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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: 5/21/25

The U.S. Open Cup journey resumes tonight, Javier Otero signs a new contract, Pride’s Sams and Abello called up, and more.

Published

2 hours ago

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May 21, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It is match day with Orlando City hosting Nashville SC tonight in Inter&Co Stadium. I hope you are able to make it out to support the club, since I will have to watch it on television. If you listen to The Mane Land PawedCast you know how much I want Orlando City to focus on the U.S. Open Cup — even at the expense of the Leagues Cup. For now, let’s get to the links.

Nashville is Next

As I mentioned above, the Lions take on Nashville SC in a U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 match tonight. Orlando City is riding a 12-match unbeaten streak through all competitions and has scored 14 goals in the past four games going back to its 5-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rowdies. The Lions will look to continue their goal scoring ways to advance to the quarterfinals.

Javier Otero Has a New Contract

Orlando City signed goalkeeper Javier Otero to a new contract through the 2026 season with options for 2027 and 2028. Otero joined the Orlando City Academy in 2017, moving his way up to Orlando City B and, eventually, the first team. The signing secures Orlando City’s backup keeper for the immediate future.

Pride USWNT Call-Ups

Emily Sams and Kerry Abello were both called up to the USWNT training camp. This is Abello’s first call-up to the U.S. Women’s National Team. Sams and Abello make up two of Emma Hayes’ 24-player roster for the upcoming friendlies against China and Jamaica. Other notable players include Naomi Girma, Lynn Biyendolo, and Lo’eau LaBonta.

FIRST USWNT CALL UP FOR BELLO 🗣️

— Orlando Pride (@orlpride.com) 2025-05-20T15:06:37.081Z

USMNT Gold Cup News

Mauricio Pochettino has yet to name the final 26-player list for the Gold Cup. He has even put out there that he may give playing time to a goalkeeper other than Matt Turner. Pochettino sees the Gold Cup as a great opportunity for the team to bond during the last competition before the World Cup. Prior to the Gold Cup, the team has friendlies with Türkiye and Switzerland.

Free Kicks

  • The Kansas City Current may have defeated the Pride last match, but they paid dearly for it.
  • In sad news, former Sporting Kansas City player Gadi Kinda passed away. Kinda had been dealing with “a complex medical battle.”
  • In the “I’m not at all surprised” category, Lionel Messi was not fined by the league for any of his antics during or after the loss to Orlando City, including his criticism of officials, which is usually an automatic fine.

That will do it for today. Check back for our pre-match and post-match coverage tonight. You can also follow The Mane Land on Bluesky for match updates. Vamos Orlando!

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Orlando City

Orlando City Signs Homegrown Goalkeeper Javier Otero to New Deal

Homegrown goalkeeper Javier Otero has inked a new contract through 2026 with two option years.

Published

14 hours ago

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May 20, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

The Lions addressed the future of the goalkeeping position today with the club announcing that Orlando City has signed Homegrown Player Javier Otero to a new deal. Otero’s contract runs through the 2026 season and includes club options for 2027 and 2028. This contract eliminates the need for OCSC to pick up Otero’s 2026 option, as his original Homegrown contract was through 2024 with two option years, and the club exercised the 2025 option in December.

“We’re delighted to offer a new contract to Javi, who has been a prime example of our developmental pathway at work,” Orlando City General Manager and Sporting Director Ricardo Moreira said in a club press release. “We look forward to seeing Javi further his growth here with the club.” 

Otero, 22, originally signed as the club’s 14th Homegrown Player on July 10, 2023 out of the Orlando City Development Academy, becoming the backup to starter Pedro Gallese in 2024 after Mason Stajduhar suffered a season-ending lower leg injury. Stajduhar subsequently left Orlando City prior to the 2025 season, making Otero the primary backup.

Thus far, Otero has appeared in three matches for Orlando across all competitions (two starts), keeping one clean sheet. He made his Major League Soccer debut on June 28, 2024, when Stajduhar sustained his injury on the road against New York City FC. Otero entered the match in the 29th minute with the Lions already trailing and conceded three goals in a 4-1 loss, although he was largely hung out to dry by the team in front of him throughout the match, and one of those goals deflected off defender Robin Jansson and changed direction on him.

In MLS play, Otero has one start and one relief appearance, winning his only career regular-season start earlier this season in a 4-1 home victory over D.C. United on March 22. He also started and backstopped Orlando to a 5-0 U.S. Open Cup victory two weeks ago at the Tampa Bay Rowdies for his first shutout with the senior side.

Otero joined the Orlando City Academy in 2017, making his professional debut with Orlando City B in 2020, backing up second-round draft pick Austin Aviza that season. He became the OCB starter in 2022 after OCB took 2021 off in between changing leagues from USL League One to MLS NEXT Pro.

He led MLS NEXT Pro with 100 saves in the league’s inaugural season of 2022. His first-team contract in 2023 made him the second goalkeeper — behind Stajduhar — to earn a Homegrown Player deal.

On the international stage, Otero made his debut with the Venezuelan Men’s National Team in a friendly against Colombia on Dec. 10, 2023. He was recently called up for Venezuela’s friendly against the U.S. in January, along with La Vinotinto’s FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in March. 

What It Means for Orlando City

It is likely that Otero will remain the backup for a while longer, but Gallese’s contract option for 2025 was triggered by performance metrics after last season. So, Orlando’s No. 1 in the position is uncertain beyond the end of the current season. Gallese, however, has played well, despite a narrative that he could/should have done better at the beginning of the season, when individual mistakes in front of him were leaving him little chance to stop the vast majority of the goals that opponents scored. Orlando City may not be quite ready for Gallese to depart, but the Peruvian himself may have other thoughts.

If Gallese isn’t re-signed before the end of the season, it would make things interesting. Moreira may feel Otero is ready to take on the mantle of starter next season or at least to battle for it. But even if Gallese returns or a different player is signed to be the starter, Otero has impressed enough for the club to invest in him as the primary backup. That’s an important position at all times, because injuries and suspensions happen. But it’s especially vital to have a trustworthy backup to a goalkeeper who is representing his country during the MLS season at times, as Gallese has done with Peru over the years.

Of course, Otero could also be called up regularly by Venezuela if his development continues, taking him away for the same tournaments that currently call Gallese back home. If that becomes the case, Orlando City would have an interesting problem on its hands.

In the meantime, it’s a good sign for Orlando City that, in Otero, the academy has produced another player the club values.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/20/25

Lions earn weekly recognition, preliminary Gold Cup rosters released, Americans in midweek action, and more.

Published

1 day ago

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May 20, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Happy Tuesday, everyone! Life always feels a little brighter after your team wins a soccer game, even more so when it’s against a hated rival, so I hope you’ve had as good a start to your week as I have. We have no time to rest on our laurels though, because Orlando City is straight back into action tomorrow with a U.S. Open Cup match at home against Nashville SC. Let’s get into today’s links.

Lions Earn Weekly Recognition

Several Orlando City players are getting some deserved plaudits following the team’s 3-0 win over Inter Miami on Sunday. Pedro Gallese has been named to the starting XI of the MLS Team of the Matchday, while Joran Gerbet is on the bench and Oscar Pareja is the coach of the side. Gallese made four saves while keeping a clean sheet and also assisted Luis Muriel on the first goal of the game. Gerbet did an excellent job of helping to minimize the impact of Lionel Messi, while Oscar Pareja was the man who who masterminded it all. Alex Freeman got some love as one of the standout young players of the matchday, and also had a nice piece written about him in The Athletic (paywall). All the Lions are deserving of their praise, and here’s hoping this isn’t the last time we see them getting some love.

Freeman Named to USMNT Preliminary Gold Cup Roster

The preliminary rosters have been announced for the 16 teams set to participate in this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup. Most of the usual suspects are present for the United States Men’s National Team, with the exceptions of Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Gio Reyna, whose teams are participating in the FIFA Club World Cup this summer. Of note for Orlando City fans is Alex Freeman’s inclusion on the preliminary roster. That being said, this early list contains 60 names and will need to be cut down to 26 by June 4. With Sergino Dest and Joe Scally both on the 60-man list, Freeman is probably an outside shot to be included, but you never know.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans playing matches during the working week, so make sure you have everything marked down on your calendar. Chris Richards, Matt Turner, and Crystal Palace host Wolverhampton Wanderers in their penultimate Premier League game later today, while Tyler Adams and Bournemouth do the same against Manchester City. Wednesday has Jordan Pefok and Reims visiting Metz in a playoff to decide which team will play in Ligue 1 next season. Alex Zendejas and Club America take on Toluca in the first leg of the Liga MX Clausura final on Thursday, and Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis host Valencia in La Liga play on Friday.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

The summer transfer window will be upon us before we know it, so let’s take a look at what the transfer rumor mill is saying these days. Manchester United is said to be on the verge of signing Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers, and has reportedly agreed to terms on a deal. Man City has reportedly ended its interest in signing Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen, and has instead turned the club’s attention to Barcelona’s Dani Olmo. Finally, Rodrygo is reportedly considering leaving Real Madrid in the summer, with some outlets saying that he “has one foot out of Real Madrid”.

Free Kicks

That does it for me today. Vamos Orlando!

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