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Orlando City

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

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5 years ago

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Orlando City grabbed a win in the team’s return to Major League Soccer play with an exciting 3-2 victory. The easiest road trip of all time was nearly a disaster after blowing an early two-goal lead, but Junior Urso played the hero and rescued all three points. Here’s how everyone fared in Orlando’s return to action:

Starters

GK, Brandon Austin, 5.5 — It was an ok first outing for Brandon Austin in place of Pedro Gallese. The young Englishman did concede twice, and nearly a third if it wasn’t for Kyle Smith, but also made two good saves. He wasn’t asked to do much in distribution, but completed nine of 12 passes. If there’s one big criticism for Austin it was the way he commanded his area. He wasn’t sharp off his line or in the air, giving Toronto chances. Maybe that’s a bit harsh, but he could’ve been a bigger presence in the box. Granted, he’s young and it’s his first game, so that could easily develop as he gets more comfortable.

D, Joao Moutinho, 7 — Joao was a good contributor against the Reds. He played slightly deeper a lot of the time, more of a left center back almost, but his presence was felt. His passing was important in possession — completed 71 of 84 (85%) — while still adding a forward thrust, adding three accurate long balls, two key passes, and an accurate cross. He also still got forward, finding a half chance in the box he couldn’t control and hit well wide. His defensive work was also impressive with three aerial wins, a tackle, an interception, and nine ball recoveries. The one real demerit on his game was his occasional sloppiness, as he was dispossessed twice. He did also pick up a yellow card on a tactical foul. 

D, Robin Jansson, 6 — Not bad, but not an overly influential performance from Jansson. Not too much distribution work from the Swede, with only 33 completed passes (impressive 97% though), including just one completed long ball. Defensively, he made seven clearances, an interception, and two ball recoveries. He was beaten in the air for Toronto’s first goal, and while Ayo Akinola is an incredible athlete, you expect more from your center back that close to goal

D, Antonio Carlos, 6.5 — Another good all-around performance from Antonio Carlos. His distribution was great, completing all 40 of his passes, including six long balls. Defensively, he was his usual self, with 10 clearances, three aerial wins, and four ball recoveries. He also had a blocked shot off a set piece. He was a little slow to close out space, giving the likes of Alejandro Pozuelo and Richie Layrea too much space, and was arguably culpable on Toronto’s second goal after overrunning the play. 

D, Kyle Smith, 7.5 — This man just gets the job done. Smith was great for the Lions once again, making countless good defensive plays and providing some danger from the right flank. While he did struggle at times to handle the dribbling of Richie Layrea and company, he did make a tackle, two interceptions, nine ball recoveries, and four clearances, including a fantastic goal-line clearance in the second half. Offensively, he completed 40 of 46 passes (87%), but was a solid creative presence in combination with Silvester van der Water and Urso on the right flank. He had two successful dribbles, a key pass, an off-target shot, and an accurate cross. Smith will never be as dangerous as Ruan in attack, but his all-around excellence and grit might make him a first-team regular even after the Brazillain returns. 

MF, Junior Urso, 8 — It was a big box-to-box performance from the Bear against Toronto. Effective in possession and keying the transition, he completed 43 of 47 passes (91%) and got off two shots, including a well-taken goal to win the game late on. He won the ball back in midfield and played a quick one-two with Chris Mueller before making a clean finish. He was also effective defensively, particularly winning the ball back in midfield, with a tackle, interception, and five ball recoveries. Both he and Perea were occasionally caught upfield, giving Toronto space to attack, but their presence pushing forward and on the press gave Orlando a real threat. Urso also picked up his first yellow card of the season.

MF, Andres Perea, 7.5 — An understated but impressive performance from Perea standing in for Sebas Mendez. He was excellent in possession, completing 59 of 63 (94%) of his passes, including three of four long balls. Like Urso, Perea’s defensive presence was impressive, with two tackles, an interception, and seven ball recoveries. He wasn’t as offensively involved as his Brazilian teammate, but he was an effective player who opened things up for the creative players ahead of him, including an excellent line-splitting ball to Mauricio Pereyra that eventually resulted in the opening goal.

MF, Silvester van der Water, 7.5 — Originally this was a little higher, the Dutchman is such a bright spot on this team it’s hard not to highly rate him, but I have to keep myself honest. His intelligence and work rate created the second goal, perfectly pressing Toronto’s Quentin Westberg to force a mistake and create an excellent opportunity in the box. He got a secondary assist for Nani’s goal as a result. He was a goal threat, cutting in from the right, with one shot hitting Westberg and he had goal disallowed for offside just before the half. Unfortunately for Orlando, he really faded down the stretch before being subbed off in the 70th minute for Mueller. In total, he completed 28 of 31 passes (90%), had a key pass, a successful dribble, and six ball recoveries. Even if he faded, the technical quality and dynamism he’s shown the last three games have made him a must-start player and a real threat for Orlando City moving forward.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 8 — This is the Mauricio Pereyra we saw last year. The Uruguayan picked up an assist on the opening goal, picking a perfect through ball to the feet of Tesho Akindele. He also played van der Water in behind on multiple occasions with slick passes. Pereyra completed 44 of 53 passes (83%) including four of six on long balls with two key passes as well. If there’s one real demerit to Pereyra’s game it’s his lack of a goal threat. There were opportunities for him to potentially find a shot, but he’s always looking to create. That’s mostly great, and he was good again tonight, I just wish he were more direct at times. Defensively he was involved with six ball recoveries and a clearance.

F, Nani, 8 — Awesome stuff from Nani in his return to action. He got off the mark early, grabbing his fourth goal in his last five appearances in the eighth minute on a good headed finish. He was active, with three shots — including a sublime free-kick just off the mark — and also two key passes. His crossing was dangerous, if slightly underwhelming with only one accurate cross on eight attempts, and he completed 27 of his 35 passes (77%). He got back and contributed defensively as well with a successful tackle and three ball recoveries, while also being a force in the air with three aerial wins. Another great performance from Nani as he continues his scorcher of a start to the season.

F, Tesho Akindele, 8.5 (MoTM) — Tesho has been playing great this season. The Canadian got back on the scoresheet in the first minute of the game and added an assist soon after. While he didn’t have a shot after the goal, his all-around work continues to impress, making selfless runs, pressing hard, and holding the ball up well. He completed 16 of 19 passes (84%), had a key pass, won an aerial duel, made a ball recovery, and made a clearance. He might not be as consistently goal dangerous as Daryl Dike or maybe even Alexandre Pato, but the all-around work Tesho puts in is incredibly valuable. 

Substitutes

F, Daryl Dike (64’), 7 — He’s back! It was a good 30-minute shift for the rapidly ascending American. He gave Omar Gonzalez fits, drawing a foul and a yellow card on the top of the box and nearly having another breakaway chance before Chris Mavinga snuffed it out in the box. Not much in the way of stats for Dike though — no shots, only two passes attempted (one completed), and he won an aerial duel. If he gets to go from the jump he will be a nightmare for the opposition. 

MF, Chris Mueller (71’), 6.5 — Another mixed bag of a game for Mueller. I will say he was generally pretty good and he did have the assist on the winner — his third of the year. He also had a shot from a dangerous opportunity, though it drifted wide. The execution wasn’t quite there, as on a misplaced pass to a wide-open Dike in the box, but to see Mueller being more direct and aggressive is a promising sign. It wasn’t the most efficient of outings. He only completed four of his seven passes and had some rough touches at times. To his credit, he made up for it with his effort, particularly defensively, where he made two clearances and two ball recoveries.

F, Benji Michel (80’), 6.5 — There’s not much to say about Michel’s game. Brought in to add that extra punch and go for the winner in the last 10 minutes, Michel brought energy to the final third. While he wasn’t really involved in the goal, his pace and willingness to take people on is always welcome late in the game. He did get a shot off, completed two of three passes, won an aerial duel, and made a ball recovery in his 10-minute run out.

That’s how I saw everyone’s performance, but what did you see? Let us know down below and make sure to vote for your Man of the Match.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Tesho Akindele12
Nani7
Mauricio Pereyra6
Kyle Smith30
Junior Urso24
Other (Comment Below)1

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. New York City FC: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Lions welcome the Pigeons to Orlando in another big game with playoff implications.

Published

11 hours ago

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October 24, 2026

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Image of David Brekalo
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to your match thread and preview for a Saturday night matchup between Orlando City (12-13-5, 41 points) and New York City FC (8-12-10, 34 points) at Inter.co Stadium (7:30 p.m., Apple TV). This is the second of the two scheduled meetings between the Lions and Pigeons this season.

Here is what you need to know ahead of the match.

History

The Lions are 7-12-8 in 26 meetings with NYCFC in the all-time series in MLS play and 7-12-10 on their home grounds in all competitions, including one playoff match and one U.S. Open Cup meeting (remember, games that go to penalty shootouts in knockout competitions officially count as draws). Orlando is 4-3-6 at home in regular-season games in the all-time series, 5-3-6 in all regular-season matches in the greater Orlando area when factoring in the win in the group stage of the MLS is Back Tournament in 2020, and 5-3-8 in home games in all competitions against NYCFC. Things have trended the Pigeons’ way the last few years, as the Lions are 0-6-2 in the last eight meetings between the teams.

The Lions and Pigeons last met at Yankee Stadium on March 7 and it was a nightmare for OCSC fans. Maxime Crepeau was sent off early and New York City FC bludgeoned 10-man Orlando 5-0 in Oscar Pareja’s last match in charge of the Lions. Agustin Ojeda, Nicolas Fernandez Mercau, Maxi Moralez (penalty), and Keaton Parks (two goals) did the offensive damage.

The teams met twice last year and NYCFC swept the season series. Orlando City blew a late 1-0 lead at home on July 16, 2025, through Robin Jansson’s goal. But Rodrigo Schlegel smashed a clearance attempt off Kyle Smith and into his own net just a few minutes before the end of normal time, tying the game. Alonso Martinez scored the winner on a counterattack in stoppage time to end the game 2-1 in favor of the visitors.

In Orlando City’s first road game of the 2025 season, the Lions fell 2-1 at Yankee Stadium on March 8. Martinez opened the scoring in the second half, with Luis Muriel equalizing. However, just two minutes after Muriel’s goal, Hannes Wolf scored what turned out to be the game winner.

In Orlando on July 20, 2024, the two 2015 expansion rivals played to a 1-1 draw. Ramiro Enrique and Wolf traded goals five minutes apart in the second half to account for all the scoring. The Lions and Pigeons met at Yankee Stadium on June 28 of that season, with New York City FC winning 4-2. An early Santiago Rodriguez goal opened the scoring and then things went horribly wrong when an obviously offside Malachi Jones collided hard with Orlando goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar. Both players left the game and both had season-ending surgery to repair broken tibias and fibulas. Javier Otero made his MLS debut in goal off the bench and the Lions allowed two goals in first-half stoppage time to let a close game get out of hand. Orlando pulled two goals back through Dagur Dan Thorhallsson and Duncan McGuire, but Mounsef Bakrar sealed the game late for NYCFC.

The teams met at Citi Field — a different baseball stadium than NYCFC’s usual one — on Sept. 20, 2023. The Pigeons were rude hosts, winning 2-0 on goals by Bakrar and Talles Magno. It snapped Orlando’s five-game unbeaten run but the Lions clinched a playoff spot that day anyway due to other results around the league. These teams also met in Orlando on May 17, and with the Lions poised for a 1-0 win, NYCFC eked out a late 1-1 draw with a Gabriel Segal goal at the end of normal time. Ercan Kara scored for Orlando City.

The teams faced off at Red Bull Arena (one of NYCFC’s many homes away from home) on Oct. 2, 2022, with the Pigeons erasing a 1-0 halftime deficit that Facundo Torres provided. The “hosts” got second-half goals from Alex Callens and Magno to complete the comeback and win 2-1. Earlier in the year at Exploria Stadium, the Lions got a Tesho Akindele goal at the death, stunning NYCFC as Orlando City won 2-1 on Aug. 28, 2022. Junior Urso and Moralez had scored early in the first and second half, respectively.

Orlando City had a five-game unbeaten streak in the series (1-0-4) absolutely demolished on July 25, 2021 in a 5-0 loss at Yankee Stadium. The Lions started a makeshift lineup and it showed, as the Pigeons got goals from Jesus Medina, Ismael Tajouri-Shradi, Moralez, Malte Amundsen, and Valentin Castellanos. Why the makeshift lineup? That match was sandwiched between home games against Philadelphia and Atlanta, with quick turnarounds for each. The strategy was sound, as Orlando won the other two games in that nine-day span.

The teams met in Orlando on May 8, 2021 and drew 1-1. Nani smashed a golazo in the second half to put the Lions on top, but Joao Moutinho fouled Tajouri-Shradi in the box and Castellanos equalized from the spot.

The last meeting of the 2020 season happened in the postseason and things got weird. Orlando City ultimately prevailed in penalties after a 1-1 postseason draw on Nov. 21, 2020. Nani put Orlando ahead from the penalty spot, only to see Maxime Chanot equalize on a set piece. Extra time couldn’t settle it, so to penalties we went, and the Lions advanced thanks to a save by Schlegel — after goalkeeper Pedro Gallese was sent off with a second yellow for coming off his line early. Benji Michel’s blast was the difference in the shootout. (Seriously, just click the above link in this paragraph and relive that madness.)

The Lions and Pigeons wrapped the 2020 season series on Oct. 14 at Exploria Stadium, playing to a 1-1 draw. Chris Mueller opened the scoring but Parks equalized just before halftime. The first meeting of 2020 also took place in Central Florida in the MLS is Back Tournament on July 14, when Mueller’s brace and a late Akindele insurance goal led Orlando to a 3-1 win. Medina scored for NYCFC. That win snapped Orlando City’s 0-4-3 streak in the previous seven competitive meetings with the Pigeons. The last match in that winless streak against NYCFC was a 1-1 draw, with the Lions then dispatching NYCFC from the U.S. Open Cup in a penalty shootout on July 10, 2019. That night has been immortalized for the running of The Wall and Adam Grinwis’ heroics in goal.

The teams drew both regular-season meetings in 2019, 1-1 on April 27 at Yankee Stadium, and 2-2 on opening day at Exploria Stadium. NYCFC took all three meetings in a dismal 2018 season series. The Lions went 2-1-0 against New York City FC in 2017, including a win to christen the stadium now known as Exploria with Cyle Larin scoring the only goal in a 1-0 OCSC win. Orlando was 3-1-2 in 2015 and 2016 in the first six meetings with NYCFC.

Overview

Orlando City is coming off a 4-1 demolition of D.C. United a week ago, with Antoine Griezmann leading the way with two goals and an assist. Martin Ojeda scored that goal and also picked up an assist, with Marco Pasalic giving Orlando a hat trick of Designated Player goal scorers on the night. Despite the Lions’ being just four goals from tying the club’s single-season record for goals conceded (74 in 2018), they find themselves above the playoff line in seventh place with just four matches remaining. That is the final guaranteed first-round spot, with eighth and ninth places going to a single-elimination Wild Card match. Orlando can greatly improve its chances of finishing in the postseason places with a win tonight, as a difficult two-game road trip lies ahead next. Orlando is 9-4-2 at home this season and has won five consecutive matches in the purple palace.

New York City FC is coming off a 1-1 home draw against LAFC last weekend, but the Pigeons are winless in five (0-3-2), owing some of that to key injuries. Orlando’s 2015 expansion rivals will come in desperate to get a result to improve on a decent 4-6-5 road record in 2026. The team has the same exact record at home despite clobbering the Lions back in March, but every point is precious and the Pigeons are getting some bodies back.

The Lions must try to keep Fernandez Mercau under wraps. The Argentine midfielder paces the Pigeons with 15 goals and nine assists on the year, but Wolf and Agustin Ojeda have given Orlando fits in previous meetings as well. Wolf is second on NYCFC in goals (6) and has added three assists, while New York’s Ojeda has scored five times and leads the team in assists (11). Meanwhile, NYCFC has a stout defense that has allowed just 41 goals this season, which is tied with New England for second fewest allowed in the Eastern Conference. USMNT goalkeeper Matt Freese is one of the reasons for that, but NYCFC has a good group at the back in front of him.

Orlando City will be without Griffin Dorsey (back), Jansson (foot), Tyrese Spicer (foot), and Luis Otavio (suspension), while Vinicius Nogueira (shoulder) and Bernardo Rhein (lower leg) are listed as questionable. NYCFC will be without Moralez (leg), Parks (leg), Drew Baiera (leg), Arnau Farnos (leg), and Kai Trewin (yep, leg).

Match Content

Official Lineups

Orlando City (4-4-2)

Goalkeeper: Maxime Crepeau.

Defenders: Vinicius Nogueira, Iago, David Brekalo, Ivan Angulo.

Midfielders: Eduard Atuesta, Wilder Cartagena, Braian Ojeda, Justin Ellis.

Forwards: Martin Ojeda, Antoine Griezmann.

Bench: Javier Otero, Adrian Marin, Bernardo Rhein, Zakaria Taifi, Nolan Miller, Joran Gerbet, Harvey Sarajian, Marco Pasalic, Daryl Dike.

New York City FC (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: Matt Freese.

Defenders: Kevin O’Toole, James Sands, Thiago Martins, Tayvon Gray.

Midfielders: Andres Perea, Nicolas Fernández Mercau, Aiden O’Neill.

Forwards: Hannes Wolf, Alonso Martinez, Agustin Ojeda.

Bench: Tomas Romero, Nico Cavallo, Matt Miazga, Benie Traore, Talles Magno, Luighi, Jonathan Shore, Raul Gustavo, Malachi Jones.

Referees:

REF: Elijio Arreguin.
AR1: Cory Richardson.
AR2: Adam Wienckowski.
4TH: Igor Bych.
VAR: Kevin Stott.
AVAR: Robert Schaap.

How to Watch

Match Time: 7:30 p.m.

Venue: Inter.co Stadium — Orlando.

TV/Live Stream: Apple TV.

Radio: AM 810 FOX Sports Radio Orlando (English), Mega 97.1 FM (Spanish), Nossa Rádio 1160 AM-WRLZ (Portuguese).

Social: 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!

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Orlando City

Intelligence Report: Orlando City vs. New York City FC

Get up to speed on the Pigeons ahead of Saturday’s game, courtesy of someone who knows them best.

Published

1 day ago

on

October 23, 2026

By

Image of Braian Ojeda playing against New York City FC.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday, everyone. Orlando City got a week of rest after taking care of business against D.C. United at home, and it returns to the purple palace Saturday night to face a New York City FC team with its back against the wall in the race for a playoff place.

A showdown with the Pigeons means I caught up with Matthew Mangam of New York Soccer Journal. As always, he was helpful in getting us up to speed on NYCFC, and we appreciate his help. I also answered some of his questions about Orlando City, so make sure you check them out over at their place!

Talk me through NYCFC’s summer transfer business. Who’s out, who’s in to replace them, and how have they performed?

Matthew Mangam: NYCFC’s summer business wasn’t anything groundbreaking. The club brought in striker Luighi on loan from SE Palmeiras and got back midfielder/defender James Sands, whose loan with St. Pauli ended. 

Luighi started off well, bagging four goals in his first seven league appearances. But since then, the 20-year-old is on a five-game drought. To his credit, Luighi started only two of his last five games. As for Sands, this is his third stint at NYCFC, so the versatile 26-year-old was welcomed back with open arms. 

The biggest acquisition this summer, though, was Bénie Traoré. The winger joined the club as a Designated Player from FC Basel in Switzerland, but it hasn’t gone well. In 15 league appearances, Traoré has one goal — a penalty kick that hit off the post and went in — and no assists. 

The club’s last move that didn’t happen in the summer surprised everyone: adding free agent Matt Miazga. The veteran defender hasn’t made his debut yet, and I’m honestly not sure when he will. 

New York City has been a wildly different team since the league restarted after the World Cup. What’s happened to cause the change in form?

MM: I honestly don’t know where to start with this one. There’s so much I could say, but if I did then I’d be here all day. I’ll narrow it down to this: NYCFC can’t play a complete 90 minutes. 

NYCFC has conceded six goals in stoppage time this season, is 0-4-12 after falling behind 16 times, and is 4-5-6 at home. So, they can’t hang onto leads — they’ve lost seven points after the 75th minute — they have no come-from-behind wins, and they’re poor at home. 

There are other smaller factors, like injuries, individual mistakes from usually solid players (Matt Freese and Sands), and players struggling, but, as I said, it’s a lot.

The playoffs are still in reach, as NYCFC is just two points out of eighth. What needs to happen in order to get above the line and stay there?

MM: Simply put, NYCFC needs to win all four remaining games, or, at the very least, go 3-1-0. Teams around them, like Toronto, Columbus, and Cincinnati, are picking up wins and building separation, so NYCFC is in a do-or-die situation. 

Getting Alonso Martínez back and starting again is huge, but you can’t expect him to return from a brutal injury and save the team immediately; it’s not fair. Traoré has to step up and show why the club paid DP money for him — one lone goal that, in my opinion, fortunately went in, and no goals from open play is extremely concerning. 

Also, Nico Fernández Mercau hasn’t scored in five matches. He’s getting double- and triple-marked because teams are now well aware of how talented the Argentine is, but he has to find a way back on the scoresheet in this stretch. NYCFC needs him to. So, so badly. 

Will any players be unavailable due to injury, suspension, etc.? What is your projected starting lineup and score prediction?

MM: The only players out are the ones with long-term injuries: Keaton Parks, Kai Trewin, Maxi Moralez, Arnau Farnós, and Drew Baiera. 

Given that NYCFC needs to win or the season is practically over, I expect Head Coach Pascal Jansen to leave it all out there with his best possible lineup:

Matt Freese; Kevin O’Toole, James Sands, Thiago Martins, Tayvon Gray; Andres Perea, Aiden O’Neill; Hannes Wolf, Nico Fernández Mercau, Agustin Ojeda; Alonso Martínez.

I think Nico Fernández Mercau and Alonso Martínez score, but it won’t be enough, as Antoine Griezmann gets a brace and both teams settle for a 2-2 draw. 

Thank you to Matt for his excellent refresher on NYCFC. Vamos Orlando!

Image of the famous "The more you know" graphic from TV.
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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/23/26

Orlando City prepares for New York City FC, Antoine Griezmann’s impact in Orlando, U.S. will host FIFA Women’s Club World Cup, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

October 23, 2026

By

Image of Antoine Griezmann taking a set piece against Monterrey in Leagues Cup action.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! It’s been a pretty nice week for me, as I was able to watch all of Slow Horses and finish reading Bad Words by Rioghnach Robinson, both of which were brilliant. Attention now turns to this weekend’s soccer, with both Orlando City and the Orlando Pride playing at home over the next couple of days. Let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Prepares for New York City FC

The Lions host New York City FC on Saturday in one of the marquee matchups in MLS as the regular season nears its conclusion. Plenty has changed since Orlando’s 5-0 loss to NYCFC on March 7. The Lions have clawed their way up the table while the Pigeons have only won once in their past 13 league games. NYCFC enters this match after a 1-1 draw with LAFC that included an equalizer by former Lion Andres Perea to give the team a valuable point amid the playoff race. Nicolas Fernandez Mercau, Luighi, and Benie Traore are all NYCFC players the Lions will need to keep in check, or else it could end up being another high-scoring affair in the City Beautiful.

Antoine Griezmann’s Impact on Orlando’s Offense

Orlando’s wait for Antoine Griezmann to join in the summer has proven to be well worth it, as he’s transformed Orlando’s attack into a force to be reckoned with just as the playoffs near. Although Griezmann wasn’t able to enjoy a fairytale ending with Atletico Madrid by lifting the Copa del Rey or Champions League trophies this year, he’s breathed life into an Orlando side that struggled mightily prior to his arrival. The 35-year-old has recorded 12 goals and seven assists in just 14 appearances this season. Not only has he excelled when it comes to getting the ball in the net, but he’s done well in terms of defensive metrics and intangibles as well.

U.S. Will Host Women’s Club World Cup

The inaugural FIFA Women’s Club World Cup will be held in the U.S. in January of 2028 with the host cities still to be determined. There will be 19 clubs taking part, with Gotham, Arsenal, Barcelona, and Club America having already qualified along with three other teams so far. This tournament is sandwiched between the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil and the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, so there’s plenty of exciting women’s soccer to look forward to in the coming years.

U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team Wins at World Cup

The United States U-17 Women’s National Team won 6-1 against Kenya in the group stage of the FIA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, clinching a spot in the round of 16. Maggie DiMaria scored four goals to bring her total to 10 across just two games. The U.S. will play its final group game on Sunday against China PR, which also won both of its games against Kenya and Samoa to secure a spot in the knockout stage. The winner of this group will get to avoid a match with Spain in the round of 16, so there’s still plenty to play for before the next round gets underway.

Free Kicks

  • The first leg of the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal between the United States Men’s National Team and Haiti has been moved from Kingston to Miami. Haiti has had to play games outside of the country due to unrest and submitted a request to Concacaf to play in the country of its opponent.
  • American center back Naomi Girma is now dealing with a calf injury that may sideline her for a few weeks according to Chelsea Head Coach Sonia Bompastor. She missed out on the team’s recent friendlies against Spain and may be absent for the Concacaf W Championship quarterfinal against El Salvador next month too.
  • The United States Women’s Cerebral Palsy National Team beat Ireland 15-0 to advance to the IFCPF Women’s World Cup final, which takes place today against Australia. Annie Wickett scored five goals with four other players scoring braces.
  • The San Diego Wave signed defender Mimi Van Zanten to a contract extension through the 2029 season. She’s made 27 appearances for San Diego during her rookie season, helping the club keep pace in the NWSL Shield race.
  • After being stretchered off the field due to a head injury in the U.S. Open Cup final, St. Louis City goalkeeper Roman Burki is alert and in good spirits, according to the club.

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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