Connect with us

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. New England Revolution: Player Grades and Man of the Match

Published

2 years ago

on

Orlando City hosted the New England Revolution Saturday night in Exploria Stadium. The Revolution were riding a six match winless streak, and the best cure for that is playing Orlando City. Despite having more possession and more shots, the Lions were once again unable to find the back of the net, whereas New England finished three of their five shots on goal.

Let’s take a look at how each Lion performed individually in the 3-0 loss.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6.5 — One thinks that a keeper has a bad match when giving up three goals. I’ll grant it’s not great, but when the defensive positioning allows runs in between defenders on all three of the goals, the keeper is not at fault. The only goal he even had a chance of stopping was the third one, and he got a hand on it, but it wasn’t enough. Gallese had to make a big save in the fifth minute of stoppage time on a long distance shot to prevent things from getting worse.

D, João Moutinho, 6 — Joao did well getting into the attack and not giving up much on the defense in the first half, though he did have a giveaway in Orlando’s defensive third in the 10th minute but nothing came of it for New England. He was good on his crosses with nine total on the night, though none were converted. Defensively, he only made one clearance, but was active up and down the right wing. Of course, the Revolution’s attack did come up his side of the pitch.

D, Robin Jansson, 6 — Jansson was his normal steady self for most of the game. Throughout the match he made his usual runs into the offense and completed four of six long balls in the match. He also had three tackles, one interception, and two clearances. It was a typical match for the Beefy Swede.

D, Antônio Carlos, 5.5 — This was definitely not one of Carlos’ better outings for Orlando City. Like Jansson, he wasn’t able to clog up the middle of the box to defend the scoring runs of New England. He also earned a yellow card in the sixth minute of play, though that didn’t seem to hamper his play. In the second half his failed clearance attempt resulted in the corner that produced New England’s third goal. This was not a great one from Orlando City’s best center back.

D, Ruan, 5.5 — Ruan did Ruan things in the first half. He made fast runs up the right side, and had some crosses that mostly were not great. There was a one-time cross he made that wasn’t too bad, but that’s probably because he didn’t have time to think about it. On the defensive side, he wasn’t able to close down the cross on New England’s first chance, but it didn’t hurt the Lions. He wasn’t able to recover when Matt Polster ran in behind Mauricio Pereyra with the two Orlando center backs pulled to the left by an overload on that side.

MF, César Araújo, 7 (MOTM) — Araujo had the most difficult job on the pitch — keeping Carles Gil in check — and for the most part he did. He was like a shadow on Gil the entire first half, making life difficult for one of the league leaders in assists. He drew two fouls, had a tackle, and an interception. He finally earned a yellow card in the 85th minute, despite getting away with plenty of close calls throughout the match. The yellow was deserved, but many of his other defensive plays were timed perfectly. Playing against Gil is tough, and that is why he earns our Man of the Match.

MF, Júnior Urso, 5.5 — Urso was not his most crisp in the first half. He wasn’t bad, but like others there were some forced passes that didn’t work, and neither of his shots were on target. When I say his passing wasn’t crisp, I mean he had a 79.2% passing rate. Part of that can be attributed to how compact New England was in defense, but Urso is one of the players who needs to make the adjustment and be better.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 6 — Pereyra was his usual self in the midfield. He directed everything, though he did have a few forced passes that didn’t work out. None of his three shots were on target. New England’s shape stopped up things inside their box, making it tough to work the ball inside. Still, he did have three key passes and looked good after going off injured in the last match against D.C. United.

MF, Facundo Torres, 6.5 — Torres played well off of Pereyra in the attack. He also did well on the left side with Moutinho, though he wasn’t able to get a shot off in the first half. That did change shortly into the second half as he got a shot off in the 49th minute, though it went wide right. He added another shot that hit the woodwork in the 60th minute, perfectly encapsulating the futility that is Orlando City’s offense. Still, with two key passes and four crosses, the Young DP was a bright spot in Orlando City’s lackluster offense.

F, Benji Michel, 6 — I thought Michel had an okay match. He was slightly more dangerous than usual, putting in a nice ball to Pato in the 31st minute that Pato should have finished. He earned a corner in the 36th on a nice run from a Jansson long ball, and he had a header that went wide right in the 63rd minute. It wasn’t a spectacular appearance either in a good or bad way, and for Michel that isn’t a bad thing. Unlike so many of his teammates, he did actually get a shot on target.

F, Alexandre Pato, 6 — Pato was a mixed bag in the first half. He gave up too many balls per usual, but also made some silky smooth passes into teammates that should have resulted in better chances. He had a particularly nice ball into Torres in the box in the seventh minute, but like others it amounted to nothing. His best opportunity came in the 33rd minute when he took a ball off of Urso’s foot for a great shot that was his only one on target out of six total attempts. His 90th-minute free kick went well over the crossbar.

Substitutes

MF, Iván Angulo (58’), 5 — Angulo came on for Urso and only had 16 touches, completing 84.6% of his 13 passes and recorded one interception. The new winger didn’t register a shot attempt or a key pass in more than half an hour, although we can cut him some slack given it was his first appearance with the club.

D, Kyle Smith (76’), 6 — Smith came on for Ruan. He had 14 touches, including two crosses (neither accurate), one tackle, and one interception. El Soldado didn’t play badly, but he wasn’t able to spark any type of opportunity for his club either. He completed all eight of his pass attempts.

F, Nicholas Gioacchini (76’), 6 — The young USMNT player came on for Pereyra, though not in a like-for-like situation. Gioacchini did manage to get a shot off, and made one interception on defense. He completed all four of his pass attempts.

F, Tesho Akindele (76’), 6 — Akindele came on for Michel, and repeated what his teammate was able to do by getting a shot on target and winning an aerial. That is all on just nine touches in the match.

That’s how I saw the individual performances in a very forgettable outing for the Lions. Let me know your thoughts in the comments and be sure to vote for your Man of the Match below.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Alexandre Pato1
César Araújo17
João Moutinho0
Mauricio Pereyra1
Someone else (tell us in the comments)6

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/21/25

Orlando Pride release preseason camp roster, scouting Costa Rica, women’s soccer transfer grades, and more.

Published

16 hours ago

on

January 21, 2025

By

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!

Continue Reading

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.

Published

2 days ago

on

January 20, 2025

By

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.

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/20/25

Orlando City signs Nicolas Rodriguez, Jack Lynn announces retirement, USMNT defeats Venezuela in friendly, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

January 20, 2025

By

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.

Continue Reading

Trending