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

How did your favorite Lions grade out in a come from behind road victory?

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1 year ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

After a two-week hiatus, Orlando City traveled north for what could be considered a frigid clash on the pitch against Minnesota Untied. What started as an uneventful match ended in a flurry of goals during the last half hour and ultimately led to Orlando City returning to the City Beautiful with three much-needed points from a 2-1 road win. Here is how we saw OCSC’s performances in Saturday’s road victory at Minnesota.

GK, Pedro Gallese, 7 – El Pulpo did well for a significant portion of the match to keep the game level. Gallese faced 17 shots, with four of them on target. He recorded three saves in the game and the lone goal that Minnesota scored was so clinical and well placed that he had no shot at getting a body part on the ball. His best save of the game came in the 85th minute of the match, when he used his core to block a shot attempt from point blank range from Fanco Fragapane. With an expected goals against of 2.34, holding Minnesota to one is an accomplishment, although some of that was a lack of ruthlessness by the hosts. Gallese completed 70% of his passes and five of 11 long balls.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6 – The new father joined forces with fellow center backs Jansson and Carlos on the back line for Orlando City during the away match, logging a full 90 minutes. Out of the back, Schlegel passed at an 81.1% clip including one accurate long ball on four attempts. He committed two fouls on the night and recorded four successful tackles and five clearances. He was partly responsible on Minnesota’s goal, watching Robin Lod, while Hassani Dotson cut in behind him to take the pass and pull Orlando’s defense out of shape. Dotson took Lod’s pass and was able to send in the dangerous pass across the box for the Loons’ goal.

D, Robin Jansson, 6 – Jansson went the full 90 minutes and completed 86.8% of his passes on the night, including two successful long ball passes, albeit on eight attempts. Jansson recorded one interception and no successful duels, with four clearances and one blocked shot. His error while marking Mender Garcia on a long ball early in the match gave Minnesota a golden opportunity to open the scoring, but Bongokuhle Hlongwane muffed his chance. He was also unable to prevent the cross that led to the Loons’ easy goal in the second half as he tried to cover for Schlegel.

D, Antonio Carlos, 6.5 – A welcome sign for Orlando City fans everywhere, not only was AC back in the starting lineup for the first time this season, but he also went the full 90 minutes. Carlos completed 85.2% of his passes on the night and logged an impressive seven successful long balls in the match on nine attempts. AC also logged two interceptions, two clearances, two blocked shots, and two aerials won. He attempted one shot at the other end. Perhaps his biggest contribution was an excellent switch of play to Gaston Gonzalez that started the sequence on the equalizing goal.

MF, Gaston Gonzalez, 6 – Gonzalez drew the start on the left side for this match. His long crossing pass to Ivan Angulo was responsible for Orlando City’s equalizer, but he struggled at times to free himself up for clean crosses and sent several into the shins of Minnesota fullback DJ Taylor. Gonzalez completed 77.4% of his passes but was dispossessed twice and led the team with four unstable touches. He only completed one successful dribble but won two corners for Orlando City. If Gonzalez is going to be in the starting XI, City will need the winger to be more technical and decisive on the field in the attacking half, but he at least acquitted himself well overall on the defensive end with two tackles, an interception, three clearances, and one blocked shot.

MF, Maurico Pererya, 6.5 – The captain saw the field for the first 87 minutes of the match before eventually being subbed off for Dagur Dan Thorhallsson right before Orlando City scored the go-ahead goal. He completed 83.6% of his passes, was credited with one shot — which was blocked — and committed one foul while drawing two. Pereyra was also credited with an assist, his third of the year, as he had the secondary pass on Angulo’s goal. He had no key passes but two dribbles on the night. Defensively he recorded three tackles, an interception, a clearance, and one aerial won.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 6.5 – Araujo put in the type of blue collar effort that Orlando City fans have come to know and expect from the defensive midfielder. A steady force in the midfield is important for a team that tends to build out of the back, and Araujo passed at an 87.7% clip on the night and completed four of his six long balls. Additionally, Araujo drew six fouls while only committing one. He logged two successful tackles and an interception. He has shown time and again that his motor never stops and while the end product is not always sexy or flashy, it is exactly the steadying force that Orlando needs.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 7 (MotM) — Angulo’s growth and development on the year so far was put on display from the opening whistle of the match. When acquired last year, fans came to know Angulo for his speed and desire to take multiple players off the dribble. Playing as a wingback, Angulo had a mixed defensive performance, snuffing out multiple attacks but also getting bested by Hlongwane multiple times down his side of the pitch. One of those nearly resulted in a Lod goal but the Finnish winger got under his shot. After being beaten by Hlongwane on a back-post run in the 58th minute, Angulo switched into a different gear and in the 66th minute slotted home a beautiful shot on a cross from Gonzalez to draw the club level. In the 88th minute, from almost the exact same location, he took a cross from Facundo Torres and found himself 1-v-1 with Minnesota goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair. This time, instead of smashing a rocket blast, Angulo tried to chip the keeper for what looked to be his second goal of the night. The ball instead clanked off the crossbar, but fell to the head of Duncan McGuire for the go-ahead goal. Angulo passed at 72.7% rate with one key pass and one successful cross on two attempts. He attempted two shots, getting one on target. Defensively, Angulo recorded two tackles and two clearances.

MF, Facundo Torres, 5.5 — Orlando City needs Torres to find his way on the field, as he was invisible throughout most of the match. Going the full 90 for OCSC, Torres passed at 78.4% accuracy, went 0-for-2 on crossing accuracy, 2-for-2 on long-ball accuracy, and created one chance with a key pass. The Uruguayan Young Designated Player recorded only one shot which was well off target. He chipped in defensively with four tackles and a clearance, committing one foul without drawing any, and he was dispossessed once and had two unstable touches. Defenders are ready for Torres’ favorite move, his cut back to the middle of the field, and are taking that motion away from him outside of the box. As the Lions head into the dog days of summer, they desperately need Torres to find his goal-creating form. He helped set one up Saturday in Minnesota, but only because his cross for McGuire was a bit too high.

MF, Martin Ojeda, 6.5 — Ojeda logged two shots on the night, one which was blocked and the other off target. He completed a solid 81.5% of his passes and was part of the buildup on the equalizing goal, dropping a layoff for Pereyra to send Gonzalez down the left flank. Ojeda led the Lions with four key passes, and was accurate on three of five cross attempts and one of his two long balls. He was dispossessed once and had three unstable touches. Defensively, he recorded one tackle, one interception, and two clearances on the night. Once Orlando City equalized, Ojeda was subbed off for Felipe in a more defensive-minded move aimed at coming home with at least a point.

F, Ramiro Enrique, 6 — Enrique was given the start up top once again and tried to use his speed and positioning to track down balls and hold up play. He took a team-high three shots but none were on target, having one of them blocked. He scompleted 78.3% of his 23 passes while drawing one foul and committing one as well. He also logged three tackles and a clearance on the defensive end and won four aerials. Enrique was subbed off in the 75th minute for McGuire.

Substitutes

MF, Felipe (70′), 6.5 — Felipe came on for Ojeda in the 70th minute to provide an additional defensive presence in the midfield. In his 20 minutes of game time, Felipe completed 91.7% of his passes, including a ridiculous through ball that the attack should have done more with. Defensively, he contributed a clearance in the game’s late stages.

F, Duncan McGuire (75′), 7 — Orlando runs on Duncan. The MLS Super Draft pick subbed on in the 75th minute for Enrique and once again made his presence known with his smart positioning and his late go-ahead header. One of his more mature moments came in stoppage time, when he found himself 1-v-1 in the penalty area with defender Michael Boxall. Rather than trying to ice the match and potentially giving up possession, the rookie calmly took the ball to the corner and burned up a few more valuable seconds.

D, Luca Petrasso (86′), N/A — Petrasso came on in the 86th minute as an additional defensive substitute to spell Gonzalez and ensure that Orlando would not concede a second goal on the road. He did better than that, working a nifty play up the left sideline with Thorhallsson that broke Minnesota’s pressure and eventually led to the game-winning goal. He completed three of his four passing attempts and only touched the ball those four times.

MF, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson (87′), N/A — Thorhallsson was a late sub replacing the captain in the 87th minute. He completed 63% of his six passes on eight touches and successfully completed one dribble. He and Petrasso worked their play along the sideline to perfection and unleashed Torres down the left flank on the game-winning play.

That’s how I saw the individual performances in the come from behind road victory over Minnesota United FC. Let me know how you saw things in the comments, and be sure to vote in the Man of the Match poll below.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 9/11/24

Orlando Pride playoff ticket information, USMNT draws New Zealand on awful late goal on the day it formally announces Mauricio Pochettino, and more.

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6 hours ago

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September 11, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. We have a full weekend of fun ahead with all three teams in action. The Orlando Pride start things off on Friday, with Orlando City playing Saturday, and Orlando City B finishing things up on Sunday. Hopefully, we can have a nine-point weekend.

Of course, today is a day of remembrance of those who lost their lives both on that tragic day in 2001 and from the effects that followed. Take a moment today to let those you love know that you love them. Let’s get to the links.

Pride Power into Playoffs

We know the Orlando Pride have already made the 2024 NWSL Playoffs, but now you can let the club know if you are interested in potential playoff tickets before things get crazy. It’s nice knowing that we don’t have to wait until decision day to find out if the Pride are in. They are. Decisively. In the least surprising news ever, the Pride topped both the ESPN NWSL Power Rankings, and the Goal.com NWSL Power Rankings once again.

Pochettino Hiring Official

The hiring that everyone knew was coming was made official Tuesday as Mauricio Pochettino was named as the new head coach of the USMNT. Pochettino is the type of big name hire that U.S. fans have been waiting for following the double stint of Gregg Berhalter. Pochettino will be expected to get the best out of what some consider the greatest generation of American soccer players when he leads them to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

USMNT Draws New Zealand

The same night that Pochettino was announced as the new USMNT head coach, his new team played New Zealand to an uninspiring 1-1 draw. Christian Pulisic put the Yanks ahead in the 69th minute, but the U.S. was unable to see the match out, allowing an 89th-minute equalizer on a completely awful goal that was misplayed by both Caleb Wiley and Mark McKenzie, with the latter providing the finish with a clearance attempt off of New Zealand’s Ben Waine, over Matt Turner, and into his own net. The match was only a friendly, but it illustrates the need for the new coach.

The Growth of the NWSL

The NWSL is in a good place. The league is growing both in the number of member clubs and in the attendance at matches across the league. There are many reasons for it, including the Olympics and big name stars like Marta and the recently retired Alex Morgan, but most importantly, the growing fanbase for the women’s game. ESPN spoke to general managers at every club in the league to get an idea of the challenges in the ever-changing landscape that is the NWSL. All the answers were anonymous, but it’s still very insightful information.

Free Kicks

  • In the ongoing series from the Orlando Pride, it’s now time for you to get to know Carrie Lawrence.
  • Let’s keep the clean sheets coming, Anna Moorhouse.
  • Declan Rice was a bit petty in Arsenal’s match against Brighton last weekend, nudging the ball away from his opponent on a free kick. The action earned him a second yellow and a sending off. Now, the board that reviews referee decisions has stated it was the correct call.

That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for this weekend’s matches.

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Lion Links: 9/10/24

Marta nominated for NWSL Goal of the Week, Orlando Pride happy to clinch playoff spot, Lions on international duty, and more.

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1 day ago

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September 10, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Tuesday, everyone! It was another good weekend for Orlando’s soccer teams, as the Orlando Pride and Orlando City B combined to pick up all six points on offer. Hopefully that trend can continue and get even better once Orlando City resumes play this Saturday. We’ve got a lot to talk through this morning, so let’s get after it.

Marta Nominated for Goal of the Week

The Pride took down the Chicago Red Stars 1-0 on Sunday, with Marta singlehandedly winning the game for the Pride courtesy of an absolutely outstanding strike from outside the box. Unsurprisingly, that effort has earned her a nomination for NWSL Goal of the Week. While she’s facing some stiff competition, I think it’s safe to say that her goal is comfortably the best of the bunch. Go make sure everyone else knows it, and vote for her to win this week’s award!

Pride Speak On Clinched Playoff Spot

The Pride discussed the team’s mentality after clinching a playoff spot following this weekend’s results. Head Coach Seb Hines highlighted the heartbreak of narrowly missing the postseason in 2023 and how that was a motivator this season. That sentiment was echoed by both Marta and Haley McCutcheon, with both players speaking on making the postseason and the team’s bigger goals this year.

Lions on International Duty

David Brekalo is on international duty with Slovenia, and was part of his team’s victory in UEFA Nations League play on Monday. Brekalo started at right back and spent 87 minutes on the field, as Slovenia beat Kazakhstan 3-0 courtesy of a hat trick by star man Benjamin Sesko. The result leaves Slovenia atop League B Group 3 with four points after a 1-1 draw with Austria on Friday as well. Meanwhile, Facundo Torres and Uruguay face Venezuela at 6 p.m. tonight in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying. Torres came on as a sub with 10 minutes to go in Uruguay’s 0-0 draw with Paraguay on Friday, so we’ll see if he’s involved two matches in a row. Best of luck, Facu!

USMNT Takes On New Zealand Tonight

The United States Men’s National Team will try to bounce back from a disappointing loss to Canada when it takes on New Zealand today at 7 p.m. in Cincinnati. The All Whites are ranked 94th in the world and have won four of their last five games. The USMNT midfield will need to have a much better showing than it did against the Canadians, as Johnny Cardoso, Yunus Musah, and Malik Tillman were collectively outgunned by the opposition. It’ll also be worth keeping an eye on the goalkeeper situation, as Patrick Schulte played well in the 2-1 loss, and has probably earned another start. There’s plenty to watch for, so make sure you tune in and see if the team can get back on the right track.

International Break Roundup

With the international break still in full swing, there were a number of big games yesterday that we need to catch up on. In the marquee match of the day, France rebounded from a 3-1 loss to Italy in UEFA Nations League play by comfortably dispatching Belgium 2-0, courtesy of goals from Randal Kolo-Muania and Ousmane Dembele. Italy made it two wins in two attempts by knocking off Israel 2-1, with a 90th minute goal from Mohammad Abu Fani not enough to get Israel its first point in the competition. In the Concacaf Nations League, Curacao posted an eye-popping score by beating St. Martin 4-0, only for Haiti to better that result by hammering Sint Maarten 6-0.

Free Kicks

  • In case you’ve been living under a rock, the Pride have been outstanding this year.

That does it for me this morning. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 9/9/24

Orlando Pride win in Chicago, McKinley Crone signs new contract, Orlando City B defeats Crown Legacy FC, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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September 9, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. Under Armour has been keeping me busy, and I got to cover some high school tennis and swimming this past week. The Orlando Pride and Orlando City B were in action this weekend and both teams got a win. We have plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando Pride Shut Out Chicago Red Stars

On Sunday, the Orlando Pride got a 1-0 win on the road against the Chicago Red Stars to extend their unbeaten streak to 20 matches across all competitions. The run also ties the NWSL league record including playoff games, matching the Washington Spirit’s 20-match unbeaten run in 2021 and 2022. Marta scored the lone goal in the match to seal the win for Orlando. The Pride remain in first in the NWSL standings with 47 points, with the Washington Spirit in second with 41, and the Kansas City Current in third with 38. With a playoff spot already clinched, the Pride are aiming for the NWSL Shield as the top team in the league. The Pride will return home at Inter&Co Stadium on Friday to face the Kansas City Current.

Orlando Pride Sign McKinley Crone to New Contract

The Orlando Pride announced on Friday that the club reached an agreement with backup goalkeeper McKinley Crone on a new contract that runs through the 2026 NWSL season. Undrafted before joining Orlando as a non-roster invitee during the preseason in 2023, Crone progressed to being Orlando’s backup goalkeeper in 2024. Crone made her professional debut on July 20 in a 1-1 draw against the North Carolina Courage in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup. The 25-year-old made five saves on six shots to help the Pride stay unbeaten across all competitions. With this latest move, the club has secured Anna Moorhouse, Crone, and Sofia Manner as their goalkeepers for next season.

Orlando City B Defeats Crown Legacy FC

Orlando City B got a 4-1 victory on the road against Crown Legacy FC on Sunday. Alex Freeman scored twice in the first half to give the Young Lions a 2-0 lead going into halftime. Crown Legacy scored in the second half, but OCB continued to do well on both sides of the ball to take all three points. OCB is in sixth place in the Eastern Conference with 40 points, and its next match will be back home on Sunday to take on New England Revolution II.

USMNT Falls to Canada in Friendly

On Saturday, the United States Men’s National Team lost 2-1 to Canada at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City in a friendly. It’s the USMNT’s first loss to Canada on home soil in 67 years, ending a 23-match unbeaten streak against Canada in the U.S. Jacob Shaffelburg and Jonathan David scored for Canada, while Luca de la Torre scored his first goal for the USMNT. The Yanks are on a three-match losing streak and will face New Zealand in Cincinnati on Tuesday at TQL Stadium.

Alex Morgan Plays Final Match

San Diego Wave forward Alex Morgan played in her final match as a professional soccer player on Sunday after a nearly 14-year career. Morgan had a penalty kick saved by Courage goalkeeper Casey Murphy and was subbed off early in the first half, as the Wave lost 4-1 at Snapdragon Stadium. Morgan announced last week that she will retire from professional soccer after this match, while also announcing that she is pregnant with her second child. She played six seasons with the Pride and spent the last three seasons in San Diego, winning the NWSL Golden Boot in 2022 and helping the Wave win the NWSL Shield in 2023.

Free Kicks

  • Pride defenders Kerry Abello and Kylie Strom made the NWSL Best XI for August.
  • Orlando Pride midfielder Viviana Villacorta was removed from the season-ending injury list.
  • The U.S. Soccer Federation is reportedly close to officially naming Mauricio Pochettino as the new head coach for the USMNT.
  • Tampa Bay Sun FC secured its first win in the USL Super League with a 3-2 win on the road against Lexington SC on Sunday.

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

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