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

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4 years ago

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Orlando City couldn’t hold onto a two-goal lead as the New England Revolution’s Adam Buksa scored a late brace in a 2-2 draw. While it was a frustrating result considering Orlando was capable of taking all three points against the best team in MLS, the draw extends Orlando’s unbeaten streak to five games.

Let’s dive right into how the Lions individually performed in this draw at Exploria Stadium.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6 — El Pulpo wasn’t able to do much on either of Buksa’s goals as both were hit at such close range that there was no chance to react in time. Gallese only had one save in the match and it was one of his best for Orlando as he somehow got a hand to a low shot that seemed destined for goal. He was successful on 68% of his 19 passes and completed six of his 12 attempted long balls. Gallese had a fairly quiet night until the Revolution’s stars pushed for a result late in the match. He will aim for a clean sheet when the Lions hit the road to take on the Columbus Crew this Wednesday.

D, Joao Moutinho, 6.5 — After missing the past two games, Moutinho returned to the starting line-up and did well on both sides of the ball. His assist was a great one as he delivered a cross into the box for Nani to get on the end of in a crowded box. It was the only successful cross of his four attempts, but he certainly made it count. Moutinho was subbed off at halftime, finishing with a whopping 62 touches and 41 passes at an impressive 93% success rate. Defensively, he had a tackle, two interceptions, a block, and a clearance as he hustled to stop the Revs. It was a great showing from Moutinho as he eases himself back into the swing of things.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 5.5 — For a majority of the match, Schlegel did a great job filling in for the injured Robin Jansson. He had two tackles, two blocks, an interception, and two clearances to bolster Orlando’s defensive performance. Schlegel’s best play came in the 62nd minute as he made a massive block in front of goal to keep a shot from troubling Gallese. His only shot was deflected and he finished with 56 touches and 44 touches at a 91% success rate. He couldn’t stop Buksa from scoring twice as the forward used nice runs and overwhelming size to equalize.

D, Antonio Carlos, 6 — Carlos was solid throughout the game, stopping the Revolution dead in their tracks on multiple occasions. The center back led Orlando with five clearances and also had three tackles. With Jansson out, Carlos served as the team’s defensive leader and did well putting out fires. He ended the game with 67 touches and 57 passes at an 89% success rate as he helped build possession out of the back. Orlando will need Carlos at his best in the final three games this season to limit the opposition’s scoring chances.

D, Ruan, 5.5 — Both of the right back’s crosses were unsuccessful, but he did have a key pass to set up a shot for Mauricio Pereyra. Ruan’s speed allowed him to chase down loose balls that other players simply wouldn’t be able to get to in time. Defensively, he had a tackle and two interceptions as he tried to fight off the Revolution’s comeback attempts. Ruan had 59 touches, 42 passes at a 92% completion rate, and drew two fouls in potentially dangerous areas. Given Orlando’s many attacking players in this game, it’s understandable that Ruan wasn’t too involved on offense.

MF, Junior Urso, 6 — The Bear had a busy night, leading the team with 81 touches and 72 passes at a great 93% success rate. He had two shots in the match, sending one over the bar and having the other deflected. Urso was patient with the ball at his feet in the attacking third to try and find open Lions, making two key passes. He also did a good job chasing the ball down to then set up Moutinho’s cross. On the defensive side of things, he had two tackles, an interception, and a clearance. It was his eighth straight start and he’s played more minutes than any other Lion this season so it will be interesting to see if he will continue to play every minute of Orlando’s final three games as well.

MF, Sebas Mendez, 6 — The Ecuadorian midfielder had a few turnovers early in the match, but settled into his usual rhythm as the match wore on. Mendez had 72 touches, two interceptions, a clearance, and was successful on 92% of his 64 passes as he helped connect Orlando’s defense with its offense. While he didn’t have a shot or key pass, he did make a nice run into the box in the 73rd minute but no one reached his resulting cross.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 6 — Pereyra had a great opportunity in the first half after Carlos found him open in the box, but he slipped in the heavy rain before he could take a shot. Pereyra had two key passes and completed 94% of his 54 passes to fuel Orlando’s offense and maintain possession. His only shot was off target, but not terribly so, and his only corner kick whipped into the box rather than played short was successful. Pereyra led the team with four tackles and also had 72 touches in 79 minutes of action. His next assist will be his 11th this year and would break Orlando’s single-season record, but he hasn’t had an assist or goal during this five-game unbeaten run.

MF, Chris Mueller, 6 — Mueller paired well with Daryl Dike in the attack, using his speed to drive forward and create space for the center forward. He led the team with four shots but wasn’t able to score as one attempt hit the post, another was deflected, and his only one on target was saved by Matt Turner. His only cross was successful, although it was mostly because the defender misjudged it for Nani to collect the ball near the corner flag. Mueller came off in the 67th minute for fresher legs to help see the game to its conclusion. He ended the game with 49 touches and completed 78% of his 36 passes while chipping in on defense with a tackle and a clearance. Mueller has done well in these recent home games for Orlando and his last regular season game at Exploria Stadium will come on Halloween against Nashville SC.

MF, Nani, 7 (MotM) — Orlando City’s captain scored for the first time since Aug. 7 as he got his head onto a great cross from Moutinho in the 39th minute. Nani bested Turner with a smartly placed header that took a bounce off the wet pitch. His only other shot in the match was blocked in the box. In the second half, Nani did well to earn a penalty with a cutback in the box and Dike converted from the spot to give Orlando a 2-0 lead. The winger had two key passes and served a great cross to Dike early in the match that nearly resulted in a goal if not for some decent defending. Nani had 77 touches and 57 passes at an 81% success rate before coming off in the 79th minute. He’s our Man of the Match for giving Orlando a lead and helping to double it by winning a penalty. It was a great performance from the Designated Player and hopefully more goals are on their way as Orlando aims to clinch a playoff spot .

F, Daryl Dike, 6.5 — The center forward’s strength was on full display in this match as he did well winning the ball and beating defenders. However, he only had two shots and one of those was the penalty he converted after the Orlando faithful chanted for him to take the kick. Dike slotted the ball out of Turner’s reach and into the bottom right corner and there shouldn’t be much debate on who will take penalties moving forward. Dike’s other shot was a header in the box that went straight at Turner. He attempted eight dribbles throughout the match and was successful on five of them as he worked his way into dangerous areas. Dike played every minute and had 44 touches, two key passes, a tackle, a clearance, and 15 passes at a 73% success rate.

Substitutes

D, Emmanuel Mas (45’), 5.5 — The left back came on for Moutinho after halftime, but wasn’t able to make as much of an impact as who he was replacing. Mas only had 22 touches and 13 passes at a 77% success rate while not attempting any crosses. He did a decent job dealing with Tajon Buchanan once the Canadian phenom came on and he also had a tackle in the match.

MF, Benji Michel (67’), 5 — The Homegrown Player had a chance to put the game away in the 90th minute, but his shot was blocked. It was his only shot of the match, although he had the chance for one in the 83rd minute only to be dispossessed as the Revs quickly went on the counter. Michel had a key pass as well, cueing Andres Perea up for a shot that was blocked. His scoring drought continues and he certainly could’ve done better in the attacking third. Michel finished the game with 11 touches and completed all five of his passes.

MF, Andres Perea (79’), N/A — Coming on for Pereyra, Perea slotted into central midfield and did fairly well with his 12 touches. He had three tackles to disrupt the Revolution and completed all six of his passes. His only shot was blocked, but it was a decent outing as he received some minutes to shake some rust off, even if Orlando gave up its lead.

F, Tesho Akindele, (79’) N/A — While he didn’t have a shot, his key pass to send Michel in on goal in the 90th minute could have put the game on ice. The Canadian striker had 10 touches and completed six of his eight passes for a 75% success rate. Akindele also had a tackle as he hustled around the field.

MF, Joey DeZart (89’), N/A — Brought on late, DeZart had no touches or defensive stats. We may only see him in these brief appearances for the rest of this season given how Orlando’s midfield is getting healthy.

That’s how I saw things play out in Orlando’s 2-2 draw with the New England Revolution . 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
Nani15
Daryl Dike13
Joao Moutinho0
Antonio Carlos1
Other (put in the comments below)1

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Lion Links: 7/3/25

Orlando Pride loan five players out, Orlando City academy players selected for All-Star Team, USMNT beats Guatemala, and more.

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2 hours ago

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July 3, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

How’s it going, Mane Landers? It’s been a weird week for me so far, as it’s felt simultaneously like it’s flying by and taking forever for the weekend to get here. All of the soccer has been nice at least, and I’ve been able to get some reading and painting done when not swamped. But enough about me, let’s dive into today’s links!

Orlando Pride Loan Multiple Players Out

The Orlando Pride loaned out five players for the rest of the 2025 season, with four of them joining USL Super League teams. Forward Amanda Allen, who was loaned to Lexington SC last year and injured her shoulder in December, is headed to her home country of Canada to join Halifax Tides FC in the Northern Super League. As for the players headed to the USL Super League, right back Brianna Martinez will join Carolina Ascent FC, goalkeeper Kat Asman and forward Mariana Larroquette were loaned to Lexington, and Aryssa Mahrt was sent to Spokane Zephyr FC. These loans should provide solid opportunities for minutes for these players, so hopefully they can make some noise with their respective teams.

Orlando City Academy Players Make All-Star Team

The rosters for the 2025 MLS NEXT All-Star Game are out and Orlando City B midfielders Gustavo Caraballo and Dylan Judelson were both selected for the event. The East All-Stars will be coached by Orlando City SC Academy Director Javier Carrillo, who also coached Orlando’s U-18 team to victory in the Generation Adidas Cup this year. Caraballo was named MVP of that tournament’s U-18 age group and scored 16 goals over the course of the MLS NEXT season. Judelson appeared in 32 games for Orlando this season and could factor into Canada’s U-17 World Cup plans come November. The MLS NEXT All-Star Game will take place on July 21 and can be viewed on the MLS YouTube channel.

USMNT Takes Down Guatemala in Gold Cup

The United States Men’s National Team secured a spot in the Concacaf Gold Cup final after winning 2-1 against Guatemala in St. Louis. The Yanks got off to a hot start thanks to Diego Luna’s brace in the first 15 minutes of the match. The offense wasn’t able to extend the lead beyond that though, and a late goal by Olger Escobar made the match a bit more tense the U.S. would have liked. Regardless, the U.S. got the job done in the end and will play in Sunday’s final in Houston.

USWNT Breezes Past Canada in Friendly

The United States Women’s National Team beat Canada in convincing fashion, shutting out its northern rival 3-0 in a friendly. Sam Coffey and Claire Hutton scored in the first half to give the USWNT a nice lead, and Yazmeen Ryan came off the bench to put the nail in the coffin with a late goal. The defense did well to claim its third clean sheet of this series of summer friendlies. Emily Sams didn’t make an appearance for the U.S., and Zara Chavoshi didn’t come off the bench for Canada either.

NWSL Announces Layout For 2026 Schedule

The 2026 NWSL regular season will kick off on March 13 and finish on Nov. 1 according to the league’s announced framework for next year’s action. Although there will be 16 teams next year, the playoff format remains the same and the top eight teams in the standings will qualify, with the 2026 NWSL Championship set for Nov. 21. There will once again be a balanced schedule, with each team playing 30 matches over the course of 27 weeks. The league will also notably be on break for a majority of June due to the FIFA World Cup, citing expectations to accommodate stadium demands in markets where World Cup games will take place

Free Kicks

  • Boston Legacy FC signed American midfielder Annie Karich as its first player ahead of its inaugural season next year. Karich spent the past two seasons with SC Freiburg in Germany and joins Boston as a free agent.
  • San Diego FC forward Anders Dreyer was named MLS Player of the Month after recording three goals and six assists in June. He leads the league with 23 goal contributions this season and is a major reason behind San Diego’s rise to the top of the Western Conference standings.
  • Atlanta United bolstered its defense by signing Albanian center back Enea Mihaj to a contract through 2028. The 26-year-old joins as a free agent after spending the past three seasons with FC Famalicao in Portugal top flight.
  • The 2025 Women’s European Championship kicked off in Switzerland, with Finland beating Iceland 1-0 in the first match of the tournament. Switzerland struck first against Norway, but Ada Hegerberg scored an equalizer and an own goal by Swiss defender Julia Stierli gave Norway the 2-1 win.
  • It seems the Concacaf co-hosts for next year’s World Cup will be able to serve suspensions in friendlies rather than missing out on the World Cup.

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

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Lion Links: 7/2/25

Big names leave Toronto FC, hot conditions in Club World Cup match, FIFPRO makes ACL recommendations, and more.

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1 day ago

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July 2, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Wednesday, everyone. It already feels like it’s been a long week, as I just got home from being out of town traveling up and down the East Coast for the last few days. The soccer world hasn’t stopped in my absence though, and as usual we have a lot to cover today. Let’s wish a happy birthday to OCB defender Tahir Reid-Brown, and jump into today’s links!

Italians Leave Toronto FC

It’s the end of an era at Toronto FC, as the club has parted ways with both Federico Bernardeschi, and Lorenzo Insigne. The Reds used both of their two buyouts of guaranteed contracts this season in order to get the transactions done, so the club was pretty keen to get them out the door. It’s hard to blame the Reds, as Insigne was the second-highest paid player in the league while Bernardeschi was the fifth highest. They didn’t have much to show for it though, as Bernardeschi had 26 goals and 22 assists in 99 games across all competitions, while Insigne had 19 goals and 17 assists in 76 matches. TFC never made the playoffs while the duo was on the team, and the decision to turn the page is an understandable one.

Difficult Conditions in Juventus vs. Real Madrid

The Club World Cup Round of 16 concluded on Tuesday, with Real Madrid knocking off Juventus 1-0 in afternoon match. Kylian Mbappe made his tournament debut for Madrid as a substitute, but it was Gonzalo Garcia’s 54th-minute goal that made the difference in the game. Juve boss Igor Tudor highlighted the difficult conditions in Miami, saying in his postgame press conference that 10 different players asked to come off the field during the game. Tudor didn’t outright blame the loss on the high heat and humidity during the 3 p.m. kickoff at Hard Rock Stadium, but noted that they were among several factors that made the game a very difficult one for his side.

FIFPRO Makes Recommendations to Curb ACL Tears

Amid a rash of ACL injuries to women’s soccer players, FIFPRO has made some recommendations to cut down on the rate at which they occur. Rather than focusing on things that can’t be controlled, the federation has suggested modifying the calendar, number of games, and the playing surfaces. FIFPRO member Alex Culvin is calling for minimum standards in the women’s game relating to pitch conditions and access to physiotherapists. More research around risk factors is also necessary, as is implementing preventative exercises at the youth levels of the game.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

Summer transfer business is in full swing, so let’s catch up on some of the hot rumors currently flying around. First up, Arsenal is said to be in the final stages of signing Viktor Gyokeres to a five-year deal. Staying in the Premier League, Manchester United is reportedly interested in signing midfielder Fabian Ruiz from Paris Saint-Germain. Juventus reportedly is close to signing Jonathan David after his contract with Lille expired. Finally, Bayern Munich is reportedly preparing a formal offer for Liverpool for Colombian winger Luis Diaz.

Free Kicks

Apparently a non -#usmnt drone has crashed the training session. US Soccer staff aiming to identify it.

— Jeff Carlisle (@jeffreycarlisle.bsky.social) 2025-07-01T17:25:12.954Z

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/1/25

Pride signings, OCB draws, both U.S. national teams in action Wednesday, and more.

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2 days ago

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July 1, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to July, Mane Landers. If you’re like me, you balanced the excitement and dread of the USMNT advancing on penalty kicks the other night. It was one thing watching Guatemala take out Canada but a whole other level of heart palpitating stress while watching the U.S. avoid a similar fate. There’s no time to relax with plenty of soccer to watch as we head towards Independence Day. Before we get to the links, please join us in wishing Orlando Pride/USWNT defender Emily Sams and OCB defender Clovis Archange each a happy birthday.

Orlando Pride Signings

The Orlando Pride announced a pair of transactions Monday. Midfielder Viviana Villacorta and the club have agreed to exercise the midfielder’s mutual option for the 2026 season. Villacorta was the No. 9 overall pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft. The Pride also signed midfielder Ally Lemos to a new contract through the 2027 season with a mutual option for 2028. The Pride selected Lemos with the No. 9 overall pick of the 2024 NWSL Draft. Orlando continues to lock down current players ahead of time. Now, we wait to see if any new players will be added.

OCB Earns a Point on the Road

Orlando City B played Philadelphia Union II to a 1-1 draw in a Monday afternoon match. Unfortunately, the Young Lions lost the end-of-regulation shootout 4-2 and did not get the additional point. Gustavo Caraballo assisted Jackson Platts on the early goal for OCB. Philadelphia equalized early in the second half. Carlos Mercado was the difference maker in the match, recording a career-high 12 saves.

USMNT’s Gold Cup Run Continues vs. Guatemala

The USMNT will face Guatemala Wednesday night in a 2025 Gold Cup semifinal match. The U.S. advanced past Costa Rica on penalties thanks to a stellar performance from goalkeeper Matt Freese. Guatemala stunned Canada with a second-half equalizer and advanced on penalty kicks. Guatemala has been the overachieving underdog of the competition so far. This will be the USMNT’s 17th Gold Cup semifinal appearance.

USWNT Hosts Canada

The USWNT will host Canada in a third friendly of this international window Wednesday at Washington, D.C.’s Audi Field. The U.S. is coming off two 4-0 victories over the Republic of Ireland. Canada should prove a tougher opponent for Emma Hayes’ squad. There is a possibility that the match will feature two Orlando Pride players — Emily Sams for the U.S. and Zara Chavoshi for Canada. Kerry Abello has returned to her club team after picking up a knock.

Free Kicks

Sources: Bayer Leverkusen are finalizing a deal to sign USMNT attacker Malik Tillman from PSV.Deal in region of $40m.

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2025-06-30T20:36:24.359Z
  • Former Orlando Pride midfielder Erika Tymrak has retired from professional soccer.

That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for Orlando City’s match against Charlotte FC this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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