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Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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2 years ago

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Orlando City started the 2023 MLS Regular Season with a 1-0 victory over the visiting New York Red Bulls. New York doubled Orlando City’s shot total, but Facundo Torres made a penalty kick when it mattered to give the Lions the win.

Let’s take a look at how each Lion performed individually in the opening day victory.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 7 — El Pulpo made four saves and three clearances to earn his first clean sheet of the season and help give Orlando City the win. Gallese didn’t have that much to do as New York didn’t get many shots on target, but he stopped the ones they did get on frame. He was fouled twice in the same way by two different Red Bulls players blocking his kick by stepping in front of him. The biggest save came in the 86th minute when he made a stop with his shoulder at point blank range. His final save came on the last free kick in the 98th minute and was the last play of the match. His distribution was good when he wasn’t being fouled. He connected on eight long balls, on 28 passes, two long balls, and a 60.5% passing rate.

D, Luca Petrasso, 5.5 — Petrasso was mostly solid on the left for Orlando City. Like most on the defense, he occasionally got beat but usually recovered. Petrasso also contributed on the offensive side of the ball. He made a good cross in the 15th minute, but it was cleared by the defense. He won a free kick in the 17th minute for Orlando City, but it didn’t amount to anything. Defensively, he made two tackles, and one clearance. Petrasso had 43 touches with 24 passes and a 75% passing rate.

D, Robin Jansson, 5.5 — Jansson was the leader on the back line for the Lions. That’s not to say he was perfect. He got beat on the ball in the 16th minute, but Gallese got to the ball to bail him out. He also gave the ball away and then committed the foul in the 22nd minute that gave the Red Bulls a dangerous free kick. He finished with one tackle, two clearances, one blocked shot, and one aerial won. He had 58 touches with 51 passes and a 70.6% passing rate. He grew into the game and eventually settled into the defender we expect.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 5.5 — Schlegel was mostly solid on the night and amazingly didn’t commit any fouls when the team committed 16. He had one tackle, one interception, one clearance, and two blocked shots. He had 48 touches with 38 passes for a 73.7% passing rate. He also won three aerials. Despite getting beat on a few plays, he did his share to keep the clean sheet.

D, Michael Halliday, 5 — The young defender occasionally got caught too far up the field, but he was having to battle John Tolkin most of the night. When he was in the attack he provided four crosses, with two of them well-placed. In his battle with Tolkin, he didn’t give up when he lost the ball in the 45th minute, but went and got it back, earning a throw-in. He fouled Tolkin in the 95th minute of stoppage just outside the box to give the red Bulls a free kick, but they were unable to convert. Statistically, he made two tackles, one interception, and two clearances, He had 48 touches with 28 passes for a 71.4% passing rate.

MF, César Araújo, 5.5 — It wasn’t a perfect night for the typically rock-solid defensive midfielder, but it wasn’t too bad either. He literally turned a defender around 360 degrees to earn a foul at one point. He had a bad giveaway in the 47th minute, but made up for it with a body block on the resulting shot. Statistically, he had two tackles, one interception, two clearances, and suffered six fouls in addition to the blocked shot. He had a total of 66 touches with 44 passes and a 77.4% passing rate. He also contributed a headed shot that produced the handball on New York.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 7 (MotM) — Angulo was everywhere up and down the left side of the field — and occasionally in the center and on the right. He had two dribbles and drew two fouls. He passed at a 71.4% rate on 21 passes, with a total of 36 touches. Defensively, he made three tackles, one interception, and received a yellow card for time wasting the 76th minute. He committed the foul in the 98th minute for a Red Bulls free kick, which was the opposition’s last chance at goal. Fortunately, it didn’t matter. The entire match he seemed to be in the right place to stifle a Red Bulls attack, or to move the ball forward for Orlando.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 6 — Everyone, including Pereyra, was shaking off the cobwebs while dealing with New York’s high press. His deeper role meant he had to play more defense, and occasionally he got beat. Defensively, he managed one tackle, one interception, and committed one foul. He also earned a yellow in the 76th for time wasting. However, his passing was excellent at a team-high 81.4% on 43 passes.

MF, Facundo Torres, 6.5 — Torres took three shots, with only one on target. The good thing is that one was the penalty kick that gave Orlando City the lead, the win, and the team’s first win of the season. It was his corner kick to Araujo’s head that resulted in the handball for penalty. He passed at a 78.1% rate on 32 passes. He had one key pass, and one dribble. Like many on the team, the timing isn’t quite there so early in the season.

MF, Martín Ojeda, 5.5 — Ojeda was willing to get physical early and often tried to break the Red Bull press. He had some good ideas, but you can see his timing still a little off with his teammates. He managed one shot, though it wasn’t on target. His corner in the 74th minute was touched by the keeper, but it wasn’t called and resulted in a goal kick. He passed at a 62.5% rate on 24 passes with 34 total touches. He subbed off in the 78th minute for Dagur Dan Thorhallsson.

F, Ercan Kara, 4.5 — With Orlando City unable to break through the press most of the night, Kara’s touches and opportunities were understandably limited. He worked back into the midfield when needed to try to win balls and combine with teammates, but there just weren’t many of those opportunities with New York winning the bulk of the first balls. Kara only managed 13 touches, passed at a 66.7% rate on nine passes, and committed three fouls. He came off in the 63rd minute for Ramiro Enrique.

Substitutes

F, Ramiro Enrique (63’), 6 — Enrique came on for Kara and made a definite impact on the match. He provided some pace against the opposition’s tired legs. He made a nifty move in the 80th minute past Tolkin, took the ball across the top of the box, and took a shot, but it deflected wide for a corner. He had 14 touches, with three passes and a 66.7% passing rate. Defensively, he had one tackle and one clearance.

MF, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson (78’), N/A — Dagur Dan made his MLS debut, coming on for Ojeda. With only three touches, and three passes, Thorhallsson didn’t do enough to earn a grade.

MF, Wilder Cartagena (90’), N/A — Cartagena came on for Pereyra. With only four touches, one pass, and one aerial won, Cartagena didn’t do enough to earn a grade.

D, Kyle Smith (90’), N/A — Smith came on for Torres to transition the defense into a five-man back line. With only one touch, and one pass, Smith didn’t do enough to earn a grade.

That’s how I saw the individual performances in a season opening victory 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
Rodrigo Schlegel11
Robin Jansson17
Dagur Dan Thorhallsson1
Pedro Gallese139
Cesar Araujo1
Someone Else (tell us in the comments)1

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Lion Links: 1/21/25

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

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16 hours ago

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January 21, 2025

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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!

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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.

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2 days ago

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January 20, 2025

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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.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/20/25

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

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2 days ago

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January 20, 2025

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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.

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