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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. CF Montreal: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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3 years ago

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Orlando City came into Decision Day needing a result on the road against CF Montreal to clinch a playoff spot. In a tense match, both sides traded punches early before Orlando City took some control with an incredible finish from Sebas Mendez. Daryl Dike put the game on ice with a late goal after Montreal went down a man.

It was tense, but in the end it was a strong, decisive 2-0 victory that clinched back-to-back postseasons for Orlando City. How did each Lion perform in Sunday’s regular season finale?

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 7.5 — Gallese was a hero early in the game, making some big saves and securing loose balls — including what should have been an easy tap-in for Montreal — to keep a clean sheet in the first half. He wasn’t asked to do as much down the stretch, but was his usual, great self in this game. El Pulpo finished with three saves, eight ball recoveries, 20 passes at a 45% completion rate, and was successful on nine of his 19 long balls.

D, Emmanuel Mas, 6 — I wasn’t impressed with Mas’s overall performance, especially his defensive work. Montreal was routinely attacking down his side of the field, creating plenty of dangerous chances and Mas wasn’t doing much to negate it. To his credit, he was strong in possession and going forward, completing 35 of 47 passes for a 74% success rate and also completing a dribble, although he did not attempt a cross. He also finished with three tackles, an interception, a block, two clearances, and six ball recoveries.

D, Robin Jansson, 7.5 — Jansson was massive in this game, especially early. He made big plays defensively and was opportunistic going forward, even hitting the post from a long-range free kick on one of his two shots (the other was blocked). Jansson also aided in possession with a handful of line-breaking deep balls. The Swede completed 83% of his 36 passes and was huge defensively with five clearances, two tackles, two interceptions, two blocks, and two ball recoveries.

D, Antonio Carlos, 7 — It was a solid defensive performance from Carlos. He kind of struggled with the ball, completing only 15 of 27 passes for a mediocre 56% success rate, but he was a force cleaning up defensively. He had six clearances, six ball recoveries, two interceptions, and two tackles. Even if it wasn’t his strongest game, the Brazilian center back came up big on the back end, making enough plays to protect the clean sheet.

D, Ruan, 7 — The Brazilian was quiet for most of the game, with no defensive stats beyond one ball recovery. He didn’t make much of an impact on offense as he was unsuccessful on all four of his attempted crosses, but he did have an assist on Dike’s goal. Ruan ripped through Montreal’s defense and delivered a nice ball through to Dike in space for the goal that all but guaranteed Orlando’s place in the postseason. The right back was successful on 16 of his 21 passes for a 76% success rate

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 7 — Pereyra started this match very well, looking clever and quick with the ball. Even as he faded down the stretch, it was a decent outing for the Uruguayan. He led the team with three key passes and completed 36 of his 46 passes for a 78% completion rate. His only shot was from a free kick and it was taken well enough that Sebastian Breza had to make a diving save that went out for a corner. Pereyra also got it done with the ball, completing three of his four attempted dribbles. He was a touch sloppy and at times out of sync with the players around him, but it was overall a strong game. He also finished with an interception and seven ball recoveries, defensively.

MF, Sebas Mendez, 7.5 — It was a moment of absolute brilliance from Mendez that opened the scoring for Orlando City as he scored his first goal for the club. The perfectly placed curler beat the keeper from range and I didn’t know he had this shooting ability in his locker. His overall game was pretty strong, cleaning up defensively and keying possession from defense to attack. Mendez completed 47 of 49 passes for an excellent 96% completion rate and he had a tackle, two clearances, a block, and seven ball recoveries. The goal overshadowed everything else, but it was another strong performance from the Ecuadorian.

MF, Junior Urso, 6 — This was one of Urso’s quieter performances in recent weeks. He was his usual, active self, but he made some mistakes with the ball that gave Montreal opportunities that fortunately didn’t amount to much. Urso completed 85% of 34 passes and had his only shot blocked. Defensively, he had two tackles, an interception, five ball recoveries, and a clearance.

MF, Silvester van der Water, 5.5 — The Dutchman had some promising moments, but it was a lackluster half of action for van der Water. At times, he looked good on the ball and threatening going forward, but he made too many mistakes and didn’t have any shots or crosses in open play. He did have a key pass and was successful on one of his two set pieces. Van der Water completed just eight of 12 passes and had one successful dribble. He did little defensively, finishing with a tackle and one ball recovery.

F, Benji Michel, 5.5 — Maybe this is a little harsh, but Michel wasn’t particularly sharp in this game. He was gritty and had flashes, but he was consistently one of the weaker links in Orlando City’s attack. His lone shot was off target and he didn’t have any crosses. Michel completed 16 of 20 passes, had a key pass, completed two dribbles, was dispossessed twice, and also had an interception, a clearance, and three ball recoveries. His hustle defensively helped support Mas as Montreal attacked down its right side much of the game.

F, Daryl Dike, 8 (MotM) — The big highlight was the late goal, with an excellent run and finish to ice the game, but his overall impact was immense. He was a constant outlet in possession — even if his touch was inconsistent — and he was a nuisance in the press. Multiple times he was in good spots upfield, but there was nobody around him in support. By the end of the match, his hustle and physicality were too much for Montreal to match, contributing to a Montreal red card from Rudy Camacho’s slide tackle against him.

The American striker completed 13 of 18 passes for a 72% success rate and his other shot apart from the goal was a header flicked off target. Dike had a key pass, made a successful dribble, drew five fouls, and also had a tackle and a clearance. In the biggest moment of the season, Orlando’s brightest young star made a splash.

Substitutes

MF, Andres Perea (45’), 6 — Perea came in at halftime for van der Water to help shore up the midfield and I think he did a good job of that. Once Perea got on the field, Orlando felt more solid defensively and wasn’t nearly as exposed as in the first half. He only completed six of 11 passes for a 55% completion rate and also had a completed dribble. Defensively, he had three tackles, a clearance, a block, and three ball recoveries.

D, Kyle Smith (87’), N/A — The wave of substitutes came in after the second goal and nobody had to do much of anything in their cameos. Kyle Smith completed both of his passes while on the field, won a corner, and wasn’t asked to do much defensively.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel (87’), N/A — Schlegel came in to add more defensive bodies on the field and helped keep things solid in the final stages. He had a clearance, completed both of his passes, and made a ball recovery.

F, Tesho Akindele (87’), N/A — Akindele completed all four of his passes and made an interception in his brief appearance late in the match.

MF, Uri Rosell (89’), N/A — Rosell helped out in the midfield during stoppage time and had an interception and a ball recovery.

That’s how I judged things. Make sure to leave your thoughts below and vote for your Orlando City Man of the Match.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Daryl Dike17
Sebas Mendez36
Robin Jansson10
Other (Comment Below)2

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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.

Published

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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