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Orlando City vs. Portland Timbers: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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Orlando City has now completed its two-game West Coast swing and came out of it relatively nicely by grabbing four points total. Sunday’s game in Portland was seemingly there for the taking for the Lions after battling it close in the first half, getting the go ahead goal in the 52nd minute and the Timbers going down a man in the 71st minute. However, a converted penalty kick allowed Portland to steal an extra two points from the Lions.

These past two games have shown this group of Lions can handle the harsh circumstances of playing on the road. Four points after back-to-back weekends of traveling across the country is not a bad outcome. The Lions will now look to bring that momentum back to the friendly confines of Exploria Stadium for the next set of games.

Now to the individual performances of the road draw.

Starters

GK, Mason Stajduhar, 7 — Starting in place of Pedro Gallese, who is out on international duty, Stajduhar was able to keep his poise throughout most of the match. His back line, particularly center backs Robin Jansson and Antonio Carlos, did a great job limiting the amount of dangerous shots he faced. Stajduhar made a pair of clean saves and did well leaving his line to snuff out a few of Portland’s chances when he needed to. He wasn’t able to stop Cristhian Paredes’ penalty sent straight down the middle as he dove to his left. In the last moment of stoppage time, as the Timbers were making their last push to win, Stajduhar did well to get down quickly to block a shot from Sebastián Blanco placed low towards the bottom corner. The American goalkeeper had decent distribution, passing at a 70.6% success rate and completing five of his 10 long balls.

D, Joao Moutinho, 6 — The Portuguese left back once again led the team in touches (89) for the second straight game. Moutinho often pushed upfield to help out offensively to put crosses into the box and his lone shot went off target. Although only one of his five crosses was accurate, one was cleared right back to Orlando and helped set up the goal for the Lions. He was also accurate on seven of his 12 long balls and finished the game with 67 passes at an 86.6% success rate. Defensively, Moutinho had four total tackles, one interception, and one clearance. It wasn’t a bad game from the defender, but some of his turnovers forced him to scramble back into position. He could have made some better choices when passing to get the ball deeper in the final third, but nothing negatively impacted the team.

D, Robin Jansson, 7 — The Swede was once again a strong force in the middle and gave little time for the Timbers’ attackers to create much pressure. Jansson even had a moment taking the ball down the middle in the second half to start an attack and raced back down to get in position defensively when the ball was coming the other way. It was great to see him put in the effort on both sides of the pitch. We have come to expect this kind of hustle from the Beefy Swede and this match was no different. Jansson had 53 touches in the game, completed 92.1% of his 38 passes, and was accurate on two of his three long balls. His lone shot attempt was blocked. On the defensive end, he had four tackles, three clearances, two blocked shots, and one foul that resulted in a yellow card. In all, a solid performance for the defender, who became the Lions’ all-time leader in minutes played during the match.

D, Antonio Carlos, 7.5 — The Brazilian defender was the focal point of the defense, leading the team with seven clearances and five interceptions to stop Portland’s offense from gaining momentum. Carlos was busy throughout the match as he had 61 touches, won three aerial battles, and passed at a decent 84.4% success rate. He was only accurate on one of his three long balls, but it was another great outing by the Brazilian to keep trouble away from the net.

D, Ruan, 6 — The quick right back did what he does best for the team, getting up and down the wing with pace. He completed 83.3% of his 30 passes for the game and was successful on his only attempted cross, which resulted in a missed header by Benji Michel. The Brazilian had 46 touches, one tackle, and was accurate on just one of his four long balls.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 7 — The young Uruguayan midfielder stayed physical throughout the match to slow down and disrupt the Timbers from moving forward. Araujo led the Lions with five tackles, adding an interception and two clearances as well. He was fouled four times and committed two fouls of his own. The 20-year-old had 46 passes at an 87% success rate and three of his four long balls found their target. On the play that led to Orlando’s goal, it was Araujo who settled Portland’s attempted clearance to keep momentum. His lone shot was sent off target, but it was another great game from Araujo as he showed why he’s earned a starting spot on the squad.

MF, Junior Urso, 8 (MotM) — The Bear showed his claws once more by getting the opening goal of the match. He darted towards goal, getting in position for Alexandre Pato to find him open in front of the net. The first pass from Pato was aimed towards Ruan but it was blocked and Pato was able to quickly get it to Urso for him to slot it past Timbers goalkeeper Aljaz Ivacic. Urso led the team with three shots, putting two of them on target. He also had 70 touches, four tackles, one interception, and one clearance in a solid defensive performance. The Brazilian midfielder capped off his performance with 45 passes at an impressive 88.9% accuracy and completed three of his four long balls.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 6.5 — Pereyra had his game cut short when he was taken off the pitch in a stretcher in the 73rd minute. It is never a good sign to see one of your top players leave the game in that fashion, but we must hope for the best until he is evaluated. Up until that point, Pereyra had 56 touches and one shot that was easily saved by Ivacic. He was accurate on 82.5% of his 40 passes and had one key pass. Orlando’s captain was unsuccessful on his three attempted crosses but was accurate on all three of his long balls. The attacking midfielder’s presence was missed later on in the match when Orlando wanted to push for another goal to take all three points after Portland equalized. Pereyra may have changed the way the Lions attacked towards the end.

MF, Tesho Akindele, 6 — With Facundo Torres away on international duty for Uruguay, Akindele started on the right wing for the Lions. Akindele did well sprinting around his side of the pitch and put in a good effort playing a position he has occupied for Oscar Pareja before in Dallas. His only shot was a headed effort that went wide, and he also had one key pass. His only attempted cross officially missed its mark, but trickled tantalizingly in front of the goal, begging for a teammate to get to it. He did well winning three aerial duels to help Orlando gain possession. The Canadian also helped out defensively with four tackles The downside to his performance was an underwhelming 67.9% accuracy on 28 passes.

MF, Benji Michel, 6 — Michel’s play was not overly memorable, besides the scuffle he got into during extra time before a set piece which ultimately got him a yellow card for catching part of a Timbers player in the face with his hand. Early on however, Michel did take on defenders in the box to try setting himself up for a shot on goal or to place a ball in the middle, getting two key passes in the match. He had 46 touches, one shot that went off target, and a 76.7% passing accuracy on 30 passes. Michel didn’t attempt any crosses and was accurate on two of his three long balls. It was not for a lack of trying, but Michel could not get much out of his efforts.

F, Alexandre Pato, 7.5 — After not featuring in the last match, Pato got the start up top for the Lions and assisted on Urso’s goal with a perfectly paced ball right to his feet. The Brazilian star showed off some of his skill, especially in one sequence by shifting around some Portland defenders on his way up the pitch. Pato did well this match to play a little further down when needed to and distribute the ball around to his fellow Lions, which gave him an 83.3% passing accuracy on 36 passes and one key pass. On the play that caused Josecarlos Van Rankin to get a second yellow card, it was Pato who made a nice move on the counter that forced the Timbers defender to hold him back. The Brazilian forward ended the match with two shots, putting one on target, and was accurate on one of his three crosses and both of his long balls.

Substitutes

MF, Andres Perea (69’), 4.5 — Perea came off the bench and did not have the kind of fill-in work he, and many of us, were expecting him to have. In an unfortunate defensive play, Perea unnecessarily lunged out in an attempt to poke the ball off Paredes, who was cutting across the middle at the top of the box. There was no imminent danger from Paredes’ horizontal run, as Carlos had him lined up and other defenders were positioned between Paredes and the goal. After a delayed call, a penalty was awarded and Paredes converted it. Perea completed all five of his passes but had only eight touches during his time on the pitch.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel (73’), 6.5 — Schlegel came on for the injured Pereyra with a defensive mindset before the score became level. He did well overall to help the defense see out the match and secure at least a point after Portland scored. The Argentine blocked a shot and made two clearances to go along with 92.3% passing accuracy on 13 passes and 18 touches.

D, Kyle Smith (84’), N/A — The Accountant came on to shore up the defensive line with fresh legs to see out the match in the 84th minute to replace Ruan. He pushed forward at times to join the attack and had one key pass and won an aerial ball in limited time on the field. Smith concluded the match with 50% passing accuracy on six passes and had 12 touches. He completed one of his two crosses and his one long ball was successful.

F, Ercan Kara (84’), N/A — The Designated Player subbed on late to spark some late game magic and possibly score the game winner. That was not to be as he could not find much of a rhythm so late into the match and ended up with zero touches.


That’s how the performances of the Lions looked to me in the team’s draw on the road. Let me know your thoughts on the players’ performances in the comment section and vote for your Man of the Match in the poll below.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Alexandre Pato16
Antonio Carlos7
Junior Urso 25
Cesar Araujo4
Other (Tell us who in the comments)3

Orlando City

Orlando City Adds Four Players in 2025 MLS SuperDraft

The Lions add a pair of Clemson Tigers, bolstering all three levels of the squad with a midfielder, two defenders, and a forward.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Major League Soccer held its annual SuperDraft today, and while the decision not to broadcast or stream it made it a bit of an exercise in frustration for many fans, ultimately, we learned the results. Orlando City’s day began by staying put in the No. 27 overall slot in Round 1 and selecting Clemson midfielder Joran Gerbet. The Lions added a second Clemson Tiger with their first selection of the second round (No. 46 overall), selecting center back Titus Sandy, Jr. Orlando finished the second round by taking Indiana forward Collins Oduro at No. 57 overall, and finished out the day by picking Marshall defender Takahiro Fujita in Round 3 (No. 87 overall).

Gerbet, a native of Valence, France, began his highly decorated collegiate career at Oregon State University, playing two seasons before transferring to Clemson for his final two years. He was a 2024 Mac Hermann Trophy semifinalist, ACC Midfielder of the Year, a first-team United Soccer Coaches All-American, and earned United Soccer Coaches First Team All-South Region honors. He was also a first-team All-ACC selection and made the All-ACC Tournament Team as a senior.

Head shot of Joran Gerbet.
Joran Gerbet / Image courtesy of MLS

The 5-foot-11 midfielder helped lead the Tigers to a national championship in 2023 after Clemson won the ACC Tournament, in which Gerbet was named to the All-ACC Tournament Team. He was a third-team All-ACC selection in 2023, a member of the Academic All-ACC Team, and earned United Soccer Coaches Second Team All-South Region honors. While at Oregon State, Gerbet was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year and was an All-Pac-12 First Team selection in 2022. He was Pac-12 Freshman of the Year in 2021 as well as a First Team All-Pac-12 Team and Second Team All-Far West Region selection. Top Drawer Soccer placed him on the site’s Freshman Best XI first team.

Gerbet, 23, played in 78 games (76 starts), logging 6,708 minutes over the course of his college career. He scored 12 goals and added 15 assists. Of those, 10 goals and 11 assists came in 42 appearances (40 starts) with the Tigers in his final two years. So, while he played in six more games at Clemson, starting four more and playing 236 more minutes, his offensive numbers still took a big jump.

That could be natural development from a younger player to a more experienced one, but it could also be that the Tigers placed him in a more advantageous role, as he attempted 14 shots and put five on target in two years at Oregon State before firing 54 and putting 18 on target at Clemson.

As a senior, Gerbet scored on all four of his penalty kick attempts — the only four he attempted in his college career.

It appears Gerbet projects as a No. 8 at the professional level, but perhaps with some attacking upside. The Lions parted ways with 2024 draft pick Jeorgio Kocevski after the season, and Gerbet figures to possibly take his roster spot. He may see time with OCB in 2025 if he can earn a contract.

This isn’t the best highlight reel, but it’s the best we saw.


The Lions used the pick they got from Real Salt Lake when they traded Benji Michel’s re-entry right to select Sandy, a 6-foot center back from Charlotte, NC, who played his entire four-year college career with Clemson.

Sandy, 22, played in 48 matches, starting 24, with 17 of those starts coming his senior season. He played 2,520 minutes and did not score a goal with the Tigers, but he did manage four assists — all in his final year. He attempted five shots and put two on target for his entire career.

Along with his teammate, Gerbet, Sandy was part of the Tigers team in 2023 that won the ACC and NCAA tournaments. He earned 2023 Academic All-ACC honors.

As a second-round pick, he’s statistically a longshot to make the first team, but the Lions will give him a long look in camp, and if he shows promise, he could be signed and sent to OCB to see if he can continue to develop his game. Center back is an area of need for Orlando, and if Sandy can show enough, he may be able to land a deal with a strong camp.

Here’s some video on Sandy:


Toward the bottom of the second round, Orlando selected Oduro, a 5-foot-7 Ghanaian forward out of Indiana, the co-Big Ten champions in 2024. The 20-year-old played only two seasons with the Hoosiers before entering the SuperDraft, appearing in 44 games (41 starts) and playing 3,062 minutes. Oduro scored eight goals and added seven assists, firing 92 shots in those two seasons and putting 33 on target. Four of his eight goals were game winners.

He also helped the Hoosiers win the Big Ten regular season in 2023, making him a two-time conference champion, and he and his teammates won the 2023 Big Ten Tournament as well. He was a Top Drawer Soccer Best XI Freshman Team honoree following the 2023 season, a 2023 Big Ten All-Freshman Team member, and a 2024 Academic All-Big Ten selection.

Before arriving at Indiana, Oduro captained The Phelps School as a prep player, where he was named Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year in 2022 and the PrepSoccer.com Philadelphia Area Player of the Year.

If Sandy is a longshot to make the team, Oduro may be even a longer shot. As a younger player, he’s a good candidate to see if he can develop with the MLS NEXT Pro side.


Finally, the Lions grabbed another defender in Fujita, a 6-foot-2 Japanese-born defender out of 2024 national runner-up, Marshall. Like Oduro, Fujita is a younger player, coming out of college after his sophomore year. He was part of a Thundering Herd defense that kept 11 clean sheets and conceded only 20 goals this season en route to the NCAA final.

Fujita, 20, appeared in 40 matches in his two seasons at Marshall, starting 27 games and playing 2,423 minutes. He scored one goal and added four assists in his two years, attempting 23 shots and putting seven on target.

This is another player the club may try to develop at OCB.

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Orlando City

Orlando City Sells Facundo Torres to Palmeiras

The Facundo Torres era in Orlando comes to an official end with his transfer to Palmeiras in Brazil’s Serie A.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

The Facundo Torres era with Orlando City officially ended today with the club announcing his transfer to Brazilian Serie A side Palmeiras for what was described as a club-record fee. While that fee was not disclosed by the club, reports indicate it to be around the $12-million mark and as high as $14 million with add-ons. The Uruguayan winger departs as the Lions’ all-time goal-scoring leader both in the MLS era and the combined USL and MLS eras and leaves a difficult hole for the front office to fill.

“Today I say goodbye to a club that marked an unforgettable stage in my career and in my life, my first experience as a professional away from home,” Torres said in a club press release. “Thank you to the staff, my teammates and all the people who are part of this club for the constant support and trust from the first day. I leave with pride for what we achieved together and with the satisfaction of having left my mark on this club that will always be special to me. I wish you the greatest success in the future. Thank you for everything, Orlando. I’ll miss you.”

Torres joined Orlando City as a Young Designated Player on Jan. 24, 2022 from Peñarol, the club in Montevideo, Uruguay, where he made the jump from youth academy player to professional. After transitioning from a YDP to a standard Designated Player, Torres signed a new contract Jan. 10 of this year through the 2026 season with options for 2027 and 2028. It seemed Torres had embraced the city and the club and was making a commitment to being an Orlando City leader for years to come, but things can, and do, change, and now his time in purple has come to an end.

His impact on the club has been a big one, as he not only has been an offensive leader in his three seasons in Orlando, but helped the Lions win their first trophy in the club’s MLS era in the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup championship run. His contributions helped Orlando City reach the playoffs each of the last three years, including a run to this year’s Eastern Conference final and a second-place finish in the 2023 Supporters’ Shield standings.

In his three seasons as a Lion, the 24-year-old made 123 appearances (113 starts) across all competitions. He scored a club-record 47 goals, breaking Cyle Larin’s MLS-era mark and Dom Dwyer’s combined USL-MLS record, and added 25 assists. He also holds the club’s record for goals in all competitions in one season (20), which he set this year, and career goal contributions (72). His 14 MLS goals in the regular season were a career high, and at just 24 years old, Torres seemed capable of continuing to develop and improve.

While his value to Orlando City’s roster is evident, the winger was purchased from Peñarol for a reported club-record $7.5 million, so if the reports are even close to accurate, Orlando City could hardly afford to nearly double what it paid for the Designated Player. It would be one of the league’s top 10 transfers in terms of money received and a good bit of business by the club.

“First, we want to thank Facu for everything he has done for this club. He has been involved in so many great moments and successes during his time here that will leave a lasting legacy in our history,” Orlando City Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi said in a club press release. “Because of that success, Facu has generated the attention of the global market, and this is a move that, at this time, makes sense for both Facundo and Orlando City. Not only does this continue a great and established relationship with a successful club in Palmeiras, but it shows our success in developing young talent into world stars. We want to thank Facu again for his hard work and everything he has helped bring to our Club and our fans during his time in Orlando. We wish him the best as he takes these next steps in his career.”

The relationship with Palmeiras that Muzzi mentions includes the successful inbound transfers of former Orlando center back Antonio Carlos — one of the best defenders in club history — and current starting winger Ivan Angulo. Along with Orlando City and MLS, Palmeiras announced today’s transfer on social media. After seeing Torres in purple for three years, his new colors may seem a bit jarring to Orlando City fans.

While it may seem strange to sell Torres to a Brazilian club instead of a European side, it makes a bit more sense recently. Brazilian clubs have been active in the transfer market as buyers from MLS sides, including the hefty price Atlanta’s Thiago Almada brought the Georgia-based club earlier this year, which reportedly set a new league record at about $21 million. Torres could still end up in Europe if he can continue developing his game, but for now he’s closer to home, which he will no doubt welcome every time the Uruguayan National Team calls him up for international duty.

What It Means for Orlando City

In short, the Lions have to go shopping, but they’ve got a good chunk of change to do that with after the sale of Torres. They also have an open Designated Player slot. Torres has scored a lot of goals in three seasons, and the club will need to replace his production. It won’t be easy to do that, but there is plenty of money available. Not only is there a lot coming back for Torres’ sale, but MLS revealed this week that Orlando City is sitting on one of the league’s larger piles of General Allocation Money. There is no financial impediment to improving the squad.

There are multiple ways to do that. With Martin Ojeda and Luis Muriel capable of being providers, the Lions could invest in an elite striker, which would make some sense in the short term, with Duncan McGuire likely out until at least mid-May and possibly until late June. Current starter Ramiro Enrique is developing nicely, but if the club can go out and get a consistent 15-goal scorer — and there’s no reason Orlando can’t do that — it can replace Torres’ offense.

Oscar Pareja could deploy an attacking midfield line of Muriel, Ojeda, and Angulo with a new DP center forward. The club could also invest in an elite No. 10 and move Ojeda and/or Muriel into Torres’ former position.

The Lions have not been players in the inbound transfer market yet this off-season, with the Torres sale a necessary first step. But now the pressure is on the front office not just to continue the club’s run of five consecutive postseason appearances, but to find a way to elevate the squad so it can reach the next level.

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Orlando City

2024 Orlando City Season in Review: Nico Lodeiro

Let’s take a look at how the Uruguayan midfielder performed during his first year with the Lions.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City signed midfielder Nico Lodeiro back on Jan. 4. After spending all of his eight-year MLS career with the Seattle Sounders, he joined an Orlando team that had a big hole to fill in the attacking midfield after the departure of former captain Mauricio Pereyra. Despite his age and not occupying a Designated Player spot, it was widely assumed that the Uruguayan was intended to slot into his countryman’s spot in the starting lineup, and his eye for goal had the potential to help the Lions’ attack.

Let’s take a look back at Lodeiro’s first season wearing Orlando City purple.

Statistical Breakdown

Lodeiro appeared in each one of Orlando City’s 34 regular-season games, starting 16 of those and logging 1,697 minutes. He scored one goal in the regular season and contributed 11 assists, which matched his third-highest total in MLS. He attempted 36 shots and put 10 of them on target. He completed 87.5% of his passes, which was his best-ever completion percentage in an MLS season, as he delivered 1,215 of 1,389 accurately. He also recorded 46 key passes, 20 completed long balls, and 20 successful crosses. On defense, he notched 36 tackles, 14 interceptions, eight clearances, and three blocks. He committed 17 fouls and received two yellow cards, while drawing 29 fouls from the opposition.

Lodeiro appeared in each of Orlando’s five postseason games as a substitute, and recorded 58 minutes on the field. He did not record any goal contributions or shots, although he had the assist on a would-be Facundo Torres winner in Game 2 against Charlotte FC which was ultimately ruled offside. He completed 77.4% of his passes, and accurately delivered two key passes, two crosses, and two long balls. Defensively, he made three tackles, chipped in with a clearance, and committed one foul, for which he was not booked, whild drawing two on his opponents.

Nico appeared in all four of OCSC’s Concacaf Champions Cup matches, starting both matches against Tigres and coming on as a sub in both legs against Cavalry FC for a total of 270 minutes. He took four shots (one on target), and provided a goal and an assist in the home game against Cavalry. He completed 86% of his passes and provided one key pass and the aforementioned assist. Defensively, he contributed two tackles and one clearance while committing four fouls, picking up one yellow card, and drawing five fouls from the opposition.

He also started one of the Lions’ Leagues Cup matches and came on as a substitute in the other two, for three total appearances, amassing 83 minutes in the process. He did not score on his four shots (one on target), but he provided an assist in the 4-1 win over CF Montreal. He passed with 81.5% accuracy, completed one cross, and provided three key passes. He drew five fouls, committed one of his own, and was not booked.

Best Game

There are a couple of candidates for Nico’s best game, but in the end I had to go with the 3-2 away win over the Philadelphia Union. Lodeiro got the start in an unconventional 3-5-2 formation and was central to everything Orlando did on offense.

Following things breaking down after a corner kick, he played in a great left-footed cross from the end line which Duncan McGuire headed home to tie the game at 1-1.

He turned provider again just before halftime, as he flicked a pass to Luis Muriel, who then proceeded to cut in on his left foot and unleash a rocket into the top corner to give Orlando the lead.

The Uruguayan then helped put the game away just after halftime, as he half-volleyed a perfectly weighted through ball for Muriel, who calmly rolled the ball into the far corner.

Lodeiro’s offensive stat line in that game read three shots (one off target, two blocked), three assists, a team-high four key passes, and one through ball while drawing one foul. He passed with 85% accuracy and connected on two crosses and two long balls. Defensively, he had two tackles, one interception, one clearance, and one block, while committing one foul for which he was not booked. In our Player Grades piece, yours truly graded him an 8 out of 10, with only Luis Muriel’s 8.5 out of 10 preventing him from taking the Man of the Match award.

2024 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff awarded Lodeiro a composite grade of 6.5 out of 10 for his first season in an Orlando City uniform. The 13 assists that he provided across all competitions set a new club record and showcased what made him so devastating during all his years in Seattle. He didn’t provide a ton of threat on goal himself though, which was disappointing, considering he was no stranger to finding the back of the net with his previous team.

2025 Outlook

Lodeiro’s performances this season triggered an option year in his contract, so he’s slated to be back with the team next year. It wasn’t necessarily a bad season for him, particularly considering he’s 35 and played a lot of years on the unyielding turf of Lumen Field. Still, he was presumably brought in to take over Pereyra’s starting spot and wasn’t able to cement his hold on it, so there’s some disappointment there. He remains a great passer of the ball as evidenced by his assist numbers, but one league goal is a disappointing return, although it’s worth noting that he had one goal and one fewer assist for Seattle in MLS play during the 2023 season, despite playing almost 800 more minutes. Whether he starts consistently or not, he’s still got the quality to change games as a sub, and if he starts banging in a few goals, then he could make a reasonable case to see more time in the starting XI.


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