Orlando City
Orlando City vs. New England Revolution: Player Grades and Man of the Match

Orlando City went on the road to take on the New England Revolution and fell 2-1. Adam Buksa scored in the ninth minute, but Daryl Dike was able to equalize in the 18th minute. However, an own goal later in the first half and a missed penalty in the second half doomed the Lions as they lost their fourth straight match.
Let’s dive into how each Lion rated and who was our Man of the Match.
Starters
GK, Pedro Gallese, 5.5 — It was the first time Gallese didn’t record a save for Orlando since May of this year. The Revolution were only able to get one shot on target, but Gallese wasn’t able to stop a bouncing shot on the volley from Buksa in front of goal at point-blank range. On the Revolution’s second goal, a low cross from Tajon Buchanan was delivered quickly enough that Gallese couldn’t do much about it pinballing off Rodrigo Schlegel and into the goal. The Peruvian goalkeeper also rushed out of goal to cut off DeJuan Jones, but the left back made a nice pass to Buksa, who should’ve scored again but sent the ball into the stands. Gallese was successful on 17 of his 24 passes for a 71% completion rate and was accurate on eight of his 14 long balls.
D, Joao Moutinho, 6 — The left back had a tough assignment against Buchanan for most of the night. In the 35th minute, he was beaten by some fancy footwork from the skilled Canadian, who used the open space to whip in a low cross that bounced off of Schlegel and into the goal. Despite that, Moutinho ended up having a decent defensive performance, particularly late in the match with the Lions trailing as he tracked back to make crucial stops. Moutinho had a team-high five interceptions and also three tackles, a clearance, and a defensive block. His only cross of the night was also his only key pass as he whipped in a good ball to Andres Perea in the box, but the header was off target. Moutinho had two shots late in the match, not making good contact on one and attempting a bicycle kick late that looked good but was deflected. The 23-year-old also led the team with 79 touches and 51 passes, completing 40 of the latter for a 78% success rate as he often tried serving Benji Michel some long passes upfield to no avail.
D, Robin Jansson, 5.5 — The Swede wasn’t in a great position on Buksa’s goal, although that may be more of a testament of how pinpoint the cross was from Gustavo Bou on a counter than Jansson’s defensive ability. Jansson wasn’t able to get his head on that cross and couldn’t intercept Buchanan’s low ball into the box that wound up in the net. The center back had five clearances and a tackle in a fairly quiet outing. Jansson had 47 touches and 38 passes at a 92% completion rate as helped Orlando build out of the back at times. He was also shown a yellow card that will make him miss Wednesday’s match on the road against Nashville SC. Jansson has played every minute in Orlando’s last 11 games so the thin silver lining here is that he will get some rest before the home stretch.
D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 5.5 — Just a week after being elbowed by Kacper Przybylko, Schlegel had to deal with another physical center forward in Buksa. Their battle for positioning in the box included plenty of shoving from Buksa and led to Schlegel’s own goal as a low cross by Buchanan pinged off of him and into the net. Schlegel led the team with six clearances and also had four interceptions, two tackles, and two defensive blocks to help limit the Revs’ offense. The center back had 49 touches and completed 24 of his 28 passes for an 86% success rate and we’ll likely see more of him this Wednesday alongside Antonio Carlos due to Jansson’s suspension.
D, Ruan, 6 — The right back slipped on the turf just prior to New England’s opener and Bou took full advantage to sprint down the field and deliver the cross for Buksa’s goal in the ninth minute. While Ruan was a liability on defense at times, finishing with just one clearance and no tackles or interceptions, he did give the Lions plenty of opportunities on offense. The speedster had little issue beating defenders and led the team with four key passes, including a nice cutback pass for Dike in the 24th minute. His crossing ability still leaves plenty to be desired as he was inaccurate on all five of his attempts. Ruan had 60 touches in this match, the third-most on the team, and he was successful on 36 of 39 passes for a good 92% completion rate.
MF, Junior Urso, 6 — The Bear hustled up and down the field all night long, racking up 63 touches and completing 45 of his 49 passes for a strong 92% success rate as he worked hard to serve as an outlet for other players to build possession. Urso had a tackle, an interception, and a block on the defensive end and on offense he had a shot that was blocked and a key pass. There were a few mishaps here and there, but overall it was a fairly efficient night for the Brazilian.
MF, Andres Perea, 5 — There was certainly some rust from Perea in his return from suspension. The 20-year-old was often a step behind in the midfield as the Revs passed around him with ease to then pick apart the defense. This was shown on the Revs’ second goal as the opposition worked around him to set up a one-on-one for Buchanan against Moutinho. However, he did have four clearances in the match and also chipped in with two interceptions, a tackle, and a block on the defensive end. Perea also led the team with three shots, the best coming from him pouncing on a loose ball in the box that Turner was able to save. That was his only shot on target as one shot was blocked and another headed wide from Moutinho’s great cross. In 87 minutes of action, Perea had 54 touches and 39 passes at an 85% success rate, although his inaccurate attempts weren’t all that difficult.
MF, Sebas Mendez, 6 — It was the Ecuadorian midfielder’s first game since his injury on July 17 and he did a decent job giving the Lions some stability in the midfield. This was particularly true in the second half when Mendez came up with crucial tackles to stop the revs on the counter while Orlando pushed forward to try and score. Mendez was subbed out in the 70th minute and finished with three tackles and an interception while not making much of an impact on offense. He had 55 touches and 47 passes at an 85% success rate as he was eased back into action.
MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 6.5 — Pereyra fed a nice ball to Dike in the box for his 10th assist of the season. It was one of many great passes from the Uruguayan, but his best of the night was a perfect first touch to serve Dike the ball again in a play that resulted in a penalty for Orlando. Although he only finished with two key passes, Pereyra pulled the strings for Orlando for most of the night and had 39 passes at an 87% success rate, which is pretty good considering the distance and difficult angles of some of his attempts. His two crosses from free kicks didn’t find their target, but were decent balls and he was accurate on his lone corner kick. Pereyra played all 90 minutes and ended the game with 50 touches, two key passes, and a shot from distance that went high and wide of goal.
F, Benji Michel, 4.5 — Michel didn’t get much done with only 14 touches in 57 minutes of play. He had no shots or key passes and his only cross was inaccurate. His best opportunity came in the second half when he ran along the end line with the ball, but he wasn’t able to make anything of it. Michel had no defensive stats either and only had five passes at an 80% success rate.
F, Daryl Dike, 6.5 (MotM) — Dike’s goal was a great one as he muscled past former collegiate teammate Henry Kessler in the box and fired a shot that was too powerful and too low for Turner to keep out. His only other shot in the match was from a good pass by Ruan, but he wasn’t able to make clean contact and it went wide. Dike won four fouls during the match, including a penalty that gave Orlando a golden opportunity that was squandered. It was Dike’s first time playing all 90 minutes for Orlando since returning from the Gold Cup and he had 37 touches and 14 passes at a subpar 57% completion rate as he tried to hold possession and create chances. More shots should be expected from the forward over the course of a game, but the Revs did focus on shutting him down after his goal. He was also a force in the air, using his large frame and physicality to win the ball upfield and he came up with two headed clearances on the Revolution’s set pieces. Dike is our Man of the Match for scoring a great goal while trailing on the road and earning a penalty that could have wound up salvaging a point for the Lions.
Substitutes
F, Nani (57’), 5.5 — Orlando’s captain had a chance to equalize with a penalty kick in the 75th minute, but his shot was stopped by Turner. Nani opted to shoot straight down the middle and Turner moved to his right but hesitated and got just enough of his body behind the ball to deflect it high and out of harm’s way. His only other shot of the match was blocked and his key pass to Urso set up a shot that was also blocked. None of his crosses from free kicks found their target, but his sole cross in open play was accurate. Nani completed 13 of his 15 passes for an 87% success rate and had 27 touches and he tried to bring Orlando level. The Designated Player hasn’t scored since Aug. 7 and Orlando will need him to lead the team during the final stretch of the season.
MF, Silvester van der Water (70’), 5.5 — With Orlando trailing in the second half, van der Water gave the team a bit of edge on the offense. The Dutchman had two shots, sending his first just wide and having his second blocked in stoppage time. He had 12 touches in the match and completed five of his seven passes for a 71% success rate. Van der Water wasn’t able to provide a goal for Orlando, but did give the team some needed energy when he had the ball at his feet in the attacking third.
F, Tesho Akindele, (87’) N/A — Coming on late to give the Lions another attacker while trailing, Akindele’s biggest contribution was winning a foul in a dangerous position for Orlando. He didn’t have any shots or key passes but gave the Revolution another big body to worry about alongside Dike. In a short shift, Akindele had nine touches and was successful on three of his six passes.
D, Kyle Smith (87’), N/A — Smith replaced Schlegel late in the match and completed three of his four passes. It was a quiet cameo for Smith as he had no offensive or defensive stats and just four touches.
That’s how I saw things play out in Orlando’s 2-1 loss on the road. 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
Player | Votes |
Daryl Dike | 18 |
Mauricio Pereyra | 2 |
Junior Urso | 3 |
Other (Comment Below) | 2 |
Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/2/25
Orlando Pride players on International duty, NWSL power rankings, USWNT friendlies, and more.

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.
Free Kicks
- The NWSL is looking to expand its media rights deals to include Sunday nights beginning next year. It’s a growth league and a growth market, and I’m all for Sunday night matches.
- Power rankings have now made their way down to MLS NEXT Pro. Spoiler alert, Orlando City B comes in at fifth. Still, it’s nice to see a little love given to the development league. Maybe I should write a power rankings for the various power rankings.
- I’m always for more soccer, and we now know the USL Women’s Super League eight-team playoff dates and format.
- I know it can be hard to feel bad for people who make quite a bit money playing soccer, but I still side with them over the billionaire owners that pay them. Or don’t pay them in the case of Sheffield Wednesday’s owner, Dejphon Chansiri.
- Barcelona is trying to bring the NFL to Spain. If successful, it might be the Kansas City Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes who make an appearance at Camp Nou. This will allow a bunch of Barcelona supporters the opportunity to ask if Taylor Swift will make an appearance.
- If you’re not watching the German Cup — and to be fair, I haven’t been either — you are missing some massive cupsets, including third-tier Arminia Bielefeld taking down Bundesliga champs Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 to advance to the German Cup final.
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!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/1/25
Barbra Banda’s continued importance, Americans in midweek action, USWNT announces friendly, and more.

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.
Free Kicks
- Orlando City jumped eight places to no. 11 in ESPN.com’s MLS power rankings.
- Meanwhile the Orlando Pride continue to hold sway at no. 1 in ESPN.com’s NWSL power rankings.
- Germany great Thomas Muller has reportedly received offers from MLS teams.
- Tierna Davidson will not play in the USWNT’s upcoming games against Brazil due to a knee injury, with Gisele Thompson replacing her on the roster.
That’s all I have for this morning. Vamos Orlando!
Orlando City
Orlando City vs. LA Galaxy: Player Grades and Man of the Match
How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s 2-1 victory over the LA Galaxy?

Orlando City capped off its March slate of matches with a cross-country bout against the 2024 MLS Cup champions, the LA Galaxy. In what was the longest commute that the Lions will register in the 2025 season, Orlando looked out of sync for much of the match, especially when contrasted with the squad that stomped D.C. United at home last week. Miraculously for the fans that stayed up past their bedtimes back on the East Coast, the Lions shocked the reigning champions and stole all three points with a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over the final quarter hour of the match.
Let’s look at the Lions’ individual performances to see who made the grade and who can improve as the calendar turns to April.
Starters
GK, Pedro Gallese, 6.5 — Gallese returned for Orlando after missing time while representing Peru during World Cup qualifiers. For the most part, he did well against the pressure of an agressive attack from the Galaxy. In the end, he was credited with just one save, which was a massive righthanded block of a shot by Gabriel Pec that could have put the game away for the home side. It isn’t worth entertaining a discussion about Gallese “letting another one in,” as the goal that the Galaxy scored was off a point-blank redirection back against his momentum, and it should have at the bare minimum warranted a second look for a potential offside ruling. His distribution was mostly solid, and he had an 81.8% passing rate on his 11 attempts while completing three of his five long balls. He was booked in the waining moments of the match for time wasting — although it was Rodrigo Schlegel who kicked the ball away without being spotted, and Gallese was merely retrieving it.
D, Rafael Santos, 5.5 — Santos had a few bright moments throughout the match, with an emphasis on the word few. I did think that he was better at getting into the attack and sent several balls across the net that had the potential to be dangerous. On the defensive end, there were just too many mistakes for my liking, whether that be careless turnovers, poor positioning, or falling asleep on the back side of the play. He and Ivan Angulo were both at fault on LA’s goal, as neither picked up Miki Yamane’s run. Santos was also overpowered twice by Pec. The Brazilian touched the ball 48 times, provided two key passes, one successful cross (on five attempts), and a passing rate of 76.9%. Defensively, he provided two tackles and three clearances. Offensively, Santos recorded a shot that was not on target. The left back currently benefits from a lack of depth pushing him for his starting minutes but will need to improve if Orlando is to continue its winning ways. He was replaced by David Brekalo in the 66th minute.
D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 7 — Schlegel had a productive and technically sound evening for the Lions. Defensively, he contributed one interception, a team-high seven clearances, and two blocked shots. He passed at a 93.6% rate, while touching the ball a team-high 88 times, and completed five long balls (on eight attempts). He didn’t register an offensive statistic during the match, but he played well and I thought that he had solid positioning throughout the night when the Galaxy sent balls into the box.
D, Robin Jansson, 6 — Something just seems off right now with Jansson, as the output from the captain simply feels less than what we have come to expect. Nonetheless, Jansson went the full 90 and recorded 65 touches. He completed 94.8% of his passes which included a team-best seven accurate long balls on nine attempts. Defensively, he contributed one tackle, one interception, and three clearances. Christian Ramirez beat Jansson on the lone goal for the Galaxy.
D, Alex Freeman, 6.5 — Freeman continues to put in the work for Orlando City. While his first West Coast trip was not fruitful in terms of goal-scoring contributions, the young Lion still managed to affect the game in a myriad of ways. He recorded 69 touches and completed 93.3% of his passes, which included two key passes and one accurate cross. Defensively, he added a team-high four tackles and two clearances. Offensively, Freeman tied Martin Ojeda for the most shots taken on the night (three) but was only able to put one on target. Freeman continues to showcase a solid motor that is helping to drive the offense, and he has shown strong chemistry with Marco Pasalic as well, but the most impressive aspect of his game against the Galaxy for me was the job he did in space defensively against Joseph Paintsil when the speedster entered the match in the second half.
MF, Cesar Araujo, 6.5 — This felt like a classic Araujo performance and the Uruguayan was seemingly everywhere on the pitch. He logged 63 touches and completed 90% of his passes but was only successful on one of his five long-ball attempts. Defensively, he contirbuted two tackles, one interception, and two clearances. Offensively, Araujo did not record a stat but did suffer a team-high three fouls. Araujo was able to defend without being booked against the Galaxy, and he has shown signficant improvement this season so far in not picking up careless yellow cards.
MF, Eduard Atuesta, 7.5 (MotM) — The former member of LAFC became the catalyst for the late offensive turnaround against what used to be his crosstown rival by earning a penalty in the 77th minute. He recorded 75 touches and completed 89.8% of his passes, which inlcuded two key passes, four accurate long balls on five attempts, and two succesful crosses on two attempts. Offensively, he attempted two shots, one which nearly put Orlando City in the lead when it hit the right post. Defensively, he contributed one tackle and two clearances. Atuesta benefitted from the insertion of Brekalo and Duncan McGuire, pushing forward into the attack, and without his effort, Orlando City likely would not have earned all three points. He was replaced by Joran Gerbet in stoppage time as part of a time-wasting, like-for-like substitution to see out the match.
MF, Ivan Angulo, 5.5 — To put it bluntly, Angulo is not in great form right now. The speedy Colombian is failing to challenge opposing back lines in the attack and has become a liability on the defensive side of the ball. The pairing of Angulo with Santos on the left has become a favorite area for the opposition to attack, and he was partly culpable in letting Yamane sneak in toward the back post on LA’s goal. He recorded 37 touches and completed 90.5% of his passes, which included one key pass. Defensively, he chipped in one tackle and one interception. Offensively, Angulo was dispossessed a team-high four times, as the careless giveaways — often in Orlando’s defensive half — continue to pile up. Orlando clearly needs more from the left wing, who was replaced in the 66th minute by McGuire, with Oscar Pareja pushing Ojeda to the left and playing Luis Muriel as the No. 10.
MF, Martin Ojeda, 7 — Ojeda did not allow another Lion to even remotely consider taking the penalty as he quickly stood over the spot, ball in hand, and then calmly converted the PK to pull Orlando level. Ojeda has now tied his goals total (four) from the 2024 season in only the sixth game of the year. Ojeda touched the ball 56 times and passed at a 90.5% rate while providing one key pass and four accurate long balls out of five attempts. Ojeda could have stood to improve his crossing, as he was only accurate on one of his five attempts. Offensively, Ojeda took three shots (tied with Freeman for the most on the team) but put just one on target (the penalty that he converted). He badly scuffed his first shot and his second was just off target in the first half. Defensively, he didn’t contribute a meaningful statistic, which was surprising, and it kept him just a rung below Atuesta when it came to Man of the Match honors.
MF, Marco Pasalic, 6.5 — Pasalic showcased several individual moments of brillance in the first half when the game was moving quickly end to end. Unfortunately for the Croatian winger, those moments failed to result in a change to the scoreboard. He touched the ball 39 times and completed 81.5% of his passes, including all four of his long balls. Defensively, like Ojeda, Pasalic did not record a meaningful statistic. Despite not scoring against the Galaxy, Pasalic continues to flash his skill with the ball and has been one of the main driving forces behind the strong offensive start to the season. He was replaced by Dagur Dan Thorhallsson in the 82nd minute.
F, Luis Muriel, 7 — Did Muriel score or did John McCarthy botch the play? Both, but who cares? Muriel’s long-distance free kick in the 90th minute found the back of the net, and the placement of the shot contributed to McCarthy’s mistake, as the Colombian sealed the victory and three important road points for Orlando City. A play reminisent of when fellow Designated Player Ojeda hit the equalizer from practically midfield against Charlotte FC back in 2023, Muriel stepped up to a free kick well outside the box and sent a shot towards the top left corner of the net. The goal capped a well-rounded performance for Muriel, who continues to play his best soccer in an Orlando City kit. Muriel finished with 37 touches and completed 88% of his passes, including a key pass. Offensively, he registered two shots with the one that mattered being on target. His other shot was a laser through traffic that barely missed just outside the left post on a set piece. Defensively, the striker contributed a tackle. Kyle Smith replaced him in the third minute of stoppage time.
Substitutes
D, David Brekalo (66’), 7 — I thought Brekalo put in some of his best minutes of the year as he entered in the 66th minute for Santos. It was an unexpected substitution, as Brekalo is a central defender. Regardless, the Slovenian played strong and sound defense, snuffing out multiple attacking runs by Pec. He racked up three tackles and three clearances on defense and put in several eye-opening efforts in the attack as well, as Orlando looked to get back into the match. He completed 90.9% of his passes, and while he did not record a shot, he was quite active around the box and made multiple runs off of his attacking counterparts. Brekalo at left back might be something to keep an eye on, as Pareja has been looking for someone to play consistently well there early in the season. Time will tell.
F, Duncan McGuire (66’), 6.5 — McGuire secured his longest stint since his off-season shoulder surgery and looked agressive over the final moments of the match. He opens up the field in a way Muriel is physically not able to at this point in his career, as the American got in behind the back line multiple times and pulled it out of shape for his teammates to exploit. He recorded three shots, which were all off target, but it is only a matter of time before the forward finds the back of the net. He completed 80% of his five passes and was credited with a key pass.
MF, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson (82′), N/A — Thorhallsson came on in relief of Pasalic and did well over the final moments of the match. The insertion of Brekalo, McGuire, and then Thorhallsson allowed Orlando to be the more dangerous side over the last 20 plus minutes of game time. He completed 83.3% of his passes and was credited with two key passes. Defensively, the product of Iceland added two clearances, and he did well to track back and help Freeman keep Paintsil bottled up.
D, Kyle Smith (93′), N/A — Smith came in following the long-distance goal by Muriel to help see out the victory.
MF, Joran Gerbet (93′), N/A — Like Smith, Gerbet was inserted to help see out the road win in stoppage time but also came into the match for Atuesta who was on a yellow card.
That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando City’s come-from-behind win over the Galaxy. Let us know how you saw the game in the comments below, and don’t forget to vote for your Man of the Match.
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