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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Colorado Rapids: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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It would be easy to look at Saturday night’s 2-1 Orlando City loss at Colorado and think, ‘same old Lions.’ After all, the team gave up a late goal to toss away points the way we’ve seen in the past.

And maybe that will prove to be the case by the end of 2020, but it’s too soon to tell if that’ll be where this year’s team ends up. But the team came out with a plan dedicated to stopping Kei Kamara. The Lions did that, but a lack of concentration late — always a danger when playing at altitude — undid a solid road performance.

So let’s have a look at how the Lions performed individually.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 5.5 — It would be harsh to lay blame at El Pulpo’s feet for the two goals Saturday night. On the first, Younes Namli exploded out of his midfield right down the middle and picked out a spot just inside the post. On the second, a low, whipped-in, outswinging cross came in at the top of the six, which is the dividing line on when to come out to try to punch or claim it. Gallese made three saves in the game, including a 29th-minute cannon shot by Keegan Rosenberry and a wicked blast from Andre Shinyashiki in the 35th. He completed six of his 12 long balls and completed 75% of his passes.

LWB, Joao Moutinho, 6.5 — It wasn’t quite as good of a performance for Moutinho on Saturday as he had in the season opener. As a wingback, he was asked to be part of the attack and he was. He attempted three of Orlando’s 14 shots. None were on target, but he sent one just over the bar in the 10th minute with his weaker foot. He also came within inches of picking out the far corner in the 36th minute. He recorded one tackle, one interception, one clearance, and passed at just a 61.3% rate. However, he did tie for the team lead with three chances created.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6.5 — The Argentine played a solid match in his MLS debut until his calf started cramping late in the game. With no subs left, Schlegel was moved up the pitch because he could hardly move, and thus he wasn’t in his normal spot when Sebas Mendez conceded the late corner that led to Colorado’s winner. He completed 86.5% of his passes, including six of his eight long balls. He led the team with seven tackles and added three clearances. He was booked for his only foul of the match as he took a tactical foul to break up an attack. It was a solid debut, and he led the team in touches (67).

D, Robin Jansson, 6.5 — The beefy Swede was as solid as usual, with a team-high seven clearances to go with his back line-leading 89.7% passing rate. His one shot attempt was on target. He tried to close down Namli but there was no way to get there before the Colorado DP got his shot away. He was otherwise a calming influence on the back line and a leader on the field.

D, Antonio Carlos, 6 — Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play? Until Carlos was late in identifying Drew Moor as his man and giving the Rapids the crack they needed to break through, he was having a Man of the Match type performance. I knocked him a full point off for the final play of normal time. Carlos was largely tasked with shutting down Kei Kamara and did a good job of it. There wasn’t much he could do on the first goal, with Namli splitting straight down the middle of the midfield, about the same distance from Carlos as from Jansson. Since Jansson stepped, Carlos had to be wary of someone slipping in behind for a pass. He made a huge play in the 71st minute to deny a pass in to Kamara right in front. He denied Kellyn Acosta at the last second early in the match and later kept a cross from Acosta from reaching its target in the box. Carlos finished with a tackle, an interception, six clearances, and a 79.6% passing rate.

RWB, Kyle Smith, 5.5 — Smith had the first good look at goal for Orlando in the 19th minute and hit his shot well but too close to Clint Irwin. It was his only shot but it was on target. His passing accuracy was 77.8% but he was only one for five on crosses and two for six on long balls. He had a few too many giveaways in his own half for my liking, and Shinyashiki was able to have success in lulling him to sleep, then blazing past him. Defensively, he had one tackle, one clearance, one interception, and one block.

MF, Andres Perea, 7 (MotM) — The 19-year-old had an outstanding first MLS start despite getting beat in the midfield by Namli on the first Rapids goal. He was Orlando’s co-leader in chance creation, with three, got his first MLS assist on Chris Mueller’s goal, and tied Moutinho for the most shots on the team (three), getting one on frame. His 70.3% passing accuracy (0-for-3 on long balls) leaves a bit to be desired, but he also filled the defensive stat sheet, finishing with three tackles, three clearances, and two interceptions. He also led the Lions in aerials won (3).

MF, Sebas Mendez, 6.5 — It looked like Mendez would open the scoring in the 26th minute, as he freed himself up for a blast that sliced a foot wide of the right post. As usual, Mendez had a good passing rate (86.8%) but he produced no key passes and got neither of his two shots on target. He also perhaps could have done more on Namli’s goal but he looked to be jogging — perhaps starting to feel the effects of the altitude at the 64-minute mark. He managed four tackles and an interception.

MF, Junior Urso, 6 — Like Mendez, it appeared that Urso could have done more to help corral Namli before the first goal. The Bear was solid if unspectacular, with a tackle, an interception, and a clearance. He got his one shot attempt on target and passed at an 84.1% rate, picking up a hockey assist on Mueller’s goal. It was basically the kind of quiet night you’d hope to get from out of one of your defensive midfielders.

F, Benji Michel, 5 — It’s not ideal when your two forwards combine for one shot and don’t get that one on frame. Michel had no shot attempts. But he did manage two key passes to stay involved in the attack. However, he was loose with the ball, with three unsteady touches, and was dispossessed twice — both team highs. His passing accuracy was decent (78.6%) but on only 14 attempts — the fewest of all Orlando’s starters — and he had only 25 touches in 78 minutes. He registered no defensive statistics.

F, Tesho Akindele, 5 — Akindele wasn’t as involved in the attack as you’d like. He fired one shot but it wasn’t on frame. He did manage 42 touches and passed well (84.4%), winning one aerial. He didn’t register a key pass but he did contribute a tackle and an interception. It wasn’t a bad night for Tesho — just a quiet one.

Substitutes

MF, Mauricio Pereyra (72’), 5 — Despite coming on with under 20 minutes remaining, Pereyra managed almost as many touches as Michel. Starting on the bench due to a bit of a quad injury, he came in cold off the bench and still managed a good passing rate (81.8%). His one cross was accurate but he didn’t register a key pass, a shot, or any defensive stats.

RWB, Ruan (73’), 5 — After dealing with an illness during the week, the Brazilian speedster couldn’t go the full 90 but tried to make a difference coming in off the bench. He wasn’t able to put his unique stamp on the game, but he passed well (80%) and registered a tackle. He had no shots, key passes or accurate crosses.

F, Chris Mueller (79’), 7 — With only 10 minutes to leave his mark on the game, Cash did so. His terrific run off the defender’s shoulder led to Orlando’s tying goal in the 82nd, as he slipped the ball past Irwin, appearing at the time to rescue a point for City. He attempted two shots, getting the one on frame, and completed all three of his passes, one of which created a scoring chance. Mueller managed 11 touches in his brief appearance. He made one interception and won an aerial, providing the optimal spark off the bench.


That’s how I saw the individual performances on Saturday night. What did you think? Vote for your Man of the Match below.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Rodrigo Schlegel3
Robin Jansson3
Andres Perea25
Chris Mueller36
Sebas Mendez6
Other10

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Toronto FC: Three Keys to Victory

What does Orlando City need to do to ensure a victory over Toronto FC Saturday at home?

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

After a successful, four-point road trip, Orlando City returns from Montreal to the friendly confines of Inter&Co Stadium to face one of the other Canadian clubs, Toronto FC. The Lions are hoping to add to a four-match unbeaten streak. A win offers the opportunity to take another step up the standings.

What does Orlando City need to do to secure all three points at home against Toronto FC?

No Early Mistakes

In the last three matches, Orlando City has conceded the first goal of the match. Worse than that, each of those goals happened within the first 21 minutes. Yes, coming from behind for two draws and one win is good, but not giving up those early goals may have meant three wins instead.

Last season, Orlando City’s defense was good. We didn’t see nearly so many mental mistakes by the defense, especially so early in the match. What is frustrating is that these mistakes were seemingly preventable. The back line, the defensive midfielders, and Pedro Gallese need to tighten up in the early going so that the Lions are not chasing the match so early on.

Take Advantage of Tired Legs

Toronto FC played a match against Simcoe County Rovers in the Canadian Championship tournament on Wednesday. I’m in no way saying that Toronto trotted out their first choice lineup for the match, but even if only some of the players got a run out, that could create some tired legs for the match against Orlando. Add in the travel from Canada to Florida on short rest and it could be good news for the Lions.

If the Lions can possess the ball and make Toronto FC chase them, or if Orlando can get the first goal (see above) so that Toronto is chasing the match as well, it might pay dividends in the second half. Orlando City is good enough in the passing game to do so, though it will be interesting to see whether Martin Ojeda rejoins the starting lineup or if Nico Lodeiro gets the nod again.

One Down, Two to Go

Facundo Torres was the first of Orlando City’s three Designated Players to score a goal in the regular season. While it didn’t come in the run of play, it might still spark him to add some more since he usually starts slow and then catches fire at about this point in the season. Of course, both Luis Muriel and Ojeda contributed to the scoring against Montreal. Muriel drew the penalty that Torres took, and Ojeda provided the assist to Ivan Angulo.

Now it is time for either Muriel or Ojeda — or both — to join Torres on the scoreboard. Standing in their way will be a good keeper in Sean Johnson. So far this season, he has allowed seven goals and has 22 saves, with three clean sheets. Muriel seems to be getting closer to scoring with each shot taken, and Ojeda has missed some close ones. If all three of Orlando City’s Designated Players can start scoring regularly, this team will become dangerous quickly.


That is what I will be looking for Saturday night. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/25/24

Duncan McGuire is an Olympic frontrunner, Orlando Pride get ready for the Washington Spirit, Colin Guske signs with Orlando City B, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this work week hasn’t been too stressful for you as we get ready for another weekend packed with Orlando soccer. All of the European soccer this week has been enjoyable as well, as teams fight for silverware and survival. It should be a fun next few days, although most of my match following will be digital. I’m hoping to get out to the stadium for a game or two over the next couple of months as well. But for now, let’s dive into today’s links!

Duncan McGuire Likely to Play in Olympics

Orlando City forward Duncan McGuire was listed as one of the frontrunners to join the U.S. for this year’s Olympics. It won’t be much of a shock if McGuire is in Paris this summer, as he’s been impressive in the time since being drafted sixth overall in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft by the Lions. The 23-year-old has followed up a strong rookie year with three goals and an assist so far this season. It will be interesting to see who McGuire could compete with for minutes in the Olympics, with Ricardo Pepi noted as another possible option up top for the U.S. Overall, it’s nice to see McGuire is doing what’s needed to stay in the contention for Paris. I think that staying in Orlando rather than going to England has definitely helped his case.

Orlando Pride Prepare for the Washington Spirit

The Orlando Pride are riding a five-game unbeaten streak and will take it to the nation’s capital for a difficult road match against the Washington Spirit Friday night. The Pride have won their past two games and will face a Spirit side that has won four of its five games this season. Both teams have been defensively sound, each conceding just four goals, so it may come down to moments of individual brilliance to make the difference. Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke about the difficulty of the matchup, Orlando’s grit this season, and the impact Barbra Banda had in her debut last weekend.

Orlando City B Signs Colin Guske

Midfielder Colin Guske, who joined Orlando City’s academy back in 2020, signed an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Orlando City B through this 2024 season. The 17-year-old made his OCB debut in the team’s season opener this year and scored the game-winning goal. He’s carved out a spot in OCB’s midfield this season, starting in four of the team’s five games. Guske has two brothers who have also gone through the club’s academy and played with OCB. A solid year with the Young Lions from Guske could result in a Homegrown Player contract for the senior team.

Columbus Crew SC Wins First Leg Against Monterrey

The Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals are here and the Columbus Crew are the only MLS team still in the tournament. They came up with a big 2-1 home win in the first leg of their matchup against Monterrey. Cucho Hernandez gave the Crew the lead in the first half and 21-year-old Jacen Russell-Rowe scored the winner in the second. An away goal by Monterrey could prove crucial though due to the tiebreakers, and the second leg will take place on May 1. The winner of this matchup will take on either Club America or Pachuca in the final on June 2.

Free Kicks

  • Former Lion Dom Dwyer is reportedly headed out west to sign with Oakland Roots SC in the USL Championship.
  • Toronto FC traded away $200,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money (GAM) to Atlanta United in exchange for winger Derrick Etienne Jr. The 27-year-old has not received much playing time this season, and Atlanta could earn another $175,000 in GAM if performance-based metrics are met.
  • The San Jose Earthquakes have reportedly signed Hernan Lopez from Godoy Cruz. It would give a-needed boost to the team, which has just three points from nine games this season.
  • St. Louis City winger Celio Pompeu won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his great strike from outside the box in his team’s 3-3 draw with Sporting Kansas City.

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: 4/24/24

Orlando City and Orlando Pride power rankings, USMNT player news, USWNT will host Costa Rica, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s that time of the week for some tasty links. Two seven-point weekends for Orlando’s soccer teams is nothing to sneeze at, unlike the pollen that coats my hometown of Tallahassee. It’s the time of the year that I make my money back with the unlimited car wash next to my work. Enough with my weather-related car issues, let’s get to the links.

Lions Move Up (and Down) in Power Rankings

There’s nothing that shows the value of “power rankings” better than when you can compare two different ranking lists for the same week for any given club. We all know Orlando City is undefeated in its last four matches thanks to the late heroics of Ivan Angulo to draw CF Montreal over the weekend. But, did you know that was both good and bad?

In ESPN‘s MLS power rankings, Orlando City dropped a spot from 16th to 17th despite “treading water” with a point on the road in Montreal. Meanwhile, the Lions roared ahead three spots from 21st to 18th in MLSsoccer.com’s power rankings. So, do you like that Orlando is 17th in the ESPN piece despite the drop? Or do you prefer the positivity of a three-spot jump to 18th in the MLSSoccer.com rankings?

Orlando Pride Rise in Power Rankings

Forget everything I wrote up there regarding power rankings — at least as far as the Orlando Pride are concerned. After starting the season with three draws, the Pride now have two wins in a row. As such, ESPN moved the Pride up three spots from eighth to fifth in its NWSL power rankings. Their move up the list is entirely deserved and the writer was correct in their assessment. Of course, I’m kidding but it’s still nice to see the Pride get recognized for their results. Now, we just need the Pride to continue the winning streak.

Keeping Up With USMNT Players Abroad

As we shared yesterday, Sergino Dest will likely miss this summer’s Copa America thanks to a knee injury suffered during PSV Eindhoven training. That means the USMNT has a right back situation to address and there are quite a few well known candidates to step in for Dest.

Meanwhile, Weston McKennie has reportedly rejected Juventus’ latest extension offer. I can understand his decision given it doesn’t include any additional salary. McKennie has been very good for Juve, with 10 assists on the season. He’s not the only American making a difference, as Tim Weah provided the assist on Arkadiusz Milik’s goal to send Juventus to the Coppa Italia final.

USWNT Olympic Send-Off Match

The United States Women’s National Team will play a match against Costa Rica at Audi Field on July 16. It will be the final match for the USWNT prior to the Olympics that start nine days later against Zambia. New coach Emma Hayes will join the team on June 1, which isn’t a ton of time before the Olympics start, but she has been a part of the process for months.

Free Kicks

  • The New England Revolution have acquired veteran defender Xavier Arreaga from the Seattle Sounders for a 2025 international roster slot, and up to $75,000 in General Allocation Money depending on performance.
  • Inter Miami’s Jordi Alba will be out for several weeks due to a hamstring injury. Fortunately, he is expected to be back in time for the match against Orlando City on May 15. Where did I put the sarcasm font?

That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the Pride’s match against the Washington Spirit this Friday, and Orlando City’s match against Toronto FC on Saturday. Vamos Orlando!

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