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2020 Orlando City Season in Review: Daryl Dike

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4 years ago

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Daryl Dike was the jewel of Orlando City’s 2020 draft class after falling to the Lions with the fifth overall pick back in January. Coming out of the University of Virginia, the young striker was seen by many as the top player in the draft, but he somehow fell to Orlando. 

After the season Dike has had, MIami, Nashville, and Vancouver will all be kicking themselves, as he’s become one of the top young forwards in all of Major League Soccer.

Statistical Breakdown

Dike wasn’t expected to play a major role in his first professional season, but an early injury to Dom Dwyer during the MLS is Back Tournament gave the young striker his opportunity. He made his debut against the Montreal Impact in the MLS is Back round of 16, although it was a brief 15-minute cameo. He played two more times in that tournament, playing 19 and 12 minutes against LAFC and Portland, respectively. 

Once the MLS regular season resumed, Dike truly shined. He made his first two starts against Miami and Nashville when the season restarted and played well enough to earn August’s MLS Player of the Month Award.

In all, he scored eight goals and provided four assists over 17 appearances, including 15 starts. His output is even more impressive when you take into account he only played 1,224 minutes, putting his combined goals and assists per 90 minutes at a very impressive 0.88. He also registered 30 shots, putting 12 of them on frame. 

He completed an impressive 71% of his passes, though his creative passing was good with seven key passes to complement his four assists. On the ball he was productive as well, completing 12 of 19 attempted dribbles. His defensive output was also good for a striker, as he completed six out of 10 tackles while also making 17 clearances, a blocked shot, and an interception. He committed 25 fouls and drew 30 from the opposition, going the entire regular season without a booking.

He made three appearances (no starts) in the MLS is Back knockout stages, playing a total of 46 minutes without a goal or assist, attempting two shots but getting neither on target. He passed at a 62.5% rate and created one scoring chance, and contributed two tackles. He committed four fouls without drawing any in his earliest professional minutes, and picked up a yellow card against Montreal.

In the postseason, he largely disappeared. He started both matches, playing 173 minutes, but did not contribute directly to any goals, though he did complete three dribbles. He had a shot on target in three total attempts, as well as a key pass and won four aerials — all four against New England. Dike committed four fouls while drawing five, and earned one yellow card.

Best Game

Dike’s best performance of the season came in a late season clash with northern rivals Atlanta United. He was a dominant presence all game, giving former Best XI center back Miles Robinson fits for his entire 79-minute shift. He finished with a goal and assist on the night, while also winning two out of three attempted dribbles and completing 12 of his 13 passes. 

Our Marcus Mitchell had this to say of the rookie’s game:

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.

On Orlando City’s 29th-minute goal to open the scoring, Ruan cut in from the right and passed to Dike in the middle. The rookie turned away from pressure and fired home his sixth goal of the season.

Dike won the ball back with good high pressure and then found Akindele in front for the Lions’ third goal on the night, picking up his assist.

His impact transcended the scoresheet as his intelligent play and physical prowess had the Five Stripes out of sorts all night, helping propel to Orlando to a signature 4-1 victory at Exploria Stadium.

2020 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Daryl Dike a 7 for his breakout first season in professional soccer. He was streaky at times and played under 1,500 minutes, but he still exceeded any and all expectations and is one of the top young players in the entirety of MLS, finishing third in Young Player of The Year voting — though he was screwed out of Rookie of the Year — and received his first call-up to the United States Men’s National Team in December, though he couldn’t play due to an injury in training.

2021 Outlook

Dike is under contract for next season and will almost certainly be Orlando’s starting center forward heading into 2021. There are rumors floating around that Belgian giants Club Brugge are interested, Orlando is not expected to sell the big striker unless a major bid were to come in. He’ll likely miss time for the Lions regardless as he looks to play a major role in a potential U.S. U-23 side in the Olympics or potentially the senior national team in a very crowded 2021 schedule for the USMNT. 

If he continues to play the way he did in 2020, the 2021 season could be when Dike makes a name for himself not just in MLS, but on the global stage as well.

Previous Seasons in Review (Date Posted)

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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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13 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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2 days 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.

Published

3 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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