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

Published

6 years ago

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Grading the guys after a 2-0 loss isn’t quite as exciting as when they win or draw. I know my whole thing is “silver linings” and all, but this is going to be tough. What is the black cloud that hangs over us? I mean, other than the literal black clouds during warm-ups that almost led me to believe we’d see some lightning delays. I don’t like this; I don’t like this at all. Here’s how they performed in my eyes:

Starters

GK, Brian Rowe, 6.5 — The keeper had his work cut out for him this match and did well to defend the fortress again and again. Rowe kept the score at 0-0 beyond halftime and extended himself to make some pretty amazing saves. Right as the words, “He might be my Man of the Match” came out of my mouth, Toronto scored. So there’s that.  I don’t think he’s entirely to blame though. Everyone seemed to fall to pieces in the second half. He might have done better on the second goal but there wasn’t much he could do on the first.

D, João Moutinho, 5 — Otherwise known as the corner shot creator. No? That’s not his nickname? It could be. Moutinho’s defending looked much better this week and we saw a tackle and two clearances from him. His pass rate was at 78% and once Chris Mueller came on his hustle seemed to have been reignited and we saw the pair work together nicely. Not a fabulous match from him but not terrible, though he was culpable on a couple balls over the top.

D, Robin Jansson, 6 — How exciting would it have been if Jansson’s shot in the 36th minute went in? Of course, it didn’t because, OCSC. The man is non-stop though. He gave his team three clearances, an interception, and a 91% passing average over 43 passes. He proves time and again that he is here to try and make the difference for Orlando City’s back line. 

D, Lamine Sané, 5 — Sané saw one tackle and two clearances, a shot and a key pass (on Jansson’s shot attempt that was headed off the crossbar by Chris Mavinga). In his 47 passes, he led the team with the most accurate passing rate, connecting 92% of the time. But it was in the 65th minute when Jonathan Osorio beat everyone — including Sané — in a series of unfortunate events, to score. 

D, Ruan, 4.5 — Off to an exciting match, we saw Ruan earn a corner after some fancy footwork, almost taunting the Toronto defenders. It was his unfortunate attempt to win the ball in the air before Toronto’s goal in the 65th minute when he pulled up short and allowed the Reds the space they needed that really stung. He kept his passing accuracy at 82% and had a tackle and an interception. He went down in the second half with an apparent leg injury but soon rejoined the team. The man is nothing if not a fan favorite, but he may need a bit of a rest. 

MF, Will Johnson, 6.5 (MotM)— Will Johnson had another great match. He didn’t slow down for even a second, even if he made a few mistakes, he had the shot on goal in the 30th minute when Tesho Akindele sent him a pass and Quentin Westberg was in perfect position to make the save to keep Orlando City off the board. His passing accuracy was at 88% and we saw a tackle and an interception from the midfielder. 

MF, Uri Rosell, 5 — With a volley off a corner in the 28th minute of the match, Rosell’s shot was deflected, earning another corner. Nani sent the corner right to Rosell who shot the ball way over the net. Our previous Man of the Match didn’t have quite the amazing game he did last week, but his pass accuracy at 84% helped keep the midfield in check, somewhat. 

MF, Sebas Méndez, 4 — Méndez saw an 83% passing average, a tackle, and two interceptions. Other than that, he really didn’t seem to make an impact on the match at all, which was surprising to me. He’s usually so exciting to watch. 

F, Nani, 4 — A wildly disappointing match from Nani. He had three shots, zero of which were on target. Watching the game in person, it really felt like his passing average was much lower than 74%. He tended to slow the pace of play to toy with defenders and then lost the ball repeatedly. I’m sure the man’s exhausted, and I realize that one man does not make a team, but he usually makes the difference for the Lions. Today, not so much. Leading the team in touches (76), he really did nothing to make those touches worth it. 

F, Tesho Akindele, 4 — I almost forgot he played. The forward was out there with a 65% passing accuracy and that’s really about it. And as Forrest Gump would say, “That’s all I have to say about that.”

F, Dom Dwyer, 4.5 —  I mean, bicycle kicks are always fun to witness, and he definitely seemed a bit more confident out there than he has most of this season. If “Dom ‘Effin Dwyer” scores when he wants, I’m really going to need him to want to soon. Only one of his five shots were on target, he was dispossessed three times, and his 12 passes saw only 75% accuracy. I’m certainly of the belief that Dwyer’s mojo will return and he’ll be doing backflips again — as it nearly did in the 89th minute if not for a great save by Westberg. I just hope it’s soon. 

Substitutes

Sacha Kljestan (73’), 4.5 — Everyone definitely sat up in their seats when Sacha took a shot in the 80th minute, only for it to go wide. In his 17 minutes on the pitch he saw the aforementioned shot, a tackle, and 69% pass accuracy over 16 passes. He came on for Johnson, but I’m left wondering a bit, why?

F, Chris Mueller (71’), 4.5 — Ask and you shall receive. Almost as soon as the crowd started the “We want Mueller” chant, the kid was suiting up. He took a shot and connected on eight of his 10 passes. As previously mentioned, he and Moutinho really seem to bring out the highest levels of energy in each other. Hopefully we get to see that connect to make something happen. Soon. 

Josue Colman (78’), 5 — He did it, he got out there, outpaced everyone, and looked up to complete a key pass. Nothing came of it obviously, but it was the finish on one of his plays that had me so excited. Not a lot of playing time to report on, but he did end up with an 83% passing accuracy over his 12 passes. It was also exciting to see all three DPs on at once. Is that my silver lining in this?

That was hard. I’m headed to Atlanta next week to support the Lions. Anyone else? Who was your Man of the Match? Vote in the poll below:

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Will Johnson18
Brian Rowe27
Robin Jansson24
Lamine Sané2
Other: Name your MotM in the comments2

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/9/25

Gold Cup reactions, Club World Cup semifinals, Lions rank up, and more.

Published

17 hours ago

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July 9, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Thankfully, the fun never ends when it comes to soccer. Yes, the USMNT lost to Mexico which makes me sad, but we’re also now less than a month until the Orlando Pride are back in action. I know it seems like a long time, but I have to hold on to something. In the meantime, check out these links.

Gold Cup Reactions

Sadly, the USMNT lost the Concacaf Gold Cup final 2-1 to Mexico. Now, the reactions and reflections on the competition begin. The USMNT has long had a striker (or lack thereof) problem, but is Patrick Agyemang up for the job? There are those who continue to question whether Mauricio Pochettino is the right man to coach the U.S., but former USMNT forward Clint Dempsey isn’t one of them. Finally, what can the USMNT take from this tournament, and from this loss to Mexico?

Chelsea Awaits PSG-Real Madrid Winner in Club World Cup

Chelsea defeated Fluminense 2-0 to reach the final of the 2025 Club World Cup. Joao Pedro scored a brace in his first start for Chelsea against his boyhood team. Chelsea will face either Paris Saint-Germain or Real Madrid Sunday at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. PSG and Real Madrid are two of the best teams in this competition, but only one will advance following today’s match. The two European giants will play today at 3 p.m. at the aforementioned MetLife Stadium.

Minnesota, Austin Advance to U.S. Open Cup Semifinals

The U.S. Open Cup resumed Tuesday with two quarterfinal matches. Minnesota United came back from a goal down after Chicago defender Omar Gonzalez was sent off, but could not find a game winner until extra time, when the Loons struck twice to win 3-1 in St. Paul. In the late game, Chicho Arango gave the San Jose Earthquakes an early lead at home, only to see Austin’s Brandon Vazquez equalize in the second half. The teams traded goals in extra time and Austin FC advanced by winning the penalty shootout, 4-2. It wasn’t all good news for Austin, however, as Vazquez was stretchered off in the 72nd minute after suffering a non-contact injury.

Tonight, the other two quarterfinal matches will take place. The Philadelphia Union will face the New York Red Bulls and Nashville SC will face D.C. United.

Free Kicks

That will do it for today. Check back and we get you ready for Orlando City’s match this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/8/25

Ramiro Enrique earns weekly props, Club World Cup semifinals preview, United States Men’s National Team stock watch, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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July 8, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone. Depending on your preference, I hope you either had a restful holiday weekend or an active and engaging one. We have an active and engaging week ahead of us in the soccer world, with the continuation of the Women’s European Championships and the Club World Cup, and Orlando City and Orlando City B in action at the weekend. That means we have a lot to cover this morning, so let’s get into the links.

Ramiro Enrique Earns Weekly Recognition

Ramiro Enrique played an important role in Orlando City’s 2-2 comeback draw against Charlotte FC over the weekend, and he’s been rewarded with a place on the bench in the MLS Team of the Matchday. Enrique bagged Orlando’s first goal of the evening just four minutes after the Lions went down by a second goal, and his strike helped keep the game from getting away from OCSC. He could have had an even better game if he’d not been denied a second goal due to a goal-line clearance. Still, it’s good to see him finding the back of the net, and here’s hoping he keeps doing so.

Club World Cup Semifinals Preview

The Club World Cup semifinals get started later today with Chelsea taking on Fluminense at 3 p.m. There are several storylines and battles to watch, with a big one being Fluminense’s Thiago Silva facing off against a Chelsea team with which he won the UEFA Champions League back in 2021. He’ll be tasked with shutting down Cole Palmer while teammate Hercules will do battle with Moises Caicedo in midfield. Wednesday’s match has Real Madrid taking on Paris Saint-Germain in a game littered with French stars on both sides. The big storyline here is Kylian Mbappe taking on his former PSG team, but the Madrid squad also features Frenchmen Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga, and Ferland Mendy. It would take too long to list all of PSG’s French stars, but Ousmane Dembele is the biggest name to watch, although Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola are more than capable of making huge impacts on matches.

Post-Gold Cup Stock Watch

Now that the Gold Cup has concluded, we can better analyze which United States Men’s National Team players benefitted from the tournament, and which ones saw their stock drop. Two guys who got huge boosts as a result of their play during the competition are Chris Richards and Malik Tillman. Richards already had a great club season but displayed a level of poise and maturity this summer that will ease some concerns about the center back position. Tillman scored or assisted in all but two Gold Cup matches, and his performances combined with the year he had for PSV Eindhoven might just get him a move to Bayer Leverkusen. On the other hand, Matt Turner didn’t play a single minute during the tournament and almost certainly needs regular playing time if he wants to regain the starting role he had at the 2022 World Cup. Despite having a good year with Toulouse, Mark McKenzie was unable to unseat Tim Ream from partnering Richards at center back, and he’s running out of chances to make his case for a starting spot.

Women’s Euros Results

The Women’s European Championships continued on Monday, and fans were treated to a pair of extremely different games in Group B. In one, Portugal needed a last-minute equalizer to salvage a point in a 1-1 draw against Italy. That point gives Portugal a chance to advance to the quarterfinals if it beats Belgium in the final group match and Spain beats Italy, although it also needs to make up a significant gap in goal difference. In the other game, Spain punched its ticket to the knockout rounds in emphatic fashion by trouncing Belgium to the tune of a 6-2 scoreline. Alexia Putellas had a brace, and five different Spanish players found the back of the net as Spain scored four unanswered goals in the second half to cruise through to the next round.

Free Kicks

NYCFC will be floating a 700 pound, 5 story tall inflatable pigeon down the Hudson River tomorrow. It will finally end up in Willets Point where rumor has it that it will transform into the concrete sculpture that will adorn Etihad Park www.theoutfield.nyc/p/from-stree…

— Chris Campbell (@chriscampbell.theoutfield.nyc) 2025-07-07T15:14:20.920Z

That’s all I have for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/7/25

Lions draw at Charlotte FC, OCB claims two points against Crown Legacy, USMNT falls to Mexico in Gold Cup final, and more.

Published

3 days ago

on

July 7, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope you all had a great Fourth of July holiday weekend. I was busy working but tried to catch some soccer when I could. The senior Lions and OCB were both in action over the weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Come from Behind in 2-2 Draw at Charlotte FC

Orlando City overturned a 2-0 deficit and picked up a 2-2 draw against Charlotte FC Saturday at Bank of America Stadium. The Lions trailed 2-0 late in the second half, but Ramiro Enrique pulled one back for Orlando to make it 2-1. Marco Pasalic scored the equalizer to help Orlando secure a draw. The Lions are unbeaten in their last three matches on the road (2-0-1) but are winless in their last two consecutive matches (0-1-1). Martin Ojeda and Luis Muriel assisted on both goals for the Lions, and Ojeda became the third player in club history to record 50 goal contributions.

Orlando City remains fifth in the Eastern Conference table with 34 points. The Lions will take on CF Montreal Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium but will be without Pedro Gallese and Robin Jansson, who will serve suspensions for yellow card accumulation.

OCB Wins Penalty Shootout vs. Crown Legacy FC after 2-2 Draw

Orlando City B drew 2-2 against Crown Legacy FC Sunday at the Mecklenburg County Sportsplex. The Young Lions stuck first against the run of play on a goal from Justin Ellis to take a 1-0 lead. Orlando City B held onto the lead through halftime. In the second half, Crown Legacy FC scored twice to take a 2-1 lead. However, Ellis scored the equalizer on a late penalty kick to record his second goal of the match. After 90 minutes, MLS NEXT Pro draws go to penalties, and OCB won the extra point with a 3-1 shootout win. Carlos Mercado was instrumental, as the goalkeeper stopped Crown Legacy’s first three spot kicks. OCB will be back in action Sunday at Osceola County Stadium against Carolina Core FC.

USMNT Falls to Mexico in Gold Cup Final

The U.S. Men’s National Team fell 2-1 to Mexico on Sunday in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup final at NRG Stadium. Mexico won the Gold Cup for the 10th time and repeated as champions. Orlando City defender Alex Freeman started the match and played 90 minutes. The USMNT got off to a great start as a Chris Richards header gave the U.S. the early lead. Later in the first half, Raul Jimenez scored the equalizer for Mexico. In the second half, Edson Alvarez buried his header to pull Mexico ahead 2-1. The goal was initially called offside, but it was awarded after video review. The USMNT fell short of an eighth Gold Cup title but will now shift its focus to preparing for the 2025 FIFA World Cup next summer. The USMNT’s next matches are friendlies against South Korea on Sept. 4 and Japan on Sept. 9.

Club World Cup Quarterfinals Recap

The semifinals are set in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup after four thrilling quarterfinal matches over the weekend. On Friday, Fluminense edged Al-Hilal 2-1 to move on to the semifinals. Chelsea beat Palmeiras 2-1 and booked a spot in the semifinals. Former Lion Facundo Torres started the match for Palmeiras and played 67 minutes. On Saturday, Paris Saint-Germain defeated Bayern Munich 2-0, scoring two late goals in the second half from Desire Doue and Ousmane Dembélé to advance despite finishing the match with nine men. Real Madrid edged Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in a thrilling match to advance. The semifinals kick off Tuesday afternoon as Fluminense faces Chelsea. On Wednesday, Paris Saint-Germain will take on Real Madrid as Kylian Mbappe faces his former club. The Club World Cup final will be played at MetLife Stadium Sunday.

Free Kicks

  • On Saturday, France defeated England 2-1 in its opening match of the 2025 UEFA Women’s Euros in Switzerland. Orlando Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was on the bench.
  • Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda scored 58 seconds into the match for Zambia in the 2025 CAF Women’s African Cup of Nations against Morocco. Banda also notched an assist, but it wasn’t enough to win as the match ended in a 2-2 draw. Prisca Chilufya and Grace Chanda joined Banda in playing for Zambia.

Former Chicago Fire and Aston Villa forward Jhon Duran has reportedly joined Fenerbahce on a one-year loan six months after joining Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia.

Seattle Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei was taken off the field in an ambulance just seconds before the end of stoppage time after taking a knee to the head by a Crew player as the match ended in a 1-1 draw.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.

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