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Orlando City vs. Nashville SC: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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3 years ago

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Heartbreaking. This took forever to write because it took me a while to cool off after what should’ve been an iconic Orlando City victory. But the result is what it is, and the Lions earned a 1-1 draw against a very good Nashville SC side in a match where Orlando played well and could’ve won long before the dramatic final moments.

How did each player fare in the penultimate match of Orlando City’s regular season?

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 7.5 — El Pulpo had a strong night between the sticks, making seven saves, including a few great saves at close range. His handling wasn’t always great, giving up a few long rebounds, but it didn’t really cost anything. He was fine in passing as well, completing 17 of 21.

D, Emmanuel Mas, 7 — I liked Mas’ performance in this game. He was good defensively, including six interceptions, and was always popping up along the left flank trying to create. He finished with two key passes, two completed dribbles, and had a shot blocked. His crossing wasn’t great, but he was always active. He also completed 58 of 67 passes (86.6%).

D, Robin Jansson, 6.5 — To me, Jansson had one of the weaker performances for Orlando. He got caught in bad positions multiple times and was arguably at fault on Nashville’s goal. His willingness to get forward and aggressively contest balls into midfield is admirable, but sometimes can get him into trouble. He did well in possession, completing 58 of 62 passes (93.6%). Defensively, he finished with five clearances, eight ball recoveries and an interception.

D, Antonio Carlos, 7.5 — It was a strong defensive performance for the Brazilian. He put up big defensive numbers with a tackle, two interceptions, eight ball recoveries, and he won a massive 10 of 12 aerial duels. AC was a massive presence in the back, helping put out fires when Nashville got into the final third. With the ball, he completed 61 passes (88.4%), including a key pass.

D, Ruan, 7 — It was another decent game from Ruan. A lot like Mas, he got into a lot of promising areas out wide, completing two crosses and finding a key pass. He wasn’t super involved with the ball, with only 25 completed passes (86.2%). Defensively, he wasn’t perfect and didn’t make much impact statistically with two ball recoveries and no tackles or interceptions.

MF, Sebas Mendez, 7 — Mendez played a good game. At his best, his game can be subtle or even hard to notice, and this was another one of those performances. He completed 60 of his 62 passes (96.8%), including a key pass, and cleaned up defensively with eight ball recoveries and an interception. Mendez did also pick up a yellow card.

MF, Junior Urso, 7.5 — The Bear delivered another great all-around game against Nashville. Urso completed 56 of 61 passes (91.8%), including a key pass, and was constantly driving the ball upfield, including a successful dribble. He was active around the box as well, with two shots, including one that hit the post and a great opportunity late in the match that he should’ve put on frame. Defensively, he was active with a tackle, two interceptions and seven ball recoveries.

MF, Nani, 8 (MotM) — Admittedly I’m probably being generous in giving Nani Man of the Match, but he looked like the best player on the pitch and did a lot of really good things. He was combining well and did a good job of distributing into the final third, as well as looking to play the final ball. He finished with two key passes and completed 44 of 52 passes (84.6%), as well as a team high four completed dribbles. Nani even chipped in defensively with two tackles, an interception, and four ball recoveries.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 7 — Pereyra was active in this game, but it didn’t yield a lot of end product. He finished with only one key pass, but he was active in possession with 39 accurate passes (only 78% completion percentage though). He did also finish with two shots (one on target) and a successful dribble. Pereyra also chipped in a little defensively with a tackle and three ball recoveries. While it wasn’t his best outing, he still made an impact.

MF, Chris Mueller, 7 — A lot like Pereyra, Mueller was very active in this game with little to show for it. He got on the ball and tried to make things happen, but it didn’t really sync up. He had two shots and a key pass, and he did get the assist on Daryl Dike’s goal. Outside of that one moment though, there were no clearcut opportunities for Mueller. He finished with 21 of 25 passes completed (84%), one interception and a ball recovery in over 70 minutes of action.

F, Daryl Dike, 7.5 — Dike’s performance is clouded by the end of the game (not through any fault of his own), but it was another quality overall performance from the young striker. He got yet another goal, and his overall play, especially in the first half, was good. He was an outlet with the ball and a solid holdup option up top. He wasn’t the cleanest with the ball — one of two on dribbles and he was dispossessed four times — but he gave Walker Zimmerman and company fits. Dike finished with three shots (one on frame) and even a key pass, one of his six completed passes (75%), for the match. The end of the game foul is a killer, but in no universe was that a foul, especially on replay, so I’m not going to give Dike any grief for that.

Substitutes

F, Benji Michel (74’), 5.5 — This feels harsh, but frankly Michel didn’t do much of anything in just under 20 minutes of action. He had only five touches, completing three passes, and was dispossessed and gave up a foul. Michel was unable to bring the heroics against Nashville this time around.

F, Alexandre Pato (86’), 7.5 — Pato didn’t actually play enough minutes to typically qualify for a full grade, but he almost pulled out one of the most incredible moments in Orlando City history, so he gets a high grade anyway. If that free kick is an inch lower or that foul isn’t called and Perea’s rebound counts, Pato is an instant cult hero. But alas. He also finished with two completed passes.

MF, Andres Perea (90’+1), 7.5 — Same situation as above. Perea was robbed of an incredible, heroic moment by appalling officiating. He made the good effort play to follow up on the loose ball in the box and slotted it home. In a better universe, he’s man of the match and Orlando clinches a playoff spot. But here we are. Perea also completed all three of his passes.

MF, Silvester van der Water (90’+1), N/A — It was just a cameo appearance for the Dutchman. He completed one pass and it was his only touch of the match.

D, Kyle Smith (90’+1), N/A — Another cameo appearance. I did notice Smith trying to push forward when the Lions were pushing for the winner, but he didn’t really impact the match much in his limited action. He completed two of three passes as well.

Those were my thoughts. Make sure to leave your grades below and vote for your Orlando City Man of the Match.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Nani1
Daryl Dike18
Junior Urso5
Antonio Carlos4
Other (Comment Below)2

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. FC Cincinnati: Three Keys to Victory

What does Orlando City need to do to ensure a victory over FC Cincinnati Saturday at home?

Published

10 hours ago

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May 2, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City looks to bounce back from the disappointing 2-1 loss to Toronto FC Saturday night at Inter&Co Stadium. Cincinnati has twice as many points as Orlando City and more than twice as many wins. FCC has only scored one more goal than Orlando City, but with only nine goals conceded compared to Orlando City’s 17, it’s easy to see why Cincinnati is sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference.

What I’m trying to say is that the task doesn’t get any easier this weekend. What does Orlando City need to do to secure all three points at home against FC Cincinnati?

Accost Acosta

Cincinnati’s attack revolves around Luciano Acosta. The attacking midfielder has four goals and five assists so far this season. To put that into perspective, Duncan McGuire — Orlando City’s leading scorer — also has four goals but only one assist. If we look at the Lions’ attacking midfielders, Facundo Torres has one goal and one assist, Ivan Angulo and Nico Lodeiro both have one goal and two assists, and Martin Ojeda has zero goals and only one assist. Luis Muriel is still at double zeroes.

The defensive midfield and the back line must do everything possible to mark him out of the match. It’s not enough to keep him from scoring, they must also keep him from setting up chances for his teammates. Most importantly, the defense must do that for 90 minutes plus stoppage time. There is no room for the mental lapses we’ve seen throughout the first part of this season.

Break Through

Cincinnati is stingy on defense. As I mentioned above, the club has only allowed nine goals this season. The back line is formidable with the likes of Matt Miazga, Miles Robinson, and Ian Murphy. On the wings are DeAndre Yedlin and Luca Orellano. This is a tough defense, and whether it is McGuire or Muriel who gets the start, they must find the spaces in between.

Just as importantly, Torres, Angulo, Ojeda, and Lodeiro — depending on who is in at any given moment — must be able to thread the passes in for McGuire, Muriel, or each other to create quality chances. On top of that, the Lions must convert on those chances, which is not something that has been a strength so far this season. If the Orlando City defense continues to give up cheap goals, then the offense will need to one-up the competition when it comes to scoring.

Deal with an Unknown

FC Cincinnati recently signed Venezuelan forward Kevin Kelsy from Ukrainian Premier League club Shakhtar Donetsk. Kelsy comes in as an MLS U22 Initiative player and is eligible to play against Orlando City. Even though Kelsy is only 19, he has 68 professional appearances, including UEFA Champions Leagues matches. At 6-foot-3, he can be a challenge for defenders, especially in the air.

Kelsy hasn’t had much time with the team, but he could be a second-half substitution for Cincinnati. Given that Orlando City just gave up two late headers against Toronto FC, the back line will need to be careful that Kelsy doesn’t hurt the Lions in the same manner — especially if he comes on late when legs and minds are tired.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/2/24

The Pride win big, OCSC celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month, USMNT news, and more.

Published

14 hours ago

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May 2, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

It’s Thursday, Mane Landers. Of course, the name Thursday comes from Thor’s day, and as such, it isn’t a big leap for us to consider it Thorhallsson’s day. Though I suppose that is a bit of a mouthful, so we’ll just keep things the way they are, but do hold Dagur Dan close to your heart today. Also, let us wish a happy birthday to the Orlando Pride’s Luana. Despite the devastating news that dropped about her health earlier this week, we hope that her spirits are high and we wish her nothing but happiness today. It’s also Dagur Dan Thorhallsson’s birthday today, so we’re celebrating him as well. Let’s get to the links.

The Pride Dominate the Courage

The Orlando Pride defeated the North Carolina Courage 4-1 in a midweek match at Inter&Co Stadium. The Pride did indeed dominate the Courage as much as the score line indicates. It was once again the Barbra Banda show, with the Pride’s newest player contributing a brace and an assist on the night. It is the Pride’s fourth straight victory and the undefeated run continues.

OCSC Celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month

Orlando City and the Orlando Pride are doing their part this May to observe Mental Health Awareness Month. The club is sponsoring and attending events and forums available to the general public, as well as holding club staff workshops around promoting mental health. I have to say my favorite is the therapy dogs visits that will be available to the staff. There’s nothing as good for my personal mental health as the joy and unconditional love a dog can bring. If I didn’t have dogs of my own, I’d be really jealous.

The Billionaires Clubs

Orlando City and Orlando Pride owners, the Wilf family, are not the only billionaire owners in the NWSL. There are more and more owners and ownership groups that fall into that category. The influx of more money is a growth opportunity for the league and potentially for those owners. It’s a bit of a “rising tide lifts all boats” mentality for these owners as they do better when the league as a whole does better. It’s not just the owners who think so. The NWSL was ranked No. 5 on the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2024. I’m just glad the Pride are in the club.

USMNT News

I hate starting off a section with bad news, but Sergino Dest tore his ACL in training with PSV Eindhoven and will miss the Copa America. Dest will require surgery though there is no time frame yet for when he may return. The loss of Dest is a blow to the U.S. defense heading into the competition this coming June. The USMNT plays Bolivia on June 23.

In better news, Tim Weah provided the assist for Juventus on Arkadiusz Milik’s goal against Lazio. Juventus entered the second leg of the Copa Italia semifinal up 2-0, but Lazio drew level before Milik’s goal. Juventus advanced 3-2 on aggregate and will play in the final.

Free Kicks

That will do it for today. There’s plenty more soccer to come this weekend with all three teams playing. Check back for more as we get you ready for those matches. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/1/24

Mason Stajduhar was arrested, Orlando Pride play at home tonight, Colin Guske discusses his signing, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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May 1, 2024

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,
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday and welcome to May, Mane Landers. Don’t forget that the undefeated Orlando Pride are in action tonight, so check back for our match preview and the latest episode of SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride PawedCast for additional pre-match coverage. In the meantime, let’s get to the links.

Mason Stajduhar Arrested Early Sunday

Orlando City goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar and his wife Tatiana Stajduhar were both arrested on disorderly conduct charges following an incident at a nightclub overnight Saturday in the early hours of Sunday morning. The couple were reportedly disrespectful to the club’s staff and got into an altercation with the security guards. Mason stated he was only resisting the security guards to re-enter the club because the bouncers allegedly hit his wife. Tatiana allegedly pushed the police officers after they arrived, and she was not charged with battery on a law enforcement officer. The couple were released Monday after posting a bond. Orlando City provided the following statement to WESH 2 News:

“The Club is aware that goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar was arrested early Sunday morning. We are currently gathering more information and will have no further comment at this time.”

Orlando Pride Host the North Carolina Courage Tonight

After a 3-2 win on the road last Friday against the Washington Spirit, the Orlando Pride are back in the City Beautiful and will take on the North Carolina Courage tonight. Unbeaten in their six games so far this season, the Pride have also won their past three games and sit fourth in the standings. They’re tied on points with a Courage team that beat the Seattle Reign Saturday. Orlando has scored at least one goal in every match this season. Forward Barbra Banda had a great performance in that win against the Spirit, so hopefully the scoring trend continues tonight for the Pride.

Orlando City/Pride Earn Golden Brick Awards

Have you enjoyed the new food options at the stadium? I know I have, and I’m looking forward to trying even more. The efforts made by Orlando City’s front office to feature more local food and beverage options did not go unnoticed, as the club won the Hospitality & Dining category in the Downtown Orlando Partnership’s 2023 Golden Brick Awards. The Orlando Pride’s 2023 Highway Woman Kit also won the award in the Arts & Culture category. The home jersey was inspired by the work of Mary Ann Carroll, the sole woman in the famed Highwaymen artists from decades ago.

Colin Guske Speaks On Signing First Pro Contract

Orlando City Development Academy player Colin Guske signed his first professional contract with the club last month and spoke on the importance of this moment in his career. The 17-year-old is now on an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Orlando City B, and he has started in nearly every game for the Young Lions this year. Both of Guske’s brothers have also played for Orlando City’s academy over the years, and he thanked his family for helping him reach this point.

“It’s awesome to represent the Guskes,” Colin said. “Thanks to my brothers for always pushing me through early mornings and late nights, always putting in the work, doing video sessions, everything. My sister as well, for always being there for me and my parents, too. They’re always helping me and what was the best for me.”

Free Kicks

  • Enjoy all of the sights and sounds from the Pride’s big win over the Spirit in the nation’s capital.
  • The Champions League semifinals are underway and Real Madrid and Bayern Munich played to a 2-2 draw in Germany. The second leg will take place on May 8 in Madrid.

That will do it for today. If you can make it out to the stadium tonight to catch the Pride in action, I strongly suggest you do so. Barbra Banda is about to take the NWSL by storm and you’ll want to see it in person. Vamos Orlando!

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