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

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3 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: 6/22/26

OCB falls to Philadelphia Union II, Orlando City linked to Santiago Gimenez, USMNT defeats Australia in World Cup, and more.

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2 hours ago

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June 22, 2026

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Image of Matthew Belgodere of OCB firing a shot against Philadelphia Union II.
Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Justin Glatt

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida, and belated happy Father’s Day to all you dads out there. I checked out a couple of World Cup watch parties with friends up here in Chicago over the past week while staying busy at work. Besides that, I’ve been watching plenty of World Cup matches over the last few days. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

OCB Falls to Philadelphia Union II

Orlando City B fell 2-1 to Philadelphia Union II at Osceola County Stadium Sunday, ending its four-match winning streak. After a scoreless first half, Philadelphia took a 1-0 lead in the second half. Theo Reed added another for Philadelphia, increasing the lead to 2-0 . Bernardo Rhein pulled one back for the Young Lions with a goal in stoppage time, but it was not enough as Philadelphia held on for the three points and snapped its three-match winless streak. OCB will be back in action against Columbus Crew 2 Sunday at Osceola County Stadium.

Orlando City Linked with AC Milan Forward Santiago Gimenez

The latest transfer rumor links Orlando City with AC Milan forward Santiago Gimenez for a potential move to the club this summer. No official offer from the club has been made, but according to reports in Italy, Orlando City is prepared to offer a $30 million transfer fee for Gimenez for AC Milan to consider. AC Milan would be open to letting Gimenez leave the club if an appropriate offer arrives, as the club is reportedly set to pursue Paris Saint-Germain forward Goncalo Ramos.

USMNT Defeats Australia, Clinches Group

The U.S. Men’s National Team defeated Australia 2-0 at Lumen Field in Seattle Friday to win its second match in the group stage and advance to the knockout round in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Former Lion Alex Freeman played a full 90 minutes and scored his first World Cup goal. The Yanks took the lead from an own goal by Australia defender Cameron Burgess to take a 1-0 lead. Later in the first half, Freeman delivered a fantastic header that was initially ruled offside, though replay showed he was able to remain onside. After video review, the goal counted, extending the USMNT’s lead to 2-0, and the Yanks saw it out from there. The Americans held on to secure two consecutive wins in a World Cup for the first time since 1930, have clinched the top of Group D, and will face a third-place team in the Round of 32. The USMNT will face Turkey Thursday in its final group stage match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. After Friday’s match, midfielder Tyler Adams offered his perspective on Freeman’s goal.

World Cup Roundup

On Friday, Paraguay beat Turkey 1-0 to stay alive while eliminating its opponents from advancing to the knockout round. Orlando City midfielder Braian Ojeda was on Paraguay’s bench but did not play for the second straight game. Morocco defeated Scotland 1-0, and Matheus Cunha scored twice for Brazil in a 3-0 win over Haiti. On Saturday, the Netherlands crushed Sweden 5-1, Germany overturned a 1-0 deficit to defeat Ivory Coast 2-1, and Japan beat Tunisia 4-0. Curacao goalkeeper Eloy Room tied the modern FIFA World Cup saves record in regulation with former USMNT goalkeeper Tim Howard, making 15 saves in a scoreless draw against Ecuador and securing his country’s first-ever point in a World Cup match. On Sunday, Lamine Yamal started and scored his first World Cup goal for Spain in a 4-0 win against Saudi Arabia. Belgium and Iran played to a scoreless draw, Uruguay and Cape Verde settled for a 2-2 draw, and Egypt came from behind to beat New Zealand 3-1 in the late game. Today’s matches will feature Argentina facing Austria, France taking on Iraq, Norway battling Senegal, and Jordan playing Algeria.

Latest MLS Transfer News

While Major League Soccer is on break for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a few clubs have been busy finalizing moves ahead of the summer transfer window opening next month. Inter Miami is reportedly finalizing a deal to sign Fricio Caicedo.

Miami reportedly has reached a verbal agreement with former Manchester United midfielder Casemiro, although it has reportedly not yet reached a deal with the Galaxy for his Discorvery Rights.

Lastly, Robert Lewandowski has reportedly reached an agreement to join the Chicago Fire, with an announcement confirming the move is expected soon following his departure from FC Barcelona last month.

Free Kicks

  • Check out this shoutout from Orlando City on its social media pages to all the dads on the team for Father’s Day.
  • The English Premier League released its full schedule for all its clubs for the upcoming 2026-2027 season. The new season will kick off Aug. 21, with league champions Arsenal hosting Coventry City.
  • Ipswich Town is reportedly close to finalizing an agreement with RC Strasbourg manager Gary O’Neil to become the club’s new manager.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.

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Orlando City

Flashback Friday: June 18, 2022 vs. Houston Dynamo

Let’s relive a yellow-card filled match with the Dynamo that took place just over four years ago.

Published

3 days ago

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June 19, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

The main event for today is, of course, the United States Men’s National Team’s second game of group play against Australia this afternoon. I’ll be fortunate enough to take that game in live, and I’ll probably report back on it during Monday’s subscriber newsletter, so keep an eye out for that if you’re signed up! If you’re not, you can do that here (the newsletter is a TAM or DP level perk).

In the meantime though, let’s continue our reminiscence on some memorable Orlando City games from years gone by. Last week we relived a shutout win over the Colorado Rapids that took place a little over two years ago, and today we’ll be going a little farther into the archives to June 18, 2022 and a home match against the Houston Dynamo.

The Lions were in slightly uneven form going into the match. They were on a three-game winless run (0-1-2) in league play, a four-game winless run in all competitions (0-1-3 with a shootout win after a U.S. Open Cup draw against Inter Miami), and hadn’t picked up three points in just over a month. Changing that wasn’t going to be the easiest task due to Rodrigo Schlegel being unavailable for selection due to a suspension for yellow card accumulation.

That meant that Oscar Pareja’s team consisted of Pedro Gallese in goal; Joao Moutinho, Robin Jansson, Kyle Smith, and Ruan in defense; Cesar Araujo and Junior Urso in the double pivot; Jake Mulraney, Mauricio Pereyra, and Facundo Torres in attacking midfield; and Ercan Kara leading the line.

OCSC got off to a lively start and created its first chance after just two minutes, when Moutinho sent in a cross for Mulraney, whose effort was blocked. Kara sent a header straight at Houston goalkeeper Steve Clark shortly afterward, before Corey Baird sent a shot of his own into Gallese’s chest four minutes later.

Jansson then picked up a yellow for dissent in the 14th minute, which meant he’d miss the next game due to yellow card accumulation. The Dynamo seemingly took inspiration from his booking, as Robert Avila, Adam Lundqvist, and Matias Vera all picked up yellows of their own in the space of the next seven minutes.

Orlando finally provided a non-discipline-related event in the 25th minute, when it broke the deadlock. Pereyra played a delightful stabbed ball over the top of the defense with his first touch, which fell perfectly into the path of an onrushing Torres. He then used his own first touch to play the ball hard and low across the top of the six-yard box, where Kara was on hand to put it home from close range.

The next notable moment came in the form of — you guessed it — another yellow card, as Zeca picked up Houston’s fourth of the game in just the 32nd minute. Orlando responded by Mulraney carving out a good chance for Torres four minutes later, but his effort was blocked by defender Tim Parker. Pereyra then cut Orlando’s yellow card deficit in half in the 39th minute, as he fouled Baird and paid the price.

The closing moments of the half saw a flurry of activity. Pereyra got behind the defense in the 44th minute but could only send his shot directly at Clark. Just as the clock struck 45 minutes, the Lions thought they had a penalty after the ball hit Avila on the arm, but video review rightfully changed the call to a free kick on the edge of the box. Kara nearly scored as he was somewhat surprisingly the man to take the ensuing set piece, but Clark once again made a save to keep his team in the game.

Oh, and Teenage Hadebe picked up a yellow card in the 45th minute.

At halftime, the Lions boasted more possession (52.9%-47.1%), shots (9-3), and shots on goal (4-1), but just had the 1-0 lead to show for it. The Dynamo had a vastly superior lead in yellow cards (5-2).

Houston made a couple of changes at halftime, with Darwin Quintero coming on for Avila, and Daniel Steres coming on for Parker, but Orlando started the second half as hot as it had finished the first.

Clark saved from Urso in the 48th minute after the midfielder was set up well by Torres, but the game then entered a bit of a lull as both teams tried to adjust to the Dynamo substitutions. Fortunately for Orlando, things sprang back into life in the 57th minute. Moutinho put a ball into the box that Mulraney flicked on, and while Hadebe tried to clear it, he could only get it as far as Pereyra. The captain lashed the ball on the half-volley with his left foot, and it took the slightest of deflections off Kara and ended up in the net for the Austrian’s second of the night.

It took Houston less than a minute to cut Orlando’s 2-0 lead in half, though. Zeca sent a dangerous ball into the box from the right wing, and Carlos Ferreira was able to beat Smith to it. He stuck a great header into the far corner beyond a fully stretched Gallese, and the Dynamo had life at 2-1.

The Lions nearly got their own response just a minute after conceding, but Kara’s snapshot attempt at the top of the six-yard box flashed just wide, denying the big striker a hat trick.

The 64th minute saw Gallese come off his line to try to clear the danger during a Dynamo break, but he got none of the ball and all of Ferreira. Fortunately, referee Rosendo Mendoza was content to give El Pulpo a yellow card and the Lions managed to keep all 11 men on the field.

Pareja made a series of changes to try to keep Orlando fresh and in control, but Houston kept carving out good chances. The Dynamo hit the post with the free kick that was awarded for Gallese’s foul, and substitute Tyler Pasher forced El Pulpo into saves in the 72nd and 76th minutes to preserve OCSC’s slim advantage.

The 87th minute had hearts in mouths for the Orlando City faithful, as Thorleifur Ulfarsson went down in the box under pressure from Smith, and there were immediately questions about a foul. The Accountant was proven innocent by the replays though, and when Mendoza went to his pocket it was to show Ulfarsson a yellow card for simulation.

Orlando had a chance to put the game to bed as the clock ticked into the 90th minute, but Benji Michel put his shot over the bar from about seven yards away, and it looked to be a hugely consequential miss when Quintero put the ball into the net for Houston in the final minute of added time. The assistant referee rightfully pulled the play back for offside though, and the Lions managed to escape with a welcome three points.

The final stats saw Houston with the edge in possession (53.8%-46.2%) but the Lions with an edge in shots (18-13), shots on target (6-5), and duels won (52-45). Perhaps most crucially, the Dynamo finished with a whopping six yellow cards to Orlando’s pitiful (by comparison) three.

Ryan Smith handled our Player Grades for this one, and he gave Pereyra the Man of the Match nod with a grade of 8 out of 10. Other high earners were Kara with a 7.5, and Gallese and Torres, who each received a 7.

That’ll do it for today’s glimpse into the past. I’ll see you right back here next Friday for another trip down memory lane. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 6/19/26

USMNT takes on Australia today, Christian Pulisic’s availability still in question, Canada wins big, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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June 19, 2026

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Image of Maxime Crepeau taking a goal kick against Atlanta.
Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Happy Friday! Last Friday, we all got to enjoy the U.S. kicking off its World Cup campaign with an emphatic win. Hopefully, the Yanks can replicate that performance in today’s game. It should be a fun start to a weekend filled with soccer, including an Orlando City B home game on Sunday. If the soccer bug has bitten you this month, make sure to go out and support the Young Lions!

USMNT Hosts Australia Today in World Cup

The United States Men’s National Team returns to action this afternoon with a match against Australia in Seattle — the team’s second game of this year’s World Cup. Both teams won their first games of the tournament, with the U.S. dominating Paraguay 4-1 and Australia beating Turkiye 2-0. American forward Folarin Balogun scored a brace in that win and the U.S. will look to keep the attacking momentum flowing against a formidable Australian defense. A win tonight by either side would go a long way towards winning Group D, which would notably face one of the third-place teams to start the knockout stage.

Christian Pulisic’s Availability Up in the Air

It’s still unclear if American star Christian Pulisic will play for the USMNT today as he works his way back from injury. The 27-year-old notched an assist in the win against Paraguay but had to exit at halftime after aggravating a calf injury picked up in training. Sebastian Berhalter came on for him in that match, but it will be interesting to see if USMNT Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino opts for Giovanni Reyna or Tim Weah instead. Pochettino did state that he’ll be available for the game against Turkiye if he doesn’t play today, so that’s good at least.

Canada Cruises to Big Win Over Qatar

Orlando City goalkeeper Maxine Crepeau started in goal but had little to do in Canada’s 6-0 win over Qatar, which was its first-ever win at a World Cup. Former Lion Cyle Larin got the scoring started for Canada in the 16th minute with his second goal of the tournament and Jonathan David scored a hat trick. Qatar was reduced to 10 men when Homam Al-Amin was shown a straight red in the 32nd minute, and then Assim Madibo was sent off early in the second half for a tackle that resulted in a gruesome leg injury to Ismael Kone. The Canadian midfielder was stretchered off, and his replacement, Nathan Saliba, scored from a free kick and raised Kone’s shirt in celebration. Canada now sits atop Group B with a better goal differential than Switzerland, meaning it will win the group with a win or draw against the Swiss on Wednesday.

Keeping Up With the World Cup

As for the other Group B game, Switzerland beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 4-1 by scoring four times in the second half after the hydration break. Substitute Johan Manzambi scored twice, but Bosnia’s consolation goal from Ermin Mahmic could play a role in goal-differential tiebreakers. In Group A, South Africa kept its hopes alive thanks to a late penalty that Teboho Mokoena converted in a 1-1 draw against Czechia.

Along with the U.S. game, today’s action includes Morocco taking on Scotland and Brazil playing against Haiti in Group C. We’ll also get to see if Orlando City midfielder Braian Ojeda takes the field when Paraguay faces Turkiye late tonight.

Free Kicks

That’s all I have for you all this time around. I hope you all have a fantastical Friday and rest of your weekend

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