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Orlando City vs. Toronto FC: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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4 years ago

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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

PlayerVotes
Pedro Gallese62
Antonio Carlos10
Robin Jansson5
SIlvester van der Water22
Rodrigo Schlegel2
Sebas Mendez7
Other2

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/3/25

Martin Ojeda in the MLS MVP mix early, Orlando Pride players won’t play for Zambia this window, Tierna Davidson out for the NWSL season, and more.

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4 hours ago

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April 3, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this week has been going well for you as we gear up for a busy Saturday filled to the brim with soccer to enjoy. Despite my blender’s protests, I’ve finally figured out how to make frozen coconut mojitos and plan on having those get me through the rest of the week. Before we dive into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy 28th birthday to Orlando City legend Rodrigo Schlegel!

Martin Ojeda’s MVP Credentials

Orlando City’s Martin Ojeda placed second in Sacha Kljestan’s MLS MVP power rankings this week. With four goals and three assists so far this season, Ojeda leads the league in goal contributions and is a major reason why the Lions have scored a league-high 15 goals. It’s great to see the 26-year-old take the reins of the offense after Facundo Torres’ departure. Inter Miami’s Luis Suarez tops Kljestan’s rankings, despite only having a goal in five games this season. Tai Baribo, Evander, and Lionel Messi round out the top five in what could be an interesting MVP race this year.

Pride Players Won’t Join Zambia For International Duty

Zambia will be without four NWSL players when it takes part in the Yongchuan International Tournament in China this month. Along with Bay FC forward Rachael Kundananji, Orlando Pride trio Barbra Banda, Grace Chanda, and Prisca Chilufya were withdrawn from international duty, with the Football Association of Zambia stating it was due to additional travel measures by the current U.S. administration. FAZ General Secretary Reuben Kamanga expects the quartet to be available for future matches and both Banda and Kundananji played in friendlies in Zambia in February. Restrictions like this may limit the appeal of the NWSL to foreign players in the future.

Fan Banned For Hateful Language Towards Banda

NJ/NY Gotham FC announced that the fan who directed hateful language towards Banda has been banned following an investigation that included interviewing witnesses and reviewing security footage. The incident took place at the Pride’s match against Gotham on March 23 at Sports Illustrated Stadium. The fan was found to be in violation of the NWSL Code of Conduct and their season ticket was revoked as well. Gotham also encouraged fans to report inappropriate behavior through the team’s encrypted text message service to inform the stadium’s incident management team.

USWNT Defender Tierna Davidson Out for the NWSL Season

American center back Tierna Davidson will miss the remainder of the 2025 NWSL season after tearing the ACL in her left knee in the club’s draw against the Houston Dash. It’s tough news for her, Gotham, and the United States Women’s National Team, as she captains the NWSL club and featured heavily in the Olympics last year. Davidson sustained an ACL injury in her right knee back in 2022, which contributed to her missing out on the 2023 World Cup. Gisele Thompson replaced Davidson for the USWNT’s upcoming friendlies with Brazil, and Pride defender Emily Sams will likely receive more playing time as the team prepares for the 2027 World Cup.

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  • Orlando City received $100,000 in General Allocation Money in exchange for former academy goalkeeper Zack Campagnolo’s Homegrown Player rights. The Lions will receive another $100,000 in GAM if conditions are met, and they retain a sell-on percentage if Campagnolo is transferred.
  • San Diego FC added Milan Iloski on loan from FC Nordsjaelland in Denmark through July of this year. Iloski is a San Diego native and won the USL Golden Boot for Orange County SC in 2022.
  • New England Revolution midfielder Carles Gil won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his free kick against the New York Red Bulls.
  • El Farolito SC, which is named after a burrito chain and bar local to San Francisco, has reached the third round of the U.S. Open Cup for the second straight year. The National Premier Soccer League side took down Monterey Bay FC to reach this point of the tournament.
  • Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid 1-0 to book its ticket to the Copa del Rey final, where it will face rival Real Madrid on April 26.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/2/25

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

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1 day ago

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April 2, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

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

International Duty, Pride Edition

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

Pride Still on Top

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

Orlando’s Various World Cup Ties

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

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

USWNT Youth Movement

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

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/1/25

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

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2 days ago

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April 1, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

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

Barbra Banda Keeps Rolling in 2025

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

Americans in Midweek Action

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

USWNT Announces Canada Match

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

Concacaf Champions Cup Preview

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

Sporting Kansas City Fires Peter Vermes

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

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

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