Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Nashville SC: Player Grades and Man of the Match
Wednesday was a hell of a day, but we got through it, and part of that is because Orlando City went out and got a 3-1 win at home over Nashville SC. The Lions needed a few minutes to settle into the match but once they figured out what the visitors were all about they controlled the game for the most part.
Nashville SC had been sound defensively entering the game, conceding twice in each of its two Atlanta matches but otherwise allowing only one goal in the team’s other three matches. Last night, the visitors allowed a franchise-high three goals.
Let’s take a look at the individual performances.
Starters
GK, Pedro Gallese, 6 — El Pulpo got caught on the bounce on Nashville’s set piece goal. It was a tricky play but I think he could have been a little better on it. He collided with Abu Danladi early in the game and the play went to video review for a potential penalty but none was given. Aside from that, he passed well (94.1%, 2/3 accuracy on long balls). He made three saves on Nashville’s four shots on target, but none of the three were particularly troublesome.
D, Joao Moutinho, 8 — The Portuguese fullback had an outstanding night, creating the first goal with a nice cutback move right to shed Hany Mukhtar, then he cut back to his left to open a passing lane. Seeing Chris Mueller on the ground, Moutinho kept his cross low, allowing Cash an easier finish. The assist was brilliant, but he also got in behind the defense for a shot on target after winning the ball back with a good hustle play in the 30th minute and continuing his run. The shot was right down the middle, unfortunately. He nearly got in on a similar play just before halftime but the whistle blew when the ball took a deflection and bounced up off his arm. He created two scoring chances, made four dribbles, and drew two free kicks. Defensively, he finished with three tackles and an interception. Joao had an 85.4% passing rate. He could have done a tad better with his long ball accuracy (1/4) but it was an otherwise outstanding night. His yellow card was a necessary professional foul.
D, Robin Jansson, 6 — The beefy Swede was partially culpable on the visitors’ goal, running with Dave Romney but he never jumped, allowing the Nashville center back to get up and nod a set piece delivery home in the 16th minute. This is the second straight game where Jansson has been beaten for a goal on an aerial ball and it’s a worrisome trend, because he’s generally good in the air, as shown by his team-high three aerials won in this match. Aside from that, his play was solid as usual, passing at an 89.7% rate and completing four of six long balls. He had a tackle, an interception, three clearances, and two blocked shots at the defensive end.
D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6.5 — It’s difficult to slot into a game at center back when you’re not seeing a lot of minutes but Schlegel did well stepping in for Antonio Carlos. Danladi made him look bad in the fourth minute to get off a dangerous shot but luckily fired high. One would expect Nashville to try to isolate Schlegel after that point but the visitors weren’t able to do so and the Argentine settled into the match nicely. He was able to range forward and become part of the possession in the attacking half often — tying Moutinho for second-most touches on the team (73) — and made himself a safe outlet when plays broke down. His passing was just 81%, but he spent a lot of time in the offensive half and was 4/9 on long balls. Defensively, he added two tackles, three interceptions, four clearances, and two blocked shots.
D, Ruan, 7 — The speedy Brazilian was an integral part of Orlando’s attack all night and made some good recovery runs to break up potential counters. He was 2/3 on crossing accuracy. His cross in the 12th should have been finished by Daryl Dike, who missed just wide. His cross to Junior Urso in the 72nd also should have been finished but Dike was there to smash home the rebound of the saved header. Ruan was an 84.4% passer, created two scoring chances, and made three interceptions with one tackle and a clearance.
MF, Uri Rosell, 6 — As usual, the Spaniard was the quiet glue in the middle, tying the lines together and switching play from side to side. He anticipated the play well, finishing with three interceptions and a clearance on the night and his 94.7% passing rate was top among Orlando’s starters and he won two aerials.
MF, Sebas Mendez, 5.5 — Mendez’s unnecessary foul set up the set piece on which Nashville scored its only goal. Central midfielders are going to commit fouls, because it goes with the territory, but the young Ecuadorian takes some silly ones in his own half sometimes, and it cost the Lions early. He also didn’t learn from Saturday night’s blind back-heel pass because he tried one in the attacking third just before he was subbed out and it didn’t come close to working. I appreciate the creativity but…come on. He committed three fouls but only made one tackle. His one shot attempt wasn’t close to goal. It sounds like I hated his game but I thought he did well in helping move the ball around where it needed to be all night, passing at a 93.2% clip and provided a lot of assistance in the buildup. He also did well to steer the opposition into his teammates while defending.
MF, Nani, 7 — The captain put in a thorough shift, getting on the ball a game-high 93 times. He took four shots, getting one on target, and created a scoring chance. His shot was a surprisingly powerful one-timer off a Moutinho cross in the 19th minute, which forced a save. His overall passing rate was just 74.2% on a team-high 66 attempts. He made two tackles and won an aerial. He got in a nice cross in the 11th minute intended for Mueller but the defense arrived just in time to poke it out for a corner. He steered the attack and directed his teammates like a maestro all night, pointing out where he wanted them to go, sending 3/5 long balls accurately and sending some dangerous crosses into the area. His crafty pass in the 32nd minute sent Ruan clear down the right side but Mauricio Pereyra took a touch in traffic after receiving Ruan’s cross and the defense shut it down. It was a solid, if unspectacular, night for the captain.
MF, Maurcio Pereyra, 7.5 — The Uruguayan was dangerous all night, providing a primary assist on Daryl Dike’s first goal and getting the hockey assist on Mueller’s, as it was Pereyra who found Moutinho out on the left in the buildup. His passing was excellent, finishing at 89.8%, with four key passes, 2/2 accurate long balls, and 2/3 accurate crosses. He didn’t attempt a shot, and should have hit the aforementioned cross from Ruan with his first touch in the 32nd minute, but he was great otherwise on the night. He also pitched in a tackle and an interception defensively.
MF, Chris Mueller, 7 — Cash is back and helping the offense with both his movement and passing. While he surprisingly didn’t chip in any defensive stats, he was important in possession and in the attack. In addition to his goal, on which he first slipped in the box but then had the presence of mind to lunge for the scoring header on Moutinho’s cross, he added another shot attempt, although it wasn’t on target. He made two key passes, and got a hockey assist on Dike’s first goal, sending Pereyra and the rookie on essentially a 2-v-1 break. He passed at an 84.2% rate and won two aerials. He’ll want to do a bit better with his touch, as he had a team-high five unstable touches and was dispossessed twice.
F, Daryl Dike, 8 (MOTM) — The rookie was dangerous all night, firing a game-high six shots and getting two on goal, both of which went in the net. His hold-up and combination play was good and he continues to occupy center backs to allow room for his wingers, fullbacks, and Pereyra to operate. His 83.3% passing rate is good for a striker (especially a rookie), albeit on only 12 attempts, but he did create a scoring chance as well. He takes his defensive responsibilities seriously, with a tackle and an emphatic clearance on the night. If Dike is only scratching the surface of his abilities, his ceiling may end up being higher than Cyle Larin’s — and all he did was score 43 goals in three seasons. The only real blemishes on his night were a failure to haul in a pass that would have sent him in alone in the seventh minute and a shot off target in the 12th that should have resulted in Orlando’s opening goal.
Substitutes
MF, Junior Urso (66’), 6.5 — The Bear got himself into position for two excellent scoring chances but couldn’t put either of them past Joe Willis. His header off a Ruan cross in the 72nd minute led to Dike’s second goal and he had another opportunity off a corner kick that Willis denied, as Urso hit the target with all three of his shot attempts but couldn’t break through. He passed well (91.3%), won an aerial, and had two interceptions, a tackle, and a clearance in a productive appearance off the bench.
MF, Andres Perea (67’), 5.5 — The 19-year-old came on for Rosell and was decent, but he did get pulled out of position defensively a couple of times when Nashville had some prolonged possession, before Orlando switched to a three-center-backs system late. Once the shape changed, he did a good job of helping the Lions play keep-away. He blocked a shot, completed all 19 of his passes, and played safely (no long ball or cross attempts) as game conditions warranted.
MF, Benji Michel (78’), 5 — After coming on for Pereyra, the second-year pro didn’t get too involved in the action in his 12 minutes plus four added minutes. Michel managed only eight total touches and four passes, but at least he completed all four. Benji registered no shots and no defensive stats, but he did earn one free kick. He nearly got away on a 94th-minute counter but he was pulled down from behind by Alistair Johnston, who was booked.
MF/D, Kamal Miller (85’), N/A — Miller came on for Mueller and slotted in as a bit of a hybrid wingback/fullback as the Lions changed shape to try to get more possession to see out the match. The tactic by Oscar Pareja worked, as Orlando City was able to keep possession for long stretches after the switch, preventing Nashville from getting back into the match. Miller was a contributor to that but it’s difficult to give someone a grade for just five minutes plus stoppage time.
D, Kyle Smith (85’), N/A — Smith came on for Moutinho late as Orlando switched to three at the back (or five at the back, if you prefer to think of it that way). He did well to break up an attack, conceding a corner, but didn’t have enough time to warrant a grade.
That’s how I saw Wednesday night’s performances. Ultimately, Orlando spent most of the match in complete control once the Lions settled in a bit from a bit of a nervy start. Vote for your Man of the Match below and let us know in the comments where you agree/disagree.
Polling Closed
| Player | Votes |
| Nani | 1 |
| Joao Moutinho | 14 |
| Ruan | 0 |
| Mauricio Pereyra | 7 |
| Daryl Dike | 90 |
| Chris Mueller | 0 |
| Other | 1 |
Orlando City
Intelligence Report: Orlando City vs. New York City FC
Get up to speed on the Pigeons ahead of Saturday’s game, courtesy of someone who knows them best.
Happy Friday, everyone. Orlando City got a week of rest after taking care of business against D.C. United at home, and it returns to the purple palace Saturday night to face a New York City FC team with its back against the wall in the race for a playoff place.
A showdown with the Pigeons means I caught up with Matthew Mangam of New York Soccer Journal. As always, he was helpful in getting us up to speed on NYCFC, and we appreciate his help. I also answered some of his questions about Orlando City, so make sure you check them out over at their place!
Talk me through NYCFC’s summer transfer business. Who’s out, who’s in to replace them, and how have they performed?
Matthew Mangam: NYCFC’s summer business wasn’t anything groundbreaking. The club brought in striker Luighi on loan from SE Palmeiras and got back midfielder/defender James Sands, whose loan with St. Pauli ended.
Luighi started off well, bagging four goals in his first seven league appearances. But since then, the 20-year-old is on a five-game drought. To his credit, Luighi started only two of his last five games. As for Sands, this is his third stint at NYCFC, so the versatile 26-year-old was welcomed back with open arms.
The biggest acquisition this summer, though, was Bénie Traoré. The winger joined the club as a Designated Player from FC Basel in Switzerland, but it hasn’t gone well. In 15 league appearances, Traoré has one goal — a penalty kick that hit off the post and went in — and no assists.
The club’s last move that didn’t happen in the summer surprised everyone: adding free agent Matt Miazga. The veteran defender hasn’t made his debut yet, and I’m honestly not sure when he will.
New York City has been a wildly different team since the league restarted after the World Cup. What’s happened to cause the change in form?
MM: I honestly don’t know where to start with this one. There’s so much I could say, but if I did then I’d be here all day. I’ll narrow it down to this: NYCFC can’t play a complete 90 minutes.
NYCFC has conceded six goals in stoppage time this season, is 0-4-12 after falling behind 16 times, and is 4-5-6 at home. So, they can’t hang onto leads — they’ve lost seven points after the 75th minute — they have no come-from-behind wins, and they’re poor at home.
There are other smaller factors, like injuries, individual mistakes from usually solid players (Matt Freese and Sands), and players struggling, but, as I said, it’s a lot.
The playoffs are still in reach, as NYCFC is just two points out of eighth. What needs to happen in order to get above the line and stay there?
MM: Simply put, NYCFC needs to win all four remaining games, or, at the very least, go 3-1-0. Teams around them, like Toronto, Columbus, and Cincinnati, are picking up wins and building separation, so NYCFC is in a do-or-die situation.
Getting Alonso Martínez back and starting again is huge, but you can’t expect him to return from a brutal injury and save the team immediately; it’s not fair. Traoré has to step up and show why the club paid DP money for him — one lone goal that, in my opinion, fortunately went in, and no goals from open play is extremely concerning.
Also, Nico Fernández Mercau hasn’t scored in five matches. He’s getting double- and triple-marked because teams are now well aware of how talented the Argentine is, but he has to find a way back on the scoresheet in this stretch. NYCFC needs him to. So, so badly.
Will any players be unavailable due to injury, suspension, etc.? What is your projected starting lineup and score prediction?
MM: The only players out are the ones with long-term injuries: Keaton Parks, Kai Trewin, Maxi Moralez, Arnau Farnós, and Drew Baiera.
Given that NYCFC needs to win or the season is practically over, I expect Head Coach Pascal Jansen to leave it all out there with his best possible lineup:
Matt Freese; Kevin O’Toole, James Sands, Thiago Martins, Tayvon Gray; Andres Perea, Aiden O’Neill; Hannes Wolf, Nico Fernández Mercau, Agustin Ojeda; Alonso Martínez.
I think Nico Fernández Mercau and Alonso Martínez score, but it won’t be enough, as Antoine Griezmann gets a brace and both teams settle for a 2-2 draw.
Thank you to Matt for his excellent refresher on NYCFC. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 10/23/26
Orlando City prepares for New York City FC, Antoine Griezmann’s impact in Orlando, U.S. will host FIFA Women’s Club World Cup, and more.
Happy Friday, Mane Landers! It’s been a pretty nice week for me, as I was able to watch all of Slow Horses and finish reading Bad Words by Rioghnach Robinson, both of which were brilliant. Attention now turns to this weekend’s soccer, with both Orlando City and the Orlando Pride playing at home over the next couple of days. Let’s get to the links!
Orlando City Prepares for New York City FC
The Lions host New York City FC on Saturday in one of the marquee matchups in MLS as the regular season nears its conclusion. Plenty has changed since Orlando’s 5-0 loss to NYCFC on March 7. The Lions have clawed their way up the table while the Pigeons have only won once in their past 13 league games. NYCFC enters this match after a 1-1 draw with LAFC that included an equalizer by former Lion Andres Perea to give the team a valuable point amid the playoff race. Nicolas Fernandez Mercau, Luighi, and Benie Traore are all NYCFC players the Lions will need to keep in check, or else it could end up being another high-scoring affair in the City Beautiful.
Antoine Griezmann’s Impact on Orlando’s Offense
Orlando’s wait for Antoine Griezmann to join in the summer has proven to be well worth it, as he’s transformed Orlando’s attack into a force to be reckoned with just as the playoffs near. Although Griezmann wasn’t able to enjoy a fairytale ending with Atletico Madrid by lifting the Copa del Rey or Champions League trophies this year, he’s breathed life into an Orlando side that struggled mightily prior to his arrival. The 35-year-old has recorded 12 goals and seven assists in just 14 appearances this season. Not only has he excelled when it comes to getting the ball in the net, but he’s done well in terms of defensive metrics and intangibles as well.
U.S. Will Host Women’s Club World Cup
The inaugural FIFA Women’s Club World Cup will be held in the U.S. in January of 2028 with the host cities still to be determined. There will be 19 clubs taking part, with Gotham, Arsenal, Barcelona, and Club America having already qualified along with three other teams so far. This tournament is sandwiched between the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil and the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, so there’s plenty of exciting women’s soccer to look forward to in the coming years.
U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team Wins at World Cup
The United States U-17 Women’s National Team won 6-1 against Kenya in the group stage of the FIA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, clinching a spot in the round of 16. Maggie DiMaria scored four goals to bring her total to 10 across just two games. The U.S. will play its final group game on Sunday against China PR, which also won both of its games against Kenya and Samoa to secure a spot in the knockout stage. The winner of this group will get to avoid a match with Spain in the round of 16, so there’s still plenty to play for before the next round gets underway.
Free Kicks
- The first leg of the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal between the United States Men’s National Team and Haiti has been moved from Kingston to Miami. Haiti has had to play games outside of the country due to unrest and submitted a request to Concacaf to play in the country of its opponent.
- American center back Naomi Girma is now dealing with a calf injury that may sideline her for a few weeks according to Chelsea Head Coach Sonia Bompastor. She missed out on the team’s recent friendlies against Spain and may be absent for the Concacaf W Championship quarterfinal against El Salvador next month too.
- The United States Women’s Cerebral Palsy National Team beat Ireland 15-0 to advance to the IFCPF Women’s World Cup final, which takes place today against Australia. Annie Wickett scored five goals with four other players scoring braces.
- The San Diego Wave signed defender Mimi Van Zanten to a contract extension through the 2029 season. She’s made 27 appearances for San Diego during her rookie season, helping the club keep pace in the NWSL Shield race.
- After being stretchered off the field due to a head injury in the U.S. Open Cup final, St. Louis City goalkeeper Roman Burki is alert and in good spirits, according to the club.
That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!
Orlando City
Orlando’s October Outburst Originated Months Ago
Orlando City’s October offensive surge may look like a recent development, but the Lions have been scoring at an impressive rate for months.
We do not watch nearly enough Sesame Street in my house, but ever since the summer we say that A is for Antoine when the show discusses the alphabet. Sadly, this replaced A is for Andrew, which is my name, because Antoine Griezmann is more popular than me in my house. I cannot say that I am surprised, but I can say that it hurts just a little bit. More than a little bit.
For the past few years, O has been for Ojeda, as in Martín Ojeda, the man who is now Orlando City’s all-time leading goal scorer. This October, however, O is for offense, as the Lions have scored 10 goals during their three October matches, and that tally leads all of MLS this month. Orlando City’s offense has actually been on point for several months now, as you can see from the chart below (MLS games only):
| Month | Goals Scored | Games Played | Goals per Game |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| March | 4 | 4 | 1.0 |
| April | 7 | 5 | 1.4 |
| May | 11 | 5 | 2.2 |
| July* | 5 | 2 | 2.5 |
| August | 9 | 5 | 1.8 |
| September | 11 | 5 | 2.2 |
| October | 10 | 3 | 3.3 |
| Total | 58 | 30 | 1.9 |
- *There were no games in June due to the FIFA Men’s World Cup
Griezmann arrived for the July games, but even before that, the offense had started to heat up in May. Although May 1 is an arbitrary date, if we use it as a benchmark it allows us to capture two-thirds of Orlando City’s season, as the first 10 games happened before May and the team has now played 30 in total. Since May, the Lions rank fourth in MLS in goals scored with 46, sitting behind only Miami (54), Philadelphia (52), and St. Louis (47).
In a matter of perfect symmetry, the Lions also rank fourth in goals allowed, and by rank fourth I most certainly do not mean they are among the best defensive teams in the league. Orlando City has allowed 41 goals in the last 20 games, which is an average of more than two goals allowed per game but is also fewer than the 46 the team has scored. I know you already did the math in your head, but 46 – 41 = 5, and that +5 goal differential since May puts the Lions at eighth overall in MLS.
Perhaps we are now in the Inception timeline, because in yet another matter of symmetry Orlando City has also earned the eighth-most points (34) since May 1. This is yet another reminder of how poor of a start the club had this season, with seven losses in those first 10 games.
Since then, however, the 2026 team has performed like the teams of the past few years, but even with a top 10 performance for two-thirds of the season, it has not been able to climb above seventh in the Eastern Conference. This is because four of the five best teams since May are in the same conference, and the ninth and 10th hottest teams, right behind Orlando City, are also in the East. For those of you counting, hopefully in a voice like The Count’s (“Ah, ah,ah!”), that makes seven of the top 10 Eastern teams, so it is no wonder that the Lions are still in a precarious playoff position.
Saturday’s game against New York City FC is, on paper, the easiest of the remaining four games, but then again, the Pigeons did dirty pigeon things all over the Lions in the first matchup, winning that game 5-0. A repeat performance would wipe away the +5 goal differential Orlando has since May, but in addition to the fact that this game will be played on an actual soccer field, there is another pretty major difference between the early season Lions and the current Lions: Griezmann.
The French superstar is up to 12 goals scored and six primary assists (to go with one secondary assist in only 14 MLS games, which is wild), and he and Ojeda make up one of only seven tandems in the league in which both players have at least 12 goals each (Ojeda has 15). Only three tandems have at least 13 goals each (Miami’s Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez, Cincinnati’s Kévin Denkey and Evander, and Nashville’s Sam Surridge and Hany Mukhtar), and with another goal from Griezmann, the two Lions would become the second pair in club history to each score at least 13 goals in a season, joining Facundo Torres and Duncan McGuire in 2023.
Marco Pašalić scored in the most recent game, and both Iván Angulo and Justin Ellis have recorded double-digit goal contributions, so let’s hope the team’s recent offensive onslaught continues, because with all the injuries on the back line and some difficult opponents coming up on the schedule, the Lions will likely need to put up multiple goals if they are going to get results and qualify for the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season.
And considering how poor the start to the season was, if they can orchestrate that it would be outstanding. Let’s gooooooooo.
Vamos Orlando!
Intelligence Report: Orlando City vs. New York City FC
Lion Links: 10/23/26
Orlando’s October Outburst Originated Months Ago
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