Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Toronto FC: Player Grades and Man of the Match
Orlando City extended its unbeaten streak to six matches after winning 1-0 over Toronto FC. Tesho Akindele scored in the 12th minute and the defense continued its dominant form despite injuries. Here is how each individual Lion performed in the win, as well as who earned the title of Man of the Match.
Starters
GK, Pedro Gallese, 7.5 (MotM) — The Peruvian goalkeeper secured his fourth clean sheet of the season, already surpassing his total from a shortened 2020 season. It was a busy night for El Pulpo, making five saves throughout the match, including a pair late in stoppage time to put the game on ice. Gallese also had a great save in the first half after a shot was deflected while he was already motioning to his left. In what couldn’t have been more than a second, he readjusted for a kick save to send the ball out of harm’s way. He was beaten by a terrific chipped touch by Yeferson Soteldo in the first half, but his defense was there to keep Toronto from scoring. As usual, Gallese was confident and calm when the game was on the line. He’s our Man of the Match for making difficult saves and standing tall in the game’s biggest moments.
D, Kyle Smith, 6 — With neither Ruan nor João Moutinho on the roster as they’re being eased back into things, Smith played at right back. He struggled to deal with Soteldo, who wreaked havoc all night long on Smith’s side of the field. That being said, Smith wasn’t terrible defensively by any means as he led the team with a whopping nine tackles. He also had two interceptions and a clearance. On offense, his one shot was on target but gobbled up by Toronto goalkeeper Alex Bono. He had three crosses but none found their target. Smith played every minute of the match with 63 touches, but only had 27 passes at a 78% success rate. Although he didn’t have a key pass, Smith delivered a great ball down the right side to Silvester van der Water in the play that led to Orlando’s goal for a secondary, or “hockey,” assist.
D, Antonio Carlos, 7 — It was up to Carlos to put out the fires when Soteldo or other attackers came charging into the box. The Brazilian did just that, leading the Lions with six clearances to snuff out Toronto’s chances. Carlos also had a tackle and three interceptions to help ensure Orlando’s clean sheet. He continues to be the target on set pieces and nearly scored on a corner kick but his headed effort went just over the crossbar. That area of his game seems to be improving and is something to watch for moving forward. Carlos finished with 61 touches and completed 83% of his 47 passes to help build out of the back.
D, Robin Jansson, 7 — In his first start of the season, Jansson’s biggest moment on defense came in the 32nd minute when he stopped Soteldo’s attempt after the winger got past Carlos and Gallese. With Carlos often drifting over to help Smith, Jansson had to be the backbone of Orlando’s defense and did well in that role. He also pitched in offensively with a key pass in the 67th minute to give Akindele a chance to double Orlando’s lead. In his return to the starting lineup, Jansson had a tackle, two interceptions, two clearances, 60 touches, and 53 passes at an 81% success rate.
D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6.5 — After doing a great job as center back for the first five games this season, Schlegel was moved to left back and continued to impress. He had a tough assignment against former Lion Richie Laryea and was definitely scorched on occasion. In the 71st minute, Jacob Shaffelburg raced around Gallese to shoot from a tough angle and it looked like the ball would trickle into the back of the net. But Schlegel was there to cover for his goalkeeper, running back and getting in position to make a clearance on the goal line. Schlegel finished second on the team in both touches (79) and passes (59 at an 80% rate). Defensively, he had a tackles three interceptions, and a clearance. Schlegel showed his versatility by moving to left back and preventing Laryea from abusing the right wing.
MF, Sebas Mendez, 6.5 — The Ecuadorian midfielder had another great outing in his sixth-straight start this season. Mendez went the distance yet again, playing every minute and leading the Lions with 86 touches and 65 passes at a great 95% rate. He was a force defensively as well, racking up five tackles, three interceptions, and three clearances as he helped out all over the field. Mendez didn’t have any shots or key passes, but it was still a solid performance.
MF, Junior Urso, 6 — The Bear may have only had 50 touches in this one, but he put most of them to good use. Urso played all 90 minutes and had one shot that went into the stands, a key pass, three clearances, two interceptions, and blocked shot a shot from Jozy Altidore. It wasn’t his best night as he mostly dueled with Michael Bradley in the midfield, but he did help keep Altidore quiet by clogging up lanes in the midfield. Urso was dispossessed twice and only completed 23 of his 31 passes.
MF, Silvester van der Water, 6.5 — The Dutchman had an assist in his first start as a Lion. After rushing down a great ball by Smith, the winger cut back and then whipped the ball in with his left foot to serve Akindele the ball on a silver platter for his only cross of the match. Van der Water plays with a clear hunger to score goals, leading the team alongside Akindele with three shots, although only one was on target. Using quick bursts of speed to suddenly change direction or chase down the ball, he’s a dynamic player and showed plenty to be excited about in the future. In 58 minutes of action, van der Water had 28 touches, two tackles, a successful dribble, and completed 10 of his 13 passes.
MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 6 — With Nani suspended, it was up to Pereyra to create chances for the Lions. Pereyra was great at stringing passes together on offense and had two key passes. In the first few minutes of the second half, Carlos found him in open space and in a moment he sent the ball forward to give Akindele a golden opportunity to score that was squandered. But for most of the night, Toronto was all over Pereyra. He was dispossessed three times and had 46 passes at a 76% rate. Neither of his two crosses in open play found their target, but he was successful on two of his five crosses from set pieces. In 87 minutes on the field, Pereyra had 63 touches as he often had to become an outlet for Lions to get out of trouble.
MF, Chris Mueller, 6 — It was a tough night for Mueller, but mainly because he was dueling with former Lion Richie Laryea for most of it. Although he didn’t have any crosses or shots, Mueller showcased incredible vision on the left side of the pitch and led the team with three key passes. His best was in the 30th minute when he found van der Water in open space, but the shot went right at Bono. Mueller’s biggest issue remains dribbling into trouble as he was only successful on one of his five attempted dribbles. Mueller pitched in on defense with an interception and two clearances, often tracking back to help out. He completed 26 of his 29 passes and had 42 touches in a 70 minute shift.
F, Tesho Akindele, 6.5 — The Canadian scored his second goal of the season, getting his head on the end of van der Water’s cross to give Orlando an early lead. Akindele had another chance at the start of the second half after Pereyra sent him in on goal with only Alex Bono to beat, but his shot went wide. He had a similar opportunity later on, but just couldn’t get enough on his shot as he was closed down from behind at the last second. With Alexandre Pato injured and Daryl Dike on loan, Akindele has been under a bit of a microscope this season. He definitely had opportunities to put the game out of reach, but that shouldn’t overshadow him scoring the game’s only goal and keeping the pressure on Toronto. Akindele finished with three shots (two on target), 31 touches, and 24 passes at a 79% success rate.
Substitutes
MF, Andres Perea (58’), 6 — Coming on for van der Water, Perea did well solidifying the midfield to help Smith on the right side. He had 14 touches, two dribbles, completed eight of his nine passes. He also had a key pass, using his vision to send the ball to Benji Michel in a perfect spot to score. His versatility continues to matter as he’s able to come on and fulfill whatever role is needed of him in the midfield.
F, Benji Michel (69’), 6 — Michel nearly scored in the 84th minute. Perea put the ball in open space for him to run down and he took a great first touch with his chest to then shoot with his left foot. Bono managed to make a good save to keep Michel off the scoresheet, but it was nice seeing him make a familiar impact as a substitute. He had 11 touches and was successful on all six of his passes.
MF, Joey DeZart (85’), N/A — It was another late cameo for DeZart and there wasn’t enough shown in his brief appearance to warrant a grade. Regardless, DeZart did well late in the match to break up plays, including chasing down Ayo Akinola in a dangerous position. Throughout all six minutes of stoppage time, DeZart was there, working hard.
MF, Alexander Alvarado (85’), N/A — It was Alvarado’s first appearance since the season-opener and he was the epitome of fresh legs. The Ecuadorian kept plays alive on the wing, had a clearance on a set piece, and made a crucial block to end the game. With Nani out again next week, it will be interesting to see if he will get more minutes after a decent outing in this one.
That’s how I saw the individual performances of the Lions 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
| Player | Votes |
| Pedro Gallese | 62 |
| Antonio Carlos | 10 |
| Robin Jansson | 5 |
| SIlvester van der Water | 22 |
| Rodrigo Schlegel | 2 |
| Sebas Mendez | 7 |
| Other | 2 |
Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Houston Dynamo: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
The banged-up Lions look to make it three consecutive results in all competitions as the Houston Dynamo visit.
Welcome to your match thread for a Saturday night matchup between Orlando City (1-5-1, 4 points) and the Houston Dynamo (2-4-0, 6 points) at Inter&Co Stadium. It’s the only meeting scheduled for 2026 in this cross-conference series between two sides that haven’t met since the 2023 Leagues Cup group stage.
Here’s what you need to know ahead of the match.
History
Orlando City is 2-2-2 in the all-time series (1-0-2 at home) in league play and 2-2-3 (1-0-3 at home) in all competitions.
The last time these sides faced each other came in Leagues Cup play in Orlando on July 21, 2023. The Lions fell behind 1-0 as current Orlando City and former Houston fullback Griffin Dorsey took a dive in the box, drawing a highly questionable penalty on Rafael Santos deep in first-half stoppage time. Amine Bassi scored from the spot to put the Dynamo ahead just before the break. Duncan McGuire equalized just seconds into the second half and the teams played to a 1-1 draw before the Lions won 5-4 in penalties to claim the extra point in the competition. Pedro Gallese stopped Houston’s Hector Herrera on the first shot and no one else missed their penalty, including both Dorsey, Santos, and former Lion/current Dynamo defender Antonio Carlos.
The last time these teams met in MLS play was on June 18, 2022 at Exploria Stadium with Orlando City winning 2-1 on an Ercan Kara brace. One of the goals deflected in off of him, but that still counts. Sebastian Ferreira got Houston on the board but the visitors could not complete the comeback. It was Orlando’s first win in the series since the Lions’ first ever road game back in early 2015 provided the first MLS victory for the club.
Due to the quirky scheduling since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the previous meeting between the teams took place on Sept. 21, 2019 in Houston, with the Dynamo winning, 2-1. Dom Dwyer struck just six minutes in, but goals three minutes apart by Alberth Elis and Christian Ramirez in the 70th and 73rd minutes, respectively, turned that match around.
The teams met in Orlando on Sept. 22, 2018, with the match ending in a 0-0 draw. That was a memorable match for former Orlando City goalkeeper Adam Grinwis, who made his MLS debut that night.
The Lions went to BBVA Stadium in 2017 and were wiped off the field, 4-0. A leggy Orlando team flew directly to Houston from Toronto after a hard-fought game against the Reds and saw the rested Dynamo’s speed on full display. Elis, Mauro Manotas (twice), and Romell Quioto provided the goals and it could have been worse.
The 2016 match in Orlando was another 0-0 draw, in what was a forgettable game under Bobby Murphy, who was serving his first stint as Orlando City’s interim coach following the firing of Adrian Heath.
In the first meeting, back in 2015, the Lions went to Texas and came home with a 1-0 victory in Houston. Goalkeeper Tyler Deric — under extreme pressure from Pedro Ribeiro — punched the ball into the back of his own net for the only goal of the match. That was Orlando City’s historic, first MLS victory.
Overview
Orlando City is coming off a 1-1 draw at Columbus on Sunday and a 1-0 road U.S. Open Cup win on Wednesday at FC Naples. The Lions weren’t great in either match, but they managed to get results on the road as they continue to try to figure things out in a nightmare start to the 2026 season. Orlando is 1-2-0 at home this season and has scored all but one of its six goals on the season in the friendly confines of Inter&Co Stadium.
Both Tyrese Spicer and Robin Jansson returned to the lineup over the last week and made big impacts. Jansson was a rock in the middle of the OCSC defense in Columbus, and it was not surprising that the Crew only managed to level the game after he subbed off. Spicer scored on a rocket shot Wednesday for the only goal in a game that saw Orlando badly outplayed over the last 30 minutes by USL League One competition. Only a controversial no-goal call prevented what could have been a quick exit from the U.S. Open Cup. Dorsey also returned from injury against the Crew after missing time with a lower back issue.
Houston, like Orlando, is on short rest. The Dynamo were put on full blast a week ago in Colorado, losing 6-2 to the Rapids on the road. Houston took that beating out on USL Championship side El Paso Locomotive FC on Wednesday, winning 4-1 at home in U.S. Open Cup action. The Dynamo are 0-2-0 on the road in 2026.
The Dynamo attack added Designated Players Mateusz Bogusz, who scored in Wednesday’s game, and Guilherme Santos in the off-season. Guilherme leads Houston in goals (5) and assists (4), easily earning his DP tag in a quick start. Bogusz has started more slowly with just one goal and an assist, but his goal in USOC play Wednesday will have him more confident entering tonight. USMNT midfielder Jack McGlynn has three assists so far on the year despite being limited to four games due to injury. However, McGlynn is nearing a return and could be back tonight.
Orlando City will have to continue improving upon last week’s mostly solid defensive game, while trying to find improvements in the attacking end.
“Houston is a strong team, they have a good roster, and we respect them like we respect all of our opponents,” Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman said ahead of the match. “We are thinking about us, and working on our ways and strategies, and preparing for the game like always.”
Orlando City will be without Wilder Cartagena (thigh), Joran Gerbet (knee), and McGuire (lower leg), while David Brekalo (lower leg), Dorsey (thigh), and Iago (concussion protocol) are listed as questionable. Houston is much more healthy but will be without Lucas Halter (lower body) and Artur (lower body), while McGlynn (yep, lower body) is questionable.
Match Content
- Our Intelligence Report provides more insight about the Dynamo with the help of Dustyn Richardson from Houston site Bayou City Soccer.
- The latest episode of The Mane Land PawedCast includes our key matchups and score predictions.
- Our David Rohe outlined his three keys to victory for Orlando City in tonight’s game.
Projected Lineups
Orlando City (3-4-3)
Goalkeeper: Maxime Crepeau.
Defenders: Adrian Marin, Robin Jansson, Nolan Miller.
Wingbacks/Midfielders: Tahir Reid-Brown, Braian Ojeda, Eduard Atuesta, Griffin Dorsey.
Forwards: Ivan Angulo, Tyrese Spicer, Marco Pasalic.
Houston Dynamo (3-4-2-1)
Goalkeeper: Jonathan Bond.
Defenders: Felipe Andrade, Antonio Carlos, Erik Sviatchenko.
Wingbacks/Midfielders: Lawrence Ennali, Agustin Bouzat, Diadie Samassekou, Duane Holmes.
Attacking Midfielders: Guilherme Augusto, Mateusz Bogusz.
Forward: Ezequiel Ponce.
Referees
REF: Pierre-Luc Lauziere.
AR1: Nick Uranga.
AR2: Rhett Hammil.
4TH: Abdou Ndiaye.
VAR: Jorge Gonzalez.
AVAR: Craig Lowry.
How to Watch
Match Time: 7:30 p.m.
Venue: Inter&Co Stadium — Orlando.
TV/Streaming: Apple TV.
Radio: AM 810 FOX Sports Radio Orlando (English), Mega 97.1 (Spanish), Nossa Rádio 1160 AM-WRLZ (Portuguese).
Social Media: For rapid reaction and live updates, follow us on Bluesky Social at @themaneland.bsky.social or follow Orlando City’s official Twitter (@OrlandoCitySC) or Bluesky (@OrlandoCitySC) feed.
Enjoy the match. Go City!
Orlando City
Intelligence Report: Orlando City vs. Houston Dynamo
Find out everything you need to know about the Houston Dynamo ahead of Saturday’s game.
Orlando City managed to pick up its second positive result in a row on Wednesday when it scraped past FC Naples 1-0 in the U.S. Open Cup. The Lions will now turn their attention back to MLS play and try to make it three good results on the spin when they welcome the Houston Dynamo to the City Beautiful.
In preparation for Houston’s visit, I took the time to speak with Dustyn Richardson. He’s the managing editor of Bayou City Soccer, an excellent independent outlet that is dedicated to covering the Houston Dynamo, Houston Dash, and the general soccer scene in the Houston area. He was kind enough to help bring us up to speed on this year’s Dynamo squad, and I also answered some of his questions about Orlando City, which you can find over at their place.
Talk me through Houston’s off-season moves. Who left, and who has been brought in to replace them?
Dustyn Richardson: The Dynamo went through a bit of a re-tooling this off-season. They retained most of their core of players from last season but added a number of new pieces. Houston brought in two new Designated Players in Guilherme and Mateusz Bogusz. They also brought in two more players from South America, Brazilian defender Lucas Halter and Argentine midfielder Agustin Bouzat. Perhaps their most surprising move was the return of Hector Herrera. Of course, their biggest departure happened on the eve of the season with the sale of Griffin Dorsey to Orlando.
Former Orlando City player Antonio Carlos is in his first full year with the Dynamo. How has he been doing this year?
DR: Antonio Carlos has been solid. He stepped in mid-season last year and gave the Dynamo some stability that they were lacking in the back. This season, outside his red card against LAFC, he has been their most consistent defender. Felipe Andrade missed the first few games with an injury and Halter is currently injured. Antonio Carlos and Erik Sviatchenko, the two veterans of the group, have been key this season for Houston. He has also worn the captain’s armband for the Dynamo in the games he has started, showing what Head Coach Ben Olsen and the rest of the team think about his leadership qualities.
Houston has had a fairly up-and-down start to the 2026 season, as strong wins over Chicago and Portland have been offset by four losses. What needs to happen for the team to find more consistent form?
DR: They’ve been poor defensively, flat out. The offense can score with anyone but they can’t keep teams from scoring, and in bunches. Olsen has shifted the Dynamo to a much more pronounced back three this season and it has come with its growing pains. If Houston can get its preferred three center back grouping of Andrade, Sviatchenko, and Carlos in the lineup consistently, this should help. Goalkeeper Jonathan Bond has also struggled this season, giving up a lot more goals than xG. If they can get things right on the defensive end, this team should be able to compete for a playoff spot.
Will any players be unavailable due to injury, suspension, etc.? What is your projected starting lineup and score prediction?
DR: Halter is likely still out and club captain Artur remains out after being injured in preseason. Jack McGlynn has missed the last two league matches after picking up an injury and it will probably be a game-time decision again for this match.
The Dynamo will likely line up in a 3-4-2-1 of Jonathan Bond; Felipe Andrade, Antonio Carlos, Erik Sviatchenko; Lawrence Ennali, Agustin Bouzat, Diadie Samassekou, Duane Holmes; Guilherme Augusto, Mateusz Bogusz; Ezequiel Ponce.
Houston can score and Orlando has given up a ton of goals. With that being said, the Dynamo also concede a bunch as well. I’ll predict a 2-2 draw in this one.
Thank you to Dustyn for the excellent primer on the Dynamo. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/17/26
Caitlin Carducci settling in with the Orlando Pride, Seven Castain scores for U.S. U-23 team, Alex Freeman adjusting in Spain, and more.
Happy Friday! My mood is still buoyed by Orlando City’s midweek win as we get ready for another weekend filled with soccer. The USWNT plays tonight, the Lions are in action on Saturday, and Orlando City B will wrap things up with a match against Carolina Core FC on Sunday. It should be a nice next few days and I’m looking forward to trying out a new brunch spot near me as well. Let’s get to the links!
Caitlin Carducci Builds Orlando Pride Foundation
Orlando Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Caitlin Carducci has been with the team for a few months since being hired in January and is starting to settle in with the club. It’s a different role than the one she had with the Kansas City Current, as she’s making more final decisions here in Orlando. Carducci discussed her focus on building relationships with each player early on, the hiring of Mark Wilson as the club’s technical director, and how she’s creating a solid infrastructure for the club’s operations.
Seven Castain Scores Winner for U.S. U-23 Team
The United States U-23 Women’s National Team wrapped up its trio of friendlies in Spain with a 4-3 win over France. Orlando Pride forward Seven Castain came off the bench and scored the winner for the U.S. in stoppage time. Fellow Pride player Ally Lemos started the match. The U.S. went undefeated over the course of these friendlies, previously drawing against France and Denmark. The Pride had plenty of representation during these games, with Castain, Lemos, Simone Jackson, and Yolanda Thomas all in Europe during the break.
Alex Freeman Finding His Footing in Spain
Former Orlando City defender Alex Freeman, who was transferred to Villarreal earlier this year, spoke on how he aims to improve from this move to Europe.
“Football-wise, this is one of the things I need in my game. I need to take it up a notch and be more technical. It’s something that, if I had to choose a club, I would choose this club in this country because it’s somewhere where I can take my next step,” he says. “It was always the right move for me. I needed to go, not only to prove myself, because I have done that in the past, but to really test myself. I want to show that I am able to do it and be in that environment.”
Along with the language barrier, Freeman detailed how he’s adjusting to the faster pace of the game in Villarreal. The 21-year-old also talked about how sudden the transfer was, his goals this La Liga season, and the warm welcome he’s gotten so far.
USWNT Takes On Japan Tonight
The USWNT will host Japan tonight in Denver in the third match between the two this month. It will be interesting to see how the USWNT responds after losing 1-0 to Japan on Tuesday, particularly in regards to which players Head Coach Emma Hayes chooses for the starting lineup. Japan is a tough opponent that should continue to test the U.S. as both teams prepare for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
Free Kicks
- Orlando City’s next U.S. Open Cup match will be on April 29 against the New England Revolution. The match will take place in Rhode Island at Centreville Bank Stadium, which is where the Revs just played Rhode Island FC
- Bernardo Silva announced that he will leave Manchester City this summer after nine years with the club. It’s unclear where he will play next, but I wouldn’t be surprised if New York City FC is in the mix.
- Barcelona filed another complaint to UEFA over the officiating in its Champions League quarterfinal against Atletico Madrid. If recent events are anything to go by, it’s going to be awkward when the confederation rules Barcelona as the victor two months after the final.
- Amid reports that FC Cincinnati was exploring options to add Neymar this summer, the 34-year-old forward stated that he intends to see through his contract with Santos until it expires at the end of the year.
- New Zealand forward Chris Wood exited Nottingham Forest’s Europa League quarterfinal against Porto due to a knee injury, putting his availability for the World Cup into question.
- The Europa League semifinals are set and Forest will take on Aston Villa in an English showdown for a spot in the final. On the other side of the bracket, Freiburg will play against Braga.
- Cristiano Ronaldo exited Al Nassr’s 1-0 win over Al Ettifaq due to stomach pains that later caused him to vomit according to his head coach.
That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!
Orlando City vs. Houston Dynamo: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
Intelligence Report: Orlando City vs. Houston Dynamo
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