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

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5 years ago

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Orlando City’s win streak ended on Wednesday night, as the Lions tied Nashville SC on the road, 1-1. Benji Michel had a rocket of a goal in the first half, and then Randall Leal leveled it at the start of the second half. Orlando had the bulk of possession but was unable to use it to create good chances on net.

Here’s how each player fared individually:

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6.5 — He perhaps could have done better on Nashville’s goal, but it was a good goal nonetheless at a very close range. He made three saves, all of which were pretty straightforward. Gallese did not have to make any spectacular saves, but put in a decent shift.

D, Kamal Miller, 6 — Leal ran right by him on Nashville’s goal. Miller did well in the first half but was a little slow to start the second and got beat. He had one interception and one clearance. On the attacking end, Miller had the most passes in the game (88), and his 94.3% accuracy is fifth-best from both teams, but the left side was lacking its usual threat without Joao Moutinho.

D, Robin Jansson, 6.5 — The Swede came out hard, trying to win the ball to start the second half. After he missed the ball, Nashville was able to use the space left by Jansson to score. There’s not much Jansson could have done, as that is a move he is expected to make and not give up space in the middle of the field. He did not have much to do, and his one chance to really make a difference was Nashville’s goal. His passing was excellent (98.3%) and he contributed one clearance, 3/3 long ball accuracy, and won a corner.

D, Antonio Carlos, 7 — Carlos made an excellent interception in the 43rd minute to deny Nashville from completing a dangerous cross. He made another good spot in the 83rd minute to steal the ball, falling to the ground. Similar to Jansson, he was not called into action much. However, he was Orlando’s best defender on the night. He made four clearances and two interceptions and was 88% accurate on 67 passes.

D, Ruan, 6 — Ruan was not his usual self, and it was one of his quieter games that he’s had this season. He did send in eight crosses — second-most on Orlando — but had no defensive stats. Ruan did not make any significant errors, but he could have provided Orlando with a little more on the attacking end.

MF, Junior Urso, 7 — Urso must go to bed and dream about scoring on Joe Willis. For the second time in as many games against Nashville, the ‘keeper has come up with huge saves against Urso. This time it would have been the game-winner late in the match, but Willis came out on the better end. It was another strong performance from Urso, who helped to control the middle of the field.

MF, Uri Rosell, 7 – Uri did well in the first half. He was a focal point in the Lions’ buildup and finished with 35 passes and one key pass. He did not venture forward often. Defensively, he made three interceptions.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 7 — Pereyra was awarded an assist on the match’s first goal, chipping a Ruan throw-in over Dax McCarty for Michel to run onto and launch a terrific shot. That was his third assist of the year, all against Nashville. He finished with one key pass and 89% passing accuracy on 28 passes. He took one shot at the tail end of the first half that just sailed over the bar.

MF, Robinho, 4 — Robinho was mostly ineffective. He had no shots in 52 minutes. He did send in three crosses and had a 90.9% accuracy on 22 passes and contributed two tackles. Overall, it was disappointing for a player making his first appearance this season. He made way for Mueller in the 52nd minute, and Mueller finished the match with more successful passes, more key passes, and more crosses than the starter. 

MF, Benji Michel, 7.5 (MotM) — It was a quiet start to the match. Orlando was dominating possession, but nothing much happened until the Homegrown product put a banger into the upper 90 to open the scoring. That was Michel’s second goal — first in MLS play — of the season. He had a perfect chance to earn a brace in the 70th minute. Tesho Akindele back-heeled a ball in the box to him, but Michel took too much time, and Nashville cleared the ball. He was active on the defensive side of the ball. He finished with two tackles, two clearances, and one interception.

F, Daryl Dike, 5 — The rookie had a lot of hype surrounding him after an impressive performance against Atlanta. He was not able to keep that up on Wednesday. He did well off the ball and was physical but did not have much of an impact. He had no shots, which is obviously less than ideal for a striker, and managed just 16 total touches.

Substitutes

MF, Chris Mueller (52’), 6.5 — Mueller immediately took the corners after entering. He slipped on the first one, but the rest were pretty good and were sent into a dangerous spot. Unfortunately, no Lion got on the end of them. He was sloppy in possession, even though he got into promising positions. He had an impressive 95% passing accuracy on 21 attempts.

MF, Andres Perea (52’), 6 — Perea was quiet and had little effect in the time that he spent on the field. It just seemed like he never really got fully into the match. As a midfielder playing almost 40 minutes, that is obviously not a great sign, but he helped the Lions maintain possession and build the attack.

F, Tesho Akindele (53’), 6 — In the 70th minute, Akindele made a great run onto the ball and back-heeled it to Michel. It was an excellent no-look pass that Michel should have done better with. Tesho finished with two key passes but no shots.

MF, Sebas Mendez (60’), 7 — Mendez had 47 passes in just over 30 minutes. Since he came on, just about everything from Orlando went through him. He lost the ball a few times but was able to fight to win it back.

D, Kyle Smith (72’), 7 — His first touches in the match got him into an attacking position and a shot on goal. It was a difficult look, but he got into the dangerous spot. He put in a great cross in the 84th minute, but Joe Willis came up with a better save to deny Urso. He finished without any defensive stats but was deployed as a left wing back. He had two crosses, which were both dangerous. It seemed odd to take out a forward — Michel — for Smith, but it turned out to be an excellent substitute and shape change from Oscar Pareja.

That’s the way I saw things in the Lions’ first win over Atlanta. Be sure to vote in the poll below for your pick for Man of the Match and if you have some disagreements, let me hear it in the comments section below.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Benji Michel20
Junior Urso8
Antonio Carlos7
Mauricio Pereyra 8
Other2

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/26/25

Orlando City rises in MLS power rankings, Emily Sams called up, Orlando City B faces Crown Legacy FC tonight, and more.

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2 hours ago

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March 26, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve been spending the week reading and eating my way through a pork shoulder after making way too much of it in my slow cooker this weekend. It wasn’t as tender as I was shooting for, but it’ll take some time before I can take another crack at it. But enough about that, let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Orlando City Rises in MLS Power Rankings

The league’s latest power rankings are out and Orlando City has moved up two spots to 14th after its 4-1 victory over D.C. United. Orlando’s Designated Players are firing on all cylinders and no MLS team has scored more goals this year. The breakout of 20-year-old defender Alex Freeman, who was noted as one of the top young performers from this past weekend, is also worth recognition. The Lions have been in need of a young player to step up, and Freeman has done well so far. Orlando will be back in action on Saturday for a road match against an LA Galaxy side still searching for its first win of the season.

Emily Sams Called Up For USWNT Friendlies

Orlando Pride defender Emily Sams was one of 24 players called up by United States Women’s National Team Head Coach Emma Hayes for the training camp prior to friendlies against Brazil next month. Forward Trinity Rodman, who hasn’t played for the U.S. since the Olympics, is back in the mix after missing time due to injury. Houston Dash defender Avery Patterson and Manchester United goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce are other interesting players to keep an eye on. The U.S. will take on Brazil April 5 at SoFi Stadium before a rematch on April 8 at PayPal Park.

OCB Plays Crown Legacy FC Tonight

The Young Lions are back in action tonight for a road match against Crown Legacy FC at 7 p.m. It’s OCB’s first away match of the season after a pair of solid results at Osceola Heritage Park to start the season. Orlando will take on a Crown Legacy team that’s only played one game so far this season, losing a shootout to New York City FC II after a 1-1 draw back on March 7. Following tonight’s match, OCB will get some time off before taking on Chattanooga FC in Tennessee on April 5.

Takeaway From USMNT Defeats

After losing both Concacaf Nations League matches, there is plenty of concern surrounding the United States Men’s National Team as it prepares for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Fullback Joe Scally struggled in both matches, putting more of an emphasis on Antonee Robinson and Sergino Dest being ready to roll next summer. Weston McKennie lost duels left and right and there are some real questions regarding where he fits in Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino’s system. There were bright spots as well though. Diego Luna and Patrick Agyemang likely boosted their stock after solid offensive efforts, and Tanner Tessmann was effective in his time on the field. Overall, the Yanks will have to be better in this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup.

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That’s all I have for you all this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday. Go Young Lions!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/25/25

Lions earn plaudits, Marco Pasalic up for Goal of the Week, Kylie Nadaner’s performance honored, and more.

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1 day ago

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March 25, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Tuesday, everyone! It was a great weekend for Orlando soccer as the two teams that were in action each picked up wins for a six-point weekend. It was done in exciting fashion too, as Orlando City and the Orlando Pride combined to score six goals between them. With a little luck, we’ll get to enjoy some similar results this coming weekend. We’ve got a lot to discuss this morning though, so let’s talk through today’s links.

Lions’ Performances Earn Plaudits

Orlando City blew D.C. United away 4-1 on Saturday, and some of the key performers from the win have been rewarded with places in the MLS Team of the Matchday. Martin Ojeda and Alex Freeman are named to the starting XI while Luis Muriel slots in on the bench to ensure the squad has a decidedly purple tint. Ojeda tallied a goal and two assists in a Man of the Match performance, Freeman did his best to match him with a goal and an assist of his own, and Muriel made his own impact by scoring the opening goal and logging a secondary assist. Here’s hoping they keep up the good work!

Marco Pasalic Up for Weekly Honors

Marco Pasalic was the only goal scorer from Saturday’s win to not be included in the MLS Team of the Matchday, but instead he finds himself nominated for the MLS Goal of the Matchday. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you which strike I’m talking about, but in case you’ve been living under a rock for the last several days, the Croatian did this to score Orlando’s fourth goal of the win.

Between the fluid buildup and the beauty of the strike itself, if this doesn’t win Goal of the Week then we live in a world without justice. Make sure you go vote!

Pride’s Kylie Nadaner Earns Recognition

The Orlando Pride beat NJ/NY Gotham FC 2-0 on the road on Sunday, and center back Kylie Nadaner has been nominated for the NWSL Player of the Week due to her contributions in the match. Nadaner got the start at center back and helped the Pride keep a clean sheet — marking the first time the club has ever begun a season with back-to-back shutouts. While it wasn’t the Pride’s cleanest defensive performance, Nadaner and her fellow defenders mostly did a good job at preventing any truly dangerous chances, and in the end Orlando picked up three good points away from home.

U.S. Women Announce Three Matches

The United States Women’s National Team has announced three friendlies that will take place during the summer, with two occurring in June and the other in early July. The first two will be against Ireland in Colorado on June 26 and again against the Irish on June 29 in Cincinnati. The last match will be held on July 2 with an opponent and location for the game to be announced at a later date. It will be the first meeting between the U.S. and Ireland since April 2023, when the sides met in a pair of matches during the buildup to the 2023 Women’s World Cup. The USWNT won both of those matches and will try to replicate the feat in a few months.

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  • Barba Banda had hateful language directed towards her during Sunday’s game, and the NWSL, Pride, and Gotham FC have all come out with strong responses.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/24/25

Lions and Pride win, USMNT falls to Canada, UEFA Nations League quarterfinals recap, and more.

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2 days ago

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March 24, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve had a very busy week, finishing my orientation and ballpark training to return to working ballgames and concerts at Wrigley Field for the Chicago Cubs. Our Lions and Pride won while OCB was off this weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Beats D.C. United at Home

Orlando City defeated D.C. United 4-1 on Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium in a dominating performance. Luis Muriel, Martin Ojeda, Alex Freeman, and Marco Pasalic all scored for the Lions as they raced out to a 4-0 lead. You’ve no doubt heard this a lot since Saturday, but it was the first time in club history that all three Designated Players for Orlando scored a goal in the same match. Also, Freeman became the second-youngest player in club history to score a goal and add an assist in the same match. The youngest was Daryl Dike.

D.C. United pulled one back in stoppage time, but the Lions claimed the three points. Goalkeeper Javier Otero made his first MLS start while Pedro Gallese was away on international duty with Peru, and despite not getting a shutout, he made six saves. Orlando City will be on the road for its next match Saturday, facing the LA Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park.

Orlando Pride Shut Out NJ/NY Gotham FC on the Road

The Orlando Pride defeated NJ/NY Gotham FC 2-0 Sunday at Sports Illustrated Stadium to get back-to-back wins to start the season. The Pride were the fortunate recipients of an own goal from Gotham defender Lilly Reale to take an early lead in the first half. Angelina’s crafty cutback drew a penalty just before halftime, and Marta converted it from the spot to extend Orlando’s lead to two goals just before halftime. The Pride held on to earn the shutout to secure their first road win of the season. The Pride return home to Inter&Co Stadium on Saturday to take on San Diego Wave FC.

USMNT Falls to Canada in Nations League Third-Place Match

On Sunday, the U.S. Men’s National Team fell 2-1 to Canada at SoFi Stadium in the third-place match in the Concacaf Nations League. It’s the second consecutive loss for the USMNT after dropping a 1-0 decision to Panama in the semifinals last week. The Yanks finish fourth in the tournament after winning the first three editions. Canada struck first before Patrick Agyemang scored the equalizer for the USMNT just before halftime. Jonathan David scored the winning goal in the second half to seal the win for Canada. The USMNT has lost consecutive matches to Canada for the first time since 1985. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup just 14 months away, things don’t look good at the moment for the United States men. The next pair of matches are friendlies against Turkey on June 7 and Switzerland on June 10.

UEFA Nations League Quarterfinals Recap

There was plenty of drama Sunday in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Nations League. France overturned a 2-0 deficit in the first leg and defeated Croatia 5-4 on penalties after a 2-0 win in the second leg to advance. Spain also defeated the Netherlands 5-4 on penalties to advance after the second leg ended in a 3-3 draw and level 5-5 on aggregate. Germany blew a three-goal lead in the second leg against Italy to end the match in a 3-3 draw but won 5-4 on aggregate to move on to the semifinals. Portugal needed extra time against Denmark after being tied 3-3 on aggregate in the second leg. Francisco Trincao scored his second goal of the match, and Goncalo Ramos added another in extra time to help Portugal win 5-3 on aggregate after a 5-2 win in the second leg. The semifinals are set as Portugal faces Germany on June 4 while Spain takes on France on June 5.

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

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