Orlando City
Orlando City vs. D.C. United: Player Grades and Man of the Match
In Orlando City’s first road match of the 2023 MLS season, the Lions went to Audi Field and left with a point in a 1-1 draw. Duncan McGuire became the first 2023 MLS SuperDraft pick to score this season. However, Chris Durkin scored the first goal against Orlando this year to ruin what would have been a nice road win. Like last weekend, Orlando went with a rotated squad in preparation for its Concacaf Champions League match against Tigres this Wednesday. Here’s how each Lion individually performed in the draw.
Starters
GK, Pedro Gallese, 7.5 (MotM) — Gallese’s great run of form continued in this match, as he came up with four saves. His best save of the night came in the 26th minute as he denied Christian Benteke’s shot directly in front of goal. The Belgian forward’s shot could’ve been better, but it was still a fantastic stop from El Pulpo. Minutes later, he came up with another great save to parry away a quick shot from Theodore Ku-DiPietro. The Peruvian also did well to get his hand to a few dangerous crosses early in the match, including one from former Lion Ruan. However, his clean sheet was ruined in the second half as he couldn’t keep out a curling shot from Durkin that got past him and in. His distribution could have been a bit better, as he was accurate on just one of his nine long balls and completed 60% of his 20 passes. Still, Gallese made huge saves and snuffed out chances that could have led to more.
D, Abdi Salim, 5.5 — Like last week against FC Cincinnati, Salim played as one of three center backs for Orlando City. The 21-year-old’s night included both ups and downs and he was subbed off at halftime as the Lions switched to a four-man back line. His lowest moment was when he whiffed on a header in the box, leaving Benteke alone in front of goal with all the time in the world to set up his shot. Overall, it was still a decent outing from the defender as he put out a few fires on his side of the field. D.C. often targeted the left side of Orlando’s defense though, which is partly why Salim finished with just a tackle and a blocked shot. He completed all but one of his 12 passes and his lone cross found its mark as well. With Orlando already rotating its roster this season and its lack of depth at center back, these were valuable minutes from the draft pick.
D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 7 — The center back anchored Orlando City’s back line and led the team with 10 clearances. Although he only won two of his six aerial battles, Schlegel did well putting a body on Benteke so that he couldn’t get much power or accuracy behind his headers. He and Kyle Smith each had an opportunity to break up the play down the flank that led to the equalizing goal but couldn’t gain control. He played every minute of the match and finished with a tackle, an interception, and a blocked shot. Although none of his three long balls found their target, he had 30 passes at a decent 86.7% success rate. It was a strong whistle-to-whistle performance from the Argentine center back while Antonio Carlos works his way back from injury.
D, Kyle Smith, 6.5 — Playing as one of Orlando’s center backs for the first half and at right back in the second, Smith did well to limit D.C United’s game plan of whipping in crosses for Benteke. While he doesn’t rival Benteke in size, Smith still did well to make life difficult for the forward in the air. He won four of his six aerial duels and contributed four tackles and two interceptions before being subbed off in the 84th minute. Three of his seven long balls were accurate and one of his two crosses was successful. However, that successful cross was a secondary assist as it found Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, who then served it to Duncan McGuire on a silver platter. Smith also completed 74.4% of his 43 passes and picked up a yellow card in the 77th minute. He could have done better to stop the buildup to Durkin’s goal.
WB/MF, Rafael Santos, 6 — The Brazilian made his Orlando City debut and saw plenty of the ball, leading the Lions with 69 touches. His passing could have been a bit better as he only completed 69.8% of his 43 attempts. Despite playing out wide, Santos didn’t have many crossing opportunities, succeeding on one of his two attempts. He was credited with a key pass for setting up Wilder Cartagena’s shot from distance, and one of his four long balls was accurate. For the most part, he was solid defensively. While Ruan’s speed gave him trouble and he was spun around a few times, Santos finished with six clearances, four tackles, an interception, and won both of his defensive aerial duels. More time in the league playing alongside his teammates may help him better defend near the endlines to limit the kind of chances D.C. was able to create, and he’ll rarely have to deal with someone with Ruan’s pace.
MF, Wilder Cartagena, 5.5 — It was a decent, albeit unspectacular, performance from the Peruvian midfielder. His 45 passes were a team-high and he completed them at an 80% rate, while connecting on two of his four long balls. On the defensive side of things, Cartagena recorded a blocked shot, three clearances, two interceptions, and three tackles. He also committed three fouls to help slow down D.C. without receiving a booking. Cartagena’s lone shot of the match was a try from a mile out that was blocked. He did have some trouble in the air though, only winning one of his six aerial duels. There was a worrying moment where a penalty was called for a handball by him in the box, but he did well to tuck his arm behind his back in the heat of the moment and the right call was made after review.
MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 5 — The captain provided danger on occasion, but wasn’t able to deliver some of the game-breaking passes we’ve seen from him over the years. Pereyra had one key pass and no shots as Orlando’s offense continued to struggle for most of the match. However, he did set up a nice chance for Facundo Torres in the first half after a series of passes between the two. In 63 minutes of action, he had just 24 passes at a 75% success rate, completed his single long ball, and was inaccurate on his one cross. Pereyra helped out defensively with four tackles. Considering he had a middling performance with a rotated squad last weekend as well, he may just need some time to find how he can best pull the strings in this formation.
MF, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, 7 — The Icelandic midfielder had a great game, notching his first assist as a Lion. Thorhallsson did well to not only get on the end of a cross by Smith, but also redirect it right at McGuire for the easy tap-in. He also had two shots of his own, although the one he put on target did little to trouble Tyler Miller. Although he could have been more clinical at times, he did well with the ball at his feet and was successful on all four of his dribbles. Thorhallsson completed 84.9% of his 33 passes, missed on his single cross, and had a tackle.
WB/MF, Ivan Angulo, 5 — Angulo was provided plenty of room to work with on the right wing, but ultimately wasn’t able to provide much of an offensive impact beyond good positioning and collecting loose balls. That being said, his only cross of the match was accurate and a key pass as it connected with Torres’s head in front of goal. He was successful on two of his four dribbles and had three unstable touches. Of his 26 passes, 76.9% of them were completed and he had a tackle, a clearance, and an interception on defense. The statistics won’t reflect his hustle up and down the wing to make himself an outlet if needed and get back defensively. Despite his speed on the field, he’s having a slow start to 2023.
F, Facundo Torres, 6 — Torres was often swarmed by D.C. players when the ball came his way. As a result, he often had to make quick passes and then sprint into a better position rather than dribbling. He had a good opportunity late in the first half after one such case of link-up play, connecting with Pereyra to weave through traffic. However, his touch was too heavy in the end and Miller was there to gather the ball before he could get back to it. His only shot of the match was a header in the box, but it lofted over the goal. Torres had one key pass as well, setting up a shot for Thorhallsson. Only 76.2% of his 21 passes were successful and he didn’t have any crosses or defensive statistics. Although he wasn’t able to bend the game to his will, Orlando’s best offensive moments in the first half usually involved him. He was subbed off at halftime for some rest before Wednesday.
F, Duncan McGuire, 6.5 — There aren’t many better things to do in your MLS debut than score and McGuire did just that. After a cross from Smith zipped past him, McGuire did well to stay alert and get in a good position to put away a pass back towards him from Thorhallsson. There was some disconnect between him and Torres early on, but it improved as the match went on and they teamed up for a chance right before halftime. Torres headed a great pass into space for him, but his left-footed cross was deflected out for a corner. He showed plenty of hustle while on the field as well, racing back to defend and contributing three clearances. He played every minute of the match, but his goal was his only shot and he didn’t have a key pass. In the first half, the team’s offensive struggles limited his touches, as they have for everyone who has played up top so far this season, but the game opened up a bit after Orlando changed formations at halftime. McGuire won three of his 11 aerial duels and had 25 passes at a 60% success rate. His goal overshadows some of the other aspects of his performance, but it was his first start and he will only improve as time goes on.
Substitutes
D, Robin Jansson (45’), 6.5 — The center back may have only played for the second half, but he was constantly involved, with 30 touches. His 63.6% success rate on 22 passes could have been better, but he had a team-high five successful long balls from 11 attempts. The Beefy Swede blocked a shot and made six clearances to help ensure Orlando left D.C. with a result. He also had a shot from a free kick designed to deliver a low cross for him to run onto, but the ball skipped along the field and he couldn’t keep from sending it into the stands.
MF, Martín Ojeda (45’), 6 — Ojeda led the Lions with three shots, but none were particularly threatening. He put two of them on target, but all three were taken from outside the box and didn’t force tough saves from Miller. His two key passes were also a team high, although not much came from the ensuing shots. While he only had 19 passes at a 73.7% success rate, and neither of his long balls found their mark, it was nice to see Ojeda take some chances and create some others. He also contributed on defense with a pair of clearances and clogged up some of D.C.’s passing lanes.
MF, Cesar Araujo (63’), 5.5 — Coming on for Pereyra in the second half, Araujo brought some stability to the midfield as Orlando aimed to keep its lead. He had 17 passes at an 82.4% success rate, was accurate on his only long ball, and had a key pass by teeing up a shot for Ojeda. Araujo also had three clearances, a tackle, and an interception to help Orlando’s back line. On D.C.’s goal, he overcommitted when Durkin seemed poised to shoot with his right foot, only to be out of position when the D.C. attacker cut back to his left foot. Although Orlando couldn’t hold onto its lead, Araujo helped Orlando handle a chaotic second half.
MF, Gaston Gonzalez (67’), 4.5 — The winger only had 13 touches and completed just three of his four passes in a performance that could have been better coming off the bench with fresh legs. Gonzalez committed three fouls and was not able to make an impact on offense, with neither of his crosses finding their target. However, he did win a foul in a dangerous position for Orlando by fighting for a loose ball with Ruan and had a clearance.
D, Michael Halliday (83’), N/A — The right back came on for Smith late in the match and had seven passes at an 85.7% success rate. He contributed a clearance on defense and shored up the right side of the field for Orlando. While he didn’t have a cross, he did well when needed for Orlando not to end the match empty-handed.
That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando’s second draw of the season. Let me know your thoughts in the comments and be sure to vote for your Man of the Match below.
Polling Closed
| Player | Votes |
| Robin Jansson | 50 |
| Duncan McGuire | 19 |
| Martín Ojeda | 23 |
| Michael Halliday | 0 |
| Facundo Torres | 0 |
| Other (Tell us in the comments below) | 0 |
Orlando City
Orlando City Relies on Starters More Than Any Other MLS Team
An analysis of Óscar Pareja’s early lineup choices and substitution patterns and how that compares to the 2024 season.
Legendary swordsman Inigo Montoya, a man who is not lefthanded, once opened a conversation by asking the Dread Pirate Roberts if, by any chance, he had six fingers on his right hand. Nobody will need to prepare to die by the end of this column, but I will ask a similar question: I don’t mean to pry, but did you by any chance happen to realize that we are already more than one-sixth of the way through the MLS regular season? Six fingers, one-sixth of the season…close enough. Let’s go.
Time flies when you are having fun, and somehow Orlando City has already played 540 minutes of MLS soccer this season. I consider 500 minutes played to be a cutoff amount when looking at player and lineup performance, and with the conclusion of the most recent game in Los Angeles, the team has now surpassed that 500-minute threshold.
In looking at the opening 540 minutes, I was surprised to see how much continuity I found in the minutes played, considering how many injuries the Lions have had to work around during these first six games. In just the first six games, Orlando City has already had full games missed due to injury by César Araujo (1), David Brekalo (2), Robin Jansson (2), Duncan McGuire (3) and Nico Rodriguez (5). Brekalo and Pedro Gallese both missed a game for international duty as well. McGuire was not expected back during the first set of games, but all of those other players, with the possible exception of Rodriguez, were expected to contribute during the early part of the season.
These absences led to games where the substitutes list was full of players who will play big minutes for Orlando City B this year, but not players who Óscar Pareja was likely to turn to off the bench unless the game was out of hand or he was absolutely desperate. According to Opta’s tracking through the opening six games, Orlando City ranks last in MLS in the average minutes played by its substitutes, as the average amount of time per appearance for the players off the bench for the Lions is only 12 minutes. For context, 16 teams have an average amount of time per substitute appearance of 20 minutes or greater, and Inter Miami and Toronto are tied with a league-leading 27 minutes per substitute appearance.
The interesting thing about those two teams, Miami and Toronto, is that Miami leads the league in points per match with 2.6 and Toronto is second from the bottom with a scant 0.33 points per match. I think a lot of this data will even out over time, as right now there are several teams, including Miami, that are playing in multiple competitions and trying to keep players fresh for all of their matches.
When it comes to Orlando City, however, that is not the case, and thus far there has just been the standard one game per week on six consecutive Saturdays. The players are rested for each game. The issue has just been that Pareja has not had the depth and variety of players he thought he would have to bring off the bench to protect a lead or chase a deficit.
We often joke in articles or on The Mane Land PawedCast about how “Óscar gonna Óscar,” and once he finds a lineup he likes, he sticks with it. Even with all the injuries he has somehow managed to do this again this season, as you can see from the chart below. I started tracking lineup data last season, and even though the 2025 season is only six games old and there have been so many absences from key players this season, it was striking to see that the 11-man lineup that has played the most minutes together this season already outranks all but two lineups from the entire 2024 MLS season (including the five playoff games!):
Now, it is a little unfair to the one 2025 lineup on the above chart that it has such a negative goal differential per 90 minutes, because if it is only the 10 field players, with goalkeeper excluded, then that lineup has played 215 minutes together and has a +0.84 goal differential per 90 minutes. That group is +4 with Javier Otero in net in 74 minutes together, and removing the goalkeepers from the calculation turns that negative goal differential into a positive.
What that also tells us, however, is that when it comes to the 10 field players, Pareja has played the same unit in the field for 40% (215/540) of the team’s minutes already. Granted it is early in the season, but after six MLS games last season, the lineup that had played together the most had played a grand total of 74 minutes together (14% of all minutes). The top five most used lineups in last season’s opening six MLS games combined to play 302 minutes, or 56% of all minutes, and in 2025 it is 402 minutes, or 80%. My math, and everyone else’s math, says that is a much higher percentage and indicates that the team is focused on continuity early.
That continuity thus far this season has paid dividends, with the Lions earning 10 points from the first six games, twice as nice as last season’s five points after the first six games. Last year, the team was balancing midweek Concacaf Champions Cup games in addition to injuries and an international break during the opening weeks of the MLS season, so there were some good reasons for the lineup rotation and the slow start. This year’s squad will have to navigate two upcoming cup tournaments in the coming months, and so we likely will see a lot of new lineup configurations or more rotation once the U.S. Open Cup starts in May and then again when Leagues Cup starts in July.
Thus far though, Pareja has been able to stick with his starters deep into matches, and has only given playing time to 20 players, which is tied for third fewest across all of MLS. Fan bases often clamor for the coach to “play the kids,” but while Pareja has had young and inexperienced players on the senior roster for every game, he really has only given significant minutes to Alex Freeman from the group of players that could be referred to as “the kids.” Gustavo Caraballo has played nine minutes, which is incredible for a 16-year-old (15-year-old Cavan Sullivan of Philadelphia is the only player younger than Caraballo to have played this season, and he has also played only nine minutes), and new signing Nico Rodriguez (20 years old) has played 11 minutes, but the next three youngest players to play are all at least 22 and were with the senior club last season (Otero and Ramiro Enrique) or came to the club after four seasons of college soccer (23-year-old, but nearly 24-year-old, Joran Gerbet).
The team’s record thus far shows that Pareja has been right to limit the minutes to the small group of players he trusts, and with one game per week for the next six weeks it will be interesting to see if the early trend of starters playing long minutes and only a few players getting all the minutes off the bench continues. The next match is on the road against Philadelphia, which so rudely came into Orlando and defeated the Lions 4-2 in the season opener, and my expectation is that while we likely will not see any players make their season debut in this game, I do think we will see a different starting lineup than the season opener and probably a different one than the game last weekend against the Galaxy.
No matter who the Lions go with, I am sure they will want to avenge the season-opening loss and bring three points back home to Orlando.
As we wish.
Vamos Orlando!
Orlando City
Orlando City at Philadelphia Union: Three Keys to Victory
What do the Lions need to do to earn all three points on the road against Philly?
Orlando City is on the road yet again, this time heading to Pennsylvania to take on the Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park Saturday night. The Lions will look to get a second road win in a row after the smash-and-grab victory against the LA Galaxy. Things don’t get any easier with the Union sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference, but a win would catapult Orlando City above Philadelphia in the standings. Here’s what Orlando City needs to do to earn all three points against the Philadelphia Union.
Tie up Tai
Tai Baribo leads the way-too-early-to-call Golden Boot race with six goals in five matches. The Union striker has taken 13 shots, putting eight on target and the aforementioned six in the back of the net. He scored a brace in the season opener against Orlando to bag a third of those goals. It’s a pretty easy call to say stopping the league leader in goals is an important part of shutting down the Philadelphia attack.
It will be up to Cesar Araujo and whichever center back pairing we get to shut Baribo down. Of course, he’s not the only one the Lions need to worry about since the Union also have striker Mikael Uhre, and midfielders Daniel Gazdag and Jovan Lukic providing goals and assists. The point is that Philadelphia is second only to the Lions in offensive production with 13 goals compared to Orlando City’s 15 goals.
Formation Change
In the last match against the LA Galaxy, the Lions struggled to get things going with Luis Muriel up top, Ojeda at the No. 10 spot and Ivan Angulo on the left. Once Duncan McGuire came on, Muriel shifted back, Ojeda went wide, and Angulo subbed off. That really opened up the attack and allowed the Lions to get the two goals needed to secure the victory.
Perhaps Oscar Pareja could start things off like that against Philadelphia. Angulo hasn’t been great the last few matches, and perhaps some time on the bench will get his head straight. McGuire is still early in his return from injury, but Ramiro Enrique can start up top with Big Dunc coming in later as he has the last few matches. I think making this change could help Orlando City get an early goal on the road.
Vengeance is Thine
When the two teams met on opening day, the Union dropped four goals on Orlando City in Inter&Co Stadium. You would think it a completely dominating performance, but the Lions actually had more shots, more shots on target, and more possession than the Union. Philadelphia simply put each of its four shots on target past Pedro Gallese. That type of luck is unlikely to happen again.
Since that time, the Orlando City defense has stiffened — at least a little bit — and the team has been more difficult to break down. I’m not saying the defense is as stalwart as last season, but it has improved. Orlando City needs to use that four-goal drubbing at the hands of the Union to galvanize the defense to enact revenge with a multi-goal victory of its own.
That is what I will be looking for Saturday night. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/3/25
Martin Ojeda in the MLS MVP mix early, Orlando Pride players won’t play for Zambia this window, Tierna Davidson out for the NWSL season, and more.
How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this week has been going well for you as we gear up for a busy Saturday filled to the brim with soccer to enjoy. Despite my blender’s protests, I’ve finally figured out how to make frozen coconut mojitos and plan on having those get me through the rest of the week. Before we dive into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy 28th birthday to Orlando City legend Rodrigo Schlegel!
Martin Ojeda’s MVP Credentials
Orlando City’s Martin Ojeda placed second in Sacha Kljestan’s MLS MVP power rankings this week. With four goals and three assists so far this season, Ojeda leads the league in goal contributions and is a major reason why the Lions have scored a league-high 15 goals. It’s great to see the 26-year-old take the reins of the offense after Facundo Torres’ departure. Inter Miami’s Luis Suarez tops Kljestan’s rankings, despite only having a goal in five games this season. Tai Baribo, Evander, and Lionel Messi round out the top five in what could be an interesting MVP race this year.
Pride Players Won’t Join Zambia For International Duty
Zambia will be without four NWSL players when it takes part in the Yongchuan International Tournament in China this month. Along with Bay FC forward Rachael Kundananji, Orlando Pride trio Barbra Banda, Grace Chanda, and Prisca Chilufya were withdrawn from international duty, with the Football Association of Zambia stating it was due to additional travel measures by the current U.S. administration. FAZ General Secretary Reuben Kamanga expects the quartet to be available for future matches and both Banda and Kundananji played in friendlies in Zambia in February. Restrictions like this may limit the appeal of the NWSL to foreign players in the future.
Fan Banned For Hateful Language Towards Banda
NJ/NY Gotham FC announced that the fan who directed hateful language towards Banda has been banned following an investigation that included interviewing witnesses and reviewing security footage. The incident took place at the Pride’s match against Gotham on March 23 at Sports Illustrated Stadium. The fan was found to be in violation of the NWSL Code of Conduct and their season ticket was revoked as well. Gotham also encouraged fans to report inappropriate behavior through the team’s encrypted text message service to inform the stadium’s incident management team.
USWNT Defender Tierna Davidson Out for the NWSL Season
American center back Tierna Davidson will miss the remainder of the 2025 NWSL season after tearing the ACL in her left knee in the club’s draw against the Houston Dash. It’s tough news for her, Gotham, and the United States Women’s National Team, as she captains the NWSL club and featured heavily in the Olympics last year. Davidson sustained an ACL injury in her right knee back in 2022, which contributed to her missing out on the 2023 World Cup. Gisele Thompson replaced Davidson for the USWNT’s upcoming friendlies with Brazil, and Pride defender Emily Sams will likely receive more playing time as the team prepares for the 2027 World Cup.
Free Kicks
- Orlando City received $100,000 in General Allocation Money in exchange for former academy goalkeeper Zack Campagnolo’s Homegrown Player rights. The Lions will receive another $100,000 in GAM if conditions are met, and they retain a sell-on percentage if Campagnolo is transferred.
- San Diego FC added Milan Iloski on loan from FC Nordsjaelland in Denmark through July of this year. Iloski is a San Diego native and won the USL Golden Boot for Orange County SC in 2022.
- New England Revolution midfielder Carles Gil won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his free kick against the New York Red Bulls.
- El Farolito SC, which is named after a burrito chain and bar local to San Francisco, has reached the third round of the U.S. Open Cup for the second straight year. The National Premier Soccer League side took down Monterey Bay FC to reach this point of the tournament.
- Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid 1-0 to book its ticket to the Copa del Rey final, where it will face rival Real Madrid on April 26.
That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a terrific Thursday and rest of your week!
Orlando City Relies on Starters More Than Any Other MLS Team
Orlando City at Philadelphia Union: Three Keys to Victory
Lion Links: 4/3/25
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