Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Minnesota United: Player Grades and Man of the Match
Led by a brace from Nani, Orlando City won 3-1 over Minnesota United to advance to the MLS is Back Tournament final against the Portland Timbers. It was the Lions’ first win over Adrian Heath and the Loons and it couldn’t have come at a better time. Needing late-game heroics to advance against LAFC, Orlando had to prevent such antics to see out the win and substitute Benji Michel sealed the victory with a late goal.
How did your favorite Lions do in the big semifinal win? Here are our player grades and Man of the Match.
Starters
GK, Pedro Gallese, 6.5 — The Peruvian didn’t have to face a shot on target until the 75th minute, when he was forced to make an impressive palm save after a free kick. On Minnesota’s goal, he was put in a tough spot by a great ball from Kevin Molino and just couldn’t get enough on Mason Toye’s shot to keep it out from goal. The late goal ruins his clean sheet, but Gallese still looked comfortable and dealt with 10 corners and plenty of free kicks from a Minnesota team that makes opponents pay on set pieces.
D, João Moutinho, 7 — The left back was tested early and often in the match, but held his own against Ethan Finlay, who had a quiet night. It was yet another solid performance from the 22-year-old as Finlay was effectively neutralized, although Robin Jansson helped in that regard. Still, Moutinho had a very strong defensive outing with a team-high six tackles to stop dangerous balls from causing too much trouble.
D, Antonio Carlos, 6.5 — It’s hard to tell that this is only Carlos’ eighth game with the Lions, considering just how well he plays alongside Jansson and under Pareja. He’s played every minute for Orlando this tournament and last night was a great example why. Carlos had five clearances, two interceptions, two blocks, and a tackle, and was a force in the air, preventing Minnesota from taking advantage of set pieces. A strong center back pairing is the backbone that allows Orlando’s talented fullbacks to really work their magic and Carlos is proving his value this tournament.
D, Robin Jansson, 7 — The other half of the center back duo had a strong game as well. Toye’s goal was the only real blip in his performance as he just couldn’t stop Toye from getting one past them. For most of the night though, Jansson led the team with six clearances and shut down anything that came his way. But he had a role on offense as well, picking out one heck of a 65-yard long ball to find Nani behind the defense for Orlando’s first goal and his first assist in MLS.
D, Ruan, 6 — Most of Orlando’s offensive chances came from the right side of the field and Ruan was a big reason. He created plenty of chances in the first half and would’ve had an assist if Tesho Akindele connected better on a low cross. In the second half, he should have scored with a header in front of goal to put the game on ice. He struggled late in the match, but remained a menace for Minnesota defenders.
MF, Sebas Mendez, 7 — Orlando’s engine was at full steam in this game as Mendez led the team with 59 passes and had 68 touches — behind only Nani and Moutinho. Yes, Nani deserves the bulk of the credit for the second goal, but it was Mendez who reacted quickly to find Nani across the field, and deliver a ball fast enough and accurate enough to really earn that assist. He almost had a second assist but Ruan couldn’t convert his drilled cross. If he continues to do well with the ball at his feet like last night, then the game will really open up for the Lions.
MF, Oriol Rosell, 6.5 — With four tackles, 52 passes, and 61 touches, Rosell was on the ball often and had the kind of quiet game expected from a defensive midfielder. Rosell wasn’t too present in the offensive side of things like Mendez, but didn’t really need to be as he shut down passing lanes and smothered Minnesota’s options. Or at least until Molino’s assist that breezed past him and gave Minnesota life, so he loses a bit of praise there.
MF, Chris Mueller, 4 — Mueller lacked his usual bite in the match and there may be some lingering issues with his shoulder. Mueller certainly didn’t look like the energetic midfielder that had the league buzzing in the group stage, even though he had the benefit of Ruan opening up space on his side of the field. He was uncharacteristically sluggish and tended to pass laterally or back rather than pushing the envelope offensively. The American made some nice tackles to disrupt play when tracking back, but was beaten on occasion as well during his 66 minutes on the field.
MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 6 — Although he didn’t play a role in any of the goals or have any key passes in this one, Pereyra directed the flow of play and did well in the midfield. Pereyra finished with 54 passes and a strong 85% success rate on those passes. Whether he was surrounded by defenders or sitting deep in the midfield to pick out a pass, Pereyra was a key part of Orlando’s offensive possessions.
MF, Nani, 8.5 (MotM) — He did exactly what he was brought in to do as a Designated Player. Nani created chance after chance and scored the team’s first two goals with mostly solo efforts. With a perfect first touch and understated strength, he beat his defender to squeak a goal past goalkeeper Tyler Miller. His second goal was a thing of beauty. Nani created space and curled one into the right corner from distance. His two goals in seven minutes shouldn’t overshadow the rest of his Man of the Match performance which included a secondary assist on Michel’s goal to see out the game.
F, Tesho Akindele, 5 — It was another quiet night for Akindele, with his best chance to score coming in the 15th minute. Ruan whipped a low cross in front of goal for him, but he just couldn’t keep his shot from going over the crossbar. He was substituted for some fresher legs in the 66th minute and just didn’t see much action beyond drawing defender’s attention.
Substitutes
F, Benji Michel (66’) 6 — The forward was brought on with a two-goal lead and did fairly well holding possession on offense and keeping Minnesota honest with the threat of a counter. His goal sealed the win for the Lions in the last moments of the match, weaving around Miller to score on an empty net. You have to appreciate his effort to sprint and make sure that Orlando advanced.
MF, Junior Urso (66’) 5.5 — Urso made his return to the field after an injury in the group stage to help the Lions see out the game. He committed some debatable fouls and gave away possession a few times but hopefully it was just some rust. He does deserve credit for the assist in Michel’s late goal and making runs and for helping see out the clock by finding teammates in space.
D, Rodrigo Schlegel (85’), N/A — The center back came on later for Jansson and had a clearance to do his part in Orlando’s defense against a surging Minnesota team but wasn’t on long enough to earn a grade.
MF, Andrés Perea (85’), N/A — The midfielder brought fresh legs to help back up a fading Ruan on the right side of the field. His biggest moment came when Ruan got twisted around and Perea rushed to jump and intercept a cross from going into the box.
D, Kyle Smith (89’), N/A — Smith came in to relieve Pereyra and gave Orlando some more presence on defense to successfully secure the win.
It was a good game both offensively and defensively from Orlando City, which wasn’t something that happened too often in the past. But with Head Coach Oscar Pareja providing leadership and the team practically oozing confidence, the Lions have proven they can hang with the big dogs in the league. Nani’s brace in just six minutes will certainly grab attention, but it was a team effort for Orlando to make it this far in the tournament.
How do you feel about the individual performances and the grades? Were we too low or too high on some players? Tell us by commenting and voting on the Man of the Match below.
Polling Closed
| Player | Votes |
| Nani | 114 |
| Robin Jansson | 5 |
| João Moutinho | 101 |
| Sebas Mendez | 46 |
| Other | 2 |
Orlando City
Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Three Keys to Victory
What do the Lions need to do to secure a victory at home Saturday?
Orlando City returns to Inter&Co Stadium Saturday night. For the second week in a row, the Lions close out the regular-season series with an Eastern Conference opponent. This time it is the New York Red Bulls. Orlando City is coming off its first clean sheet of the season but also the first time the club did not score a goal. Ideally, the Lions repeat the former but change the latter. Here’s what Orlando City needs to do to earn all three points against the New York Red Bulls.
Break on Through (Part Deux)
When these two teams last met I wasn’t sold on the Orlando City offense, particularly against a stubborn Red Bulls defense. Of course, I did manage to include this little nugget:
“On paper this looks like a low-scoring match, so it will probably be a barn burner.”
The resulting 2-2 draw told me that Orlando City could indeed score goals, and it was the beginning of four matches unbeaten, so far. Following last week’s anemic showing, I want the Lions to find their scoring boots once again.
It won’t be easy with Carlos Coronel in goal for the Red Bulls and a stout defense in front of him. New York has only allowed seven goals so far this season, though two of those came against Orlando City. Defenders like Tim Parker and Noah Eile are difficult to break down. They also have Dylan and Sean Nealis — I know “Nealii” is not the plural for referring to the pair, but it is in my heart.
To match the previous multi-goal output against the Red Bulls, Orlando City needs the three Designated Players to return to getting goal contributions. We know this team knows how to score, given it still leads the league despite not scoring last week. I want at least one goal (and preferably more) from Luis Muriel, Martin Ojeda, or Marco Pasalic.
Return of the Midfield
Last match, both Cesar Araujo and Eduard Atuesta were kept out as a precautionary measure due to experiencing tightness during training late in the week. Hopefully, things have loosened up and we can have them back on the pitch. I’m not saying anything about the performances of Dagur Dan Thorhallsson and Joran Gerbet. Those two were a big part of why Orlando City held the Philadelphia Union scoreless, but I think Araujo and Atuesta are better able to facilitate the ball from the defense to offense, thus increasing scoring opportunities.
As of now, we’re not sure who will be available, but I expect the starters to return. Hopefully, there aren’t any lingering knocks that make them less effective. That goes double for Araujo, as he is the enforcer that is tasked with shutting down transition opportunities for the Red Bulls.
Another Clean Sheet
Orlando City earned the first clean sheet of the season last week and I want the team to do it again. The Red Bulls have a pair of attackers who are very dangerous in Emil Forsberg and Eric Choupo-Moting. Each have contributed three goals so far this season, and each has contributed one assist. Shutting them down will go a long way to stopping the Red Bulls’ attack.
I expect we will once again see a back line consisting of Robin Jansson and Rodrigo Schlegel in the center with Alex Freeman at right back, and David Brekalo at left back. This allows Oscar Pareja to feel better about Freeman moving up the field into the attack while having three of his best defenders in front of Pedro Gallese.
That is what I will be looking for Saturday night. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/10/25
Orlando City’s transfer needs, Orlando Pride get ready for the Seattle Reign, Orlando City B wins at home, and more.
How’s it going, Mane Landers? Yesterday was the anniversary of adopting my cat, so I spent most of the day giving him whatever he wanted. Thankfully, that turned out to just be quite a bit of napping for both of us. It’s been nice to just hang out with him and enjoy some soccer throughout the week. We have even more soccer to look forward to this weekend, but let’s get this Thursday started with today’s links!
Transfer Priorities for Eastern Conference Teams
The current transfer window is open until April 23 and Tom Bogert of GiveMeSport dove into what MLS Eastern Conference teams should focus on this window and in the summer. While he noted that adding some depth at center back would be nice, for Orlando City, he chose re-signing midfielder Cesar Araujo as the biggest priority before his contract expires at the end of the year. The 24-year-old has been an integral part of Orlando City’s turnaround under Head Coach Oscar Pareja, so it will be interesting to see if he sticks around in the City Beautiful after this season.
Orlando Pride Prepare for the Seattle Reign
With the international break now over, the Orlando Pride will hit the road for a match against the Seattle Reign on Saturday. The Pride have won their first three matches of the year, conceding just once in the process. Meanwhile, the Reign will aim to right the ship at home this weekend after a 2-1 loss on the road against Angel City FC last month. Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on how winning in Seattle is difficult, even if the team is undergoing a rebuild of sorts.
Pride midfielder Summer Yates, who is a Washington native and played collegiate soccer in Seattle, also spoke on what it will be like to return to her home state for this match. She also discussed the team’s depth, which is a strength for the Pride as players return from international duty.
Orlando City B Beats New England Revolution II
Orlando City B picked up a win at home Wednesday night, beating New England Revolution II 1-0, thanks to a late goal from Shak Mohammed. Great passing sent Mohammed in on goal with only the goalkeeper to beat, and he handed New England its first conceded goal of the season. That goal proved to be the difference, as the Young Lions did well defensively to secure their third win and second clean sheet this season. OCB’s next game will be Tuesday against Inter Miami II at IMG Academy in Bradenton.
Philadelphia Union Reportedly Trading Daniel Gazdag
Despite a strong start to the season, the Philadelphia Union are reportedly set to trade away one of their best players to a fellow Eastern Conference team. Designated Player Daniel Gazdag will reportedly be traded to the Columbus Crew for cash. I don’t entirely hate the trade. Trading away a 29-year-old on the last guaranteed year of his contract while undergoing a rebuild makes sense. It also opens the door for Cavan Sullivan or David Vazquez to earn valuable minutes, with Indiana Vassilev available as well. However, Gazdag is the club’s all-time leading scorer and already has two goals and two assists this year. Trading him within the conference to an unbeaten Crew team this early in the season feels a bit like a white flag in regards to Philadelphia’s aspirations this year.
Free Kicks
- Real Salt Lake is reportedly in talks to sign Slovakian forward Robert Bozenik as a Designated Player. Bozenik has recorded 19 goals and four assists in his past three seasons with Boavista in Portugal’s top flight.
- Philadelphia center back Ian Glavinovich underwent successful surgery after tearing his meniscus in the Union’s draw with Orlando City.
- The International Olympic Committee announced some changes for soccer at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. The women’s soccer tournament has expanded and will feature 16 teams, while the men’s tournament has contracted and will include just 12.
- Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona breezed through their first legs in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals. Robert Lewandowski had a brace in Barcelona’s 4-0 win over Borussia Dortmund, while PSG’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia put Aston Villa defenders on skates to score a great goal in his team’s 3-1 victory.
- The Europa League quarterfinals kick off today, with Manchester United taking on Lyon and Tottenham facing off against Eintracht Frankfurt. Bodo/Glimt, which leads the tournament so far with 24 goals, will play Lazio, and Rangers will host Athletic Club in Scotland.
- Following talks with its fan advisory board, Manchester City announced that it will freeze ticket prices for next season.
- Fabio Cannavaro was fired by Dinamo Zagreb after just 14 competitive matches. The Italian soccer legend was Zagreb’s third coach this season and won five of his 10 league matches at the helm in Croatia.
That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/9/25
Get to know Rodrigo Schlegel, Citrus Kit reimagined, USWNT falls to Brazil, and more.
Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. We’re neck deep into a busy week of soccer with the USWNT late Tuesday night, Orlando City B playing tonight, and Orlando City and the Orlando Pride on the Saturday schedule this weekend. Don’t you love this time of the year? I love that there’s almost always a soccer match available to watch. Let’s get to the links.
Focus on Rodrigo Schlegel
Orlando City continues the Lion’s Den Walk and Talk series of interviewing players with a look at center back Rodrigo Schlegel. This is your opportunity to get to know the Argentinian defender. He speaks of his childhood, his family, and his time with Orlando. My favorite part is when he speaks of the matches that have helped define him.
Citrus Kit Fashion
Since 2022, the Orlando Pride have collaborated with artists to create concept kits from the club’s current kit. This season, the club partnered with Sophie Hird on the Citrus Kit. Hird is a British designer and graduate of London College of Fashion. The result has a western flair seen here modeled by Pride defender Cori Dyke.
This is the fourth kit collaboration for the club. The collection is on display at Orlando Health facilities in Central Florida.
OCB Hosts New England Revolution II
Orlando City B welcomes New England Revolution II to Osceola Heritage Park tonight. The Young Lions will try to rebound from their 2-0 loss to Chattanooga FC Saturday. It won’t get any easier against Revs II, who sit just above OCB in the MLS NEXT Pro standings. Revs II haven’t conceded any goals so far this season, and have scored just as many goals as the Young Lions. The match start time is 7 p.m. and can be streamed on MLSNEXTPro.com.
Brazil Defeats USWNT
The Brazilian Women’s National Team defeated the USWNT 2-1 Tuesday night scoring the winning goal in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time. The U.S. got things started early on a goal in the first minute from Catarina Macario, but was unable to add to that later in the match. The Pride’s Angelina got the start for Brazil, but Emily Sams did not appear for the USWNT. Maybe if Sams in subbed on then Amanda Gutierres doesn’t get that winning goal. We’ll never know.
USMNT Players Abroad
Several USMNT players were in action, including former Lion Daryl Dike, who saw action in West Bromwich Albion’s 2-1 loss at Bristol City. Dike subbed on in the 65th minute for the Baggies. It’s been a month since he returned to action following his second torn Achilles tendon. Elsewhere, Brenden Aaronson’s Leeds United defeated Aidan Morris’ Middlesbrough 1-0.
Free Kicks
- The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will feature ref cams providing additional footage to broadcasters. Referees wearing body cams. What could go wrong?
- NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman said she expects that the league will continue to play matches during the 2026 World Cup. Some stadiums will not be available during the World Cup, necessitating work-arounds for some clubs.
- Orlando City jumped up to No. 9 in the oh-so-important and totally scientific MLSSoccer.com power rankings.
- We’re not the only ones noticing Gustavo Caraballo’s potential.
- Former Lion Dom Dwyer scored for Mansfield Town in EFL League One in a match against Leyton Orient, extending his goal-scoring streak. Seems he finally wanted to score.
That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the Orlando City and Orlando Pride matches this weekend. Vamos Orlando!
Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Three Keys to Victory
Lion Links: 4/10/25
Orlando City B vs. New England Revolution II: Final Score 1-0 as Young Lions Stay Unbeaten at Home
Orlando City vs. Philadelphia Union: Final Score 0-0 as Lions Extend Unbeaten Run to Four Games
Orlando City vs. Philadelphia Union: Five Takeaways
Orlando City B vs. Chattanooga FC: Final Score 2-0 as OCB Suffers First Loss of 2025
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