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Orlando City

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

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The Cardiac Cats were back as Tesho Akindele’s late strike lifted Orlando City to a huge 2-1 win over Charlotte FC. It’s the Lions’ second consecutive win away from home after they gave up the lead in their three previous road games. The win moves them up to fifth in a crowded Eastern Conference.

Let’s take a look at how the Orlando City players did individually in this game.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6.5 — Gallese didn’t have a lot to do as Charlotte only got three shots on target. The goal wasn’t his fault as McKinze Gaines got between Kyle Smith and Rodrigo Schlegel redirecting the cross on goal from within feet of Gallese. The goalkeeper nearly got beat a second time in the dying seconds when Brandt Bronico shot just over the crossbar. But it was a solid performance overall for the Lions shot stopper and another win under his belt.

D, Kyle Smith, 5.5 — It wasn’t a bad performance by Smith but he was involved in one key negative play. Starting for the suspended Joao Moutinho, Smith won five tackles, had three clearances, and completed 85.1% of his 47 passes. However, he was beaten by the Gaines run in the 66th minute that resulted in the equalizing goal for Charlotte.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6 — Schlegel wasn’t supposed to start this game after going 90 minutes for OCB on Wednesday night, but an injury to Robin Jansson pushed the center back into the starting lineup. It was a good performance by the defender, who recorded one interception and a team-high five clearances, including a couple of huge clearances when it appeared that Charlotte had a chance at goal. He completed 96.5% of his 57 passes and 10 of his 12 long balls. The only negative on Schlegel’s game was his involvement in the Charlotte goal as Gaines got between him and Smith.

D, Antonio Carlos, 6.5 — The Brazilian center back put in a strong performance, which has become quite common. Carlos recorded one tackle, four clearances, and one blocked shot on the defensive end. He completed 80.6% of his 67 passes, including one key pass, and took two off-target shots. He did concede a dangerous free kick that was inches outside the box, however.

D, Ruan, 5.5 — The right back didn’t have nearly the impact he did the first time these two teams met, when he had a goal and an assist, but it was a good game defensively for Ruan. The Brazilian ended up with one tackle won, two interceptions, and one clearance. The Lions looked to send him down the right early but the balls were too far for him to reach. He completed 71.4% of his 21 passes and had one key pass. That was it for Ruan, who was less visible than you would expect.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 7 — Araujo has proven to be a key addition for Orlando City and he had another excellent performance tonight. The defensive midfielder won five tackles, one interception, and one clearance. Going forward, Araujo completed all 40 of his passes, including two long balls. He also didn’t pick up a yellow card, which is always a risk with the hard-tackling midfielder.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 6 — With Alexandre Pato out injured, Pereyra was expected to be the key playmaker for the Lions in this game. On the defensive end, the midfielder had one tackle and two interceptions. He completed 83.3% of his 42 passes and three of his four crosses. Both shots he took were on target and he had two key passes in the attack. In the 70th minute, his free kick forced Charlotte goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina into a diving save. However, he picked up a yellow card in the 82nd minute which will see him suspended for next Sunday’s game against New York City FC. It’s a big loss for the Lions who will be looking to extend a two-game winning streak.

MF, Jake Mulraney, 5 — It was a difficult game for the Irish midfielder, who will likely be challenged for a starting spot by Niko Gioacchini and Ivan Angulo. The attacker only completed 58.3% of his 12 passes, though he did have a key pass. He also only completed one of his six crosses and didn’t take any shots on goal.

MF, Junior Urso, 7 (MotM) — It was a terrific performance by Urso, who had one tackle, two interceptions, and blocked one shot. He completed 83.8% of his 37 passes and had a pair of key passes. One of those key passes resulted in a secondary assist on Ercan Kara’s goal in the 62nd minute. The other would’ve been a primary assist had Akindele put his first shot past Kahlina. Having a key part in both goals results in him being my Man of the Match.

MF, Facundo Torres, 6.5 — After scoring the game-winning goal in New York last weekend, it was another good showing for Torres in Charlotte. He completed 74.4% of his 39 passes and had two key passes. He had three dribbles and put his only shot on target. Torres’ biggest impact was his assist on the Kara goal. After receiving a nice pass from Urso, Torres quickly played a great ball through for Kara, putting him behind the Charlotte defense when he could slide it past Kahlina.

F, Ercan Kara, 6.5 — Kara was on a roll earlier this season after scoring five goals in six games  between May 22 and July 4. However, he hadn’t scored in his last three appearances and had been sidelined by a couple of minor knocks, keeping him out of the lineup since July 31. So it was a welcome sight to see the striker net the opening goal in the 62nd minute. He didn’t do much other than his goal, only recording eight touches, but that’s fine when a target striker scores.

Substitutes

F, Benji Michel (71’), 5.5 — Michel came on for Mulraney in the 71st minute as the Lions looked to see out a draw. He didn’t have a big impact on the game, only recording 10 touches and completing 83.3% of his six passes.

F, Tesho Akindele (79’), 6.5 — Similar to Kara, who he replaced, Akindele wasn’t very active but had a huge impact. He only had 11 touches and completed 71.4% of his seven passes, but he scored the winning goal and had a key clearance on a set piece. His first shot on the counter attack was right at Kahlina, but the rebound went right back to him and he put the second chance in.

MF, Wilder Cartagena (86’), 5.5 — Cartagena was brought on for Pereyra in the final minutes prior to Akindele’s goal. The midfielder didn’t have any defensive stats, but completed both of his passes.

MF, Niko Gioacchini (86’), 5 — Gioacchini came on with four minutes remaining in regular time for Torres. He only had eight touches and didn’t complete any of his four passes, but he did win four aerial duels, which were key as the team was looking to hold onto a 2-1 lead late.


That’s how I saw the individual performances in this game. Let us know how you saw it and vote on the Man of the Match below.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Ercan Kara
0
Facundo Torres18
Cesar Araujo23
Tesho Akindele17
Junior Urso8
Other (let us know in the comments)0

Orlando City

Orlando City Enjoyed the Best Summer Stretch in Team History

Orlando City climbed the table in the club’s best summer since joining MLS.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

June, July, August (plus, most of September), and the dog days of summer are officially in the rearview mirror and Orlando City is set to put a cherry on top of what was the best summer stretch in team history when they face Inter Miami tomorrow night at Exploria Stadium. As the season starts to wind down, I felt it was only necessary to take some time to examine the what we all just witnessed…the best summer in team history.

A quick Google search says that the season of summer in the U.S. traditionally starts June 21 on the summer solstice, which we will use as the starting point. I looked historically at the team’s performance from that point in time through the end of summer each season, a.k.a. today, Sept. 23. As a new expansion team in Major League Soccer, Orlando City dealt with the summer heat fairly well and earned 15 and 17 points in 2015 and 2016, respectively. The next two seasons, on the other hand, were much darker times to be a city fan, as Orlando City racked up seven and 10 losses in 2017 and 2018, respectively, during those two seasons. It does not take Sherlock Holmes-level detection skills to know that those summer stretches did not lead to postseason playoff berths. In 2019, the team amassed a decent 18 points during the summer, but only tallied 37 on the season overall.

It should not come as a surprise to any OCSC fan that the team’s best years of success have all come while Oscar Pareja has been at the helm. Prior to this season, the best summer stretch that the team had enjoyed was back in 2021 — also under Pareja’s reign — when the boys put up 23 points, setting a summer team record with six wins. Despite their great summer success, the 2021 Lions were unfortunately not able to keep their strong summer momentum going as they dropped four straight matches after Labor Day that year. Enter 2022, or as I like to call it “the summer of the trophy.” Technically speaking, in the MLS regular season, it was the team’s second best summer, with 20 points to their name. Orlando also happened to lift the U.S. Open Cup during that span last year, so there is an argument to be made that without the additional fixtures, the Lions may have been able to commit more resources to the regular season and would have wound up with more points. I will take the hardware!

This summer it has seemed as though Papi has pulled all the right strings at the right times. Orlando currently not only sits in second place in the Eastern Conference, but second overall in the Supporters’ Shield race and has only dropped two matches from June 21 to Sept. 23 while sporting a +6 goal differential. The Lions amassed 24 points during the summer this year.

Orlando City finding the back of the net more often than conceding makes for quite fun matches to enjoy. The two losses OCSC has picked up throughout the summer this season both have come on the road (at Real Salt Lake and at NYCFC), despite Orlando City earning an MLS-best 25 points away from Central Florida this year.

Orlando City did a great job getting through the hottest part of the calendar while locking up results left and right. Orlando has already secured a spot in the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year in no small part due to the amazing summer the team just enjoyed. As fall comes barreling at us and the MLS playoff home-field advantage race begins to heat up, the performance of the squad this summer should not be taken for granted as championships might not be won in June, July, or August, but poor performances can certainly ensure that they are lost.


Did you have a favorite moment or match from this summer? My favorite moment was what I am calling the Hail Ojeda Mary goal in Charlotte, and my favorite match was the electrifying 4-3 come-from-behind victory against the Columbus Crew. Let us know in the comments below your favorites, and as always, vamos Orlando.

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Lion Links: 9/23/22

Lions and Herons meet again, Carly Nelson is writing a book, NWSL free agency opens, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Happy Founder’s Day, Mane Landers! It was on this day in 2014 that our fearless leader and Managing Editor Michael Citro started our first ever WordPress website. It’s safe to say that I’m sure The Mane Land has impacted your life as much as it has mine over the years, whether that be through daily reading or weekly podcasts. Cheers to Michael and all those who have come before me.

In my own personal news, I have been grinding away on the new EA FC 24 (the franchise formerly known as EA’s FIFA.) So far, the gameplay and updates have been great in my initial 15+ hours of play, and my online Ultimate Team is starting to really take its shape. I’m sure in a couple weeks that I’ll transition to a traditional Career Mode and take the Lions all the way to an MLS Cup and beyond.

Before we dive into today’s links, let’s all wish a very happy birthday to everyone’s favorite defensive midfielder, Wilder Cartagena!

Third Bout for Orlando City and Inter Miami

Orlando City and Inter Miami have already met twice this campaign. Sunday’s match will look to break the deadlock between the two rivals as both clubs have a victory to their name in this year’s series. In May, the Lions grabbed a 3-1 victory over the Fort Lauderdale-based club. The two sides met for a second time in the knockout round of Leagues Cup 2023 with Inter Miami taking the 3-1 result at DRV PNK Stadium. No matter the result this time around, Orlando City has already clinched a playoff spot, however, the Herons need every point they can get to attempt to do the same.

Carly Nelson, Goalkeeper and Author

It isn’t unheard of to learn that an athlete might have tried another sport before finding soccer, Orlando Pride goalkeeper Carly Nelson came from a background of gymnastics, tennis, basketball, and baseball before her father started a club soccer team with her in mind. While Nelson might have idolized USWNT legend Hope Solo as a child, she started her playing days as a forward, winger, and midfielder. Outside of protecting the Pride’s net, Nelson is spending time writing a book about her life growing up in Utah and the issues her family faced to hopefully help others that might find themselves in similar situations.

NWSL Opens 2024 Free Agency

The National Women’s Soccer League has officially opened the league’s unrestricted and restricted free agency periods. In accordance with the NWSL Players’ Association’s collective bargaining agreement, eligible free agents can begin negotiations for their 2024 Standard Player Agreements. Players eligible for unrestricted free agency include all who have at least five years of service within the NWSL and contracts expiring in 2023, while players eligible for restricted free agency include those who have at least three years of service. For the Orlando Pride, defender Kylie Strom is set to be an unrestricted free agent and midfielder Jordyn Listro is under restricted terms. Any club that currently holds the rights of a restricted free agent has a seven-day period to match an incoming offer from another club or else the player may sign with the new club under the terms of the offer.

USMNT’s Tyler Adams Nearing Return

Tyler Adams will not make his Bournemouth debut this weekend, but he could return as early as next week. Bournemouth’s manager, Andoni Iraola, provided a positive update on the U.S. Men’s National Team captain as he finishes up rehabbing a long-term hamstring injury.

“He has started this week at least to train partially with the group, so probably we can have a chance of having him next week or two weeks, something like this. Tyler is really close because once you start training partially with the group, it’s a matter of sensations, and if you are physically good enough. He has a very good physical base. So I think it will take not a long time to see Tyler with the team.”

Adams has not played since March after having a hamstring surgery. Even with a known injury, the 24-year-old still completed a move from Leeds United to Bournemouth following Leeds’ relegation to keep him in the top flight.

MLS Weekend Preview

Aside from the Florida derby, there are plenty of matches to be excited about around the league this weekend. Personally, I’m looking forward to catching a bit of the D.C. United and New York Red Bulls match. Manager Wayne Rooney’s club is right on the bubble in a tight Eastern Conference race while the Red Bulls can do themselves a huge service and come back into the playoff picture with a win. Out in the Western Conference, there is a real buzz around a Portland Timbers squad after a manager sacking. It could be a huge win for the Timbers and likely push them above the play-in round should they find a result against the Colorado Rapids.

Free Kicks


That’s all I have for you today, Mane Landers. I hope you all have a fantastic Saturday. Be safe on Sunday at the match. Stay hydrated and look out for those around you. Vamos Orlando!

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Inter Miami: Three Keys to Victory

Here are three things the Lions need to do in order to set themselves up for a win over Inter Miami.

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Wednesday’s match didn’t go the way anyone hoped it would, but now it’s time to turn our attention to a Sunday matchup with Inter Miami back in the comfortable confines of Exploria Stadium. What follows are three things that I believe will go a long way toward helping the Lions emerge victorious from the Tropic Thunder derby and keeping Florida purple.

Close Down Sergio Busquets

As many headlines as Lionel Messi has rightfully been getting since joining Major League Soccer, I think Busquets is just as important to Miami’s success. He remains an excellent midfielder and his ability to transition the team from defense into attack and link the two lines together is crucial. He has two assists and eight key passes in six MLS appearances and is passing with 92% accuracy —if you give him time, he will make you pay. Even if Cesar Araujo and Wilder Cartagena mark him tightly, he’ll still manage to find space at times and affect the game because he’s that good of a player. But the Lions cannot afford to repeatedly give him time and space to get on the ball, pick up his head, and play a pass or he’ll cut OCSC to ribbons. Getting tight to him and making his life difficult won’t stop him every time, but it’ll make life a hell of a lot easier. As soon as Orlando loses the ball in Miami’s half, someone needs to find no. 5 and close him down.

Play With an Edge, but Don’t Go Over It

This is likely going to be an extremely, fast, physical and heated game. These two teams don’t have any love lost for each other, and if last game is any indication, then Orlando is going to try to use its physicality to disrupt Miami from playing its brand of soccer. That’s not a bad strategy, and it’s one that was largely working during the aforementioned Leagues Cup match until the penalty kick call in the second half. If the Lions are going to try to repeat the tactic, then they need to play with physicality and intensity while toeing the line of what’s acceptable to do during a soccer game. Going down a man isn’t going to do OCSC any favors, so the boys in purple are going to have to flirt with the edge of the cliff without falling headfirst over it.

Stay Organized Defensively

We’ve seen some shaky defending during Orlando’s last two matches. Runners in behind were a particular problem during the match against the Columbus Crew, while Wednesday’s loss to NYCFC saw Talles Magno largely unmarked between two Orlando defenders to score the header that sealed the Lions’ fate. OCSC will likely still be without Antonio Carlos, but the Lions are capable of much better defending than they’ve done during the last week and they need to show it. Even if Lionel Messi doesn’t play, Miami has a whole host of guys who can hurt you in Josef Martinez, Leonardo Campana, Benjamin Cremaschi, Robert Taylor and Facundo Farias. The Lions need to be much more keyed in on defense than they have been the last two games, otherwise one or more of those guys is going to make them pay. Orlando has the firepower to put the ball in the back of the net, but it won’t matter if the team is giving up multiple preventable goals at the other end of the field.


If the Lions execute those three things then they’ve got as good a chance as any of getting a result on Sunday. Vamos Orlando!

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