Connect with us

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Inter Miami: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions rate in a 3-1 win on the road against Inter Miami?

Published

2 years ago

on

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

In the first Tropic Thunder rivalry match of the year, Orlando City went on the road and won 3-1 against Inter Miami. Ercan Kara, Martin Ojeda, and Rafael Santos all scored to overshadow a great goal from Leonardo Campana. It was Orlando’s first win during a hectic May and should be a good result to build off of. Let’s dive into how your favorite Lions individually performed in a huge road win.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6.5  — Gallese was beaten by Campana’s strike from distance, unable to get to it before it was in the back of the net. Dixon Arroyo tested him again soon after, but he did well to get low and make the difficult save. It was Gallese’s only save of the night as his back line did well to keep Miami from troubling him too much. El Pulpo’s distribution could have been a bit better as he was accurate on four of his 11 long balls and completed 46.2% of his 13 passes. The way the game played out influences those stats a bit though as Gallese didn’t need to help Orlando build possession out of the back.

D, Rafael Santos, 6.5 — A turnover in Orlando’s own half led to Miami’s equalizer, as the Herons picked off Santos’ pass and then worked the ball to Campana for him to work his magic. However, Santos made up for his error with his first goal as a Lion late in the match. Duncan McGuire found him at the edge of the area and he smashed it home. It was his second shot of the match, as he had a similar opportunity prior to his goal that went just wide. It was only his sixth professional goal and gave the Lions an insurance tally they’ve struggled to find in past matches. Santos did struggle in other ways though. His crosses looked threatening, but he was unsuccessful on both attempts and inaccurate on his four long balls as well. He had 42 passes, but only completed 73.8% of them as well. That being said, he was defensively sound with two tackles, three interceptions, and two clearances.

D, Robin Jansson, 7.5 — The Beefy Swede was dominant in the center of Orlando’s defense, finishing the match with seven clearances, three interceptions, and two blocked shots. His distribution was great as well, as he was successful on 88.9% of his 27 passes and completed three of his five long balls. Jansson was a big reason why Gallese had a fairly quiet night as he positioned himself well to force Miami’s attack to go through him or try attempts from range or bad angles. The edge and decisiveness he defended with also went a long way in a rivalry match on the road.

D, Antonio Carlos, 7.5 — This match was a testament to just how well Carlos can put out fires. Campana and Josef Martinez are not the easiest forwards to wrangle with, but Carlos kept them limited while helping Kyle Smith out on the right side of the defense when needed. He had seven clearances and two interceptions to see out danger and prevent service from reaching Miami’s biggest weapons. Carlos only completed 73.9% of his 23 passes, but was accurate on four of his five long balls. This match was another strong outing from the Brazilian in his seventh start of the season.

D, Kyle Smith, 6.5 — The right back didn’t see too much of the ball in 63 minutes on the field. Smith had 29 touches and 17 passes at a subpar 64.7% success rate. He didn’t get involved on offense much either, with his only cross of the match missing its mark. But on the defensive side of things, he had two interceptions and three clearances while communicating with Carlos to deal with the danger when it came knocking. Perhaps most notable was that, in a match in which referee Ramy Touchan handed out seven yellow cards, he wasn’t booked. In fact, he didn’t even commit a foul, which is important considering he’s a yellow card away from suspension and Michael Halliday is on international duty.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 7.5 — Araujo notched his first assist of the season with a great long throw that had plenty of power to reach Kara at the near post. It’s nice to see this part of his game result in a goal. Araujo led the Lions with 69 touches and 55 passes at an 87.3% success rate. He also had a team-high two key passes and put his only shot on target, although it was right at Drake Callender. Of his 10 long balls, second only to Gallese, six found their mark, including starting the sequence that resulted in Santos’ goal. Defensively, he had two tackles and an interception to help limit Miami’s chances. Araujo made it easy to forget he’s just 22 years old, as he comfortably played himself and his teammates out of trouble. This was his 10th straight match that he’s played all 90 minutes, so he is likely looking forward to the week of rest.

MF, Wilder Cartagena, 6.5 — The Peruvian was juked by Campana and couldn’t close him down in time to stop his goal. It was a blemish on a fairly strong defensive effort in the midfield from Cartagena, who led the Lions with five tackles. Cartagena didn’t have any shots or key passes, but he did connect on two of his three long balls to contribute offensively. The 28-year-old had 46 passes at an 84.8% success rate and won his only aerial duel of the evening.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 6.5 — Angulo was an active part of Orlando’s offense, using his speed to collect the ball and charge into dangerous areas. It often felt like he happened to be in the right place at the right time. However, his decision making led to mixed results. In one moment he was whipping in an excellent cross to Kara for a key pass, but in the next he was sending a shot miles wide of goal. Both of his two shots were off target and that cross was his only one of the match. He didn’t connect on either of his two long balls and he had 26 passes at a 76.9% success rate. His quickness kept the Herons on their toes, even late in the match before being subbed off in the 83rd minute. Angulo also helped out defensively with two tackles and a clearance. He did pick up his fourth yellow card of the season though, meaning his next will result in a suspension.

MF, Facundo Torres, 6 — El Cuervo’s movement both on and off the ball helped create space for his teammates. Torres attempted a whopping 10 dribbles in 75 minutes and was successful on four of them to shake defenders and increase Orlando’s tempo. However, his touch was poor at times and he continued to lean heavily on his talented left foot, which limited him a bit when attacking. Despite how active he was with his 59 touches, Torres had no key passes and neither of his shots were on target, as one went wide and the other was blocked. He was accurate on one of his two long balls, missed on his lone cross, but finished with 37 passes at a strong 89.2% success rate. Although he didn’t have any defensive stats, the pressure he provided was certainly felt. Still, he needed to be more clinical in this match to capitalize on the team’s chances.

MF, Gaston Gonzalez, 6 — The Argentine winger’s night came to an unfortunate end in the 63rd minute when he pulled up near the touchline grabbing his leg with what looked to be a hamstring injury. Up to that point, he’d been solid playing along the left wing, completing 60.9% of his 23 passes and working his way into good areas. Gonzalez was successful on one of his two crosses as well, connecting with Kara on a corner kick for a key pass. Given his injury history, it was tough to watch him exit this match just as it looked like he was picking up steam in the offense.

F, Ercan Kara, 8 (MotM) — Kara is simply on fire, as he scored his fourth goal in five games. The Austrian forward got his head on Araujo’s long throw at the near post and flicked it on past Callender for Orlando’s first goal. He had more brilliance in the second half for an assist as well, knocking the ball forward for Ojeda to run in on goal unimpeded. The Lions targeted him early and often, and he finished the match with three shots, all with his head. One went just over the crossbar and the other smacked the post early in the match. He won his only aerial duel and completed half of his 16 passes in 75 minutes of action. It was an excellent performance from Kara and he is our clear Man of the Match.

Substitutes

MF, Martin Ojeda (63′), 7 — In his first taste of the Tropic Thunder rivalry, Ojeda scored to restore Orlando’s lead in the second half with his only shot of the match. Only a few minutes after coming on as a substitute, Ojeda was sent in on goal by Kara and beat Callender to swing the momentum back in Orlando’s favor. He was also credited with an assist on Santos’ goal for slipping the ball through a defenders legs for it to reach McGuire, who then found Santos. His fresh legs helped see the game out and he had an interception and a clearance on the defensive side of things. He only had nine passes, completing six of them, and 15 touches, but he certainly made a difference in this one.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel (63′), 7  — The center back came on for Smith in the second half to change the shape of Orlando’s defense. He only had eight touches, but he made them count with three clearances, an interception, and his first MLS assist. A long ball from Schlegel found Kara in the center of the field and the striker passed it along to Ojeda for Orlando’s second goal. He completed three of his four passes and was accurate on one of his two long balls. It’s nice knowing a center back like Schlegel is available, as he can provide both depth and versatility for the Lions.

F, Duncan McGuire (75′), 7 — His assist on Santos’s goal was a simple one, but he did well to hold up play in the box and finding his teammate rather than trying to force a shot from a tough angle or dribbling away from goal. The rookie didn’t take a shot, but got into good positions and was fouled twice. McGuire completed five of his seven passes and added some pressure to help Orlando take all three points back to Orlando.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra (75′), 6.5 — The midfielder was sharp coming off the bench, immediately combining with McGuire in the box to create a chance. He won’t receive credit on the score sheet for his role in Orlando’s third goal, but he did well to receive and then send the ball forward without a sacrifice in tempo. Pereyra completed six of his eight passes and looked good when on the ball.

MF, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson (83′), N/A  — It was another brief appearance for the Icelandic midfielder, as he had four touches and completed all three of his passes in the build up to Orlando’s third goal. There wasn’t enough time in the match for Thorhallsson to receive a grade in this one.

That’s how I saw each performance from the Lions in their 3-1 win over Miami. It’s always nice to see the Lions win, but it’s even sweeter when it’s against a rival. Who was your Man of the Match? Make sure to vote in our poll and let us know what you think in the comments!

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Orlando City

How Orlando City’s Offense Stacks Up Against What Atlanta Does Defensively

How Orlando City has performed against teams playing with three or four defenders, and how that may influence the playoff game against Atlanta United.

Published

6 hours ago

on

November 21, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

The most famous quote about real estate is that “there are three things that matter in property: location, location, location.” Soccer coaches also like to think in threes, especially when it comes to points, but for a soccer coach, the three things that matter might be the rhyming triplet “formation, formation, formation,” as that is where they will have the biggest influence on every game that their team plays.

Throughout his tenure as head coach, Óscar Pareja has preferred to use a 4-2-3-1 as his formation (fbref.com’s lineup data shows that the Lions primarily played a 4-2-3-1 in 65% of their MLS matches this season, and 79% of their MLS matches during the last three seasons). The Lions have lined up in a 4-2-3-1 during each of their last 14 games, and my confidence level is strong to quite strong (can you believe Meet the Parents came out 24 years ago?) that they will do so once again on Sunday when they host Atlanta United.

Atlanta United also prefers to deploy a 4-2-3-1, but was less consistent than Orlando City this season during MLS play, as evidenced by the chart below that shows how Atlanta lined up this season:

The purpose of this image is a table to show how Atlanta United lined up in 2024 (mostly in a 4-2-3-1 but also in one of six other formations).

I am relying on the coders at Opta for their evaluation of the formation, as I do not watch a lot of Atlanta United matches (sounds terrible), but though Atlanta primarily played with four defenders in more than two-thirds of its matches, during the last two matches it played a 3-5-2, the only two matches all season in which interim coach Rob Valentino rolled out that formation. I suspect that the formation change was related partially to playing Inter Miami and trying to defend the Herons’ dynamic offense and partially due to an injury suffered by defender Brooks Lennon in the first game of that series. So, while Atlanta primarily played four in the back for most of the season, there is a good chance it will roll with what worked against Florida’s second-best MLS team when it plays Florida’s best MLS team this weekend.

Now, if you want to read more about Atlanta, then you can read our match preview, which will drop Sunday morning, but I want to look at how Orlando did against teams that play similar styles. Looking only at MLS games, the table below shows how Orlando City performed against different back line structures this season (the left side is how the Lions’ opponents lined up, the right side is how Orlando City performed against opponents in those formations):

Table embedded as an image showing Orlando City doing best in goal differential in 12 games against three-man back lines, second best against four-man back lines, and having played once against a five-man back line (a 1-1 draw).

Orlando City earned slightly more points per game — the stat that matters most — against teams that played four in the back, but the Lions had a better average goal differential when teams played three in the back. Atlanta will likely deploy one of those two formations. In both games against Orlando City this season, Sunday’s visitors went with a 4-2-3-1, but as mentioned earlier, they used three in the back in each of their last two matches, so it really could be either.

Soccer is not like baseball, where players primarily stay in the same spot throughout the game, so some of these stats have to be taken with a grain of salt, as players are not always rigidly in the same position throughout a match. A team may also primarily play with four in the back but switch to three when chasing a game, or five when trying to protect against a late goal.

That said, using the data around Orlando City’s opponents’ general formations, here are the attacking groups who played the most frequently against four defenders during the 24 MLS games where Opta coded the opponents as using a defensive group of four:

Table embedded as an image showing the most frequently used lineups against teams who deploy four defenders. The most frequently used attacking group has a plus eight goal differential for the season.

It is a little ominous that the main starting group, shown in row one, has played 666 MLS minutes against back lines of four this season, but do I like that green goal differential of +8 in those minutes, which is a strong +1.08 per 90 minutes. I like that goal differential more than I like all the things that Cardi B, Bad Bunny, and J Balvin like on their song that is creatively named “I Like It.” Coincidentally, when people ask me what I think about that song, I say, “I like it.” I am very creative.

If we look at the lineups that Orlando City has used against back lines of three defenders then there are some pretty major differences in personnel groupings, but it must be noted that more than half of the games against teams playing three in the back came early in the season, when Ramiro Enrique was unavailable to play. Enrique, my presumed starter at striker, has played fewer than three games’ worth of minutes (265 total) against back lines of three this season, and only 28 minutes with the main starting group, which ranks 13th among all the attacking lineups for minutes played against three defenders. That group scored one goal in their 28 minutes together though, for a robust 3.21 goals-scored-per-90-minutes average.

While the team as a whole has been successful against three-man back lines, I do not expect any of the lineups shown in the table below to play more than a few minutes together this weekend, though the first row and the last row are strong groups and had a lot of success.

Table embedded as an image showing the most frequently used lineups against teams who deploy three defenders. The most frequently used attacking group has a plus three goal differential for the season.

I am sure that all week long the Orlando City coaching staff has been going back and forth on whether it is more likely that Atlanta reverts to its most commonly used four in the back, or if the Five Stripes try for three wins in a row with three in the back. I would prefer that Atlanta plays with zero defenders and goalkeeper Brad Guzan wears a blindfold, but I think that is unlikely to be the case.

Even though Atlanta defeated Orlando City both times while in a 4-2-3-1, based on available personnel and recent results, I believe that the team will come out in a 3-5-2 in Inter&Co Stadium in the conference semifinal. Good things come in threes, and Orlando City’s best offensive production this season has been against three defenders, so I am going to be hoping that this continues, and in the third game against Atlanta the Lions grab the three points. Three’s company!

Well, it is a playoff game, so there are no actual points at stake, but you know what I meant.

Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Atlanta United: Three Keys to Victory

What do the Lions need to do to get a victory to advance to the Eastern Conference final?

Published

8 hours ago

on

November 21, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City continues its playoff journey against Atlanta United Sunday at Inter&Co Stadium. The Lions are coming off an emotional penalty shootout win over Charlotte FC in their best-of-three, first-round series. Likewise, Atlanta United stunned everyone by taking out Inter Miami to advance in its own best-of-three matchup. Now, the rivals meet in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

What does Orlando City need to do to get past Atlanta United to advance to the Easter Conference final?

Beat Guzan

Brad Guzan made 16 saves over Atlanta’s three matches against Inter Miami, including seven in the 3-2 win on the road in Game 3. The 40-year-old former USMNT keeper is in excellent form and is a big reason why the Five Stripes are facing Orlando City. Converting chances against Guzan will be crucial to earning a result. There have been times this season when the Lions have struggled to convert their chances. Despite that, the team has done enough offensively to get to this point. Facundo Torres, Martin Ojeda, Duncan McGuire, Ramiro Enrique, and others have contributed and will need to do so this weekend.

Cartagena is Essential

Orlando City lost twice to Atlanta United during the regular season. What is interesting, and perhaps relevant, is that Wilder Cartagena was out for both of those matches. Cartagena was shown a straight red in the match against Minnesota United prior to the first match against Atlanta way back in March. He was shown a yellow card in the match against FC Cincinnati and then served a yellow card accumulation suspension for the final match of the season against Atlanta. Fortunately for Orlando City, Cartagena will be available for the match this weekend. I’ve mentioned before the importance of Cartagena to Orlando City’s success. When he and Cesar Araujo are on the field together, the defense is simply better. Cartagena is frankly one of the better defensive midfielders in MLS. Atlanta scored five goals in the series against Miami, and Orlando will need to keep the visitors from having that kind of offensive success.

Overcome the Past

That darn international break in the middle of the playoffs is something I don’t love. More precisely, I don’t like it because Orlando City often struggles after a break. It would have been nice if Orlando City could have ridden the momentum from the penalty kick victory into the Atlanta match, but that’s not to be. Now is the time for Orlando City to break some bad habits, including turning around its historical lack of success against Atlanta, and tendency to struggle in the first match after a break. Oscar Pareja needs to have the players in the right frame of mind, and the players need to execute the plan. A full house of supporters can also make a difference. Given it’s a Sunday afternoon match, there’s no reason not to pack the house.

That is what I will be looking for Sunday afternoon. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/21/24

Marta’s chance to shine in NWSL Championship, NWSL and MLS award winners announced, 2025 SheBelieves Cup details, and more.

Published

12 hours ago

on

November 21, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve been spending most of this week plotting out some holiday shopping to make things a little less stressful for myself over the next few weeks. A big weekend filled with Orlando soccer awaits us, so make sure to get any errands or obligations out of the way sooner rather than later. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Spotlight Falls On Marta in NWSL Championship

There are plenty of storylines heading into Saturday’s NWSL Championship between the Orlando Pride and Washington Spirit, including Marta’s opportunity to put an exclamation point on what has been an excellent season for the Pride. Orlando has been enjoying the fruits of its labor this season after a rebuild over the past few years that’s included plenty of change in the City Beautiful. Marta has been a constant, however, enduring some difficult seasons since joining the Pride and adapting her game She’s scored in both of the Pride’s playoff games so far and has a chance to author a storybook ending on Saturday.

Ann-Katrin Berger Named NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year

NJ/NY Gotham FC goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger was named 2024 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year, beating out the Pride’s Anna Moorhouse and Utah Royals FC’s Mandy Haught for the honor. It was Berger’s first year in the NWSL and she’s the first European player to win the award. She only conceded 16 goals across her 22 matches for Gotham this season and was a key reason behind her team’s success. I’m not too surprised that Moorhouse did not win, considering how solid the Pride’s defense was as a whole, but this won’t take anything away from a record-breaking season for her.

Wilfried Nancy Named MLS Coach of the Year

Columbus Crew Head Coach Wilfried Nancy was voted 2024 MLS Coach of the Year after a historic season in which the Crew set club records in both points and goals. The Crew also won the Leagues Cup this summer and their 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup campaign included advancing past Tigres and Monterrey en route to the final. This is Nancy’s first time being named Coach of the Year and he has been a finalist for the award every year since 2021. The Frenchman received 40.02% of the vote, winning the award over Inter Miami’s Gerardo Martino and Colorado Rapids Head Coach Chris Armas.

2025 SheBelieves Cup Details Unveiled

The 10th annual SheBelieves Cup will take place next year and the tournament will return to its usual format where each of the four teams plays each other once. The United States Women’s National Team will host Japan, Colombia, and Australia in February in what should be an exciting tournament. The U.S. will take on Colombia on Feb. 20 in Houston before facing Australia in Arizona on Feb. 23 and finishing the tournament on Feb. 26 against Japan at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego. These games will also be the first domestic games of 2025 for the USWNT as it prepares to qualify for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.

Eric Quill Named FC Dallas Head Coach

FC Dallas announced that Eric Quill will become the team’s next head coach. Quill joins Dallas after a great year with New Mexico United that included trips to the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals and USL Championship Western Conference semifinals. It’s also a reunion of sorts for Quill, as he previously coached North Texas SC and was named USL League One Coach of the Year with the club in 2019. Dallas missed out on the playoffs this season, with Peter Luccin coaching the team on an interim basis after the firing of Nico Estevez in June.

Free Kicks

  • District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser challenged Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer to a bet involving this weekend’s NWSL Championship, with embarrassing lightshows on the line.

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

Continue Reading

Trending