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Orlando City vs. Philadelphia Union: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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James O’Connor made three changes to his lineup as he regained the services of midfielders Will Johnson and Sebas Méndez from international duty while Ruan also returned after being rested for Saturday’s visit to Columbus.

Having started brightly and looking in complete control, the momentum shifted on two key moments in favor of Philadelphia, which currently sits atop the Eastern conference. First, by scoring an equalizer and then seeing Orlando’s first red card, the Union wrestled the game back in their favor going into the break and landed another blow to Orlando in the opening few minutes of the second half before a few Lions truly hit self-destruct. Not everyone did poorly as some went down with the sinking ship with dignity and the grades reflect that:

Starters

GK, Brian Rowe, 6.5 – Rowe was forced into his first save in the 12th minute, diving low to his right to deny a long range Kacper Przybyłko effort destined for the bottom corner. He’d be forgiven for thinking he was in for a quiet day after the first half hour but that all changed. He ended up making five saves in total but couldn’t do anything about the first goal as Przybyłko had the entire goal at his mercy and from there things snowballed. He was equally as helpless for the other two Union goals, I wouldn’t expected any goalkeeper in MLS to stop those, and despite coming up big for a spectacular double save, it ultimately didn’t matter as the game had long slipped out of the Lions’ grasp. A commanding day aerially and some good distribution (84.6% accuracy, fifth best) are relatively moot points on a night like tonight.

D, Danilo Acosta, 4 – With João Moutinho’s injury persisting for now, Acosta got another chance to stake his claim for the starting role following his return from an anonymous Gold Cup jaunt with Honduras, for which he still hasn’t been cap-tied but he likely damaged his chances. A bright start offensively with some neat interplay with Nani soon gave way to slack defending. It finally cost Orlando when Acosta was caught out on the long ball that Alejandro Bedoya was able to turn back infield for the assist on the second goal and after the third goal went in, I seemed to notice Acosta immediately turn inwards towards Miller, shouting and throwing his arms up in frustration. Not a good look from a player a long way from a good performance himself and I’m not sure O’Connor is the type of person that takes kindly to such blame culture. Two tackles, three clearances and the second-worst pass completion percentage on the team.

D, Robin Jansson, 3.5 – Jansson was having a pretty sturdy outing for the first half hour, reading play and cutting out passes as Orlando was able to defend as a unit, but a turnover left the defense vulnerable on the counter, and the Swede got sucked to the ball and left Przybyłko unmarked for the goal. His late attempt at stepping up didn’t dissuade him from a valiant last ditch slide but it did little to salvage the situation. He then got caught as the last man against Fafà Picault on another break close to halftime that ultimately spelled the end of his day — Jansson lost his composure, recklessly left the ground and wildly swung his legs through the back of Picault. Chris Penso surprisingly only showed yellow before VAR rightfully asked him to revisit the decision. Prior to his dismissal, Jansson had actually completely all 16 of his pass attempts and made a joint-high five clearances.

D, Lamine Sané, 5 – Similar to Jansson, Sané made a couple of good tackles prior to the goal but failed in his first one-on-one scenario, not doing enough to close down Jamiro Monteiro, who was easily able to feed Przybyłko for the Union’s equalizer. With 11 defensive actions (two tackles, three interceptions, five clearances and one blocked shot) he had a significantly busier game than usual and actually did pretty well, remaining pretty tight despite the numerical disadvantage and introduction of Kamal Miller. Still, I really don’t trust his ability to win individual battles and it really heaped the pressure on Jansson both for the Union’s first goal and then his red card.

D, Ruan, 4 – Ruan continually tested Kai Wagner and Brenden Aaronson out for pace on the Philadelphia left and saw some mild success but for all the good will he has built up during his time in purple, his attacking output has dried up and it’s no longer covering his defensive frailties. He registered absolutely no defensive actions whatsoever in a game that left the Lions defending for their lives at times. One shot and an 80.6% accuracy on 36 passes, the fifth most, is all he really has to show on his return to the side. He did rank first in one category though, losing possession a team-leading six times.

MF, Sacha Kljestan, 3 – Gone are the days of Kljestan as an assist-hungry attacking midfielder. He has adopted a more central and deeper role in the current O’Connor system with a lot of defensive responsibility, serving as a box-to-box on the break. He had a good passing game, completing the fourth most at 81.4% but his lack of pace showed at times and as the game slipped away, Orlando began chasing shadows in midfield. That made Kljestan frustrated and you won’t like Kljestan when he’s frustrated. It ultimately ended in Jansson being left to hold Kljestan’s beer as the 33-year-old went lunging in on Monteiro for what was frankly a horrendous challenge. Red card, maybe an additional game ban. It was that bad.

MF, Sebas Méndez, 5.5 – Méndez was the deepest-lying midfielder as he once again assumed the role of quarterback on his return, sitting in between Jansson and Sané in possession to help dictate play. He led the team in passes with 64, which is comparatively low to some of his other games this season but did make 93.8% including five long balls. Like the vast majority of the team, he was left high and dry by the sending offs and was a passenger once OCSC was reduced to nine.

MF, Will Johnson, 7 (MOTM) – Will Johnson had the game that Kljestan woke up this morning hoping to have. They played the same role on either side of a midfield tandem with Méndez sitting behind them. He covered every blade of grass and was the last man left running out there as he commendably channeled his frustration into work rate, not recklessness. Not only did he pass the eye test but he also bossed the stats sheet, leading the team in both tackles, with four, as well as key passes, with two, while his 98.2% pass accuracy was second only behind Jansson’s 100% on a much lower 16 attempts, compared to the Canadian’s 55, also good enough for second.

F, Nani, 4 – After what Orlando City analyst Miguel Gallardo called Nani’s most complete performance in purple against Columbus on Saturday, Nani only got 45 minutes as departed at halftime to make room for a defender following Jansson’s sending off. It was a forgettable half that the Portuguese was pretty anonymous in, flattering to deceive in transition. His 73.1% pass accuracy was the lowest of every Lion, starters and subs, and he only registered one shot that was off target. Considering the high standards the All-Star has set himself, it was a disappointing evening for the DP.

F, Tesho Akindele, 5.5 – Akindele was Orlando’s primary outlet when the Lions regained possession and showed some good hold-up play. However, he was caught out for the Union equalizer, getting dispossessed on what he thought should have been a foul and was the second-most dispossessed player behind Ruan. He was the only Orlando player to successfully complete more than one dribble and made 31 passes (83.9%) but he was another the game just got away from.

F, Chris Mueller, 7 – A storming solo run carved open the Union defense in the eighth minute, leaving Mueller ample time to pick his spot past rookie goalkeeper Matt Freese, taking the second-year forward’s personal total to five for the season. That set the tone as he was a nuisance for the hour he played before being subbed off. Closing down from the front, sniffing out loose passes, drawing fouls, running at defenders, and that’s not to mention his defensive hustle. A solid outing for Cash, who the Union will not be looking forward to matching up against again at the weekend.

Substitutes

CB, Kamal Miller (46’), 4 – In all honesty, rookie Kamal Miller was shockingly bad but he does have my sympathies, subbing on at halftime to cover for Jansson. But he didn’t get a second to adjust back to life in the Orlando back line following his return from national team duty as the Union scored inside two minutes, with Miller giving everyone a lesson in how not to defend, meekly turning his back on the shot. His efforts for Philadelphia’s third were even less impressive, getting caught in two minds whether to close down, which he began to do then stopped, or track the run of Picault, which he probably realized he should’ve done just as Picault was shooting. There’s a strong argument that the youngster was less useful in the second half than the departed Jansson was sat back in the locker room, although he earned some points back for a last ditch block on Marco Fabián in garbage time.

CB, Shane O’Neill (61’), 4.5 – In all honesty, I’m reading Shane O’Neill’s name on my notes and I’m struggling to remember if he actually came on or he’s still on the sideline waiting to enter the game. He managed one more touch than an isolated Dom Dwyer who subbed on at the same time as him although he did manage one tackle so I guess that automatically elevates him above Ruan and Miller at least. Not a healthy situation to sub into that soon got worse. It’s confusing to know how defending for half an hour with nine men your central defender can go so unnoticed but I guess that’s just a wider metaphor for O’Neill in general. Not actively messing up counts for something, right?

FW, Dom Dwyer (61’), 6 – Playing his first minutes since May 19, Dwyer struggled to get into the game. He did attempt a spectacular bicycle kick off a corner in the 84th minute but playing with two fewer players, he was never going to get much of a look at goal as Orlando struggled to retain any purposeful possession. He managed to spring Akindele after a neat turn before Penso brought it back for a foul in stoppage time but nothing came of it. In difficult circumstances, you can at least take heart that he looked sharp in the few moments he did actually touch the ball. He gets the benefit of the doubt purely as the life of striker is already quiet enough when you have the correct number of players on your team.


Agree with the grades? Have your own pick for Man of the Match? Vote on the poll and let us know in the comments!

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Brian Rowe2
Will Johnson27
Chris Mueller31
Lamine Sané2
Other (comment below)3

Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/4/24

Orlando City falls to Charlotte FC in penalty shootout, Orlando Pride defeat the Seattle Reign, Megan Montefusco retires and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I covered high school cross country state semifinals over the weekend, and I’m getting ready to cover a high school soccer playoff match later this week. We have plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Lose Penalty Shootout to Charlotte FC

Orlando City fell 3-1 on penalties to Charlotte FC at Bank of America Stadium on Friday night after playing to a scoreless draw in Game 2 of the MLS Cup playoffs. Orlando’s offense struggled to create anything throughout the match in the attack. The best chance came late in the second half when Facundo Torres thought he had scored the game-winner for Orlando, but the assistant referee deemed him to be offside. In the penalty shootout, Luis Muriel was the only Lion to find the back of the net. Nico Lodeiro and Duncan McGuire had their penalty kicks saved by Charlotte FC goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina, while Robin Jansson’s kick sailed over the net. The Lions will host Charlotte FC in Game 3 at Inter&Co Stadium on Saturday with a spot in the Eastern Conference semifinals on the line.

Orlando Pride Defeat the Seattle Reign in Regular Season Finale

The Orlando Pride snapped their two-match losing streak and defeated the Seattle Reign 3-2 to close out the 2024 NWSL regular season. Ally Watt, Kerry Abello, and Marta all scored for the Pride. Even though the Reign fought back to keep it close, Orlando held on for the win. The Pride finished the regular season first in the NWSL standings with 60 points. The Pride will take on the Chicago Red Stars in the quarterfinals of the 2024 NWSL playoffs on Friday in their first home playoff match ever. The match will kick off at 8 p.m. and will be broadcast on Amazon Prime Video.

Megan Montefusco Announces Retirement

Orlando Pride defender Megan Montefusco will retire from professional soccer following the 2024 season. She’s played in the NWSL since 2015 and joined the Pride prior to the 2022 season. In her time in Orlando, Montefusco made 45 appearances for Orlando and scored in a 2023 Challenge Cup match against NJ/NY Gotham FC. She did not play in any matches in the 2024 season after undergoing foot surgery during the off-season and was placed on the season-ending injury list. Montefusco finishes her career with 179 appearances, scoring three goals and adding four assists across all competitions.

MLS Playoff Roundup

The first round of the MLS Cup playoffs continued over the weekend, with a few teams booking their spot in the next round. The Columbus Crew’s title defense ended after they lost 5-4 on penalties to the New York Red Bulls after a 2-2 draw. The LA Galaxy dominated the Colorado Rapids 4-1 on the road to advance to the Western Conference semifinals. Minnesota United also moved on, defeating Real Salt Lake in a shootout after a 1-1 draw and the Loons will face the Galaxy. The Seattle Sounders edged past the Houston Dynamo 7-6 on penalties after a 1-1 draw to advance to the Western Conference semifinals as well.

New York City FC bounced back with a 3-1 win over FC Cincinnati, while Atlanta United did the same with a 2-1 victory over Inter Miami as both teams stayed alive to force a third game in their series. LAFC fell 3-0 on the road to the Vancouver Whitecaps in a match that included two own goals.

Free Kicks


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

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Orlando City at Charlotte FC: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s road shootout loss to Charlotte FC?

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City was offensively challenged in a 0-0 road draw at Charlotte FC and the ensuing penalties that decide who “wins” best-of-three, first-round playoff games. Those challenges included the shootout, in which the Lions made one measly spot kick on four attempts.

Let’s take a look at the individual performances in this disappointing penalty kick loss.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 7 (MotM) — Orlando City might have lost in penalty kicks, but it only got that far thanks to a good night from Gallese. El Pulpo made three huge saves in the match to keep the Lions in the game. In addition to the saves, he did well in owning the box and distributing the ball. Gallese passed at a 76.5% rate on 17 passes with 27 touches. He was successful on four of his eight long balls. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to stop any of Charlotte’s three shots during penalties, guessing correctly once.

D, Rafael Santos, 5.5 — It was a mostly “blah” night for Santos. He was as anemic as the rest of the team in the first half, and most of the second half. He had the most touches of any player with 76, but only managed a 79.4% passing rate on 63 passes and struggled to get through balls to their intended targets to break lines. Santos was accurate on five of his 11 long balls and provided one cross. Defensively, he made two clearances and committed one foul. Santos came off for Kyle Smith in the 74th minute.

D, Robin Jansson, 5.5— I know that Jansson is the captain, but perhaps having a center back go second during penalty kicks isn’t the best decision. When Jansson sent his kick well over the crossbar, he all but guaranteed the return match at Inter&Co Stadium next weekend, as Nico Lodeiro had already seen his attempt saved. He also earned a yellow card for a foul against Patrick Agyemang in the 34th minute. That was the bad stuff. On the good side of the ledger, Jansson had 68 touches, passed at 91.7% rate on 60 passes, and connected on one of his five long balls. Defensively, he recorded two tackles, two clearances, and two interceptions.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6 — Schlegel put in a decent shift on the back line. Defensively, he made three clearances, including one in the 26th minute to keep the ball away from Agyemang, and he made a crucial block in the box. Schlegel touched the ball 69 times with a passing rate of 91.4% on 58 passes, completing one of six long balls. He picked up a yellow card in second-half stoppage time which was his only foul committed.

D, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, 5.5 — It was a mixed bag for Thorhallsson in this match. He had one of the few shots taken by Orlando City, though it was not on target. He touched the ball 49 times and passed at an 88.6% rate on 35 passes. Thorhallsson had a few giveaways, although he also contributed two clearances on defense. He made way for David Brekalo in the 84th minute.

MF, Wilder Cartagena, 6.5 — Cartagena was his usual good self. He patrolled the defensive midfield, stopping potential attacks throughout the match. The Peruvian touched the ball 59 times and passed at an 88.5% rate on 52 passes. More importantly, he finished with four tackles and three clearances defensively. He was a big reason that Charlotte didn’t put the ball in the back of the net before the penalties.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 6 — Araujo put in a solid shift alongside Cartagena. Overall, he was good on the night, though he wasn’t as clean as he usually is, coughing up the ball occasionally. Araujo is also good at earning fouls, drawing three in the match. He managed 67 touches, passed at an 88.1% rate on 59 passes, and was successful on four of his five long balls. Defensively, he recorded one tackle and three clearances.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 5.5 — Angulo had the only shot attempt on target for the Lions in the match, coming on his only shot of the night. Frankly, there wasn’t much behind it, though. He managed 37 touches and passed at an 87.5% rate on 24 passes. He had the same problem that most of the offense had in this game. That problem was a lack of urgency in getting into the attack. It’s pretty telling that he didn’t manage to contribute any crosses. Angulo came off for Luis Muriel in the 88th minute.

MF, Martin Ojeda, 5.5 —  Ojeda was excellent in the first match against Charlotte, but he wasn’t really able to make a big difference in this one. It’s not that he was bad, as he passed at a 93.8% rate on 32 passes with a total of 40 touches. He connected on three of his four long balls and made three crosses. However, he did not take any shots nor provide any assists. Ojeda came off for Lodeiro in the 75th minute.

MF, Facundo Torres, 6.5 — Torres was average for most of the match. It wasn’t until Oscar Pareja made the late second-half substitutions that Torres really opened up. He didn’t manage to take a shot or provide an assist, though he did have one key pass. He passed at an 85.4% rate on 48 passes and connected on one of his four long balls. He was successful on one of his six crosses, most of which came late in the match. Torres had a bad giveaway in 49th minute that resulted in a chance for Agyemang, but it was saved by Gallese. Defensively, he contributed three clearances. Had the assistant referee’s flag stayed down for Lodeiro’s run, he would have scored a goal that likely would have pushed Orlando through to the next round, and although it was a well-struck shot, it ultimately doesn’t count.

F, Ramiro Enrique, 4.5 — Given how little offense Orlando City generated, it’s not surprising that Enrique didn’t do much in this match. The striker registered no shots or assists and only touched the ball 17 times. His passing rate wasn’t great at 44.4%, but to be fair, he only made nine passes. He managed to make one tackle and provide two clearances, committing one foul and drawing one foul. If you thought he was quiet in the previous match, he was practically invisible in this one. He was replaced by Duncan McGuire in the 56th minute.

Substitutes

F, Duncan McGuire (56’), 5 — McGuire provided a different look for Orlando City’s offense after coming on for Enrique, and he managed to get a shot off, though it wasn’t on target. He finished with just 15 touches, passing at a 55.6% rate on only nine passes. He contributed one clearance and one blocked shot on defense. Most importantly, his penalty kick was saved by Kristijan Kahlina to end the match. Overall, it was a forgettable performance, but his was by no means the only one.

D, Kyle Smith (75’), 5 — Smith came on in the 75th minute for Thorhallsson for defensive help. He seemed somewhat out of sync with his teammates, though he wasn’t horrible. He touched the ball 30 times and completed 78.3% of his 23 passes. Smith completed all three of his attempted long balls and had one key pass. He also didn’t record any defensive statistics in his time on the field. He did, however, help keep Charlotte off the board through the end of the match to send it to penalty kicks.

MF, Nico Lodeiro (75’), 5 — When Lodeiro replaced Ojeda, he was one of the subs that sparked the Lions’ offensive efforts. Though they didn’t get a goal, at least they looked dangerous in Charlotte’s half of the field. Lodeiro attempted four crosses, made one key pass, and was offside three times — this included the play that could have resulted in a late Torres goal. He touched the ball 20 times and completed 68.2% of his 22 passes. On the other hand, he got Orlando City off on the wrong foot in the penalty shootout when he left his shot too close to Kahlina and at a favorable height for the goalkeeper, who guessed correctly and made a good save.

D, David Brekalo (84’), N/A — Brekalo came on in the 88th minute for Thorhallsson as the Lions went to three center backs to see out the game. He only managed six touches, completing one of his two passes. However, he made two clearances, so that’s good.

F, Luis Muriel (88’), N/A — Muriel’s entrance was definitely too little, too late. He came on to help with penalty kicks, and he was the only one to score his attempt. He managed 10 touches and completed 100% of his seven passes.


That’s how I saw the individual performances in Friday’s loss for the Lions. Let us know how you saw the game in the comments and don’t forget to vote for your Man of the Match.

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Orlando City vs Charlotte FC: Five Takeaways

Here’s what we learned from Orlando City’s shootout loss to Charlotte FC.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

For Orlando City, the first round of the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs has read something akin to the start of the classic Dickens novel, A Tale of Two Cities. In two games, the Lions truly have demonstrated what could be considered “the best of times and the worst of times,” following a 2-0 victory and now a 0-0 (1-3) shootout defeat in Charlotte.

After controlling the first match in the best-of-three series from the opening kick, Orlando City took to the road looking to close out the series. For the first hour of the match, the Lions seemed to be confused as to what the objective of a soccer match is — putting the ball in the net.

What follows are our five takeaways from a disappointing penalty kick defeat.

Gallese Was Excellent

Pedro Gallese, for me, was undoubtedly the Man of the Match, and I thought that he turned in one of his best performances of the season to keep Orlando City level after 90 minutes. On top of making several heroic saves, showcasing all of the acrobatic combinations that we have grown to expect from El Pulpo, Gallese was also instrumental in keeping his back line organized and compact while facing double digit set pieces — mainly corner kicks. Gallese also did not waffle in his decision making, choosing the proper times to come off his line and collect the ball.

After not facing many attempts in Game 1, Gallese was busier in Game 2 and constantly answered the bell. In the postseason, you cannot expect a better performance from a keeper.

Possession Without Purpose

If you just looked at the box score without watching the match, it would seem like the numbers suggest that Orlando controlled the game once again. Orlando won the possession battle 57%-43% and completed almost 150 more passes throughout the match than Charlotte FC completed (520-377). The possession numbers suggested that Orlando was even more in control in the first half (60.4%-39.6%) but statistics can be deceiving, especially if you do absolutely nothing with that possession, as Orlando did until the waining moments of the match.

We often hear that our team wants the possession to have purpose, but for a decent chunk of the game, it appeared as if Orlando was playing to try to protect a 2-0 aggregate score instead of pouncing on the opposition. The Lions are now faced with an elimination game and will have to get back to playing with purpose if they are to advance to the next round.

Offense Where Are You?

Orlando City failed to register a shot attempt in the first half and the Lions looked passive in their desire to get forward. It wasn’t until after the second-half substitutes had established themselves on the pitch that the team started to resemble the potent attacking force that fans saw in Game 1. Home-field advantage is great, but I felt like the passive nature of the team to start the match, which carried over until well after the hour mark, played right into Charlotte FC’s hands and game plan. The offense has to be better in Game 3 if Orlando City is to advance, and let’s be honest, it could hardly be much worse than three shot attempts and only one on target.

Offside? Are we Sure?

I try to take results at face value and not dwell on what could have been as there are so many individual decisions that occur in a match that it is hard to pinpoint one moment and say that it was the deciding action or call. Against Charlotte FC, in the waning moments of the match, second-half substitute Nico Lodeiro took a ball from Luis Muriel and slotted it into the box for Facundo Torres, who just needed a little space before he found the back of the net. In my living room, I literally jumped for joy only to have my wife point out the assistant referee and his stupid offside flag. As Dr. Seuss might say, “I do not like your stupid flag, I wish you kept it in a bag.” But the assistant referee did not keep it in the bag. He called Lodeiro offside in the buildup by what looked like the slightest of margins and the video assistant referee upheld the call.

I have watched the replay multiple times on Apple TV, although I have been hard pressed to see a clip of it anywhere online, and the more I watched it, the less convinced I am that Lodeiro was in an offside position. To me, I actually thought it was USMNT defender Tim Ream who kept Lodeiro onside. Nonetheless, the goal did not count, but if it had, this series would almost certainly be over.

Penalty Kick Woes

Game 2 against Charlotte FC demonstrated the dangers of what can happen during the playoffs if you don’t win in regulation. Finding success in penalty kick shootouts is not a given right in MLS, and while Orlando has enjoyed itself during trophy runs in the past, like in the buildup to the U.S. Open Cup victory, the same could not be said about the performance in Charlotte. Lodeiro and Jansson both missed to start things off and while Lodeiro’s attempt was at least on frame, it was a poor attempt. The team plane might land back in Florida before Jansson’s sky-high attempt comes back down to Earth. I do not want to see another shootout in the series, and I want to be very clear to the universe that I do not want to see another shootout, because I want Orlando City to win by a score of 4-1 in Game 3.


Those are my takeaways from Orlando City’s Game 2 loss against Charlotte FC. The Lions will have a week to recover and retool before looking to close out the series at home on Nov. 9. What things stood out most to you from the match? Let us know in the comments below, and as always, vamos Orlando!

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