Orlando City
Orlando City at Inter Miami: Player Grades and Man of the Match
Orlando City SC saw its 12-match undefeated run come to an end at the hands of in-state rivals Inter Miami CF on Saturday with the South Florida-based side winning 2-1 at Inter Miami CF stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
Already guaranteed a spot in the playoffs, the Lions had an overall flat performance and after scoring an early goal with Daryl Dike saw their opponents come from behind to take all three points after an own goal off Orlando defender Robin Jansson and a late game-winning header by Inter Miami center back Leandro Gonzalez Pirez.
Here’s how each player performed.
Starters
GK, Pedro Gallese, 5.5 — The Peruvian returned to the lineup after missing three matches due to international duty and picked up right where he left off with a strong performance that denied some Miami goal-scoring opportunities. There was nothing he could have done to avoid Jansson’s own goal and on the second one, while it’s true he could have left the post to try to intercept the cross, it’s uncertain he would make it, considering the number of players between him and the ball.
D, Kyle Smith, 5.5 — The fullback played a decent match opposite his preferred right side. If on offense Smith looked at times uncomfortable pushing forward and getting to the end line, he was steady on defense with four clearances and controlled most of Inter Miami’s attempts from his side.
D, Robin Jansson, 4 — The Swedish defender was somewhat unlucky, but is also partially at fault for Inter Miami’s first goal as his action to clear Blaise Matuidi’s shot was unsuccessful as the wet ball pinged around the area. His performance didn’t really stand out but he managed three blocks.
D, Antonio Carlos, 6 (MotM) — The Brazilian played a key role in Orlando’s goal by feeding Dike with a great long pass that moved the ball forward more than 50 yards. He was solid for most of the match, especially in the air, registering impressive nine clearances, but wasn’t able to avoid Miami’s game-winning goal, as he was left to defend two players.
D, Ruan, 5 — The right back was as offensive-minded as usual, frequently pushing forward and managing to create dangerous situations with his runs on a couple of occasions and had a team-high five crosses, although none of them found an Orlando player at the end. His defensive game wasn’t solid, though, most notably when lost Julian Carranza inside the penalty box in the second half and left the Argentinean to hit the crossbar with a header.
MF, Sebas Méndez, 5.5 — Also returning from international play, the Ecuadoran brought some dynamism to Orlando’s midfield. He played in a more advanced role than usual at times moving ahead of Junior Urso and Andres Perea, Méndez wasn’t as active defensively, registering a single tackle in the entire match, but mostly took good care of the ball, though he did have a couple of dangerous turnovers and touches in his own end. He connected on 92.6% of his 27 passes.
MF, Junior Urso, 6 — The Brazilian performed his two-way role in his typically efficient fashion, impacting the game on both sides of the ball. The Brazilian led the team in tackles, with five, and passing accuracy, connecting 94.4% of his 36 attempts. On the low side were an unnecessary yellow card for dissent and his part in the defensive confusion on Miami’s second goal.
MF, Chris Mueller, 5 — Cash had an unusual yet relatively efficient performance, being more impactful on defense than offense. The winger was active on the defensive end with three tackles, two interceptions, and three clearances — one of them a pivotal one near the end of the first half on a corner kick that was on its way to finding Rodolfo Pizarro on the far post. He only registered one shot, though and wasn’t tidy with the ball at his feet.
MF, Andrés Perea, 4.5 — The Colombian covered a lot of ground in the center of the field, but again didn’t get to produce at a high level. He passed the ball at a good 84.4% rate, but didn’t create much out of it and his defensive game was unreliable with four fouls.
MF, Nani, 5.5 — The Portuguese had one of his weakest performance in recent weeks, not seeing a lot of the ball and struggling to be dangerous outside of dead-ball situations. His production improved near the end, when the Lions had more of the ball, and he finished the match with a team-high three shots.
F, Daryl Dike, 6 — The striker used two of his main assets — his physical strength and his composure — to score Orlando’s goal after he outmuscled Nicolas Figal to get control of a long pass and clinically finish it. He wasn’t much involved outside of that play and failed to connect what could be a dangerous pass inside the box during the second half.
Substitutes
F, Tesho Akindele (58’), 5 — The forward came in for Méndez in an attempt for Orlando to regain the control of the match and his best play came near the end of the match, when he made a run from the left and had his shot deflected by an Inter Miami defender.
F, Benji Michel (76’), 4 —The second-year player returned from injury and replaced Mueller with 15 minutes to go and slotted on the right side, but like the starter couldn’t find ways to produce much offensively outside from a good run inside the penalty box in which he won a corner kick for the Lions. Soon after, however, he missed an incredible scoring opportunity with goalkeeper John McCarthy on the ground.
MF, Joey Dezart (76’), N/A — The rookie midfielder subbed on for Dike near the end of the match and didn’t do much offensively or defensively during the 15 minutes he was on the field.
F, Matheus Aias (92’), N/A — The Brazilian forward entered the match in stoppage time to make his MLS debut, but he wasn’t on long enough to do much of anything.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
That’s the way I saw it. Let us know what you thought in the comments and vote for your Man of the Match.
Polling Closed
| Player | Votes |
| Mauricio Pereyra | 127 |
| Chris Mueller | 6 |
| Andres Perea | 3 |
| Kyle Smith | 24 |
| Antonio Carlos | 5 |
| Tesho Akindele | 0 |
| Other (write in comments) | 2 |
Lion Links
Lion Links: 10/7/26
Orlando City players on international duty, the Pride hire some coaches, the USMNT defeats Canada, and more.
Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. What an international break it was for the USMNT, going undefeated in four matches by defeating Peru, Chile, Mexico, and Canada. The Yanks outscored their opponents 12-3 across the four matches, with Orlando City’s Justin Ellis scoring two goals in his two starts. There’s plenty to digest today, so let’s get to the links.
Orlando City Players on International Duty
Several Orlando City players were on international duty on Tuesday, including Ellis for the USMNT. He scored a goal against Canada (see below) but also picked up a knock that saw him limping for all too long and forcing him off at halftime. Hopefully, he will be able to go this weekend for Orlando City. Marco Pasalic did not get any minutes for Croatia in the team’s 2-1 loss to Spain. Meanwhile, David Brekalo got the start and played the entire match for Slovenia in a 2-1 win over Scotland.
Orlando Pride Add to Coaching Staff
The Orlando Pride hired Mykell Bates and Lewis Amos as assistant coaches and Brian Periman as goalkeeper coach. The trio joins interim head coach Yolanda Thomas’s coaching staff, and the timing of these hires is interesting, given there are only three matches remaining in the season and there’s been no indication that the interim tag is being removed from Thomas. These hirings raise a lot of questions, like, are these short term signings through the end of the season? If not, do they indicate Thomas will be given the permanent position, or are have they been hired knowing there is another head coaching announcement coming?
USMNT Defeats Canada
If you thought a match between the U.S. and Canada wouldn’t be very Concacaf-y, you’d be wrong. So many non-calls, lots of chippiness, and a few injuries proved otherwise. Fortunately, the USMNT was able to see out a 1-0 victory following a goal from Orlando City’s Ellis that gave the Yanks the lead in the 29th minute.
Oh, what could have been if Alex Freeman stayed in Orlando. The win capped a successful run for the start of Maurcio Pochettino’s new contract. We also saw a ton of younger players across the four matches, including three appearances from Ellis.
USWNT to Face Spain
The USMNT is done for the moment, but now we get to see how the USWNT does in a pair of friendlies against reigning FIFA Women’s World Cup champion Spain. NWSL Golden Boot leader Ashley Sanchez is getting back up to speed with the team after she was called up for the pair of friendlies. As was previously reported, Naomi Girma is out due to injury, but Emma Hayes intends to work with Chelsea to manage her recovery. A new camp means opportunities for different players, so which players’ stock is up or down?
Free Kicks
- The Orlando Pride’s 12th-place spot in SI.com’s power rankings seems to be fair to me. I’m looking forward to the rebuild.
- Here is the information on when the seven Orlando Pride players who were called up will be playing for their respective national teams.
- UCF’s soccer teams unveiled new ‘“‘Fright Mode’ kits. I like the prominent “Orlando” across the chest.
- Gianni Infantino is traveling around the world, trying to garner enough support to win the votes needed to stay in power as the president of FIFA. He currently has 87 endorsements, though 49 other federations have come out in opposition to Infantino.
That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the Orlando City match on Saturday. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 10/6/26
International call-ups for Pride players, scouting report on Canada, roster changes for the USWNT, and more.
Good morning, everyone. The end of the men’s international break is almost upon us, but the women’s break will immediately follow. That means that Orlando City will return to play on Saturday, while the Orlando Pride will have some time off before their next game. We’ve got plenty to talk about this morning, so let’s get into the links.
Orlando Pride International Call-Ups
Three more Orlando Pride players have been called to represent their nations during the October international window, joining Oihane, who will be with Spain for its matches against the USWNT. First up is Barbra Banda, who will represent Zambia in the team’s Olympic qualifying games against Uganda.
Then there’s Jacquie Ovalle and Solai Washington, who will be facing off against each other in back-to-back games. Ovalle has been called up for Mexico, while Washington will represent Jamaica.
At the U-23 level, Ally Lemos will be with the U.S. and Sanne Lekven will be with Norway during this window.
Scouting Canada
The United States Men’s National Team will play its final game of the October international window when it takes on Canada tonight in Saint Paul, MN. Jesse Marsch’s current roster has a number of notable absences, including Alphonso Davies, Jayden Nelson, Alistair Johnson, and Ismael Kone; while Derek Cornelius, Jeevan Badwal, and Alfie Jones left the team during the break because of injuries. Canada typically sets up in a 4-4-2 and will employ a high press paired with a vertical style of play that aims to win the ball and then quickly get it forward to the team’s dangerous attackers. Jonathan David and Tany Oluwaseyi provide that danger up front, while Stephen Eustaquio runs things in the middle, and Richie Laryea provides danger up and down the left flank.
United States Women’s National Team Roster Tweaks
The United States Women’s National Team has made a pair of changes to the squad that will take on Spain in a pair of friendlies this month. Utah Royals defender Kate Del Fava has been named as the replacement for the injured Naomi Girma, after it was announced last week that the center back would be unavailable for this window. Del Fava was going to be one of the overage players at the USWNT U-23 training camp also taking place this month, but now has an opportunity to make her first appearance for the senior side. Additionally, midfielder Jaelin Howell will replace Sam Coffey, after the latter was injured during Manchester City’s win over the weekend. Howell has made six appearances for the USWNT, with the most recent one coming in a 2-0 victory over Italy during the team’s final game of 2025.
UEFA Nations League Roundup
Monday marked the penultimate round of UEFA Nations League play during the current international window, and we were treated to some doozies. The highlight of the day was a five-goal thriller that saw France score four goals in the final 15 minutes to overturn a one goal deficit and beat Belgium 4-1 at the Stade de France. Italy knocked off Turkiye 3-1 to climb to second place in Group A1, while the result sees Turkiye remain winless and anchored to the bottom of the table. Finally, Ukraine looked to have rescued a point with Roman Yaremchuk’s 83rd-minute goal, only for Mark Csinger to bag a winner for Hungary just two minutes later. The 2-1 result means Hungary is second in Group B2 with seven points, while Ukraine is third with four points.
Free Kicks
- The Pride dropped three spots to no.13 in ESPN.com’s NWSL power rankings.
- Alex Freeman flexed his pipes and sang Happy Birthday to USMNT coach Jesus Perez during Monday’s training session.
- We now know the key dates for the 2026-2027 season of MLS NEXT.
- Check out this list of some of the 2026-2027 season’s most eye-catching kits (for better or worse).
That’s all I’ve got for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 10/5/26
Pride fall to San Diego Wave, Tyrese Spicer has successful foot surgery, USMNT beats Mexico, and more.
Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been busy at work covering high school soccer and flag football throughout the week. We only had the Pride in action over the weekend, but we’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.
Pride Fall to San Diego Wave at Home
The Orlando Pride fell 2-1 to the San Diego Wave on Friday at Inter.co Stadium in the latest in a series of games that they had to have. Orlando trailed 2-0 in the first half, conceding twice on defensive errors. In the second half, Barbra Banda pulled the Pride within one after she buried a penalty kick that she won herself. However, it wasn’t enough, as Orlando couldn’t find a late equalizer and San Diego took all three points. The Pride are off this weekend due to the international break but will return to action on Oct. 18 to face the Houston Dash on the road.
Tyrese Spicer Has Successful Foot Surgery
Orlando City forward Tyrese Spicer underwent successful foot surgery to repair a Jones fracture in his right foot, the club announced on Friday. Spicer had suffered the injury while away on international duty with Trinidad & Tobago in a Concacaf Nations League match against Haiti on Sept. 24. We at The Mane Land wish Spicer a speedy recovery, but his 2026 MLS season is likely over.
USMNT Shuts Out Mexico in Friendly
The U.S. Men’s National Team defeated Mexico 3-0 on Saturday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ. Orlando City forward Justin Ellis came off the bench to make his second USMNT appearance in the second half, playing 25 minutes. Former Lion Alex Freeman started and played 90 minutes. Julian Hall scored the opener in the first half for the Yanks. In the second half, Cavan Sullivan doubled the Americans’ lead to become the USMNT’s youngest scorer in team history just four days after Mathis Albert set that mark with his goal against Chile on Tuesday. Malik Tillman added the final goal as the Yanks have won three consecutive matches during the international break. The USMNT will close out this round of friendlies on Tuesday, taking on Canada at Allianz Field in Saint Paul, MN.
Other Lions on International Duty
Multiple Orlando City players represented their national teams over the weekend during the international break. Forward Marco Pasalic was on the bench but did not play for Croatia in a 7-0 defeat to England in a UEFA Nations League match on Saturday. Croatia will face Spain on Tuesday. Lions defender David Brekalo was on the bench but came on after halftime and played 45 minutes for Slovenia in a 2-1 defeat to Switzerland in the UEFA Nations League. Slovenia will take on Scotland on Tuesday. Midfielder Wilder Cartagena started and played 45 minutes for Peru, while former Lion Yoshimar Yotun was also in action in a 2-0 loss to Canada in a friendly. Peru will play Colombia on Tuesday in another friendly match.
Free Kicks
- Orlando City forward Yutaro Tsukada, who is on loan at Rhode Island FC, notched another assist over the weekend in a 3-1 win against Brooklyn FC in the USL Championship.
- Check out this piece on the Orlando City website featuring Head of Player Care Pedro Cox and Team Administrator Danny Quesada, who help welcome new players and their families, get acquainted with the club, ensure their needs are met, and thrive off the field.
- The Lions were at Osceola Heritage Park on Saturday and spent time with the Orlando City U-12 squad during training.
- Arsenal will reportedly not move forward with plans to expand the Emirates Stadium beyond its current capacity and will instead focus on improving hospitality, retail, and the fan matchday experience.
That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.
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