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

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Orlando City started the 2021 season with a 0-0 draw at Exploria Stadium against Atlanta United. Orlando Head Coach Oscar Pareja crafted a lineup working around injuries to usual starters such as Robin Jansson, Joao Moutinho, and Uri Rosell, as well as the suspension of Mauricio Pereyra. Atlanta finished with a majority of the possession, but Orlando had the better scoring chances in yet another season-opening draw for the Lions.

Here’s how each Lion rated in the first game of the year, as well as my pick for the team’s Man of the Match.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6 — The Peruvian goalkeeper only had to make two saves in this one, the toughest coming in the 89th minute, when he had to go to ground to stop a shot from distance Franco Ibarra. It won’t be making a highlight reel anytime soon, but when it mattered, he played his part in Orlando’s clean sheet. Those clean sheets didn’t come often last season, with Orlando’s defense letting at least one goal squeak by in most matches, so it’s nice for Gallese to start the season without conceding.

D, Kyle Smith, 7 (MotM) — Filling in for the injured Moutinho at left back, Smith led the team in passes (45), touches (65), aerials won (3), and clearances (6). He finished with two tackles, an interception, and a blocked shot and passed at an 86.7% rate. Although he wasn’t able to replicate Moutinho’s crossing ability — though he was 1/2 on crosses (both with his weaker left foot) — Smith made critical tackles to snuff out Atlanta’s chances on the left side of the field without Jansson there to back him up. Smith is our Man of the Match for not giving Atlanta time to breathe or find the final pass in a scoreless draw. Left back is Orlando’s position with the least depth and Smith prevented that from being a weakness in this match.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 7 — With Jansson nursing a lower leg injury, Schlegel came in and managed a pretty good impression of the Swede. Schlegel was imposing, physical, and stood his ground while anchoring the defense. While many will joke about his heroics in goal during the MLS playoffs last year, this performance showed Schlegel’s prowess as a center back. It was important for him to step up after departures at the position this off-season and Schlegel did just that, finishing with two tackles, two clearances, and a notable 35 passes with a team-leading 94.4% passing rate to help Orlando build out of the back.

D, Antonio Carlos, 6.5 — Defensively sound as always, Carlos came up huge in stoppage time by chasing down Ezequiel Barco and stopping Atlanta on the counter to maintain Orlando’s clean sheet. On the other end of the field, Carlos had a great opportunity to score off of a corner kick in the 49th minute. Unmarked in front of goal, he headed the ball down instead of on target and the opportunity was lost. Despite the missed shot and a few errant passes here and there (on 89.7% passing overall), it was a good outing from Carlos as he prevented the kind of heartbreak Orlando fans were likely terrified of late in the match. Defensively, he contributed two tackles, a clearance, and a blocked shot.

D, Ruan, 6 — The 25-year-old dueled with George Bello throughout the match, using speed and silky footwork to get the better of Bello on occasion. Ruan finished second in touches with 63, often working with Chris Mueller or Nani to stretch Orlando’s attack and crash the box. Like the rest of the back line, Ruan played all 90 minutes and hustled in the game’s final minutes to make sure Orlando wasn’t beaten. He finished with one tackle and three clearances on defense. Despite three dribbles, he wasn’t as sharp going forward, with only one cross attempt, which wasn’t accurate, a shot that was blocked, and just a 69% passing rate.

MF, Sebas Mendez, 6.5 — It was the kind of quiet game that Mendez has often had with Orlando City, plugging up Atlanta’s passing lanes and making life difficult for the opposition. He had a chance to score in the 61st minute, pouncing on a loose ball in the box after dribbling from Alexandre Pato, but wasn’t able to get enough contact to put it away. He finished fourth in touches with 49, mostly due to Pareja running the offense through the wings rather than the center of the field. Mendez pushed forward more as the game went on and finished second on the team with 42 passes (92.9% accuracy), one of them a key pass. He had two tackles, an interception, a clearance, and one shot attempt.

MF, Junior Urso, 6.5 — Like many times last season, Urso often found himself in great positions on offense but failed to find the back of the net. The Bear led the team in shots, with three, but either sent the ball into the stands or couldn’t make clean contact on his attempt. He deserves some recognition for his effort on both sides of the ball in the Florida heat. A force in the air and often tracking back on defense, Urso ended the match with a team-high three tackles, a team-high two interceptions, and a key pass on 81.5% passing.

MF, Chris Mueller, 6 — The Money Badger created Orlando’s best chance of the afternoon, setting Pato up in front of goal in the 72nd minute. He seemed to take over as Orlando’s playmaker once Nani was subbed off, working on the left side of the pitch to get things going offensively. Mueller also drew a foul late in the first half to give Orlando good positioning for a free kick. Taking the free kick himself, Mueller served a good cross, but Urso just couldn’t get his header on target. Although his skill level has improved, he tended to dribble into trouble at times and was stymied by Atlanta’s defense. Cash passed at just a 75.8% rate, but had three key passes and was 2/2 in crossing accuracy. He made two tackles, attempted one shot, and drew three fouls.

MF, Nani, 6.5 — The captain was the one pulling the strings on offense, finding players in space and delivering good crosses on corner kicks. With Pereyra serving his suspension, the team looked most dangerous when Nani had the ball at his feet. He finished with three key passes and one shot (on target), taking a chance from distance when Atlanta gave him space to set up the strike. He passed at a 79.4% rate and was accurate on two of his three crosses. Defensively, he chipped in three tackles, three clearances, and an interception. All in all, it was a decent game from Nani, albeit without a goal or assist, and perhaps a few turnovers too many, and he exited in the 70th minute for fresher legs.

F, Tesho Akindele, 5 — A bad first touch by Akindele ruined an early opportunity on the counter and the Canadian wasn’t able to make much of an impact against a stout Atlanta defense. Akindele used his large frame to win two aerial duels and hold up play on offense, but was subbed off after an uneventful first half with no shots and nine passes. His passing rate of 66.7% wasn’t great, he had no key passes, and he contributed no defensive stats.

F, Alexandre Pato, 6 — It was Pato’s first taste of MLS action on a team filled with returning players and there were predictably moments of disconnect between himself and the rest of the team. His best chances came in the second half once he became the team’s lone forward up top after Akindele’s substitution. He dribbled around Brad Guzan in the box only to run into Mendez and not be able to put the ball away, and he had a shot on goal that was deflected and then saved by Guzan later in the match. His day ended in the 78th minute after an awkward landing that left him on the field reaching for his leg and forced him out of the contest, so that will be something to keep an eye on moving forward. His 41.7% passing rate will improve with more time with his new teammates but he showed his footwork with a team-high four dribbles. He also got his only shot attempt on frame.

Substitutes

MF, Andres Perea (45’), 6.5 — Orlando’s shape changed once Perea came on after the first half and the introduction of the U.S. youth international also changed the entire offensive flow for the Lions. Within 30 seconds of taking the field, he delivered a strike but it was right at Guzan. Perea certainly looked hungry in this one, building play in central midfield and ruffling Guzan’s feathers by jumping at a floating Ruan cross in the box. He got his one shot attempt on target, and had a key pass (78.6% accuracy on 14 attempts).

F, Benji Michel, (70’) 5 — Michel didn’t do much as a substitute in this one. Any energy he brought to the offense was erased once Pato was taken off the field due to injury. Until Matheus Aias came on in stoppage time, Michel pushed up into the striker position. The flow of the game shifted and Michel finished with just six touches and two passes, although he completed both. He had one clearance on the defensive end.

MF, Silvester van der Water (80’), N/A — Coming on for Pato to make his Orlando debut, van der Water showed similar miscommunication with teammates. It may take some time for him to learn the habits of the other Lions, but the Dutchman did show quality bits of skill to beat defenders. He finished with one shot (off target), a dribble, and a tackle, completing three of his four passes. He wasn’t on long enough to warrant a grade, but it will be interesting to see him more as he settles in.

F, Matheus Aias (91’), N/A — New season, same late cameo for Aias. He came on for Mueller and didn’t even touch the ball in his brief appearance.


That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando City’s first game of 2021. Let us know what you thought in the comments below and make sure to vote for who you think was the Man of the Match.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Kyle Smith42
Rodrigo Schlegel12
Nani1
Junior Urso3
Chris Mueller4
Other (write in comments)6

Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/2/25

Orlando Pride players on International duty, NWSL power rankings, USWNT friendlies, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. There is plenty of Orlando Pride news today, which is good considering we’re heading into an international break. That means we can look forward to some women’s international matches in addition to Orlando City’s next bout against the Philadelphia Union. Before we jump into today’s news, please join us in wishing Orlando City midfielder Cesar Araujo a happy 24th birthday. Let’s get to the links.

International Duty, Pride Edition

Four players from the Orlando Pride have been called up for international duty. Anna Moorhouse (England), Angelina (Brazil), Emily Sams (U.S.), and Zara Chavoshi (U.S. U-23 training camp) will all head to their respective national teams. Moorhouse’s England will compete in the UEFA Women’s Nations League, while Angelina and Sams will face off in a pair of friendlies between the USWNT and the Brazil Women’s National Team.

Pride Still on Top

It seems that there are more outlets providing NWSL power rankings every week, but as long as they keep the Pride on top, I’ll keep letting you know about it. Given that the Pride are undefeated, with the most goals scored and the best goal differential, it isn’t surprising that the club is sitting atop the official standings along with these “highly scientific” power rankings. Goal.com, Sports Illustrated, and All For IX all rank the Pride in first place just above the Kansas City Current. I suppose even power rankings are occasionally correct.

Orlando’s Various World Cup Ties

You probably know that Orlando wasn’t selected to be one of the host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. As disappointing as that was, there’s still a chance that the city, and Orlando City SC’s training grounds at Osceola Heritage Park will host team training during the event. The top notch facilities, plus the relatively close proximity to host cities Miami and Atlanta, make Orlando a good option.

On a more positive note, Orlando was chosen as a host city for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. Camping World Stadium will see Club León vs. CR Flamengo, and Juventus vs. Manchester City. The Group H runner-up vs. Group G winner match and one of the quarterfinal round matches will also be in Orlando. There’s plenty to see and do in the City Beautiful, including some great soccer.

USWNT Youth Movement

Sams won’t be the only younger player in Emma Hayes’ lineup for the friendlies against Brazil. Hayes wants to deepen the player pool, which means bringing in players with an average age of just over 25 years old, and the average number of appearances is less than 35. Hayes also believes this is a chance for the younger players who appeared in the loss to Japan in the SheBelieves Cup. The first of the two matches is this Saturday at 5 p.m., with the second coming up Tuesday at 10:30 p.m.

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That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the Orlando City and OCB matches this weekend. Hopefully, you have two screens since the match start times overlap. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/1/25

Barbra Banda’s continued importance, Americans in midweek action, USWNT announces friendly, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Good morning everyone! It was a great weekend for Orlando’s soccer teams as Orlando City and the Orlando Pride both won, meaning that we got treated to a six-point weekend (OCB was off). As always we have plenty to talk through this morning, so let’s get into today’s links.

Barbra Banda Keeps Rolling in 2025

After a wildly successful debut season with the Orlando Pride in 2024, Barbra Banda has showed no signs of slowing down this year. A brace in the season opener meant that she picked up right where she left off last year, and the team has continued to be successful too. The Pride have made it three wins from three to start the 2025 season, and while Banda hasn’t scored since the opener, her blend of pace, power, dribbling, passing, and movement have continuously helped open things up for her teammates, and she drew a penalty that led to the Pride’s game-winning goal Saturday. She isn’t the Pride’s only offensive weapon, but the team clicks into a different gear when she’s at her best.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans who will be playing in games during the working week, and there are some very important clashes on hand. Things get going later today when Antonee Robinson and Fulham visit Arsenal in Premier League play as the Cottagers are in hot pursuit of a coveted European place. Wednesday has Chris Richards, Matt Turner and Crystal Palace facing Southampton, while Tyler Adams and Bournemouth take on Manchester City. Also on Wednesday, Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan will face Inter Milan in a Coppa Italia semifinal. Things finish up on Friday as Aidan Morris and Middlesborough travel to Blackburn Rovers in the EFL Championship.

USWNT Announces Canada Match

The United States Women’s National Team has announced another friendly taking place this summer, as the team will face Canada on July 2 in Washington, D.C. The match will be the third that the USWNT will play during the window, following a pair of friendlies against Ireland in late June. The neighboring countries will meet at Audi Field with the match designated as the Allstate Continental Clasico, with this being the first time that the match will feature the USWNT. The U.S. faced Canada twice in 2024, with both matches ending in 2-2 draws and the USWNT emerging victorious in shootouts.

Concacaf Champions Cup Preview

The Concacaf Champions Cup returns this week, with the first legs of the four quarterfinal matches set to be played today and tomorrow. Things get started tonight with what should be an exciting match between Club America and Cruz Azul, with the crosstown rivals two of the winningest teams in the competition. Cruz Azul’s Angel Sepulveda leads the CCC’s golden boot race with four tallies. The late game sees the LA Galaxy taking on Tigres as the Galaxy will try to distract themselves from a difficult start to their MLS Cup title defense. Wednesday’s slate has the Vancouver Whitecaps taking on Pumas UNAM in Canada in what will be the second-ever meeting between the two teams. The late game will be an all-MLS affair as LAFC hosts Inter Miami in the first meeting between the two sides in CCC play.

Sporting Kansas City Fires Peter Vermes

The longest-tenured coach in Major League Soccer is out of work, as Sporting Kansas City announced the firing of Peter Vermes on Monday morning. It’s an end of an era in Kansas City, as Vermes was the head coach since 2009, back when the team was still called the Kansas City Wizards, and he had been named the club’s technical director three years earlier in 2006. He guided the team to an MLS Cup win in 2013; claimed U.S. Open Cup titles in 2012, 2015, and 2017; and helped the team be consistently competitive for a majority of his tenure. Despite all of that, SKC missed the playoffs in two of the last three seasons and was mired in the midst of a 13-game winless streak in all competitions that stretched back to Sept. 18 of last year. After being an assistant on Vermes’ staff, Kerry Zavagnin will take over as interim head coach.

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

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. LA Galaxy: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s 2-1 victory over the LA Galaxy?

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City capped off its March slate of matches with a cross-country bout against the 2024 MLS Cup champions, the LA Galaxy. In what was the longest commute that the Lions will register in the 2025 season, Orlando looked out of sync for much of the match, especially when contrasted with the squad that stomped D.C. United at home last week. Miraculously for the fans that stayed up past their bedtimes back on the East Coast, the Lions shocked the reigning champions and stole all three points with a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over the final quarter hour of the match.

Let’s look at the Lions’ individual performances to see who made the grade and who can improve as the calendar turns to April.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6.5 — Gallese returned for Orlando after missing time while representing Peru during World Cup qualifiers. For the most part, he did well against the pressure of an agressive attack from the Galaxy. In the end, he was credited with just one save, which was a massive righthanded block of a shot by Gabriel Pec that could have put the game away for the home side. It isn’t worth entertaining a discussion about Gallese “letting another one in,” as the goal that the Galaxy scored was off a point-blank redirection back against his momentum, and it should have at the bare minimum warranted a second look for a potential offside ruling. His distribution was mostly solid, and he had an 81.8% passing rate on his 11 attempts while completing three of his five long balls. He was booked in the waining moments of the match for time wasting — although it was Rodrigo Schlegel who kicked the ball away without being spotted, and Gallese was merely retrieving it.

D, Rafael Santos, 5.5 — Santos had a few bright moments throughout the match, with an emphasis on the word few. I did think that he was better at getting into the attack and sent several balls across the net that had the potential to be dangerous. On the defensive end, there were just too many mistakes for my liking, whether that be careless turnovers, poor positioning, or falling asleep on the back side of the play. He and Ivan Angulo were both at fault on LA’s goal, as neither picked up Miki Yamane’s run. Santos was also overpowered twice by Pec. The Brazilian touched the ball 48 times, provided two key passes, one successful cross (on five attempts), and a passing rate of 76.9%. Defensively, he provided two tackles and three clearances. Offensively, Santos recorded a shot that was not on target. The left back currently benefits from a lack of depth pushing him for his starting minutes but will need to improve if Orlando is to continue its winning ways. He was replaced by David Brekalo in the 66th minute.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 7 — Schlegel had a productive and technically sound evening for the Lions. Defensively, he contributed one interception, a team-high seven clearances, and two blocked shots. He passed at a 93.6% rate, while touching the ball a team-high 88 times, and completed five long balls (on eight attempts). He didn’t register an offensive statistic during the match, but he played well and I thought that he had solid positioning throughout the night when the Galaxy sent balls into the box.

D, Robin Jansson, 6 — Something just seems off right now with Jansson, as the output from the captain simply feels less than what we have come to expect. Nonetheless, Jansson went the full 90 and recorded 65 touches. He completed 94.8% of his passes which included a team-best seven accurate long balls on nine attempts. Defensively, he contributed one tackle, one interception, and three clearances. Christian Ramirez beat Jansson on the lone goal for the Galaxy.

D, Alex Freeman, 6.5 — Freeman continues to put in the work for Orlando City. While his first West Coast trip was not fruitful in terms of goal-scoring contributions, the young Lion still managed to affect the game in a myriad of ways. He recorded 69 touches and completed 93.3% of his passes, which included two key passes and one accurate cross. Defensively, he added a team-high four tackles and two clearances. Offensively, Freeman tied Martin Ojeda for the most shots taken on the night (three) but was only able to put one on target. Freeman continues to showcase a solid motor that is helping to drive the offense, and he has shown strong chemistry with Marco Pasalic as well, but the most impressive aspect of his game against the Galaxy for me was the job he did in space defensively against Joseph Paintsil when the speedster entered the match in the second half.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 6.5 — This felt like a classic Araujo performance and the Uruguayan was seemingly everywhere on the pitch. He logged 63 touches and completed 90% of his passes but was only successful on one of his five long-ball attempts. Defensively, he contirbuted two tackles, one interception, and two clearances. Offensively, Araujo did not record a stat but did suffer a team-high three fouls. Araujo was able to defend without being booked against the Galaxy, and he has shown signficant improvement this season so far in not picking up careless yellow cards.

MF, Eduard Atuesta, 7.5 (MotM) — The former member of LAFC became the catalyst for the late offensive turnaround against what used to be his crosstown rival by earning a penalty in the 77th minute. He recorded 75 touches and completed 89.8% of his passes, which inlcuded two key passes, four accurate long balls on five attempts, and two succesful crosses on two attempts. Offensively, he attempted two shots, one which nearly put Orlando City in the lead when it hit the right post. Defensively, he contributed one tackle and two clearances. Atuesta benefitted from the insertion of Brekalo and Duncan McGuire, pushing forward into the attack, and without his effort, Orlando City likely would not have earned all three points. He was replaced by Joran Gerbet in stoppage time as part of a time-wasting, like-for-like substitution to see out the match.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 5.5 — To put it bluntly, Angulo is not in great form right now. The speedy Colombian is failing to challenge opposing back lines in the attack and has become a liability on the defensive side of the ball. The pairing of Angulo with Santos on the left has become a favorite area for the opposition to attack, and he was partly culpable in letting Yamane sneak in toward the back post on LA’s goal. He recorded 37 touches and completed 90.5% of his passes, which included one key pass. Defensively, he chipped in one tackle and one interception. Offensively, Angulo was dispossessed a team-high four times, as the careless giveaways — often in Orlando’s defensive half — continue to pile up. Orlando clearly needs more from the left wing, who was replaced in the 66th minute by McGuire, with Oscar Pareja pushing Ojeda to the left and playing Luis Muriel as the No. 10.

MF, Martin Ojeda, 7 — Ojeda did not allow another Lion to even remotely consider taking the penalty as he quickly stood over the spot, ball in hand, and then calmly converted the PK to pull Orlando level. Ojeda has now tied his goals total (four) from the 2024 season in only the sixth game of the year. Ojeda touched the ball 56 times and passed at a 90.5% rate while providing one key pass and four accurate long balls out of five attempts. Ojeda could have stood to improve his crossing, as he was only accurate on one of his five attempts. Offensively, Ojeda took three shots (tied with Freeman for the most on the team) but put just one on target (the penalty that he converted). He badly scuffed his first shot and his second was just off target in the first half. Defensively, he didn’t contribute a meaningful statistic, which was surprising, and it kept him just a rung below Atuesta when it came to Man of the Match honors.

MF, Marco Pasalic, 6.5 — Pasalic showcased several individual moments of brillance in the first half when the game was moving quickly end to end. Unfortunately for the Croatian winger, those moments failed to result in a change to the scoreboard. He touched the ball 39 times and completed 81.5% of his passes, including all four of his long balls. Defensively, like Ojeda, Pasalic did not record a meaningful statistic. Despite not scoring against the Galaxy, Pasalic continues to flash his skill with the ball and has been one of the main driving forces behind the strong offensive start to the season. He was replaced by Dagur Dan Thorhallsson in the 82nd minute.

F, Luis Muriel, 7 — Did Muriel score or did John McCarthy botch the play? Both, but who cares? Muriel’s long-distance free kick in the 90th minute found the back of the net, and the placement of the shot contributed to McCarthy’s mistake, as the Colombian sealed the victory and three important road points for Orlando City. A play reminisent of when fellow Designated Player Ojeda hit the equalizer from practically midfield against Charlotte FC back in 2023, Muriel stepped up to a free kick well outside the box and sent a shot towards the top left corner of the net. The goal capped a well-rounded performance for Muriel, who continues to play his best soccer in an Orlando City kit. Muriel finished with 37 touches and completed 88% of his passes, including a key pass. Offensively, he registered two shots with the one that mattered being on target. His other shot was a laser through traffic that barely missed just outside the left post on a set piece. Defensively, the striker contributed a tackle. Kyle Smith replaced him in the third minute of stoppage time.

Substitutes

D, David Brekalo (66’), 7 — I thought Brekalo put in some of his best minutes of the year as he entered in the 66th minute for Santos. It was an unexpected substitution, as Brekalo is a central defender. Regardless, the Slovenian played strong and sound defense, snuffing out multiple attacking runs by Pec. He racked up three tackles and three clearances on defense and put in several eye-opening efforts in the attack as well, as Orlando looked to get back into the match. He completed 90.9% of his passes, and while he did not record a shot, he was quite active around the box and made multiple runs off of his attacking counterparts. Brekalo at left back might be something to keep an eye on, as Pareja has been looking for someone to play consistently well there early in the season. Time will tell.

F, Duncan McGuire (66’), 6.5 — McGuire secured his longest stint since his off-season shoulder surgery and looked agressive over the final moments of the match. He opens up the field in a way Muriel is physically not able to at this point in his career, as the American got in behind the back line multiple times and pulled it out of shape for his teammates to exploit. He recorded three shots, which were all off target, but it is only a matter of time before the forward finds the back of the net. He completed 80% of his five passes and was credited with a key pass.

MF, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson (82′), N/A — Thorhallsson came on in relief of Pasalic and did well over the final moments of the match. The insertion of Brekalo, McGuire, and then Thorhallsson allowed Orlando to be the more dangerous side over the last 20 plus minutes of game time. He completed 83.3% of his passes and was credited with two key passes. Defensively, the product of Iceland added two clearances, and he did well to track back and help Freeman keep Paintsil bottled up.

D, Kyle Smith (93′), N/A — Smith came in following the long-distance goal by Muriel to help see out the victory.

MF, Joran Gerbet (93′), N/A — Like Smith, Gerbet was inserted to help see out the road win in stoppage time but also came into the match for Atuesta who was on a yellow card.


That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando City’s come-from-behind win over the Galaxy. Let us know how you saw the game in the comments below, and don’t forget to vote for your Man of the Match.

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