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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Atlanta United: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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After displaying a weakened team in Philadelphia over the weekend, Orlando City returned home to face Atlanta United Wednesday night. The team was looking to gain ground on the New York teams with a home result, but fell 1-0 to their Georgia rivals. Despite having more possession and doubling the opposition in shots, the Lions struggled to put shots on target, resulting in a devastating loss as they attempt to clinch a postseason spot, let alone claim a home playoff game.

Let’s look at how the Lions performed individually in the loss.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6.5 — Gallese had an excellent game, despite conceding the game’s only goal. His saves in first-half injury time and in the 72nd minute kept the game scoreless. Those were two of his three saves on the night. The goal wasn’t his fault as lackluster defending allowed Thiago Almada to find himself free on goal.

D, Joao Moutinho, 6 — Overall, it was a pretty good night for Moutinho. Defensively, the left back had two interceptions and three clearances. On the attack, the defender completed 80.4% of his 46 passes, including one key pass. His 77 touches were second on the team, only behind Mauricio Pereyra. What hurts Moutinho is that he only completed one of his seven crosses, a problem for the Lions in this game.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6.5 — This was a really good game for Schlegel, who was strong in the defensive and attacking end. Defensively, Schlegel had one tackle, one interception, three clearances, and two blocked shots. He completed 84.9% of his 53 passes and two of his four long balls. He was involved in the Atlanta goal, but it was a nice touch to free Almada and Schlegel was in the correct position to avoid his man getting a shot off.

D, Antonio Carlos, 5.5 — Carlos wasn’t as active in the attack as Schlegel, recording one interception and one clearance. But he completed 90.4% of his 52 passes and an impressive 13 of his 15 long balls. He missed the net badly on his lone headed shot attempt. Unfortunately, Carlos’ biggest contribution was an poorly-timed slide tackle attempt on the Atlanta goal, where he didn’t even touch the ball. The last defender, Carlos slid in, allowing Almada to tap the ball around him and have a free shot on target. That mistake is what knocks his grade down a little.

D, Kyle Smith, 6 — Smith had a solid game, with one tackle and one interception. He completed 86.7% of his 30 passes, including one key pass. Similar to Moutinho, Smith only completed one of his six crosses, which in part doomed the Lions to defeat. The key play from Smith in this game was a clearance off the line in the 37th minute that would’ve gone in. He was taken off for Ruan in the 58th minute, but it was due to Ruan’s attacking presence rather than Smith’s performance.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 7 (MotM) — Pereyra was the conductor of the team that Orlando City fans love to see. Everything the Lions did going forward went through the captain. He led the team in touches (89), passes (71), key passes (five), and tackles (three). Pereyra completed 85.9% of his 71 passes and two of his four crosses, also a team high. He took two off-target shots, though one missed by inches, resulting in yells from the crowd as they thought the ball went in.

MF, Wilder Cartagena, 6.5 — With Cesar Araujo out with an illness, Cartagena was thrown into the starting lineup for this important game and he played very well. The defensive midfielder recorded one tackle and one interception on defense and was terrific going forward. He completed all of his 34 passes and four long balls, including one key pass. While he may not have had the impact of Araujo, it was a terrific performance by the Peruvian.

MF, Facundo Torres, 5.5 — Torres has been arguably Orlando City’s best player but this wasn’t his best game. The attacking midfielder completed 76.7% of his 43 passes but had two key passes. He completed one of his two long balls and took two off-target shots. Torres helped out defensively with two tackles and one clearance but he’ll be looking for a better performance on Saturday.

MF, Junior Urso, 6 — While Urso didn’t have a tremendous impact on the game, it was a solid performance. The midfielder completed 93.3% of his 30 passes, including one key pass. He had a chance to score in the 21st minute when he headed an Ercan Kara cross towards goal, but he didn’t get enough on it and hit it close to goalkeeper Raul Gudino, who got down to make the stop. Urso also completed three long balls in 74 minutes..

MF, Ivan Angulo, 5.5 — Angulo came off with Urso late in the game, replaced by Tesho Akindele in the 75th minute. While Angulo is an upgrade on Jake Mulraney, it wasn’t Angulo’s best performance. He completed 84.6% of his 26 passes but no key passes. He took three shots but all were off target — the first by just inches — and completed one of his two crosses.

F, Ercan Kara, 5 — Kara wasn’t very involved in this one, only recording 21 touches. He completed 44.9% of his nine passes but the Austrian’s main contribution is expected to be in the final third. Kara only had one shot in this game, getting his head to a good cross by Smith. However, he headed it just wide when he should’ve gotten it on target. Kara’s first-half cross to Urso was a good one but unfortunately didn’t lead to a goal. Opposing back lines will never need to mark Kara tightly if his teammates continue to ignore his calls for the ball when he’s in position to split the center backs, as he again was several times in this game.

Substitutes

D, Ruan (58’), 6 — Ruan came on for Smith in the 58th minute as the Lions looked for more in the attack. The usual starting right back did well, completing 70% of his 20 passes and recording two key passes. Additionally, he completed one of his three crosses. Ruan’s three tackles were tied for the team lead and he also recorded an inception.

F, Benji Michel (58’), 5 — At the same time as the Ruan substitution, Michel came on for Kara. Oscar Pareja was looking for some more energy up top but Michel didn’t provide much for his team. He only completed 66.7% of his nine passes and all three of his shots were off target.

MF, Andres Perea (65’), 5.5 — For the most part, Perea was pretty good in this game. He completed all of his 22 passes, including two long balls. However, his most impactful moment of the game was getting caught flat-footed as a quick one-two resulted in Atlanta’s goal. He fired a shot off the facing of the upper deck that he should have done better with and he had the game’s final shot when he headed a corner cross straight at the goalkeeper from a few yards out.

MF, Jake Mulraney (74’), 5.5 — Mulraney came on for Urso in the 74th minute. The midfielder completed 83.3% of his six passes, including two key passes and a long ball. Just after coming on, a lovely cross to Akindele nearly resulted in the equalizer, but Gudino made a good save. That was his only completed cross in seven attempts and took three off-target shots.

F, Tesho Akindele (75’), 5.5 — Akindele came on with Mulraney and the two almost tied the game in the 76th minute. A good ball by Mulraney found the head of Akindele, who forced Gudino into a good diving save. Akindele had one other off-target shot but that was his contribution to the game. Most importantly, he was unable to find the game-tying goal.


That’s how I saw the individual performances for Orlando City in this midweek clash. Let us know how you saw the game in the comments and don’t forget to vote on your Man of the Match.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Pedro Gallese12
Mauricio Pereyra3
Wilder Cartagena0
Rodrigo Schlegel3
Other (Tell us in the comments below)2

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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