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Orlando City

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

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Orlando City looked to be in a good spot when Facundo Torres gave the Lions a 1-0 lead at Red Bull Arena, but New York City FC came back with two late goals to take all three points. The loss keeps the Lions tied at 45 points with the Columbus Crew and Inter Miami for the final two playoff spots with two games remaining.

Let’s take a look at how the Lions performed individually in this loss.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 5.5 — Orlando City has depended on Gallese several times this year to keep them in games. Usually he’s been solid, but Gallese didn’t have his best game today. While not bad, the team’s number one didn’t commit when coming off his line in the 66th minute, resulting in him being stuck in a tight spot. As a result, NYCFC scored the equalizer. Statistically, Gallese conceded two goals and had three saves. He completed 79% of his 19 passes, including five of his nine long balls.

D, Joao Moutinho, 5.5 — Moutinho was much better than Ruan in this game, completing 78.1% of his 41 passes, three of his six crosses, and three of his seven long balls. Defensively, he recorded two tackles, one interception, and one clearance. But in the 81st minute he got sucked up into the midfield, allowing NYCFC to get behind Orlando’s back line. It resulted in the host’s second and game-winning goal.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6 — Schlegel had a good game, recording two tackles, one interception, a blocked shot, and a team-high six clearances. He completed 75.9% of his 29 passes but failed to complete any of his five long balls.

D, Antonio Carlos, 5 — Defensively, Carlos recorded two tackles, one interception, and had five clearances. However, in the 66th minute, Carlos whiffed on an attempted clearance. It allowed NYCFC to get behind the Lions’ back line and left Carlos out of position. Alexander Callens scored right in front of goal because Carlos wasn’t there to defend him. Going forward, Carlos completed 81.4% of his 43 passes and one of his four long balls.

D, Ruan, 4.5 — Ruan had a terrible game at right back. Defensively, he had two tackles and one clearance. He only completed 47.6% of his 21 passes, one of his two long balls, and didn’t attempt any crosses. He got one off-target shot off and was called offside once.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 6.5 — Pereyra has been in good form recently and had another good game in this one. The midfielder completed 85.4% of his 48 passes and had four key passes. He completed two of his five crosses, seven of his eight long balls, and took one off-target shot. Defensively, Pereyra recorded one tackle and one interception.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 6 — After being out with a non-COVID related illness, Araujo rejoined the lineup and was his old self. The midfielder recorded a team-high four tackles and one interception. He completed 85% of his 40 passes and three of his five long balls. Araujo was also credited with an assist on Torres’ early second-half goal after a great long throw-in that found the head of Ercan Kara.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 5.5 — It wasn’t a bad game by Angulo, but he only had 19 touches. The attacking midfielder completed 81.8% of his 11 passes and his only cross attempt was successful. He didn’t have any key passes or shots in the game but did have one tackle.

MF, Junior Urso, 6 — Urso had a good game but it should’ve been better. He completed 87.8% of his 41 passes, though none were key passes. He drew a team-high four fouls and took two off-target shots, which he should’ve done better with. Defensively, Urso recorded one tackle and had one interception.

MF, Facundo Torres, 6.5 (MotM) — Torres had a really good game, completing 88.9% of his 36 passes, including two key passes. His three crosses were incomplete but he completed his only long ball. He took a team-high five shots with one being on target. The biggest impact by Torres was his 47th-minute goal that gave the Lions an early second half lead.

F, Ercan Kara, 6 — Kara didn’t find the target on any of his three shots, but he completed 88.9% of his nine passes, including two key passes. In the 47th minute, he flicked a long Araujo throw-in to Torres behind him, resulting in the Lions’ goal.

Substitutes

F, Benji Michel (67’), 5.5 — Michel came on in the 67th minute for Kara, right after the equalizing goal by NYCFC. He only had six touches and completed both of his passes. In the 86th minute, Moutinho found Michel on NYCFC’s half of the field and it looked like the Lions would have a chance for an equalizer, but he took a heavy touch and ended up committing a foul to end the attack.

F, Tesho Akindele (74’), 5.5 — Akindele came on for Angulo in the 74th minute. He didn’t have a big impact, only recording five touches, but completed all five of his passes, including one key pass. However, the forward didn’t get any shots off.

D, Kyle Smith (74’), 5 — Smith came on with Akindele, replacing Ruan. The defender had seven touches and completed three of his six passes. He attempted one inaccurate long ball and recorded one tackle.

MF, Jake Mulraney (85’), N/A — Mulraney came on in the 85th minute for Araujo and was virtually non-existent. The midfielder only had one touch and he lost possession with it. That was the only statistic for the substitute.


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

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Facundo Torres14
Mauricio Pereyra2
Cesar Araujo0
Ercan Kara1
Rodrigo Schlegel0
Other (Tell us in the comments below)1

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Three Keys to Victory

What does Orlando City need to do to earn a second victory in a row at home this Saturday?

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City is coming off its first win of the MLS regular season and will look to carry that momentum into Saturday night’s Eastern Conference matchup against the New York Red Bulls. The Lions will have several players back from international duty, making Oscar Pareja’s job a bit easier, although some of them will be on short rest. What does Orlando City need to do to earn all three points against the Red Bulls?

Stop Morgan

Lewis Morgan has been on a tear this season with five goals in five matches. That is more than every Orlando City player combined so far this season. The Red Bulls were held scoreless in two matches, meaning those five goals have come in three matches, with Morgan scoring a hat trick against Inter Miami. I love that he took it to the Herons like that, but I’m going to need him to cool off a bit against the Lions.

If Orlando City is to stop Morgan it will take excellent defending from the Lions’ back line and of course Pedro Gallese, who is returning from international duty. Orlando City also gets Wilder Cartagena and David Brekalo back, meaning more of the first choice lineup will be available to keep a clean sheet. With the match at home, earning a clean sheet is all the more important.

Proper Rest and Preperation

It might seem silly to say, but having more than a few days between matches is conducive to earning points. When Orlando City was participating in the Concacaf Champions Cup, the Lions never had time to properly recover or train with a game plan for the next match. Now, the Lions are able to do so, and the result against Austin FC reflects that.

Pareja is a top level MLS coach. We know that he has a plan for about the first 20 minutes of any match, and then makes adjustments throughout the remainder of the match. Even so, many of those adjustments have been planned out prior to the match. That, paired with a more rested roster, allows the Lions to be the protagonists Pareja wants them to be.

Shots, Shots, Shots

Orlando City was able to create plenty of chances against Austin FC, and will need to do so again against the Red Bulls. The Lions took 22 shots Saturday night, with eight on target, and they put two in the back of the net against Austin. Hopefully, Orlando City can be more efficient going forward, but if you don’t create opportunities, you won’t score.

The Red Bulls have some decent defenders who Orlando City will have to deal with, including fullback John Tolkin and Carlos Coronel at keeper. If the Lions can pass even close to the way they did against Austin, the opportunities will come, and if that is the case, hopefully the goals will come. Orlando City still has a sizable goal deficit, thanks to the early part of the season, that can only be corrected with more goals on the other end.


That is what I will be looking for this Saturday night at Inter&Co Stadium. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/28/24

Getting to know Rafael Santos, Orlando Pride prepare for Chicago, Midge Purce out for the season, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope the work week has been treating you well as we gear up for another weekend of soccer. March flew by for me and April is shaping up to be a pretty busy month as well. In other news, I’m looking into adopting a cat and gathering the supplies to make that happen. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Getting to Know Rafael Santos

Orlando City left back Rafael Santos was the latest Lion to field questions as part of the club’s video series for fans to learn more about its players. The 26-year-old spoke about the decision process behind joining Orlando and playing outside of Brazil for the first time in his career after five years with Cruzeiro. He’s brought his attack-minded style of play to the team, particularly in terms of providing lethal crossing from the wing. Make sure to check out the full video as Santos also shared photos of his newborn and showcased his skill with a cavaquinho.

Orlando Pride Prepare to Host Chicago

After a pair of draws to start their season, the Orlando Pride will have a chance to claim their first win of the season when they host the Chicago Red Stars tomorrow night at 6 p.m. Head Coach Seb Hines spoke about how the Pride have shown plenty of resilience so far this young season. The team managed to secure a point in last week’s 1-1 draw with Angel City FC despite a patchwork back line due to injuries. That defense will likely have its hands full against Mallory Swanson and a Chicago team that won both of its first two games. Hines spoke about how the Pride are preparing for Chicago and how they will need the home crowd to bring the support tomorrow night.

Sophia Smith Signs Record-Breaking New Deal

American forward Sophia Smith signed a new contract with the Portland Thorns that will make her the highest-paid NWSL player, according to the club. The new deal will last through the 2025 season, with an option for 2026 as well. The 23-year-old was drafted by the Thorns with the first overall pick in the 2020 NWSL Draft and has gone on to score 34 regular-season goals. Smith re-signed with the club in 2022 and was set to become a free agent following this season, but will instead stay in Portland.

Midge Purce Out for NWSL Season

NJ/NY Gotham FC forward Midge Purce will miss the remainder of the NWSL season after tearing her ACL. The 28-year-old will undergo surgery and suffered the injury in her team’s 1-0 victory over the Portland Thorns this past weekend. She’s been with Gotham since 2020 and assisted on both goals in her team’s 2-1 win in the 2023 NWSL Championship. It’s a tough blow for the United States Women’s National Team too, as she will not be representing the U.S. during this summer’s Olympics in France.

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  • Orlando City B’s match against Carolina Core FC on April 14 has been rescheduled.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/27/24

Bally Sports will broadcast Orlando Pride matches, Pride players called up, USWNT announces SheBelieves Cup roster, and more.

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Hello, Mane Landers. I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I attended my friend’s wedding this past weekend and have been getting myself back into work mode by covering high school tennis this week. There is plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Bally Sports Will Broadcast Select Orlando Pride Matches

Bally Sports was announced as the new local television partner for the Orlando Pride. There will be 13 select Pride matches broadcast this season across Bally Sports Florida, Bally Sports Sun, and on the Bally Sports app. The partnership will begin this Friday, with the Orlando Soccer Insider show taking place before the kickoff of the Pride’s home match against the Chicago Red Stars at 7 p.m. The show will be broadcast on Bally Sports Florida, and then you can switch to the Bally Sports app to watch Friday’s match. Below are all the select matches that will be broadcast on Bally Sports this season.

Brazilian Orlando Pride Players Called Up

The Orlando Pride’s Marta, Angelina, and Luana were all called up by Brazil for next month’s SheBelieves Cup. Brazil heads into this tournament after a solid showing in the Concacaf W Gold Cup. The format is different for this year’s SheBelieves Cup, as there will only be four matches instead of six. Brazil’s first match of the tournament will be a semifinal on April 6 against Canada in Atlanta.

USWNT Announces Roster for SheBelieves Cup

United States Women’s National Team interim head coach Twila Kilgore announced the 23-player roster for the 2024 SheBelieves Cup matches next month. The USWNT has won this competition four consecutive times since 2020, and is going for a seventh title in 2024. Of those called up, 19 players on this squad were part of the team that won the Concacaf W Gold Cup earlier this month. San Diego Wave forward Jaedyn Shaw, the Concacaf W Gold Cup’s MVP, is back on the roster after she led the USWNT with four goals. The squad also includes familiar names like former Pride forward Alex Morgan, Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman, and Olympique Lyon midfielder Lindsey Horan. Mallory Swanson and Catarina Macario return to the squad after being sidelined with injuries. The USWNT will begin its quest to defend its SheBelieves Cup title when it faces Japan on April 6 in Atlanta.

MLS Referees Agree to New CBA

After a lockout that resulted in Major League Soccer starting the season with replacement referees, the Professional Soccer Referees Association voted to ratify a new collective bargaining agreement with the Professional Referee Organization. The new CBA is a seven-year deal that runs through January of 2031. This deal will also include significant pay raises for referees, assistant referees, and video assistant referees. The PRO referees will return to the pitch for this weekend’s MLS matches.

Ukraine, Georgia, and Poland Qualify for Euro 2024

Ukraine has qualified for this summer’s Euros after edging out Iceland 2-1 in its playoff final, with Mykhaylo Mudryk scoring the winning goal in the second half. Georgia eliminated Greece 4-2 on penalties after a 2-2 draw to book a spot in the tournament as well. Georgia qualifies for its first major tournament after coming up short in 2020. Poland also needed penalties to qualify, with goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny making the final save against Daniel James to beat Wales 5-4 on penalties after a scoreless draw.

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

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