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

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5 years ago

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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

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Orlando City

Flashback Friday: June 10, 2023 vs. Colorado Rapids

Let’s take a trip down memory lane to a booking-laden match at home that took place a little less than three years ago.

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June 12, 2026

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

The World Cup is now officially underway, and while that means Orlando City is on break, we can’t have you forgetting about the Lions while all the international action is taking place. That means its time for another edition of Flashback Friday, where we hop in the trusty time machine and reminisce on OCSC matches of yesteryear.

Last week we relived a rousing road win over the New York Red Bulls from June, 3 2023, and this week, we actually pick up right where we left off, on June 10, 2023 as the Lions returned home to take on the Colorado Rapids.

Coming off a 3-0 win over the Red Bulls in the previous match, Oscar Pareja decided to not mess with a good thing, and kept Orlando City’s same starting XI from that victory. Pedro Gallese was in net behind a back line of Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Antonio Carlos, and Kyle Smith. Wilder Cartagena and Cesar Araujo played the double pivot; Ivan Angulo, Mauricio Pereyra, and Facundo Torres were the attacking midfielders, and Ercan Kara was deployed as the striker.

In typical June fashion for the City Beautiful, kickoff was delayed by just under an hour as the stadium was pounded by storms, and the delay did not look to have done any favors for Orlando’s sharpness. That said, OCSC did win a corner kick less than a minute into the game, and Torres had a tame shot saved in the eighth minute, but the Lions weren’t consistently sharp with their passing in the early moments of the contest.

The teams traded chances just before the 15-minute mark, with Kara sending a header too high before Cole Bassett sent a shot straight to Gallese. Carlos then picked up a yellow card in the 24th minute, which evened things out between the two teams after Lalas Abubakar was cautioned for the Rapids after just six minutes. Those two bookings proved to be a harbinger of things to come, because Colorado went down to 10 men in the 39th minute after midfielder Braian Galvan caught Angulo with a high boot while his studs were showing.

Pereyra had Orlando’s best chance of the opening 45 minutes in stoppage time but could only send his effort right at goalkeeper Marko Ilic, and that was the last significant action of the half. The Lions ended the half with an edge in possession (59.7%-40.3%), shots (7-2), shots on target (2-1), and passing accuracy (85.3%-79.4%), while both teams won two corners.

Pareja made two moves at halftime, bringing on Rodrigo Schlegel for the once-booked Carlos, and Martin Ojeda for Cartagena in an effort to go more offensive against a shorthanded Rapids side. The Lions certainly looked brighter going forward as the second half got underway and had a few dangerous moments before finally breaking the deadlock in the 55th minute.

Pereyra played a ball across the top of the box for Torres, who took a couple of touches before sending a ball to the net that took a wicked deflection off Andreas Maxsø that carried it past Ilic.

It wasn’t the prettiest goal the Lions have ever scored, but for a team that was guilty at times of passing up good shots in favor of the perfect look at goal, it was proof that sometimes you just need to take shots in dangerous areas.

Fortunately, Orlando seemed to take that lesson to heart. Kara went close in the 65th minute despite shooting through traffic, Angulo had a shot deflected by Abubakar three minutes later, and Torres had another deflected effort go just wide of the post four minutes after that.

The game changed again in the 75th minute, when the Rapids had another player sent off. Abubakar lasted for 69 minutes on a yellow card but got burned by Angulo in midfield and hauled him down in order to prevent the Lions from potentially working a transition opportunity. He had some teammates behind him, but the referee showed him a second yellow card. Pareja smelled blood in the water and just three minutes later he brought on Ramiro Enrique for Smith, who had been given a yellow card in the 52nd minute.

Ilic made a great save on Pereyra in the 81st minute to keep the score at 1-0 and keep the Rapids in the game, but Orlando got its second goal just two minutes later. Torres had the ball on the right side of the box with a Colorado player backing off him, and that gave him ample time to get his head up and pick out a man. He played a ball to Enrique at the top of the box, who had plenty of time to take a couple of touches and send a low shot into the bottom corner past a diving Ilic for his first goal as an Orlando City player.

Somewhat surprisingly, the game started to get a little stretched after the Lions doubled their advantage. Colorado had a shot blocked in the 81st minute, Kara sent a shot very close to the post six minutes after that, and Gallese saved a Darren Yapi attempt in the 88th minute to keep his clean sheet alive. Aside from Pareja handing Alejandro Granados his MLS debut, that was the last significant action of the match, which finished 2-0 to the good guys.

Unsurprisingly, considering Colorado’s deficit in players, the Lions dominated all of the game’s most important statistics. OCSC finished with the advantage in possession (65%-35%), shots (15-4), shots on goal (6-2), corners (5-3), and passing accuracy (89.4%-81.5%).

The victory made it back-to-back wins for the first time in 2023, stretched Orlando’s unbeaten run to six, and gave El Pulpo his 100th clean sheet for the team in all competitions.

Marcus Mitchell had the helm for Player Grades in this one, and Torres got his nod for Man of the Match with a goal, an assist, and a grade of 7.5 out of 10. Several other Lions graded out at 7 out of 10, with only one player grading below a 6.

While it was a weird win, it unfortunately was the final game of the unbeaten streak, as the Lions fell to a familiar defeat at Gillette Stadium the following week, although things got back on track soon afterward. I’ll see you back here in a week for another trip down memory lane. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 6/12/26

USMNT plays Paraguay tonight, red cards rain down in World Cup opener, Sporting Kansas City linked with Yann Gboho, and more.

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9 hours ago

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June 12, 2026

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Image of Alex Freeman sliding in celebration of a goal.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! The World Cup is in full swing and the U.S. will play today, so it’s a pretty exciting Friday to say the least. I’m a bit of a bundle of nerves about how the team will do, but I’m still looking forward to catching the game. If you have any gameday rituals, be sure to share, so that we can conjure up enough luck and support for the team tonight. Let’s get to the links!

USMNT’s World Cup Campaign Begins Today

The United States Men’s National Team will take on Paraguay at 9 p.m. tonight in its first match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. There’s plenty of pressure on the U.S. to perform well as one of the host nations, and this will also be Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino’s first time coaching at a World Cup. Pochettino stated that all 26 players are available for selection, including center back Chris Richards, although he may not necessarily start. Former Orlando City defender Alex Freeman, who is the youngest player on the U.S. roster, could make his World Cup debut tonight, so be sure to root for our hometown hero should he take the field. Hopefully, the Yanks can start this tournament off on the right foot with a big win in California.

World Cup Opener Features Three Red Cards

This year’s World Cup began in Mexico City, with Mexico beating South Africa 2-0 in a match that included three red cards. All three were straight red cards given in the second half in separate incidents, as Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane were sent off for South Africa before Mexico’s Cesar Montes was shown red in stoppage time. There hasn’t been a World Cup match with that many red cards since the record of four was set in 2006 in a match between Portugal and the Netherlands. As for the game’s goals, Julian Quinones pounced on a mistake by South Africa to give Mexico an early lead and Raul Jimenez doubled that lead while South Africa was reduced to 10 men.

Sporting Kansas City Linked With Yann Gboho

While the World Cup roars on, the rumor mill is in full force as clubs make plans for summer reinforcements. Sporting Kansas City is reportedly pushing to sign Toulouse winger Yann Gboho, who recorded 10 goals and three assists across all competitions this past season. The surprising aspect of this pursuit would be that Toulouse values Gboho at an eye-watering $20 million transfer fee, which would be a club record by a country mile. Kansas City needs all the help it can get on offense, as it has scored just 14 goals in 14 games so far this season.

Jose Mourinho Officially Returns to Real Madrid

It’s been a bit of an open secret over the past few weeks that Jose Mourinho would become Real Madrid’s next manager and it’s now official, with the 63-year-old signing a three-year contract with the Spanish club. Mourinho helped Real Madrid win a La Liga title and the Copa del Rey over a decade ago before his departure in 2013 after three seasons with the club. Now, he joins a Real Madrid side that has finished second in the league standings and been eliminated in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League the past two seasons. I, for one, can’t wait to see how one of the biggest personalities in soccer works alongside a locker room of star players that seemed in disarray this past season.

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

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Lion Links: 6/11/26

Wilder Cartagena linked with move to Sporting Cristal, Orlando Pride hire Dr. Nicole Surdyka, Barbra Banda injury update, and more.

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1 day ago

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June 11, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jermey Reper

The World Cup is finally here! Today starts what should be an exciting month of international soccer featuring more teams than ever before. While I wasn’t able to part with the arm and leg necessary to afford a ticket to one of the games, I’m still looking forward to watching along when I can with the rest of the world. Let’s get to the links!

Wilder Cartagena Linked With Move to Peruvian Club

You’ll need a translation tool to check out the full details unless you are fluent in Spanish, but Sporting Cristal of Peru’s top flight is reportedly interested in signing Orlando City midfielder Wilder Cartagena. The 31-year-old is currently under contract with Orlando through 2026, with the contact also including a club option for 2027. He was a crucial part to Orlando’s success in 2024, but he missed all of last year and has only started one game so far this season due to injuries. It’s not much more than a rumor as of now, but it’ll be something to keep an eye on during this break in the league schedule.

Barbra Banda Sustained a Hamstring Injury

Zambia Head Coach Nora Hauptle stated that Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda is dealing with a hamstring strain. Banda didn’t play in either of Zambia’s matches during this international break, but Hauptle also noted that she should recover in the next week or two and will be fine for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations at the end of July. Banda was injured late in the Pride’s 3-1 win against Bay FC on May 29 and it was unclear how severe the injury was. Hopefully she’ll be good to go before the Pride’s match against Angel City FC on July 3.

Dr. Nicole Surdyka Named Orlando Pride Director of Medical & Performance

The Orlando Pride have hired Dr. Nicole Surdyka as their new director of medical and performance. She’ll oversee the Pride’s medical operations, nutrition, and more while also working with Orlando Health. Dr. Surdyka has over a decade of experience that included leadership roles with OL Reign and the LA Galaxy and has studied extensively into developing frameworks for health and performance in women’s soccer.

“Nicole is one of the most respected practitioners in our field, and her expertise in women’s football, return‑to‑play, and high‑performance systems will elevate every aspect of our medical and performance environment,” said Caitlin Carducci, Orlando Pride VP of Soccer Operations & General Manager. “Her leadership, her commitment to evidence‑based practice and her passion for supporting athletes make her an exceptional addition to the Pride.”

Analyzing Paraguay Ahead of USMNT World Cup Match

The United States Men’s National Team will play its World Cup opener on Friday when it hosts Paraguay at SoFi Stadium. It will be the 10th match between the two nations, with the USMNT most recently winning 2-1 against Paraguay in November of last year. There’s a familiar face on Paraguay’s roster in Orlando City midfielder Braian Ojeda, with Miguel Almiron and Andres Cubas as other MLS midfielders called up. Paraguay’s defense is anchored by center back Gustavo Gomez, who you may remember as the player who put former Lion Alex Freeman in a headlock during that aforementioned November friendly. As for Paraguay’s attack, the Yanks will need to keep Julio Enciso and Antonio Sanabria from wreaking havoc. Paraguay is a physical team that’s also strong in the air, so we’ll see how the USMNT deals with that on Friday.

England Beats Costa Rica 3-0 at Inter&Co Stadium

Orlando City’s Inter&Co Stadium hosted a friendly between England and Costa Rica on Wednesday, with England winning 3-0. Declan Rice gave England an early lead, but Costa Rica kept the Three Lions off the scoresheet until the substitutes came on for England in the second half, with Anthony Gordon and Ollie Watkins both scoring. England got the full Orlando experience due to a heavy storm that delayed kickoff, but Inter&Co Stadium earned praise for its drainage system that had the pitch ready to roll in no time. Enjoy this satisfying time-lapse video of the transformation provided by the stadium.

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That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

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