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Orlando City

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

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3 years ago

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Orlando City got all three points in a must win match in Cincinnati, holding on to a 1-0 victory on the road. The Lions got a first-half goal courtesy of Junior Urso’s effort from outside the box and that’s all that was needed to hold onto the result.

Here’s how each Lion played in the 1-0 victory:

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 7.5 — Gallese showed his quality in this game, with several big stops to preserve the clean sheet and the crucial victory. He finished with three saves including one ridiculous stop off Geoff Cameron on a corner kick. He also completed 16 of 19 passes.

D, Emmanuel Mas, 7 — Mas had some questionable defensive moments but had a strong showing. He created some quality opportunities from the left flank and finished with two key passes. Mas was effective in possession with 49 accurate passes at 86% and finished with two tackles, an interception and six ball recoveries defensively.

D, Robin Jansson, 7 — Both center backs were solid, if unspectacular, on the night. Jansson completed 33 passes, including eight long balls. Defensively, he was solid with nine clearances, including four in the air.

D, Antonio Carlos, 7 — Antonio Carlos played a similar game to his Swedish partner, helping Orlando hold onto the clean sheet with solid defending and possession work. He completed 37 passes at 80%, including seven long balls, with one key pass. Defensively, he made six clearances, three interceptions, and two ball recoveries.

D, Ruan, 8 — Ruan was arguably Orlando’s most dangerous player in Cincinnati. He even got the assist on Urso’s goal, but that was more smart possession play than a dangerous attacking ball. Only one of his five crosses was on target, but he did finish with four key passes. He completed 29 of 37 passes and also completed a dribble. Defensively, he had three clearances, an interception and six ball recoveries. Really strong night for the pacey Brazilian.

MF, Chris Mueller, 6.5 — Cash was active but not overly effective in this game. He did contribute a pair of key passes and a shot and was active in the attack, especially in the first half. He completed 86% of his passes.

MF, Junior Urso, 8.5 (MotM) — The Bear had one of his best games of the season, making an impact from box to box. He scored the game’s lone goal in the first half with his outside-the-box effort and was consistently an option around the area with three shots. Urso also made an impact in possession, completing 53 of 64 passes (83%), including three of three long balls. Defensively, he made three clearances, won all three of his tackles, and made nine ball recoveries. Excellent all-around night for Urso.

MF, Andres Perea, 6.5 — Not a massive game for Perea in place of Sebas Mendez, but solid overall performance. He was efficient in his passing, going 41 of 47 (87%) and added a key pass. He was active defensively, with 10 ball recoveries, an interception, and a tackle. Perea also completed two dribbles. Effective game in the middle overall, but he did have some issues with giveaways in bad areas and his awful decision and pass to try to pick out Carlos while in traffic put his teammate in a bad position and led to the center back picking up his yellow card, for which he’ll now be suspended for Wednesday’s game.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 7.5 — As usual, Pereyra was the main creator for Orlando City. El Maestro had two shots and three key passes on the night, even if he didn’t create a goal. He completed 37 of 43 passes (86%), including all five of his long balls. He also added three ball recoveries and an interception defensively. Impactful performance for Pereyra.

F, Dike, 6 — It was a pretty quiet night for Dike, who didn’t get much service and was battling with Cameron all night. He only registered two shots, with neither on target, in his 70 minutes of action. There were also times that were just out of sync on the break, where Dike just couldn’t quite find the ball or wasn’t on the same page with his teammates, and a few heavy touches hurt his holdup play. He finished with six accurate passes and drew two fouls.

F, Nani, 7 — Nani didn’t get on the scoresheet, but he made an impact. Nani was active in the final third, finishing with two key passes and five shots, and he dropped deep at times to break up Cincinnati possession. None of his five shots were on target, but his curling effort from the right barely missed picking out the far upper corner. He completed 35 of 45 passes (78%) and added three clearances and eight (!) ball recoveries defensively.

Substitutes

F, Benji Michel (71’), 6.5 — Benji didn’t do a ton in his 20 minutes. He completed six of eight passes (75%) and got a shot on target, although that shot was denied by a ridiculous point-blank save by Przemyslaw Tyton. He also drew a foul for a yellow card and made two ball recoveries.

F. Tesho Akindele (71’), 7 — Tesho nearly put the game away for Orlando City when his shot smashed off the crossbar and was ruled out when it landed on a play that deserved to be reviewed. Outside of that near goal, he completed two of four passes (50%), helped hold possession, and made a headed clearance.

MF, Silvester van der Water (83’), N/A — The Dutchman didn’t do much in his cameo appearance, finishing with a tackle and a ball recovery, but wasn’t on long enough to fairly grade.

MF, Uri Rosell (83’), N/A — Rosell came in to try to see out a result and he did his job. He completed five of seven passes plus made an interception and ball recovery.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel (90’), N/A — Schlegel came in to see out the final minutes, as Oscar Pareja went to five at the back as he often does. The Argentine had one nervy moment on a late aerial duel in Orlando’s box. The play went to VAR after Schlegel and Brandon Vazquez went to the ground. Schlegel made contact with Vazquez but had perhaps been thrown off balance by prior contact from Nick Hagglund. There was no foul called and the referee confirmed his initial decision after going to the monitor. Schlegel also made one clearance in his brief appearance.

That’s how I judged things. Leave your grades and thoughts below and make sure to vote for your Man of the Match below.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Junior Urso44
Ruan31
Mauricio Pereyra3
Other (Comment Below)6

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/21/25

Orlando Pride release preseason camp roster, scouting Costa Rica, women’s soccer transfer grades, and more.

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18 hours ago

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January 21, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone! If you had yesterday off for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, then I hope you enjoyed some restful time off. If not, then I hope you got your week started off on a good and productive note. There’s a lot going on around here this week as the United States Men’s National Team is in town, and Orlando City will play its first preseason match on Saturday. That means we have plenty to discuss, so let’s dig into today’s links.

Orlando Pride Drop Preseason Roster

Monday might have been a holiday but the Orlando Pride were busy, as they announced the roster for their upcoming preseason camp. Almost all of the usual suspects from the 2024 season are back, as the Pride return 98% of the player-minutes from last season and every single scorer. Mariana Larroquette is on the list although she’s currently on loan in Argentina, and Amanda Allen is likewise included after her loan at Lexington Sporting Club was terminated due to a torn labrum. The biggest intrigue comes from the trio of non-roster invitees: goalkeeper DeAira Jackson, midfielder Aryssa Mahrt, and forward Simone Jackson.

Scouting Costa Rica

The USMNT takes on Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium to wrap up the team’s annual January camp. Like the U.S., Costa Rica is bringing a roster devoid of the majority of its important players. Costa Rica also has a new manager at the helm in Miguel Herrera, who will take charge of the team for the very first time on Wednesday. Herrera typically lines his teams up in a 5-3-2 where the wingbacks take on a very important role and the team looks to hit on the counter while staying compact at the back. This will be the last time we see the USMNT in action until the Concacaf Nations League semifinals in early March.

Women’s Soccer January Transfer Grades

January has been a busy time for transfers in the women’s soccer world, so which teams have done the best business? Well, the Orlando Pride received an A grade for signing Marta to a new two-year deal, retaining a player who helped the team win its first ever trophies. Liverpool got an A for signing Julia Bartel on loan from Chelsea. Leicester City made an interesting call by transferring goalkeeper Lize Kop to Tottenham despite just being a point above the relegation zone. The Foxes get a C for the move, while Spurs get a B+ for adding a capable netminder.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans taking part in some very important games over the course of this week. Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus face Club Brugge today in the UEFA Champions League, while Ricardo Pepi, Richy Ledezma, Esmir Bajraktarević, Malik Tillman and PSV Eindhoven take on Crvena Zvezda in the same competition. Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan will play Girona in the UCL on Wednesday, while Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic take on Young Boys. On Friday, John Tolkin could make his Bundesliga debut when his new team, Holstein Kiel, travels to face Wolfsburg.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando Pride players reported for their preseason physicals on Monday.
  • Meanwhile, Orlando City took on the dreaded beep test during Monday’s training session.

That’s all I have for you today. Vamos Orlando!

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Orlando City

Striker Suddenly a Position of Need for Orlando City

Departures and a key injury mean Orlando City needs a striker heading into the 2025 MLS season.

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2 days ago

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January 20, 2025

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Image Courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City reached the Eastern Conference Final for the first time in 2024, a milestone for the club. The core of the team was locked up through the 2025 season, so there was no reason to believe it needed to add much this off-season. Unfortunately, injuries and departures have created a serious problem for the team.

The group of forwards last year consisted of Duncan McGuire, Ramiro Enrique, and Jack Lynn. McGuire scored 15 goals in 2023 and was expected to depart for Blackburn Rovers before a clerical error allowed the Lions to keep their target man. The team’s primary striker scored 11 goals in 37 games — the same number as the previous season — but split time starting with Enrique. The Argentinian improved greatly in 2024, increasing his total goal tally from four to 12. Even Lynn showed tremendous improvement last year, playing a greater role in the team and scoring his first two MLS goals.

The future also seemed bright for the Orlando City forwards because of their ages. Lynn is the oldest of the trio at just 25 years old. Meanwhile, McGuire and Enrique are only 23, so there was no reason to believe this group couldn’t produce this coming season.

The problem at striker began in the postseason when McGuire was pulled down by Charlotte FC midfielder Djibril Diani in the final first round game of the playoffs. McGuire suffered a shoulder injury during the challenge that required surgery on Dec. 13. It’s expected that the striker could take four to five months to return to action, possibly leaving him out until May or June.

Another blow to Orlando’s attack occurred Saturday when Lynn surprisingly announced his retirement from professional soccer. In just over a month, Orlando City went from having three strikers to having just one as preseason training starts.

With McGuire injured and Lynn gone, one option would be to have Designated Player Luis Muriel play up top. However, the Colombian prefers to play a more withdrawn position and proved to be effective in that role last year. Since Head Coach Oscar Pareja prefers to play a 4-2-3-1 formation, the Lions need someone up top to control the ball and involve the midfielders in the attack. That’s not Muriel’s game.

The result of these issues is that nobody is currently behind Enrique when the season begins. If the Argentinian gets tired, hurt, or simply needs rest, Pareja is limited in his options. 

Whether there was a lack of strikers or a lack of goals from the position previously, that problem was resolved by the club’s all-time leading goal scorer. Facundo Torres scored 20 goals in 2024, becoming the first player in Orlando City’s MLS history and the second player in club history to do so. He went on to set a new club record for total goals of 47.

However, Orlando City sold its best player to Brazilian side Palmeiras on Dec. 20. It was a gut punch to fans as Torres had signed a new contract on Jan. 10, 2024 that ran through the 2026 season. There had been talk for the last couple of years that the attacker would look for a move to Europe and rumors of a move to South America arose this off-season. Still, it created a huge gap the club has to fill.

There are players on the roster that can make up for the injury and departures. Martin Ojeda had a strong season in 2024, finishing with seven goals and 13 assists. His seven goals ranked fourth on the team and his 13 assists topped the squad alongside Nico Lodeiro. Muriel came on strong later in the season, finishing with five goals and eight assists. But those numbers are a long way from the 20 goals that Torres tallied last year.

Even if you consider all goal contributions, Ojeda and Muriel fall well short of Torres. Ojeda had a total of 20 goal contributions in 2024 while Muriel had 13. In addition to Torres’s 20 goals, he added nine assists for a team-leading 29 goal contributions.

All of this information leads to one undeniable fact — Orlando City needs to sign a striker prior to the season. And there’s not much time for Luiz Muzzi to act. The European transfer window closes on Feb. 3 and many MLS teams have already been filling similar needs. With the season starting in just over a month, the options will be limited if the Lions don’t do something soon.

After the best postseason finish in Orlando City’s MLS history, things were looking good heading into 2025. While the back line and most of the midfield is returning, McGuire’s injury and the departure of Torres and Lynn have left the Lions in a tough spot offensively. If they don’t do something in the next couple of weeks, it could be a long 2025.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/20/25

Orlando City signs Nicolas Rodriguez, Jack Lynn announces retirement, USMNT defeats Venezuela in friendly, and more.

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2 days ago

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January 20, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope you’re all having a good holiday weekend as we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Over the past week, I’ve been working and covering high school ice hockey. It will be a busy week in Orlando, with the United States Men’s National Team’s match against Costa Rica on Wednesday and Orlando City’s first preseason match against Atletico Mineiro on Saturday. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Signs Nicolas Rodriguez

Orlando City announced on Friday that the club has signed forward Nicolas Rodriguez from Fortaleza CEIF in Colombia’s top flight. The deal is through the 2027 season, with a club option for 2028, and Rodriguez will occupy a MLS U22 Initiative slot. Rodriguez made 19 appearances for Fortaleza, recording 1,607 minutes, five goals, and three assists during the 2024 Primera A Clausura season. The Lions add a young attacking player the club can develop and Rodriguez can play on the right wing, the right side of a three-man midfield, or in the No. 10 spot.

Jack Lynn Announces Retirement

Orlando City forward Jack Lynn announced his retirement from professional soccer on Saturday. Lynn was drafted by Orlando in the first round of the 2022 MLS SuperDraft. He became a regular starter for Orlando City B, scoring a team-record 38 goals in over three seasons with the MLS NEXT Pro side. Lynn also won the Golden Boot with 19 goals during the 2023 season and became the first OCB player to be named MLS NEXT Pro MVP. He played sparingly with the first team, but he scored twice last season as his role increased. The Lions will likely look to add another striker for more depth up top.

Orlando Pride Acquire Allocation Money in Trade

On Friday, the Orlando Pride announced that the club has acquired $50,000 in Allocation Money from the Washington Spirit. In exchange, the Pride sent the Spirit a 2025 international roster spot. The Pride will face the Spirit in the NWSL Challenge Cup final on March 7 at Inter&Co Stadium.

USMNT Defeats Venezuela in Friendly

The USMNT defeated Venezuela 3-1 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday in a friendly. Jack McGlynn and Patrick Agyemang scored in the first half to give the USMNT a 2-0 lead just before halftime. Matko Milijevic scored the third goal for the Americans in the second half, with Venezuela pulling one back thanks to a goal from Jorge Yriarte. Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has led the USMNT to winning four out of its first five matches since he took charge last September. The USMNT’s next match will be against Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium.

Alyssa Naeher Named U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year

On Saturday, goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher was voted 2024 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year. Naeher won 40% of the vote, while defender Naomi Girma finished in second with 32%. In her final year with the USWNT, Naeher ended 2024 with 18 starts, playing 1,170 minutes and only conceding 11 goals. She played a crucial role with clutch saves to help the USWNT win the 2024 SheBelieves Cup, 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup, and gold at the Olympics in Paris. Naeher is the second goalkeeper to win the award since Hope Solo won it in 2009.

Free Kicks

  • Manchester City forward Erling Haaland has reached an agreement with the club on a record-breaking contract that extends his deal through 2034.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.

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