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Orlando City

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

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3 years ago

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Orlando City’s season came to an end in Nissan Stadium after a 3-1 loss on the road to Nashville SC in the MLS playoffs. Daryl Dike scored early on to give Orlando a lead, but Hany Mukhtar’s brace and a late goal from Jhonder Cadiz snuffed out Orlando’s postseason campaign.

How did each player perform in the Lions’ final game of 2021?

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 5.5 — El Pulpo didn’t have much of a chance on Nashville’s first goal as Mukhtar’s shot from distance took a deflection. Later on in the first half, Gallese came up with a great diving save to deny Mukhtar’s well-placed shot toward the bottom left corner. He wasn’t able to make a save against Nashville’s two goals in the second half and finished with three saves. Gallese did well in terms of distribution as he was accurate on 10 of his 13 long balls and completed 20 of his 23 passes for an 87% success rate.

D, Emmanuel Mas, 6 — The left back was kept busy against Nashville’s offense as he led the Lions with four tackles and also had three interceptions and two clearances. He was out-paced on Mukhtar’s second goal, with the MVP candidate beat him in the 1-on-1 by racing right to left across the top of the area and no help arrived from the center backs or midfield. Mas also led the Lions with a whopping 85 touches while completing 83% of his 54 passes. He was successful on his lone cross and was subbed off in stoppage time for Silvester van der Water.

D, Robin Jansson, 5.5 — The Beefy Swede got twisted around by a good run in the box from CJ Sapong that gave Mukhtar just enough time and space to pick out his shot for Nashville’s second goal. Jansson had two clearances in the match as he worked to stop Nashville’s offense. He completed 48 of his team-high 55 passes for an 87% success rate and had 61 touches to help Orlando build possession out of defense.

D, Antonio Carlos, 5.5 — The Brazilian center back led the team with five clearances, with all five taking place in the first half. His effort to stop Mukhtar’s shot in transition was unfortunate as the deflection prevented Gallese from attempting a save on the first goal. He and Jansson needed to communicate better on the second Mukhtar goal and he was beaten for the insurance goal late by the fresh legs and large frame of Cadiz. Carlos did well on Orlando’s goal as he drew attention with his run towards the near post to open up space for Dike. Carlos ended the game with 64 touches, two interceptions, and 53 passes at a 79% success rate.

D, Ruan, 5 — It was a quiet match from Ruan as the right back finished with 45 touches and 35 passes at a 77% completion rate. He had no shots, crosses, or key passes as Orlando wasn’t able to get him involved on offense. Ruan also didn’t have any defensive stats as most of Nashville’s scoring opportunities came on the counter rather than building possession on his side of the pitch. During a game in which Orlando’s wingers found themselves in good positions, it’s surprising that Ruan wasn’t able to utilize his speed to impose himself more on the match.

MF, Sebas Mendez, 6 — The Ecuadorian midfielder had a pair of shots following corner kicks in the second half. The first shot would have been on target but was deflected out of play while the second was sent just wide of goal. Mendez helped out on defense with a tackle and two interceptions, but he could’ve better pressured Sapong on the play that led to Nashville’s second goal. His yellow card in the 65th minute took some of the bite out of his presence in the midfield as he had to be a bit more decisive in his challenges. Mendez was substituted off for more firepower in the 80th minute, finishing with 58 touches and 48 passes at a 90% success rate.

MF, Junior Urso, 4.5 — The Bear had one of his roughest performances this year. His turnover in the midfield wasn’t solely on him due to the weight of the pass, but it led to Nashville’s equalizer in the 21st minute as Godoy picked his pocket and Mukhtar was there to make something happen. While Urso completed 90% of his 39 passes, he was sluggish at times against Nashville in the midfield and indecisive in the final third. Of his two shots, one was off target while the other was easily handled by Joe Willis. His lone key pass set Nani up for a shot that was blocked. Urso’s only defensive stat was a block and he ended the game with 51 touches.

MF, Benji Michel, 5 — The winger made decent runs at times and got into good areas but wasn’t able to make much happen. There were indecisive moments, slips, and heavy touches that affected him throughout the night. Although he led Orlando with two key passes, Michel had no shots in 75 minutes of action and often tried a cutback move that Nashville had no trouble dealing with. The Homegrown Player had 37 touches and completed 14 of his 17 passes for an 82% success rate. It was a rough outing for Michel, although he helped defensively with a tackle and won four of his five aerial duels on offense. His biggest contribution in the match was winning the corner that led to Orlando’s goal.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 6.5 — The Uruguayan delivered a perfect ball from a corner kick for Dike to get on the end of to give the Lions an early lead. Although that assist was Pereyra’s only key pass and the one of his five crosses that was successful, there were other great passes from the Designated Player throughout the match. However, Nashville did a good job cutting off passes and double teaming him, as he ended the game with 50 passes at a 74% success rate. Pereyra had 67 touches, a tackle, an interception, and picked up a yellow card while playing every minute of the match.

MF, Chris Mueller, 4.5 — In his last game as a Lion, Mueller struggled to get much going on offense. He didn’t have any shots or key passes and was unsuccessful on his lone cross. He played 81 minutes and completed 28 of his 38 passes for a 74% completion rate. Mueller had 51 touches in the match and helped out defensively with two tackles as well. Like Michel, Mueller lacked a killer instinct when attacking and wasn’t able to lift the Lions as his time in Orlando comes to a close.

F, Daryl Dike, 7 (MotM) — The forward scored yet again against Nashville as he gave the Lions an early lead in the 14th minute. Dike did well to meet a corner kick from Pereyra to flick a header past Willis and into the back of the net. His other shot was blocked late in the match as Orlando hunted for an equalizer that never came. Dike won four of his seven aerial duels to gain possession upfield and finished with 22 touches and 11 passes at a 73% success rate. The 21-year-old is our Man of the Match for stepping up and scoring on the road against one of the best defenses in MLS.

Substitutes

F, Nani (75‘), 6 — Coming onto the field just moments after Mukhtar gave Nashville the lead, Nani gave the Lions a needed spark to try and claw their way back into the match. His only shot was heading in but was blocked by Walker Zimmerman and neither of his two crosses were successful despite good service into the box. He had 16 touches and completed four of his eight passes. The Designated Player ultimately wasn’t able to give the Lions an equalizer in a tough environment, but was able to create some chances.

F, Alexandre Pato (80’), 6 — Pato didn’t have any shots or key passes, but still did a good job facilitating play in the midfield once he came on. His silky movement also won a free kick in a dangerous area for Orlando to take advantage of. He finished with eight touches and completed five of his six passes.

F, Tesho Akindele (81’), 6 — Although both of Akindele’s shots were off target, they weren’t easy chances. On the first, he tried to weave a quick shot around Daniel Lovitz and he followed with a flicked a header towards the far post that went wide. He also had a key pass for heading a ball towards Dike, who had his shot blocked. Akindele was successful on three of his five aerial duels, had seven touches, and completed all five of his passes.

MF, Silvester van der Water (90’+2), N/A — The Dutchman came on late in an effort to throw everything Orlando had at Nashville. His only cross was successful as he whipped a great ball in that found Akindele in the box. That was about the extent of his contributions though as Cadiz scored shortly after and the whistle blew. Van der Water had four touches and completed one of his two passes.

That’s how I saw things play out in Orlando’s 3-1 loss on the road to Nashville SC. Make sure to leave your thoughts down below and vote for your Orlando City Man of the Match.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Daryl Dike29
Mauricio Pereyra3
Emmanuel Mas0
Nani1
Other (Comment Below)4

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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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20 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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