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Orlando City vs. Colorado Rapids: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions perform in a 2-0 win at home against the Colorado Rapids?

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2 years ago

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Orlando City extended its unbeaten run to six games after a 2-0 win over the Colorado Rapids at Exploria Stadium. Colorado finished the match with just nine men due to a red card to Braian Galvan and a pair of yellow cards for Lalas Abubakar. Facundo Torres and Ramiro Enrique both came up with goals in the second half to give Orlando its first home win since April. Here’s how the Lions individually played in a nice win in Orlando.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6 — Gallese had a fairly quiet night in his 100th appearance as a Lion. His first save of the match was a comfortable one as he swallowed up a shot from distance by Cole Bassett. His second, and last, was a bit more difficult, as he had to go low to stop Darren Yapi’s shot from the top of the box. As for his distribution, two of his six long balls found their mark and he completed 77.8% of his 18 passes. El Pulpo may not have seen much of the ball in this game, but I doubt he’s complaining about a clean sheet.

D, Rafael Santos, 7 — Although only three of his 13 crosses reached their target, many of them were still delivered into dangerous areas. He looked lethal with time to work his magic out wide and often switched up his placement to keep the Rapids on their toes. Santos was also accurate on one of his two long balls and had 42 passes at a solid 83.3% success rate. He had a shot early on that was blocked and one of his crosses found Ercan Kara’s head for a key pass. The left back was on the same page with Ivan Angulo for most of the match as well, freeing him into open space and sneaking into good areas to cross from when Angulo was on the ball. Santos was defensively sound too, finishing the match with four tackles, a clearance, and a block. This was perhaps his best performance as a Lion.

D, Robin Jansson, 7 — The Beefy Swede put out fires as they came up, ending the game with two clearances, a tackle and a block. Jansson had 66 passes and completed all but three of them for a fantastic 95.5% success rate. He was also accurate on three of his four long balls to kickstart things offensively. Even when taking Colorado’s red cards into account, it was a great performance from Jansson.

D, Antonio Carlos, 6.5 — In 45 minutes of action, Carlos did well to defend Exploria Stadium and had two clearances. His distribution was excellent as well, as he was accurate on all six of his long balls and completed 93.9% of his 33 passes. He was booked for a sliding tackle to stop Kevin Cabral from charging downfield during a counterattack, meaning he will miss Orlando’s next match. That booking was why he was subbed off for Rodrigo Schlegel at halftime, per Oscar Pareja’s postgame presser.

D, Kyle Smith, 6.5 — Playing at right back, Smith did well on both sides of the ball in this match. Although neither of his two long balls were successful and he completed just one of his two crosses, Smith had two key passes. The first was in the first half’s stoppage time as he skipped a cross in for Mauricio Pereyra, while the second was a patient pass to give Torres an opportunity. Smith made great overlapping runs with Torres and looked comfortable dribbling forward and picking out passes. The 31-year-old had four tackles on the defensive side of things as well before being subbed off in the 77th minute. Unfortunately, like Carlos, Smith will miss Orlando’s next match after receiving a yellow card.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 7 — It was another great performance from Araujo in the heart of Orlando’s midfield. The 22-year-old led the Lions with 81 touches and completed 97.3% of his team-high 73 passes. His only mistake may have been his shot from distance, which was blocked with ease and sent Colorado on the break. Orlando’s playmakers carried most of the load offensively, but Araujo still had a key pass and completed one of his two long balls. He helped out defensively with a tackle and an interception as well. All in all, it was another strong outing from one of the league’s best defensive midfielders.

MF, Wilder Cartagena, 6 — The Peruvian midfielder had a couple of worrying turnovers, but was otherwise solid. He was accurate on 85.3% of his 34 passes, completed his only long ball, and had a key pass to set up a shot for Angulo before halftime. While going for a loose ball in the first half, he was struck by Galvan’s high boot and the Rapids player was sent off with a red card. Cartagena was taken off at halftime for Martin Ojeda to give Orlando more of an attacking edge in the second half.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 6.5 — The quick winger saw plenty of the ball while attacking along Orlando’s left wing. Of his two shots, one was deflected and collected by Marko Ilic and the other was sent wide from a tough angle. His speed gave Orlando a way to stretch Colorado’s defense, as well as apply constant pressure defensively. He chipped in on defense with a tackle and an interception. Angulo had a key pass, completed 93.9% of his 33 passes, and was accurate on one of his two crosses. He gave Abubakar headaches and turned the defender inside out so badly that Abubakar picked up a second yellow card trying to stop him.

MF, Facundo Torres, 7.5 (MotM) — Although a deflection played a large part in his goal, Torres did well to quickly set up his shot and put it on frame. It was also a testament to how well his movement is off the ball, as he went from the center of the box to open space outside of it in the blink of an eye. He also came up with his third assist of the year, finding Enrique open against a shorthanded Colorado defense. Of his three other shots, one was fired right at Ilic and the other two were blocked — one of which was barely deflected inches wide. Torres had two key passes, was accurate on both of his long balls, completed two of his three crosses, and finished with 51 passes at a great 90.2% success rate. He’s our Man of the Match for contributing to both goals against Colorado’s low block and fueling Orlando’s offense from start to finish

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 7 — Pereyra notched his fourth assist of the season by cycling the ball over to Torres at the top of the box. It was one of his two key passes and he also connected on all five of his long balls. Neither of his two crosses were successful, and he was successful on 85.9% of his 64 passes. He put a shot on target right before halftime, but Ilic came up with a good save to deny him. Ilic stopped him again in the second half by getting enough on his strike from distance. Pereyra was also successful on three of his five attempted dribbles to weave his way through Colorado’s defense.

F, Ercan Kara, 5.5 — He had 16 touches and completed half of his 10 passes in 90 minutes on the field. Kara received decent service, particularly aerially, but Colorado’s center backs were stuck to him like glue to make it hard for him to put a header on frame. None of his three shots were on target, including a chance from distance that went wide. Colorado’s first red card led to more defenders in the box to stop some crosses from reaching him, and Kara made a few great runs that weren’t serviced, and he helped Enrique on the second goal by luring defenders deeper into the area. Kara won three aerial duels, and the attention he drew helped free up space outside the box for Orlando’s other attackers.

Substitutes

MF, Martin Ojeda (45′), 6 — Ojeda gave Colorado’s defense another thing to worry about in the second half, as he made clever runs and looked threatening when on the ball. He had a key pass, queuing up a shot for Angulo, and was accurate on one of his four crosses. Of his 19 passes, 89.5% were successful, and he had a clearance as well. It would have been nice to see him take control of a match against a shorthanded Colorado side, but it was far from bad from the Designated Player.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel (45′), 7 — All three of Schlegel’s tackles were great, as he stopped Colorado’s counters in their tracks with stingy one-on-one defending. Schlegel also completed every single one of his 37 passes to help the Lions build out of the back. He hardly put a foot wrong and it was a nice way for him to get his feet wet, considering he will have to fill in for Carlos next week as well.

F, Ramiro Enrique (77′), 6.5 — The 22-year-old scored his first goal for Orlando with a nice strike into the bottom right corner. It was the best moment of Enrique’s brief appearance, which also included four passes at a 100% success rate. Hopefully this goal helps him get things going as a super sub this season.

MF, Felipe (83′), N/A  — Felipe gave Orlando some fresh legs and consistency in the midfield, completing nine of his 10 passes. He was credited for a key pass for getting the ball to Kara before his try from range. Ultimately, we didn’t see enough of the midfielder to accurately grade him.

MF, Alejandro Granados (89′) N/A —Signed to a short-term agreement earlier this week, Granados made his Orlando City debut with a late cameo. The 17-year-old had 10 touches, completed seven of his eight passes, and took a shot that was blocked.

That’s how I saw each performance from the Lions in their 2-0 win at home against the Colorado Rapids. The red cards certainly played a part, but many of the Lions did well. 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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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/6/25

Alex Freeman called up for Concacaf Gold Cup, Orlando Pride get ready for the Houston Dash, Orlando City B plays tonight, and more.

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1 hour ago

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June 6, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday! I’ll be spending this weekend celebrating my birthday by beating my friends at mini golf with no mercy but still hope to catch some soccer over the next few days. I’ve also been on a bit of a movie kick and plan on catching Wes Anderson’s new flick at some point soon. But for now, let’s dive into today’s links!

Alex Freeman Called Up For Gold Cup

Orlando City defender Alex Freeman was officially called up by the United States Men’s National Team for the Concacaf Gold Cup this summer. He’s the only Lion who will be at the tournament and is one of seven uncapped USMNT players on the roster. The 20-year-old could receive more playing time than expected, as right back Sergino Dest is not on the roster so that he can recover over the summer. Left back John Tolkin was added to replace Dest, so Freeman has a real shot at making a claim for the position this month. The U.S. will take on Turkey Saturday in the first of two friendlies before its first Gold Cup match against Trinidad & Tobago on June 15.

Orlando Pride Prepares to Host the Houston Dash

With the international break for women’s soccer over, the Orlando Pride return to action Saturday with a home game against the Houston Dash. It should be a great opportunity for the Pride to ease back into the swing of things against a Dash team that’s only scored 10 goals this season. Pride midfielder Ally Lemos spoke on the benefit of being able to rest heading into this match while maintaining a winning mindset from a 3-1 victory on May 23.

Anna Moorhouse Called Up For 2025 Euros

Orlando Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was named to England’s final roster for the 2025 UEFA European Women’s Championship. She’s one of three goalkeepers on the squad following Mary Earp’s surprise retirement from international soccer, and she will likely compete with fellow uncapped player Khiara Keating for the backup position behind Hannah Hampton. Moorhouse has started in every game for the Pride this season and was an NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year finalist for her record-breaking season last year. England’s Euro run will begin July 5 against France before other group matches against the Netherlands and Wales.

Orlando City B Takes On Huntsville City FC

The Young Lions are riding high after a 2-1 win over Chattanooga FC and will take that momentum into tonight’s road match against Huntsville City FC. Midfielder Noah Levis scored his first career goal in that home win, with Justin Hylton providing the assist in his OCB debut. Orlando’s offense has been hot and cold this season but has a variety of attacking talent that can create chances in different ways. The Young Lions have only won once on the road, but a win tonight would lift them to third in the Eastern Conference.

Free Kicks

  • FIFA Club World Cup action is coming to the City Beautiful this month and Orlando City legend Kaká spoke on how it’s nice for Orlando to host games.
  • San Diego Wave Head Coach Jonas Eidevall was named NWSL Coach of the Month. The Wave were undefeated in May, winning three of their four matches to climb to second in the league standings.
  • The NWSL will allow intraleague loans for all teams, with the players needing to consent to the move in order for it to happen. Denver and Boston’s expansion teams will have access to potentially over $1 million in Allocation Money starting on July 1 to build their rosters before the 2026 season.
  • Atletico Madrid is reportedly close to signing American midfielder Johnny Cardoso from Real Betis.
  • South Korea, Uzbekistan, and Jordan all qualified for the 2026 World Cup, while China was eliminated from contention. Australia beat Japan 1-0 and will qualify so long as it doesn’t lose heavily to Saudi Arabia on June 10.
  • Spain beat France 5-4 in a wild game to reach the UEFA Nations League final against Portugal on Sunday. Lamine Yamal continues to take the world by storm, but a late rally by France nearly completed a comeback.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/5/25

MLS All-Star voting update, Kerry Abello shines with USWNT, Sergio Zapata earns recognition, and more.

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1 day ago

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June 5, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this week has been treating you well as we enjoy some international soccer and prepare for the return of NWSL action this weekend. Before we jump right into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City B midfielder Dylan Judelson!

Pair of Lions Lead MLS All-Star Voting

Voting for this year’s MLS All-Star Game remains underway and an update was provided on which players are leading at each position. Orlando City defender Alex Freeman leads all right backs as he enjoys a breakout season. I was aware of the buzz he’s been getting this year, but it’s still surprising to see a Lion as an All-Star frontrunner. What’s even more surprising is that Pedro Gallese leads the voting for goalkeepers. The Peruvian made a rough gaffe last week, but has otherwise had a stellar season with Orlando that’s included seven clean sheets. Voting will close on June 11, so make sure to get those votes in before then.

Kerry Abello Impresses With USMNT

Orlando Pride defender Kerry Abello made her first appearance for the United States Women’s National Team Tuesday, playing every minute of the 4-0 win over Jamaica. The versatility she’s shown with the Pride translated well in Head Coach Emma Hayes’ system, as she was able to hold things down defensively and contribute to the attack as well. Abello could end up bringing solid depth to the USWNT as Hayes figures out the team’s future core of players. Enjoy this video from the USWNT that provides a look behind the scenes of Abello’s international debut.

Sergio Zapata Named Player of the Month

Sergio Zapata scored a whopping 11 goals for Orlando City’s U-19 team over the course of just four matches in May, winning the honor of MLS NEXT Player of the Month. He had three hat tricks last month, including one against Hoosier Premier at MLS NEXT Fest. Zapata committed to Cornell, so hopefully we’ll get to see him tear it up in the Ivy League over the next couple of years.

Zack Steffen Sustains Knee Injury

Goalkeeper Zack Steffen injured his knee at the United States Men’s National Team’s training camp and will reportedly miss this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup. It’s rough news for the 30-year-old, as he was expected to compete with Matt Turner for the starting job with the USMNT. He’s been having a great season with the Colorado Rapids and returned to the club for further evaluation on the injury.

Free Kicks

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/4/25

USWNT wins as Abello gets first cap, Orlando Pride’s Concacaf W Champions Cup draw, Club World Cup in Orlando, and more.

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2 days ago

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June 4, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Tuesday was a busy soccer day, especially on the women’s side. We have plenty of Orlando Pride news, and the USWNT secured yet another victory. I’m hoping the good vibes continue since I’ll be coming down to Orlando for the Pride’s match this Saturday. If you’re going to the match, let me know, as I’d love to meet as many of our readers as possible. For now, let’s get to the links.

USWNT Blanks Jamaica

The USWNT defeated Jamaica 4-0 in a friendly at Energizer Park in St. Louis. The Orlando Pride’s Kerry Abello got her first start and her first cap in the match. She went the full 90 minutes and almost had her first international goal in the second half, but the chance went a bit wide of the right post. Ally Sentnor and Lynn Biyendolo each scored a brace as the U.S. rolled to an easy win.

Pride Internationals

Abello wasn’t the only Pride player to make an international appearance. Marta returned to international duty for Brazil getting the start and the captain’s armband in a 2-1 win over Japan. Both Grace Chanda and Barbra Banda started for Zambia in the 2-0 loss to South Africa in the Three Nations Challenge. Congratulations are also due to Zara Chavoshi, who earned her first cap with the Canadian Women’s National Team in the match against Haiti.

Concacaf W Champions Cup Draw

The Concacaf W Champions Cup draw happened yesterday and the Orlando Pride are in Group A with Club America Femenil, CF Pachuca Femenil, LD Alajuelense, and Chorrillo FC. Group B consists of NJ/NY Gotham FC, the Washington Spirit, CF Monterrey Femenil, Vancouver Rise FC Academy, and Alianza Women FC. The competition kicks off Aug. 19-21.

FIFA Loves Orlando

FIFA President Gianni Infantino sat for an interview with Jamie Seh of WKMG Orlando. Infantino spoke about the upcoming Club World Cup matches at Inter&Co Stadium and Camping World Stadium. FIFA loves Orlando enough for the city to host the Club World Cup, but not the actual World Cup. Here is the schedule for the matches in Orlando. We will be bringing you coverage of these matches.

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That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the return of the Orlando Pride this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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