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Orlando City vs. FC Dallas: Player Grades and Man of the match

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7 years ago

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Orlando City had never beaten FC Dallas. The club hadn’t even scored a goal against the Western Conference foe. That all ended in a 2-0 win in Exploria Stadium Saturday night.

With an eye on the upcoming U.S. Open Cup match against Atlanta United, no one knew for sure what James O’Connor had up his sleeve. It turns out he had a plan to make history.

Orlando pressed high until its first goal, and then dropped back, stifling FC Dallas in the first half. The club then held on during the second half assault from FC Dallas, and eventually put the game away.

Here is how each player performed in the club’s first win over FC Dallas and my pick for Man of the Match.

Starters

GK, Brian Rowe, 6 — Rowe was not tested much in the first half. However, in the second half, FC Dallas started getting forward, and his save in the 52nd minute was a beauty. He also did well to come off his line in the 58th minute to take care of a ball making its way through the Orlando defense. Rowe had a very solid match, with some important saves. Fortunately for Orlando, he wasn’t asked to do more. Unfortunately, it means that he didn’t have a chance to earn a higher grade.

D, João Moutinho, 5 — Moutinho was the weak link in the back line, for me. He got caught flat-footed several times, giving FC Dallas its best chances of the night. His clearance header in the 60th minute barely went 10 feet. He just didn’t have a great match, and was lucky that teammates like Robin Jansson and Will Johnson were there to cover for him. He was the busier fullback as Dallas ran a lot of its attack through Michael Barrios down his side. Moutinho finished with a game-high six tackles, two interceptions, and a clearance. On the other end he created one chance. His passing was a bit off at 69%.

D, Robin Jansson, 6 — A recovery clearance in the 38th minute resulted in a corner that amounted to nothing. It seems like either Jansson or Lamine Sané will have a slightly better match than the other, but I think that the two are becoming quite a pairing, and it’s more difficult to grade them seperately. Jansson had a bit of a more difficult job, as he had Moutinho to his left. He finished with a tackle, an interception, and three clearances.

D, Lamine Sané, 6 — Sané was the clear leader on the back line, directing traffic, and generally doing a good job. He was almost called for a handball in the second half, but after video review, referee Silviu Petrescu said there was no penalty. He continued to make important clearances, especially late in the match as FC Dallas was pressing for the equalizer. He finished with two tackles, one interception, two clearances, and a blocked shot. He was the best passer on the back line (89%).

D, Ruan, 7.5 (MotM) — Early on, Ruan got forward in the attack, as he is accustomed to do. He earned a free kick, and then in the 13th minute, he put in what might have been his best pass of the season to Tesho Akindele for Orlando’s first goal of the match, and first ever against FC Dallas. Ruan also played better on defense this match, ranging up and down the right side of the field. He regularly outpaced FC Dallas attackers to get the ball up and out of Orlando’s area. Late in the game, he still had plenty of speed and continued to give FC Dallas fits with his runs up the right side. Ruan created two chances, passed at a 75% clip, had two dribbles, and drew three free kicks. On defense, the Brazilian made three tackles, three clearances, and an interception. It was his best game in over a month.

MF, Will Johnson 7 — Will Johnson continued to do his normal Energizer Bunny shift. He defended well, backing up other players like Moutinho, often dropping between the two center backs. He just missed a shot wide on a late run in first half stoppage time. He drew a game high six fouls, defended, played well in the midfield, and generally did what Will Johnson usually does. He was everywhere, made good passes, and contributed on both sides of the field. If Ruan hadn’t had maybe his best match, Will would have won MotM. He created a scoring chance, was a 94% passer, and chipped in a tackle, an interception, and two clearances.

MF, Carlos Ascues, 6.5 — It was quite a night for Carlos — especially in stoppage time, when he was in the right place at the right time to take Sacha Kljestan’s beautiful back heel pass and seal the win for Orlando City. He was part of an effective midfield for Orlando City, and he pressed higher than usual this match. It did take a while for him to take advantage of the advanced position that James O’Connor had him playing, but when he did, he scored his first goal. Ascues created one chance — setting up an Akindele opportunity that nearly doubled the lead in the second half — scored on his only shot attempt, and drew two fouls. He also finished with four tackles and two clearances. Aside from one scary back pass in the second half, he played a solid game, though his 70% passing could have been better.

MF, Sebas Méndez, 6 — Méndez had a fairly good game, as did the rest of the midfield. He passed well (90%), with most of the distribution going forward. He had some good defensive fouls, but did give up a free kick on the handball early in the match, and he earned a yellow card in the 69th minute. If not for those mistakes he would have earned a higher grade. He led the team with three interceptions and added two clearances.

F, Tesho Akindele, 6.5 — The former FC Dallas player not only scored on his former team, but he also set a new career high with his eighth regular season goal of 2019. The goal came in the 13th minute from a beautiful pass from Ruan. He hit a few of his team-high five shot attempts off target throughout the match. He also had a golden chance in the 70th minute, but he knocked it right at Jesse González, who blocked it with his body. He had a chance to send in Dom Dwyer alone in the first half but put too much on the pass. He had a 69% passing rate and earned a secondary assist on the Ascues goal. He chipped in an interception and a clearance on defense.

F, Dom Dwyer, 6 — As usual, Dom was harried and fouled by the opposition, though he did get some defensive revenge with a nifty bicycle kick clearance in the second half. He did well to get out of the way when Johnson made a late run to take a shot in the first half. Dom did Dom things in the box in the 67th minute, trying to make something happen, but he couldn’t quite find that little bit of space needed to do so. He did have one shot but it went wide right. He didn’t get much service or many touches (13) but he found other ways to contribute. He had two defensive clearances and was good when he pressed.

F, Chris Mueller, 5 — Cash was largely absent from this match. His movement off the ball was good, and his passing was fine, he just wasn’t as big a part of the attack as he has been in other matches. He finished with three bad touches, no chances created, and no shot attempts, although he did pass at a 92% clip. Defensively, he added a tackle and an interception.

Substitutes

MF, Sacha Kljestan (54’), 6.5 — Kljestan was brought on to try and get control of the game back after FC Dallas dominated the first few minutes of the second half. His back heel pass to Ascues for Orlando’s second goal sealed the match for the Lions. If there was an award for Pass of the Week, or Assist of the Week, Sacha’s and Ruan’s would be neck and neck. Kljestan’s assist gave him 92 in his MLS career, passing Cobi Jones and taking eighth place among the all-time league leaders. Aside from his assist, he attempted one shot that was just over the bar. He was an 88% passer and made one interception.

F, Nani (72’), 6 — As the only Lion to have played in the MLS All-Star Game, James O’Connor left the captain on the bench until late. Nani did well to hold the ball up and help get the Lions back onto the attack in the second half, and drew defenders to him opening up the attack for his teammates. He completed two dribbles, but created no chances and took no shots.

MF, Kyle Smith (94’), N/A — Smith came on for Iron Man Will Johnson with only a few minutes to play, and wasn’t on the pitch long enough to grade fairly.

It was a great night to be in purple, and a well earned three points at home. Such points have been hard to come by. Do you agree with my choice for the game’s Man of the Match or did someone else deserved the honor? Have your say by voting in the poll or letting us know in the comments!

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Ruan58
Will Johnson19
Carlos Ascues15
Tesho Akindele6
Other (comment below)2

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/22/26

Martin Ojeda wins MLS Goal of the Matchday, MLS award contenders, sights and sounds from the Orlando Pride’s win, and more.

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29 minutes ago

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October 22, 2026

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Image of Maxime Crepeau taking a goal kick against Atlanta.
Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

How’s it going, Mane Landers? The temperatures have gotten just cool enough here in Florida as of late for me to feel like it’s truly autumn. While it would be nice if our leaves changed colors to really sell the fall feeling, a pumpkin candle and apple cider have definitely helped. Let’s get to the links!

Martin Ojeda Wins MLS Goal of the Matchday

Orlando City Designated Player Martin Ojeda predictably won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his fantastic finish in the team’s 4-1 win over D.C. United, garnering 71.7% of the vote. Ojeda’s acrobatic backheel capped off a smooth series of passes by the Lions and it will likely be in the running for MLS Goal of the Year as well. It was Ojeda’s 15th goal of the season and he has scored in five of Orlando’s past six games.

MLS Year-End Award Voting Begins

The voting for this year’s MLS Year-End Awards has opened and the finalists for each award will be announced on Nov. 12. Former MLS star Bradley Wright-Phillips weighed in on who he thinks the contenders for each award are and there were a few Lions mentioned. Antoine Griezmann is in the running for Newcomer of the Year alongside Houston Dynamo attacker Guilherme, who has 16 goals and 10 assists this season. Maxime Crepeau may make the list of finalists for Goalkeeper of the Year for his incredible run of form since the World Cup, but it’s hard to see him winning it given just how many goals the Lions have conceded compared to other teams. Justin Ellis was also an honorable mention for the Young Player of the Year award for his breakout season.

Sights and Sounds From the Orlando Pride’s Victory

The Orlando Pride released a video showing the sights and sounds from their 2-1 win on the road against the Houston Dash. The video includes huddle talks from Marta and interim head coach Yolanda Thomas, as well as the goals by Luana and Solai Washington. It’s been a difficult year for the Pride and it’s nice to see some highlights as they aim to close out the season strongly after being eliminated from playoff contention.

UEFA Champions League Roundup

The third round of matches in the UEFA Champions League’s league phase wrapped up and we’re getting a better sense of where the teams stand. Bayern Munich and Arsenal played to a 2-2 draw in Germany, with Declan Rice scoring a late equalizer for Arsenal. Elsewhere across Europe, Manchester United was beaten 4-1 by Como, Inter scored while down a man to beat Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0, and Austrian club LASK won its first Champions League game by upsetting Sporting CP 3-2. Aston Villa, Real Madrid, and Real Betis all won to remain perfect in the tournament as well.

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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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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/21/26

Justin Ellis recognized, the Orlando Youth Soccer Network expands, the USMNT adds a friendly, and more.

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1 day ago

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October 21, 2026

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Image of Justin Ellis dribbling the ball trying to beat a Philadelphia Union defender.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. The weather is getting a bit nicer. I’m actually able to have the windows open at night, which is delightful. However, the temperatures are rising a bit this week, which I find sad. I know we live in Florida, but gosh darn it, we’re only 10 days from Halloween. I should be wearing sweaters rather than shorts. I appreciate you allowing me to rant, now let’s get to the links.

Justin Ellis Named No. 5 of MLS 22 Under 22

Justin Ellis was rightly named to Major League Soccer’s 2026 22 Under 22 list. The Orlando City striker came in at No. 5 on the list. It’s not surprising, given the year he’s had. He’s busted into the starting lineup for Orlando City, and he has 16 goal contributions so far. He also received his first call-up to the USMNT, scoring a goal in his first match and two goals in the four-game window. He’s joined on the list by fellow USMNT teammates Cavan Sullivan and Julian Hall. This is his second accolade in the last week as he was also named 2026 MLS NEXT Pro Pathway Player of the Year.

New Orlando Soccer School Announced

Orlando City and the Orlando Pride are expanding the Orlando Youth Soccer Network with the addition of the Orlando Soccer School – Winter Haven. The organization is formerly known as the Winter Haven Soccer Club. The school will provide programming for boys and girls ages 3-19. This is an example of the top-to-bottom pipeline the organization is building to develop players for both the men’s and women’s clubs.

Orlando City B Season in Review

Like the Orlando Pride, Orlando City B did not make the post season in 2026. That doesn’t necessarily mean it wasn’t a success in other ways. Orlando City B is a developmental squad, and the reserve side did its job in developing prospects this season. Some OCB players made it into the first team, there were a record number of academy debuts, and the team saw several international call-ups. Given how inconsistent the squad was because of all the shuffling around, it’s not surprising the team struggled on the pitch at times. Hopefully, all the younger players getting time will set the team up for success next season.

USMNT to Face Jamaica in December

The USMNT added a friendly against Jamaica on December 13 in Miami. The match takes place outside of the international window, so we can expect Mauricio Pochettino to call up MLS players whose clubs have been eliminated from the playoffs. There’s also a possibility for some European-based players, but clubs are not required to release them. Prior to that, the team will be in action in against Haiti in the two quarterfinal legs of the Concacaf Nations League.

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That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the matches this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/20/26

Griezmann named Player of the Matchday, Ojeda up for Goal of the Matchday, Pride in the power rankings, and more.

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2 days ago

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October 20, 2026

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,
Image of Antoine Griezmann celebrating with fans and Daryl Dike.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Hello, Mane Landers! It was a great weekend for the Lions, while the Pride won but were finally knocked out of the playoffs with Seattle Reign FC’s defeat of the Chicago Stars. Let’s start today off by wishing Pride goalkeeper McKinley Crone a happy 28th birthday. It’s been a busy past few days, so let’s get to the links.

Griezmann, Ojeda Honored

For their efforts (and spectacular goals) in Orlando City’s 4-1 win over D.C. United on Saturday, both Antoine Griezmann and Martin Ojeda have received deserved honors. Griezmann was named MLS Player of the Matchday for his two-goal, one-assist performance, leading the way once again in what has been an impressive start to his career as a Lion. The man they call Grizi is up to 19 goal contributions in 14 matches. Griezmann was obviously also honored with a starting spot on the MLS Team of the Matchday, joining fellow Lion Martin Ojeda, who chipped in a goal and an assist against D.C. And what a goal it was! Ojeda’s crazy, leaping, spinning backheel goal from Griezmann’s chipped pass over the top is deservedly up for MLS Goal of the Matchday. There’s still time to cast your vote on Twitter.

In addition to Goal of the Matchday, Ojeda’s magical moment will likely be up for MLS Goal of the Year. Marco Pasalic’s late insurance goal was also important, and it gave the Lions a goal from all three Designated Players in the same game.

Lions Deemed Powerful, Entertaining

Orlando City is up to No. 9 in the latest version of the ESPN MLS power rankings after Wednesday’s road draw in Toronto and Saturday’s lopsided home win over D.C. United. It’s been a long climb up those power rankings, just like it’s been a long climb above the playoff line after Orlando’s terrible start to the season. The Lions still have a lot to do to secure a postseason spot, but at least at home, they’ve been strong in the second half of the season.

Additionally, the Lions are an entertaining watch, win or lose, according to Joseph Lowery over at the league’s website. Lowery’s argument is compelling, noting that both the Orlando attack and the defense keep things exciting by either scoring or conceding in bunches. He also notes the number of ways the Lions can operate with personnel moving around to give the team multiple attacking options.

Pride in the Power Rankings

The Orlando Pride picked up a 2-1 win in Houston on a big day from Solai Washington, but it wasn’t enough to keep the team in contention for the postseason as Seattle defeated Chicago to seal the Pride’s fate. In addition to the Pride being 11th in the standings after the win, the latest version of ESPN’s NWSL power rankings have them in the same spot, which seems fair. Orlando will play out the string starting Sunday with a matinee against first-place Gotham FC before finishing the season on Nov. 1 at Seattle.

Americans Abroad in European Tournaments

Several Americans will be in action this week, so make sure you’ve got all the games you need to see written down somewhere, so you won’t miss any of the action. Tyler Adams faces Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah in Europa League action Thursday as AC Milan travels to AFC Bournemouth. Chris Richards and Crystal Palace also play in a Europa League tilt against Besiktas, and the defense is being held up as a reason for their struggles. Tanner Tessman is also one to look for in Lyon’s matchup against Hoffenheim in a Europa League tilt. Villarreal heads to Liverpool in Champions League action and we’ll see if the club’s manager continues to ride Alex Freeman’s hot run as he has yet to start a Champions League game.

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That’s the wrapup for today. Check back with us tomorrow for more futbol news.

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