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Orlando City vs. Charlotte FC: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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4 years ago

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Orlando City bounced back from the New York loss with a 2-1 win at home against Charlotte FC. Ruan scored Orlando’s first goal and then assisted on its second goal late in the first half by teeing up Facundo Torres. A penalty converted by Christian Fuchs gave Charlotte life, but the defense hung in there to claim all three points.

Here’s how I saw the individual performances of each Lion on the pitch in the win.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 5.5 — He only faced one shot on target, but it was a penalty kick. Gallese committed first on a patient spot kick from Fuchs that spoiled his clean sheet. In regards to his distribution, he was successful on four of his 11 attempted long balls and completed 74% of his 27 passes. The Peruvian did well running time off the clock late in the match without being booked.

D, Joao Moutinho, 6.5 — Moutinho only had one cross, which was unsuccessful, as he often stayed back as third center back of sorts while Ruan wreaked havoc up the field. It was still a busy night for the left back as he led the Lions with 66 touches and also had 44 passes at a great 89% success rate while completing both of his long balls. He had five tackles, two interceptions, and four clearances while also winning all three of his aerial duels. Moutinho’s evolving into a defensive powerhouse this season and this match was no exception, as he was a key reason why Charlotte only had one shot on target, the penalty.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6 — The Argentine center back led the team with a whopping nine clearances as he did well putting a stop to Charlotte’s attempts to score. However, he was called for a foul in the box after making contact with Alan Franco in a play by Charlotte that seemed more like a Hail Mary than a realistic chance to score. Charlotte received a penalty for the incident while Schlegel was handed a yellow card. The penalty call was soft but the contact was unnecessary. Schlegel helped Orlando see the game out and also had a tackle and an interception. His 46 passes were the most by any Lion and he completed them at a solid 87% success rate. Schlegel was also accurate on four of his eight long balls, so it was a good game from him in terms of distribution.

D, Robin Jansson, 6.5 — In his 100th appearance for Orlando City, the Beefy Swede did well on both sides of the ball. He assisted on Ruan’s goal after making a clever redirection on Benji Michel’s low cross that served the ball to Ruan on a silver platter. Jansson also helped create the goal, dribbling down the field and getting the ball out wide to Michel. His lone shot came off of a set piece situation as his shot from the edge of the top of the box went over the bar. He was able to convert from center back to striker in the blink of an eye during the match, adding another dimension to Orlando’s attack. Jansson had five clearances and two interceptions while completing 85% of his 26 passes. He didn’t commit a foul in the match, but still received a yellow card for dissent over questionable officiating and will miss Orlando’s next game.

D, Ruan, 7.5 (MotM) — The right back scored his first goal of the season with a clinical finish wide open in the box. He could’ve had a second goal late in the first half after sprinting down the pitch on a counter with only goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina to beat, but he smartly laid the ball off for Torres to easily put away. Ruan’s speed made him a good match-up against 36-year-old Fuchs and Charlotte was unable to deal with him. Both of his aerial crosses were picked off by Kahlina, but his low efforts put defenders in tough spots and earned a corner. He also connected on both of his long balls and had 43 passes at a 77% success rate. Although he wasn’t able to entirely bend the game to his will, he was Orlando’s best weapon on offense and he led the Lions with three interceptions while also contributing a tackle and a clearance. It was easily his best game of the season and hopefully the confidence he showed after his goal will continue moving forward.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 6.5 — Araujo did a fantastic job keeping Karol Swiderski quiet throughout the match, making sure to give the Polish striker no breathing room. He won three fouls, all in Orlando’s defensive end, and had two tackles, an interception, and two clearances. Araujo completed 28 of his 32 passes for a great 88% success rate and two of his three long balls found their target as well. The 21-year-old also won both of his aerial duels and did a good job lending support along the back line. After receiving four yellow cards in his first six appearances, this game marked four in a row that he wasn’t booked. He’s young and new to MLS, but has quickly proven himself as a great acquisition by the Lions.

MF, Junior Urso, 6 — The Bear had a solid, albeit quiet, outing in the midfield. Although he didn’t have any defensive stats, he applied pressure to help slow down Charlotte’s offense and was there to collect loose balls when they were coughed up. Urso completed 81% of his 32 passes for a decent success rate and was also successful on two of his three attempted dribbles. He was subbed off in the 65th minute for fresher legs.

MF, Benji Michel, 6 — The Homegrown Player did well on Orlando’s first goal, beating his man and drawing in two defenders before delivering a venomous cutback pass in front of goal to Jansson. His only shot of the match was a headed effort right at Kahlina after a great cross from Torres. Michel’s lone cross was unsuccessful, but he completed all but one of his 13 passes for a strong 92% success rate in 80 minutes of action. He didn’t see much of the ball, but did well when he did and helped out defensively with a tackle and an interception.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 7 — Pereyra led the Lions with three key passes as he once again pulled the strings on offense. In the buildup to Orlando’s second goal, he sprung Ruan on the counter with a great ball forward from a tough position for the Brazilian to chase down. Orlando’s captain had another great pass in the first pass when he threaded a ball through defenders from distance to send Kara in on goal. Although neither of his two crosses connected, the Uruguayan was accurate on four of his five long balls and completed 83% of his 42 passes. Pereyra didn’t officially record a shot, but did hit the crossbar on an attempt that was either an attempt at goal or aimed at finding Ercan Kara at the far post. He also hustled on defense and had four tackles, an interception, and a clearance, while also winning a team-high four fouls.

MF, Facundo Torres, 7 — Torres scored his first goal at Exploria Stadium by turning on the jets and running from one end of the field to the other to make sure he was in position to score if needed. He buried the chance and doubled Orlando’s lead before halftime. The goal was one of two shots from Torres in the match, with the other sent into the stands. Torres had two key passes, sending in a nice cross for Michel in the 14th minute and setting up an opportunity for Silvester van der Water in the 85th. He played every minute of the match and completed 77% of his 35 passes. One of his two attempted crosses found their mark and neither of his two long balls were successful, but he still did well to spark things offensively. The 22-year-old truly was relentless from start to finish for the Lions as he ran all over the field to close down opponents, collect loose balls before they went out of play, and made himself an available outlet for teammates. Torres had two clearances, an interception, and enough fuel left in the tank left in the match to help Orlando secure all three points.

F, Ercan Kara, 6 — The Austrian forward may not have contributed towards a goal, but he was fairly active in terms of holdup play. Kara’s best opportunity came in the 33rd minute, when Pereyra found him making a well-timed run with a through ball. However, he was stymied by good defending from Christian Makoun, who hung tight with Kara and then blocked his only shot of the game. Kara won two of his three aerial duels and had 14 passes at a 78% success rate. He wasn’t able to imprint himself on the game and was subbed off in the 65th minute for Alexandre Pato.

Substitutes

F, Alexandre Pato (65’), 5 — The Brazilian had an off night as he only completed two of his seven passes for a 29% success rate. That being said, the game script didn’t benefit his playing style all that well. Pato does his best work when surrounded by other Lions to play off of, but the Lions sat back as the game went on and Charlotte pushed numbers forward, and he was stranded up top on occasion. He won two of his five aerial duels and had two clearances, including the final one to end Charlotte’s late surge. Pato wasn’t able to exert his skillset to its fullest in his first appearance off the bench for Orlando this season.

MF, Andres Perea (65’), 5 — Coming on to give Orlando some fresher legs in the midfield, Perea had 19 touches and completed 69% of his 16 passes. He helped out defensively with two clearances and an interception to do his part in securing the victory. Perea didn’t make much of an impact in the match, but didn’t necessarily need to as he continues to receive minutes off the bench for Orlando.

MF, Sebas Mendez (74’), 6 — Mendez helped stabilize things for Orlando, completing all three of his passes and chipping in defensively with two clearances, an interception, and a tackle. Araujo may have claimed the starting job over Mendez, but the two make for a nice one-two punch over the course of a match as Mendez can come in and take care of the ball while maintaining the team’s bite on defense.

MF, Silvester van der Water (80’), N/A — The Dutchman was hungry during his brief appearance, putting a shot on frame and not being afraid to take on defenders. He completed both of his passes, was successful on his lone long ball attempt, and added a tackle on defense. Unfortunately, he landed awkwardly on his ankle in the dying moments of the game and had to be helped off the field without putting any weight on his left foot.

D, Kyle Smith (80’), N/A — Smith wasn’t on the field long enough to be graded but did well. He had three clearances and a tackle and solidified Orlando’s forces on the right side of defense. He had 14 touches, won both of his aerial duels, and completed four of his seven passes for a 57% success rate.

That’s how I saw each individual performance in Orlando City’s 2-1 win over Charlotte. The penalty made the match a bit closer than the Lions likely would’ve preferred, but it was a nice game from them.

Be sure to vote in the poll below for your Man of the Match.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Ruan62
Mauricio Pereyra2
Joao Moutinho2
Facundo Torres4
Other (let us know in the comments)1

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/12/26

Barbra Banda up for weekly honors, Johnny Cardoso to have surgery, Americans in midweek action, and more.

Published

13 hours ago

on

May 12, 2026

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Good morning, everyone. It was a mixed bag for Orlando’s soccer teams over the weekend, as the Orlando Pride and Orlando City B both picked up victories, while Orlando City lost. There’s no rest for the wicked though, because the Pride take on Boston Legacy on the road tonight, while the Lions will host the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday. We’ve got a lot to talk about this morning, so let’s get into the links.

Barbra Banda up for Weekly Honors

Barbra Banda’s game-winning strike over the North Carolina Courage has been nominated for the NWSL Goal of the Week. Banda cut across her marker in the 87th minute with the match tied 0-0 and curled a great strike inside the far post to give the Pride a lead that wouldn’t be relinquished. The victory got Orlando back on track after dropping two games in a row, and the goal was Banda’s league-leading eighth strike of the year. Make sure you go vote for her to win!

Surgery for Johnny Cardoso

Atletico Madrid announced on Monday that midfielder Johnny Cardoso will have surgery to repair an injury to his right ankle. Cardoso was hurt during a training session, with Atletico classifying the injury as a “high-grade sprain involving joint damage.” The club’s statement did not specify a timeline for his return to the field and U.S. Soccer has not made any statement besides wishing Cardoso a speedy recovery. That said, with this summer’s World Cup less than a month away, its tough to imagine that he’ll be healed up and ready to be part of the United States Men’s National Team roster. If that’s the case, it’ll be a bitter blow for both the USMNT and a midfielder that looked like a sure bet to be on the squad.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans who will be taking part in games during the working week, so let’s make sure we’ve got everything on the schedule. Things got started on Monday when Brenden Aaronson played 63 minutes in Leeds United’s 1-1 draw with Tottenham. Action continues today when Aidan Morris and Middlesborough face Southampton in the second leg of an EFL Championship playoff promotion semifinal. Wednesday sees Auston Trusty and Celtic take on Motherwell in a game with massive ramifications on the title race in the Scottish Premier League. Wednesday also has Alex Freeman and Villarreal hosting Sevilla in La Liga play, while Chris Richards and Crystal Palace will try to play spoiler against Manchester City.

MLS Matchday 12 Lessons

Matchday 12 is officially in the books for Major League Soccer, so what did we learn from the weekend’s action? For one thing, Jack McGlynn was imperious in his second game back from injury, as his brace helped the Houston Dynamo knock off LAFC on the road while USMNT assistant Jesus Perez was watching from the stands. The New England Revolution are now unbeaten in the club’s last seven league games, and Carles Gil was a big reason why, as he nabbed a goal and an assist in the Revs’ 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Union. He’s got four goals and four assists so far, and the Revs are sitting pretty at second in the Eastern Conference.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

European seasons aren’t quite wrapped up yet, but that isn’t stopping transfer rumors from flying thick and fast. We start with the Premier League, where Manchester City is reportedly prepared to trigger the release clause of 16-year-old Hertha Berlin midfielder Kennet Eichhorn, before immediately sending the player on loan to continue his development. Elsewhere in England, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Arsenal are all said to be interested in signing Juventus fullback Andrea Cambiaso. Switching lanes to the managerial side of things, Chelsea has reportedly identified Xabi Alonso as the leading candidate to become the next manager of the team, with the Spaniard said to be open to taking the job. Finally, Jose Mourinho is said to be open to taking the Real Madrid job, although he reportedly has a couple conditions that he wants met first.

Free Kicks

  • Kickoff times have been set for Orlando City’s three group stages matches in this year’s Leagues Cup.
  • The Lions will be launching a new merch collection Friday at The Final Whistle.

That’s all I’ve got for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!

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Orlando City

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

Here’s how your favorite Lions performed in Orlando City’s 2-0 loss to CF Montreal.

Published

1 day ago

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May 11, 2026

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Image of Griffin Dorsey trying to send the ball upfield against a Montreal defender.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

If you play Football Manager enough, you play plenty of games where the after-match comment is “a bore draw.” That appeared to be where Orlando City’s road game at CF Montreal was headed until a mistake by Robin Jansson in added time led to a penalty which opened the scoring for the hosts. They tacked on another late in stoppage time and the Lions will return home for a three-game set (one of them in the U.S. Open Cup) sore from Saturday’s 2-0 loss to CF Montreal.

Let’s take a look at how Orlando City’s players rated individually in their matchup with the Quebecois.

Starters

GK, Maxime Crépeau, 5.5 — With 25 shots by Montreal, one would’ve figured Crepeau was busy. Not really — he finished with three saves. A goalkeeper is almost never responsible for being scored on from the penalty spot, but Dagur Dan Thorallsson’s goal at the death is one Crepeau will want back, although in fairness it was perfectly placed. The Canadian goalkeeper finished with a 72.7% passing rate and was helped out after being rounded by Prince Owusu in a 1-v-1 opportunity that his teammates should never have allwoed for what would have been a goal if not for Iago’s sliding block to clear it off the line.

D, Adrián Marin, 5.5 — Marin got caught ball-watching in the 34th minute to allow a Wiki Carmona rocket that just went wide. Otherwise, he just didn’t impact the game one way or the other. Marin completed 87.8% of his passes and added one tackle, one block, and three clearances.

D, Robin Jansson, 5 — Jansson played his normal emergency role all game. Unfortunately, he got put off-balance in the first minute of added time in the second half and fell into the legs of Luca Petrasso, giving a penalty. It was a rough ending for the captain, but Orlando left the door open for Montreal and the hosts took it. The Swede also couldn’t close down Thorhallsson to prevent the second late Montreal goal. Jansson completed 78.7% of his passes, with one tackle, 10(!) clearances, and one block.

D, Iago, 6 — We saw both sides of Iago. He had a really nice pass in the 17th minute to free up Eduard Atuesta on goal but the Colombian missed the target to waste Orlando’s best chance of the game. The Brazilian’s biggest highlight moment was in the 76th minute, when Owusu dribbled past Crepeau for an open look at goal but Iago was there to clear it off the line. On the flip side, he also had a dangerous header defending a corner that almost created an own goal, instead hitting the left post. He got pulled wide in the first minute of the second half, allowing a dangerous shot by Owusu. On the offensive end, he got on the end of a corner but headed it right at Thomas Gillier. He was all over the place, which you can expect from a young player. He would’ve gotten a higher grade had the game finished scoreless because of his goal-line clearance and a couple of sparkling long balls that should have led to more. Alas. He finished with zero interceptions or tackles, three blocks, six clearances, and a 92.3% passing rate. He also picked up a yellow card in the sixth minute of added time in the second half preventing a counter on one of his attacking teammates’ many turnovers.

D, Griffin Dorsey, 5.5— While Orlando City was heavily weighted to the left side all game, when the Lions went down the right, it was through Dorsey. He led the break down that side multiple times but had trouble connecting. Dorsey finished with one tackle, three clearances, and one cross while passing at a 79% rate.

MF, Iván Angulo, 4.5 — When Angulo whiffed on a ball in the second minute which caused a Montreal counter, it was an indicator of the night to come. He was sloppy all game long and, by The Mane Land’s unofficial tally, turned the ball over eight times, with the majority of those coming in his own defensive half. It was an ugly night that looked a touch better when Tyrese Spicer departed, changing Angulo’s duties, but it didn’t wipe out a forgettable match. He finished with 90.2% passing, despite being loose with the ball. He was two out of six for successful dribbles and two out of seven in winning ground duels.

MF, Eduard Atuesta, 5.5 — A major part of the toothlessness of the Lions in the match was the midfield play. While Atuesta had a 95% passing rate, the only real impact he had was in the 17th minute, when Iago broke him free with a great pass. Atuesta made a well-timed run, but he ended up doing nothing with it when he sent his shot wide of goal. He had a turnover in the fourth minute to leave Montreal with a 3-on-2 break, leaving me to wonder if it was going to be one of those nights for him. Luckily no, but there was no real contribution either. He picked up a yellow card in the 62nd, was dispossessed once, and committed four fouls.

MF, Braian Ojeda, 5.5— Atuesta’s midfield partner also had trouble linking the play but contributed a touch more defensively. His sloppy handling in the 41st minute allowed Montreal to keep possession and created a corner. In the end, he finished with one tackle, one block, one clearance, and a 90% passing rate.

MF, Tyrese Spicer, 6— Unfortunately, most of Spicer’s contributions came on the defensive end this game because he could never get himself in the flow offensively. While he was 10-for-11 passing, he attempted two shots, one right at the goalkeeper and the other that missed so badly it almost went behind the net without hitting anything. He had just two touches in the opposition box. His biggest highlight was a tackle in the 23rd minute to end a dangerous Montreal possession. He was replaced in the 67th minute by Duncan McGuire. Spicer finished with a 91% passing success rate, led the team in tackles with four, and added two interceptions.

F, Martín Ojeda, 5 — This grade may be a bit harsh. However, when you are a Designated Player, you have to contribute, and Martin Ojeda was invisible at best. With 44 total passes, he was the one having to compensate for the lack of midfield control and it showed by his lack of offensive contribution. He had zero touches in the opposition box, which is not going to be a recipe for Orlando City success. Martin took one shot that was on target and passed at a 91% rate.

F, Justin Ellis, 6.5 (MotM)— Someone has to win Man of the Match. Ellis almost wins it by default as his overall play was the only positive thing all game. While his stats were mediocre, and there was not one moment you can pick to point to, he was the most talented when on the ball, tracked back to collect the ball occasionally, did more to link play than the midfield did, and just didn’t have a negative impact. He was replaced in the 80th by David Brekalo and finished with a 94% passing rate, was four-for-four on successful dribbles, and went five-for-six on ground duels won.

Substitutes

F, Duncan McGuire (67′), 5— McGuire started out playing out of position on the wing and while asked to pick up the offense, McGuire was unable to show anything of promise. Dorsey found him in the 88th minute with a cross, but McGuire turned down a quick shot and held the ball too long while deciding, and he ended up taking a low angle shot that had been there from the beginning that ended up harmless. He passed at a 75% rate and had three touches in the opposition box, turning those into a measly 0.05 expected goals. One of his touches on a promising attack was heavy and wasted the opportunity to get a shot off late in the game.

D, David Brekalo (80′), N/A — Brekalo came on for Ellis with a few minutes remaining, maybe a tactical choice to see out the draw. He completed all seven of his passes and had one clearance. He was not able to do anything to prevent Montreal’s two late goals, but he wasn’t the only one.

MF, Tiago (90′+5), N/A — Tiago entered right after the penalty to try to claw back a goal. Unfortunately, he whiffed on a 50/50 ball just moments before Thorhallsson ended up scoring the game’s second goal. He wasn’t on long enough to issue a grade, however.

D, Zakaria Taifi (90′+5), N/A — The best thing you can say about Taifi’s time is that he didn’t turn the ball over conceding a goal in the five minutes he was on the field.

That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando City’s loss to CF Montreal. Let us know what you thought of the game in the comments below, and don’t forget to vote for your Man of the Match.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/11/26

Lions fall to CF Montreal, Pride defeat North Carolina Courage, OCB beats Atlanta United 2, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

May 11, 2026

By

Image of Barbra Banda taking a shot against North Carolina.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Justin Glatt

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida, and belated happy Mother’s Day to all you moms out there. I spent the weekend in Texas catching up with friends and family. Let’s wish a happy birthday to Orlando City goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau, who turns 32 today. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Fall to CF Montreal

Orlando City fell 2-0 to CF Montreal at Stade Saputo Saturday on a pair of late goals. After a scoreless first half, the Lions were minutes away from escaping with a point on the road but conceded twice in stoppage time, with former Lion Dagur Dan Thorhallsson adding the insurance goal for Montreal as Orlando City left Canada with zero points. The Lions could not capitalize on their few scoring chances throughout the match. Orlando City returns home for its next match on Wednesday against the Philadelphia Union at Inter&Co Stadium.

Banda’s Late Goal Lifts Pride Over Courage

The Orlando Pride defeated the North Carolina Courage 1-0 at Inter&Co Stadium Friday, as Barbra Banda scored the lone goal late in the second half to help the Pride secure a much-needed win, snapping their two-match losing streak. Banda scored her eighth goal of the season, and she has scored five goals in the last three matches. The Pride will be on the road this week, facing the Boston Legacy Tuesday at Gillette Stadium, followed by another match Saturday against the Denver Summit at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.

OCB Beats Atlanta United 2 on the Road

Orlando City B defeated Atlanta United 2 with a goal in each half, winning 2-0 at Turner Soccer Complex in Athens, GA Sunday. Gustavo Caraballo scored the opening goal from the spot to give the Young Lions the early lead. In the second half, Issah Haruna added another goal for the Young Lions to put it away and take three points. OCB will be back on the road Sunday to face New England Revolution II at Beirne Stadium in Smithfield, RI.

Americans Abroad

Austin Trusty played a full 90 minutes as Celtic won its sixth consecutive match across all competitions 3-1 against Rangers. Gio Reyna scored his first goal of the season for Borussia Monchengladbach to snap his 16-month goal drought at the club level, but his side fell 3-1 to FC Augsburg. Weston McKennie played 86 minutes for Juventus in a 1-0 win against Lecce. In the Women’s FA Cup semifinals, Alyssa Thompson played 78 minutes for Chelsea, but her side fell 3-2 to Manchester City after extra time. Lindsey Heaps scored for OL Lyonnes while Lily Yohannes and Korbin Shrader were also in action in a 4-1 win against Paris Saint-Germain to lift the Coupe De France trophy. Later today, Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United will face Tottenham Hotspur.

Free Kicks

  • Check out this video on Orlando City’s social media pages featuring some players writing letters to their moms for Mother’s Day.
  • James Rodriguez will reportedly leave Minnesota United this week and will not return to the club after the World Cup concludes this summer.
  • Slavia Prague chairman Jaroslav Tvrdik stated that the club will impose a lifetime ban to fans who invaded the pitch as the club was minutes away from defeating rivals Sparta Prague Saturday to win the Czech First League title before the match was abandoned.
  • Leandro Trossard scored a late winner in the second half to help Arsenal beat West Ham United 1-0 to keep its five-point lead over Manchester City and pull a step closer to clinching the English Premier League title.

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

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