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. Inter Miami: Player Grades and Man of the Match
How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s 1-1 home draw against the Herons?

Draws are never satisfying but there’s at least a much better feeling when your team scores the final goal that earns the point rather than conceding so the other team takes two away. Thus was Orlando City’s 1-1 draw at home against Inter Miami on Sunday. It feels better to score the last goal, despite the fact that the same number of goals are scored either way. It’s a grand illusion.
Duncan McGuire’s blast through the legs of Drake Callender at least kept the Pepto-Bismol-colored team from winning at the purple palace and added another point to Orlando’s fine 2023 total.
Here’s how I saw the individual performances from a feisty affair at Exploria Stadium.
Starters
GK, Pedro Gallese, 7.5 — It was another standout game from the Peruvian shot stopper, who made four saves on the night, including a big one to stop a Leonardo Campana attempt from just a couple yards out. Gallese couldn’t do much about the lone goal conceded, as it came off a rebound of a wicked Josef Martinez shot, offering Gallese little opportunity to control the rebound due to the angle and pace. El Pulpo also recorded a clearance and passed at an 81.8% rate, connecting on five of his nine long balls.
D, Rafael Santos, 6.5 — After a couple of somewhat underwhelming performances, the Brazilian had a solid night. He didn’t have a shot attempt, but he managed two key passes despite completing only 71.4% of his passes. He connected on three of his eight long balls and one of his four crosses, but that latter number says more about his teammates not getting onto some good-looking balls into the area. Defensively, he provided two clearances and an interception, committing just one foul and completing a dribble. He even led the team in touches (60).
D, Robin Jansson, 7.5 (MotM) — In the first half, Jansson was the best player on the pitch and, in my opinion, it wasn’t close. The Beefy Swede vaccuumed up almost everything sent forward by Miami that was intended for Campana and Martinez on his side of the field. He finished the night with two tackles and two interceptions but it seemed like more than that. His passing was magnificent, as he completed 89.4% of his 47 passes, including six of seven long balls and his only through ball attempt. He had a key pass as well. He didn’t attempt a shot but he completed one dribble and drew a foul as he stymied the Miami attack. He did his best to cover Martinez’s quick, incisive run to the opposite side but couldn’t block the shot with his sliding effort. His biggest blemish was getting yet another yellow card for dissent — something he’s mostly been able to avoid this season.
D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 5.5 —While I thought Schlegel had a much better night Sunday than he had in the previous two games, it was far from where he was just a week or two earlier. The quick transition gave him a tough choice of backing off Campana and allowing a dangerous shot or doing what he did — stepping out and allowing a through ball. His closeout wasn’t tight enough. His marking on set pieces also left a lot to be desired at times. His passing was mostly accurate (91.5%), and he connected on two of three long balls, but there were a few dicey ones in his own end. He recorded two aerials won, one tackle, two interceptions, and a clearance. He committed three fouls and picked up a yellow card, conceding a dangerous free kick. His lone shot attempt was an off-target header.
D, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, 6.5 — After a couple of tough games, the Icelandic midfielder-turned-fullback acquitted himself pretty well, considering Inter Miami attacked his side quite a bit. He passed well, connecting 82.5% of the time with one key pass and hitting the target once on two crosses, four times on six long balls, and sent a marvelous through ball that should have resulted in an Ivan Angulo goal, but the winger flubbed his lines. His lone shot attempt was a difficult one and did not threaten goal. He did not record a single defensive stat, although much of the time his opponent curled in toward the top of the area and was passed off to another defender.
MF, Cesar Araujo, 5.5 — The young Uruguayan had a quiet night, without recording any defensive statistics in his 45 minutes before being subbed out at the break for Martin Ojeda. He managed only 23 touches and his passing rate of 73.3% was much lower than his usual standard and he completed one of his two long balls. He also drew two fouls and completed a dribble. He simply wasn’t able to impact the game to the extent we’re used to seeing.
MF, Wilder Cartagena, 7 — It was a good night for the Peruvian midfielder, who was constantly getting under the opponents’ skin. He drew yellow card fouls on Dixon Arroyo and Benjamin Cremaschi — the latter after a slick nutmeg move — and had a steal that was set to ignite the break called back for a foul that I don’t agree was committed. Defensively, he recorded a tackle, a clearance, and an interception. He passed at a 91.1% success rate, created one scoring chance, and completed both of his long-ball attempts.
MF, Ivan Angulo, 5 — Whether it’s a lack of confidence and/or composure or being intimidated by a good goalkeeper, the Ivan Angulo who shoots in warmups is not the same guy in front of goal once the game is underway. He completely flubbed his lines when Thorhallsson sent him in behind for a 1-v-1 chance against Callender. The number of times he gets into dangerous spots and either a bad pass, shot, or decision keeps Orlando City from generating a scoring chance from it is maddening. Angulo failed to get any of his three shot attempts on target. His passing rate was just 60%, he did not have a single key pass, and neither of his two crosses were on target, although his single long ball was. He also didn’t record a single defensive statistic. There are many things Angulo does well, and his speed is tantalizing, but the final product is often lacking.
MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 6 — The captain had a mostly quiet match except when he was scissored down from behind by David Ruiz, somehow only producing a yellow card for the Miami midfielder. Pereyra produced only one key pass and no shot attempts, starting at central attacking midfielder before dropping into central midfield in the second half to pull the strings from a deeper position. He passed at an 80.5% success rate, completing one of three crosses and two of five long balls. He did not record any defensive stats and committed two fouls while drawing three.
MF, Facundo Torres, 6.5 — Torres led the Lions in shots (4), putting two on target, contributing one key pass and winning an aerial. He passed pretty well overall (81.5%), though he did not complete either of his two crosses or his lone long ball. He contributed an interception and a clearance defensively. Miami concentrated on double-teaming the Designated Player whenever possible. Torres still created some opportunities for himself and others, but it was a fairly quiet night overall.
F, Duncan McGuire, 7.5 — The rookie is still getting back to form after returning from injury, so he managed only 18 touches on the night but he did well with the touches he had. Both of McGuire’s shots were on target and both were rockets. Unfortunately, both were right at goalkeeper Callender. Fortunately, the second of those went through the keeper’s legs for the equalizing goal — his ninth of the MLS season. He also created a chance with a key pass, completed 83.3% of his pass attempts, and connected on his only long ball. He even contributed a defensive clearance. It was a good night for the rookie striker, although he wasn’t able to get that many touches.
Substitutes
MF, Martin Ojeda (46′), 6.5 — The Argentine Designated Player came on at halftime for Araujo to give the Lions more attacking presence and an extra playmaker on the field. He continues to grow in recent games, as he put his only shot attempt on target, created a chance with a key pass, and completed two dribbles, although he did have four unstable touches and was dispossessed once. He completed 89.5% of his 19 passes and all three long balls, but missed on his only cross attempt. He helped with the ball back with two tackles, and added a clearance.
MF/F, Ramiro Enrique (74′), 5 — Enrique came on for Angulo, which I thought at the time was the exact sub that was needed, but the Argentine didn’t offer much for the second straight game after winning Player of the Matchday. He did not attempt a shot or create a key pass and managed only seven touches on the night, passing at an 83.3% clip. He chipped in a clearance.
D, Michael Halliday (77′), 5 — The Homegrown defender spelled Thorhallsson but didn’t offer much, despite completing all four of his passes on 13 total touches. He had two unstable touches and was dispossessed once, which is not what you want to see from your fullback in the final 15 minutes of the match. Defensively, he blocked a shot, but he also conceded an unnecessary late corner when he pulled up, thinking he’d won a foul that didn’t end up getting called.
MF, Gaston Gonzalez (84′), N/A — As the MLS U22 Initiative attacker works his way back to fitness, he got a late runout, replacing McGuire, which pushed Enrique to the top of the formation. He conceded a free kick, but I honestly thought his challenge was clean and should have led to an Orlando counterattack. He put his only shot on frame, but it was a weak dribbler right at Callender. He did not complete his only pass attempt of the match.
MF, Junior Urso (84′), N/A — The Bear entered for Pereyra and was active, gettin 12 touches in late. His 90% passing rate on 10 attempts was solid, missing only on his only attempted long ball. He didn’t record any defensive stats, but he also didn’t make any mistakes in his brief spell.
That’s how I saw the individual performances by Orlando City on Sunday night at the stadium. Let me know where I got things right or wrong in the comments below and be sure to vote for your Man of the Match in our poll below.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 9/26/23
Pedro Gallese honored, Orlando Pride and Lions celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, Campeones Cup preview, and more.

Happy Tuesday, everyone. I won’t lie to you, I’m dragging a bit to start this week. I’m still recovering from being sick and frankly had to fight the urge to take Monday off. I’m soldiering on though, and there’s plenty of soccer happening this week to help keep me entertained and in good spirits. Let’s have a look at today’s links.
Pedro Gallese Recognized
Pedro Gallese turned in another superb performance during Orlando City’s 1-1 draw with Inter Miami on Sunday, and he’s been rewarded with a place in the most recent edition of the MLS Team of the Matchday. El Pulpo made four saves on the night, including a fantastic stop on a header from close range, and helped the Lions stay in the game until they could find the equalizer. Congratulations to Pedro, and here’s hoping he keeps up the good work!
Orlando Pride and Orlando City Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, Orlando Pride defender Celia fielded questions for fans to learn more about both her and Spain. Celia is from Alicante, a port city in southern Spain, and shared her favorite food, music, and activity while in her home country. She also spoke on a common misconception about spices used in Spain being spicy.
Orlando City’s Facundo Torres also shared the meaning behind some of his tattoos, which include the Uruguayan flag and La Paz, the city he grew up in. Orlando City’s match with CF Montreal on Saturday will also be Hispanic Heritage Night at Exploria Stadium.
Campeones Cup Preview
You can be forgiven if you forgot that the Campeones Cup is still a thing, because I know I did. Here’s a little refresher on the annual match. It’s being played tomorrow night at BMO Stadium between LAFC and Tigres, which are the reigning MLS and Liga MX champions, respectively. The MLS representative has won three out of the four contests, with Tigres beating Toronto FC 3-1 in the first iteration of the competition in 2018. This match will also be a rematch of the 2020 Concacaf Champions League final, which saw Tigres emerge victorious 2-1 at Exploria Stadium.
Americans in Midweek Action
A number of Americans will be taking part in games for their clubs this week. Tim Weah and Weston McKennie’s Juventus will take on Lecce today in Serie A, while Chris Richards and Crystal Palace face Manchester United in the Carabao Cup. Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah have a league match when AC Milan plays Cagliari tomorrow. PSV Eindhoven has a game against Go Ahead Eagles tomorrow as well, which means Ricardo Pepi, Sergino Dest and Malik Tillman could all be involved. Friday closes out the week with Hoffenheim taking on Borussia Dortmund, which could see John Brooks matched up against Gio Reyna depending on Reyna’s fitness.
Spanish Players Will Testify Against Rubiales
Alexia Putellas, Irene Paredes and Misa Rodriguez have all been called to testify as witnesses in the case against Luis Rubiales. Jenni Hermoso’s brother and a friend of the player both testified on Monday afternoon, as Rubiales is facing charges of sexual assault and coercion. Rubiales has already testified and maintains he did nothing wrong amid uproar that has led to a number of Spanish players refusing to return to the team until changes are made, and a general overshadowing of Spain’s victory at the Women’s World Cup. Putellas, Paredes and Rodriguez will testify next Monday.
Free Kicks
- Orlando City B came in 10th in the latest edition of the MLS NEXT Pro power rankings.
- Edgar Paez, the president of Colombian team Tigres, was shot and killed following the team’s loss on Saturday.
- Jadon Sancho’s Manchester United teammates have reportedly urged him to apologize to Erik ten Hag.
That’s all I have for today. Y’all stay safe out there!
Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Inter Miami: Photo Gallery
An album of images from Orlando City’s hard-fought draw at home against the Herons.

The Lions brought much more roar on Sunday night to face their southern rivals but had trouble finding the net, allowing the Herons to nick a point even while short staffed. None of Miami’s high-priced talent traveled for the match after facing Toronto midweek, and physicality ensued, firing up the sold-out crowd at Exploria Stadium.
Talking with some of the other photographers on the sideline who had flown in for this match, they rated the Orlando atmosphere top-notch; in their experience, other cities don’t compare to the in-stadium fan enthusiasm.
The Lions were in “the net is lava” mode, with Duncan McGuire and Iván Angulo each missing prime one-on-one chances with Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender in each half, McGuire leaving it straight at Callendar, and Angulo badly missing the net after a missed first touch. So of course Miami struck first, with David Ruíz scoring early in the second half.
This fired the Lions up even more and Martín Ojeda pinballed McGuire in behind the Miami back line, allowing Duncan to do what Duncan does to draw the score level. The Lions generally looked the more dangerous team for most (but not all) of the night. However, it is scoring goals that actually counts, leaving both teams unchanged in their respective Eastern Conference standings. Orlando remains second at 14-7-9, while Miami stays in 14th at 9-15-5.
The Lions continue to control their own destiny in terms of getting a top-four finish as they look to lock up home field advantage for a best-of-three matchup in the MLS Cup playoffs.
With home dates left against Montreal and a sputtering-but-dangerous New England remaining, there’s still plenty of time to be part of that world-class gameday atmosphere by going out to support the team as they push for a strong finish.
We hope that you enjoy these images from a hard-fought, come-from-behind draw against Inter Miami at Exploria Stadium.
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