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Orlando City vs. Inter Miami: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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4 years ago

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Orlando City and Inter Miami battled to a scoreless draw at Exploria Stadium. A missed penalty by Tesho Akindele was just one part of an overall frustrating performance by Orlando’s offense. Defensively, the Lions secured their seventh shutout of the season against a Miami side that scored six goals in its previous two games. While the result may leave some pulling their hair at what could’ve been a win, the Lions stretched their unbeaten streak in MLS games to six games.

Now, let’s dive into how each Lion rated and who earned the title of Man of the Match.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6.5 — In his first start for Orlando since July 25, Gallese made two saves to secure his sixth clean sheet this season. In the 23rd minute, the ball fell to Rodolfo Pizarro after a corner and Gallese was able to get a strong hand to the striker’s shot at point-blank range. In the second half, Gallese did a good job covering every angle to stop Gonzalo Higuain’s shot from the end line. It was an otherwise quiet night for the Peruvian as he had just 18 touches and was accurate on one of his two attempted long balls.

D, Joao Moutinho, 6.5 —The left back put some great balls into the box throughout the match, including a few long throw-ins. Of his seven crosses, three were key passes that found their mark while one was blocked. Moutinho led the team with 83 touches and 66 passes. Of those passes, Moutinho completed 92% of them, which is fantastic considering the distance on his misses. He prevented much danger from coming down his side, made no massive mistakes, and he had one clearance. All in all, it was a good performance from Moutinho and he should benefit once Orlando’s offensive players fully recover to take advantage of his crosses.

D, Robin Jansson, 7 — The masked Swede seemed to have scored from a short corner, but Akindele made a faint touch on the ball from an offside position. Jansson has lurked outside the box during Orlando’s set pieces in recent weeks, so it was nice to see he has the chops to make that play work even if the goal was disallowed. Defensively, he did well to keep Miami’s attacking trio of Pizarro, Higuain, and Robbie Robinson relatively quiet. Jansson led the team with three clearances, putting out fires when Miami started to get momentum. He completed 55 of his 59 passes for a great 93% success rate. Of those four inaccurate passes, two were quite deep and Jansson did well sending the ball downfield for Orlando’s wingers to chase down. Jansson had 69 touches, third-most on the team, and did well on both sides of the ball.

D, Antonio Carlos, 7 (MotM) — Carlos had a good read on Higuain for most of the game, either making sure he was in position to cut off service to the Argentinian or trapping him offside. The Brazilian center back had three interceptions and two clearances on defense, showing some athleticism to make good plays on the ball no matter the angle. Yet again, he was a threat on corner kicks and nearly scored a game-winner. Nani delivered a good ball into the box and Carlos was able to get it on target, but Miami goalkeeper Nick Marsman came up with a great save to deny Carlos of his third goal this season. Carlos had 67 touches and completed 89% of his 61 passes to help Orlando build out of the back. It was another strong performance from Carlos and would’ve been a night to remember if not for Marsman’s heroics.

D, Ruan, 6 — The right back used his speed to cause problems for Miami’s defense early on. However, his crossing left something to be desired as only one of his five crosses found their mark. His quickness helped cover up some defensive lapses, particularly late when Higuain picked his pocket and forced Ruan to run him down. Still, Ruan went the distance and had a tackle, an interception, and a clearance on the defensive end while still being able to turn on the jets late to help create chances late in the match. He had 66 touches and was successful on 87% of his 38 passes in a good performance.

MF, Junior Urso, 6.5 — The Bear had a good opportunity in the fifth minute, crashing the box on an early corner and sending his header just wide of goal. It was his first of two shots, the second coming late in the match as he tried to curl a shot into the top left corner but it didn’t dip enough and went into the stands. Urso had a strong defensive performance with two tackles, three interceptions, two clearances, and a defensive block. The Brazilian midfielder also finished second on the team in touches with 81 and completed 54 of his 60 passes for a solid 90% success rate. With the midfield decimated by absences, Urso played every minute and did well in this one.

MF, Joey DeZart, 6 — It was DeZart’s third straight start for the Lions and a solid outing in central midfield. He did well clogging up Miami’s passing lanes and connecting Orlando’s defense with its offense. The 23-year-old had to come off in the 73rd minute due to an injury. Hopefully it isn’t too serious as DeZart has certainly been improving by getting playing time with Sebas Mendez, Andres Perea, and Uri Rosell unavailable. DeZart finished with 51 touches, an interception, and 48 passes at an impressive 96% success rate.

MF, Silvester van der Water, 6.5 — The Dutchman made some nice runs and touches to help spark chances on offense and led the team with four key passes. He had 41 touches and one shot over the course of 72 minutes, not quite getting on top of a bouncing ball in the box and sending it off target. Defensively, he chipped in with a tackle and an interception as he hustled all over the right side of the pitch. Van der Water was also successful on four of his five attempted dribbles and completed 80% of his 20 passes. The 24-year-old showed plenty of skill and tenacity, but wasn’t able to contribute towards a goal in this scoreless affair.

MF, Chris Mueller, 6 — Mueller led the team with three shots, with one deflected and the other two off target. He was unsuccessful on all three of his attempted crosses, although one of them caught Nicolas Figal’s arm to cause the penalty. Mueller made a key pass from a corner kick to set up a great chance for Urso early on as well. The 24-year-old was only successful on two of his six attempted dribbles and didn’t have any defensive stats. He completed 90% of his 30 passes and had 55 touches before being subbed off in the 89th minute for fresher legs in the final minutes.

MF, Benji Michel, 6 — Michel did well when making runs downfield to put Miami’s defenders in tough positions. His touch was also much better in this match compared to recent matches as he brought down long balls sent his way with ease. However, both of his attempted crosses were thwarted by Miami and he was only successful on one of his three attempted dribbles. Michel played all 90 minutes and had two shots, sending a header wide and then having the other blocked in the box. He had 31 touches, a clearance, and was accurate on 87% of his 15 passes.

F, Tesho Akindele, 5.5 — The Canadian striker had a chance to give Orlando an early lead from a penalty kick in the 12th minute, but his shot was poor and barely troubled Marsman. It was the first of two shots from Akindele, the other being a header sent wide. Akindele was offside when he got a touch on Jansson’s shot from distance. It’s hard to blame Akindele on that play, especially considering his touch helped the ball find the bottom left corner, but it helped culminate in a frustrating night for the 29-year-old. His usual hustle created some opportunities, as he forced Miami into some long ball mistakes that created Orlando attacks. He was subbed off for Daryl Dike at the half and ended the game with 17 touches, a clearance, and eight passes at an 88% success rate.

Substitutes

F, Daryl Dike (45’), 5.5 — It was Dike’s first Orlando appearance since July 3, coming on for Akindele at halftime to give the Lions some needed bite on offense. His only shot was a header from a difficult position that he couldn’t direct towards goal due to the speed and angle. Dike started to impose himself on the match as the game wore on, with his cros nearly causing an own goal and making a key pass in the box, but ultimately wasn’t able to break the deadlock. He had just 12 touches, a few of them much too heavy, but won both of his aerial duels, and completed two of only three pass attempts. His rust was apparent but with more minutes his form should return and it was important to get him back on the field.

MF, Nani (71’), 5.5 — Nani wasn’t able to give Orlando the finishing touch it desperately needed during this match. He had no shots or key passes and was unsuccessful on both of his attempted crosses in open play, although he whipped in a nice corner kick that Carlos nearly scored from. Nani delivered the team’s final two corner kicks of the match when it was in search of a winner, but neither made it past the defender on the near post to reach the crowded box. Still, it’s nice to see Nani get some action after his injury last weekend and traveling for the MLS All-Star events this week. He had 23 touches during his shift and completed 15 of his 16 passes for a 94% completion rate.

MF, Raul Aguilera Jr. (71’), 6.5 — The 22-year-old came on for DeZart and did a decent job stringing together passes and hustling on defense. Aguilera amassed 26 touches and completed every single one of his 25 passes. With DeZart’s injury and the absences in the midfield, we may see more of the Homegrown Player as the season wears on.

D, Emmanuel Mas (88’), N/A — Mas came on late in the match to give the Lions some fresh legs. He completed both of his passes — short attempts on the left side — and had five touches. There wasn’t enough to properly grade him in this match.

MF, Alexander Alvarado (88’), N/A — Alvarado had two touches and completed his only pass of the game in another brief cameo for the Ecuadorian winger. Like Mas, Alvarado didn’t get enough action for a rating in this match.

That’s how I saw things play out in Orlando’s 0-0 draw with Miami. Make sure to weigh in on how you feel about the grades in the comments below and to vote for who you think deserves the title of Man of the Match.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Antonio Carlos17
Pedro Gallese12
Robin Jansson13
Junior Urso3
Other (let us know in the comments below)3

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Orlando City

Orlando City at CF Montreal: Three Keys to Victory

What do the Lions need to do to earn all three points on the road against Montreal?

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19 hours ago

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April 17, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City heads to the Great White North to take on CF Montreal. The Canadian squad sits in last place in not just the Eastern Conference but also the entire MLS, with only two points from a pair of draws. To say it’s not been a good start to the season is an understatement. Of course, it’s exactly that type of situation that makes it feel like a trap. What does Orlando City need to do to take all three points against CF Montreal?

Designated Goal Scorers

What do you do if you haven’t scored a goal in the last two matches? You play a team that has given up 13 goals in eight matches with a -9 goal differential. Montreal doesn’t have the worst defense in the league — I’m looking at you, D.C. United — but it’s not far off. That presents an opportunity for Orlando City to get back on track when it comes to scoring goals.

Through the first six matches of the season, Orlando City was leading the league in scoring with 15 goals. Over the last two matches, the spigot has dried up. The Lions must seize on this opportunity to create and finish their chances. Much like earlier in the season, I want to see Luis Muriel, Martin Ojeda, and Marco Pasalic lead the way. If anyone can get the first goal, then I’m hopeful the dam will break and the scoring drought will be over.

Keep it Clean

There is some good news of late when it comes to the Orlando City defense. The club has two clean sheets over the last two matches, and that is without Cesar Araujo. There is also some bad news, given Rodrigo Schlegel will be serving his red card suspension this match. That means David Brekalo will move back to center back with Robin Jansson, and Oscar Pareja will have to employ either Rafael Santos or Kyle Smith at left back. Santos has been less than good so far this season.

Montreal has scored a paltry four goals so far in 2025, but two of them have come from striker Prince Owusu. The defense will also need to deal with Caden Clark facilitating in the midfield. I get that this isn’t a prolific attack. Montreal has not looked very good this season and is looking for both its first win and its first points of any sort at home. That means the hosts may be desperate for a result, and desperate is often dangerous. How well the defense does — in particular, how well Santos does if he plays — may determine if Montreal is able to break out of its slump. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.

Give the Midfield Time

Before the last match, I was a little worried about the midfield. Having both Araujo and Eduard Atuesta out at the same time seemed to be a concern. Now, after seeing how well Joran Gerbet and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson worked together against the New York Red Bulls, I’m way less worried. If Araujo and Atuesta need a little more time to get fully healthy, then let them. The Franco/Icelandic combo seems to be a potent one.

Of course, if the normal starters are ready, then by all means bring them back, but maybe not until the 60th minute. Perhaps Pareja could even mix and match. One never knows how yellow card suspensions or minor injuries will affect player availability. This is a good match for Gerbet and Thorhallsson to work their magic.

That is what I will be looking for Saturday night. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 4/17/25

Oscar Pareja signs new contract with Orlando City, Orlando Pride prepare for the Washington Spirit, Orlando’s youth teams win, and more.

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23 hours ago

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April 17, 2025

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I can’t believe we’re already into the back half of April and Easter is right around the corner. There’s plenty of soccer to enjoy between now and then and we also have the draw for the U.S. Open Cup’s round of 32 this morning at 9:15. MLS teams are finally joining the fray, so we’ll see where the chips fall for Orlando City. Let’s get to the links!

Oscar Pareja Signs New Contract

Orlando City and Head Coach Oscar Pareja have agreed to a new three-year contract that will keep him in the City Beautiful through 2028. Pareja was hired as Orlando’s fourth head coach in its MLS era back in December of 2019 and he’s led the Lions to the playoffs in all five seasons he’s been at the helm.  Under Pareja, the Lions won the U.S. Open Cup in 2022, set club records in points and wins in 2023, and reached the Eastern Conference final for the first time last year. This year was the final one on the contract he signed in December of 2023, so it’s nice to know Pareja will be sticking around in the future.

Orlando Pride Prepare for the Washington Spirit

The Orlando Pride will look to make it five wins in a row when they host the Washington Spirit on Saturday in another rematch of last year’s final. While this is the first match between Orlando and Washington this season, the two clashed in the NWSL Challenge Cup on March 7 and the Spirit lifted the trophy after a penalty shootout. Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on how the team has grown since that game and has benefitted from depth and consistency carried over from last year.

Orlando City Youth Teams Win in Bradenton

Orlando City’s U-18 team won in the Generation Adidas Cup’s round of 16, beating St. Louis City 1-0 to advance to the quarterfinals. The Young Lions remain unbeaten in that age group and will take on a Real Salt Lake team that also won its group and just beat Toronto FC in a penalty shootout following a scoreless draw.

Orlando’s U-16 squad didn’t qualify for the Championship bracket, but still advanced in the Premier bracket. After a 1-1 draw with Toronto, Orlando prevailed in the ensuing penalty shootout and will play Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals.

UEFA Champions League Semifinals Are Set

The quarterfinals for this year’s UEFA Champions League are over and only four teams remain in the tournament. Arsenal secured its spot in the semifinals after an impressive 2-1 road win against Real Madrid that included two assists from Mikel Merino. The Spanish club couldn’t muster its usual magic in the tournament and forward Kylian Mbappe exited in the second half due to injury. In Italy, Inter Milan held on for a 2-2 draw against Bayern to advance on aggregate, with defender Benjamin Pavard scoring a crucial goal for Inter against his old team. The semifinals will take place at the end of the month and will feature Arsenal taking on Paris Saint-Germain and Inter going up against Barcelona.

Free Kicks

  • Our thoughts go out to the friends and family of former FC Cincinnati player Aaron Boupendza, who died after falling from the 11th floor of a building in China.
  • The Chicago Fire are reportedly strongly interested in signing star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne on a free transfer. If any Western Conference teams could join the hunt for him, that would be great.

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

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Orlando City

Orlando City Extends Oscar Pareja’s Contract through 2028

The most successful coach in Orlando City’s MLS history has signed on for another three seasons.

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1 day ago

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April 16, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Orlando City SC announced today that the club and Head Coach Oscar Pareja have come to terms on a new three-year contract through 2028. The winningest head coach in club history, Pareja’s previous two-year contract was scheduled to expire after the 2025 season. With the Lions off to a 3-2-3 start, and coming off the deepest MLS Cup playoff run in the organization’s history — the 2024 Eastern Conference final — the club locked down the veteran coach

“Throughout his career, Oscar has proven to be a coach deeply committed not only to winning and competing for championships, but also to building teams that fans can proudly rally behind,” Orlando City Owner and Chairman Mark Wilf said in a club press release. “Here in Orlando, he’s shown that same passion and dedication — taking immense pride in representing our club with integrity and driving us closer each year to our ultimate goal of winning it all. His unwavering positivity and focus have helped shape a culture grounded in respect and ambition. We’re thrilled to have Oscar continue leading us forward in the City Beautiful.” 

Pareja has led Orlando City to a record of 89-59-55 across all competitions in 203 matches, reaching the playoffs in each of his seasons at the helm of OCSC. He also won the team’s first MLS-era trophy by leading the Lions to the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title, and he’s guided the club to its first two appearances in Concacaf Champions League/Cup and to the MLS is Back Tournament final in 2020.

With 176 MLS victories, Pareja is No. 5 on the league’s all-time wins list. He ranks second among all active coaches. Orlando City initially hired Pareja, 56, as head coach on Dec. 4, 2019. He succeeded James O’Connor, Jason Kreis, and Adrian Heath as OCSC head coaches in the club’s MLS era. Prior to joining the Lions, Pareja spent one season in Liga MX with Club Tijuana after five successful seasons as head coach at FC Dallas. Pareja started his MLS head coaching career with the Colorado Rapids in 2012, leading the ‘Pids for two seasons, including a playoff appearance in 2013. He also coached the U.S. U-17 Men’s National Team from 2007-2008. 

“First and foremost, I want to express my deepest gratitude to Mark Wilf, his family, the entire ownership group, and our executive board for their continued trust in the vision and culture we’ve built over the years,” Pareja said in the club’s release. “Their unwavering support is the foundation of everything we strive to achieve each day. Above all, I’m profoundly thankful to our incredible fans and the dedicated staff who pour their hearts into making Orlando City such a remarkable club. Together, we’ve grown stronger with each passing season, moving steadily closer to our shared ambition of bringing more trophies home to this great city. I remain deeply inspired by what lies ahead and look forward to continuing this journey in pursuit of more championships.” 

As a player, Pareja spent 1987-1995 with Independiente Medellin in his native Colombia as a midfielder, appearing in 263 matches and scoring 18 goals. He moved to Deportivo Cali, where he scored 11 more goals in 122 games from 1995-1998 and then joined the New England Revolution, appearing in 13 games that year. He finished his playing career with FC Dallas, scoring 13 goals in 170 appearances from 1998-2005. He also earned 11 caps from 1991 to 1996 with Colombia’s national team, scoring three goals.

What It Means for Orlando City

As I wrote when Pareja re-signed in December of 2023: quite simply, it means the Lions retain their most successful coach since joining Major League Soccer. Pareja has created a culture and an identity that was lacking at the club prior to his arrival. While it’s common for players to say the team feels like a family and a city feels like “home,” the Lions have walked that walk during Pareja’s tenure in the City Beautiful.

Pareja’s challenge for the upcoming season is to improve upon the club’s deepest run in the playoffs and perhaps the fourth-place finish the Lions enjoyed in 2024. That’s not an easy task, and it shouldn’t be held against him if he can’t reach those lofty heights.

In the short term, Pareja’s job is to get the team scoring goals again while maintaining the high defensive standards set over the last two matches.

Pareja’s tenure with Orlando City will ultimately be measured in trophies. So far, he’s won one of them. That’s more than everyone who came before him won with Orlando in the MLS era, but it’s understandable for fans and ownership to ask for more.

Oscar Pareja’s Coaching Record at Orlando City (W-L-D)

Major League Soccer Regular Season: 167 games, 74-48-45
MLS Playoffs: 12 games, 5-6-1 (Note: MLS considers draws losses if they happen in the best-of-three round but if it goes to penalties in a single-elimination game, it’s a draw.)
U.S. Open Cup: 7 games, 4-1-2
Concacaf Champions League/Cup: 6 games, 2-1-3
Leagues Cup: 7 games, 2-2-3
MLS is Back Knockout Stages: 4 games, 2-1-1

Total: 203 games coached, 89-59-55

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