Orlando City
Orlando City vs. FC Cincinnati: Player Grades and Man of the Match
Orlando City won its first game of the 2021 MLS season after a dominant 3-0 win over FC Cincinnati. Tesho Akindele scored within the first minute of the game and Nani doubled the Lions’ lead with perhaps his best goal yet for Orlando. Junior Urso scored in the second half to put the game on ice as the Lions secured their second clean sheet at home.
Let’s look at how each individual Lion performed in this game and who earned the title of Man of the Match.
Starters
GK, Pedro Gallese, 6 — El Pulpo didn’t have much to do in this one as Cincy’s best chances of the night were either blocked shots, missed headers from open looks on set pieces, or called offside. He didn’t record a save, but he did get his fingertips on an attempted chipped shot that was waved off for offside. Gallese was as comfortable as ever with the ball, with 27 touches and completing 18 of his 22 passes in his second clean sheet in three outings this year.
D, Ruan, 6 — The right back actually led the team with four key passes and all three of his crosses were accurate. He was much better creating chances in this game compared to last week, but there is still some improvement needed in that part of his game as he had an opportunity in the 72nd minute with other Lions in the box but couldn’t make anything of it. Still, Ruan’s work on offense with Chris Mueller is like clockwork at this point and he did well forcing defenders to deal with him. He had 51 touches, two interceptions, a tackle, one shot (on target) and completed 31 of his 39 passes for a 79% passing rate.
D, Antonio Carlos, 6.5 — Carlos was as solid as always, limiting Cincinnati’s opportunities throughout the match. His biggest moment came in the 46th minute when Cincy was on the counter. Carlos got in good position to cut off Ronald Matarrita’s passing lanes and then deflected the ensuing shot that would’ve given Gallese trouble. The center back had two interceptions, a clearance, and got his head on a corner kick but sent the shot high. The Brazilian also did well building play out of the back, with 64 touches and he attempted 57 passes at a 91% success rate.
D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6.5 — The Argentine center back continues to impress as a starter, making smart and strong tackles to end Cincy’s counter attempts. Schlegel used his head almost as much as his feet, leading the team with two aerial duel wins and recording a shot with a header directed right at Cincinnati goalkeeper Przymeslaw Tyton. Although he had no tackles, he had an interception, blocked a shot, and led the team with four clearances. He made 41 passes with a great 95% completion rate and had 49 touches in another solid start while Robin Jansson recovers.
D, Kyle Smith, 6.5 — Still filling in at left back for the recovering João Moutinho, Smith had a decent outing. Defensively, he did well snuffing out Cincy’s chances, logging two tackles, an interception, and two clearances. However, there were a few mistakes as well as he turned the ball over in dangerous positions on occasion. On offense, Smith’s chemistry with Nani led to good chances for the Lions and Smith seems to be getting more and more comfortable crashing the box. Playing all 90 minutes, he finished with 69 touches and 48 total passes, both of which were third best on the team. Of those 48 passes, 42 found found their target for a decent 88% passing rate and one was a key pass. He attempted two crosses, completing one.
MF, Junior Urso, 7 — Although he missed an early header, Urso ended up scoring Orlando’s third and final goal of the match due to his penchant for being in the right place at the right time. In the 80th minute, the Bear got on the end of the ball right in front of goal to send it into the bottom left corner for his fourth goal as a Lion. Urso benefitted greatly from Cincinnati practically surrendering the midfield and he had a decent 88% passing rate from 34 passes. Defensively, he led the team with three interceptions and had two tackles. He had two shots, 45 touches, and committed a team-high three fouls within the first 10 minutes of the game.
MF, Sebas Mendez, 7 — Orlando City’s engine was at full steam in this match, leading the team in touches (85), passes (71), and tackles (three). He also had two dribbles in the match, tying Nani for most on the team, and his passing rate was a superb 94% as Mendez was given free reign in the midfield. He also had two interceptions, two clearances, and a yellow card after a miscued tackle. Mendez also had some work on offense, finishing with two shots from distance, a key pass, and an unsuccessful cross.
MF, Chris Mueller, 6.5 — Mueller notched his second assist of the season, finding Nani before the captain’s golazo. He was certainly hunting for his first goal of 2021, although three of his four shots were off target. His best chance to score came at the start of the second half when Nani found him open in the box, but his shot was deflected by a sliding Matarrita. While he didn’t score, Mueller’s assist was one of three key passes and he was successful on three of his five crosses. He also had a 90% passing rate from 21 total passes. Mueller had 37 touches in the match and a yellow card for a professional foul to make sure Cincinnati couldn’t capitalize on a counter.
MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 6 — It took some time for Pereyra to get going in his return to play after serving a two-game suspension. He had a chance to score in the 32nd minute after Nani snuck a pass to him in the box, but was tackled before he could shoot and stayed down after being stepped on. It ended up not being much to worry about and he carried on, creating more opportunities as the night went on. In the second half, his passes were lethal and reminiscent of those from last year as he found Lions in open space with pinpoint accuracy. Subbed off in the 59th minute, Pereyra finished his first match of the year with a 78% passing rate from 41 total passes, three of which were key passes. He had a corner kick and a cross seconds after it and both were successful although Orlando didn’t score. His one shot was sent into the stands and he had 52 touches.
F, Tesho Akindele, 6.5 — In his 100th MLS start, Akindele found the back of the net just 33 seconds into the match. The Canadian pressured Cincy defender Nick Haggland into an errant pass and then pounced on the loose ball in the box, slotting it home in the bottom right corner for his first goal of the season. After his goal, there was clear hunger and energy to Akindele as he hounded defenders and took chances. He used his large frame to win the ball often and then create opportunities for others with a notable two key passes. He had 24 touches, was accurate on nine of his 12 total passes, and had four shots, his goal being the only one on target.
F, Nani, 7.5 (MotM) — Just a week after his backheel goal, Nani scored another beauty for Orlando’s second goal of the game. At the top of the box, Nani spun and then cut back to send a defender sliding the wrong way for space to shoot. His strike was sublime, the ball sailing past Tyton for Nani’s second this year. The captain was a force all night long, nearly getting another with a header that beat Tyton but hit the woodwork. Nani led the team with six shots, two on target, and had two key passes. He was successful on three of his five crosses and finished with a 76% passing rate on 46 total passes after playing all 90 minutes. For the second consecutive match, Nani is our Man of the Match as Orlando was most dangerous when the ball was at the captain’s feet, which was often considering his 71 touches only trailed Mendez.
Substitutes
MF, Andres Perea (59’), 6.5 — The 20-year-old came on for Pereyra and helped keep Orlando’s offense running smoothly. Although Benji Michel will get credit for the assist on the score sheet for Urso’s goal, Perea’s headed pass in the box was excellent to give Michel a clear chance to score. He was composed and unselfish, with a chance to score his first goal as a Lion but opting to pass in that moment. All in all, it was a nice outing for Perea with 17 passes at a 94% rate and 21 touches.
F, Benji Michel (70’), 6 — Michel got his third assist as a Lion in bizarre fashion as his attempt to score wound up with the ball at Urso’s feet and then in the net. Regardless, he deserves some credit for being in position and drawing Tyton’s attention to give Urso a clear look. He only had nine touches in the game and completed all five of his passes.
D, João Moutinho (84’), N/A — In his first appearance since August, Moutinho was welcomed back with applause. He had nine touches and all nine of his passes were accurate. Hopefully we will see more of him soon.
MF, Joey DeZart (84’), N/A — DeZart only had two touches and completed both of his passes after coming on for Urso. His shift wasn’t long enough to warrant a grade in this one.
MF, Silvester van der Water (84’), N/A — Coming on late with Orlando up 3-0, van der Water played as if the score was reversed. He sprinted after the ball when tracking back on defense to make life even more difficult for a tired Cincinnati side that just wanted to go home. Van der Water completed one of his two passes and had a shot that went just wide.
That’s how I saw the individual performances of the Lions in their first victory of the 2021 season. Let us know what you thought and make sure to vote for who you think deserves the title of Man of the Match.
Polling Closed
| Player | Votes |
| Nani | 52 |
| Sebas Mendez | 5 |
| Tesho Akindele | 4 |
| Junior Urso | 3 |
| Rodrigo Schlegel | 1 |
| Other (write in comments) | 1 |
Orlando City
Ranking Orlando City’s MLS Away Kits
Where does the new Sunken Treasure kit rank all time?
With the release of Orlando City’s newest away kit, I thought it appropriate to rank all of the Lions’ MLS-era away kits to see how the new “Sunken Treasure” kit stacks up against those from the past. As I said last year regarding the home kit rankings, I’m no fashion guru, but I do know what I like.
I welcome everyone’s opinions on this topic, but since I’m writing the article, I get final say. Let’s rank Orlando City’s away kits.
Seventh Place
The Heart and Soul kit has the misfortune of coming in last place in the rankings. It is not a bad or ugly kit, I just think the others are better. For me, it’s the stark shoulder separation that I don’t like. It feels disjointed, like the color on the front was an add-on or that someone forgot to extend it up to the rest of the kit. While I don’t mind the three stripes being oriented front to back on just one side, I like the more traditional two-sided Adidas stripes formation.
Sixth Place
The look of the second-ever away kit was so close to being fantastic. First the good. The purple sleeves look great, especially with the gold ring near the cuff. And seeing the original Orlando Health logo certainly brings back memories. Now the not so good. I always prefer to have the Adidas stripes on the shoulder, though they’re not horrible running down the sides. The faux collar is the downfall of this kit. If it had a real collar it would be much higher up the rankings.
Fifth Place
The Sunshine Kit brought the first splash of color other than purple to the away kit. The way it blended into — or more accurately out of — the purple shorts looked very good. It also didn’t have the cutoff shoulder feel of the Heart and Soul kit. In fact, we get the traditional stripes with a ringer around the collar. It’s a nice touch.
Fourth Place
There is definitely something to be said about an almost completely white kit. The Origin Kit was so clean that it only needed two colors. Even the crest is monochromatic purple rather than the usual gold, purple, and white. Purple-accented Adidas stripes, cuff rings and a thin ringer at the V-neck are the only splashes of color to be found. It’s the type of kit you can wear out to a nice dinner. Just don’t order the spaghetti.
Third Place
You never forget your first…away kit. The amount of thought that went into the Inaugural City kit is impressive. It is seemingly simple and straightforward but full of little details. I love the overlapping collar with just a bit of gold. The Adidas stripes in the proper place and the original Orlando Health logo make this the classic it deserves to be. It might be at third place in the rankings, but it will always be the first.
Second Place
The new Sunken Treasure kit is striking. It is the first kit that uses gold as the primary color. The sublimated lion head is picturesque in detail. The Adidas stripes are in the right place, and the triple stripe at the cuffs and neckline are a nice touch. Paired with the purple shirts, I know that this is going to be a sought-after jersey for years to come. My only personal issue is I don’t look good in yellow. However, as I said on The Mane Land PawedCast, I will reserve final judgment on my potential purchase of the kit until I see it in person. I also want to add that the social media release of the kit was very well done.
First Place
As much as I like the new kit, it will be hard to ever top the Legacy Kit. We have the return of the Three Lions crest and the red color from the USL days. The very light purple used as the primary color is subtle, original, and looks really good. I like the three-color combo and button on the collar. The matching shorts bring the whole thing together like The Dude’s rug. This is such a departure from normal away kits that I literally have it framed on my wall.
There you have it. As for the kits, I’d love to hear how you rank them in the comments below. For now, you can select the spot where you’d place the Sunken Treasure kit in the poll below. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 2/12/26
Orlando City wins preseason game, Nolan Miller readies for rookie season, Hailie Mace settling in with the Orlando Pride, and more.
How’s it going, Mane Landers? It’s been a pretty hectic for me so far this week, but it’s nothing some ABBA and baking can’t help with. The return of Orlando soccer is right around the corner and I’m looking forward to seeing our favorite players back in action. Until then though, let’s enjoy today’s links from around the soccer world!
Orlando City Wins Preseason Game
Although Orlando City continues to keep most of the details of its preseason results close to the chest, we at least know that the Lions beat FC Cincinnati 3-2 in Tampa. Cincy got the scoring started with a goal from Evander, but Orlando came out swinging in the second half by scoring three goals in just five minutes. Martin Ojeda bagged a brace, with 20-year-old winger Tiago maintaining his solid preseason form with a goal as well. It’s a nice result and the Lions will play their final preseason game Saturday against the Colorado Rapids in a match open to season ticket members.
Nolan Miller Ready for Rookie Season
Drafted by the Lions with the ninth overall pick in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft, Nolan Miller spoke on how he fit the profile Orlando’s coaching staff was looking for in a center back in the draft. The 21-year-old can play out of the back and possesses leadership qualities as evidenced by deciding to stay at Michigan to help build the program into a Big Ten championship contender as its captain. Signed to a first-team contract earlier this month, Miller discussed how he’s mentally prepared for his rookie season in the MLS.
“I’ll tell you this, I’m the biggest guy in my mindset,” he said. “If you start thinking, ‘Wow, this is a big jump,’ it will be a big jump. But I tell myself I belong every day. I belong at this level. I know I belong. I’m mentally there, I’m physically there, and if I’m not there today, I’m going to be there tomorrow.”
Hailie Mace Finding Her Footing in Orlando
Orlando Pride defender Hailie Mace is the most notable addition to the Pride’s roster this off-season and she spoke on how she’s settling in with Orlando after a terrific season with the Kansas City Current. Like the Current, the Pride have boasted one of the league’s best defenses in recent years, and Mace fits the team’s defensive mindset. That being said, Head Coach Seb Hines could have her making more of an impact on offense in the City Beautiful.
“Seb wants me to join the attack more and play through the lines and those sort of things,” she said. “So I think he’s challenging me in that aspect. I would have liked to be more involved in the attack last year, but that wasn’t my role on the team. Coming here, having the freedom to join the attack and Seb encouraging me to do it, it’s nice and fun, and I’m excited to be able to do that.”
She also talked about how going up against attackers like Marta and Barbra Banda in training will only make her a better player. It’s hardly the first time Mace is adapting to a new team environment in her career, so hopefully she can be a difference maker for the Pride this season.
NWSL Star Midfielders On the Move
It seems we’re still in the NWSL’s silly season, as the Current made a pair of major trades. American attacking midfielder Croix Bethune is no longer with the Washington Spirit after being traded to the Current in exchange for $900,000 in intra-league transfer funds and $100,000 in Allocation Money. Bethune requested the move according to Spirit President of Soccer Operations Haley Carter and gives the Current a young and talented playmaker.
That’s not all though. The Current also traded defensive midfielder Claire Hutton to Bay FC in exchange for $1.1 million in intra-league transfer funds. The 20-year-old was a finalist for NWSL Rookie of the Year in 2024 and started 22 games for the Current last season, making the NWSL Best XI First Team.
Free Kicks
- Gustavo Caraballo scored a great goal in Orlando City B’s scrimmage against the U.S. Virgin Islands.
- Orlando City’s latest jersey placed 16th in CBS Sports’ rankings of the new MLS jerseys for the upcoming season. It’s nice to not be at the bottom of the list, where basic kits from Inter Miami and Nashville SC are joined by messy tries by St. Louis City and the Houston Dynamo.
- A big change is coming to the SheBelieves Cup, as any matches that end in a draw will now go to a penalty shootout for an additional point. There will also be new rules regarding rosters, with teams now able to field 26-player rosters for the tournament.
- U.S. soccer legend Abby Wambach announced that she is leaving Casey Wasserman’s talent agency and called for him to resign following the reveal of correspondence between him and Ghislaine Maxwell in the Jeffrey Epstein files.
- Lionel Messi did not participate in training due to a muscle strain in his hamstring. The club’s friendly against Puerto Rico was postponed to Feb. 26, which is just a few days before its match against Orlando City on March 1.
- Tottenham sacked Thomas Frank amid a disastrous season that has the club just five points above the relegation zone.
That’s all I have for you all this around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 2/11/26
New Orlando City kit drops, Orlando City and Orlando Pride preseasons, MLS club valuations, and more.
Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling a bit anxious about the upcoming season. I think it’s because we don’t know much of what is going on. We’re only a few weeks away from the first match for goodness sake. Hopefully, we’ll see some more signings for both clubs, but until then let’s get to the links.
Orlando City’s New Kit
Orlando City dropped the new Sunken Treasure secondary kit yesterday, and it is a stunner. This is the first time the club has used gold as the primary color on a jersey. It looks great with the purple shorts, and the purple stripes. There are some great details like the coin on the collar and sublimated lion head on the chest. This is truly one of the better kits that Orlando City has introduced. The club produced a great reveal video. Check it out.
Orlando Preseasons
There’s not a ton of information to convey regarding Orlando City’s and the Orlando Pride’s preseasons. That seems to be purposeful on the part of the club, but a little news did slip out via social media. New center back Iago is fully participating in practice.
We also learned that goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau is back in training after missing last week. Of course, the Pride got in the action as well with various players trying to run drills. I’ll let you judge how well they did.
MLS Club Valuations
MLS clubs are increasing in value, including Orlando City. Sportico released the list of all MLS club valuations (paywall). Unsurprisingly, the top five were all big market teams with Inter Miami leading the way. When the Wilf family purchased Orlando City, they paid between $400 and $450 million. Now it is estimated to be worth approximately $565 million. That’s pretty good growth.
Chris Mueller’s Lost Year
We missed this last November, but former Orlando City attacker Chris Mueller had a tough time of things in 2025. The player was diagnosed with pericarditis. It meant that he couldn’t sleep laying down, let alone play or practice. He is now on the other side of it and has a new contract. It was a year of lessons for Mueller, and in typical fashion he has bounced back stronger.
Free Kicks
- The Lions weren’t the only team to announce new jerseys. There were 16 other clubs that did the same, though none are as nice as Orlando City’s new kit.
- The USMNT U-17 squad has secured a spot in the U-17 World Cup. The berth came after a 1-1 draw against the Dominican Republic.
- Former England, Chelsea, and Juventus forward Eni Aluko has reignited her debate over female pundits in soccer.
- Defender Noahkai Banks will not be switching from the USMNT to Germany despite contact from the German federation.
That will do it for today, me hearties. I hope you have a wonderful day. Vamos Orlando!
Ranking Orlando City’s MLS Away Kits
Lion Links: 2/12/26
PawedCast Episode 516: Orlando City’s Good and Bad Preseason News
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