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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Atlanta United: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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4 years ago

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Orlando City returned to its winning ways last night with a 4-1 victory against Atlanta United. It was the Lions’ first win at home over their rivals and there was some added sweetness as the result all but eliminated Atlanta from playoff contention.

Rookie Daryl Dike was a force in the match, with both a goal and an assist, and Chris Mueller scored a beauty off a free kick for his ninth of the regular season. Here’s how all of the Lions rated in the big win, as well as who was crowned Man of the Match.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6 — The Peruvian looked right at home for most of the match in his first game in Exploria Stadium since Oct. 3. Gallese came up with a full-stretch save in the third minute of the match as Atlanta put the pressure on early. Before the end of the first half, he showed discomfort after landing awkwardly, but didn’t seem to have any issues carrying on. He got a touch on Erick Torres’ point-blank headed shot at goal in the 87th, but it wasn’t nearly enough to save it. Gallese didn’t get the clean sheet, but did finish with two saves as he gets back in the swing of things.

D, Kamal Miller, 5 — Filling in for the injured João Moutinho, Miller struggled in this one. There was a scary moment when Jürgen Damm sent him running the wrong way and got a free shot on goal that went just wide. Defending against Damm in space is a tall order, but Miller was partly responsible on Torres’ goal in the waning moments of the match. The Canadian did finish with a team-leading 64 touches and was second in passes with a total of 49. Still, he’s had much better nights.

D, Robin Jansson, 6 — After his unfortunate own goal in the loss against Inter Miami, Jansson hardly had a mistake in this one. The Swede proved why he has started nine straight games for the Lions, serving as an anchor on defense against Atlanta. Had he been able to jump a bit higher when defending against Torres’ goal then Orlando would’ve walked away with a clean sheet. The offense stole the show and the late goal ruined the shutout, but it was yet another solid performance from Jansson that included three clearances.

D, Antonio Carlos, 6.5 — Carlos came up big time and time again for the Lions, with a whopping nine clearances. His partnership with Jansson continues to grow as the pair played all 90 minutes together. Carlos was decisive both in the air and on the ground, rising up to meet Atlanta’s many corner kicks as well as making an expert sliding tackle in the box to deny Atlanta and defend Exploria Stadium.

D, Ruan, 7 — The right back did what he does best, forcing opponents to deal with his speed and creating opportunities on offense. His best moment came on Orlando’s first goal as he delivered a perfect ball to Dike in the box for his fourth assist of the season. Ruan continues to excel in Oscar Pareja’s system and ended the game with two tackles, 51 touches, and 35 passes.

MF, Joey DeZart, 5.5 — The rookie looked lost at times with his marking and there were a few moments where he didn’t seem all too aware of the players around him. That being said, DeZart still held his own in the midfield with the usual starters absent. The midfielder didn’t have a single shot, but finished with 34 passes at a strong 91% completion rate.

MF, Junior Urso, 6.5 — Although Urso didn’t finish with a goal or an assist after playing all 90 minutes, he did fairly well on both sides of the ball. He nearly scored on a volley to double Orlando’s lead in the first half, but his attempt went just wide. Urso led the team with four shots, 50 passes, and had the second-most touches with 63 to keep Atlanta from capitalizing on possession in the midfield.

MF, Chris Mueller, 7.5 — After spending the first half constantly fouled by Laurence Wyke, Mueller made him pay for it right before halftime. Covered in grass from the foul, Mueller waved Nani off the ball for the free kick and curled it into the net for one of his best goals as a Lion. As far as the rest of his night, Mueller did have some rough crosses here and there, but finished with three key passes and 55 touches as he continues his best year yet in Orlando.

MF, Nani, 6.5 — The captain had a bit of a quiet night, pulling the strings of Orlando’s offense when he could. It was his pass to Ruan that got things going for Orlando’s first goal and he found Tesho Akindele open in the box soon after to make sure the Lions kept riding that momentum. Nani was subbed out in the second half for some rest as Orlando’s other offensive players stepped up.

F, Daryl Dike, 8 (MotM)— The rookie got his sixth consecutive start and sixth goal of the season, turning and scoring in front of goal to give Orlando the lead in the 29th minute. Dike’s confidence after scoring showed as he continued to muscle past defenders and give Atlanta nightmares. He was frankly unstoppable when running at goal and that helped him find Tesho Akindele in front of goal to log his fourth assist of the season.

F, Tesho Akindele, 7.5 — In his first start in over a month, Akindele worked alongside Dike up top and the pair wreaked havoc on offense. The Canadian scored right in front of goal after playing a bit of give-and-go with Dike in the second half and he freed up needed space on Dike’s goal. Akindele was subbed off after his goal and finished with two shots, two key passes, and his third goal this season. It was a great performance and showcased a new look to Orlando’s offense with Mauricio Pereyra out.

Substitutes

F, Andres Perea (62’), 6 — He came onto the field after Akindele’s goal with the Lions up 3-0 and was hungry for more, linking up with Benji Michel and Urso to keep Atlanta on their toes. Perea nearly opened his account for the Lions in the 71st minute with only Guzan to beat, but his shot was a bit awkward and went wide. Still, he’s growing confidence and looked a bit more at ease playing with a lead.

F, Benji Michel (62’), 6 — Like Perea, Michel came on the field swinging, with two shots within two minutes of coming onto the field. Guzan had to save the first, despite Michel taking it from a tough angle, and the second was a header that went wide. Michel set Perea free in the box although the midfielder couldn’t finish. He picked up a yellow card in the 88th minute and got quite a bit done with only 11 touches in the game.

MF, Sebas Mendez (68’), 7 — The Ecuadorian may have only played for a little over 20 minutes, but he was efficient during that time. Mendez may not officially be credited for the goal at the end of the match, but his free kick wound up in the back of the net to put the cherry on top of Orlando’s big win. Mendez also finished with 23 passes at a 100% completion rate, which is pretty impressive to say the least.

F, Matheus Aias (79’), N/A — Aias only had seven touches in his second game for Orlando, but he made them count. Mendez’ free kick deflected off of him and it was just enough to stop Guzan from keeping it out for his first official goal as a Lion. It was also nice to see him sprinting towards goal on that play to ensure his team scored, even though the win was in hand.

F, Alexander Alvarado (79’), N/A — The winger made his debut for Orlando City at the end of the match, coming on for Mueller. He put fresh legs to good use and drew fouls, including the one that led to Orlando’s final goal off the ensuing free kick.

That’s how I saw how things play out. What about you? Let us know in the comments how you thought the Lions did and vote for who you think deserves the title of Man of the Match.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Mauricio Pereyra127
Chris Mueller6
Andres Perea3
Kyle Smith24
Antonio Carlos5
Tesho Akindele0
Other (write in comments)2

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/3/24

MLS roster profiles revealed, Marta’s best moments, Kelley O’Hara announces her retirement, and more.

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2 hours ago

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May 3, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Happy Friday! We’ve reached the homestretch of the week and I couldn’t be happier. A busy weekend awaits me, but I’m hoping for some quiet, nice moments to offset some of the hustle and bustle. It’s also another weekend packed with Orlando soccer to enjoy, so make sure to plan your next couple of days accordingly. But for now, let’s get to the links!

MLS Unveils Club Roster Details

There’s a little more transparency in Major League Soccer after the league released helpful snapshots of each club that detail the composition of each roster. From Designated Players and MLS U22 Initiative Players to international roster slots and contract lengths, the graphics are easy to comprehend and give a nice look behind the curtain on each team. Using this, we can see that Orlando City midfielder Cesar Araujo no longer takes up a U22 Initiative slot and that the team also has an open international roster slot. It should be a fairly nice reference guide for fans moving forward, as well as a way to check out how other MLS teams are building their rosters.

Emily Sams Earns Recognition as Potential USWNT Player

Orlando Pride defender Emily Sams was mentioned as one of the top 20 eligible Americans who have yet to make an appearance with the United States Women’s National Team according to Pro Soccer Wire. The shout out is well deserved, as Sams has helped anchor a Pride defense that’s only given up seven goals this season. Only time will tell if Sams will earn a call-up once Emma Hayes is at the helm of the USWNT, but it does feel inevitable given how she’s been playing. Other notable players on the list include Ajax’s Lily Yohannes, Washington Spirit rookie Croix Bethune, and Angel City FC defender Sarah Gorden.

Marta’s Top Moments

All For XI compiled some of the best moments from Marta’s career into a tidy top five. Considering how prolific she has been for Brazil over the years, it was nice to see a pair of goals from her time with the Pride receive some recognition. Both of those moments were from 2018, with her free kick to equalize against the Seattle Reign placing fifth and her solo effort to stun the Spirit taking third. It’s fitting though that the top moment on the list showcases the impact she’s had off the field, as it’s Marta’s emotional speech after Brazil’s exit in the 2019 World Cup.

Kelley O’Hara Will Retire After 2024 Season

USWNT defender Kelley O’Hara announced that she will retire from professional soccer following the 2024 season. Over the course of her international career, she’s played in four World Cups, three Olympic Games, and was named to the FIFA FIFPro World XI in 2019. O’Hara has played in every NWSL season since the league’s inception, winning the title with the Spirit in 2021 and again with NJ/NY Gotham FC last year. She joined Gotham as the first free agent signing in NWSL history and she is set to close out her illustrious career there.

Free Kicks

  • Curve Fragrances was named the official fragrance partner of Orlando City. As part of the partnership, there will be giveaways and product sampling at select games this season.
  • Wrexham’s women’s squad for The Soccer Tournament this summer will include a trio of former Pride players, with Bridget Callahan, Danica Evans, and Nickolette Driesse all taking part. I can’t wait to see if Callahan will make SkoRed a rallying cry at the tournament.
  • Orlando City won’t have to contend with FC Cincinnati forward Aaron Boupendza tomorrow, as he will miss the next six to eight weeks due to a broken jaw suffered in an off-field incident.
  • The Europa League semifinals are underway and Bayer Leverkusen extended its unbeaten run to 47 games after a 2-0 road win against Roma. In the other matchup, Atalanta and Marseille drew 1-1 in France.
  • American midfielder Johnny Cardoso hasn’t been with Real Betis for long, but he’s doing well enough that Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, and Borussia Dortmund are among the clubs reportedly interested in signing the 22-year-old.
  • Lucas Hernandez suffered an ACL injury in Paris Saint-Germain’s loss to Borussia Dortmund and will miss out on this summer’s Euros with France.
  • Reims and Will Still have mutually agreed to part ways, with the coach leaving now despite just having three games left in the Ligue 1 season. It will be interesting to see where the 31-year-old coaches next, as he had a notable 19-game unbeaten stretch with Reims last season.
  • Here’s a detailed dive into the obstacles Everton has faced in recent years, as well as how the club has avoided relegation amid another difficult season.

That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. FC Cincinnati: Three Keys to Victory

What does Orlando City need to do to ensure a victory over FC Cincinnati Saturday at home?

Published

22 hours ago

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May 2, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City looks to bounce back from the disappointing 2-1 loss to Toronto FC Saturday night at Inter&Co Stadium. Cincinnati has twice as many points as Orlando City and more than twice as many wins. FCC has only scored one more goal than Orlando City, but with only nine goals conceded compared to Orlando City’s 17, it’s easy to see why Cincinnati is sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference.

What I’m trying to say is that the task doesn’t get any easier this weekend. What does Orlando City need to do to secure all three points at home against FC Cincinnati?

Accost Acosta

Cincinnati’s attack revolves around Luciano Acosta. The attacking midfielder has four goals and five assists so far this season. To put that into perspective, Duncan McGuire — Orlando City’s leading scorer — also has four goals but only one assist. If we look at the Lions’ attacking midfielders, Facundo Torres has one goal and one assist, Ivan Angulo and Nico Lodeiro both have one goal and two assists, and Martin Ojeda has zero goals and only one assist. Luis Muriel is still at double zeroes.

The defensive midfield and the back line must do everything possible to mark him out of the match. It’s not enough to keep him from scoring, they must also keep him from setting up chances for his teammates. Most importantly, the defense must do that for 90 minutes plus stoppage time. There is no room for the mental lapses we’ve seen throughout the first part of this season.

Break Through

Cincinnati is stingy on defense. As I mentioned above, the club has only allowed nine goals this season. The back line is formidable with the likes of Matt Miazga, Miles Robinson, and Ian Murphy. On the wings are DeAndre Yedlin and Luca Orellano. This is a tough defense, and whether it is McGuire or Muriel who gets the start, they must find the spaces in between.

Just as importantly, Torres, Angulo, Ojeda, and Lodeiro — depending on who is in at any given moment — must be able to thread the passes in for McGuire, Muriel, or each other to create quality chances. On top of that, the Lions must convert on those chances, which is not something that has been a strength so far this season. If the Orlando City defense continues to give up cheap goals, then the offense will need to one-up the competition when it comes to scoring.

Deal with an Unknown

FC Cincinnati recently signed Venezuelan forward Kevin Kelsy from Ukrainian Premier League club Shakhtar Donetsk. Kelsy comes in as an MLS U22 Initiative player and is eligible to play against Orlando City. Even though Kelsy is only 19, he has 68 professional appearances, including UEFA Champions Leagues matches. At 6-foot-3, he can be a challenge for defenders, especially in the air.

Kelsy hasn’t had much time with the team, but he could be a second-half substitution for Cincinnati. Given that Orlando City just gave up two late headers against Toronto FC, the back line will need to be careful that Kelsy doesn’t hurt the Lions in the same manner — especially if he comes on late when legs and minds are tired.

That is what I will be looking for Saturday night. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/2/24

The Pride win big, OCSC celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month, USMNT news, and more.

Published

1 day ago

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May 2, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

It’s Thursday, Mane Landers. Of course, the name Thursday comes from Thor’s day, and as such, it isn’t a big leap for us to consider it Thorhallsson’s day. Though I suppose that is a bit of a mouthful, so we’ll just keep things the way they are, but do hold Dagur Dan close to your heart today. Also, let us wish a happy birthday to the Orlando Pride’s Luana. Despite the devastating news that dropped about her health earlier this week, we hope that her spirits are high and we wish her nothing but happiness today. It’s also Dagur Dan Thorhallsson’s birthday today, so we’re celebrating him as well. Let’s get to the links.

The Pride Dominate the Courage

The Orlando Pride defeated the North Carolina Courage 4-1 in a midweek match at Inter&Co Stadium. The Pride did indeed dominate the Courage as much as the score line indicates. It was once again the Barbra Banda show, with the Pride’s newest player contributing a brace and an assist on the night. It is the Pride’s fourth straight victory and the undefeated run continues.

OCSC Celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month

Orlando City and the Orlando Pride are doing their part this May to observe Mental Health Awareness Month. The club is sponsoring and attending events and forums available to the general public, as well as holding club staff workshops around promoting mental health. I have to say my favorite is the therapy dogs visits that will be available to the staff. There’s nothing as good for my personal mental health as the joy and unconditional love a dog can bring. If I didn’t have dogs of my own, I’d be really jealous.

The Billionaires Clubs

Orlando City and Orlando Pride owners, the Wilf family, are not the only billionaire owners in the NWSL. There are more and more owners and ownership groups that fall into that category. The influx of more money is a growth opportunity for the league and potentially for those owners. It’s a bit of a “rising tide lifts all boats” mentality for these owners as they do better when the league as a whole does better. It’s not just the owners who think so. The NWSL was ranked No. 5 on the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2024. I’m just glad the Pride are in the club.

USMNT News

I hate starting off a section with bad news, but Sergino Dest tore his ACL in training with PSV Eindhoven and will miss the Copa America. Dest will require surgery though there is no time frame yet for when he may return. The loss of Dest is a blow to the U.S. defense heading into the competition this coming June. The USMNT plays Bolivia on June 23.

In better news, Tim Weah provided the assist for Juventus on Arkadiusz Milik’s goal against Lazio. Juventus entered the second leg of the Copa Italia semifinal up 2-0, but Lazio drew level before Milik’s goal. Juventus advanced 3-2 on aggregate and will play in the final.

Free Kicks

That will do it for today. There’s plenty more soccer to come this weekend with all three teams playing. Check back for more as we get you ready for those matches. Vamos Orlando!

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