Connect with us

Orlando City

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

Published

on

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

Orlando City

Orlando City, Nico Lodeiro Mutually Agree to Terminate Contract

The club is off the hook for an $800,000 salary and the Uruguayan midfielder is free to pursue other opportunities.

Published

on

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Veteran midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro’s days as a Lion are over. Orlando City announced that the club and player have mutually agreed to terminate Lodeiro’s contract, allowing him to become a free agent. Per the club, Orlando City has utilized one of its two buyouts for 2025 in this transaction.

Tom Bogert reported Monday that a deal was in the works for Lodeiro to join the Houston Dynamo, and this move paves the way for that to happen. As he was going to be out of contract after the season anyway, the Lions had limited options to sell the midfielder and in the end opted to free up room under the cap, allowing the player to move on to a situation where he could get more minutes.

“This was certainly a difficult decision as Nico has been a great addition to the team since joining us at the beginning of last season,” Orlando City Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi said in a club press release. “Ultimately, we feel this is the best move for both the team and Nico at this time. Nico has integrated in such a seamless way that it feels like he’s been part of our club for much longer than just one season. On top of being a tremendous player and teammate, Nico is a fantastic human being. Our doors will always be open to Nico, and we hope he can one day rejoin us and be an integral part of the Club’s future.”

Orlando City signed Lodeiro as a free agent on Jan. 4, 2024, after his stellar eight-year run with the Seattle Sounders. The hope was that he would step in and elevate a position that had been occupied by previous captain Mauricio Pereyra. Lodeiro managed 16 starts and played in all 34 regular-season matches for the Lions in 2024, but he was displaced in the starting lineup by Martin Ojeda. That relegated Lodeiro to coming off the bench in the second half in most of his appearances from August onward. His final start in the regular season came July 20, 2024, vs. New York City FC, and his last start in any competition was July 26 in Leagues Cup play against CF Montreal.

The 35-year-old leaves Orlando after 34 regular-season appearances (16 starts). He logged 1,697 minutes in the regular season, scoring one goal and contributing 11 assists, which matched his third-highest total in MLS. He attempted 36 shots and put 10 of them on target. Lodeiro completed 87.5% of his passes, which was his best-ever completion percentage in an MLS season, as he delivered 1,215 of 1,389 accurately. He also recorded 46 key passes, 20 completed long balls, and 20 successful crosses. On defense, he notched 36 tackles, 14 interceptions, eight clearances, and three blocks.

In addition to appearing in every regular-season match, Lodeiro saw the field in each of Orlando’s five postseason games — all as a substitute — and played 58 minutes. He did not record any goal contributions or shots, although he had the assist on a would-be Facundo Torres winner in Game 2 against Charlotte FC which was ultimately ruled offside. He completed 77.4% of his passes and accurately delivered two key passes, two crosses, and two long balls. Defensively, he made three tackles and chipped in with a clearance.

Nico appeared in all four of OCSC’s Concacaf Champions Cup matches, starting both games against Tigres and coming on as a sub in both legs against Cavalry FC for a total of 270 minutes. He took four shots (one on target), and provided a goal and an assist in the home game against Cavalry. He completed 86% of his passes and provided one key pass and the aforementioned assist. Defensively, he contributed two tackles and one clearance.

He also started one of the Lions’ Leagues Cup matches and came on as a substitute in the other two, for three total appearances, amassing 83 minutes. He did not score on his four shots (one on target), but he provided an assist in the 4-1 win over CF Montreal. He passed with 81.5% accuracy, completed one cross, and provided three key passes.

What It Means for Orlando City

Lodeiro’s departure after just one season in Orlando clears an $800,000 salary from the books, which is too sizable a contract for a player who would have been a bench player when the team had its full complement of starting players. Lodeiro is still a useful player, as evidenced by his double-digit assist totals a year ago, but he has clearly lost some pace and some of his effectiveness in the box. His goal-scoring has dropped off dramatically in recent years, although he is still a threat on set pieces, as shown by his free kick goal late in the CF Montreal preseason match on Feb. 8.

Ultimately, Lodeiro helped the Lions bridge the gap at the No. 10 spot between Pereyra and Ojeda claiming the job. Ojeda continues to show growth in that position and is coming off a one-goal, one-assist performance Friday against Inter Miami in preseason action. His departure will mean there isn’t an ideal backup for Ojeda on the current squad, although that role could be filled by Luis Muriel or Eduard Atuesta if need be.

If Houston completes the signing of Lodeiro, it would put the Uruguayan on a team that isn’t scheduled to face Orlando City this season.

Continue Reading

Orlando City

Orlando City Trades Homegrown Right Back Michael Halliday to the Houston Dynamo

Orlando City has acquired a first-round draft pick in 2026 for fullback Michael Halliday.

Published

on

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City announced today that the club has traded Homegrown right back Michael Halliday to the Houston Dynamo for the club’s natural first-round pick in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft. The move ends the Apopka native’s stay with his hometown club, which started in 2016 when he joined the academy. It’s the second time this year that the club has traded away a long-serving Homegrown player, having sent backup goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar to Real Salt Lake on Jan. 15.

Tom Bogert first broke the news Monday that a deal for Halliday was in the works between Orlando and Houston, and now it has been completed. The club will also retain a sell-on percentage in the event Houston transfers Halliday to another club.

The 22-year-old defender signed as the club’s eighth-ever Homegrown Player on July 15, 2020, coming out of the academy. At the time of his signing, he was the youngest player to sign for the club since Tommy Redding in 2014 at 17 years, five months, and 23 days.

He initially joined the club in 2016, playing for the U-13 side and made his way up the academy ranks, eventually reaching the U-19 team before making his professional debut for OCB on Aug. 1, 2020. He made seven appearances for the Young Lions that year with six starts and 561 minutes, recording an assist. He was an unused substitute three times for the first team in 2020.

Halliday’s first appearance for the first team came on May 29, 2021 in a 2-1 loss to the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena. He bounced between the first and second teams over the next four years, making 12 total appearances for OCB with 11 starts and 966 minutes, recording just the one assist. He made 43 appearances for the MLS side with 18 starts, recording 1,841 minutes with two assists.

The right back recently signed a new contract with the club on Jan. 16, 2024. It was a two-year deal that was to keep him in town through the 2025 season with club options for 2026 and 2027.

However, the Apopka native saw a significant decrease in playing time in 2024. After appearing 21 times with 12 starts in 2023, he only made seven appearances with one start in all competitions last season.

Halliday received his first season grade by The Mane Land in 2023, reaching the threshold with 1,109 minutes of action. After getting a 5.5 out of 10 for the season, he didn’t play enough to receive a grade in 2024.

In addition to his club play, Halliday has found a place with the U.S. Men’s National Team youth setup. He began playing with the U-20 national team in 2022, was a member of the 2022 Concacaf U-20 Championship team, and played four games at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

What It Means for Orlando City

Halliday was primarily a right back for Oscar Pareja’s side. He started the 2023 season on the right with Luca Petrasso on the left. However, both were soon supplanted. Dagur Dan Thorhallsson took over for Halliday and Rafael Santos took over for Petrasso. The left back also left the club following the 2024 season.

This trade might say more about another player than it does about Halliday. The club signed 20-year-old right back Alex Freeman to a Homegrown deal on Feb. 15, 2022. The defender has been playing with OCB for the last couple of years but saw significant minutes this preseason. The club might see more possibilities with the younger right back moving forward. Halliday had seemingly slipped to fourth on the depth chart at right back behind Thorhallsson, Kyle Smith, and Freeman.

After the club traded Stajduhar, Halliday became the longest-tenured Homegrown player at the club. With his departure, that designation now belongs to center back Thomas Williams, who signed a Homegrown contract on June 15, 2021, and a new two-year contract earlier this offseason.

This move gives Halliday an opportunity to compete for more minutes to further his professional development. The full value of the trade for Orlando remains to be seen and will depend on how the club uses the draft pick and whether a future Halliday transfer brings any cash back to OCSC.

Continue Reading

Orlando City

Wilder Cartagena Officially Out for the 2025 Season After Surgery

The Peruvian midfielder will miss all of the 2025 season after surgery to repair his left Achilles tendon.

Published

on

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

The worst fears about Wilder Cartagena’s injury have come to pass, as the standout central midfielder will miss the entire 2025 season after undergoing surgery to repair his left Achilles tendon. The Peruvian international suffered the injury in Orlando City’s preseason opener against Atletico Mineiro on Jan. 25 and had surgery at the end of last month, per his Twitter account.

Orlando City confirmed today that the injury will keep him out throughout the 2025 campaign and the Lions have placed Cartagena on the Season-Ending Injury list. The procedure was performed by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Steven Choung at the Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute in Orlando on Jan. 29.

“These are the first days for Wilder on the road of a long recovery process and we’re thankful for our partners at Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute and their amazing care,” said Director of Medical & Performance Gonzalo Rodríguez in a club press release. “We plan to fully support Wilder during his recovery process and help him get stronger and we look forward to seeing him back and fully healthy.”

Orlando City initially acquired Cartagena on loan through the 2022 MLS season. After a successful end of the year, the club exercised the option to extend the loan through the 2023 season. He became a key player in the starting lineup for the Lions that season, resulting in the club signing him to a permanent deal on Dec. 14, 2024. 

The 30-year-old native of Lima, Peru, is coming off a solid season. He appeared in 27 matches during the regular season (25 starts), playing 2,192 minutes. He did not score a goal but recorded an assist on his 24 total shots, putting eight on target. He completed 89% of his passes with 16 key passes, one successful cross, and 25 completed long balls. On the defensive side, he recorded 76 tackles, 20 interceptions, 42 clearances, and nine blocks. He committed a team-leading 48 fouls, suffered 28, and received seven yellow cards and one red card, which he picked up after the conclusion of the game against Minnesota United.

During the playoffs, Cartagena started all five matches, playing 431 minutes with no goals or assists. He took two shots, putting one on target, and he completed 87.2% of his passes with one key pass. Defensively, he recorded nine tackles, four interceptions, 11 clearances, and one block. He drew eight fouls and committed nine, and he was booked twice, with both being yellow cards.

In his first three seasons in Orlando, Cartagena has one goal and three assists in 59 games (52 starts). More importantly, he has formed one of the more cohesive central midfield partnerships in the league with Cesar Araujo.

What It Means for Orlando City

The Lions not only free up a spot on the senior roster by placing Cartagena on the Season-Ending Injury List, but the club could sign a replacement without taking a double salary cap hit. If Orlando signs a player prior to the roster freeze date (Sept. 12, 2025) and designates that player officially as an injury replacement for Cartagena, then as long as that player does not make more than the Peruvian’s compensation of $520,250 the club will not eat Cartagena’s salary budget charge.

Losing Cartagena is a blow to the team’s defense, as he has become one of the most reliable defensive midfielders in the league. His absence could be mitigated by Eduard Atuesta’s arrival. Atuesta is a better passer and has more attacking talent, so if Atuesta can play near Cartagena’s level on the defensive end, it would be huge for the Lions. However, it is unlikely Atuesta would be as adept at dropping into the back line and becoming a third center back when circumstances warrant it as Cartagena did last season to great effect.

Cartagena’s injury is unfortunate, but hopefully he’ll make a full recovery, which would give the Lions some coverage in case Araujo departs as was rumored throughout the off-season.

Continue Reading

Trending