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

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5 years ago

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It was a match that Orlando City wasn’t supposed to win, and it didn’t. However, the club did advance past LAFC on penalty kicks 1-1 (5-4) into the semifinals of the MLS is Back Tournament. LAFC is a powerhouse club in MLS, and after defeating the Seattle Sounders in the Round of 16, most expected last year’s Supporters Shield winners to keep rolling on. Óscar Pareja and Orlando City didn’t get that message.

The Lions held LAFC to eight shots (none in the first half), five shots on target, and only one goal. Orlando City pressed LAFC, and never backed down. The Lions were able to break LAFC’s lines time and again to keep LAFC from getting into its usual rhythm. Even though it seemed to be for naught when LAFC went up a goal, the Cardiac Cats reeled them back in and ultimately advanced on kicks.

Let’s look at how Orlando City’s players did individually in what might be the club’s biggest “win” in the MLS era.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 7.5 — El Pulpo made four saves. His positioning was good, even on LAFC’s goal where he didn’t really have a chance. Bradley Wright-Phillips slipped in between defenders as he has done so many times in the past. His distribution was good, and he directed his back line effectively. While he wasn’t challenged as much as one might have expected, he did just enough to help Orlando City, making three big stops on Diego Rossi and a late one to deny Jordan Harvey. If not for El Pulpo, the Lions wouldn’t have had a chance to hang around and tie things up late. 

D, João Moutinho, 7.5 (MotM) — The young defender made the most out of his appearance against his former club. Moutinho was integral on both ends of the pitch. While he did commit two fouls, neither resulted in a goal for the opposition. He had three tackles, two clearances, and two blocked shots on defense. João attempted 43 passes and had a 75.6% passing rate. Most importantly, he scored the header to draw Orlando City even in the 90th minute off Nani’s corner kick. He also put in his shot during the penalty kicks to help the Lions advance past his former club. 

D, Antonio Carlos, 7 — Carlos put in a solid effort, though he was one of the players that wasn’t able to stop Bradley Wright-Phillips. He made six interceptions, two clearances, and committed one foul. Carlos attempted 42 passes and had a 71.4% passing rate. He put in a dangerous header off of a corner in the 27th minute, but it was pushed over the crossbar. It was another solid outing from the young center back, as he continues to prove he deserves to start. He also made his shot during the penalty shootout. 

D, Robin Jansson, 6.5 — Jansson is leading the defense of Orlando City as well as anyone in recent memory. He had four interceptions, four clearances, and committed no fouls. Jansson attempted 20 passes at a 70% passing rate. He seemed to get caught in no man’s land on the LAFC goal, but Wright-Phillips was behind him and he was playing what was in front of him. In the 78th minute, he went up for a header and was injured on the way down. Jansson seemed to get a knock to his stomach, and also a cramp in his leg. He came off in the 80th minute. It’s important to keep in mind that Jansson and the defense held LAFC to eight shots, and five on target. 

D, Ruan, 7 — Ruan created his usual havoc for the opposition as he ranged up and down the right side. On defense he had three tackles, two clearances, and two fouls. Ruan attempted 43 passes and had a 73.2% passing rate. He did earn a yellow card in the ninth minute, but it didn’t affect his play. He also suffered three fouls including the penalty in the 55th minute to give Orlando an opportunity to go ahead. 

MF, Sebas Mendez, 5.5 — Mendez started in place of Junior Urso, and despite a few slip-ups it was a pretty good game for the midfielder. He had made three tackles, two interceptions, and committed three fouls. He attempted 43 passes and had a 93% passing rate. Mendez had one shot blocked in the 29th minute, as he waited too long to get it off and was closed down. He committed a foul in the 40th minute to set up an LAFC free kick, and, most importantly, he gave the ball away in the 60th minute in Orlando’s half. That giveaway resulted in LAFC’s goal. 

MF, Oriol Rosell, 6 — Uri put in his usual solid shift. On defense he had one tackle, and committed two fouls. Offensively he had one shot in the 53rd from top of the box, but the ball sailed over the crossbar. Rosell came off in the 71st minute after another workmanlike effort. 

MF, Chris Mueller, 5.5 — Cash never had much of a chance to really get going, as he was fouled early on, and obviously injured his shoulder. Despite that, he stayed on to finish the half, before subbing out. He suffered a total of three fouls, and made one interception. He also won a corner kick. Mueller attempted 12 passes with a 66.7% passing rate. 

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 6 — Pereyra was once again a key player in the Lions’ offense. He took most of the corners, attempted one shot, with two tackles, and committed two fouls. He attempted 46 passes with a 78.3% passing rate. In the 48th minute he earned a yellow card for an unintentional studs up challenge. He also committed an unintentional handball in LAFC’s area that stopped an Orlando City build up. Pereyra buried his attempt during the penalty kicks as Orlando’s first shooter, setting the tone.

MF, Nani, 6.5 — The captain put in a good shift, taking seven shots, with three on target, and suffered one offside call. He made one interception, once clearance, and committed two fouls. Nani attempted 45 passes with a 71.1% passing rate, and seven crosses. His shot in the 38th minute was on target but easily saved. His second biggest moment of the match was missing the penalty kick in the 57th minute. He almost forced an own goal from his cross in the 64th, and just missed to the right on a shot outside the 18 in the 73rd. As usual, he left the best for last, assisting on the equalizer and putting in the deciding penalty kick to put Orlando City through to the next round. 

F, Tesho Akindele, 5 — Tesho had a quiet night for Orlando City. He suffered one foul, made one tackle, and made one interception. He attempted 12 passes with a 66.7% passing rate, and was caught offside once. 

Substitutes

F, Benji Michel (46’), 5 — Benji came in earlier than expected due to Mueller’s injury. Defensively he made one tackle, had four interceptions, one clearance, and committed one foul. Michel attempted 12 passes with a 66.7% passing rate. He also took one shot, which sailed high and wide in stoppage time. 

F, Daryl Dike (71’), 4 — Dike made his second appearance for the Lions, coming on for Tesho. You can see the potential, but he needs more time to put it together. He missed a header in the 87th minute, and completed two passes. 

MF, Andrés Perea (71’), 5 — Perea came on for Rosell, and did well to help Orlando City press for the equalizer. He made one tackle, and attempted 11 passes with a 90.9% passing rate. He also earned a yellow card in the 86th minute. 

D, Kyle Smith (80’), 6 — Typically coming in so late in a match wouldn’t be enough time to earn a grade, but Smith made two key plays. In the 82nd minute he made a save with his head to keep the ball out of the net after Gallese’s double save. He also made his shot attempt during the penalty kicks.

F, Santiago Patiño (89’), N/A — Patiño completed two passes in very limited time.

I wasn’t kidding when I said this might be the biggest moment for Orlando City in the MLS era. I know we had the Running of the Wall, but all eyes were on this match because it was against LAFC. Very few had Orlando City advancing, including myself on The ManeLand PawedCast. I’ve never been happier to be wrong about a prediction, and I’ve had plenty of opportunities to be wrong. 

While many thought the Lions would be home by now, Orlando City fans have the luxury of enjoying the remaining quarterfinal games and waiting to see who their team will play — San Jose or Minnesota.

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
Nani114
Robin Jansson5
João Moutinho101
Sebas Mendez46
Other2

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Lion Links: 6/5/25

MLS All-Star voting update, Kerry Abello shines with USWNT, Sergio Zapata earns recognition, and more.

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18 hours ago

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June 5, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this week has been treating you well as we enjoy some international soccer and prepare for the return of NWSL action this weekend. Before we jump right into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City B midfielder Dylan Judelson!

Pair of Lions Lead MLS All-Star Voting

Voting for this year’s MLS All-Star Game remains underway and an update was provided on which players are leading at each position. Orlando City defender Alex Freeman leads all right backs as he enjoys a breakout season. I was aware of the buzz he’s been getting this year, but it’s still surprising to see a Lion as an All-Star frontrunner. What’s even more surprising is that Pedro Gallese leads the voting for goalkeepers. The Peruvian made a rough gaffe last week, but has otherwise had a stellar season with Orlando that’s included seven clean sheets. Voting will close on June 11, so make sure to get those votes in before then.

Kerry Abello Impresses With USMNT

Orlando Pride defender Kerry Abello made her first appearance for the United States Women’s National Team Tuesday, playing every minute of the 4-0 win over Jamaica. The versatility she’s shown with the Pride translated well in Head Coach Emma Hayes’ system, as she was able to hold things down defensively and contribute to the attack as well. Abello could end up bringing solid depth to the USWNT as Hayes figures out the team’s future core of players. Enjoy this video from the USWNT that provides a look behind the scenes of Abello’s international debut.

Sergio Zapata Named Player of the Month

Sergio Zapata scored a whopping 11 goals for Orlando City’s U-19 team over the course of just four matches in May, winning the honor of MLS NEXT Player of the Month. He had three hat tricks last month, including one against Hoosier Premier at MLS NEXT Fest. Zapata committed to Cornell, so hopefully we’ll get to see him tear it up in the Ivy League over the next couple of years.

Zack Steffen Sustains Knee Injury

Goalkeeper Zack Steffen injured his knee at the United States Men’s National Team’s training camp and will reportedly miss this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup. It’s rough news for the 30-year-old, as he was expected to compete with Matt Turner for the starting job with the USMNT. He’s been having a great season with the Colorado Rapids and returned to the club for further evaluation on the injury.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/4/25

USWNT wins as Abello gets first cap, Orlando Pride’s Concacaf W Champions Cup draw, Club World Cup in Orlando, and more.

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2 days ago

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June 4, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Tuesday was a busy soccer day, especially on the women’s side. We have plenty of Orlando Pride news, and the USWNT secured yet another victory. I’m hoping the good vibes continue since I’ll be coming down to Orlando for the Pride’s match this Saturday. If you’re going to the match, let me know, as I’d love to meet as many of our readers as possible. For now, let’s get to the links.

USWNT Blanks Jamaica

The USWNT defeated Jamaica 4-0 in a friendly at Energizer Park in St. Louis. The Orlando Pride’s Kerry Abello got her first start and her first cap in the match. She went the full 90 minutes and almost had her first international goal in the second half, but the chance went a bit wide of the right post. Ally Sentnor and Lynn Biyendolo each scored a brace as the U.S. rolled to an easy win.

Pride Internationals

Abello wasn’t the only Pride player to make an international appearance. Marta returned to international duty for Brazil getting the start and the captain’s armband in a 2-1 win over Japan. Both Grace Chanda and Barbra Banda started for Zambia in the 2-0 loss to South Africa in the Three Nations Challenge. Congratulations are also due to Zara Chavoshi, who earned her first cap with the Canadian Women’s National Team in the match against Haiti.

Concacaf W Champions Cup Draw

The Concacaf W Champions Cup draw happened yesterday and the Orlando Pride are in Group A with Club America Femenil, CF Pachuca Femenil, LD Alajuelense, and Chorrillo FC. Group B consists of NJ/NY Gotham FC, the Washington Spirit, CF Monterrey Femenil, Vancouver Rise FC Academy, and Alianza Women FC. The competition kicks off Aug. 19-21.

FIFA Loves Orlando

FIFA President Gianni Infantino sat for an interview with Jamie Seh of WKMG Orlando. Infantino spoke about the upcoming Club World Cup matches at Inter&Co Stadium and Camping World Stadium. FIFA loves Orlando enough for the city to host the Club World Cup, but not the actual World Cup. Here is the schedule for the matches in Orlando. We will be bringing you coverage of these matches.

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That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the return of the Orlando Pride this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/3/25

Orlando City B announces signings, details of Concacaf W Champions Cup, UEFA Nations League preview, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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June 3, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Good morning, everyone. It’s been a pretty brutal last two games for Orlando City, there’s no getting around that fact. While it’s never fun to not have the team in action, a two-week break between games maybe isn’t the worst thing in this particular case. Even though it’ll be a minute before the Lions are back in action, we still have plenty of things to talk about, so let’s get into today’s links.

Orlando City B Announces Signings

Orlando City B announced on Monday that it has signed Clovis Archange and Jackson Platts to MLS NEXT Pro contracts. The pair are graduates of the Orlando City Development Academy and were part of the team that won the U-18 Generation Adidas Cup earlier this year. The 18-year-old Platts captained the team in the final, while Archange was named as one of the players to watch before the tournament started. They’ve both featured for their countries at the youth level, with Platts appearing for the United States U-16 and U-18 teams, and Archange suiting up for Canada’s U-17 side. Congratulations to both players!

Concacaf Announces W Champions Cup Details

Concacaf has named the 10 teams that will participate 2025-2026 Concacaf W Champions Cup and has announced the pots for tonight’s draw. The Orlando Pride are one of three American teams participating in the second year of the competition, and have been placed into Pot 2. Teams will be divided into two groups of five, with each team facing every club in its group once, and the top two sides from each group then advancing to the semifinals. The winner gets a spot in the 2027 FIFA Women’s Champions Cup, and the FIFA Women’s Club World Cup, which is set to be held for the first time in 2028. The draw takes place tonight at 8 p.m.

UEFA Nations League Preview

The UEFA Nations League returns this week, with the semifinals set for tomorrow and Thursday, and the third-place game and final taking place on Sunday. Things get started on Wednesday afternoon with Germany facing off against Portugal in Munich. Germany put away Italy 5-4 on aggregate in the quarterfinals to get to the semis for the first time, while Portugal beat Denmark 5-2, and is hunting for its second Nations League trophy. Thursday has Spain taking on France in Stuttgart. The Spanish beat the Netherlands on penalties in the semis to get here, while France took out Croatia on penalties to punch its ticket. There’s plenty of recent history in this one as these teams also met in the semifinals of Euro 2024 last year, with Spain claiming a 2-1 win.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

The transfer rumor mill has kicked into full swing, so let’s catch up on some of the big talking points. Starting in England, Manchester United has reportedly increased its interest in Brian Mbuemo, with the Brentford forward said to also be interested in moving to the club. There are said to be a number of Premier League teams interested in signing Southampton midfielder Tyler Dibling after his team was relegated to the Championship this season. Jobe Bellingham will reportedly follow in his brother Jude’s footsteps, as he’s reportedly decided to join Borussia Dortmund. Finally, Inter Milan is reportedly interested in signing Marcus Rashford as the Italians look to rebuild the squad following a brutal defeat in the UEFA Champions League final.

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  • Here’s a first look at Alex Freeman in his USMNT kit:

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

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