Orlando City
Orlando City vs. LAFC: Player Grades and Man of the Match
Orlando City was a goal post away from putting the eventual Supporters Shield winners away in last night’s 2-2 draw against Los Angeles FC. But that pesky woodwork denied Santi Patino a goal that would have pushed the Lions’ lead to 3-1 and a minute later, Diego Rossi made good on one of his rare opportunities in the game to level things.
Draws are funny things, because how you feel about them is often related to the order in which the goals were scored. If LAFC scored the first two, Orlando fans would be ecstatic with the point. If the Lions had even scored just the last goal in the draw, supporters go home much happier. But when the other team gets the last licks in, it doesn’t feel quite as good, and the later that goal is scored, the worse it feels.
I went into this one expecting no points, Carlos Vela or no Carlos Vela, so a point was a nice surprise for me. Anyway, the Lions gained a point on New England. Let’s see how the individual performances graded out.
Starters
GK, Brian Rowe, 5.5 — Rowe got a hand on both LAFC goals but it would be unfair to say he should have stopped them. Adrien Perez’s goal took a deflection just in front of him and Diego Rossi’s 15th of the season was a 1-v-1 and just had too much on it to keep it out from that range. He didn’t have what you’d call a difficult save to make on either of the two that he stopped. His distribution was awful early in the game, as he sent two free kicks straight out of bounds and sending a long ball over everyone to opposing goalkeeper Tyler Miller. Rowe, who finished with just a 29% passing rate, has been better and he’s been worse this season. It was an OK game. He didn’t cost the team any points, nor did he earn the Lions any.
D, Kyle Smith, 7 — Smith just continues to play solid soccer. His offensive shortcomings are obvious — he hasn’t been a good crosser this year and he seems to get cut off when he gets to the corner and encounters traffic. But when he releases the pass early it’s usually pretty good and he’s been a workhorse on the defensive end. Last night, Smith was an 83% passer to lead the back line, led the team in tackles (5), and finished with two interceptions and five clearances.
D, Robin Jansson, 6 — I like what the Swede brings to the team. Last night he was solid if unspectacular. He led the Lions in clearances (6) but failed to record any tackles or interceptions. He got beat by Rossi’s speed on the tying goal. The back line could have stepped up before the pass or they’ve got to track Rossi and they did neither. His 83% passing was just a couple of tenths of a percentage point behind Smith. He attempted one shot but it was blocked.
D, Lamine Sané, 7 — Sané seemed right on the edge all night. He got caught on an early LAFC break but luckily after Perez rounded Rowe, he was too wide and Rowe smothered the pass attempt. Sané led the team in interceptions (6) and pitched in five clearances, two tackles, and two blocked shots. He did tee up the first goal for Perez but that was bad luck. He stretched out to get a toe to a dangerous cross and couldn’t get any power to clear it and it unfortunately fell perfectly for the LAFC forward. His passing was decent at 78%.
D, Ruan, 8 (MotM) — It was good to have the Brazilian speedster back on the pitch. He adds a dimension to the attack that doesn’t exist without him and could have made more plays had his teammates looked for him a bit more. There were opportunities to play him in that went ignored. He still sent a perfect ball to Benji Michel for the second goal to earn his assist. He was a 73% passer and created one chance. Sometimes he makes a great move to split two guys and then inexplicably dribbles right at a third defender, which is a bit maddening, but he’s always entertaining. He finished with three tackles, two clearances, and two interceptions and made some plays tracking back that no one else on Orlando could make just because of his speed. He even showed he was faster than a fresher Mohamed El-Munir late in the game, winning a race to a loose ball.
MF, Cristian Higuita, 8 — I had a tough time deciding between Higuita and Ruan for Man of the Match. The Colombian lost out by the slimmest edge for me. He was involved in both goals and the space LAFC had in Orlando’s end widened considerably after he tired and eventually left the game. I had to triple check his passing accuracy because I couldn’t believe it was only 56%, but he played in the final third a lot more than usual and was asked to facilitate the attack in ways he rarely is. He got a hockey assist on Michel’s goal and was a slight deflection from a primary assist on Nani’s. He sent in the cross that ended in Uri Rosell’s disallowed goal after Michel and Miller collided. He won an aerial, had three tackles, and made two interceptions.
MF, Uri Rosell, 6.5 — It was tough watching Rosell’s goal waved off as the midfielder has worked hard and fought for Orlando City this year and it would have been a nice reward for him. The Spaniard put in a good shift, with an interception and a clearance and he took one for the team when he was booked for a professional foul to prevent a break when Smith slipped on the play. His 84% passing was the highest among non-defensive starters except Michel, although Uri had 36 more attempts. Only Nani and Smith had more than his 51 touches.
MF, Dillon Powers, 6 — It was the kind of quiet night you need from a defensive midfielder. Powers was a 79% passer and had two tackles, two interceptions, and a clearance. He even tied Nani as the team’s best long passer, connecting on four of his five long-ball attempts. As a guy who hadn’t played much in recent weeks, it was no surprise that his energy level dropped late in the game and he wasn’t closing down as quickly as he had earlier in the match.
F, Nani, 7.5 — The captain was active against LAFC, scoring his first non-penalty goal since May 19 with a lovely chip over Miller. He also participated in the buildup on Michel’s goal, giving the ball to Higuita at the start of the sequence. His cross nearly ended up in a goal in the 77th minute but Patino hit the post. Nani hit four of his five long balls like Powers, passed at a 78% rate, made three key passes, and chipped in defensively with an interception and a clearance.
F, Dom Dwyer, 5.5 — It was a quiet night for Dwyer, who didn’t receive great service and didn’t manage a shot attempt. He did chip in with solid hold-up play and he was pesky without crossing the line. He won three aerials, drew three fouls, passed at 80% and had one tackle and tried to block Perez’s 12th-minute shot but didn’t get enough of it.
F, Benji Michel, 6.5 — The rookie made no mistake on his go-ahead goal, scoring on his only shot attempt. His 89% passing rate was good but it came on just nine attempts. He chipped in a clearance and an accurate long ball. The only blemish to his game was that he was dispossessed four times on the night as the young Homegrown Player has to learn how to use his body better in traffic.
Substitutes
F, Santiago Patino (67’), 6 — In 23 minutes plus five more in stoppage time, Patino only managed 11 touches. He was nearly a hero in the 77th but his lone shot attempt of the night bounced back off the right post. He connected on all four of his pass attempts and showed good touch on his hold-up play. He contributed a tackle and two clearances defensively.
MF/F, Chris Mueller (73’), 6 — Despite coming in late, Mueller didn’t seem to have the usual jump in his legs against the players who had been on the pitch for most of the game. He did have a tackle and a clearance on defense and was an 88% passer. He was credited with two shot attempts, but neither was on target. He had just 16 touches and no key passes.
F, Robinho (87’), N/A — There wasn’t really enough time to give Robinho a fair grade. He only touched the ball seven times, though he did complete all three of his pass attempts. That about sums up his few minutes on the pitch.
That’s how I saw the individual performances as the Lions grabbed a vital point. What did you think? Vote for your Man of the Match in the poll below and let us know in the comments section where you think I went wrong.
Polling Closed
| Player | Votes |
| Ruan | 27 |
| Cristian Higuita | 25 |
| Nani | 6 |
| Benji Michel | 1 |
| Lamine Sané | 2 |
| Kyle Smith | 2 |
| Other (Tell us who in the comments) | 0 |
Orlando City
Orlando City Adds Four Players in 2025 MLS SuperDraft
The Lions add a pair of Clemson Tigers, bolstering all three levels of the squad with a midfielder, two defenders, and a forward.
Major League Soccer held its annual SuperDraft today, and while the decision not to broadcast or stream it made it a bit of an exercise in frustration for many fans, ultimately, we learned the results. Orlando City’s day began by staying put in the No. 27 overall slot in Round 1 and selecting Clemson midfielder Joran Gerbet. The Lions added a second Clemson Tiger with their first selection of the second round (No. 46 overall), selecting center back Titus Sandy, Jr. Orlando finished the second round by taking Indiana forward Collins Oduro at No. 57 overall, and finished out the day by picking Marshall defender Takahiro Fujita in Round 3 (No. 87 overall).
Gerbet, a native of Valence, France, began his highly decorated collegiate career at Oregon State University, playing two seasons before transferring to Clemson for his final two years. He was a 2024 Mac Hermann Trophy semifinalist, ACC Midfielder of the Year, a first-team United Soccer Coaches All-American, and earned United Soccer Coaches First Team All-South Region honors. He was also a first-team All-ACC selection and made the All-ACC Tournament Team as a senior.
The 5-foot-11 midfielder helped lead the Tigers to a national championship in 2023 after Clemson won the ACC Tournament, in which Gerbet was named to the All-ACC Tournament Team. He was a third-team All-ACC selection in 2023, a member of the Academic All-ACC Team, and earned United Soccer Coaches Second Team All-South Region honors. While at Oregon State, Gerbet was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year and was an All-Pac-12 First Team selection in 2022. He was Pac-12 Freshman of the Year in 2021 as well as a First Team All-Pac-12 Team and Second Team All-Far West Region selection. Top Drawer Soccer placed him on the site’s Freshman Best XI first team.
Gerbet, 23, played in 78 games (76 starts), logging 6,708 minutes over the course of his college career. He scored 12 goals and added 15 assists. Of those, 10 goals and 11 assists came in 42 appearances (40 starts) with the Tigers in his final two years. So, while he played in six more games at Clemson, starting four more and playing 236 more minutes, his offensive numbers still took a big jump.
That could be natural development from a younger player to a more experienced one, but it could also be that the Tigers placed him in a more advantageous role, as he attempted 14 shots and put five on target in two years at Oregon State before firing 54 and putting 18 on target at Clemson.
As a senior, Gerbet scored on all four of his penalty kick attempts — the only four he attempted in his college career.
It appears Gerbet projects as a No. 8 at the professional level, but perhaps with some attacking upside. The Lions parted ways with 2024 draft pick Jeorgio Kocevski after the season, and Gerbet figures to possibly take his roster spot. He may see time with OCB in 2025 if he can earn a contract.
This isn’t the best highlight reel, but it’s the best we saw.
The Lions used the pick they got from Real Salt Lake when they traded Benji Michel’s re-entry right to select Sandy, a 6-foot center back from Charlotte, NC, who played his entire four-year college career with Clemson.
Sandy, 22, played in 48 matches, starting 24, with 17 of those starts coming his senior season. He played 2,520 minutes and did not score a goal with the Tigers, but he did manage four assists — all in his final year. He attempted five shots and put two on target for his entire career.
Along with his teammate, Gerbet, Sandy was part of the Tigers team in 2023 that won the ACC and NCAA tournaments. He earned 2023 Academic All-ACC honors.
As a second-round pick, he’s statistically a longshot to make the first team, but the Lions will give him a long look in camp, and if he shows promise, he could be signed and sent to OCB to see if he can continue to develop his game. Center back is an area of need for Orlando, and if Sandy can show enough, he may be able to land a deal with a strong camp.
Here’s some video on Sandy:
Toward the bottom of the second round, Orlando selected Oduro, a 5-foot-7 Ghanaian forward out of Indiana, the co-Big Ten champions in 2024. The 20-year-old played only two seasons with the Hoosiers before entering the SuperDraft, appearing in 44 games (41 starts) and playing 3,062 minutes. Oduro scored eight goals and added seven assists, firing 92 shots in those two seasons and putting 33 on target. Four of his eight goals were game winners.
He also helped the Hoosiers win the Big Ten regular season in 2023, making him a two-time conference champion, and he and his teammates won the 2023 Big Ten Tournament as well. He was a Top Drawer Soccer Best XI Freshman Team honoree following the 2023 season, a 2023 Big Ten All-Freshman Team member, and a 2024 Academic All-Big Ten selection.
Before arriving at Indiana, Oduro captained The Phelps School as a prep player, where he was named Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year in 2022 and the PrepSoccer.com Philadelphia Area Player of the Year.
If Sandy is a longshot to make the team, Oduro may be even a longer shot. As a younger player, he’s a good candidate to see if he can develop with the MLS NEXT Pro side.
Finally, the Lions grabbed another defender in Fujita, a 6-foot-2 Japanese-born defender out of 2024 national runner-up, Marshall. Like Oduro, Fujita is a younger player, coming out of college after his sophomore year. He was part of a Thundering Herd defense that kept 11 clean sheets and conceded only 20 goals this season en route to the NCAA final.
Fujita, 20, appeared in 40 matches in his two seasons at Marshall, starting 27 games and playing 2,423 minutes. He scored one goal and added four assists in his two years, attempting 23 shots and putting seven on target.
This is another player the club may try to develop at OCB.
Orlando City
Orlando City Sells Facundo Torres to Palmeiras
The Facundo Torres era in Orlando comes to an official end with his transfer to Palmeiras in Brazil’s Serie A.
The Facundo Torres era with Orlando City officially ended today with the club announcing his transfer to Brazilian Serie A side Palmeiras for what was described as a club-record fee. While that fee was not disclosed by the club, reports indicate it to be around the $12-million mark and as high as $14 million with add-ons. The Uruguayan winger departs as the Lions’ all-time goal-scoring leader both in the MLS era and the combined USL and MLS eras and leaves a difficult hole for the front office to fill.
“Today I say goodbye to a club that marked an unforgettable stage in my career and in my life, my first experience as a professional away from home,” Torres said in a club press release. “Thank you to the staff, my teammates and all the people who are part of this club for the constant support and trust from the first day. I leave with pride for what we achieved together and with the satisfaction of having left my mark on this club that will always be special to me. I wish you the greatest success in the future. Thank you for everything, Orlando. I’ll miss you.”
Torres joined Orlando City as a Young Designated Player on Jan. 24, 2022 from Peñarol, the club in Montevideo, Uruguay, where he made the jump from youth academy player to professional. After transitioning from a YDP to a standard Designated Player, Torres signed a new contract Jan. 10 of this year through the 2026 season with options for 2027 and 2028. It seemed Torres had embraced the city and the club and was making a commitment to being an Orlando City leader for years to come, but things can, and do, change, and now his time in purple has come to an end.
His impact on the club has been a big one, as he not only has been an offensive leader in his three seasons in Orlando, but helped the Lions win their first trophy in the club’s MLS era in the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup championship run. His contributions helped Orlando City reach the playoffs each of the last three years, including a run to this year’s Eastern Conference final and a second-place finish in the 2023 Supporters’ Shield standings.
In his three seasons as a Lion, the 24-year-old made 123 appearances (113 starts) across all competitions. He scored a club-record 47 goals, breaking Cyle Larin’s MLS-era mark and Dom Dwyer’s combined USL-MLS record, and added 25 assists. He also holds the club’s record for goals in all competitions in one season (20), which he set this year, and career goal contributions (72). His 14 MLS goals in the regular season were a career high, and at just 24 years old, Torres seemed capable of continuing to develop and improve.
While his value to Orlando City’s roster is evident, the winger was purchased from Peñarol for a reported club-record $7.5 million, so if the reports are even close to accurate, Orlando City could hardly afford to nearly double what it paid for the Designated Player. It would be one of the league’s top 10 transfers in terms of money received and a good bit of business by the club.
“First, we want to thank Facu for everything he has done for this club. He has been involved in so many great moments and successes during his time here that will leave a lasting legacy in our history,” Orlando City Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi said in a club press release. “Because of that success, Facu has generated the attention of the global market, and this is a move that, at this time, makes sense for both Facundo and Orlando City. Not only does this continue a great and established relationship with a successful club in Palmeiras, but it shows our success in developing young talent into world stars. We want to thank Facu again for his hard work and everything he has helped bring to our Club and our fans during his time in Orlando. We wish him the best as he takes these next steps in his career.”
The relationship with Palmeiras that Muzzi mentions includes the successful inbound transfers of former Orlando center back Antonio Carlos — one of the best defenders in club history — and current starting winger Ivan Angulo. Along with Orlando City and MLS, Palmeiras announced today’s transfer on social media. After seeing Torres in purple for three years, his new colors may seem a bit jarring to Orlando City fans.
While it may seem strange to sell Torres to a Brazilian club instead of a European side, it makes a bit more sense recently. Brazilian clubs have been active in the transfer market as buyers from MLS sides, including the hefty price Atlanta’s Thiago Almada brought the Georgia-based club earlier this year, which reportedly set a new league record at about $21 million. Torres could still end up in Europe if he can continue developing his game, but for now he’s closer to home, which he will no doubt welcome every time the Uruguayan National Team calls him up for international duty.
What It Means for Orlando City
In short, the Lions have to go shopping, but they’ve got a good chunk of change to do that with after the sale of Torres. They also have an open Designated Player slot. Torres has scored a lot of goals in three seasons, and the club will need to replace his production. It won’t be easy to do that, but there is plenty of money available. Not only is there a lot coming back for Torres’ sale, but MLS revealed this week that Orlando City is sitting on one of the league’s larger piles of General Allocation Money. There is no financial impediment to improving the squad.
There are multiple ways to do that. With Martin Ojeda and Luis Muriel capable of being providers, the Lions could invest in an elite striker, which would make some sense in the short term, with Duncan McGuire likely out until at least mid-May and possibly until late June. Current starter Ramiro Enrique is developing nicely, but if the club can go out and get a consistent 15-goal scorer — and there’s no reason Orlando can’t do that — it can replace Torres’ offense.
Oscar Pareja could deploy an attacking midfield line of Muriel, Ojeda, and Angulo with a new DP center forward. The club could also invest in an elite No. 10 and move Ojeda and/or Muriel into Torres’ former position.
The Lions have not been players in the inbound transfer market yet this off-season, with the Torres sale a necessary first step. But now the pressure is on the front office not just to continue the club’s run of five consecutive postseason appearances, but to find a way to elevate the squad so it can reach the next level.
Orlando City
2024 Orlando City Season in Review: Nico Lodeiro
Let’s take a look at how the Uruguayan midfielder performed during his first year with the Lions.
Orlando City signed midfielder Nico Lodeiro back on Jan. 4. After spending all of his eight-year MLS career with the Seattle Sounders, he joined an Orlando team that had a big hole to fill in the attacking midfield after the departure of former captain Mauricio Pereyra. Despite his age and not occupying a Designated Player spot, it was widely assumed that the Uruguayan was intended to slot into his countryman’s spot in the starting lineup, and his eye for goal had the potential to help the Lions’ attack.
Let’s take a look back at Lodeiro’s first season wearing Orlando City purple.
Statistical Breakdown
Lodeiro appeared in each one of Orlando City’s 34 regular-season games, starting 16 of those and logging 1,697 minutes. He scored one goal in the regular season and contributed 11 assists, which matched his third-highest total in MLS. He attempted 36 shots and put 10 of them on target. He 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. He committed 17 fouls and received two yellow cards, while drawing 29 fouls from the opposition.
Lodeiro appeared in each of Orlando’s five postseason games as a substitute, and recorded 58 minutes on the field. 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, chipped in with a clearance, and committed one foul, for which he was not booked, whild drawing two on his opponents.
Nico appeared in all four of OCSC’s Concacaf Champions Cup matches, starting both matches 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 while committing four fouls, picking up one yellow card, and drawing five fouls from the opposition.
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 in the process. 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. He drew five fouls, committed one of his own, and was not booked.
Best Game
There are a couple of candidates for Nico’s best game, but in the end I had to go with the 3-2 away win over the Philadelphia Union. Lodeiro got the start in an unconventional 3-5-2 formation and was central to everything Orlando did on offense.
Following things breaking down after a corner kick, he played in a great left-footed cross from the end line which Duncan McGuire headed home to tie the game at 1-1.
He turned provider again just before halftime, as he flicked a pass to Luis Muriel, who then proceeded to cut in on his left foot and unleash a rocket into the top corner to give Orlando the lead.
The Uruguayan then helped put the game away just after halftime, as he half-volleyed a perfectly weighted through ball for Muriel, who calmly rolled the ball into the far corner.
Lodeiro’s offensive stat line in that game read three shots (one off target, two blocked), three assists, a team-high four key passes, and one through ball while drawing one foul. He passed with 85% accuracy and connected on two crosses and two long balls. Defensively, he had two tackles, one interception, one clearance, and one block, while committing one foul for which he was not booked. In our Player Grades piece, yours truly graded him an 8 out of 10, with only Luis Muriel’s 8.5 out of 10 preventing him from taking the Man of the Match award.
2024 Final Grade
The Mane Land staff awarded Lodeiro a composite grade of 6.5 out of 10 for his first season in an Orlando City uniform. The 13 assists that he provided across all competitions set a new club record and showcased what made him so devastating during all his years in Seattle. He didn’t provide a ton of threat on goal himself though, which was disappointing, considering he was no stranger to finding the back of the net with his previous team.
2025 Outlook
Lodeiro’s performances this season triggered an option year in his contract, so he’s slated to be back with the team next year. It wasn’t necessarily a bad season for him, particularly considering he’s 35 and played a lot of years on the unyielding turf of Lumen Field. Still, he was presumably brought in to take over Pereyra’s starting spot and wasn’t able to cement his hold on it, so there’s some disappointment there. He remains a great passer of the ball as evidenced by his assist numbers, but one league goal is a disappointing return, although it’s worth noting that he had one goal and one fewer assist for Seattle in MLS play during the 2023 season, despite playing almost 800 more minutes. Whether he starts consistently or not, he’s still got the quality to change games as a sub, and if he starts banging in a few goals, then he could make a reasonable case to see more time in the starting XI.
Previous Season in Review Articles (Date Posted)
Orlando City Adds Four Players in 2025 MLS SuperDraft
2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Adriana
Orlando City Sells Facundo Torres to Palmeiras
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Orlando Pride2 weeks agoOrlando Pride Announce Roster Decisions Following 2024 NWSL Season
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Orlando City7 days ago2024 Orlando City Season in Review: Facundo Torres
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Orlando City2 weeks ago2024 Orlando City Season in Review: Mason Stajduhar
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Orlando City2 weeks ago2024 Orlando City Season in Review: Yutaro Tsukada
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Orlando City2 weeks ago2024 Orlando City Season in Review: Michael Halliday
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Podcasts2 weeks agoPawedCast Episode 459: Orlando City Roster Decisions and Facundo Torres Gone?
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Orlando City2 weeks ago2024 Orlando City Season in Review: Javier Otero
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Orlando Pride2 weeks ago2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Ally Watt