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

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2 years ago

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Orlando City defeated Toronto FC 4-0 at Exploria Stadium on Saturday night. It was a dominating performance from the Lions heading into the international break. Earning all three points at home was a big help as Orlando City is looking to make the playoffs for a third season in a row. It was also the most goals scored by the Lions during the 2022 regular season.

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

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6.5 — El Pulpo didn’t have a lot to do on the night since Toronto only took 11 shots, and only three of those were on target. His toughest challenge of the night came on a reaction save in the 88th minute. This was Gallese’s ninth clean sheet in the regular season, and his first since the 1-0 over New York Red Bulls on Aug. 13.

D, Joao Moutinho, 6 — It was another solid outing from Moutinho. On defense, he made two tackles, three clearances, and committed two fouls. He stood up former Lion Richie Laryea in the 61st minute, taking the ball right off his foot. He did receive a yellow card in the 38th minute for a hand to the face as he tried to create some separation. Moutinho sent in six crosses on the night with the one in the 48th minute resulting in an own goal by Lukas MacNaughton.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6.5 — Schlegel showed why he’s the best backup center back in MLS. He had two tackles, seven clearances, and one blocked shot. He passed the ball at an impressive 91.7% rate and completed five of eight long balls on the night. Long balls like those are something that Orlando City has missed with Robin Jansson out due to injury, so it was nice for Schlegel to provide that for the Lions.

D, Antonio Carlos, 6.5 — Carlos was determined to get into the attack against Toronto. He took two shots — one on target — and provided the nifty back heel pass to Facundo Torres that led to the first goal. He was his typical efficient self on defense with two tackles, six interceptions, and two clearances. He passed at an 84.4% rate and was successful on one of four long balls.

D, Ruan, 6 — Ruan was his typical self. He played pretty well in defense with one tackle, one interception, and one blocked shot in the 73rd minute that saved a goal. He attempted two crosses, one of which actually made it into the 6-yard box, though Kara wasn’t able to do anything with it. He subbed off for Kyle Smith in the 80th minute.

MF, Wilder Cartagena, 6.5 — Cartagena did exactly what he was brought in to do — be an effective backup for César Araújo. He made three tackles and two interceptions on defense. He also got involved in the offense, taking one shot and making two key passes. He passed at an 88.9% rate and completed five of seven long balls. This was a very solid performance from the Peruvian.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 6.5 — The captain once again played a little deeper in the midfield providing more defense while still directing the offense. Defensively he made one tackle and had two interceptions. Offensively, he did not take any shots but did have two key passes, including a perfect through ball to Kara for Orlando City’s second goal. He completed 84.4% of his passes, including five of five long balls. He was subbed off for Andres Perea in the 71st minute.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 8 (MotM) — From the start, Iván Angulo was all over the pitch on both offense and defense. Angulo led the team with five shots — two on target — and contributed two key passes. He had a team-high 92.6% passing rate on 27 passes, with one cross. He completed his only long ball, and his only through ball provided the assist on Tesho Akindele’s goal. On defense, he made two interceptions, and on clearance. Most importantly, his work rate was outstanding. He was everywhere along the left side, and seemed to be completely in tune with Torres. He figured in three of the four goals, getting a primary assist on Akindele’s, a secondary assist on Torres’ opener, and his pass sent Moutinho to the end line on the play that resulted in the own goal. This was Angulo’s best match so far as a Lion and as such it was deserving of our pick for Man of the Match.

MF, Junior Urso, 6.5 — The Bear put in his normal efficient shift. He sniffed out trouble in Toronto’s half before it could develop. He had three dribbles and worked well with Pereyra and Torres in attack. His only shot was on target, but it was saved. He passed at an impressive 91.2% rate, with two key passes, and connected on three of his four long balls.

MF, Facundo Torres, 7.5 — Torres continued his run of good form scoring the first goal of the match in the 9th minute. After receiving the back heel pass from Carlos, he moved from the right side, along the top of the box, and finally smashed the ball inside the near post with his left foot. It was such a perfect shot that he froze Toronto keeper Quentin Westberg. As I mentioned, he and Angulo were seemingly reading each other’s minds. He almost scored a brace on a pass from Angulo, but he hit the left post. To be especially fair, the angle on that shot wasn’t great. He finished with three shots — one on target — and one key pass. He drew four fouls, and made one interception. He wasn’t perfect, as he passed at an 81.2% rate, and had a giveaway in the 60th minute that was the result of poor communication with Urso. Regardless, this was another excellent performance from the Young Designated Player.

F, Ercan Kara, 6.5 — Kara showed what he can do when given proper service. His run on Pereyra’s assist in the 22nd minute was perfectly timed and his finish was clinical. He almost added an assist when he chested the ball in the box to Angulo for shot that resulted in a corner kick rather than a goal. Kara’s second shot was not on target and seems to have been an homage to Carlos Rivas, as it hit the Heineken sign. Kara actually assisted on the defensive end as well, making one interception. He was subbed off in the 71st minute for Benji Michel.

Substitutes

F, Benji Michel (71’), 5 — Michel only had six touches after coming on for Kara, and two of those were aerials he won. The other four touches were passes, but he only completed one of them. He probably should have won a free kick and a red card on Shane O’Neill for denial of a goal-scoring opportunity on a late potential breakaway but the foul wasn’t given. The important thing is he didn’t do any harm and helped the team see out the victory.

MF, Andrés Perea (71’), 6 — Perea was pretty active after he came on for Pereyra. He took two shots, including a header that went wide in the 95th minute. He passed at an 83.3% rate, with one key pass, and he completed one of two long balls. Defensively, he made four tackles, one interception, and committed two fouls. A very solid night for the young man.

D, Kyle Smith (80’), 5.5 — The Accountant didn’t have any last-minute heroics in this match, and that is fine. The match was well in hand before he entered the match, and he helped see it out. Defensively, he made one tackle, one interception, and one clearance. Smith made one key pass — a good ball to Perea that was headed wide — and one cross.

F, Tesho Akindele (80’), 6.5 — Akindele scored his third goal of the season in the 84th minute to really emphasize how over the match was at that point. He made a nifty little move to run onto the pass from Angulo, and one-timed the ball inside the far post. Akindele also contributed a key pass.

MF, Nicholas Gioacchini (85’), N/A — Gioacchini came on late for Cartagena. He only had three touches, and passed at a 33.3% rate.

That’s how I saw the individual performances for Orlando City in this Eastern Conference bout. 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
Facundo Torres17
Ercan Kara0
Ivan Angulo29
Mauricio Pereyra0
Other (Tell us in the comments below)0

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Orlando City

How Orlando City’s Offense Stacks Up Against What Atlanta Does Defensively

How Orlando City has performed against teams playing with three or four defenders, and how that may influence the playoff game against Atlanta United.

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13 hours ago

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November 21, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

The most famous quote about real estate is that “there are three things that matter in property: location, location, location.” Soccer coaches also like to think in threes, especially when it comes to points, but for a soccer coach, the three things that matter might be the rhyming triplet “formation, formation, formation,” as that is where they will have the biggest influence on every game that their team plays.

Throughout his tenure as head coach, Óscar Pareja has preferred to use a 4-2-3-1 as his formation (fbref.com’s lineup data shows that the Lions primarily played a 4-2-3-1 in 65% of their MLS matches this season, and 79% of their MLS matches during the last three seasons). The Lions have lined up in a 4-2-3-1 during each of their last 14 games, and my confidence level is strong to quite strong (can you believe Meet the Parents came out 24 years ago?) that they will do so once again on Sunday when they host Atlanta United.

Atlanta United also prefers to deploy a 4-2-3-1, but was less consistent than Orlando City this season during MLS play, as evidenced by the chart below that shows how Atlanta lined up this season:

The purpose of this image is a table to show how Atlanta United lined up in 2024 (mostly in a 4-2-3-1 but also in one of six other formations).

I am relying on the coders at Opta for their evaluation of the formation, as I do not watch a lot of Atlanta United matches (sounds terrible), but though Atlanta primarily played with four defenders in more than two-thirds of its matches, during the last two matches it played a 3-5-2, the only two matches all season in which interim coach Rob Valentino rolled out that formation. I suspect that the formation change was related partially to playing Inter Miami and trying to defend the Herons’ dynamic offense and partially due to an injury suffered by defender Brooks Lennon in the first game of that series. So, while Atlanta primarily played four in the back for most of the season, there is a good chance it will roll with what worked against Florida’s second-best MLS team when it plays Florida’s best MLS team this weekend.

Now, if you want to read more about Atlanta, then you can read our match preview, which will drop Sunday morning, but I want to look at how Orlando did against teams that play similar styles. Looking only at MLS games, the table below shows how Orlando City performed against different back line structures this season (the left side is how the Lions’ opponents lined up, the right side is how Orlando City performed against opponents in those formations):

Table embedded as an image showing Orlando City doing best in goal differential in 12 games against three-man back lines, second best against four-man back lines, and having played once against a five-man back line (a 1-1 draw).

Orlando City earned slightly more points per game — the stat that matters most — against teams that played four in the back, but the Lions had a better average goal differential when teams played three in the back. Atlanta will likely deploy one of those two formations. In both games against Orlando City this season, Sunday’s visitors went with a 4-2-3-1, but as mentioned earlier, they used three in the back in each of their last two matches, so it really could be either.

Soccer is not like baseball, where players primarily stay in the same spot throughout the game, so some of these stats have to be taken with a grain of salt, as players are not always rigidly in the same position throughout a match. A team may also primarily play with four in the back but switch to three when chasing a game, or five when trying to protect against a late goal.

That said, using the data around Orlando City’s opponents’ general formations, here are the attacking groups who played the most frequently against four defenders during the 24 MLS games where Opta coded the opponents as using a defensive group of four:

Table embedded as an image showing the most frequently used lineups against teams who deploy four defenders. The most frequently used attacking group has a plus eight goal differential for the season.

It is a little ominous that the main starting group, shown in row one, has played 666 MLS minutes against back lines of four this season, but do I like that green goal differential of +8 in those minutes, which is a strong +1.08 per 90 minutes. I like that goal differential more than I like all the things that Cardi B, Bad Bunny, and J Balvin like on their song that is creatively named “I Like It.” Coincidentally, when people ask me what I think about that song, I say, “I like it.” I am very creative.

If we look at the lineups that Orlando City has used against back lines of three defenders then there are some pretty major differences in personnel groupings, but it must be noted that more than half of the games against teams playing three in the back came early in the season, when Ramiro Enrique was unavailable to play. Enrique, my presumed starter at striker, has played fewer than three games’ worth of minutes (265 total) against back lines of three this season, and only 28 minutes with the main starting group, which ranks 13th among all the attacking lineups for minutes played against three defenders. That group scored one goal in their 28 minutes together though, for a robust 3.21 goals-scored-per-90-minutes average.

While the team as a whole has been successful against three-man back lines, I do not expect any of the lineups shown in the table below to play more than a few minutes together this weekend, though the first row and the last row are strong groups and had a lot of success.

Table embedded as an image showing the most frequently used lineups against teams who deploy three defenders. The most frequently used attacking group has a plus three goal differential for the season.

I am sure that all week long the Orlando City coaching staff has been going back and forth on whether it is more likely that Atlanta reverts to its most commonly used four in the back, or if the Five Stripes try for three wins in a row with three in the back. I would prefer that Atlanta plays with zero defenders and goalkeeper Brad Guzan wears a blindfold, but I think that is unlikely to be the case.

Even though Atlanta defeated Orlando City both times while in a 4-2-3-1, based on available personnel and recent results, I believe that the team will come out in a 3-5-2 in Inter&Co Stadium in the conference semifinal. Good things come in threes, and Orlando City’s best offensive production this season has been against three defenders, so I am going to be hoping that this continues, and in the third game against Atlanta the Lions grab the three points. Three’s company!

Well, it is a playoff game, so there are no actual points at stake, but you know what I meant.

Vamos Orlando!

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Orlando City vs. Atlanta United: Three Keys to Victory

What do the Lions need to do to get a victory to advance to the Eastern Conference final?

Published

15 hours ago

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November 21, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City continues its playoff journey against Atlanta United Sunday at Inter&Co Stadium. The Lions are coming off an emotional penalty shootout win over Charlotte FC in their best-of-three, first-round series. Likewise, Atlanta United stunned everyone by taking out Inter Miami to advance in its own best-of-three matchup. Now, the rivals meet in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

What does Orlando City need to do to get past Atlanta United to advance to the Easter Conference final?

Beat Guzan

Brad Guzan made 16 saves over Atlanta’s three matches against Inter Miami, including seven in the 3-2 win on the road in Game 3. The 40-year-old former USMNT keeper is in excellent form and is a big reason why the Five Stripes are facing Orlando City. Converting chances against Guzan will be crucial to earning a result. There have been times this season when the Lions have struggled to convert their chances. Despite that, the team has done enough offensively to get to this point. Facundo Torres, Martin Ojeda, Duncan McGuire, Ramiro Enrique, and others have contributed and will need to do so this weekend.

Cartagena is Essential

Orlando City lost twice to Atlanta United during the regular season. What is interesting, and perhaps relevant, is that Wilder Cartagena was out for both of those matches. Cartagena was shown a straight red in the match against Minnesota United prior to the first match against Atlanta way back in March. He was shown a yellow card in the match against FC Cincinnati and then served a yellow card accumulation suspension for the final match of the season against Atlanta. Fortunately for Orlando City, Cartagena will be available for the match this weekend. I’ve mentioned before the importance of Cartagena to Orlando City’s success. When he and Cesar Araujo are on the field together, the defense is simply better. Cartagena is frankly one of the better defensive midfielders in MLS. Atlanta scored five goals in the series against Miami, and Orlando will need to keep the visitors from having that kind of offensive success.

Overcome the Past

That darn international break in the middle of the playoffs is something I don’t love. More precisely, I don’t like it because Orlando City often struggles after a break. It would have been nice if Orlando City could have ridden the momentum from the penalty kick victory into the Atlanta match, but that’s not to be. Now is the time for Orlando City to break some bad habits, including turning around its historical lack of success against Atlanta, and tendency to struggle in the first match after a break. Oscar Pareja needs to have the players in the right frame of mind, and the players need to execute the plan. A full house of supporters can also make a difference. Given it’s a Sunday afternoon match, there’s no reason not to pack the house.

That is what I will be looking for Sunday afternoon. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 11/21/24

Marta’s chance to shine in NWSL Championship, NWSL and MLS award winners announced, 2025 SheBelieves Cup details, and more.

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19 hours ago

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November 21, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve been spending most of this week plotting out some holiday shopping to make things a little less stressful for myself over the next few weeks. A big weekend filled with Orlando soccer awaits us, so make sure to get any errands or obligations out of the way sooner rather than later. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Spotlight Falls On Marta in NWSL Championship

There are plenty of storylines heading into Saturday’s NWSL Championship between the Orlando Pride and Washington Spirit, including Marta’s opportunity to put an exclamation point on what has been an excellent season for the Pride. Orlando has been enjoying the fruits of its labor this season after a rebuild over the past few years that’s included plenty of change in the City Beautiful. Marta has been a constant, however, enduring some difficult seasons since joining the Pride and adapting her game She’s scored in both of the Pride’s playoff games so far and has a chance to author a storybook ending on Saturday.

Ann-Katrin Berger Named NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year

NJ/NY Gotham FC goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger was named 2024 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year, beating out the Pride’s Anna Moorhouse and Utah Royals FC’s Mandy Haught for the honor. It was Berger’s first year in the NWSL and she’s the first European player to win the award. She only conceded 16 goals across her 22 matches for Gotham this season and was a key reason behind her team’s success. I’m not too surprised that Moorhouse did not win, considering how solid the Pride’s defense was as a whole, but this won’t take anything away from a record-breaking season for her.

Wilfried Nancy Named MLS Coach of the Year

Columbus Crew Head Coach Wilfried Nancy was voted 2024 MLS Coach of the Year after a historic season in which the Crew set club records in both points and goals. The Crew also won the Leagues Cup this summer and their 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup campaign included advancing past Tigres and Monterrey en route to the final. This is Nancy’s first time being named Coach of the Year and he has been a finalist for the award every year since 2021. The Frenchman received 40.02% of the vote, winning the award over Inter Miami’s Gerardo Martino and Colorado Rapids Head Coach Chris Armas.

2025 SheBelieves Cup Details Unveiled

The 10th annual SheBelieves Cup will take place next year and the tournament will return to its usual format where each of the four teams plays each other once. The United States Women’s National Team will host Japan, Colombia, and Australia in February in what should be an exciting tournament. The U.S. will take on Colombia on Feb. 20 in Houston before facing Australia in Arizona on Feb. 23 and finishing the tournament on Feb. 26 against Japan at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego. These games will also be the first domestic games of 2025 for the USWNT as it prepares to qualify for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.

Eric Quill Named FC Dallas Head Coach

FC Dallas announced that Eric Quill will become the team’s next head coach. Quill joins Dallas after a great year with New Mexico United that included trips to the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals and USL Championship Western Conference semifinals. It’s also a reunion of sorts for Quill, as he previously coached North Texas SC and was named USL League One Coach of the Year with the club in 2019. Dallas missed out on the playoffs this season, with Peter Luccin coaching the team on an interim basis after the firing of Nico Estevez in June.

Free Kicks

  • District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser challenged Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer to a bet involving this weekend’s NWSL Championship, with embarrassing lightshows on the line.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

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