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

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2 years ago

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Orlando City went to Fort Lauderdale with an opportunity to almost clinch a playoff spot and maintain an opportunity for a playoff home game. Instead, the Lions were embarrassed by Inter Miami 4-1, making Sunday’s game against the Columbus Crew likely a win-or-go-home contest, although there is a less likely scenario in which a draw could get Orlando in.

Let’s take a look at how the Lions did in this devastating loss to Inter Miami.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 5.5 — It’s hard to give a goalkeeper a high score when he concedes four times. It’s even harder when that goalkeeper doesn’t record a save. But that’s what happened in this game with Gallese. The only goal Gallese probably should’ve stopped was the opening goal inside the first minute, but he was caught well off his line on an unexpected turnover by Kyle Smith. Gallese’s distribution was good, as he completed 88.9% of his 18 passes and seven of his nine long balls.

D, Joao Moutinho, 5.5 — This wasn’t a bad game by Moutinho as he wasn’t at fault for any of the goals — the only defender who can say that. He completed 87.8% of his 41 passes, including two key passes, three of his seven crosses, and two of his three long balls. Defensively, the left back recorded one tackle but no other defensive stats. He also had one off-target shot.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 4 — It was a very tough game for Schlegel, who was partly at fault for the first two Miami goals. Inside the first minute, the center back was caught ball watching, allowing Leo Campana to get behind and chip Pedro Gallese. On the second goal, Schlegel got sucked up too far, allowing Indiana Vassilev to play Ariel Lassiter behind him, creating the second goal. His statistics didn’t help much either, as he only recorded two tackles, one interception, and one clearance. He completed 87.2% of his 39 passes, but that wasn’t enough to absolve him from his poor defending.

D, Antonio Carlos, 4 — Similar to Schlegel, Carlos takes some of the blame for three Miami goals. He got caught ball watching on the first, got caught in no-man’s land, as he didn’t commit to either attacker on the second, and got beat by Lassiter, who drew the penalty for the third. He also picked up a booking, which got him suspended for Sunday’s game. Defensively, Carlos only had one tackle and two interceptions. He completed 94.6% of his 37 passes, including all three long balls, but those stats don’t make up for his poor defending on the night.

D, Kyle Smith, 5 — Smith’s pass attempt that was blocked by Robert Taylor inside the first minute helped to spring Campana free for the first goal. However, that was the only one of the four goals for which he can take some blame. He completed 81.5% of his 27 passes and two of his six crosses. The right back had no defensive statistics and was removed at halftime for the more attack-minded Ruan.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 6 — Araujo has been one of Orlando City’s best players. It wasn’t his best game but he wasn’t bad either. Araujo had a team-high four tackles and one interception in 90 minutes. He completed 97% of his team-high 66 passes and had one key pass. Most importantly, he wasn’t booked so he’ll be available on Sunday.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 6 (MotM) — Pereyra was arguably the team’s best player on the night, completing 82% of his 50 passes, including two key passes. He completed all three of his crosses and four of his five long balls. Defensively, Pereyra had two tackles and two interceptions.

MF, Benji Michel, 5 — It was a forgettable game for Michel, who completed 80% of 15 passes, two long balls, and attempted one inaccurate cross. He only got one shot off and that was off target as he took a touch before shooting, which allowed a defender to block it out for a corner. The Homegrown attacker came off at halftime for Ivan Angulo.

MF, Junior Urso, 6 — Urso completed 86.4% of his 44 passes in this game, including all six long balls. He made three key passes, including one in the 71st minute to Facundo Torres that allowed the midfielder to set up Ercan Kara for the Lions’ lone goal. Additionally, Urso record two tackles and one off-target shot.

MF, Facundo Torres, 6 — Torres completed 91.2% of his 57 passes in this game, including three of his four long balls. However, he failed to convert on all three of his crosses and both shots were off target. His primary contribution to the game was a nice turn in the 71st minute, creating enough room to play Kara through for the team’s goal, tallying an assist on the play.

F, Tesho Akindele, 4.5 — Akindele was given the start in this game in place of Kara and the striker didn’t help the team’s cause. He only completed 83.3% of his 12 passes and took three off-target shots.

Substitutes

MF, Ivan Angulo (45’), 6 — Angulo came on for Michel at halftime and was much better. The attacking midfielder completed all of his 10 passes, including four key passes, and two of his five crosses. However, both of his shots were off target.

D, Ruan (45’), 5 — Ruan came on for Smith at halftime to provide some more attack in the team. While he might’ve been a little unlucky, his handball just after halftime gave Miami a penalty, resulting in the Herons’ third goal. He did complete 88.2% of his 17 passes, but only one of his four crosses. One of those poor crosses would have given Kara a late sitter but he left his chip low enough for the goalkeeper to catch.

F, Ercan Kara (45’), 5.5 — Kara came on at halftime for Akindele and, like Angulo, did much better than the starter. Kara only had nine touches and two were unstable, but he converted the team’s only goal in the 71st minute. Additionally, Kara completed both of his pass attempts and his other shot was off target.

D, Mikey Halliday (63’), 5 — Halliday came on in the 63rd minute for Mountinho, who was one yellow card away from a suspension. The appearance by the Homegrown was to ensure that Moutinho didn’t get suspended for Sunday’s regular season finale. Halliday completed 93.3% of his 15 passes and had one incomplete cross. Defensively, he recorded just one tackle.

MF, Wilder Cartagena (63’), 5.5 — Cartagena was expected to come on for Araujo, who was one yellow card away from a suspension. Instead, he came on for Pereryra in the 63rd minute. Cartagena completed 88.6% of his 35 passes, including three of five long balls, but didn’t complete his only cross attempt. He took three shots and all were off target. Defensively, the midfielder had one tackle in his 27 minutes of action.

Some players had decent games but nobody on the team was spectacular. The Lions didn’t look to be in the game from the opening kickoff and were quickly chasing a deficit. As a result, they almost certainly need all three points Sunday against the Columbus Crew at Exploria Stadium.

This is how I saw Orlando City’s 4-1 loss to Inter Miami. Let’s us know what you thought of the individual players’ performances in the comments below and don’t forget to vote on the Man of the Match, if there was one.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Mauricio Pereyra2
Ercan Kara2
Facundo Torres8
Junior Urso1
Cesar Araujo2
Other (Let us know in the comments)5

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. FC Cincinnati: Three Keys to Victory

What does Orlando City need to do to ensure a victory over FC Cincinnati Saturday at home?

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2 hours ago

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May 2, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City looks to bounce back from the disappointing 2-1 loss to Toronto FC Saturday night at Inter&Co Stadium. Cincinnati has twice as many points as Orlando City and more than twice as many wins. FCC has only scored one more goal than Orlando City, but with only nine goals conceded compared to Orlando City’s 17, it’s easy to see why Cincinnati is sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference.

What I’m trying to say is that the task doesn’t get any easier this weekend. What does Orlando City need to do to secure all three points at home against FC Cincinnati?

Accost Acosta

Cincinnati’s attack revolves around Luciano Acosta. The attacking midfielder has four goals and five assists so far this season. To put that into perspective, Duncan McGuire — Orlando City’s leading scorer — also has four goals but only one assist. If we look at the Lions’ attacking midfielders, Facundo Torres has one goal and one assist, Ivan Angulo and Nico Lodeiro both have one goal and two assists, and Martin Ojeda has zero goals and only one assist. Luis Muriel is still at double zeroes.

The defensive midfield and the back line must do everything possible to mark him out of the match. It’s not enough to keep him from scoring, they must also keep him from setting up chances for his teammates. Most importantly, the defense must do that for 90 minutes plus stoppage time. There is no room for the mental lapses we’ve seen throughout the first part of this season.

Break Through

Cincinnati is stingy on defense. As I mentioned above, the club has only allowed nine goals this season. The back line is formidable with the likes of Matt Miazga, Miles Robinson, and Ian Murphy. On the wings are DeAndre Yedlin and Luca Orellano. This is a tough defense, and whether it is McGuire or Muriel who gets the start, they must find the spaces in between.

Just as importantly, Torres, Angulo, Ojeda, and Lodeiro — depending on who is in at any given moment — must be able to thread the passes in for McGuire, Muriel, or each other to create quality chances. On top of that, the Lions must convert on those chances, which is not something that has been a strength so far this season. If the Orlando City defense continues to give up cheap goals, then the offense will need to one-up the competition when it comes to scoring.

Deal with an Unknown

FC Cincinnati recently signed Venezuelan forward Kevin Kelsy from Ukrainian Premier League club Shakhtar Donetsk. Kelsy comes in as an MLS U22 Initiative player and is eligible to play against Orlando City. Even though Kelsy is only 19, he has 68 professional appearances, including UEFA Champions Leagues matches. At 6-foot-3, he can be a challenge for defenders, especially in the air.

Kelsy hasn’t had much time with the team, but he could be a second-half substitution for Cincinnati. Given that Orlando City just gave up two late headers against Toronto FC, the back line will need to be careful that Kelsy doesn’t hurt the Lions in the same manner — especially if he comes on late when legs and minds are tired.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/2/24

The Pride win big, OCSC celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month, USMNT news, and more.

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5 hours ago

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May 2, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

It’s Thursday, Mane Landers. Of course, the name Thursday comes from Thor’s day, and as such, it isn’t a big leap for us to consider it Thorhallsson’s day. Though I suppose that is a bit of a mouthful, so we’ll just keep things the way they are, but do hold Dagur Dan close to your heart today. Also, let us wish a happy birthday to the Orlando Pride’s Luana. Despite the devastating news that dropped about her health earlier this week, we hope that her spirits are high and we wish her nothing but happiness today. It’s also Dagur Dan Thorhallsson’s birthday today, so we’re celebrating him as well. Let’s get to the links.

The Pride Dominate the Courage

The Orlando Pride defeated the North Carolina Courage 4-1 in a midweek match at Inter&Co Stadium. The Pride did indeed dominate the Courage as much as the score line indicates. It was once again the Barbra Banda show, with the Pride’s newest player contributing a brace and an assist on the night. It is the Pride’s fourth straight victory and the undefeated run continues.

OCSC Celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month

Orlando City and the Orlando Pride are doing their part this May to observe Mental Health Awareness Month. The club is sponsoring and attending events and forums available to the general public, as well as holding club staff workshops around promoting mental health. I have to say my favorite is the therapy dogs visits that will be available to the staff. There’s nothing as good for my personal mental health as the joy and unconditional love a dog can bring. If I didn’t have dogs of my own, I’d be really jealous.

The Billionaires Clubs

Orlando City and Orlando Pride owners, the Wilf family, are not the only billionaire owners in the NWSL. There are more and more owners and ownership groups that fall into that category. The influx of more money is a growth opportunity for the league and potentially for those owners. It’s a bit of a “rising tide lifts all boats” mentality for these owners as they do better when the league as a whole does better. It’s not just the owners who think so. The NWSL was ranked No. 5 on the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2024. I’m just glad the Pride are in the club.

USMNT News

I hate starting off a section with bad news, but Sergino Dest tore his ACL in training with PSV Eindhoven and will miss the Copa America. Dest will require surgery though there is no time frame yet for when he may return. The loss of Dest is a blow to the U.S. defense heading into the competition this coming June. The USMNT plays Bolivia on June 23.

In better news, Tim Weah provided the assist for Juventus on Arkadiusz Milik’s goal against Lazio. Juventus entered the second leg of the Copa Italia semifinal up 2-0, but Lazio drew level before Milik’s goal. Juventus advanced 3-2 on aggregate and will play in the final.

Free Kicks

That will do it for today. There’s plenty more soccer to come this weekend with all three teams playing. Check back for more as we get you ready for those matches. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/1/24

Mason Stajduhar was arrested, Orlando Pride play at home tonight, Colin Guske discusses his signing, and more.

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1 day ago

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May 1, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday and welcome to May, Mane Landers. Don’t forget that the undefeated Orlando Pride are in action tonight, so check back for our match preview and the latest episode of SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride PawedCast for additional pre-match coverage. In the meantime, let’s get to the links.

Mason Stajduhar Arrested Early Sunday

Orlando City goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar and his wife Tatiana Stajduhar were both arrested on disorderly conduct charges following an incident at a nightclub overnight Saturday in the early hours of Sunday morning. The couple were reportedly disrespectful to the club’s staff and got into an altercation with the security guards. Mason stated he was only resisting the security guards to re-enter the club because the bouncers allegedly hit his wife. Tatiana allegedly pushed the police officers after they arrived, and she was not charged with battery on a law enforcement officer. The couple were released Monday after posting a bond. Orlando City provided the following statement to WESH 2 News:

“The Club is aware that goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar was arrested early Sunday morning. We are currently gathering more information and will have no further comment at this time.”

Orlando Pride Host the North Carolina Courage Tonight

After a 3-2 win on the road last Friday against the Washington Spirit, the Orlando Pride are back in the City Beautiful and will take on the North Carolina Courage tonight. Unbeaten in their six games so far this season, the Pride have also won their past three games and sit fourth in the standings. They’re tied on points with a Courage team that beat the Seattle Reign Saturday. Orlando has scored at least one goal in every match this season. Forward Barbra Banda had a great performance in that win against the Spirit, so hopefully the scoring trend continues tonight for the Pride.

Orlando City/Pride Earn Golden Brick Awards

Have you enjoyed the new food options at the stadium? I know I have, and I’m looking forward to trying even more. The efforts made by Orlando City’s front office to feature more local food and beverage options did not go unnoticed, as the club won the Hospitality & Dining category in the Downtown Orlando Partnership’s 2023 Golden Brick Awards. The Orlando Pride’s 2023 Highway Woman Kit also won the award in the Arts & Culture category. The home jersey was inspired by the work of Mary Ann Carroll, the sole woman in the famed Highwaymen artists from decades ago.

Colin Guske Speaks On Signing First Pro Contract

Orlando City Development Academy player Colin Guske signed his first professional contract with the club last month and spoke on the importance of this moment in his career. The 17-year-old is now on an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Orlando City B, and he has started in nearly every game for the Young Lions this year. Both of Guske’s brothers have also played for Orlando City’s academy over the years, and he thanked his family for helping him reach this point.

“It’s awesome to represent the Guskes,” Colin said. “Thanks to my brothers for always pushing me through early mornings and late nights, always putting in the work, doing video sessions, everything. My sister as well, for always being there for me and my parents, too. They’re always helping me and what was the best for me.”

Free Kicks

  • Enjoy all of the sights and sounds from the Pride’s big win over the Spirit in the nation’s capital.
  • The Champions League semifinals are underway and Real Madrid and Bayern Munich played to a 2-2 draw in Germany. The second leg will take place on May 8 in Madrid.

That will do it for today. If you can make it out to the stadium tonight to catch the Pride in action, I strongly suggest you do so. Barbra Banda is about to take the NWSL by storm and you’ll want to see it in person. Vamos Orlando!

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