open net perhaps he could have beat the defender to the line to tap it in. The captain scored his fifth goal as a Lion in the 18th minute of the match and broke out the backflip celebration we used to get to see often from Dwyer. Unlike previous matches, not a whole lot of the action ran through Nani and he saw 41 touches and only a 65% passing accuracy. His two shots on target are leading the team by example, to take the shot.

F, Tesho Akindele, 6.5 — It was not Akindele’s best performance but not his worst. We’d see a series that left us confused, then we’d see a beautiful setup for Mueller only to be wasted, or the goal that got called back. He appeared to lack control multiple times in the match and had a passer rating of only 61%, which left Orlando vulnerable at times.

F, Chris Mueller, 5 — There is no doubt that this kid is beyond talented, but he was a disappointing starter today. I think he added another notch in the “super sub or starter” argument in favor of super sub. He appeared to tire easily and touched the ball way too much. He had chances handed to him to shoot it, but ended up dribbling them away. I didn’t feel the same level of energy from him as I do when he comes off the bench late in the second half.

Substitutes

F, Dom Dwyer (62’), 5 — Dom makes mistakes regularly, sure, but as a typical starter we see him have the time to try to make up for said mistakes. There’s an ongoing argument that a striker’s job is to score, and it obviously is. No one can be perfect all the time, but that wide header on a mostly open goal was truly heartbreaking after a perfectly timed cross from Ruan found Dom unmarked. As The Mane Land’s very own Michael Citro pointed out, however, the bigger disappointment might just be a missed chance at seeing both Nani and Dom do backflips on the foosball table in the same game. He did little to add to the match, connecting only three of his six passes and getting a foul called against him after only being on the pitch for seconds.

MF, Sacha Kljestan (73’), 6 — He was not quite the super sub he has been in the past. Kljestan saw 15 touches and a 63% passer rate. After getting tangled with NYCFC’s Alexander Callens and seemingly trying to genuinely apologize, there was a bit of a commotion as Fischer again lost control of the match.

There it is, Mane Landers — the match as I saw it. Not that winning feeling I love so much, but that, “Hey, points on the road” feeling isn’t so bad.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Uri Rosell43
Lamine Sané1
Robin Jansson19
Ruan9
Nani31
Other (name your MotM in the comments!)4

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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.

Published

19 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.

Published

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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