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

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3 years ago

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Orlando City continued the 2023 MLS Regular Season campaign with a 0-0 draw against visiting FC Cincinnati. Orlando City rolled out a heavily rotated squad for the match against the Orange and Blue ahead of the first leg of the club’s Concacaf Champions League match-up Tuesday at Tigres. Let’s take a look at how each Lion performed individually in week two.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 7.5 (MotM) — Gallese made four saves to earn his second clean sheet of the season and to help salvage one point at home. Facing a trio of dangerous attackers, Gallese did well to save four shots on the night in a myriad of different ways. His best save of the night came in the 29th minute on a Luciano Acosta free kick from just outside the box. He was successful on 80.8% of his passing attempts, including six long balls. On a night when there was very little help on the offensive side of the pitch and the visitors controlled the possession for a majority of the match, El Pulpo came up big when the club needed him most.

D, Kyle Smith, 6 — Smith was inserted into the starting XI at left center back for the first half as Oscar Pareja played a three-man back line for the opening 45 minutes. He then played fullback when Robin Jansson came on to start the second half, departing when Luca Petrasso was brought on as the final substitute of the night for OCSC. Turning in a performance that one has come to expect from Smith isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but there were several times when Smith found himself beaten down the sideline. To his credit, he was often able to recover, but he did get burned badly by Luciano Acosta in the 54th minute and luckily watched the shot go wide. Smith passed at 82.7%, was accurate with two of three long balls, and was responsible for one turnover. He did not attempt a shot but did provide one key pass. He also recorded three tackles, one interception, and two clearances and won 33% of his headed duels.

D, Abdi Salim, 5.5 — MLS SuperDraft pick Salim logged his first official MLS start, going the full 90 minutes. It was a bit of a mixed bag debut for the young draft pick who started with Smith and Rodrigo Schlegel as one of the three center backs. After the break, he played a more traditional center back role on the right, paired with Jansson. A little inconsistency is to be expected from a rookie when facing a team with the attacking options that FC Cincinnati has, and at times Salim seemed to be caught off guard and out of position by the pace and explosiveness of Cincinnati’s attackers. He recorded two tackles, a team-high three interceptions, and a clearance. He passed at 87% on the night, completed his lone long ball attempt, and was responsible for one turnover.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6.5 — With an injured Antonio Carlos and a starting squad with heavy rotation, Schlegel functioned as the de facto leader of the back line in the first half and was mostly solid in his 45 minutes on the pitch. Passing at a 93% rate in the first half, Schlegel was a stead force and logged his second straight match without recording a foul. He did not record any defensive statistics but had one off-target shot attempt and completed one of his two long-ball attempts.

WB/D, Michael Halliday, 6 — Halliday logged his second straight start at right back (more of a wingback for the opening 45 minutes) and continued to show growth and development. He logged 71 minutes and his brightest moment was running onto a laser of a pass from Robin Jansson in the second half and then laying a pass off for Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, who put his shot attempt just above the bar for one of the best scoring chances of the night. At times, Halliday was caught up field and out of position, which is part of playing wingback — especially against a good transition team like Cincinnati — but he looked more comfortable than last week. Halliday logged one interception and committed one foul while passing at an 83% clip. He did not record an accurate cross on one attempt and was inaccurate with his one long ball. He finished with a team-high four tackles, an interception, and two clearances.

MF, Wilder Cartagena, 5.5 — It wasn’t a perfect night for the defensive midfielder who was inserted into the starting lineup to provide rotation and rest for Ceasar Arajuo. While Cartagena passed at a decent 88% on the night, going 0/1 on crosses and 1/2 on long balls. He had a few too many careless giveaways or simply inaccurate passes which prevented the Lions from breaking out of their own end. He was booked for a questionable yellow in the 28th minute and was successful on two of his four tackle attempts. Cartagena also recorded one interception and logged two clearances.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 5 — The Orlando City captain logged his 100th competitive match in purple across all competitions, but the century mark match proved to be one of Pereyra’s shakier games in recent memory. The Uruguayan passed at an abysmal 74% success rate (his lowest percentage since Aug. 13. of last season against the New York Red Bulls). He recorded no key passes and was 0/1 on crosses and 3/5 on long balls. He had two shot attempts on the night, which were both blocked, including a poor attempt on a dangerous free kick chance in the 14th minute, and was only successful on one of his five tackle attempts. Ultimately, this will be a match to forget for a handful of reasons and Pereyra’s first-half effort will be among that list. The captain was subbed off at halftime for Araujo.

WB/MF, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, 6 — Another Lion logging his first official MLS start, Dagur Dan went the distance for Orlando City in the midfield, playing out on the left and switching spots with Gaston Gonzalez often. The Icelandic midfielder passed at an 86% success rate, was inaccurate on his one cross attempt but completed his only long ball. Thorhallsson was dispossessed twice and could have done better on his one shot attempt, which sailed over the bar. He drew one foul, recorded two successful dribbles, and logged two tackles.

MF, Gaston Gonzalez, 5.5— Orlando City fans were able to see Gonzalez in action for the first time as the MLS U22 Initiative signing from last season has finally rehabbed from an ACL tear. Any fitness concerns should be squelched as Gonzalez went the full 90 for Orlando City in his debut match. He connected on 19 of his 21 passing attempts for a 90% success rate, however, he was just 1/3 on crosses and did not complete his only long ball. Gonzalez committed three fouls, and won Orlando City one corner but otherwise did not log too many other meaningful stats in his inaugural match, although he had one clearance defensively. There were attempts at breaking down opponents 1-v-1, but it appears for now Gonzalez needs more time to develop chemistry with his teammates and more game time to get back to his former self, as he attempted no shots, provided no key passes, was dispossessed once, and had three unstable touches.

MF, Facundo Torres, 5.5 — It felt like watching the game live that for most of the first half, Orlando City could have done a better job at trying to find Torres in space. The Young Designated Player — and the offense as a whole — struggled for the second straight game. Torres only logged one shot, which was off target, and only recorded 47 total touches for the match. He passed at a 78.6% rate on 28 attempts, providing two key passes and went 1/2 on crosses and completede his only long ball. Torres was dispossessed once, had one unstable touch, and completed three of five total attempted dribbles, but again there seemed to be some disconnect in the attacking third. The attack needs work and Orlando City needs Torres to be a catalyst to get in back in gear. Defensively, Torres supplied one interception and one clearance.

F, Ercan Kara, 4.5 — Stop me if you have heard this one before, but Kara needs accurate service to be the most effective version of himself, and for the second match in a row Orlando City struggled to get the striker involved. Some of that is a credit to 6-foot-4 center back Matt Miazga’s play for FC Cincinnati. Kara recorded only 17 touches in the match, showing how starved for service the Lions’ center forward was on the night. His isolation limited him to 46.2% passing as he struggled to find teammates in traffic. He won two aerials but recorded no shots or key passes in 65 minutes of gameplay before being subbed off for Ivan Angulo. Defensively, he contributed a blocked shot.

Substitutes

D, Robin Jansson (46’), 6 — Coming out of the halftime break, Jansson replaced Schlegel as the team transitioned to a more traditional four-man back line. After a shaky debut match last week, Jansson seemed more settled and had the best long ball out of any player on the pitch when he sprung Halliday down the right side of the field, ultimately resulting in an open look for Dagur Dan. He passed at a 79% success rate, completed three of six long balls, won one aerial duel, and did not record a tackle but did log a vital blocked shot near the end of the match and finished with two clearances.

MF, Cesar Araujo (46’), 6.5 — Out of the starting lineup presumably to remain fresher for the upcoming trip to Mexico, Araujo entered the match after the break and demonstrated much better form than in the season opener. Araujo passed at a 91% clip in the second half and was successful on both of his attempted long balls and his one through ball. Defensively, Araujo drew two fouls on Cincinnati, recorded one successful tackle, and added an interception. Towards the end of the match, Araujo could be found drifting more into the attacking third of the match where he was credited with one shot attempt and had the Lions’ only shot on target of the evening, albeit a weak dribbler that offered no trouble to Roman Celentano. While the offense figures out that the ball is supposed to go in the back of the net, it will be imperative that Araujo continues to lock down force in the defensive midfield.

MF, Martín Ojeda (60’), 5.5 — Ojeda entered the game in the 60th minute to relieve Torres and recorded one shot in the 79th minute which was a scorcher that missed the target high and left from outside the 18 as he tried to catch Celentano off his line. He was accurate on 85.7% of his 21 passing attempts and his only long ball but his one cross attempt did not find the target. He contributed one interception. Due to player rotation in this match, very little was accomplished in terms of gaining experience and building chemistry between the three Designated Players as Ojeda replaced Torres, and Kara was subbed off five minutes after Ojeda entered the field.

MF, Ivan Angulo (65’), 5.5 — Angulo replaced Kara in the 65th minute and was largely ineffective for the final 25 minutes of the match, He was dispossessed twice, completed 86% of his passes, and did not record a shot attempt. He finished with one tackle and just 15 total touches.

D, Luca Petrasso (71’), 6 — Petrasso came into the match in the 71st minute for Halliday, which sent Kyle Smith to the right side of the pitch. There was some early aggression and concentrated efforts to get into the attacking third from Petrasso but he failed on a few occasions to link up with teammates or to send the ball into the box. He passed at 85.7%, but his only cross attempt was inaccurate. He did not record a tackle, interception, or shot attempt.

That’s how I saw the individual performances in the first draw of the season 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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Orlando City

2025 Orlando City Season In Review: Iván Angulo

The left winger contributed defensively but struggled offensively during his fourth season in Orlando.

Published

17 hours ago

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November 6, 2025

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Image of Ivan Angulo playing the ball against D.C. United.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City acquired midfielder Ivan Angulo on a 12-month loan from Brazilian Serie A side Palmeiras on July 25, 2022. The Lions accepted the option to extend the loan for six more months on June 22, 2023, before working out a permanent transfer for the winger on Jan. 3, 2024. That contract was through 2025 with a club option for 2026, and as of this writing, the club has yet to announce if it will pick up that club option.

Let’s take a look back at the winger’s fourth season with the Lions.

Statistical Breakdown

After a 2024 season when he was an iron man for Orlando City, starting nearly every game in all competitions and playing more than 3,500 minutes, Angulo found himself on the bench a little more frequently in 2025, though he was still the team’s primary starter out on the left wing.

In MLS regular-season play, Angulo appeared in 33 of Orlando’s 34 matches, starting 30 and playing a total of 2,317 minutes. Unlike in 2024, when he scored five goals, he went goalless, but he contributed seven assists, tied for third most on the team. He attempted 34 shots and put 11 on target. Angulo completed 84% of his passes with 36 key passes and six successful crosses. On the defensive side, he compiled 30 tackles, 18 interceptions, 17 clearances, and four blocks. He committed 20 fouls and suffered 26 and received four yellow cards.

The Colombian started the wild card game in his customary left wing spot but only played 56 minutes before coming off for Tyrese Spicer. He took one shot, putting it on target, and completed 78% of his passes. He added two tackles and two clearances on defense. He neither committed nor drew any fouls and was not booked.

Angulo was not heavily used during the U.S. Open Cup, coming off the bench during both games and playing a total of 35 minutes. He did not take any shots, but he assisted on one goal and completed 84% of his passes. Defensively, he made two tackles but did not have any other contributions.

The winger was at his best during the Leagues Cup, starting all six games and playing 534 of the 540 possible minutes. He scored his one goal of the season and added two assists in the competition. Angulo took seven shots, putting three on frame, and completed 86% of his passes with six key passes. He was an active defender, making 13 tackles, intercepting three passes, and adding two clearances and one block. He committed seven fouls, drew six on the opposition, and received one yellow card.

Best Game

Angulo’s one goal of the season came against Atlas in the Leagues Cup, but his best game of the season was against Columbus during the MLS regular season, when he recorded two assists and was a menace defensively in a 3-1 victory over the Crew. The winger led the team in tackles with five and made great plays to assist on both of Ramiro Enrique’s goals, helping the Lions come from behind to take the lead.

Angulo also was fouled in the box and would have drawn a penalty had the referee called the foul, but even without that possible goal-creating action the Colombian still contributed all over the field against Columbus, earning the Man of the Match in our player grades.

2025 Final Grade

The Mane Land awarded Angulo a composite rating of 6 out of 10 for the 2025 season, which is a slight decrease from the 6.5 out of 10 that we gave him for the 2024 season. He was one of the best defensive wing players in the league but did not offer enough offensively, leading to a reduction in minutes played as compared to 2024 and frequent offense-for-defense substitutions with Angulo coming off for Spicer late in the game.

2026 Outlook

As menioned above, Angulo is waiting on the club’s decision on whether or not to pick up his option for 2026, and with the acquisition of Spicer the Lions have a younger and cheaper player on the roster who plays the same position. Angulo is in the prime of his career at age 26 and is a better defender than Spicer, but his offensive output declined noticeably from 2024 to 2025, and it will be a difficult call for the front office on whether he is worth keeping at an increased salary or to decline the option and renegotiate or say goodbye.

If the club chooses to keep him, he will once again operate out on the left, and his minutes will likely decrease again in 2026 as he platoons with Spicer. The Colombian has one of the best work rates and sprint speeds in the entire league, so it is possible that the coaching staff also would give him a look at left back in the mold of former Lion Ruan. I expect that the club declines his option but negotiates a new deal and he is back again in purple next season.

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Orlando City

2025 Orlando City Season in Review: Dagur Dan Thórhallsson

The versatile Icelandic international lost the starting role at right back but still found ways to contribute.

Published

19 hours ago

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November 6, 2025

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Dagur Dan Thorhallsson plays the ball against the Chicago Fire.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City signed Icelandic midfielder Dagur Dan Thórhallsson on Jan. 31, 2023. The then-23-year-old was signed to a two-year deal with two additional option years for 2025 and 2026, but on July 18, 2024, the club announced that they had re-signed him to a new contract, which runs through the 2026 season with a club option for 2027. Unlike last season, when he was the starting right back, Thórhallsson was mainly a bench option after Alex Freeman’s emergence as the new starter. Despite that, he found ways to contribute in multiple ways this season.

Let’s have a look back at Thórhallsson’s third season with Orlando City.

Statistical Breakdown

Thórhallson participated in three of the four competitions Orlando City played in during 2025 — mostly as a substitute with the occasional start — logging total 1,334 minutes. Since he wasn’t the consistent starter that he was last season, Thórhallson played the role of super sub at right back and in the midfield in 2025. Even though he played fewer minutes, he played in more positions on the field, making him a valuable depth player for the Lions.

In MLS regular-season play, Thórhallson appeared in 31 matches, starting 11 and playing 1,104 minutes. He scored three goals — the most he’s scored in one season with Orlando — but didn’t record any assists. He took eight shots, putting three on target, and he completed 88% of his passes with 10 key passes, four successful crosses, and seven completed long balls. On the defensive side, he recorded 20 tackles, 10 clearances, seven interceptions, and seven blocked shots. He committed 10 fouls, suffered 16 fouls, and received three yellow cards.

Thórhallson played in both of Orlando City’s U.S. Open Cup matches, starting both and playing 174 minutes. He scored a goal against the Tampa Bay Rowdies on his only shot in the Lions’ 5-0 win on May 7 and added an assist. He completed 93% of his passes, including two key passes. Defensively, he tallied one tackle, three interceptions, and one clearance. He suffered one foul in the tournament.

During Leagues Cup play, Thórhallson started one match and came on as a substitute in another, playing a total of 56 minutes with no goals, assists, or shots. He completed 96% of his passes with two crosses. He added two interceptions, and he committed one foul and drew none. He did not receive any cards.

Best Game

Often we give Best Game when a player — especially a mostly defensive player — scores a goal, but that isn’t true for Thórhallson in 2025. His best game came in Orlando City’s 3-1 victory over Sporting Kansas City. Thórhallson went the full 90 minutes, getting the start at right back and then moving to the midfield at halftime. He did well in the first half, but once he moved to the midfield Orlando City came to life.

Thórhallson was all over the place, sniffing out threats, intercepting the opposition, and generally being an awesome menace. He had 70 touches, two successful dribbles, won six of his nine duels, suffered one foul, and passed at a 94% rate with one key pass. Defensively, he made three clearances, three tackles, and six recoveries. Despite not getting Man of the Match in the Player Grades, he did earn Man of the Match from both Michael Citro and myself on The Mane Land PawedCast.

2025 Final Grade

The Mane Land awarded Thórhallsson a composite rating of 6 out of 10 for the 2025 season, which is lower than the 6.5 rating we gave him for the 2024 season. Of course, none of us are attributing the lower grade to his being less effective, but his overall consistency wasn’t as high, likely owing to playing less regularly. Despite playing less than half the minutes he did in 2024, Thórhallsson was able to contribute at multiple positions. He never gave less than 100% when he did make the field.

2026 Outlook

I think 2026 may look a little different than 2025 for the Icelandic international, as a lot will depend on whether Alex Freeman returns and what the midfield looks like. I think Oscar Pareja likes his versatility, though in a similar way to how he likes Kyle Smith. If Freeman moves on, and if Orlando City doesn’t bring in a more experienced right back to replace him, Thórhallsson could regain that starting position he had in 2023. He could also replace Smith as a backup in multiple spots if The Accountant isn’t re-signed.

The other possibility is that Orlando City moves on from any of or all of Cesar Araujo, Wilder Cartagena, and Eduard Atuesta. If so, Thórhallsson could possibly earn a starting role in the midfield, though I find this less likely. I suspect the most likely outcome is that he will be used much as he was this season, and that is not a bad thing for the Lions. Good depth players are necessary to win trophies.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/6/25

Alex Freeman named to 2025 MLS Best XI, Orlando Pride prepare for the playoffs, U.S. wins U-17 World Cup opener, and more.

Published

22 hours ago

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November 6, 2025

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Image of Alex Freeman celebrating after scoring the tying goal at Cincinnati.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope the week is treating you well as we get ready for the Orlando Pride’s playoff game and other soccer over the next few days. It’s about that time of the year where I start trialing Thanksgiving dish ideas, which means my oven is being put through its paces. My apartment has been smelling nice at least. But enough about that, let’s get to the links!

Alex Freeman Makes 2025 MLS Best XI

MLS announced its Best XI of the 2025 season to celebrate the top players at each position, and Orlando City right back Alex Freeman became the first Lion to ever receive the honor. Freeman had a breakout year for the Lions, recording six goals and three assists as a regular starter. The 21-year-old was already named MLS Young Player of the Year and is the youngest player to make the Best XI since Brenden Aaronson’s inclusion in 2020.

Freeman is joined on the Best XI’s back line by Vancouver Whitecaps defender Tristan Blackmon and Philadelphia Union duo Jakob Glesnes and Kai Wagner. Those three were the finalists for 2025 MLS Defender of the Year, with Blackmon winning, so it’s pretty good company for Freeman. Forward Denis Bouanga, midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, and goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair are a few of the other players who made this year’s list.

Orlando Pride Prepare for Playoff Match

The Orlando Pride will host the Seattle Reign on Friday in the quarterfinals of this year’s NWSL playoffs. There will be a bit of déjà vu going on, as the two teams just played to a 1-1 draw in Orlando on Decision Day. The Pride have done well to bounce back in recent weeks after a rough stretch in the second half of the season, so hopefully they can get a win on Friday. Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on the pressure Orlando faces as the defending champions, as well as the importance of securing home-field advantage for this match.

U.S. Wins First U-17 World Cup Game

The U-17 United States Men’s National Team won 1-0 against Burkina Faso in its first match of the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar. American winger Mathis Albert created chances throughout the match and it paid off in the 79th minute when one of his crosses fell for Philadelphia Union midfielder Cavan Sullivan to score the winner. Goalkeeper Aidan Stokes had four saves, and the defense did well to secure the clean sheet. The U.S. will be back in action on Saturday with a match against Tajikistan.

Analyzing the USWNT Roster

Although the United States Women’s National Team still has a pair of friendlies against Italy this year, we’re starting to get a clearer look at how the roster is shaping up under Head Coach Emma Hayes. Orlando Pride defender Emily Sams is likely to be called up until further notice, although Jordyn Bugg’s ascent and Naomi Girma’s health may determine her chances at starting. Goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce has seemingly locked up the starting job while the forward position is filled with talented players who give Hayes different ways of attacking defenses. There’s still a year before the Concacaf W Championship that will serve as qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, so it will be interesting to see if there are any major changes on the roster between now and then.

Free Kicks

  • Luis Suarez was suspended for Inter Miami’s deciding playoff match in the best-of-three series against Nashville SC on Saturday for kicking Andy Najar last weekend. Whoever writes his apologies for violent conduct must have one of the most secure jobs in the world at this point.

Can confirm @tombogert.bsky.social's report. Luis Suárez will miss Game 3 of Inter Miami's playoff series against Nashville SC for this off-the-ball kick on Andy Nájar. No foul was called in the game, MLS DisCo has deemed it rises to the level of violent conduct.

— Ben Wright (@benwright.bsky.social) 2025-11-05T16:42:59.720Z
  • Real Salt Lake signed both Sporting Director Kurt Schmid and Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni to new contracts, while Tony Beltran was promoted to assistant sporting director. These moves come a week after former Orlando City head coach Jason Kreis was named Real Salt Lake’s president of soccer operations.
  • Victor Osimhen is now the leading scorer in this year’s UEFA Champions League after his hat trick in Galatasaray’s 3-0 win over Ajax.
  • According to Wrexham Chief Executive Michael Williamson, the filming of Welcome to Wrexham played a role in Christian Eriksen choosing not to play there.
  • Here’s what to watch for across the many Europa League matches today, with Roma’s road game against Rangers likely to be a good one.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a great day as we look forward to the weekend!

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