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

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7 years ago

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Orlando City Head Coach James O’Connor once again employed the tactic of making widespread changes for a midweek trip out west before coming back home to put out a more familiar XI. The Irishman made 11 total changes to his lineup in the defeat to New York Red Bulls and here is how they performed.

You might think they’re kind, but in all honesty, nobody had a particularly bad individual game and nine out of 10 times the Lions come away with a point but alas an intense first half from the Red Bulls, coupled with some nearly-but-not-quite finishing from the Lions in the second, was ultimately the difference in a pretty even game that was tilting in Orlando’s favor by the end.

Starters

GK, Brian Rowe, 7 — Rowe made four saves in total, the same as his Red Bulls counterpart Luis Robles, but the conceded goal was the difference from a purple point of view. Former Lion Amro Tarek seemed determined to score, forcing two good saves from Rowe. He was fast off his line numerous times, including for the only goal of the game. He came close to keeping Brian White’s shot out as he spread himself, and even got a decent touch, but the ball still tumbled in.

D, João Moutinho, 6.5 — After sitting out the last seven games with injury, the left back finally made his return to the side. However, he didn’t appear to be 100% as he regularly clutched at his back. His average position was significantly deeper than Ruan’s and most of his match was spent in his own half. In a team that really relies on its fullbacks for width and service, his more advanced position with Orlando pushing forward in the second half was crucial to creating chances. His 62 passes were good enough for second on the team behind Sebas Méndez, with two deemed key passes, as he tried to make an impact on offense. He led the team in won aerial duels with five, something he hasn’t always been strong at, while also making two tackles, two interceptions, and two clearances.

D, Robin Jansson, 5.5 — Getting beat on an inch-perfect ball by Kaku to thread Brian White in on goal is nothing to be ashamed of, but it ruined an otherwise good night for the Swede, who managed to get in front but still saw the ball tease past him. I don’t think there are many defenders in the league that stop that from happening but unfortunately it goes on Jansson’s record as being the decisive moment of the game. His 90.7% passing accuracy on 54 passes, including a staggering 10 completed long balls, is the best of any starter, although he was pretty quiet defensively, registering three actions in total.

D, Lamine Sané, 8 (MotM) — Sané was the reason Jansson’s defensive stats were unusually quiet — he was everywhere last night. Zlatan likened himself to a Ferrari among Fiats this week. Well if that’s the case then that makes Sané a wheel clamp because he shut everything down. There was nothing he could do on the goal in terms of closing down as he had to honor the run of Tarek, covering for Ruan, who was halfway up the pitch trying to counter. He marshaled the back line impressively well, leading the team in interceptions, with four, and clearances, with eight (out of a team total 18), and completed an equally impressive seven long balls on what was an outstanding evening for him personally. Additionally, his 51st-minute pass through the middle to Tesho Akindele was a gem that led to Orlando’s first shot on target of the night.

D, Ruan, 5.5 — Ruan had an early scare as he nearly turned a cross into his own net, looking slightly frazzled by the constant Red Bulls pressure in the opening half. He used his pace to rescue a loose ball from Chris Mueller, drawing a yellow card on Royer in the process, and made two tackles on the night — his only two defensive actions. He was more active in attack, adding width on the right-hand side as Mueller continued to drift inside. However, a lowly 75.6% pass accuracy, ninth on the team, and no completed crosses on his three attempts continues his mixed form and limited output down this middle stretch of the season.

MF, Carlos Ascues, 6 — It was a very Jekyll and Hyde performance from Ascues last night. He was a dominating defensive midfielder for a large portion of the game, making two tackles and three interceptions. He also led the team in successful dribbles with four, yet it was his giveaway when trying to dribble out that led to the decisive goal. He was close to making amends in the second half, but his volley from Moutinho’s cross thundered onto the bar. He was good for the most part but he wasn’t the creator Orlando needed in the second half and, like Jansson, his biggest highlight reel moment was sadly the giveaway.

MF, Sebas Méndez, 6 — Méndez had quite the similar game to Ascues with Orlando’s midfield forced into a lot of defending, especially in the first half. As we’ve come to expect, the Ecuadorian was miles ahead in the passing stats with 81 completed (86.4%) — way ahead of Moutinho’s 62 in a game that Orlando saw an unusually high 62% possession (the team average this season is 48%). Despite this, he failed to create any chances. He led the team in tackles with four, made two interceptions, and had one clearance, but he also led the team in fouls, with three.

MF, Will Johnson, 6 — It’s pretty fitting of a largely average game that Orlando’s midfield collectively earns a middle of the road six for last night’s performance with Johnson also putting together a no-frills, hardworking shift in the middle of the park. The Canadian registered 79.6% accuracy on a fairly low 44 passes but had a busier defensive effort, making a joint-high four tackles along with three clearances and two blocks. Arguably his best defensive read was on a training ground Red Bulls free kick he wasn’t caught out by, rising confidently to head away. Offensively he looked to have Luis Robles beat and I expected to see the ball tucked the top corner but he sent Orlando’s best chance of the first half wide instead. Not the person I wanted arriving at the top of the box at that moment, that kind of finishing typified the Lions’ performance.

F, Nani, 6 — Most of Orlando’s threat unsurprisingly came through Nani with the Portuguese midfielder having three of City’s five first-half shots but alas none were on target. The closest was a stunning first time trivela, the signature move of his international teammate Ricardo Quaresma, but it curled just wide and rippled the outside netting. Those were the only shots he had, registering none in the second half before being forced off through injury. No key passes, no completed crosses from three attempts, and a below average 77.3% passing accuracy were less than what we expect from the Designated Player.

F, Tesho Akindele, 6.5 — Tesho successfully played a utility role as target man in the first half with the likes of Sané and Jansson punting numerous long balls towards him before the forward held up and tried to bring his teammates into the game. He was set on the break a couple of times but pace isn’t his strength. It wasn’t until the second half that the Lions began to turn the screw and Akindele found chances falling at his feet, hitting the woodwork on his best attempt. He set up four big chances but could only muster one shot on target himself from two attempts and lost possession a team-high eight times. One of the more gutsy center forward performances we’ve seen in Orlando but ultimately marred by a lack of decent finishing

F, Chris Mueller, 5.5 — A dogged but scrappy performance from the second year winger, he spent a lot of time drifting inside — arguably too much, as even though Ruan was pushing forward, the team was generally looking too narrow and was easily squeezed out of possession on Orlando’s right. One shot off target, two successful dribbles, 28 passes, 71.4% accuracy, and one reckless yellow caused things to look a bit out of sync for Cash last night.

Substitutes

MF, Sacha Kljestan (66’), 7 — Kljestan came on and frankly made the game his own. He was the perfect impact sub for this type of game, with New York retreating further into its own defensive third and allowing Kljestan to sit on top of the box and pull the strings. He was close to getting his second goal in as many games against the team he once captained but he instead hit the frame of the goal. Despite only playing a third of the game, he managed to rank second in key passes, with three, and led the team with 95% pass accuracy.

F, Robinho (67’), 5 — Robinho showed why Columbus was happy to trade him after just half a season with the Brazilian making a nuisance of himself on the left wing but lacking any quality product. None of his four crossing attempts found their target and he completed no dribbles. In a team that has seen a lot of points rescued by substitutes, he has a long way to go.

F, Santiago Patiño (71’), 5 — Orlando’s first round draft pick replaced the injured Nani and had the chance to set a new Orlando record of consecutive league games with rookie goals but made little impact on the game. With the Lions piling on the pressure, he struggled to find any space in the box and had multiple defenders on him any time he got close to the ball. Put in a tough position, he only completed three passes during his 20 minutes — the same number of times as he was dispossessed — and generated one shot that was off target.

Once again, the Lions fall prey to the same old rhetoric of creating but not finishing chances and losing by the narrowest of margins. Do you agree with my Sané Man of the Match selection or do you think someone else deserved it? Have your say by voting on the poll or letting us know in the comments!

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Nani7
Dom Dwyer49
Sebas Mendez27
Brian Rowe10
Other (comment below!)10

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Orlando City

Flashback Friday: July 4, 2023 vs. Toronto FC

Let’s rewind to an Independence Day affair that had plenty of offensive fireworks.

Published

3 days ago

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July 3, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

The United States Men’s National Team picked up a gritty, resilient 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32 on Wednesday, and will now face Belgium in a rematch of the 2014 World Cup Round of 16 next Monday. While we patiently wait for that game, it’s time to continue our Friday tradition of revisiting some classic Orlando City games from years past.

Last week, we rewound to a high octane affair against the Chicago Fire in late June 2022, that saw the Lions douse Chicago’s flames and pick up a much-needed 4-2 victory. Today, let’s hop in the time machine and travel back to Independence Day 2023, when Toronto FC came to town.

At the time of Toronto’s visit, things were going relatively smoothly for OCSC. The team was riding a three-match unbeaten streak and had scored five goals across those three games. Oscar Pareja lined up his team in its customary 4-2-3-1, with Pedro Gallese in goal; a back line of Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Antonio Carlos, and Kyle Smith; Wilder Cartagena and Cesar Araujo in the double pivot; Ivan Angulo, Mauricio Pereyra, and Facundo Torres in the attacking midfield; and Duncan McGuire up top.

Orlando very nearly got a goal a little under 10 minutes into the game. Former OCSC goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh knocked down a cross in front of the net, and while Pereyra was first to the ball, he could only blast it over the bar with the goal at his mercy. Fortunately, that miss would not come back to haunt the Lions, who bagged the game’s first goal in the 16th minute. Angulo sucked defenders toward him on the left edge of the box before releasing Santos out wide. The fullback played a peach of a first-time, curling cross to the back post, where Araujo was waiting to power a diving header into the side netting at the far post for his first league goal.

That goal broke the game open, and Orlando got another goal six minutes later to double the advantage. It initially looked like a carbon copy of the first goal, with Santos out in space on the left side of the box, sending in a curled cross. The ball deflected off a defender and came in low toward the goal. Ranjitsingh waited for the ball instead of going to claim it, and that allowed McGuire to nip in front of him and get a touch on the ball to sneak it in at the near post.

Orlando nearly got even more goals inside the half hour, with Torres and McGuire both going close in quick succession. Federico Bernardeschi smashed a shot off the post in the 28th minute, and the Lions seemed to be losing focus a little bit, with the hydration break a welcome pause in play when it came. OCSC came out of the pause well, and Pereyra put Angulo through in the 36th minute, but the Colombian couldn’t bring the ball under control and fashion a shooting chance.

Orlando led in every meaningful statistical category at halftime. The Lions had more possession (55.8%-44.2%), shots (6-2), shots on goal (2-0), corners (4-2), and passing accuracy (89.5%-85%). Most importantly, they led 2-0 on the scoreboard.

Toronto tried to change things at halftime by introducing three substitutes, but Orlando settled back into the game quickly and negated the efforts of interim TFC manager Terry Dunfield. Angulo and Torres forced Ranjitsingh into a pair of saves in the 53rd and 55th minutes, and the Lions tried to press their advantage by sending on Ramiro Enrique and Martin Ojeda in the 57th minute for McGuire and Pereyra.

The game then changed in a big way in the 62nd minute. Cartagena and Bernardeschi exchanged words after a turnover, and the Italian winger put Cartagena on the ground with the help of a little theatrics from the midfielder. Bernardeschi had already been yellow carded in the 47th minute for a foul on Smith, and the altercation with Wilder saw him receive a second yellow and his marching orders to go along with it.

With TFC down to 10 men, the Lions started to tee off at goal. Ojeda came close to getting the team’s third in the 69th minute, with Enrique doing the same in the 71st but missing just wide. When the goal finally came, it was from the unlikely foot of Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, who had been subbed into the game alongside Ercan Kara in the 68th minute.

Thorhallsson made a great run behind the defense in the 77th minute, and Araujo picked him out well. Ranjitsingh came out to try to play sweeper-keeper, but DDT beat him to the ball easily, touched it around the former Lion, and rolled it into the empty net to score his first MLS goal and make it 3-0.

Toronto had a halfway decent chance to pull one back in the 82nd minute, but Brandon Servania’s long-distance attempt at chipping Gallese ended up missing high and settling on the roof of the net. Kara then iced the game in the 84th minute. Araujo fired a pass to Ojeda at the top of the box, and even though he had trouble bringing it under control, he had the presence of mind to backheel it toward goal for the big Austrian to pounce on and fire a low, hard shot into the net for 4-0.

Ojeda nearly got a goal of his own two minutes later but had a great effort saved in what was the last truly dangerous moment of the game.

As was the case at halftime, when the final whistle blew, the Lions had created plenty of fireworks on both the scoreboard and the stat sheet. OCSC finished with more possession (59.6%-40.4%), shots (18-6), shots on target (9-0), corners (8-2), and passing accuracy (91%-84.8%).

Marcus Mitchell had Player Grades for this one, and he named Araujo the Man of the Match with a grade of 8 out of 10 for his one-goal/one-assist effort. The other high performers on the night were Antonio Carlos, and Cartagena, who each graded out at 7.5 out of 10.

That’ll do it for this week’s trip down memory lane. We’ve been getting spoiled lately, with Orlando putting up four goals in back-to-back time machine games, and it’s made for an enjoyable glimpse into years gone by. With any luck, next week’s edition will be similarly entertaining. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/3/26

Orlando Pride visit Angel City tonight, NWSL free agents to watch, Portugal and Spain advance, and more.

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3 days ago

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July 3, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! I don’t have many plans this holiday weekend beyond enjoying some soccer and indulging myself in a few hot dogs to celebrate. It should be a fun weekend, but make sure to stay safe out there if you plan on setting off any fireworks. For now though, let’s get to the links!

Orlando Pride Take On Angel City FC Tonight

The NWSL resumes today and the Orlando Pride will play against Angel City FC at 10 p.m. in their first match since a 3-1 win over Bay FC on May 29. That win capped off a six-game month for the Pride, including a stretch of three straight road games. Meanwhile, Angel City parted ways with Alex Straus over the break after only winning once in May, and tonight’s match will be Leif Gunnar Smerud’s first since being named interim head coach. It can be tough playing an opponent with a new coach, but hopefully the Pride can bring all three points back to Orlando.

Top NWSL Free Agents to Watch

Free agency is officially underway in the NWSL and the list of players with contracts expiring at the end of the year includes some of the league’s best players. Orlando Pride star Marta was listed as one of the top free agents to watch, though I would be pretty shocked if she plays for another NWSL club if she leaves Orlando after this season. Leicy Santos, Debinha, and Rose Lavelle are other skilled attackers who will become free agents, but Gotham FC goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger is sure to have plenty of clubs reaching out for her talents as well.

Portugal and Spain Advance in World Cup

This World Cup hasn’t been short on excitement and that continued with Portugal’s 2-1 win against Croatia. After a scoreless first half, Croatia took the lead thanks to a goal from Ivan Perisic, but Cristiano Ronaldo equalized from the penalty spot and the game was moments away from heading to extra time. Goncalo Ramos gave Portugal the goal it needed to advance deep in stoppage time, but Croatia nearly came back with a goal that was disallowed due to an offside call. Spain cruised to a 3-0 win against Austria to book its spot in the round of 16 as well. Mikel Oyarzabal scored twice for his second brace of the tournament, with Marc Cucurella assisting on both of his goals. Spain and Portugal will square off in the next round in what should be a fantastic match. Switzerland and Algeria kicked off late.

The round of 32 wraps up today with a trio of matches, starting with Egypt’s game against Australia. Cape Verde will then look to shock the world when it plays Argentina, and the late game will be between Colombia and Ghana.

Columbus Crew Sign New Designated Player

The Columbus Crew have signed Spanish midfielder Brais Mendez to a Designated Player contract through the 2028-2029 season with a club option for the 2029-2030 season. Mendez has spent the past four La Liga seasons with Real Sociedad, recording 33 goals and 24 assists in 166 appearances. He gives the crew some additional firepower as reports swirl regarding Diego Rossi’s departure for CF Monterrey. While maybe not in the same headline-grabbing tier of MLS summer signings like Antoine Griezmann or Robert Lewandowski, Mendez is a big addition to the league as the Eastern Conference arms race continues.

Free Kicks

  • CF Montreal sent $2.1 million in General Allocation Money to Austin FC in exchange for midfielder Dani Pereira. Selected with the first overall pick in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft, Pereira has contributed six goals and 23 assists in 165 appearances across all competitions for Austin.
  • Real Salt Lake reportedly rejected a transfer bid around $3.5 million from CF Monterrey for midfielder Diego Luna.
  • American winger Emma Sears reportedly requested a trade from Racing Louisville, although the club is not reportedly interested in a midseason transfer.
  • The United States Men’s National Team’s win over Bosnia and Herzegovina had record viewership. Understandably so, too, as I spent most of the match pacing around my living room.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/2/26

USMNT shuts out Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kat Asman loaned to Denver Summit FC, MLS transfer news, and more.

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4 days ago

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July 2, 2026

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Image of Pride goalkeeper Kat Asman
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Wednesday nights are starting to feel magical. Orlando City has thrived this year when playing on Wednesdays, and now the United States Men’s National Team has provided us with a reason to tackle this Thursday at full force. Before we dive into that result and the rest of today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City defender Tahir Reid-Brown!

USMNT Survives Red Card to Advance

The U.S. won 2-0 against Bosnia and Herzegovina in an emotional rollercoaster of a match in the World Cup’s round of 32. Folarin Balogun got the U.S. on the board at a crucial time right before halftime by scoring his third goal of the tournament. But the game flipped on its head in the second half when Balogun was shown a harsh red card by the referee after video review for a foul when he accidentally came down on the back of an opponent’s foot. The Yanks fought hard to make up for the difference of being down a player and doubled their lead after earning a free kick right outside the box. Malik Tillman’s shot went up and over the wall and into the net for a goal U.S. fans will be replaying over and over again.

The U.S. did well to grind out the win after that second goal, with former Lion Alex Freeman doing his part on defense to help shut out Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was a memorable win, and now the U.S. will turn its focus to its round-of-16 matchup against Belgium on Monday.

Pride Loan Goalkeeper Kat Asman to Denver Summit

The Orlando Pride loaned goalkeeper Kat Asman to the Denver Summit for the remainder of the 2026 NWSL season. Asman is coming off of a loan with Lexington SC in the Gainbridge Super League, where she played every minute of the season to help Lexington win the title. She posted 11 clean sheets with Lexington last season and won the league’s Golden Glove as well. Asman has yet to make an appearance for the Pride since joining prior to the 2025 season, and her contract expires at the end of the season. She now heads to Denver, where Abby Smith has done well in goal as the expansion team’s starter.

MLS Transfer News Roundup

Real Salt Lake sent $625,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) to Atlanta United in exchange for winger Saba Lobjanidze and a third-round pick in the 2028 MLS SuperDraft, with another $100,000 in GAM going Atlanta’s way if he re-signs with Real Salt Lake. The Columbus Crew fully acquired defender Andres Herrera from River Plate after an extended loan, signing him to a contract through the 2028-2029 season. The LA Galaxy transferred defender Mauricio Cuevas to Santos Laguna, the New England Revolution added forward Wilson Harris, and Sporting Kansas City signed center back Moises Mosquera from FC Juarez. The San Jose Earthquakes are reportedly close to signing Scottish goalkeeper Angus Gunn, with Daniel heading to FC Dallas in a trade if that happens. It’s somewhat surprising considering Daniel has done well to help San Jose only concede 15 goals this season.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Sources: San Jose Earthquakes closing in on a deal to sign Scotland int'l GK Angus Gunn.🇧🇷 Sources: FC Dallas has agreed to a deal to acquire GK Daniel from San Jose.➕ Daniel trade is contingent on Gunn signing being formalized.

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2026-07-01T16:34:02.297Z

European Nations Move On After Dramatic Comebacks

This World Cup continues to deliver thrilling games during this new round-of-32 phase. Senegal looked certain to go through to the next round until Belgium scored a pair of goals after the 85th minute to knot the game at 2-2 and send it into extra time. The game was decided by a penalty, but not in a shootout, as a foul in the box resulted in Youri Tielemans scoring from the spot to give Belgium the victory. In Atlanta, Harry Kane scored twice to rescue England in a 2-1 win over the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Brian Cipanga gave the Congo an early lead, but Kane struck twice in the second half, with his winner being one of the best goals of the tournament so far.

England is now set to face Mexico at the Azteca on Sunday in what should be a great game. As for today’s action, Orlando City winger Marco Pasalic and Croatia will take on Portugal in a matchup between European heavyweights. The winner of that match will face whoever prevails today between Spain and Austria, with Switzerland and Algeria squaring off in the late night match.

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That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

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