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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. New England Revolution: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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5 years ago

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It was a tale of two halves in Orlando on a windy, misty night. The first half saw The Lions fall 3-1 before the half. Were I a gambling woman, my money would have been on another home loss after the first-half performance.

I’m not sure what went down in the locker room, but the Lions came back out in the second half hungry to come back. A draw really wasn’t the result the Lions were hoping for, or needed, but after the first 45, I’ll take the point over a massacre. Let’s get to the grades.

Starters

GK, Brian Rowe, 6 — I think you could hear the sound of hearts breaking across the stadium as Rowe was wandering about out of his goal, despite Ruan making things tricky for Cristian Penilla, who chipped one in right over the keeper to regain the lead for New England. He was beaten again in the 41st when Gustavo Bou made it 3-1 in the first half. He had a huge save in the 84th when Penilla cleared the defense and got a shot off.

D, Kyle Smith, 5.5 — When the defender was caught out of position in the 21st minute he had no choice but to take Brandon Bye down for a yellow. The defender has been working his way up the player rankings for me, but last night was not his night. He was getting smoked on the left all night. Smith finished with one interception, one clearance, a blocked shot, two tackles, and an 89% pass completion rate on 37 attempts.

D, Robin Jansson, 5.5 — Would it be a match if we didn’t see the Swede booked? He received a yellow in the 60th minute for a foul on the counter attack. In a surprisingly quiet night for Jansson, he finished with one clearance, one blocked shot, and a 76% pass completion rate on 38 attempts.

D, Lamine Sané, 6.5 — There was a scary moment when Sané went down hard but walked it off and rejoined game play following the restart. Perhaps his best moment of the match was in the 74th minute when a crucial touch kept the Revs from going up a fourth. Sané ended the night with three tackles, an interception, an 89% pass completion rate on 26 attempts, and a team-high five clearances.

D, Ruan, 6 — Ruan had a lot of heavy touches last night, seeming not quite himself out there. After a nice bit of play to outrun the Revs defenders, Ruan sent a cross into the area in the 75th minute that Dwyer tried to send in before going down. He ended the night with one clearance, one interception, a blocked shot, two dribbles, and a 79% passing rate on 34 attempts.

MF, Cristian Higuita, 6.5 — I have to start by saying how much I’ve missed Higuita in the midfield. Last week and this week he proved to us all just how valuable he is. He’s an aggressive threat who isn’t afraid to snatch the ball and take chances. I probably would have died if his shot in the 45th minute off a short free kick had gone in, but in City fashion it was fired way over the bar. Higuita tried to smash one in again in the 78th but it was right to Matt Turner, who saved it with ease. He ended the night with three tackles, two interceptions, a clearance, three shots (one on target), and an 83% pass rate on 64 attempts. A lot of the midfield play ran through him with 86 touches through the match, a team high for the night.

MF, Carlos Ascues, 5.5 — Back from international duty with Peru, Ascues seemed to work well with the other midfielders. The Peruvian ended the night with three tackles, a blocked shot, and a 91% pass accuracy on 22 attempts, but he struggled to get on the ball, with only 28 touches in his 56 minutes.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 6.5 — His corner service right to Nani was a thing of beauty, and it was nice to see his level of play back on the field. Pereyra made things harder for New England but came off at the half. Here’s hoping we can see him fit for the full 90 soon. He ended the night with his first MLS assist, a 79% pass rate on 28 attempts, two tackles, and three key passes.

MF, Nani, 9 (MotM) — The stadium came alive seven minutes after the own goal — first, when Nani’s cross was just out of the reach of Dom’s head, and again when Pereyra’s corner kick connected with Nani for a header right into corner of the net to tie up the game. Things were exciting just before the halftime whistle but Nani’s shot sailed over the bar. His perfectly timed cross in the 47th minute connected with Dom’s head to make it 3-2 and bring the Lions back into the match. There’s no question that the match rested heavily on the shoulders of the captain, who completed his brace to tie the game and nearly set up a Santiago Patino winner. While his 67% passing rate leaves a bit to be desired, you can’t be mad at the man for two goals and an assist to help the Lions earn a point at home. He finished with team highs in shots (7) and chances created (5) too.

MF, Tesho Akindele, 5.5 — It was easy to be excited to see Tesho on the pitch when in the second minute he had a shot that ended up being blocked. That was short lived of course when in the 15th he sent an own goal in off the post. He had a chance for redemption in the 27th minute but sent a shot just wide of the goal. Tesho had another chance in the 62nd when Nani sent it in to him but he mishit and sent it to the only part of the goal that was covered by Turner. Akindele ended the night with an 88% pass rate on 33 attempts, two interceptions, one shot on target and an own goal.

F, Dom Dwyer, 7 — Dwyer sent a header in off a Nani cross and suddenly being down by only one seemed to light a fire under the entire team. Dom had another chance when he hit the rebound of Tesho’s misfire, but it too was saved. The forward earned a free kick in a decent area but sent it sky high over the bar. He was involved in a collision as he and Turner both lunged for the ball as Dom tried to knock it home off a Ruan cross in the 75th. The collision had Dom down and subbed off for Patino. He walked onto the pitch with ice taped to his leg following the final whistle. Here’s hoping he’s not out any more minutes due to injury. He ended the night with three shots (two on target), an 83% pass rate on 12 attempts, and one goal.

Substitutes

F, Benji Michel (46’), 6 — Michel came on at the start of halftime for Pereyra who wasn’t fit for the full 90. The forward ended the night with an interception and a blocked shot, and a 57% pass rate on seven attempts.

MF, Sebas Méndez (57’), 6 — The Ecuadorian, back from international duty, came on for Ascues. The 62nd minute was the moment of chances from Tesho’s misfire. After the save on Dom’s opportunity, Méndez had a chance in the same wild sequence of play but fired wide. He ended the night with a 78% pass rate on 23 attempts, an interception, two key passes, and a blocked shot.

F, Santiago Patino (76’), 6 — Santi got his head under the ball in the 78th and (can you guess?) sent it over. He had a chance again quickly in the 80th only to see it brushed by Turner’s foot and knocked off the outside of the post for a corner. His short time on the pitch saw him complete all three of his passes, and attempt two shots with one on target. The burst of energy and fresh legs were what the Lions were looking for, but not quite enough to take the lead. Patino’s now hit the post with potential game winners in each of his last two games, so he’s due for a little luck.

That’s how I saw things. What were your thoughts on the 3-3 draw against the New England Revs? Who was your Man of the Match? Be sure to vote in the poll below!

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Nani50
Cristian Higuita2
Lamine Sané2
Other: Be sure to tell us who in the comments!0

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Orlando City

Orlando City Releases Full 2025 Preseason Schedule

The Lions will face three MLS sides, a Brazilian Serie A club, a USL Championship team, and a Canadian Premier League side this preseason.

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9 hours ago

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January 24, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

On the eve of Orlando City’s first preseason friendly of the team’s 2025 camp — and 11 days into training — the club has released its full schedule for the remainder of the preseason. The Lions will play six matches, calling two of them “friendlies” and the other four “scrimmages,” but they all amount to competitive minutes for the squad ahead of the 2025 MLS regular season.

Two of the games are open to the general public, including Saturday’s FC Series friendly against Atletico Mineiro and the Feb. 14 preseason finale against Inter Miami at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. In addition, season ticket members can access a preseason scrimmage against CF Montreal on Feb. 8. Club staff will reach out to season ticket members with the details for that game. The other three scrimmages will be closed door.

The preseason schedule is similar this year to what the club has had for the last several years under Oscar Pareja, with mostly closed scrimmages and a mixture of MLS and other assorted competition.

After facing the Brazil Serie A side on Saturday, the Lions will head to Mexico for a week of training and team bonding, with one scrimmage against Forge FC from the Canadian Premier League. Orlando City will play three MLS clubs in the preseason, along with one team each from the Canadian Premier League and the USL Championship.

Orlando City will kick off its 2025 regular season at home against the Philadelphia Union at Inter&Co Stadium on Saturday, Feb. 22 at 7:30 p.m.

2025 Orlando City Preseason Schedule

  • Saturday, Jan. 25 — Preseason friendly vs. Atletico Mineiro at Inter&Co Stadium
  • Sunday, Jan. 26 — Preseason camp opens in Mexico
  • Tuesday, Jan. 28 — Preseason scrimmage vs. Forge FC (Closed Door)
  • Wednesday, Feb. 5 — Preseason scrimmage vs. Atlanta United (Closed Door)
  • Saturday, Feb. 8 — Preseason scrimmage vs. CF Montreal (Season Ticket Members Exclusive Match)
  • Tuesday, Feb. 11 — Preseason scrimmage vs. Rhode Island FC (Closed Door)
  • Friday, Feb. 14 — Preseason friendly vs. Inter Miami at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/24/25

Cesar Araujo will reportedly stay in Orlando, USMNT takeaways, MLS transfer news, and much more.

Published

12 hours ago

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January 24, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday! It should be a pretty decent weekend with plenty of soccer to enjoy both in Orlando and abroad. Orlando City’s first preseason game is Saturday against Atletico Mineiro at Inter&Co Stadium. While I won’t be in attendance, I’m looking forward to learning how they do. But for now, let’s jump into today’s links!

Cesar Araujo Will Reportedly Stay in Orlando

There have been rumors and reports swirling around regarding midfielder Cesar Araujo leaving Orlando City this off-season. However, the 23-year-old will reportedly stay in Orlando for the 2025 season according to Tom Bogert. Uruguayan club Nacional has reportedly been trying to sign Araujo while he has a year left on his contract.

Sources: Cesar Araujo to stay at Orlando City.Nacional tried to sign him this winter but plan is for Araujo to stay. One year left on his contract and Orlando will still work on a new contract but know the team is better if he stays. Prioritizing 2025 over small transfer fee.

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2025-01-24T01:07:39.303Z

It makes all the sense in the world for Orlando to want to keep Araujo in the center of its midfield for 2025. He’s been incredible since joining Orlando back in 2022 and has been integral to the club’s success in recent years. Clubs were always going to come knocking for Araujo’s talents, but I expect it would take a hefty offer for the Lions to let him go before his contract is up.

Takeaways From USMNT January Camp

While the United States Men’s National Team’s January camp usually isn’t too impactful, this year’s edition had some extra intrigue due to some standout performances across the two friendly wins. Zack Steffen had a statement game against Costa Rica, making a few sensational saves to secure a clean sheet. He needed a game like that to stay in the mix for the starting job after a rough season with the Colorado Rapids. Striker Patrick Agyemang played his first two USMNT games this month and scored in both, making the most of his opportunity. Diego Luna taking an elbow to the face and coming back out to assist on the team’s first goal against Costa Rica is also the kind of moment that could earn him more looks in the future.

MLS Transfer News Roundup

MLS teams other than Orlando City continue to make moves ahead of the 2025 season. The exodus from FC Dallas rolls on, as Alan Velasco was officially transferred to Boca Juniors in Argentina for a reported $12 million transfer fee. Dallas also traded center back Nkosi Tafari to LAFC in exchange for $300,000 in 2026 General Allocation Money and an international roster slot.

The Karol Swiderski era in Charlotte is over, as the club transferred him to Panathinaikos for a reported transfer fee of $2 million. Real Salt Lake added a young striker, signing 20-year-old Ariath Piol from MacArthur FC in Australia. Nashville SC signed American goalkeeper Brian Schwake from CD Castellon in Spain’s second division to provide more depth behind Joe Willis. Austin FC’s busy off-season continued by signing Zan Kolmanic to a new contract through 2026. The club is also reportedly closer to signing forward Myrto Uzuni for a club-record fee.

Europa League First Phase Nears Conclusion

Lazio is the only team to guarantee a spot in the Europa League’s round of 16 so far, doing so after a 3-1 win over Real Sociedad. English clubs Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur edged closer to securing a spot. A late winner from Bruno Fernandes gave United a 2-1 victory against Rangers, while Tottenham beat Hoffenheim 3-2 thanks to a brace from Heung-Min Son. The upset of the round belonged to Latvian club FK RFS, which took down Ajax in a 1-0 win at home. Eintracht Frankfurt, Union Saint-Gilloise, and Midtjylland also picked up wins this week. This phase of the tournament will wrap up with 18 games on Thursday.

Free Kicks

  • Bay FC bought out Deyna Castellanos’ contract, with the midfielder joining the Portland Thorns as a free agent soon after.
  • After a vote approving funds to repair Al Lang Stadium, the Tampa Bay Rowdies announced that they will play there for their upcoming USL Championship season.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/23/25

Orlando City signs Thomas Williams to new contract, Orlando Pride schedule revealed, USMNT wins against Costa Rica, and more.

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1 day ago

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January 23, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

I hope you all are staying warm as we deal with cold weather across Florida. It’s at least been nice to break out some of my heavier blankets and forgotten hot cocoa packets I’ve had stored away. My cat has also been curling up next to me more, which is always a plus. Still, not shivering while waiting for my car to warm up would be great. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Thomas Williams Signs New Orlando City Contract

Orlando City center back Thomas Williams signed a new contract with the club that lasts through 2026, with an option for 2027 as well. Williams joined the club’s academy back in 2015 and became the youngest Homegrown Player in club history when he signed a first-team contract at 16 years old in 2021. The 20-year-old hasn’t featured much for the first team, and he’ll likely spend most of this year with Orlando City B for consistent playing time. Hopefully Williams can take a step forward in his development and provide the Lions some helpful depth at center back in the event of injuries.

Orlando Pride 2025 Season Schedule Unveiled

The NWSL announced its 2025 season schedule Wednesday, and the Orlando Pride will start their title defense season at home against the Chicago Red Stars on March 14. Their first road game will be the following weekend on March 23 against NJ/NY Gotham FC. Decision Day returns to the schedule this year, with all 14 clubs in action on Nov. 2. The Pride will close out their regular season at home that day against the Seattle Reign, with the postseason set to begin on Nov. 7. There’s also a break in the schedule in July, with no regular-season games scheduled due to international tournaments like the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and Copa America Femenina.

USMNT Shuts Out Costa Rica in Orlando

The United States Men’s National Team beat Costa Rica 3-0 at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando Wednesday night to stay perfect at the home of the Lions and Pride at 7-0-0. Goalkeeper Zack Steffen truly earned his clean sheet, coming up with some great saves to deny Costa Rica. It was also a solid attacking performance from the Yanks, and Patrick Agyemang put a bow on what’s been a great month for him with his second goal in as many games. Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has some time to assess things before the USMNT plays Panama in the Concacaf Nations League semifinals on March 20

Keeping Up With MLS Transfer News

San Diego FC added another Designated Player ahead of its inaugural season, signing Danish winger Anders Dreyer from Anderlecht for a transfer fee reportedly near $5 million. He recorded 31 goals and 23 assists in 87 appearances across all competitions for Anderlecht and joins San Diego on a three-year deal. Charlotte FC officially added Wilfried Zaha on loan from Galatasaray. He’ll occupy a DP spot and the loan lasts through Jan. 16, 2026, with an option to extend it through June of that year as well.

LAFC made a trade with its rival to strengthen its midfield, acquiring Mark Delgado from the LA Galaxy in exchange for $400,000 in General Allocation Money. The Portland Timbers signed Venezuelan forward Kevin Kelsy from Shakhtar Donetsk as an MLS U22 Initiative player, with FC Cincinnati receiving GAM for his discovery rights. Real Salt Lake, which signed Mason Stajduhar from Orlando City earlier this month, continued to make changes to its goalkeeping group. The club signed veteran goalkeeper Rafael Cabral as a free agent and transferred 19-year-old American Gavin Beavers to Brondby IF in Denmark.

UEFA Champions League Roundup

The penultimate round of the UEFA Champions League’s league phase wrapped up this week. Paris Saint-Germain beat Manchester City 4-2 in the heavyweight matchup of the round, with all six goals coming in the second half. Joao Neves gave PSG the lead in the 78th minute before Goncalo Ramos put the game on ice in stoppage time. City now needs to win its final game against Club Brugge on Wednesday in order to advance.

Real Madrid cruised to a 5-1 win against RB Salzburg to advance, with both Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr. scoring braces. Celtic also booked its spot in the next round after a 1-0 win against Young Boys. Feyenoord pulled off an upset by winning 3-0 against Bayern Munich as well. Elsewhere in the tournament, AC Milan won 1-0 at home against Girona, Arsenal beat Dinamo Zagreb 3-0, and RB Leipzig did well in a 2-1 victory over Sporting CP.

Free Kicks

  • American goalkeeper Michelle Betos announced her retirement from professional soccer after a career that included winning the 2016 NWSL Shield with the Portland Thorns and the 2023 NWSL Championship with Gotham. Betos was also named NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year with the Thorns in 2015.
  • Arsenal and Chelsea are among the multiple clubs reportedly keeping an eye on American forward Trinity Rodman, whose contract with the Washington Spirit ends after this year.
https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/1882171400481542482

That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a great Thursday and rest of your week!

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