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Intelligence Report: Orlando City vs. Real Salt Lake

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At long last! The 2020 Major League Soccer season is one day away from being upon us, and our long nights of Orlando City-less suffering will soon be at an end. Tomorrow the Lions will start the new season at home against Real Salt Lake, a team that had a rather different 2019 than OCSC did.

To prepare for tomorrow’s match I spoke with Lucas Muller, one of the editor’s over at RSL Soapbox. He did an excellent job catching me up with this year’s iteration of Real Salt Lake, and I also answered a few of his questions, which you can find over at their place.

Despite a slightly rocky start to last year, RSL turned things around in a big way, finishing third in the Western Conference and advancing to the conference semifinals. Obviously a ball has yet to be kicked in 2020, but judging by this year’s squad and what the team was able to do last year, what do you believe the goal should be for 2020? Where is the ceiling for RSL?

Lucas Muller: Real Salt Lake had a very positive surge when Freddy Juarez took over as head coach in the summer. This off-season has seen the most changes in the roster in recent memory, so it will be a real test for Juarez to see if he can mold that squad quickly. Owner Dell Loy Hansen has said the goal is to be in the top four in the west. Juarez said they want to compete for trophies, presumably MLS Cup and the Supporters Shield.

Can they find the kind of success they had in 2019? That’s very difficult to say at this point. They have a lot of talent on this team, but everyone in the west is getting better. RSL’s strategy has been to sign young promising players, mostly from their academy or USL team, but some from outside the league entirely. They also have gone after free agents, such as Ashtone Morgan, Giuseppi Rossi, and Justin Meram. That makes for a bit of a rag-tag squad, but if Juarez can get this set of players to gel, then they could a top four team.

This will be a make or break season for Juarez. He did a fantastic job after Mike Petke was fired, but that could have been a new manager bump. Freddy is well respected by all the academy players (where he was once coached), but it will be fascinating to see if he can get bigger names like Meram and Rossi on board.

Let’s talk a bit more about the squad itself. In your opinion, what is the strong point of this roster? What do you expect this team to do best?

LM: The back line was stellar in 2019 and remains largely unchanged this season. Nedum Onuoha, who joined at the end of 2018 from Queens Park Rangers (and formerly of Manchester City), made himself the leader on the back line. He’s a commanding presence on the field, but also a leader off the field as well.

The key changes this season are in Real’s attack. Jefferson Savarino was sold to Atlético Mineiro in Brazil, Joao Plata was waived, and Bofo Saucedo left for Pumas in Liga MX on a free. The team signed Justin Meram, and he’ll be the main left winger in RSL’s 4-2-3-1 system. They replaced Savario on the right wing with another young Venezuelan attacker in Jeizon Ramírez. The biggest signing was that of U.S.-born Italian international Giuseppe Rossi. Rossi has played for Manchester United, Villarreal, and Fiorentina, and has 30 caps with Italy. He’s a guy who has really struggled to stay healthy, so this is a bit of a second chance for the 33-year-old center forward. If he can stay healthy, it’ll be the first time since Álvaro Saborío was traded in 2015 that RSL has played with a true and consistent center forward. Sam Johnson is still a DP on the team, despite dealing with an injury last season, and he can be a game changer. Douglas Martinez was signed from Real Monarchs and is a very talented center forward as well.

Those moves mean that Damir Kreilach, who often played as a false nine, can drop deeper into his more familiar midfield role. With Albert Rusnak as the creative play-maker, and Everton Luiz as the midfield enforcer, it’s not entirely clear where Kyle Beckerman will fit or who gets dropped.

Overall, I expect the defense to remain the strongest part of RSL’s game, but the attack is a strong contender as well if players stay healthy and they gel with one another. Saturday will be absolutely fascinating to see how everything comes together.

One of my questions I asked you when these teams met last year was about Sam Johnson. How was the rest of his 2019 season, and what are your expectations for him in 2020?

LM: Sam Johnson had a decent first season with RSL, scoring nine goals in the 1,301 minutes he played. He had a nagging injury, which is still ongoing unfortunately, so his production dropped off about halfway through the season. He scored just one goal from July 3 to the end of the season. He had a corrective surgery and is currently working on strengthening his leg so the knee issue doesn’t come back. Head Coach Freddy Juarez said he expects him to be out a few weeks.

If Rossi stays healthy, Johnson won’t start. He’s a low-end DP who can be bought down to the TAM level. In an ideal situation for RSL, Rossi would start with Sam coming in as a super-sub for the last half hour or so. If healthy, there should be some good competition for that center-forward role, and he could easily pass his nine goals from last season.

Are there any injuries or suspensions that will keep players unavailable for selection? What’s your projected starting lineup and score prediction?

LM: The team has yet to announce their injury report, but we know that Johnson is still rehabbing. It sounds like Corey Baird is injured as well, and Beckerman went off injured in the team’s last preseason game and it seems unlikely that he starts. Martinez and Kreilach had “knocks” early in the season the team was monitoring, but I don’t expect them to miss this game. Midfielder Luke Mulholland is also injured. Everton Luiz is on a red card suspension. Jeizon Ramírez was having some passport issues, so it’s unclear if he’ll be available.

My lineup prediction is: Zac MacMath in goal, a back line of Donny Toia, Justen Glad, Onuoha, and Aaron Herrera. Nick Besler and Kreilach in the midfield, with Rusnak in an attacking midfield role. The attack will be Meram on the left wing, Rossi at center forward, and Maikel Chang at right wing (though it’s possible that Ramírez is available for this game).

Everton Luiz will be suspended due to the red card he picked up during RSL’s playoff game against the Sounders. For the record, it was 100% a red card but by no means the worst tackle in MLS history.

My score prediction is 2-1 to RSL


As always, a big thank you to Lucas for sharing that info on Real Salt Lake.

Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/29/24

MLS playoff results, USWNT prepares for Argentina, Ballon d’Or winners announced, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Tuesday, everyone! It was a great weekend, as Orlando City got its playoff campaign off to a strong start. We have a busy week ahead of us with the United States Women’s National Team in action, the Orlando Pride playing their last match of the regular season, and the Lions traveling to North Carolina for Game 2 against Charlotte FC. As usual, there’s plenty to discuss this morning, so let’s jump right in.

Keeping Up With the MLS Playoffs

The playoffs continued on Monday night, which means we have two matches to catch up on. The early fixture saw FC Cincinnati pick up a 1-0 win over New York City FC at TQL Stadium. Cincinnati had the better of things for most of the game with 22 shots (seven on target) to NYCFC’s six (two on target). In the end, Yamil Asad’s goal in the 51st minute was the decider, and NYCFC defender Tayvon Gray’s red card in stoppage time adds an extra layer of intrigue for Game 2 in New York on Saturday. The late match delivered the first scoreless draw of the postseason as the Seattle Sounders battled the Houston Dynamo to a 0-0 result in regulation, with the Sounders advancing 5-4 on penalties. To make matters worse for the Dynamo, Adalberto Carrasquilla was sent off in the 66th minute so they’ll need to find a way to keep their season alive without him as the series now shifts to Houston.

Previewing the USWNT Friendly Against Argentina

The United States Women’s National Team is having a good international window so far, starting things off with a pair of 3-1 victories over Iceland. The final game of the window will take place tomorrow when the U.S. faces Argentina in Louisville. It will be just the sixth meeting between the two teams, with the USWNT winning all five previous games, including the most recent one during the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup. Argentina is managed by German Portanova, who lines the team up in either a 4-4-2 or a 4-3-3. Accordingly, the idea is to stay compact and be difficult to play through, although things have a tendency to devolve after giving up a goal, which was the case during the USWNT’s 4-0 triumph in the last match between the two sides. It’s a game the Yanks should win, and win comfortably.

Ballon d’Or Winners Announced

The Ballon d’Or ceremony took place on Monday evening in Paris, and there weren’t too many surprises in how the awards were doled out. Manchester City midfielder Rodri took home the award on the men’s side, following a year in which his club team won the Premier League and his Spanish side won the 2024 European Championship. Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati won the women’s award for the second straight year after helping her side win its second consecutive Champions League title. Orlando Pride forward Barbra finished 12th in the voting for the award.

Lamine Yamal won the Kopa Trophy for the best player under the age of 21, while Emiliano Martinez was named the best goalkeeper in the world for the second year running.

Manchester United Sacks Erik ten Hag

Manchester United announced on Monday morning that the club has fired Erik ten Hag, with Ruud van Nistelrooy named interim manager. The Red Devils were in the midst of a poor run of results to start the season, with just four wins from 13 matches played. A 2-1 defeat to West Ham on Sunday seems to have been the final straw, with the result leaving United 14th in the Premier League on 11 points after nine matches. While van Nistelrooy has taken over on an interim basis, reports have emerged that Sporting CP’s Ruben Amorim is the leading candidate to get the permanent gig, with United having also reportedly asked about the availability of Brentford manager Thomas Frank.

Free Kicks

  • Emma Hayes was named 2024 Women’s Coach of the Year.

That’s all I have for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!

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

How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s 2-0 win over Charlotte FC?

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City got its 2024 playoff campaign off to a good start with a 2-0 win over Charlotte FC. The Lions can advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals for the second consecutive year with one more win in the series. It was a solid overall team performance, though some stood out more than others.

Let’s take a look at the individual performances in this critical victory for the boys in purple.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6.5 — Gallese didn’t have much to do in this game because Charlotte only managed to put two of its shots on target and the Lions’ number one stopped both. He touched the ball 30 times in 90 minutes while completing 78.3% of his 23 passes, including five of his 10 long balls. There’s not much bad to say about his performance and he recorded another clean sheet.

D, Rafael Santos, 6.5 — Santos was excellent in this game, recording a team-high 83 touches. The left back completed 86.7% of his 60 passes, including two key passes, two of his five long balls, and four of his nine crosses. His cross in the 32rd minute was headed out, but only to Torres, who put it in to give the Lions a 1-0 lead. He also took one shot that was off target. Defensively, Santos recorded two tackles, an interception, and four clearances.

D, Robin Jansson, 6 — Jansson had a solid performance, recording 61 touches on the night. He had an interception, a blocked shot, and four clearances but was fortunate in the 70th minute when he was out-muscled by Patrick Agyemang, allowing the substitute to get a free header that forced Gallese into a good save. Going forward, the center back completed 98% of his 51 passes, including both long balls. While he played well, I lowered his grade a little for nearly conceding a goal, although some (including Jansson) might say he was fouled on the play.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6.5 — Schlegel has had an up-and-down season, but the center back was excellent in this game. He recorded 67 touches, a block, and a team-high eight clearances. Offensively, the center back completed 94.3% of his 53 passes, including a key pass and seven of his eight long balls. He hit a volley well in the 64th minute that forced Kristijan Kahlina into a save and had a second shot that went off target.

D, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, 6 — Thorhallsson caused headaches for Charlotte on the right side in this game, recording 44 touches and completing 90.3% of his 31 passes, including two key passes and his lone cross. He also took a shot, but it was off target. Defensively, he added a tackle, an interception, and a clearance before coming off for Kyle Smith in the 78th minute in a defensive change.

MF, Wilder Cartagena, 6.5 — Cartagena recorded 81 touches in this game while completing 89.2% of his team-high 65 passes, including a key pass and three of his seven long balls. He also took one off-target shot. Defensively, the defensive midfielder recorded three tackles, one interception, and two clearances.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 6.5 — Similar to Cartagena, you can’t say much negative about Araujo’s performance. He touched the ball 70 times and completed 91.4% of his 58 passes, including five of his seven long balls. Both of his shots were off target, but his excellent long ball in the 76th minute helped Ivan Angulo set up the second goal. He nearly had an assist with a beautiful ball for Ramiro Enrique in the 20th minute, but the striker missed wide and was ruled offside.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 6.5 — Angulo made the most of his 49 touches in this game, completing 94.4% of his 36 passes, including a key pass and his lone long ball. However, both of his cross attempts were incomplete. His biggest impact on the game came in the 76th minute when he used his speed to win a ball down the wing and played Martin Ojeda into the box for the second goal. Defensively, Angulo recorded a tackle, an interception, and a clearance before being replaced by Nico Lodeiro in the 88th minute.

MF, Martin Ojeda, 6.5 — Ojeda only touched the ball 36 times this game, the fewest of the attacking midfielders. He completed 82.6% of his 23 passes, including a key pass, two of his five crosses, and two of his three long balls. His biggest moment came in the 76th minute when he received a pass from Angulo in the box and drilled his second touch past Kahlina to put the game away. His key pass set up a golden opportunity for Facundo Torres in the 54th minute. The attacker was taken out right after the goal, making way for Luis Muriel in the 78th minute.

MF, Facundo Torres, 7 (MotM) — It was a record-tying and breaking night for Torres, who finished the game with 69 touches. He completed 91.5% of his 47 passes, including three key passes, two of his six crosses, and all five of his long balls. Three of his four shots were on target, and he did well to bring down a cleared cross before volleying it in to give the Lions a 1-0 lead. The goal tied Dom Dwyer for the most goals in club history (46) when considering both USL and MLS eras, and he set a new MLS-era record for most goals in a single season (19) across all competitions. Torres came off to a standing ovation in the 88th minute for David Brekalo.

F, Ramiro Enrqiue, 5.5 — It was a tough night for Enrique, who should have had at least one goal. He touched the ball 21 times and completed five of his 10 passes, including a key pass. He only put one of his four shots on target, missing a golden chance in the 20th minute — even though he was ruled offside — and missed the target when free on goal in the 50th minute. It was a forgettable night for the striker, who was replaced by Duncan McGuire in the 61st minute.

Substitutes

F, Duncan McGuire (61’), 5.5 — Similar to Enrique, McGuire couldn’t really find his feet in his 29 minutes of action. He touched the ball 17 times and completed eight of his 10 passes, including a key pass. He had a great chance to get behind the back line in stoppage time but couldn’t control the ball.

F, Luis Muriel (78’), 5 — Muriel came on for Ojeda right after the midfielder made it 2-0 and never really got involved in the game. He only touched the ball nine times in 12 minutes, completing 62.5% of his eight passes. He didn’t help to create any shots, nor did he take any of his own.

D, Kyle Smith (78’), 5.5 — Smith came on in the 78th minute for Thorhallsson for defensive help. The right back touched the ball nine times and completed 66.7% of his six passes. He also didn’t record any defensive statistics in the 12 minutes on the field, but he did help see out the final minutes of the match with some strong play to maintain possession.

MF, Nico Lodeiro (88’), N/A — Lodeiro was one of the more effective substitutes, though he was only on for the final minutes and didn’t play long enough to warrant a grade. Replacing Angulo, the midfielder touched the ball seven times and completed 85.7% of his seven passes.

D, David Brekalo (88’), N/A — Brekalo came on in the 88th minute for Torres as the Lions went to three center backs to see out the game. He only touched the ball five times and completed two of his three passes while recording a clearance, which was his purpose for entering.


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

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Orlando City vs. Charlotte FC: Five Takeaways

Here’s what we learned from Orlando City’s 2-0 home playoff victory over Charlotte FC.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City kicked off its run in the 2024 Major League Soccer playoffs with a first-round opening victory at home in front of a fiery crowd by a score of 2-0 over Charlotte FC. Much had been made about the contrasting styles of play between the two sides heading into the match, with Orlando sporting one of the best attacks in all of MLS since league play resumed after the Leagues Cup break and Charlotte boasting the second-best defense by goals allowed throughout the regular season.

The Lions ultimately imposed their will on the match and what follows are our five takeaways from a game that Orlando essentially controlled from the opening kick.

Wasteful Opportunities Early

For the first 15 to 20 minutes of the game, Orlando missed multiple golden chances that could have come back to bite the Lions in the behind. Multiple Lions had decent looks on goal and shot wide, high, or directly at Charlotte goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina. Ramiro Enrique’s final touch seemed just a tad off in the early portion of the match, and Orlando failed to find the end of a few strong crosses across the box from Martin Ojeda and Rafael Santos. Luckily, none of the early miscues mattered much at the end of the game, but if the Lions are lucky enough to advance to the next round and a single-elimination game, lacking sharpness could lead to an unfortunate exit from the playoffs.

Torres Breaks Through

It was always going to be Designated Player Facundo Torres who found the net first for Orlando City, because of course, it had to be. Torres grew into the game over the first 30 minutes of the match, and for a few moments I thought he might find the first assist of the game from a series of short corner set pieces. Instead, Torres found paydirt in the 32nd minute as he was the first player to arrive at poor attempt at a clearance from the Charlotte back line following a dangerous cross sent in by Santos. El Cuervo quickly pulled the trigger, blasting the ball off the bottom of the crossbar and in for the first goal of the game.

Torres has been chasing records all year long, and with that goal, he became the all-time single-season goal scorer in Orlando City history with 19 across all competitions. It was also his third goal against Charlotte in 2024, as he scored in each of the three meetings between the teams this season. Continuing that trend was an important step toward getting the series started on the right foot.

Ojeda Extends the Lead

The strong play of Designated Player Martin Ojeda has been one of the main reasons that the OCSC attack has been so potent over the last two months. In the first playoff match against Charlotte, Ojeda continued his strong run of form and would/should have recorded at least one assist in the first half if the team could have been a tad more clinical. Nonetheless, Ojeda left his mark on the match in the 76th minute. Running on fumes, Ojeda had a ball played past him by Cesar Araujo on the sideline and wisely made no attempt on the ball as he was in an offside position. His non-action allowed Ivan Angulo to streak down the sideline at breakneck speed to reach the ball, and once he did, Ojeda had recycled into an onside position. He then took a crafty pass from Angulo and ripped a shot inside the near post past Kahlina.

The goal gave Orlando a bit of breathing room as the game entered its final moments and also marked the first time in club history that the team had scored more than one goal in a playoff match.

Defensive Cohesiveness

Much will be made over the coming week about the Orlando City attack, and rightly so, but an understated piece of what made the Lions so successful in their first game of the 2024 playoffs was the cohesiveness demonstrated across the back line and defensive midfield. Having Wilder Cartagena back in the lineup surely did not hurt things from a defensive standpoint, but I felt that the entire back line communicated effectively and covered one another quite well throughout the match. Orlando did well in the possession department during the first half, and not many questions were asked of the defense, but in the first 20 minutes of the second half, the defense stepped up multiple times to snuff out any remote possibilities that could have generated hope for the visitors. They say that defense wins championships, and Orlando showed just how steadfast its defense could be.

Playoff Clean Sheet

Orlando goalkeeper Pedro Gallese has now recorded three clean sheets across three first-round playoff matches going back to the implementation of the new best-of-three format that started last year. Charlotte was only able to put two of its nine attempts on target, but regardless of the volume, Gallese did well to position himself at the right place and at the right time. I thought Gallese did a particularly good job of being decisive on the night and chose his moments wisely to come off his line to collect the ball, or at a minimum, get a glove on it to disrupt Charlotte’s attacking pieces. A playoff clean sheet should always be celebrated, and for me, it was the cherry on top of a very satisfying sundae.


That is what stood out to me most from a complete performance by Orlando City in the first matchup against Charlotte FC in this best-of-three series. Was there anything else in particular that caught your eye throughout the match? Let us know in the comments below and as always, vamos Orlando!

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