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Orlando City

Orlando City at D.C. United: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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4 years ago

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A goal in the seventh minute by Mauricio Pereyra secured three points away from home for Orlando City in a 1-0 win over D.C. United. It was a strong defensive effort as the team achieved its third clean sheet in the first five games of 2021.

Let’s take a look at how each individual Lion did in the win.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6 — It’s hard to say anything bad about a goalkeeper in a clean sheet. Gallese had a solid game, though he didn’t have that much work in this one. D.C. United only put one of its 13 shots on goal, forcing Gallese to make one save. When Gallese was called upon to make a decision to come off his line, he made the right one and put an end to the United attack.

D, Kyle Smith, 6 — The return of João Moutinho and the injury to Ruan last week allowed Kyle Smith to move back to his natural right back position. Just as he’s been at left back, Smith was solid in this game. Defensively, the right back led the team with seven tackles and also had an interception and two clearances. Offensively, Smith completed 67% of his 42 passes and made one key pass. He was accurate on two of his three crosses and delivered a great long ball to Pereyra in the box for Orlando’s goal.

D, Antonio Carlos, 7 — While Gallese will be credited with the clean sheet, much of the praise should go to the center backs. D.C. had 13 shots in this game but only one was on target and that was largely because opposing players didn’t have great opportunities. Carlos ended the game with three interceptions and a team-leading 13 clearances. Offensively, the defender completed 79.3% of his 20 passes, including seven of his 11 long balls.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6.5 — Similar to Carlos, it was a very solid game from the center back. The defender was strong on the back line, ending the game with two interceptions and seven clearances. Going forward, he completed 67% of his 24 passes.

D, João Moutinho, 6 — This game saw Moutinho return to the starting lineup for the first time since Aug. 29, 2020. His performance was what Orlando City fans were hoping to see from the healthy defender as he helped the back line achieve its third clean sheet of the season. While Oscar Pareja utilizes a system with the outside backs often going forward, Moutinho’s biggest impact was when making a sliding block in the first half that kept a shot from reaching Gallese. Moutinho finished the game with one tackle, four interceptions, and two clearances to go along with the block. He completed 58% of his 45 passes, including one key pass, but he was most impactful when helping the team keep D.C. off the scoreboard.

MF, Sebas Mendez, 6.5 — Defending for 83 minutes is a difficult task and the defensive midfielders were key in the Lions’ success. While both Mendez and Junior Urso were terrific, you can’t find a negative in Mendez’s performance. The midfielder completed 93% of his 43 passes, but his biggest impact was on defense. His seven interceptions were the most on the team and key in keeping D.C. from being sending numbers forward.

MF, Junior Urso, 6 — Urso was solid in this game. The seventh-minute goal meant Orlando City was going to need to defend well for most of the game and Urso made his presence felt. He finished the game with two tackles and two interceptions in the midfield. A link to the attack, Urso completed 77% of his 30 passes before being taken off in the 82nd minute for Joey DeZart.

MF, Benji Michel, 5 — Michel was pretty quiet in his 50 minutes in this game. He only had 14 passes, completed 64% of them, and didn’t take any shots. He had an opportunity to make an impact in the final moments of the first half, but a heavy touch saw him lose a chance at a shot on goal. He was a part of a tactical substitution by Pareja in the 51st minute as Robin Jansson came on as a fifth defender.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 7 (MotM) — Mauricio Pereyra was the key player in this game that Orlando City fans have been used to. The midfielder scored his first goal of the 2021 season in the seventh minute, which ended up being the difference. After receiving the ball from Tesho Akindele, Pereyra did well to shield Drew Skundrich and put it past Jon Kempin with his only shot. Aside from the goal, Pereyra was solid in the midfield once again, completing 86% of his 21 passes, including one key pass. Unfortunately, his last action in this game was a booking, but it was a strong performance by the midfielder.

MF, Nani, 6 — Nani saw his three-game scoring streak end in this one but joined in the defensive effort after Pereyra’s early goal, coming away with two tackles and three clearances. He completed 75% of his 40 passes and all four of his shots were off target. He did nearly score another wonderful goal in the first half, but the curling shot just missed the frame. The captain was successful on two of three attempted crosses.

F, Tesho Akindele, 6 — The role of Akindele for much of this game was keeping pressure on D.C. to help maintain the lead. The forward’s only shot in 82 minutes of play was blocked and he completed 65% of his 17 passes. Most importantly, he assisted Pereyra in the seventh minute for the game’s only goal.

Substitutes

D, Robin Jansson (51’), 6 — Jansson made his season debut as a second-half substitute. He replaced Michel to become the third center back when the Lions went to a five-man back line. Despite playing most of the second half, Jansson only completed two of four passes and made one clearance. However, he did help stop D.C. from scoring as the Lions held onto their third clean sheet of the season. Jansson had two clearances and completed nine of his 11 passes.

MF, Andres Perea (70’), N/A – Perea came on in the 70th minute for Pereyra, but didn’t do much in this one. A defensive change, Perea didn’t have any possession, shots, or defensive stats other than a tackle.

MF, Joey DeZart (82’), N/A – DeZart was a part of a double substitution with eight minutes remaining in the game, replacing Urso. While he didn’t make a huge impact, he did block a cross in the dying moments. DeZart did well to keep his arms at his side, ensuring that a penalty wouldn’t be called.

MF, Chris Mueller (82’), N/A – The biggest note about Chris Mueller’s night was that it was his 100th competitive appearance for the club. The other half of the late substitutions, Mueller came on as fresh legs for Akindele. He was booked in stoppage time for time wasting, had one pass, no shots, and no defensive contributions.

That’s how I saw the individual performances of Orlando City in this game. Let us know what you thought about the players and don’t forget to vote for your Man of the Match.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Mauricio Pereyra34
Pedro Gallese2
Antonio Carlos34
Sebas Mendez2
Other11

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Lion Links: 1/21/25

Orlando Pride release preseason camp roster, scouting Costa Rica, women’s soccer transfer grades, and more.

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21 hours ago

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January 21, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone! If you had yesterday off for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, then I hope you enjoyed some restful time off. If not, then I hope you got your week started off on a good and productive note. There’s a lot going on around here this week as the United States Men’s National Team is in town, and Orlando City will play its first preseason match on Saturday. That means we have plenty to discuss, so let’s dig into today’s links.

Orlando Pride Drop Preseason Roster

Monday might have been a holiday but the Orlando Pride were busy, as they announced the roster for their upcoming preseason camp. Almost all of the usual suspects from the 2024 season are back, as the Pride return 98% of the player-minutes from last season and every single scorer. Mariana Larroquette is on the list although she’s currently on loan in Argentina, and Amanda Allen is likewise included after her loan at Lexington Sporting Club was terminated due to a torn labrum. The biggest intrigue comes from the trio of non-roster invitees: goalkeeper DeAira Jackson, midfielder Aryssa Mahrt, and forward Simone Jackson.

Scouting Costa Rica

The USMNT takes on Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium to wrap up the team’s annual January camp. Like the U.S., Costa Rica is bringing a roster devoid of the majority of its important players. Costa Rica also has a new manager at the helm in Miguel Herrera, who will take charge of the team for the very first time on Wednesday. Herrera typically lines his teams up in a 5-3-2 where the wingbacks take on a very important role and the team looks to hit on the counter while staying compact at the back. This will be the last time we see the USMNT in action until the Concacaf Nations League semifinals in early March.

Women’s Soccer January Transfer Grades

January has been a busy time for transfers in the women’s soccer world, so which teams have done the best business? Well, the Orlando Pride received an A grade for signing Marta to a new two-year deal, retaining a player who helped the team win its first ever trophies. Liverpool got an A for signing Julia Bartel on loan from Chelsea. Leicester City made an interesting call by transferring goalkeeper Lize Kop to Tottenham despite just being a point above the relegation zone. The Foxes get a C for the move, while Spurs get a B+ for adding a capable netminder.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans taking part in some very important games over the course of this week. Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus face Club Brugge today in the UEFA Champions League, while Ricardo Pepi, Richy Ledezma, Esmir Bajraktarević, Malik Tillman and PSV Eindhoven take on Crvena Zvezda in the same competition. Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan will play Girona in the UCL on Wednesday, while Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic take on Young Boys. On Friday, John Tolkin could make his Bundesliga debut when his new team, Holstein Kiel, travels to face Wolfsburg.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando Pride players reported for their preseason physicals on Monday.
  • Meanwhile, Orlando City took on the dreaded beep test during Monday’s training session.

That’s all I have for you today. Vamos Orlando!

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Orlando City

Striker Suddenly a Position of Need for Orlando City

Departures and a key injury mean Orlando City needs a striker heading into the 2025 MLS season.

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2 days ago

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January 20, 2025

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Image Courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City reached the Eastern Conference Final for the first time in 2024, a milestone for the club. The core of the team was locked up through the 2025 season, so there was no reason to believe it needed to add much this off-season. Unfortunately, injuries and departures have created a serious problem for the team.

The group of forwards last year consisted of Duncan McGuire, Ramiro Enrique, and Jack Lynn. McGuire scored 15 goals in 2023 and was expected to depart for Blackburn Rovers before a clerical error allowed the Lions to keep their target man. The team’s primary striker scored 11 goals in 37 games — the same number as the previous season — but split time starting with Enrique. The Argentinian improved greatly in 2024, increasing his total goal tally from four to 12. Even Lynn showed tremendous improvement last year, playing a greater role in the team and scoring his first two MLS goals.

The future also seemed bright for the Orlando City forwards because of their ages. Lynn is the oldest of the trio at just 25 years old. Meanwhile, McGuire and Enrique are only 23, so there was no reason to believe this group couldn’t produce this coming season.

The problem at striker began in the postseason when McGuire was pulled down by Charlotte FC midfielder Djibril Diani in the final first round game of the playoffs. McGuire suffered a shoulder injury during the challenge that required surgery on Dec. 13. It’s expected that the striker could take four to five months to return to action, possibly leaving him out until May or June.

Another blow to Orlando’s attack occurred Saturday when Lynn surprisingly announced his retirement from professional soccer. In just over a month, Orlando City went from having three strikers to having just one as preseason training starts.

With McGuire injured and Lynn gone, one option would be to have Designated Player Luis Muriel play up top. However, the Colombian prefers to play a more withdrawn position and proved to be effective in that role last year. Since Head Coach Oscar Pareja prefers to play a 4-2-3-1 formation, the Lions need someone up top to control the ball and involve the midfielders in the attack. That’s not Muriel’s game.

The result of these issues is that nobody is currently behind Enrique when the season begins. If the Argentinian gets tired, hurt, or simply needs rest, Pareja is limited in his options. 

Whether there was a lack of strikers or a lack of goals from the position previously, that problem was resolved by the club’s all-time leading goal scorer. Facundo Torres scored 20 goals in 2024, becoming the first player in Orlando City’s MLS history and the second player in club history to do so. He went on to set a new club record for total goals of 47.

However, Orlando City sold its best player to Brazilian side Palmeiras on Dec. 20. It was a gut punch to fans as Torres had signed a new contract on Jan. 10, 2024 that ran through the 2026 season. There had been talk for the last couple of years that the attacker would look for a move to Europe and rumors of a move to South America arose this off-season. Still, it created a huge gap the club has to fill.

There are players on the roster that can make up for the injury and departures. Martin Ojeda had a strong season in 2024, finishing with seven goals and 13 assists. His seven goals ranked fourth on the team and his 13 assists topped the squad alongside Nico Lodeiro. Muriel came on strong later in the season, finishing with five goals and eight assists. But those numbers are a long way from the 20 goals that Torres tallied last year.

Even if you consider all goal contributions, Ojeda and Muriel fall well short of Torres. Ojeda had a total of 20 goal contributions in 2024 while Muriel had 13. In addition to Torres’s 20 goals, he added nine assists for a team-leading 29 goal contributions.

All of this information leads to one undeniable fact — Orlando City needs to sign a striker prior to the season. And there’s not much time for Luiz Muzzi to act. The European transfer window closes on Feb. 3 and many MLS teams have already been filling similar needs. With the season starting in just over a month, the options will be limited if the Lions don’t do something soon.

After the best postseason finish in Orlando City’s MLS history, things were looking good heading into 2025. While the back line and most of the midfield is returning, McGuire’s injury and the departure of Torres and Lynn have left the Lions in a tough spot offensively. If they don’t do something in the next couple of weeks, it could be a long 2025.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/20/25

Orlando City signs Nicolas Rodriguez, Jack Lynn announces retirement, USMNT defeats Venezuela in friendly, and more.

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2 days ago

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January 20, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope you’re all having a good holiday weekend as we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Over the past week, I’ve been working and covering high school ice hockey. It will be a busy week in Orlando, with the United States Men’s National Team’s match against Costa Rica on Wednesday and Orlando City’s first preseason match against Atletico Mineiro on Saturday. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Signs Nicolas Rodriguez

Orlando City announced on Friday that the club has signed forward Nicolas Rodriguez from Fortaleza CEIF in Colombia’s top flight. The deal is through the 2027 season, with a club option for 2028, and Rodriguez will occupy a MLS U22 Initiative slot. Rodriguez made 19 appearances for Fortaleza, recording 1,607 minutes, five goals, and three assists during the 2024 Primera A Clausura season. The Lions add a young attacking player the club can develop and Rodriguez can play on the right wing, the right side of a three-man midfield, or in the No. 10 spot.

Jack Lynn Announces Retirement

Orlando City forward Jack Lynn announced his retirement from professional soccer on Saturday. Lynn was drafted by Orlando in the first round of the 2022 MLS SuperDraft. He became a regular starter for Orlando City B, scoring a team-record 38 goals in over three seasons with the MLS NEXT Pro side. Lynn also won the Golden Boot with 19 goals during the 2023 season and became the first OCB player to be named MLS NEXT Pro MVP. He played sparingly with the first team, but he scored twice last season as his role increased. The Lions will likely look to add another striker for more depth up top.

Orlando Pride Acquire Allocation Money in Trade

On Friday, the Orlando Pride announced that the club has acquired $50,000 in Allocation Money from the Washington Spirit. In exchange, the Pride sent the Spirit a 2025 international roster spot. The Pride will face the Spirit in the NWSL Challenge Cup final on March 7 at Inter&Co Stadium.

USMNT Defeats Venezuela in Friendly

The USMNT defeated Venezuela 3-1 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday in a friendly. Jack McGlynn and Patrick Agyemang scored in the first half to give the USMNT a 2-0 lead just before halftime. Matko Milijevic scored the third goal for the Americans in the second half, with Venezuela pulling one back thanks to a goal from Jorge Yriarte. Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has led the USMNT to winning four out of its first five matches since he took charge last September. The USMNT’s next match will be against Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium.

Alyssa Naeher Named U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year

On Saturday, goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher was voted 2024 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year. Naeher won 40% of the vote, while defender Naomi Girma finished in second with 32%. In her final year with the USWNT, Naeher ended 2024 with 18 starts, playing 1,170 minutes and only conceding 11 goals. She played a crucial role with clutch saves to help the USWNT win the 2024 SheBelieves Cup, 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup, and gold at the Olympics in Paris. Naeher is the second goalkeeper to win the award since Hope Solo won it in 2009.

Free Kicks

  • Manchester City forward Erling Haaland has reached an agreement with the club on a record-breaking contract that extends his deal through 2034.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.

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