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Orlando City vs. Montreal Impact: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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4 years ago

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After a strong performance in the MLS is Back group stage, Orlando City dominated the Montreal Impact in a 1-0 win in the round of 16. Despite the narrow scoreline, Montreal had few good chances on goal while the Lions created several chances throughout the night. The win sees them advance to the quarterfinals on Friday night.

While the shots on goal were pretty close at 10-7, Orlando City dominated with 57% possession. This was especially impactful in the attacking end, where Chris Mueller, Nani, and Sebas Mendez helped create several opportunities throughout the night.

Let’s look at how Orlando City’s players did individually in this important win.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 7 — It was a pretty easy game for Pedro Gallese as he didn’t have much trouble throughout the night. Only one of Montreal’s seven shots was on target, resulting in the need for only one save for Gallese. He did have to come out to punch a ball late in the game, which he missed, but it was cleared away. The fact that he got his second clean sheet of the season is worthy of a high grade but there will be games where he’ll be called upon much more to help the team.

D, Joao Moutinho, 6 — The pressure on the right side of the field by Montreal meant that Moutinho was called upon more frequently than he probably would’ve been otherwise. With Ruan needing to stay further back than he usually does, Moutinho ended up in the attack throughout much of the game. While there were a couple of passes that didn’t reach the intended target, Moutinho was responsible for a key pass and took an off-target shot. Defensively, it was a solid performance by the back four, Moutinho included. Even when Montreal looked to be building up an attack, the back four were able to clear.

D, Antonio Carlos, 7 — Antonio Carlos made the biggest impact of any defensive player in this game for Orlando City. He was very solid throughout the game, making four interceptions and seven clearances at center back. This was one of the primary reasons why Gallese’s night was so easy. He didn’t go forward very often, leaving that to Robin Jansson, but stayed back and kept the Impact from getting any dangerous shots on goal.

D, Robin Jansson, 6.5 — Similar to Carlos, Robin Jansson had a strong defensive game, keeping the Impact from threatening the Lions’ goal. He went forward more than Carlos in this game, helping build the attack from the back and allowing Mendez to push further forward into the attack. However, it was his defensive play that was largely on display in this game. While communication has been a problem for Orlando City in the past and the two starting center backs had a language barrier to cross to start the season, they worked well together this night in keeping the Impact from creating any dangerous chances on goal.

D, Ruan, 6.5 — Typically, Ruan’s offense is quite noticeable but that wasn’t the case in this game, though he and Mueller did enough down the right to force Montreal to change shape at the break. The Impact continually tried to attack the Lions down the left, forcing Ruan into greater defensive responsibilities, particularly in the second half. The right back came up with a strong performance in this game, keeping some of the Impact’s most dangerous attackers at bay. He was credited with two tackles, two interceptions, and a blocked shot but it was the ineffectiveness of Montreal on his side that really stood out.

MF, Sebas Mendez, 6.5 — This was probably Mendez’s best performance of the year so far. While his defensive midfield partner, Uri Rosell, stayed further back, Mendez was able to push forward into the attack at multiple points throughout the game. He created multiple opportunities for the Lions, especially in the second half, and his quick passing and long run helped to create the game’s lone goal. In his 82 minutes, he ended up with four shots of his own, and forced Rod Fanni into an errant back pass for an easy tap-in by Tesho Akindele.

MF, Oriol Rosell, 6 — When you have a defensive midfielder push forward as Mendez did, the other one needs to play a defensive role. That was what Uri Rosell did in this game. He completed 81 passes on the night, second on the team only to Moutinho. His pass accuracy rating of 97.5% was the highest of any starter. That’s even more impressive since he played 10 long balls forward, with nine reaching their intended target. It was yet another strong performance by the Spanish midfielder.

MF, Chris Mueller, 6 — Chris Mueller has earned his spot in the Lions’ starting lineup during the MLS is Back Tournament and he showed why he starts again last night. In the first half, Mueller was very problematic for the Impact as he created chance after chance for the Lions. The one glaring play in the game was when he had a golden opportunity for the opening goal. The ball rolled right in front of him with an empty net but the young midfielder was unable to put it away. That could’ve been a deciding moment had the Lions not finally converted in the second half. Despite the miss, it was a quality performance for the midfielder.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 5.5 — This wasn’t one of Mauricio Pereyra’s best performances since he joined Orlando City last season. That’s partly because he’s such a quality player that he has higher expectations than others. He only completed 84.2% of his 57 passes in 74 minutes of play. Similar to Mueller, the most noticeable moment for Pereyra could’ve been a mistake early in the game. He found himself with some space in the box but hit the ball off target. As a quality attacking player, that’s one he has to get on goal and could’ve been costly in the end.

MF, Nani, 6.5 — While it wasn’t the dominant performance that Orlando City fans have seen in the past, Nani put in a good shift for the Lions. This was especially so in the first half. Along with Mueller, Nani created havoc for the Montreal defense, creating several chances for teammates and nearly helping the Lions get on the board. The two closest chances in the first half were both set up by Nani. The first was the shot off target by Pereyra — after a slick back heel pass from Nani — and the second was a good cross on Mueller’s mistake in front of goal. The Portuguese midfielder could’ve had a pair of assists on the night.

F, Tesho Akindele, 7 (MotM) — This was a very good performance by Tesho as the Canadian scored the lone goal and nearly had an assist. Just before halftime, a one-two between Akindele and Mendez saw the latter tap home the go-ahead goal. However, Akindele was judged to be offside. Replays of the controversial ruling appeared to show the striker slightly onside but the flag went up during the play. In the 60th minute, Akindele got the lone goal in this 1-0 win. It may have been a tap-in after a good run by Mendez, but similar chances were squandered earlier in the game. If not for the finish, the Lions could’ve been heading out of the tournament.

Substitutes

MF, Andres Perea (75’), 5 — Andres Perea was the first player brought on by Orlando City as he took part in the final 15 minutes. Replacing Pereyra, Perea didn’t play that poorly, completing 84.6% of his 13 passes. Coming on as a midfielder with a one-goal lead, Perea’s role was to help keep possession and secure the victory. While the Impact didn’t score in the late stages of the game, Perea could’ve done better with his possession.

F, Daryl Dike (75’), 4 — Coming on for the final 15 minutes of the game, it was a difficult performance for rookie Daryl Dike on his debut. The young striker found himself with the ball in the box on multiple occasions but was unable to do anything with it. In some cases, Dike lost the ball before being able to reach a teammate. On other occasions, he committed a foul during an attack, effectively ending the chance. He only had one off-target shot but committed three fouls and picked up a yellow card for shooting the ball after the whistle.

MF, Joey DeZart (83’), N/A — Joey DeZart came on for Mendez with just seven minutes left and didn’t have time to make much of an impact. He only had nine touches and one interception, but did help secure the win.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel (83’), N/A — Rodrigo Schlegel came on for Mueller as a defensive change to help see out the game. He only had six touches in seven minutes as the Lions simply looked to hold onto the ball. He did record one tackle and one clearance in those seven minutes and drew a foul on a frustrated Romell Quioto.

D, Kyle Smith (87’), N/A — Kyle Smith was the final change for the Lions, coming on for Ruan in the dying minutes. He had a bigger impact in fewer minutes than DeZart and Schlegel, with 13 touches, two clearances, and a tackle credited to his name. The most important thing was, like DeZart and Schlegel, he helped to see out the 1-0 win.

Overall, there’s not much to be displeased with in this game. The Lions came into this tournament with questions of if they would be able to get out of their group. The 1-0 win over the Montreal Impact puts them in the quarterfinals Friday night against the winner of Seattle and LAFC.

While many thought the Lions would be home by now, Orlando City fans have the luxury of enjoying the remaining round of 16 games and waiting to see who their team will play. This is how I saw the game. How do you feel about the individual performances? Tell us by commenting and voting on the Man of the Match below.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Antonio Carlos9
Robin Jansson3
Sebas Mendez38
Tesho Akindele15
Ruan 6
Nani4
Other4

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Lion Links: 1/21/25

Orlando Pride release preseason camp roster, scouting Costa Rica, women’s soccer transfer grades, and more.

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23 hours ago

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January 21, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone! If you had yesterday off for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, then I hope you enjoyed some restful time off. If not, then I hope you got your week started off on a good and productive note. There’s a lot going on around here this week as the United States Men’s National Team is in town, and Orlando City will play its first preseason match on Saturday. That means we have plenty to discuss, so let’s dig into today’s links.

Orlando Pride Drop Preseason Roster

Monday might have been a holiday but the Orlando Pride were busy, as they announced the roster for their upcoming preseason camp. Almost all of the usual suspects from the 2024 season are back, as the Pride return 98% of the player-minutes from last season and every single scorer. Mariana Larroquette is on the list although she’s currently on loan in Argentina, and Amanda Allen is likewise included after her loan at Lexington Sporting Club was terminated due to a torn labrum. The biggest intrigue comes from the trio of non-roster invitees: goalkeeper DeAira Jackson, midfielder Aryssa Mahrt, and forward Simone Jackson.

Scouting Costa Rica

The USMNT takes on Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium to wrap up the team’s annual January camp. Like the U.S., Costa Rica is bringing a roster devoid of the majority of its important players. Costa Rica also has a new manager at the helm in Miguel Herrera, who will take charge of the team for the very first time on Wednesday. Herrera typically lines his teams up in a 5-3-2 where the wingbacks take on a very important role and the team looks to hit on the counter while staying compact at the back. This will be the last time we see the USMNT in action until the Concacaf Nations League semifinals in early March.

Women’s Soccer January Transfer Grades

January has been a busy time for transfers in the women’s soccer world, so which teams have done the best business? Well, the Orlando Pride received an A grade for signing Marta to a new two-year deal, retaining a player who helped the team win its first ever trophies. Liverpool got an A for signing Julia Bartel on loan from Chelsea. Leicester City made an interesting call by transferring goalkeeper Lize Kop to Tottenham despite just being a point above the relegation zone. The Foxes get a C for the move, while Spurs get a B+ for adding a capable netminder.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans taking part in some very important games over the course of this week. Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus face Club Brugge today in the UEFA Champions League, while Ricardo Pepi, Richy Ledezma, Esmir Bajraktarević, Malik Tillman and PSV Eindhoven take on Crvena Zvezda in the same competition. Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan will play Girona in the UCL on Wednesday, while Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic take on Young Boys. On Friday, John Tolkin could make his Bundesliga debut when his new team, Holstein Kiel, travels to face Wolfsburg.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando Pride players reported for their preseason physicals on Monday.
  • Meanwhile, Orlando City took on the dreaded beep test during Monday’s training session.

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

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Orlando City

Striker Suddenly a Position of Need for Orlando City

Departures and a key injury mean Orlando City needs a striker heading into the 2025 MLS season.

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2 days ago

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January 20, 2025

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Image Courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City reached the Eastern Conference Final for the first time in 2024, a milestone for the club. The core of the team was locked up through the 2025 season, so there was no reason to believe it needed to add much this off-season. Unfortunately, injuries and departures have created a serious problem for the team.

The group of forwards last year consisted of Duncan McGuire, Ramiro Enrique, and Jack Lynn. McGuire scored 15 goals in 2023 and was expected to depart for Blackburn Rovers before a clerical error allowed the Lions to keep their target man. The team’s primary striker scored 11 goals in 37 games — the same number as the previous season — but split time starting with Enrique. The Argentinian improved greatly in 2024, increasing his total goal tally from four to 12. Even Lynn showed tremendous improvement last year, playing a greater role in the team and scoring his first two MLS goals.

The future also seemed bright for the Orlando City forwards because of their ages. Lynn is the oldest of the trio at just 25 years old. Meanwhile, McGuire and Enrique are only 23, so there was no reason to believe this group couldn’t produce this coming season.

The problem at striker began in the postseason when McGuire was pulled down by Charlotte FC midfielder Djibril Diani in the final first round game of the playoffs. McGuire suffered a shoulder injury during the challenge that required surgery on Dec. 13. It’s expected that the striker could take four to five months to return to action, possibly leaving him out until May or June.

Another blow to Orlando’s attack occurred Saturday when Lynn surprisingly announced his retirement from professional soccer. In just over a month, Orlando City went from having three strikers to having just one as preseason training starts.

With McGuire injured and Lynn gone, one option would be to have Designated Player Luis Muriel play up top. However, the Colombian prefers to play a more withdrawn position and proved to be effective in that role last year. Since Head Coach Oscar Pareja prefers to play a 4-2-3-1 formation, the Lions need someone up top to control the ball and involve the midfielders in the attack. That’s not Muriel’s game.

The result of these issues is that nobody is currently behind Enrique when the season begins. If the Argentinian gets tired, hurt, or simply needs rest, Pareja is limited in his options. 

Whether there was a lack of strikers or a lack of goals from the position previously, that problem was resolved by the club’s all-time leading goal scorer. Facundo Torres scored 20 goals in 2024, becoming the first player in Orlando City’s MLS history and the second player in club history to do so. He went on to set a new club record for total goals of 47.

However, Orlando City sold its best player to Brazilian side Palmeiras on Dec. 20. It was a gut punch to fans as Torres had signed a new contract on Jan. 10, 2024 that ran through the 2026 season. There had been talk for the last couple of years that the attacker would look for a move to Europe and rumors of a move to South America arose this off-season. Still, it created a huge gap the club has to fill.

There are players on the roster that can make up for the injury and departures. Martin Ojeda had a strong season in 2024, finishing with seven goals and 13 assists. His seven goals ranked fourth on the team and his 13 assists topped the squad alongside Nico Lodeiro. Muriel came on strong later in the season, finishing with five goals and eight assists. But those numbers are a long way from the 20 goals that Torres tallied last year.

Even if you consider all goal contributions, Ojeda and Muriel fall well short of Torres. Ojeda had a total of 20 goal contributions in 2024 while Muriel had 13. In addition to Torres’s 20 goals, he added nine assists for a team-leading 29 goal contributions.

All of this information leads to one undeniable fact — Orlando City needs to sign a striker prior to the season. And there’s not much time for Luiz Muzzi to act. The European transfer window closes on Feb. 3 and many MLS teams have already been filling similar needs. With the season starting in just over a month, the options will be limited if the Lions don’t do something soon.

After the best postseason finish in Orlando City’s MLS history, things were looking good heading into 2025. While the back line and most of the midfield is returning, McGuire’s injury and the departure of Torres and Lynn have left the Lions in a tough spot offensively. If they don’t do something in the next couple of weeks, it could be a long 2025.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/20/25

Orlando City signs Nicolas Rodriguez, Jack Lynn announces retirement, USMNT defeats Venezuela in friendly, and more.

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2 days ago

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January 20, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope you’re all having a good holiday weekend as we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Over the past week, I’ve been working and covering high school ice hockey. It will be a busy week in Orlando, with the United States Men’s National Team’s match against Costa Rica on Wednesday and Orlando City’s first preseason match against Atletico Mineiro on Saturday. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Signs Nicolas Rodriguez

Orlando City announced on Friday that the club has signed forward Nicolas Rodriguez from Fortaleza CEIF in Colombia’s top flight. The deal is through the 2027 season, with a club option for 2028, and Rodriguez will occupy a MLS U22 Initiative slot. Rodriguez made 19 appearances for Fortaleza, recording 1,607 minutes, five goals, and three assists during the 2024 Primera A Clausura season. The Lions add a young attacking player the club can develop and Rodriguez can play on the right wing, the right side of a three-man midfield, or in the No. 10 spot.

Jack Lynn Announces Retirement

Orlando City forward Jack Lynn announced his retirement from professional soccer on Saturday. Lynn was drafted by Orlando in the first round of the 2022 MLS SuperDraft. He became a regular starter for Orlando City B, scoring a team-record 38 goals in over three seasons with the MLS NEXT Pro side. Lynn also won the Golden Boot with 19 goals during the 2023 season and became the first OCB player to be named MLS NEXT Pro MVP. He played sparingly with the first team, but he scored twice last season as his role increased. The Lions will likely look to add another striker for more depth up top.

Orlando Pride Acquire Allocation Money in Trade

On Friday, the Orlando Pride announced that the club has acquired $50,000 in Allocation Money from the Washington Spirit. In exchange, the Pride sent the Spirit a 2025 international roster spot. The Pride will face the Spirit in the NWSL Challenge Cup final on March 7 at Inter&Co Stadium.

USMNT Defeats Venezuela in Friendly

The USMNT defeated Venezuela 3-1 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday in a friendly. Jack McGlynn and Patrick Agyemang scored in the first half to give the USMNT a 2-0 lead just before halftime. Matko Milijevic scored the third goal for the Americans in the second half, with Venezuela pulling one back thanks to a goal from Jorge Yriarte. Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has led the USMNT to winning four out of its first five matches since he took charge last September. The USMNT’s next match will be against Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium.

Alyssa Naeher Named U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year

On Saturday, goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher was voted 2024 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year. Naeher won 40% of the vote, while defender Naomi Girma finished in second with 32%. In her final year with the USWNT, Naeher ended 2024 with 18 starts, playing 1,170 minutes and only conceding 11 goals. She played a crucial role with clutch saves to help the USWNT win the 2024 SheBelieves Cup, 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup, and gold at the Olympics in Paris. Naeher is the second goalkeeper to win the award since Hope Solo won it in 2009.

Free Kicks

  • Manchester City forward Erling Haaland has reached an agreement with the club on a record-breaking contract that extends his deal through 2034.

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

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