Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Portland Timbers: Player Grades and Man of the Match
Orlando City’s run in the MLS is Back Tournament came to an end last night with a 2-1 defeat to the Portland Timbers. I would have to say not many people had the Lions making the final, which turned out to be a very physical match-up. Down in the match until Mauricio Pereyra scored the equalizer in the 39th minute, the Lions dominated possession, but it wasn’t enough and they came up just short in the end.
Let’s see how the Lions rated individually in the tournament final.
Starters
GK, Pedro Gallese, 7 — The Peruvian goalkeeper had four saves in the match but unfortunately the Timbers were able to get their first goal off a free kick as Larrys Mabiala got his header from a perfect Diego Valeri delivery past Gallese to take the lead. The second goal was off a corner kick and Eryk Williamson’s shot was deflected off of Jeremy Ebobisse to center back Dario Zuparic, who buried it for Portland. Gallese was able to keep Orlando in it with some big saves in the second half. One of them came in the 65th minute when he dove to the right side on a Valeri a free kick. I’ve got to give him credit for trusting his wall on that one. Gallese then made another big stop on Ebobisse on the ensuing corner He also made a 1-v-1 save on Valeri late to give the Lions a chance.
D, João Moutinho, 6 — The left back led Orlando with 91 touches and completed 92% of his passes, creating two solid chances in the game. Joao Moutinho was, for the most part, effective but he got out-muscled on Mabiala’s goal. A sloppy touch on a clearance attempt led to a turnover and a yellow card in the 63rd minute. He finished with an interception, a shot, and a clearance.
D, Robin Jansson, 6.5 — For the night Jansson had one shot in the game and completed 95.4% of his passes. He was key in blocking a Sebastian Blanco shot in the 51st minute. He blocked three shots in total, with one interception and a clearance. He made a critical stop in the 58th minute to prevent Marvin Loria from breaking in alone on goal after Ruan got caught up field.
D, Antonio Carlos, 7 — Antonio Carlos had a busy, physical game. He finished with four clearances, four interceptions, a tackle and two fouls. He got a yellow card in the 47th minute for fouling Valeri, setting up a dangerous free kick. Of the two center backs, Carlos got forward more to assist the offense, completing 85% of his passes.
D. Ruan, 6 — Ruan created a couple of chances in the match with one coming in the 75th minute. He crossed the ball in to Akindele but Portland’s defense cleared it with a sliding challenge. He played a hard 87 minutes on the pitch but committed four fouls and also received a yellow card in the 85th minute before being subbed off. Only one of his four crosses was accurate on an otherwise good passing night (89.5%). He could have used his speed more to get to the end line to find better crossing lanes.
MF, Sebas Mendez, 5.5 — Mendez led the team in total shots, with three, but none were on target and his best opportunity was blocked by Mabiala in the 56th minute. Sebas completed 95.8% percent of his passes and avoided dangerous turnovers, getting dispossessed just once in the match. He surprisingly registered no defensive statistics at all, and committed three fouls. His foul in the 25th minute led to Portland’s opener on the ensuing free kick.
MF, Oriol Rosell, 5.5 — Rosell had no tackles, but had an interception and six recoveries on the night. He created one scoring chance on a 92% passing night and literally threw himself into passing lanes frequently to prevent Portland transition opportunities.
MF, Chris Mueller, 5 — Mueller started the game and although he wasn’t on the ball much he still managed two shots in the match, although neither was on target. One moment that summed up his night was his opportunity in the 41st minute — just moments after Pereyra’s goal — when he got the ball at the top of the area but showed too much of the ball while trying to position himself for a shot and it was easily cleared away. Mueller only managed 28 touches, passing at an 88% clip with one key pass. He continues to hustle (one interception, one clearance, and one blocked shot) but hasn’t quite looked right since injuring his shoulder a couple games ago against LAFC.
MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 7.5 (MotM) — Mauricio continued his excellent play in the tournament with an equalizing goal in the 39th minute — his second goal of the tournament. He made things happen with two shots and a key pass but his set piece delivery was a bit off on the night and actually led to a dangerous counter attack in the 90th minute. He passed only at an 81.1% rate but was one of the few players trying to create something against Portland’s tightly packed low block. He contributed two tackles and an interception and his pressure helped create some turnovers from rushed passes by the Timbers.
MF, Nani, 7 — Nani was a little more quiet than usual. He was definitely involved in the action after a slow start but was certainly getting a lot of attention from the Portland defenders. His low cross in the 39th minute helped set up Orlando City’s only goal of the night. Nani had two shots, one corner kick, and received a yellow card in the 73rd minute. He could have done more on Portland’s second goal but decided to guard the line and was unable to keep out Dario Zuparic’s shot. He provided three key passes — second in the game only to Valeri — passed at an 85.2% rate, and completed four of his six long balls.
F, Tesho Akindele, 5 — Tesho was again very quiet. He played 78 minutes in the match before he was subbed out with just 25 touches and two shots in the match (neither on target). Portland’s low block prevented teammates from finding him but his movement must also be more creative in that situation. He provided two key passes and was fairly accurate in his passing (81.3%), considering half of his attempts were in the attacking third. He added a tackle and a clearance.
Substitutes
MF, Junior Urso (71’), 5.5 — Urso came on to replace Mendez and drew a foul for a free kick in a good area but outside of that was quiet. He attempted no shots but completed 92.9% of his passing attempts and recorded a tackle.
F, Benji Michel (71’), 5 — Benji came on to replace Mueller and tried to make a few plays happen but Portland limited him to just 10 touches, no shots or key passes, and 75% passing accuracy but on only four attempts. He did manage to draw a couple of fouls, including one that led to a good free kick opportunity in the 89th minute.
F, Daryl Dike (78’), N/A— The rookie played 12 minutes in the match and touched the ball only six touches, so he didn’t have time to earn a grade. However, he did register a key pass in his brief time on the field.
F, Santiago Patino (79’), N/A — With only had two pass attempts (both complete) and four total touches, Pantino wasn’t on long enough to earn a grade.
D, Kyle Smith (87’), N/A — Smith came on for Ruan in the final minutes of the match. He had one shot at eternal glory in stoppage time when he tried to volley a shot from a free kick scramble into the net but it was a tough chance and the effort went over the crossbar. He had the best chance to tie the game for the Lions and no doubt feels he should have scored on that one.
It was the set pieces that ended up costing the Lions in this match. The players should hold their heads up high after a solid run to the final. Orlando City won Group A, upset LAFC on penalties in the quarterfinals, and beat a good Minnesota United team in the semifinals. Hopefully our Lions will use this loss as motivation and when the regular season begins Aug. 22 against Inter Miami CF, they’ll go on another run to improve and strive to make the playoffs for the first time in the MLS era.
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 |
| Pedro Gallese | 40 |
| Antonio Carlos | 1 |
| Robin Jansson | 2 |
| Mauricio Pereyra | 34 |
| Nani | 2 |
| Other | 3 |
Orlando City
Orlando City Signs Defender Kyle Smith through 2025
The Accountant is back for another year after signing a one-year contract to remain with Orlando City.
El Soldado will be a Lion for another season. Orlando City announced today that the club has re-signed defender Kyle Smith to a new one-year contract through 2025, bringing his free agency to an end after just a few days. The club had announced Dec. 5 it was in negotiations with Smith for his return when the end-of-season roster update came out.
“Bringing Kyle back to Orlando for 2025 is a great step in our project for next season,” Orlando City Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi said in a club press release. “He’s been such a vital piece of our successes over the last few seasons with his versatility and work rate both on and off the field. He’s a player that we know we can always depend on, and we’re excited to have him back with us next year.”
The 32-year-old Cincinnati, OH native originally signed with Orlando City on Dec. 21, 2018, after serving three seasons in the USL with Louisville City. He was well known by then-manager James O’Connor, who had coached Smith in Louisville. Few could have foreseen the length of his stay in Orlando at the time, which has far outlasted O’Connor’s tenure. Muzzi re-signed Smith on March 29, 2021, to a new deal through 2022 with an option year for 2023, which the club exercised Nov. 15, 2022. Although he was already under contract for the following year, Smith signed another new contract through the end of the 2023 season with an option year for 2024 on Dec. 5, 2022. The club picked up that 2024 option almost exactly one year ago on Dec. 11, 2023.
Smith is coming off his sixth season with the Lions, in which he did not score a regular-season goal for the first time since 2020, but he provided three assists to equal his career high. He scored his only goal in any competition in 2024 in a 3-1 win over Cavalry FC in Concacaf Champions Cup play Feb. 27.
He made 40 appearances across all competitions this season (18 starts).
The versatile fullback has made 180 appearances in all competitions (105 starts) in his first six years with the Lions, placing him second on the club’s all-time appearance list behind fellow defender Robin Jansson. Smith has scored five goals and added nine assists during his Orlando City career. In 2022, he helped the Lions win their first trophy since joining Major League Soccer, playing in every match of the tournament as Orlando City claimed the U.S. Open Cup.
What It Means for Orlando City
There is no doubt every club needs at least one player like Smith. He works hard, gives you everything he has, plays wherever he’s asked to play, and has the versatility to play several positions. He has played multiple midfield and back line positions in his time in Orlando, primarily as left back in 2024 after spending most of his previous appearances at right back. He has also been an inexpensive player for the club to fit under the salary cap. In 2024, he made a base salary of $290,000 — the lowest salary of any non-Homegrown who played on Orlando City’s back line this season.
Smith will turn 33 in January, and he’s not always able to keep up with some of the league’s speedy wingers, but he’s still rarely a liability because of his awareness and experience. His role will likely be the same as it’s been in recent times — to provide depth at both fullback positions, starting when injuries or fixture congestion become problematic, and entering games late to help see out wins or spell tired starters. He knows Pareja’s system as well as anyone, has the respect of his teammates, fits in with the team’s culture, and (as previously mentioned) puts in an honest shift. This signing can only be seen as a positive for Orlando City.
Orlando City
Orlando City Striker Duncan McGuire Undergoes Shoulder Surgery
The big forward will miss four to five months after having surgery to repair his labrum and rotator cuff.
Orlando City announced today that Duncan McGuire has undergone arthroscopic surgery to repair the labrum and rotator cuff in his right shoulder. The surgery, which the club called “successful,” was necessary to repair damage from an injury McGuire sustained in Orlando City’s playoff match against Charlotte FC Nov. 9 when he was pulled down by Djibril Diani.
Orlando City Chief Medical Officer Dr. Craig Mintzer of the Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute performed the surgery.
McGuire’s injury occurred in the decisive Game 3 in the first round in the seventh minute of stoppage time, with the Lions trailing 1-0. Diani tugged McGuire’s shirt as he made a run that would have seen him have a play on a set piece cross in the penalty area. The striker went down hard and was visibly in pain on the ground, before getting to his feet and sprinting to the trainers in the technical area. The training staff appeared to be trying to pop his shoulder back into place but McGuire was unable to return to the match.
Facundo Torres’ subsequent penalty attempt was saved by Charlotte goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina, but before the crowd could fully absorb the missed opportunity, Torres scored on the rebound to level the match at 1-1, ultimately sending the game to a penalty shootout, which Orlando won, 4-1, advancing to the Eastern Conference semifinals.
McGuire was seen lobbying to come back onto the pitch for the penalty shootout in the Charlotte match, but trainers would not clear him to return. The 23-year-old came off the bench in Orlando’s remaining playoff games against Atlanta and the New York Red Bulls despite the injury, playing a total of 50 more minutes in the playoffs.
The Creighton product did not register a goal contribution or put any of his three postseason shot attempts on frame. However, he was a key contributor to the Lions reaching the playoffs for the fifth straight year, providing 10 goals and three assists in the regular season across 27 appearances (18 starts), despite missing a chunk of the season with the U.S. Olympic Men’s Soccer Team.
Orlando City drafted McGuire in the first round (No. 6 overall) in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft. After a breakout rookie campaign, in which the Omaha, NE native scored 13 goals and added three assists, he was courted by several teams in Europe. In fact, McGuire’s presence in Orlando this season was an unexpected delight for City fans, as he had agreed to a deal with Blackburn Rovers, only to see the transfer rejected by the English Football League due to an administrative error by the EFL Championship club. After returning to Orlando, McGuire signed a new deal on Aug. 22 to remain a Lion. The new contract runs through 2027 with a club option for 2028.
What It Means for Orlando City
The club puts McGuire’s timeline on recovery at four to five months, which would mean he won’t return to training until at least mid-April and as late as mid-May. If his rehab goes well, and factoring in about a month of training to regain his full fitness, that would likely mean his availability won’t come until somewhere between the middle of May and the middle of June.
While Oscar Pareja has been starting Ramiro Enrique up top in his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation, McGuire brings size and strength and an ability to occupy center backs that the Argentine can’t replicate. There are times when Enrique’s game is better suited to the opponent, but without McGuire there will be no ability to pivot. Jack Lynn is also under contract, and he can do some of the things McGuire does, but not at the same level.
Without McGuire available for the first half of the season, Orlando City has some options on a replacement. The Lions may opt to draft a striker, start using Luis Muriel in that role more, sign an available free agent, or simply roll with Lynn as the primary backup.
Orlando City
2024 Orlando City Season in Review: Luis Muriel
The Colombian forward started slowly, but showed a lot of promise as he grew into the season.
Orlando City announced the signing of Luis Muriel back on Feb. 15. The Colombian international arrived from Serie A side Atalanta on a three-year deal and slotted in as the team’s third Designated Player alongside Facundo Torres and Martin Ojeda. The club began looking for another striker when it appeared that Duncan McGuire would be on the move to England, and when he stayed, Muriel found himself in a crowded striker depth chart with he, McGuire, Ramiro Enrique, and Jack Lynn all competing for minutes.
The logjam at forward, combined with a late arrival to camp and missing preseason with the team, meant that Muriel took a little time to get going. As a result, he had a fairly worrying start to the season. He settled in after a few months though, and began turning in some much-improved performances off the bench.
Let’s take a look at how Muriel performed during the 2024 season.
Statistical Breakdown
Muriel appeared in 33 regular-season games for the Lions, starting 14 of those and playing a total of 1,582 minutes. He scored five goals and added seven assists, attempting 55 shots and put 17 of them on target. The veteran forward completed 81.3% of his passes, including 37 key passes, two successful crosses, and 22 long balls, while also amassing 43 dribbles. Defensively, he totaled 25 tackles, three interceptions, and seven clearances. He committed 30 fouls, suffered 23, and received two yellow cards.
He also played in three Concacaf Champions Cup matches for Orlando, starting the home match against Cavalry FC and both matches against Tigres, logging 223 minutes. He didn’t score in the competition but provided an assist, attempting four shots and putting two on target. He passed with 82.4% accuracy and played one key pass. On defense, he contributed three clearances. The Colombian forward committed two fouls, drew three on his opponents, and he was not booked.
Muriel made two Leagues Cup appearances — both as a substitute — appearing for 39 minutes in total. He did not provide a goal contribution, although he scored his penalty attempt against Cruz Azul in the postgame shootout after the teams drew. He attempted two off-target shots, passing with 88.9% accuracy, and he did not record any defensive statistics in the competition.
Finally, he appeared as a substitute in all five of OCSC’s postseason games, and logged 89 minutes in the process. While he didn’t record an official goal contribution, he scored on both of his penalty shootout attempts against Kristijan Kahlina in the opening series against Charlotte FC. Muriel attempted six postseason shots, putting one on target, and passing with 79.5% accuracy, including three key passes. He didn’t register any defensive stats. Muriel did not commit a foul and drew five on his opponents and was not booked.
Best Game
There were a couple of candidates for Muriel’s best performance, but I went with Orlando’s 3-2 road win against the Philadelphia Union. The Colombian started that match at striker and played 85 minutes as part of a 3-5-2 alongside Duncan McGuire. The formation was one that was necessitated due to injury as both Rafael Santos and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson were unavailable. The unfamiliar formation didn’t seem to bother Muriel as he opened his Orlando City account in style, cutting onto his left foot in the 41st minute and unleashed a rocket into the top corner.
He followed that up with the eventual game-winner just seconds after halftime. He managed to find a pocket of space in the Union’s back line and Nico Lodeiro’s pass was perfectly weighted to put him in on goal. Muriel used one touch to get the ball out from his feet and his second touch to slide the ball beyond a helpless Oliver Semmle.
His involvement went beyond the two goals though. In addition, he played two key passes, completed a game-high five dribbles, drew two fouls, took three shots (two on target, one off target), completed three long balls, and passed with 85.2% accuracy. On defense, he contributed one tackle and committed one foul, but was not booked.
In the Player Grades piece penned by yours truly, I graded Muriel as an 8.5 out of 10, as he narrowly edged out a superb Nico Lodeiro, who was given an 8.
2024 Final Grade
Our staff here at The Mane Land awarded Muriel a composite grade of 6 out of 10 for his first season wearing purple. It was a difficult start to the season for him, much as it was for most of the team, but he showed some improvement as the season went on and did some good things while being asked to come off the bench.
2025 Outlook
Muriel is under contract through the end of the 2026 season and is on some pretty big money, so barring something very unforeseen he’ll be back next year. He’s a particularly interesting case. His talent and ability is obvious whenever he steps on the field, but we didn’t see a ton of him leading the line in a full-strength team. His vision, passing range, and dribbling ability are among the best on the team, and he probably should have had at least six more assists but was held back by his teammates’ finishing.
There’s no denying that he had a pretty dreadful start to the year, but he quietly morphed into having a pretty fantastic end to the season. The duality of that shows in his final grade for 2024. The main issue is that by the time he started to heat up, Enrique and McGuire were bagging goals, and Oscar Pareja almost always goes with whoever the hot hand is. Going forward, I’d like for the coaching staff to find a way to get him on the field, whether that’s as part of a two-forward system, or he’s slotting in as a no.10, as we often saw him do off the substitutes’ bench. A full off-season will hopefully do him good and help justify the big contract that OCSC gave him.
Previous Season in Review Articles (Date Posted)
Orlando City Signs Defender Kyle Smith through 2025
Orlando City Striker Duncan McGuire Undergoes Shoulder Surgery
2024 Orlando City Season in Review: Luis Muriel
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