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Intelligence Report: Orlando City vs. Portland Timbers

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2 years ago

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It’s Friday yet again party people, and that means that another Orlando City game is almost upon us. It’s a packed weekend for soccer with the Orlando Pride, Orlando City B, the United States Men’s National Team, and the Lions all playing. For now, we zero in on OCSC’s opponent on Sunday, the Portland Timbers.

With Orlando traveling to take on Portland I spoke to Sam Svilar, one of the staff writers at SBNation’s Stumptown Footy. Sam was kind enough to bring us up to speed on the Timbers.

It’s been a tough start to the season for Portland, as three of the four teams the Timbers have played are fifth or higher in the Western Conference, with the lone exception being last year’s Supporters Shield winners. With that being the case, what do you make of the results the team has gotten up to this point?

Sam Svilar: The schedule makers definitely threw the Timbers into the thick of it with their opening slate of games, especially as you said with many of their opening games being against teams that they will presumably be battling against at the sticky end of the season.

That being said, up until last week the Timbers have handled their early season schedule remarkably well. A bevy of injuries and form issues have kept many of their best players from seeing the field, which includes the leading goal scorer from last year in Felipe Mora, their top playmaker in Sebastian Blanco, and their starting center back duo that anchored the back line to an appearance in MLS Cup. And despite those losses, the Timbers have gotten results: draws against the Revolution at home and LAFC in LA, and an important home win against a revamped Austin FC.

The most impressive part of those results has been how the Timbers have gotten them. They’ve shown a great amount of resilience over the start of the year, coming back from a goal down twice in the home opener and dang near snatching a win in LA after defending for their lives down a man after a red card. They’ve shown grit, determination, and a good deal of skill to get results despite being down 3-4 presumptive starters. The first three weeks of the season were pretty neat.

Of course, the 4-1 faceplant in Frisco against FC Dallas last weekend took a lot of the shine off of this opening season stretch. That game, and the first half in particular, was like the antithesis of the ways Portland has been playing all year — lack of urgency, lack of grit, and just losing individual battles way too easily. Portland never plays well in Texas, so the hope is that that game was more of “just a bad day at the office” and not the start of a more worrying trend.

Obviously, Diego Valeri is no longer with the team, something that feels strange even as a fan of another team. How has the team tried to replace him?

SS: Still not over this emotional and beautiful goodbye Valeri penned to Portland when he left:

pic.twitter.com/pfhDod46Cz

— Diego Valeri (@DiegoDv8) January 20, 2022

Valeri’s departure, and the fact that he couldn’t go out with a trophy, hurts. The reality though is that the impact of his departure is more sentimental than on-field. Valeri’s role on the team diminished in 2021, to the point where he became more of a late-game super sub off the bench.

Gradually, the team turned to become more reliant on Blanco. His dynamism unlocks so many facets of Portland’s attack, and whether he is scoring goals himself or providing assists, Blanco has been the main playmaker for the Timbers in the attack.

However, the start of 2022 has been marked by Blanco not being quite 100% game fit. He has yet to start a match (although he might on Sunday), and hasn’t quite rounded into his full form on the field.

In his stead, it’s been Yimmi Chara taking the playmaking reigns for the Timbers. Less of a traditional attacking midfielder and more of a lively presser and passer, Yimmi likes to drift to one side of the field to create overloads, and have quick interplay with the ball between the wingers and forwards at the top of the box. He’s tallied two goals (yes, both of them bicycle kicks) and two assists to start the season, so he’s been doing an admirable job.

Still, the Timbers (and Yimmi) are better when Blanco is on the field. The attack won’t feel whole until he’s fully back.

It’s still very early in the season but what do you think the expectations should be for the Timbers?

SS: When you look at the roster, you realize that it is basically the same team that came within a couple penalty kicks from winning it all last year. So reaching that summit has to be this team’s goal: trophies or bust.

The Timbers are still squarely in a championship window. When Diego Chara, Blanco, and Mora are all on their game, then Portland can go toe to toe with basically any team in the league. They have steadily gotten younger with their new additions, particularly U-22 signings Santiago Moreno and David Ayala, in a move that both builds depth and also extends that window just a bit more.

For a team that won the MLS Back Tournament and made two MLS Cup finals in the last four years, the expectation is squarely on adding more silverware to the trophy case.

Are there any injuries, suspensions or call-ups that will keep players unavailable for selection? What is your projected starting lineup and score prediction?

SS: The only international absence this window is Bill Tuiloma. He’s started Portland’s last four games, and so that’s one player who has been relied upon to start absent. Thankfully, Dario Zuparic is healthy and came off the bench in Portland’s last game, and is likely in line to make his first start of the season.

As for injuries, striker Felipe Mora is still out recovering from knee surgery. Midfielder Eryk Williamson, once in the mix with the U.S. Men’s National Team, has been recovering from a torn ACL suffered last fall. The rumors are that he could be getting his first minutes since then on Sunday.

Lineup prediction (4-2-3-1): Aljaz Ivacic; Josecarlos Van Rankin, Zac McGraw, Dario Zuparic, Claudio Bravo; Diego Chara, Cristhian Paredes; Santiago Moreno, Yimmi Chara, Dairon Asprilla; Jaroslaw Niezgoda.

Score prediction: I think Portland responds from last week, especially now being back at home. We see the same motivation and focus that marked the beginning of the year return, and Yimmi Chara continues to pull the strings well. It won’t be perfect, but it will get the job done. 2-1 Portland.

Big thank you to Sam for the excellent update on Portland. Vamos Orlando!

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Orlando City

2023 Orlando City Season in Review: Alex Freeman

We start our Orlando City player reviews with a look at a Homegrown fullback who made his MLS debut this season.

Published

15 hours ago

on

November 29, 2023

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City B

Orlando City signed fullback Alex Freeman to a Homegrown Player contract on February 15, 2022. He became the Lions’ 12th Homegrown signing and his deal runs through the 2025 season with a club option for 2026, but the youngster did not see action in Major League Soccer last season. With the departure of Ruan, there was an opportunity for Freeman to win a job with the first team in camp but he wasn’t quite ready to make the jump, instead playing an important role with Orlando City B throughout the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro season.

Let’s take a look back at Freeman’s 2023 campaign.

Statistical Breakdown

Freeman made his MLS debut on April 29 in a 2-0 home win over the LA Galaxy. It was not just his debut with the first team, but it was also his only appearance with the senior squad in 2023, although he did make the substitutes’ bench a few times after that. Officially, he logged only one minute, entering in the 93rd minute. He was only on the pitch a matter of seconds, so it’s unsurprising that he registered nothing on the stats sheet.

The son of former NFL receiver Antonio Freeman, Alex starred with OCB in 2023. In MLS NEXT Pro play, Freeman appeared in 24 of OCB’s 28 matches, starting 22, and logging 1,855 minutes. He finished tied for third on the squad in goals (4), adding three assists and passing at a 79.1% success rate. Freeman attempted 25 shots, putting 11 on target, and contributed 10 key passes. He committed 22 fouls, drew 27 on the opposition, and was booked four times. He also started OCB’s playoff match at Columbus, playing 89 minutes in the Young Lions’ 2-1 road loss. Freeman didn’t contribute a goal or assist or attempt a shot in the match, but he passed at an 88% rate, created one scoring chance, and committed one foul.

Best Game

With only one MLS appearance to his credit, the default best game for Freeman came on April 29 in Orlando City’s 2-0 home win over the LA Galaxy. Freeman didn’t even officially touch the ball in the game, but it’s not every day a teenager gets to play in an MLS match, and I’m sure it was a special moment for him. It was certainly a milestone in his professional soccer career.

2023 Final Grade

As Freeman fell well short of the minimum 450 minutes played mark to receive a rating on our 1-10 scale, The Mane Land has no choice but to mark his grade as incomplete for the 2023 season. There are areas of Freeman’s game that need a bit of refining, but at the same time, it’s easy to see why he landed a Homegrown contract, why Orlando City would find him an intriguing prospect, and why he’s been getting called up by the United States for U-20 international duty. His attacking presence was huge for OCB in 2023 and he was one of the key players that led the Young Lions to the postseason.

2024 Outlook

I would expect Freeman to get more seasoning at OCB in 2024, although he’ll be given opportunities in preseason camp to show whether he’s closed the gap on the likes of Michael Halliday and Kyle Smith (assuming both return). If the club moves on from both Halliday and Smith, it’s not hard to picture Freeman starting the season providing depth at right back for the first team. Having just turned 19 in August, Freeman has a lot of potential and he should start to unlock that within the next year or so.

This is the first of our 2023 Orlando City Season in Review articles. Every player who played minutes this past season and who finished the year on the club roster will be reviewed (exceptions may be made for players let go when the club officially announces its roster moves). Players who logged fewer than 450 minutes (combined regular season plus playoffs, Concacaf Champions League, U.S. Open Cup, and Leagues Cup) will receive a composite score between 1 and 10 as determined by a panel of The Mane Land writers, while those who did not reach that threshold will receive an incomplete grade.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/29/23

Orlando Pride players called up by Brazil, MLS announces 2023 Best XI, latest MLS roster moves, and more.

Published

22 hours ago

on

November 29, 2023

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers I hope all is well down in Florida. I’ve been very busy working throughout the holiday weekend at Under Armour. This week I’ll be working at Wrigley Field for Winterland while getting ready to cover high school wrestling tomorrow night. There is plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Pride Players Called Up By Brazil for Friendlies

Orlando Pride defender Rafaelle and forwards Marta and Adriana have been called up to the Brazil Women’s National Team for its upcoming friendlies.

Brazil will play two matches against Japan on Nov. 30 and Dec. 3 in Sao Paulo before playing Nicaragua on Dec. 6 at Estadio Fonte Luminosa in Araraquara.

MLS Announces the 2023 Best XI

Major League Soccer announced its 2023 Best XI, recognizing the league’s top players at each position. There were no Orlando City players selected for the team and eight players received the honor for the first time. Those players are St. Louis City’s Roman Burki and Tim Parker, FC Cincinnati defender Matt Miazga, Atlanta United duo Thiago Almada and Giorgos Giakoumakis, Houston Dynamo midfielder Hector Herrera, LAFC’s Denis Bouanga, and Columbus Crew forward Cucho Hernandez. Nashville SC’s Hany Mukhtar made the Best XI for the third consecutive time, while teammate Walker Zimmerman was named to it for the fifth time. MLS MVP Luciano Acosta of FC Cincinnati rounds out the list.

Latest MLS Off-season Roster Moves

The Colorado Rapids announced their latest roster changes as they prepare for the the 2024 season under new Head Coach Chris Armas. The club exercised its options for defender Andrew Gutman, midfielder Ralph Priso, and forward Calvin Harris. The Rapids declined contract offers to seven players, with the most notable names being defender Steven Beitashour and goalkeeper William Yarbrough, although the Rapids are in discussions about re-signing Yarbrough. Elsewhere, the New England Revolution exercised the permanent transfer option on forward Tomas Chancalay, signing him to a Designated Player contract through 2026, with a club option for the 2027 season.

UEFA Champions League Roundup

Champions League action returned in Europe, as we get close to wrapping up the group stage in a couple of weeks. Manchester City overcame a two-goal deficit to beat RB Leipzig 3-2 and win Group G. Newcastle United had a chance to qualify for the round of 16 but gave up a late penalty to Paris Saint-Germain, which Kylian Mbappe converted to end the match in a 1-1 draw. Borussia Dortmund beat AC Milan 3-1 to book its spot in the knockout stage. PSG, Newcastle, and AC Milan are all still alive in Group F heading into the final matchday in December. Shakhtar Donetsk won 1-0 against Royal Antwerp and also still has a shot to advance on the final matchday. Lazio, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, and Young Boys all won their respective matches as well. Today’s matches include Manchester United on the road against Galatasaray, Real Madrid taking on Napoli, and Sevilla facing off with PSV Eindhoven.

Free Kicks

  • Concacaf has announced that BMO Stadium, Dignity Health Sports Park, Shell Energy Stadium, and Snapdragon Stadium will be the four venues that will host matches for the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup.
  • Barcelona midfielder Gavi will be sidelined for up to 10 months after undergoing knee surgery after suffering a torn ACL in his right knee.
  • The International Football Association Board approved a trial for sin bins, meaning players punished for dissent or specific tactical offense would be temporarily removed from the match for a set amount of minutes.
  • You have got to see this goal from Cwrt Rawlin FC in the Welsh seventh division.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/28/23

Luciano Acosta named MVP, Americans in action, scheduling news for U.S. national teams, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

November 28, 2023

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Happy Tuesday, everyone. I’m dragging a little today after having an extended period of time off for the Thanksgiving holiday, but there’s no rest for the wicked and the only way out is through. With that being the case, let’s get into today’s news.

Luciano Acosta Wins MLS MVP

In a piece of news that plenty of people likely saw coming from several miles away, Luciano Acosta has been named Major League Soccer’s Most Valuable Player. Acosta racked up 34 goal contributions during the regular season, finishing the 2023 campaign with 17 goals and 14 assists as the driving force behind his team’s run to the Supporters’ Shield. He was voted the best player in the league by quite some margin and won the award in a landslide, taking 60.37% of the votes to Denis Bouanga’s 14.97% and Thiago Almada’s 6.46%.

American Stars in Midweek Action

There are a number of United States Men’s National Team players that will be in action this week, with several UEFA Champions League clashes highlighting the viewing slate. Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah and AC Milan will face Giovanni Reyna’s Borussia Dortmund today in a game with huge ramifications for both teams. Malik Tillman, Ricardo Pepi, and Sergino Dest may play in PSV Eindhoven’s match with Sevilla tomorrow, and a win would likely go a long way to securing a place in the Round of 16. Additionally on Wednesday, Brenden Aaronson and Union Berlin have a chance to make a big move towards a place in the Europa League, as a win over Braga would leapfrog the German club into third place in Group C.

USMNT & USWNT Scheduling News

The USMNT will open its 2024 slate of games with a match against Slovenia on Jan. 20 in San Antonio. The match will fall outside of an international window, meaning that the January camp roster will largely be made up of domestic-based players. The USMNT has faced Slovenia twice before, with the most recent time being a 3-2 win in Ljubljana courtesy of a Jozy Altidore penalty kick.

While we already knew that the United States Women’s National Team would play China PR on Dec. 5 in Frisco, we now know that one of the team’s legends will be honored before the game. The U.S. Soccer Federation has announced that former Orlando Pride defender Ali Krieger, who stated in March that she will retire following the NWSL season, will be honored before the match. Krieger played 108 games for the USWNT and is a two-time World Cup winner with the team.

Notable Women’s Players to Miss International Matches

A pair of high profile women’s players will miss upcoming international games. First up, Sam Kerr will not feature in Australia’s back-to-back friendlies against Canada due to a foot injury. Kerr has struggled with injuries this year and her availability was limited during this summer’s World Cup.

Alexia Putellas will miss Spain’s two Nations League matches against Sweden and Italy after picking up a left knee injury. Putellas had missed Euro 2022 due to an ACL tear, but was back to help her side win the World Cup several months ago. Fortunately for Spain, the team is well positioned atop its group and has enough players in the squad that it shouldn’t feel her absence too keenly.

Free Kicks

  • A pair of Willian penalties and an early Alex Iwobi goal helped Fulham beat Wolverhampton, with American defenders Antonee Robinson and Tim Ream also starting.
  • New York Red Bulls forward Tom Barlow is reportedly headed to the Chicago Fire.

That’s all I’ve got for you this morning. Y’all stay safe out there.

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