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Orlando City vs. Columbus Crew: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions perform in the 2-2 draw with the Columbus Crew on the road?

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2 years ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City’s road trip continued with a visit to Eastern Conference foe Columbus Crew. Unlike the last two matches, the Lions were able to earn a point on the road, thanks to a two-goal second half comeback with goals from Ercan Kara and Duncan McGuire.  Let’s look at how each individual Lion did in the come-from-behind 2-2 draw.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6.5 — Orlando City once again conceded two goals, but neither was Gallese’s fault. Gallese came up with some good saves — five to be exact. He knocked the ball down in the 55th minute and secured it before anyone could cause trouble. He got a little cheeky with the ball at his feet in the 58th minute with a defender in his face. Gallese made a huge instinctive save in the 94th minute, slapping the ball with his right hand and salvaging the point for Orlando City.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 5.5 — With Oscar Pareja returning to the three-man back line, Schlegel got the start. He had some good plays, like his great interception in the 17th minute, however he wasn’t able to close down Alexandru Matan on the first goal, and got beat by Mohamed Farsi on the second goal. He passed at an 87.5% rate on 16 passes, with two tackles, four clearances, and one foul. He came off in the 57th minute for Kyle Smith.

D, Robin Jansson, 6.5 — Jansson put in an excellent shift on the back line. While he didn’t make much noise on offense, defensively he was solid. He showed his deceptive speed tracking back in the 38th minute to take the ball off the foot of an attacker. He completed just 62.9% of his 35 passes, and wasn’t his normal accurate self on his long balls either, completing only two of 11. On defense, Jansson made two tackles, two interceptions, three clearances, four blocked shots, and committed one foul. Still, he was the best of the center backs.

D, Antonio Carlos, 6 — Carlos earned a yellow card in the 14th minute fouling Cucho Hernandez from behind. Getting the card so early meant he had to be careful He got beat by Jacen Russell-Rowe on the Crew’s second goal. Carlos wasn’t all bad, as he completed 76.9% of his 26 passes, with one successful long ball on two attempts. Carlos did take one shot but it was not on target. Defensively, he blocked two shots, had one interception, and made six clearances. He only committed one foul but it resulted in the yellow card.

WB, Gaston Gonzalez, 5.5 — Gonzalez played a different role for Orlando City sliding back into the left wingback position. He finished with two tackles, one interception, and two clearances in his deeper position. He did commit one foul along Orlando’s touchline, that fortunately amounted to nothing on the resulting free kick. He made one key pass and completed 65.4% of his 26 passes, but he struggled on crosses, with only one accurate cross on his five attempts. 

MF, Cesar Araujo, 6 — It was a typical night for Araujo as he quietly went about the business of being Orlando City’s first line of defense. He did have a bad giveaway in the 95th minute but the Crew weren’t able to capitalize on it. Even though I think he’s been a little quick to look for a foul lately, Araujo did draw four fouls on the night. Defensively, he made two tackles, one interception, and two clearances. He passed at an 81.6% rate on 38 passes. Araujo was excellent on his long balls, completing six of seven.

MF, Wilder Cartagena, 5.5 — Cartagena attempted to chip the keeper in the third minute but it went wide of goal as so many of the Lions’ shots did. He disappeared at times while Orlando City absorbed the Crew’s attack. He did, however, commit two fouls, one of which earned him a yellow card in the 73rd minute. He contributed two tackles and one clearance and completed 81.8% of 22 passes, with one of three long balls finding his target. He subbed off for Dagur Dan Thorhallsson in the 75th minute.

WB, Ivan Angulo, 5.5 — Angulo slotted in as the right wingback to start the match. As such, he played a deeper defensive position and on the right rather than his usual position on the left. He didn’t do poorly, making three tackles, one clearance, and one interception. He should have been covering the back post on the Crew’s first goal, but then he wasn’t the only one. After a personnel change, he was back on the left wimg, where he was more comfortable. Angulo was quiet compared to normal, taking no shots, and none of his three crosses found the target. He completed 72.2% of his 18 passes, including one successful long ball on three attempts. 

MF, Facundo Torres, 7 (MOTM) — Torres looked much sharper this match. His excellent pass to Kara earned him an assist on Orlando City’s first goal. It was his free kick (which he won) in the 92nd minute that dropped for McGuire to get the equalizer. He made four key passes on the night, passing at an 84.9% rate on 33 attempts and was successful on four of his five long balls. He was effective in making space for himself in the opponent’s half with four dribbles, and drawing five fouls. He even contributed two tackles on defense. It was a good night for the Young Designated Player, and his involvement in both goals earns him our Man of the Match.

MF, Martin Ojeda, 5.5 — Ojeda was a bit sloppy on the night with bad giveaways in the 11th and 54th minutes. He almost made something of his corner in the third minute, but the shot curved outside the near post. Ojeda made one key pass in the match, completing 61.9% of his 21 passes. He completed one of his three long balls, and put in two crosses — one of them accurate. 

F, Ercan Kara, 6.5 — Kara made good runs all night, getting behind the Crew’s defense time and time again while only being called offside twice. He took four shots, but only managed to get one on target. His header in the fourth minute and his shot in the 21st minute both went high, but Kara finally broke through in the 49th minute on a give-and-go with Torres. The striker continued his run, sliding past the defense as Torres’ pass found his feet. Kara did well to get control of the ball, pick up his head and calmly put it past Patrick Schulte into the right hand side of the goal. He almost got a second goal just minutes later but the shot went just wide right of the far post. Kara only made 10 passes on the night, but completed nine (90%) of them. Defensively, he made one tackle, one interception, and one clearance. Kara came off in the 75th minute for McGuire.

Substitutes

D, Kyle Smith (57′), 6 — Smith came on for Schlegel, assuming the left center back role. He put in his typical reliable performance off the bench. He was steady in defense as the Lions pushed for the result. He made two tackles, two interceptions, and one clearance, while committing one foul. He connected on one of his four long balls, completing 66.7% of his 15 passes.

WB, Michael Halliday (57′), 5.5 — Halliday came on for Ojeda to shore up the defense and he only managed nine touches. He completed 80% of his five passes and made one tackle. It was a quiet night for the youngster, but he didn’t give the ball away which was an improvement from the last match. He had a chance to score his first goal on a great opportunity but missed the target.

MF, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson (75′), 5.5 — Thorhallsson came on for Cartegena following his yellow card in the 73rd minute. He managed to do nearly as much as Halliday despite fewer minutes. Thorhallsson had seven touches, completing 80% of his five passes, adding a clearance on defense. 

F, Duncan McGuire (75′), 6.5 — Orlando City’s leading scorer added to his total in typical McGuire fashion. His fortunate positioning and nose for goal gave the Lions the point on the road thanks to his 92nd-minute goal. He was his typical energetic self, harassing the defense and looking for opportunities. He only made three passes but completed them all. It was another good performance from the rookie.

MF, Ramiro Enrique (85′), N/A — Enrique came on for Angulo as Orlando City was looking for the equalizer. He took one shot, and it was on target, but he wasn’t able to put it in the back of the net. He only attempted four passes, completing one. Enrique didn’t have much time to impact the match.

That’s how I saw each performance from the Lions in their 2-2 draw at Lower.com Field against the Columbus Crew. The Lions got (partially) back on track following two losses with this result. Who was your Man of the Match? Make sure to vote in our poll and let us know what you think in the comments!

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Opinion

Orlando City’s Lack of Off-Season Signings Starting to Become a Concern

The Lions’ roster hasn’t gotten any bigger in the last few weeks, so it’s understandable if fans are getting a bit antsy.

Published

16 hours ago

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January 30, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Three weeks ago I wrote that there was no reason to panic about Orlando City’s lack of off-season signings. It was early in January, and the club typically does a lot of its business throughout the first month of the year. Since then, the club signed Nicolas Rodriguez, but the Lions also traded Mason Stajduhar, and forward Jack Lynn retired. That is more subtraction than addition for a team looking to make it to the next level. Is it now time to panic?

The departure of Stajduhar hits Orlando City supporters in the feels given how long he was with the club, but one may assume the coaches have seen enough from Javier Otero to be confident in his ability to back up Pedro Gallese. The club still needs to bring in another keeper [Editor’s note: this story was written prior to the club signing Carlos Mercado this morning], but Stajduhar’s departure isn’t as big of a problem as it might first seem.

We don’t know how long Duncan McGuire will be unavailable once the season starts. Even if he’s back sooner than expected, Orlando City will still be lacking at the striker position. Ramiro Enrique has proven he can be a starter, but with Jack Lynn’s departure, there isn’t anyone behind him. While Luis Muriel is technically a striker, he tends to play further back in a facilitator role rather than as an actual No. 9. We haven’t seen any transfer moves for a new striker.

The Lions got a big influx of cash, thanks to the Facundo Torres deal. Replacing the goal production of Orlando City’s all-time leading goal scorer is a priority. So far, the club has brought in Rodriguez as an MLS U22 Initiative player. Despite the similarities between the two, Rodriguez is not a replacement for Torres. It is unrealistic to expect the young man to score double-digit goals his first year in MLS.

I’m not even worried about the attacking midfield. As I mentioned above, Muriel is best as a facilitator, Martin Ojeda is now wearing the No. 10 jersey, and Ivan Angulo can play on either side. It’s Torres’ goal contributions I’m worried about missing. Orlando City needs to replace that production sooner rather than later or another slow start seems certain.

I’m not going to address the Wilder Cartagena injury until we know more, but that is also potentially very bad news. That brings us to today. The team is already deep into its preseason trip to Mexico. This is the trip that in the past has been the time when the team truly bonds. Any players brought in at this point will obviously miss that valuable time.

Additionally, unless a signing is someone who has already played in MLS — which is incredibly rare for this front office — it is going to take them time to adapt to the league as well as the club and their new teammates. That brings us back to the real potential for another slow start to the season.

When you have roster turnover, the idea is to bring in players that are better than the players that departed. We know that the ownership is serious about winning. The 2022 Open Cup victory and the Orlando Pride’s two 2024 trophies are a testament to that. Now, it’s time to see that commitment with some substantial signings for City. In some ways, I feel the club has left it a little late, but I’ll take what I can get at this point.

I’m not saying it’s time to panic — though I won’t tell you not to do so — but I’m definitely getting a bit concerned. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/30/25

Orlando City reveals kickoff events, women’s transfer market grows, Tanner Tessmann named U.S. Young Male Player of the Year, and more.

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21 hours ago

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January 30, 2025

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

We’re all another day closer to the return of Orlando soccer and I can’t wait. I’ve been whittling the days away with reading, writing, and taking far too many photos of my cat. This month has flown by for me, and I’m not complaining too much about it. Let’s dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world.

Orlando City Announces Kickoff Events

In preparation for Orlando City’s 2025 season, the club announced various events before the season opener at home against the Philadelphia Union on Feb. 22. The launch for the team’s new primary kit will take place on Feb. 12 at the Canvas Event Venue, with fans in attendance able to get the jersey and meet players. Other events throughout February include a chalk talk, musical bingo night, and plenty of ways to get merch ahead of the season. However, the Purple Pride 5K is not listed, which is a bit disappointing considering it would have been the 10th annual edition of the event.

Analyzing the Women’s Soccer Transfer Market

American defender Naomi Girma’s move from San Diego Wave FC to Chelsea was the first to break the $1 million threshold for transfer fees in women’s soccer and The Athletic ($) dove into which players could warrant similar spending from clubs in the future. Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda was one such player noted. Banda did fantastic in her first season in the league last year, starred in the past two Olympics, and is still only 24 years old. Only time will tell if Europe can entice her before her contract in Orlando is up, but clubs would likely pay seven figures for her services. Americans Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman could also surpass that $1 million mark, along with NWSL MVP Temwa Chawinga and Paris FC’s Clara Mateo.

Tanner Tessmann Named U.S. Young Male Player of the Year

U.S. Soccer announced that midfielder Tanner Tessmann was voted 2024 U.S. Soccer Young Male Player of the Year after a solid year for both club and country. The 23-year-old captained the U.S. at the Olympics last summer and started for the senior team in both Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal games against Jamaica. A regular starter for Venezia last year, Tessmann scored in the promotion playoffs to help the team earn a spot in Serie A. He was then transferred to Olympique Lyon in August and has taken part in the Europa League. Tessmann received 70% of the vote, winning the award over Gianluca Busio and Niko Tsakiris.

Champions League First Stage Wraps Up

The UEFA Champions League’s league phase is finally over, with eight clubs already through to the round of 16 and 16 set to take part in a knockout round. Manchester City escaped elimination after a 3-1 win over Club Brugge that resulted in both teams advancing to the knockout stage. A hat trick from Ousmane Dembele lifted Paris Saint-Germain to a 4-1 win against Stuttgart and secure 15th in the standings. Aston Villa, Lille, and Bayer Leverkusen all won to clinch a spot in the round of 16, all three benefiting from Atalanta coming up short in a 2-2 draw with Barcelona. AC Milan lost 2-1 to Dinamo Zagreb in a match that included Christian Pulisic scoring and Yunus Musah being sent off. Liverpool’s perfect run came to an end following a 3-2 loss to PSV Eindhoven, but it still topped the standings.

While I found the new league phase to be a bit underwhelming, the knockout stage should provide some intriguing matchups. The draw will take place on Friday, but we already know that Manchester City will play either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich and Juventus will face either AC Milan or PSV Eindhoven.

Free Kicks

  • MLS Season Pass will broadcast a featured game with enhanced production on Sunday nights. It’s a solid strategy and hopefully it can catch on and become something fans across the country look forward to each week.
  • The Chicago Fire are set for a nice payday if Jhon Duran completes his move from Aston Villa to Al-Nassr.
  • Giovanni Reyna earned some style points for this assist in Borussia Dortmund’s 3-1 win against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League.

That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/29/25

Orlando City’s cup competitions, Orlando Pride’s new home kit leak, NWSL’s top 2025 matches, and more.

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2 days ago

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January 29, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Orlando City’s preseason continues in Mexico, where the Lions played a closed door match against Canadian Premier League club Forge FC in Cancun on Tuesday. The club didn’t release any details on the match (more on that below), but the feature image is from the scrimmage. For now, let’s get to today’s links!

Orlando City Cup Competitions

Orlando City will compete in two of the four North American cup competitions in 2025. After a year away, the Lions return to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup along with 15 other MLS clubs and 10 MLS Next Pro participants. Orlando City will also take part in the Leagues Cup with 17 other MLS clubs and 18 Liga MX clubs. The Lions did not qualify for the Concacaf Champions Cup, nor will they compete in the Canadian Championship for obvious geographical reasons.

Lions Remain Scoreless in Preseason

While Orlando City didn’t release any details from Tuesday’s scrimmage, the folks at TrueNorthFoot reported that the Lions and Forge FC played to a 0-0 draw in Cancun Tuesday. The photos released by the club mostly featured younger players, and it’s not surprising that the offense isn’t sharp at this stage, but at least the defense is doing well through two matches. The next scrimmage will take place Feb. 5 against Atlanta United.

Pride Home Kit Leak?

From now on, all Orlando Pride kits will have a star above the crest (or more, pending future results). Like many of you, I’ve eagerly awaited what the next home kit will look like. We now have a glimpse, if a leak from Footy Headlines is accurate.

ohwww.footyheadlines.com/2025/01/mass…

— andré (@838carlisle.bsky.social) 2025-01-28T15:14:13.357Z

I really hope that picture doesn’t convey how purple the kit is supposed to be. I’m also not a big fan of the crest in the center thing, but they don’t let me make those decisions. If the new kit doesn’t float your boat, you can pick up some previous Pride kits from the club’s official shop at a nice discount.

The Orlando Pride are Must-Watch TV

As the defending NWSL Shield and NWSL Cup winners, it’s not a surprise that the Orlando Pride earned three spots on All for XI’s Top 10 Must-Watch NWSL Games in 2025 list, including the top spot. The matches against NJ/NY Gotham FC, the Kansas City Current, and of course, a rematch against the Washington Spirit will certainly draw big viewership numbers.

NWSL Expansion Update

An official announcement adding Denver to the cities with an NWSL club is expected in the near future. Prior to that commissioner Jessica Berman hinted that there are plans to further expand the league. If Denver joins as planned, the team’s ownership will pay a record $110 million franchise fee. You can expect those fees to continue to grow as the league does the same.

Free Kicks

  • Remember Amro Tarek? He made 20 appearances for Orlando City back in 2018. If you don’t remember him, that’s all right since Austin FC supporters will almost certainly remember him for this fun fact.
  • Some pretty big names have left the NWSL for other shores. While the story includes the Pride’s Mariana Larroquette, she’s not quite the biggest name on the list, and she’s also only on loan until July 1.
  • The U.S. Open Cup has tweaked the competition rules so that teams must use primary venues when possible. If they cannot, the team will be on the hook for any differences in the cost to broadcast the match.

That will do it for today. Have a great rest of the week. Vamos Orlando!

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