Orlando City
Orlando City vs. D.C. United: Player Grades and Man of the Match

To put it kindly, that was not fun. Watching Orlando City play a sloppy, lazy match and waste opportunity after opportunity is never any fun. This 1-0 defeat to Wayne Rooney United — oops, make that D.C. United — feels especially miserable since it provided a very unwelcome flashback to the last time the Lions were at Audi Field. It’s hard to grade a squad of players who didn’t really seem interested in playing soccer tonight, but I’ll have a go at it.
Starters
GK, Brian Rowe, 6 — I believe Rowe to be the most difficult player to grade after this match. Had it not been for two times that the veteran goalkeeper made the incorrect choice to come way too far out of his box (the Rooney goal and the VAR-disallowed Ulises Segura goal), Rowe might have been my Man of the Match. His excellent back-to-back reaction saves in the 30th minute certainly kept Orlando City in the game, as did the two times he correctly came out of his box in the 56th and 60th.
D, Kyle Smith, 6.5 — Seeing Smith as the starting left back with Danilo Acosta on the bench was a bit odd to me. I have to say, however, that it wasn’t necessarily a bad call by Head Coach James O’Connor. Smith was the quiet, steady defender on the pitch tonight, starting as early as the third minute, when he fought to escort the ball out for a goal kick while under heavy pressure from D.C.’s attacker. He didn’t get into the attack in the same ways the injured Joao Moutinho, or perhaps Acosta, would have, but Smith’s five tackles led the team.
D, Robin Jansson, 5.5 — This was not Jansson’s best game as a Lion. It wasn’t his worst either. He definitely didn’t close down Rooney when he should’ve, such as the 41st minute when he allowed Rooney to rip a shot that sailed high and right of the goal. That was an issue shared by others below too. Jansson had two good chances to get on the score sheet and skied both of the headers from corners in the second and 84th minutes. No tackles, two interceptions, and one clearance illustrate that the viking defender had an uninspired night.
D, Lamine Sané, 5.5 — In the opposite conundrum I had with Rowe, I planned to give Sané a lower score until his brilliant goal-saving 68th-minute tackle on Luciano Acosta. That tackle alone could have won him MotM had he not decided to, much like Jansson, let Rooney have all the time and space he needed to make plays. See minutes 6 and 19 for two great examples. Sané also lost a ball to Rooney in the 73rd that a man of his stature should never have lost to a man of Rooney’s stature. That ball ended up in the back of the net as well, only to be called back by VAR because of an offside.
D, Ruan, 5 — This was an uncharacteristically off night for Orlando City’s newest golden boy. Ruan never looked particularly threatening making runs down the right, and was shut down by D.C.’s defenders the few times he got into potentially dangerous areas. His 26th-minute yellow card for a horrible sliding tackle on Joseph Mora was bad enough that a red card wouldn’t have been unwarranted. In the 82nd minute, Sacha Kljestan placed a perfect ball on Ruan’s head at the edge of the six yard box. Unfortunately, the right back chose to attempt heading it across the face of the goal instead of putting the header on frame.
MF, Carlos Ascues, 4.5 — I don’t think anyone complained when O’Connor subbed Ascues off for Uri Rosell in the 70th minute. Most fans were probably screaming for it to have happened sooner. I’ve been one to defend Ascues in the past. His performance in this match makes that very hard. Ascues was part of the Jansson and Sané trifecta that continually allowed Rooney tons of space. Surprisingly, the defensive midfielder did manage four tackles, an interception, and a clearance although those numbers certainly don’t make up for wasting a chance to shoot after rounding Bill Hamid, or his terrible shot in the 20th minute. The only redeeming play I saw from Ascues was in minute 58 when his cross went right to Tesho Akindele’s foot in front of goal.
MF, Sacha Kljestan, 6 — Old Mr. Mustache had himself a very subdued night. I actually didn’t have any notes written about him until his beautiful 82nd-minute cross to the head of Ruan. Kljestan played like a less passionate Will Johnson, doing what was asked of him and not really anything else. His 67 passes, with two of them being key passes, led the team and he also provided three tackles. The game’s second yellow card was given to Kljestan in the 89th for a needlessly bad tackle at the corner of Orlando City’s 18-yard box.
MF, Dillon Powers, 7.5 (MotM) — The formerly headbanded one continued his great form with another outing worthy of the MotM title. Powers was the only midfielder who seemed to play with heart and drive throughout the match. With 77 touches, he trailed only Nani on the night. Both of his shots weren’t on goal, though at least he actually attempted them unlike some of the Orlando City attackers. The midfielder put in a super cross that landed right on Chris Mueller’s head at minute 67. Powers was also the only Lion that wanted to shut down Rooney, providing two interceptions in the 72nd and 92nd minutes on passes destined for the D.C. star. He capped off his game with a gorgeous steal from Rooney in the 93rd that firmly cemented Powers as my MotM.
F, Nani, 7 — Nani did Nani things for the majority of the match. I’m sure many will have him as their MotM. Had he been a bit more selfish at times, I may have had him as mine as well. The Portuguese world beater had seven insane dribbles that were the best soccer on the pitch for either squad tonight. Nani took four shots, with one on goal, but I fully believe he should have taken more himself instead of consistently looking for the cross. A few additional shots along the lines of the 17th-minute laser from outside the 18, and I’m certain that the captain would have added his name to the score sheet.
F, Tesho Akindele, 5.5 — Add Akindele to the list of players who didn’t appear to want to go all out this match. The striker was invisible for large portions of the first half. A curling shot from the top of the 18 in the 40th minute forced a save from Bill Hamid. It was Akindele’s only shot on goal for the match, and 50% of his total shots. On Ascues’ lone decent play, he put a cross right on Akindele’s right foot as he stood directly in front of goal in the 58th minute. Somehow, Akindele couldn’t connect and ended up falling down next to Hamid almost on the goal line with the ball still tangled up in his feet. Those of us watching simply had to shake our heads since it was another one of those nights for the Lions.
F, Chris Mueller, 6.5 — Unlike a lot of his teammates, Cash was his typical energetic self. Sadly, he reverted back to some old bad habits that didn’t do him or the team any favors. Mueller was way too hesitant to shoot again and it may have cost a goal or two. In the 20th minute, he was alone just to the left of the penalty area and took too many touches before deciding to lay the ball off for Ascues’ awful shot. Someone — maybe Nani or O’Connor — might have told Mueller to be more selfish late in the first half. After making a good run down the right in the 45th, he took a shot from the edge of the 18 and sent it into the stands. Mueller also put shots over the crossbar in minutes 67 and 77 before being subbed off in the 79th.
Substitutes
MF, Uri Rosell (70’), 5 — Getting Ascues off the pitch was a complete necessity. Trailing 1-0, I’m not convinced that Rosell was the right sub here. He didn’t provide any offensive help and did the minimum on defense, putting up big fat goose eggs in the interception, clearance, and tackle columns.
F, Benji Michel (79’), 4.5 — Michel may have wanted to follow up his first professional goal with another, but his performance tonight didn’t do anything to show that. The only thing the rookie did of any note was get called for a handball after getting an over-the-top ball right outside the 18.
F, Santiago Patino (83’), 5.5 — The best of the subs on the night. In my opinion, Patino should have been the first sub on at the 70th minute (or earlier). As soon as he came on, he took a shot that was blocked inside the box. Patino was motivated and might have made a bigger difference if given more minutes.
So that’s how I saw in the 1-0 road defeat to D.C. United. Make sure to vote for your Man of the Match in the poll below and tell us all why in the comments section.
Polling Closed
Player | Votes |
Brian Rowe | 5 |
Sacha Kljestan | 2 |
Dillon Powers | 13 |
Nani | 15 |
Chris Mueller | 10 |
Other | 11 |
Orlando City
Orlando City, Nico Lodeiro Mutually Agree to Terminate Contract
The club is off the hook for an $800,000 salary and the Uruguayan midfielder is free to pursue other opportunities.

Veteran midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro’s days as a Lion are over. Orlando City announced that the club and player have mutually agreed to terminate Lodeiro’s contract, allowing him to become a free agent. Per the club, Orlando City has utilized one of its two buyouts for 2025 in this transaction.
Tom Bogert reported Monday that a deal was in the works for Lodeiro to join the Houston Dynamo, and this move paves the way for that to happen. As he was going to be out of contract after the season anyway, the Lions had limited options to sell the midfielder and in the end opted to free up room under the cap, allowing the player to move on to a situation where he could get more minutes.
“This was certainly a difficult decision as Nico has been a great addition to the team since joining us at the beginning of last season,” Orlando City Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi said in a club press release. “Ultimately, we feel this is the best move for both the team and Nico at this time. Nico has integrated in such a seamless way that it feels like he’s been part of our club for much longer than just one season. On top of being a tremendous player and teammate, Nico is a fantastic human being. Our doors will always be open to Nico, and we hope he can one day rejoin us and be an integral part of the Club’s future.”
Orlando City signed Lodeiro as a free agent on Jan. 4, 2024, after his stellar eight-year run with the Seattle Sounders. The hope was that he would step in and elevate a position that had been occupied by previous captain Mauricio Pereyra. Lodeiro managed 16 starts and played in all 34 regular-season matches for the Lions in 2024, but he was displaced in the starting lineup by Martin Ojeda. That relegated Lodeiro to coming off the bench in the second half in most of his appearances from August onward. His final start in the regular season came July 20, 2024, vs. New York City FC, and his last start in any competition was July 26 in Leagues Cup play against CF Montreal.
The 35-year-old leaves Orlando after 34 regular-season appearances (16 starts). He logged 1,697 minutes in the regular season, scoring one goal and contributing 11 assists, which matched his third-highest total in MLS. He attempted 36 shots and put 10 of them on target. Lodeiro completed 87.5% of his passes, which was his best-ever completion percentage in an MLS season, as he delivered 1,215 of 1,389 accurately. He also recorded 46 key passes, 20 completed long balls, and 20 successful crosses. On defense, he notched 36 tackles, 14 interceptions, eight clearances, and three blocks.
In addition to appearing in every regular-season match, Lodeiro saw the field in each of Orlando’s five postseason games — all as a substitute — and played 58 minutes. He did not record any goal contributions or shots, although he had the assist on a would-be Facundo Torres winner in Game 2 against Charlotte FC which was ultimately ruled offside. He completed 77.4% of his passes and accurately delivered two key passes, two crosses, and two long balls. Defensively, he made three tackles and chipped in with a clearance.
Nico appeared in all four of OCSC’s Concacaf Champions Cup matches, starting both games against Tigres and coming on as a sub in both legs against Cavalry FC for a total of 270 minutes. He took four shots (one on target), and provided a goal and an assist in the home game against Cavalry. He completed 86% of his passes and provided one key pass and the aforementioned assist. Defensively, he contributed two tackles and one clearance.
He also started one of the Lions’ Leagues Cup matches and came on as a substitute in the other two, for three total appearances, amassing 83 minutes. He did not score on his four shots (one on target), but he provided an assist in the 4-1 win over CF Montreal. He passed with 81.5% accuracy, completed one cross, and provided three key passes.
What It Means for Orlando City
Lodeiro’s departure after just one season in Orlando clears an $800,000 salary from the books, which is too sizable a contract for a player who would have been a bench player when the team had its full complement of starting players. Lodeiro is still a useful player, as evidenced by his double-digit assist totals a year ago, but he has clearly lost some pace and some of his effectiveness in the box. His goal-scoring has dropped off dramatically in recent years, although he is still a threat on set pieces, as shown by his free kick goal late in the CF Montreal preseason match on Feb. 8.
Ultimately, Lodeiro helped the Lions bridge the gap at the No. 10 spot between Pereyra and Ojeda claiming the job. Ojeda continues to show growth in that position and is coming off a one-goal, one-assist performance Friday against Inter Miami in preseason action. His departure will mean there isn’t an ideal backup for Ojeda on the current squad, although that role could be filled by Luis Muriel or Eduard Atuesta if need be.
If Houston completes the signing of Lodeiro, it would put the Uruguayan on a team that isn’t scheduled to face Orlando City this season.
Orlando City
Orlando City Trades Homegrown Right Back Michael Halliday to the Houston Dynamo
Orlando City has acquired a first-round draft pick in 2026 for fullback Michael Halliday.

Orlando City announced today that the club has traded Homegrown right back Michael Halliday to the Houston Dynamo for the club’s natural first-round pick in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft. The move ends the Apopka native’s stay with his hometown club, which started in 2016 when he joined the academy. It’s the second time this year that the club has traded away a long-serving Homegrown player, having sent backup goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar to Real Salt Lake on Jan. 15.
Tom Bogert first broke the news Monday that a deal for Halliday was in the works between Orlando and Houston, and now it has been completed. The club will also retain a sell-on percentage in the event Houston transfers Halliday to another club.
The 22-year-old defender signed as the club’s eighth-ever Homegrown Player on July 15, 2020, coming out of the academy. At the time of his signing, he was the youngest player to sign for the club since Tommy Redding in 2014 at 17 years, five months, and 23 days.
He initially joined the club in 2016, playing for the U-13 side and made his way up the academy ranks, eventually reaching the U-19 team before making his professional debut for OCB on Aug. 1, 2020. He made seven appearances for the Young Lions that year with six starts and 561 minutes, recording an assist. He was an unused substitute three times for the first team in 2020.
Halliday’s first appearance for the first team came on May 29, 2021 in a 2-1 loss to the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena. He bounced between the first and second teams over the next four years, making 12 total appearances for OCB with 11 starts and 966 minutes, recording just the one assist. He made 43 appearances for the MLS side with 18 starts, recording 1,841 minutes with two assists.
The right back recently signed a new contract with the club on Jan. 16, 2024. It was a two-year deal that was to keep him in town through the 2025 season with club options for 2026 and 2027.
However, the Apopka native saw a significant decrease in playing time in 2024. After appearing 21 times with 12 starts in 2023, he only made seven appearances with one start in all competitions last season.
Halliday received his first season grade by The Mane Land in 2023, reaching the threshold with 1,109 minutes of action. After getting a 5.5 out of 10 for the season, he didn’t play enough to receive a grade in 2024.
In addition to his club play, Halliday has found a place with the U.S. Men’s National Team youth setup. He began playing with the U-20 national team in 2022, was a member of the 2022 Concacaf U-20 Championship team, and played four games at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
What It Means for Orlando City
Halliday was primarily a right back for Oscar Pareja’s side. He started the 2023 season on the right with Luca Petrasso on the left. However, both were soon supplanted. Dagur Dan Thorhallsson took over for Halliday and Rafael Santos took over for Petrasso. The left back also left the club following the 2024 season.
This trade might say more about another player than it does about Halliday. The club signed 20-year-old right back Alex Freeman to a Homegrown deal on Feb. 15, 2022. The defender has been playing with OCB for the last couple of years but saw significant minutes this preseason. The club might see more possibilities with the younger right back moving forward. Halliday had seemingly slipped to fourth on the depth chart at right back behind Thorhallsson, Kyle Smith, and Freeman.
After the club traded Stajduhar, Halliday became the longest-tenured Homegrown player at the club. With his departure, that designation now belongs to center back Thomas Williams, who signed a Homegrown contract on June 15, 2021, and a new two-year contract earlier this offseason.
This move gives Halliday an opportunity to compete for more minutes to further his professional development. The full value of the trade for Orlando remains to be seen and will depend on how the club uses the draft pick and whether a future Halliday transfer brings any cash back to OCSC.
Orlando City
Wilder Cartagena Officially Out for the 2025 Season After Surgery
The Peruvian midfielder will miss all of the 2025 season after surgery to repair his left Achilles tendon.

The worst fears about Wilder Cartagena’s injury have come to pass, as the standout central midfielder will miss the entire 2025 season after undergoing surgery to repair his left Achilles tendon. The Peruvian international suffered the injury in Orlando City’s preseason opener against Atletico Mineiro on Jan. 25 and had surgery at the end of last month, per his Twitter account.
Orlando City confirmed today that the injury will keep him out throughout the 2025 campaign and the Lions have placed Cartagena on the Season-Ending Injury list. The procedure was performed by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Steven Choung at the Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute in Orlando on Jan. 29.
“These are the first days for Wilder on the road of a long recovery process and we’re thankful for our partners at Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute and their amazing care,” said Director of Medical & Performance Gonzalo Rodríguez in a club press release. “We plan to fully support Wilder during his recovery process and help him get stronger and we look forward to seeing him back and fully healthy.”
Orlando City initially acquired Cartagena on loan through the 2022 MLS season. After a successful end of the year, the club exercised the option to extend the loan through the 2023 season. He became a key player in the starting lineup for the Lions that season, resulting in the club signing him to a permanent deal on Dec. 14, 2024.
The 30-year-old native of Lima, Peru, is coming off a solid season. He appeared in 27 matches during the regular season (25 starts), playing 2,192 minutes. He did not score a goal but recorded an assist on his 24 total shots, putting eight on target. He completed 89% of his passes with 16 key passes, one successful cross, and 25 completed long balls. On the defensive side, he recorded 76 tackles, 20 interceptions, 42 clearances, and nine blocks. He committed a team-leading 48 fouls, suffered 28, and received seven yellow cards and one red card, which he picked up after the conclusion of the game against Minnesota United.
During the playoffs, Cartagena started all five matches, playing 431 minutes with no goals or assists. He took two shots, putting one on target, and he completed 87.2% of his passes with one key pass. Defensively, he recorded nine tackles, four interceptions, 11 clearances, and one block. He drew eight fouls and committed nine, and he was booked twice, with both being yellow cards.
In his first three seasons in Orlando, Cartagena has one goal and three assists in 59 games (52 starts). More importantly, he has formed one of the more cohesive central midfield partnerships in the league with Cesar Araujo.
What It Means for Orlando City
The Lions not only free up a spot on the senior roster by placing Cartagena on the Season-Ending Injury List, but the club could sign a replacement without taking a double salary cap hit. If Orlando signs a player prior to the roster freeze date (Sept. 12, 2025) and designates that player officially as an injury replacement for Cartagena, then as long as that player does not make more than the Peruvian’s compensation of $520,250 the club will not eat Cartagena’s salary budget charge.
Losing Cartagena is a blow to the team’s defense, as he has become one of the most reliable defensive midfielders in the league. His absence could be mitigated by Eduard Atuesta’s arrival. Atuesta is a better passer and has more attacking talent, so if Atuesta can play near Cartagena’s level on the defensive end, it would be huge for the Lions. However, it is unlikely Atuesta would be as adept at dropping into the back line and becoming a third center back when circumstances warrant it as Cartagena did last season to great effect.
Cartagena’s injury is unfortunate, but hopefully he’ll make a full recovery, which would give the Lions some coverage in case Araujo departs as was rumored throughout the off-season.
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