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Orlando City vs. Philadelphia Union: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions grade out in a draw against the Union?

Published

3 years ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City hosted the Philadelphia Union for a midweek matchup and walked away with a 2-2 draw after giving up a two-goal lead late. With multiple players still missing for international duty, Orlando City suffered a late gut punch and as a result many great individual efforts felt hollow on the evening. Here is how each Lion performed at Exploria Stadium.

Starters

GK, Mason Stajduhar, 6 — In his second straight start, Stajduhar came up with three saves on the evening. Sporting a clean sheet for the first two thirds of the match, Stajduhar came up with a stellar save on Julian Carranza in the 51st minute as he slid across the goal to deny a point blank opportunity. Just a few minutes later, Philadelphia found their breakthrough goal as Stajduhar allowed a long cross to squeak past him in the 60th minute as he was slow to react to the cross sailing too high and heading for the back post. There was nothing he could do about Jose Martinez’s blast from 30-35 yards out that screamed past him off the inside of the post. Stajduhar was accurate on 12 of his 21 passes (51.7%) and drew two yellow cards on the opposition on the night, earning one of his own.

D, Rafael Santos, 5.5 — The left back completed 24 of his 32 passes (75%) in 80 minutes. It felt like a quiet night for the defender as the attack seemed to be more direct, although in the second half, Santos was able to make more overlapping runs. On the defensive side of the pitch he recorded two tackles, two interceptions, and two clearances, but when he was able to get involved on the offensive side, his crosses did not find the mark as he went 0-for-3 and connected on just two of seven long balls. He was dispossessed twice and sent poor passes straight to Union players multiple times while trying to play out of the back.

D, Antonio Carlos, 7 — After missing the weekend match due to yellow card accumulation, Carlos was back in the starting line up. AC completed 22 of his 26 passes (84.6%), going 2-for-3 on long balls, and recorded one shot on frame that required an alert save by Joe Bendik to keep it from sneaking under the bar off a corner kick cross. On defense, Carlos recorded two tackles, an interception, and eight clearances, and he won four aerial duels. One of Carlos’ eight clearances was unfortunate a little too good, as if it had fallen at 20 or 25 yards, Dagur Dan was in position to get onto it and help move it up the field. Instead, it traveled 30+ yards out and found the foot of Martinez. The fact that Philadelphia was rarely dangerous inside the 18-yard box is a tribute to the play of Carlos and his central defense partner.

D, Robin Jansson, 6.5 — The Swedish center back also played a solid match. Jansson completed 21 of his 26 passes (80.8%), completed three of six long balls, and had one successful dribble, making one of his patented upfield runs in the second half. On the defensive side, Jansson’s night seemed quieter, as he did not record a tackle and only was credited with one interception, an aerial won, and two clearances.

D, Kyle Smith, 5.5 — Also rejoining the starting lineup after missing the past match due to yellow card accumulation, Smith was unimpressive in 68 minutes of action. He only completed 19 of his 31 passes (61.3%), went 0-for-2 on crosses and 1-for-4 on long balls, and was dispossessed once. Smith recorded one tackle and three clearances. He attempted one shot, which was blocked, and did not contribute a key pass before being subbed off.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 6 — The Uruguayan didn’t have his best night passing, but he quietly helped connect Orlando’s defense with its offense, completing a below-the-norm 32 of his 42 passes for just a 76.2% success rate. He didn’t attempt a shot but did pick up a secondary assist on the goal credited to Martin Ojeda. He will lose that assist if Opta changes the goal to McGuire. His only cross was off target and he completed only two of five long balls. Araujo helped out defensively with one interception and two clearances while winning both of his aerial duels. It was a sloppier performance than usual from the reliable midfielder in possession but at least he was able to frustrate the Union defensively.

MF, Felipe, 5 — The 32-year-old started his second straight match and had a problematic night. He wasted a set piece in a dangerous area by seemingly not knowing where his teammates were going, crossing it over the end line harmlessly for a goal kick. He completed 24 of his 30 (80%) passes on the night, but the ones he missed on helped jumpstart Philadelphia’s counter, as he gave the ball to the opposition in the middle of the pitch or in the defensive end multiple times. He completed two of his three long balls. His only shot attempt was blocked. On the defensive side of the field, Felipe contributed one tackle, an interception, and two clearances.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 6.5 — Oh what could and should have been. Angulo had a potential winning (or insurance) goal in the later part of the match overturned after video review which would have seen Orlando up 3-1. The Colombian completed 25 out of 27 passes for a team-high 92.6% success rate and assisted on Ojeda’s goal. Angulo completed two dribbles and recorded two shots with one on frame. Unfortunately, the one that wasn’t on frame was a sitter served up on a platter by McGuire from eight yards out in front of an empty net. His lone cross was unsuccessful and he completed one of his two long balls. He also chipped in two interceptions. The missed sitter ultimately helped prevent the Lions from putting the game away or his score would be higher and perhaps prevented him from being our Man of the Match.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 6.5 — The captain anchored the center of the field for the Lions and had 55 total touches on the night. He completed 38 of his 44 passes (86.4%) and recorded a team-high three key passes while going the full 90. Pereyra looked spry on the field for the most part and was able to find himself in good spaces to distribute to his teammates. He was credited with a secondary assist on Duncan McGuire’s goal in the 13th minute. He did not attempt a shot but was successful on one dribble and drew two free kicks. He also contributed an interception and a clearance.

MF, Martin Ojeda, 7.5 — Ojeda was Orlando’s lone Designated Player on the pitch for the first two-thirds of the match. He was seemingly everywhere on the pitch. His cheeky flick was a perfect setup for McGuire’s opening goal, unlocking the defense with one quick movement. His only shot attempt was brilliant, as he cut inside to use two defenders and McGuire as a screen and sent a shot inside the back post that took a minor deflection off the rookie striker. Who ultimately gets the credit for the goal isn’t important, but McGuire knew little about it. Ojeda completed 18 of his 22 passes (81.8%) and contributed two key passes. He connected on two of his four long balls but only one of his four crosses. The Argentine also won an aerial duel and contributed a tackle. He was subbed off in the 74th minute for fresh legs but he showed how dangerous he can be.

F, Duncan McGuire, 7.5 (MotM) — McGuire is in impeccable form right now. His opening goal was imperfect, as his heavy touch nearly derailed the entire play. Fortunately, his hustle and body control on a sliding recovery allowed him to keep from turning it over and he was able to get back up and score in the 13th minute. Throughout the match, McGuire’s holdup play allowed the Lions to find players in space and work through the center of the pitch. He completed 11 of his 17 passes (64.7%), completing his only long ball, and was credited with a key pass on his pass that Angulo fired over the bar. McGuire tracked back defensively to help out as best he could and recorded one interception and three clearances while winning four aerial duels.

Substitutes

D, Rodrigo Schlegel (68’), 6 — Orlando City elected to move to three center backs in an attempt to preserve their lead and brought Schlegel on for Smith in the 68th minute. Schlegel recorded two clearances and completed two of his three pass attempts while helping Jansson and Carlos keep the box clear of danger. Unfortunately, the Union created danger from outside the area.

MF, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson (68’), 6 — The midfielder provided fresh legs for Felipe and provided his usual burst of energy, completing 12 of his 14 (85.7%) passes in 22 minutes. He also completed one successful dribble and was dispossessed once. He could have done a better job of closing down crossers a few times, but for a player not seeing regular minutes it was a decent shift.

MF, Ramiro Enrique (74’), N/A — Coming on for Ojeda, Enrique did a little bit of everything in a quarter hour on the pitch. He completed two of his three passes, logged one shot — a potential game-winner that instead crashed off the crossbar in the 94th minute — and recorded a tackle. His only cross was unsuccessful. In the 82nd minute Enrique was booked for time wasting.

F, Ercan Kara (80’), N/A — Kara came on late for a cramping McGuire and seemingly put the game away as he fought off Union defenders and rumbled down the pitch before laying off a ball for Angulo to tap into the back of the net. Martinez did Martinez things as he took a dive hoping to be rewarded with a foul in the buildup to the goal and he was rewarded, as Kara was ultimately called for a foul after video review, and the assist that Kara would have had was wiped off the scoresheet.

MF, Gaston Gonzalez (80’), N/A — Coming on for Santos late, Gonzalez functioned as a wingback and completed one of his two passes and won his lone aerial duel. He was unfortunately injured and left the Lions (who were out of subs) down a man in the late going.

That is how the players graded out in another frustrating late draw. Vote for your Man of the Match in our poll below, and let us know in the comments below your thoughts on who stood out to you.

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Orlando City

Flashback Friday: June 10, 2023 vs. Colorado Rapids

Let’s take a trip down memory lane to a booking-laden match at home that took place a little less than three years ago.

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1 day ago

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June 12, 2026

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

The World Cup is now officially underway, and while that means Orlando City is on break, we can’t have you forgetting about the Lions while all the international action is taking place. That means its time for another edition of Flashback Friday, where we hop in the trusty time machine and reminisce on OCSC matches of yesteryear.

Last week we relived a rousing road win over the New York Red Bulls from June, 3 2023, and this week, we actually pick up right where we left off, on June 10, 2023 as the Lions returned home to take on the Colorado Rapids.

Coming off a 3-0 win over the Red Bulls in the previous match, Oscar Pareja decided to not mess with a good thing, and kept Orlando City’s same starting XI from that victory. Pedro Gallese was in net behind a back line of Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Antonio Carlos, and Kyle Smith. Wilder Cartagena and Cesar Araujo played the double pivot; Ivan Angulo, Mauricio Pereyra, and Facundo Torres were the attacking midfielders, and Ercan Kara was deployed as the striker.

In typical June fashion for the City Beautiful, kickoff was delayed by just under an hour as the stadium was pounded by storms, and the delay did not look to have done any favors for Orlando’s sharpness. That said, OCSC did win a corner kick less than a minute into the game, and Torres had a tame shot saved in the eighth minute, but the Lions weren’t consistently sharp with their passing in the early moments of the contest.

The teams traded chances just before the 15-minute mark, with Kara sending a header too high before Cole Bassett sent a shot straight to Gallese. Carlos then picked up a yellow card in the 24th minute, which evened things out between the two teams after Lalas Abubakar was cautioned for the Rapids after just six minutes. Those two bookings proved to be a harbinger of things to come, because Colorado went down to 10 men in the 39th minute after midfielder Braian Galvan caught Angulo with a high boot while his studs were showing.

Pereyra had Orlando’s best chance of the opening 45 minutes in stoppage time but could only send his effort right at goalkeeper Marko Ilic, and that was the last significant action of the half. The Lions ended the half with an edge in possession (59.7%-40.3%), shots (7-2), shots on target (2-1), and passing accuracy (85.3%-79.4%), while both teams won two corners.

Pareja made two moves at halftime, bringing on Rodrigo Schlegel for the once-booked Carlos, and Martin Ojeda for Cartagena in an effort to go more offensive against a shorthanded Rapids side. The Lions certainly looked brighter going forward as the second half got underway and had a few dangerous moments before finally breaking the deadlock in the 55th minute.

Pereyra played a ball across the top of the box for Torres, who took a couple of touches before sending a ball to the net that took a wicked deflection off Andreas Maxsø that carried it past Ilic.

It wasn’t the prettiest goal the Lions have ever scored, but for a team that was guilty at times of passing up good shots in favor of the perfect look at goal, it was proof that sometimes you just need to take shots in dangerous areas.

Fortunately, Orlando seemed to take that lesson to heart. Kara went close in the 65th minute despite shooting through traffic, Angulo had a shot deflected by Abubakar three minutes later, and Torres had another deflected effort go just wide of the post four minutes after that.

The game changed again in the 75th minute, when the Rapids had another player sent off. Abubakar lasted for 69 minutes on a yellow card but got burned by Angulo in midfield and hauled him down in order to prevent the Lions from potentially working a transition opportunity. He had some teammates behind him, but the referee showed him a second yellow card. Pareja smelled blood in the water and just three minutes later he brought on Ramiro Enrique for Smith, who had been given a yellow card in the 52nd minute.

Ilic made a great save on Pereyra in the 81st minute to keep the score at 1-0 and keep the Rapids in the game, but Orlando got its second goal just two minutes later. Torres had the ball on the right side of the box with a Colorado player backing off him, and that gave him ample time to get his head up and pick out a man. He played a ball to Enrique at the top of the box, who had plenty of time to take a couple of touches and send a low shot into the bottom corner past a diving Ilic for his first goal as an Orlando City player.

Somewhat surprisingly, the game started to get a little stretched after the Lions doubled their advantage. Colorado had a shot blocked in the 81st minute, Kara sent a shot very close to the post six minutes after that, and Gallese saved a Darren Yapi attempt in the 88th minute to keep his clean sheet alive. Aside from Pareja handing Alejandro Granados his MLS debut, that was the last significant action of the match, which finished 2-0 to the good guys.

Unsurprisingly, considering Colorado’s deficit in players, the Lions dominated all of the game’s most important statistics. OCSC finished with the advantage in possession (65%-35%), shots (15-4), shots on goal (6-2), corners (5-3), and passing accuracy (89.4%-81.5%).

The victory made it back-to-back wins for the first time in 2023, stretched Orlando’s unbeaten run to six, and gave El Pulpo his 100th clean sheet for the team in all competitions.

Marcus Mitchell had the helm for Player Grades in this one, and Torres got his nod for Man of the Match with a goal, an assist, and a grade of 7.5 out of 10. Several other Lions graded out at 7 out of 10, with only one player grading below a 6.

While it was a weird win, it unfortunately was the final game of the unbeaten streak, as the Lions fell to a familiar defeat at Gillette Stadium the following week, although things got back on track soon afterward. I’ll see you back here in a week for another trip down memory lane. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 6/12/26

USMNT plays Paraguay tonight, red cards rain down in World Cup opener, Sporting Kansas City linked with Yann Gboho, and more.

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1 day ago

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June 12, 2026

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Image of Alex Freeman sliding in celebration of a goal.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! The World Cup is in full swing and the U.S. will play today, so it’s a pretty exciting Friday to say the least. I’m a bit of a bundle of nerves about how the team will do, but I’m still looking forward to catching the game. If you have any gameday rituals, be sure to share, so that we can conjure up enough luck and support for the team tonight. Let’s get to the links!

USMNT’s World Cup Campaign Begins Today

The United States Men’s National Team will take on Paraguay at 9 p.m. tonight in its first match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. There’s plenty of pressure on the U.S. to perform well as one of the host nations, and this will also be Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino’s first time coaching at a World Cup. Pochettino stated that all 26 players are available for selection, including center back Chris Richards, although he may not necessarily start. Former Orlando City defender Alex Freeman, who is the youngest player on the U.S. roster, could make his World Cup debut tonight, so be sure to root for our hometown hero should he take the field. Hopefully, the Yanks can start this tournament off on the right foot with a big win in California.

World Cup Opener Features Three Red Cards

This year’s World Cup began in Mexico City, with Mexico beating South Africa 2-0 in a match that included three red cards. All three were straight red cards given in the second half in separate incidents, as Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane were sent off for South Africa before Mexico’s Cesar Montes was shown red in stoppage time. There hasn’t been a World Cup match with that many red cards since the record of four was set in 2006 in a match between Portugal and the Netherlands. As for the game’s goals, Julian Quinones pounced on a mistake by South Africa to give Mexico an early lead and Raul Jimenez doubled that lead while South Africa was reduced to 10 men.

Sporting Kansas City Linked With Yann Gboho

While the World Cup roars on, the rumor mill is in full force as clubs make plans for summer reinforcements. Sporting Kansas City is reportedly pushing to sign Toulouse winger Yann Gboho, who recorded 10 goals and three assists across all competitions this past season. The surprising aspect of this pursuit would be that Toulouse values Gboho at an eye-watering $20 million transfer fee, which would be a club record by a country mile. Kansas City needs all the help it can get on offense, as it has scored just 14 goals in 14 games so far this season.

Jose Mourinho Officially Returns to Real Madrid

It’s been a bit of an open secret over the past few weeks that Jose Mourinho would become Real Madrid’s next manager and it’s now official, with the 63-year-old signing a three-year contract with the Spanish club. Mourinho helped Real Madrid win a La Liga title and the Copa del Rey over a decade ago before his departure in 2013 after three seasons with the club. Now, he joins a Real Madrid side that has finished second in the league standings and been eliminated in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League the past two seasons. I, for one, can’t wait to see how one of the biggest personalities in soccer works alongside a locker room of star players that seemed in disarray this past season.

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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: 6/11/26

Wilder Cartagena linked with move to Sporting Cristal, Orlando Pride hire Dr. Nicole Surdyka, Barbra Banda injury update, and more.

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2 days ago

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June 11, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jermey Reper

The World Cup is finally here! Today starts what should be an exciting month of international soccer featuring more teams than ever before. While I wasn’t able to part with the arm and leg necessary to afford a ticket to one of the games, I’m still looking forward to watching along when I can with the rest of the world. Let’s get to the links!

Wilder Cartagena Linked With Move to Peruvian Club

You’ll need a translation tool to check out the full details unless you are fluent in Spanish, but Sporting Cristal of Peru’s top flight is reportedly interested in signing Orlando City midfielder Wilder Cartagena. The 31-year-old is currently under contract with Orlando through 2026, with the contact also including a club option for 2027. He was a crucial part to Orlando’s success in 2024, but he missed all of last year and has only started one game so far this season due to injuries. It’s not much more than a rumor as of now, but it’ll be something to keep an eye on during this break in the league schedule.

Barbra Banda Sustained a Hamstring Injury

Zambia Head Coach Nora Hauptle stated that Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda is dealing with a hamstring strain. Banda didn’t play in either of Zambia’s matches during this international break, but Hauptle also noted that she should recover in the next week or two and will be fine for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations at the end of July. Banda was injured late in the Pride’s 3-1 win against Bay FC on May 29 and it was unclear how severe the injury was. Hopefully she’ll be good to go before the Pride’s match against Angel City FC on July 3.

Dr. Nicole Surdyka Named Orlando Pride Director of Medical & Performance

The Orlando Pride have hired Dr. Nicole Surdyka as their new director of medical and performance. She’ll oversee the Pride’s medical operations, nutrition, and more while also working with Orlando Health. Dr. Surdyka has over a decade of experience that included leadership roles with OL Reign and the LA Galaxy and has studied extensively into developing frameworks for health and performance in women’s soccer.

“Nicole is one of the most respected practitioners in our field, and her expertise in women’s football, return‑to‑play, and high‑performance systems will elevate every aspect of our medical and performance environment,” said Caitlin Carducci, Orlando Pride VP of Soccer Operations & General Manager. “Her leadership, her commitment to evidence‑based practice and her passion for supporting athletes make her an exceptional addition to the Pride.”

Analyzing Paraguay Ahead of USMNT World Cup Match

The United States Men’s National Team will play its World Cup opener on Friday when it hosts Paraguay at SoFi Stadium. It will be the 10th match between the two nations, with the USMNT most recently winning 2-1 against Paraguay in November of last year. There’s a familiar face on Paraguay’s roster in Orlando City midfielder Braian Ojeda, with Miguel Almiron and Andres Cubas as other MLS midfielders called up. Paraguay’s defense is anchored by center back Gustavo Gomez, who you may remember as the player who put former Lion Alex Freeman in a headlock during that aforementioned November friendly. As for Paraguay’s attack, the Yanks will need to keep Julio Enciso and Antonio Sanabria from wreaking havoc. Paraguay is a physical team that’s also strong in the air, so we’ll see how the USMNT deals with that on Friday.

England Beats Costa Rica 3-0 at Inter&Co Stadium

Orlando City’s Inter&Co Stadium hosted a friendly between England and Costa Rica on Wednesday, with England winning 3-0. Declan Rice gave England an early lead, but Costa Rica kept the Three Lions off the scoresheet until the substitutes came on for England in the second half, with Anthony Gordon and Ollie Watkins both scoring. England got the full Orlando experience due to a heavy storm that delayed kickoff, but Inter&Co Stadium earned praise for its drainage system that had the pitch ready to roll in no time. Enjoy this satisfying time-lapse video of the transformation provided by the stadium.

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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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