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Orlando City vs. Seattle Sounders: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions perform in a 0-0 draw on the road against the Seattle Sounders?

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

In a match that saw Orlando City pass the ball wherever and whenever it wanted, only to squander multiple scoring chances, the Lions ultimately drew 0-0 at the Seattle Sounders. The Lions struggled to find the frame, putting only three of 13 shots on target. The old adage says “you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take,” but I would argue some of those shots just weren’t worth taking and some were flubbed so badly that I wish they weren’t taken either.

Here’s how I rated Orlando City’s individual performances at Lumen Field.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 7 — It is always great to get your first-choice goalkeeper back in the net. And you really remember how much you missed him once he’s called to action in the opening minutes. In total, Pedro made a couple saves across the course of 90 minutes and held the Sounders scoreless in a match that saw him face a 1.22 expected goals against stat line. His 30 passes only found their mark 43% of the time, which isn’t great for a team that usually depends on him to spring a counterattack. For his efforts keeping the ball out of the net and being an outlet for a drop ball to relieve the high pressure, El Pulpo was good enough, but didn’t need to be spectacular. His best save came in the first minute against Heber.

D, Rafael Santos, 6.5 — Santos was the cause of the aforementioned Gallese save in the first minute. He must have been worried about something he left on the team bus because Heber made it look like he still hadn’t gotten off of it to start the match. But perhaps that was the exact wake-up call that he needed. Santos had a decent defensive performance against the Sounders but struggled in the attack. Defensively, he recorded two tackles and a clearance while only giving up one foul. Offensively, he found himself on the ball 80 times, completing 81% of his 60 passes. He found his man with only one of his five long balls and was inaccurate on all three of his crosses. Ultimately, he defended well against those coming down his left wing. Overall, I think Santos can give himself a pat on the back as he boards the plane back to the east coast.

D, Robin Jansson, 6.5 — Sometimes we look back at the statistics from a match to try to help us remember what a player did that was notable. For Jansson, it is rare to not think of a single key moment where the Beefy Swede stepped up big for the team, but it wasn’t really required. With zero tackles or interceptions on the night, Jansson only offered a clearance, a pair of blocked shots, and a foul conceded. He completed 92% of his 39 passes, with three of five long balls also being accurate, and he also drew a yellow card on Cody Baker. The center back wasn’t the cause for a goal against or booked in the match, so that in itself is noteworthy.

D, Antonio Carlos, 7 — As the match came to a close and players began to shake hands, we saw the camera pan to Antonio Carlos sitting on the pitch with a trainer and players next to him. Hopefully, this was just the picture of a man disappointed to only draw after all his efforts and nothing more serious, but I think it was also a good depiction of what Carlos gave in the match. He used his body to block two shots and was hacked down once for a foul. The Brazilian had three clearances and won two aerial duels. With 51 touches, he passed at an 84% success across 45 attempts and was one-for-two on his long balls. Perhaps at the end of the match he was just feeling a bit tattered and torn for having gone the distance against a potent attack of Heber, Nicolas Lodeiro, Leo Chu, and Albert Rusnak.

D, Michael Halliday, 6 — The 20-year-old right back drew a tough assignment by having to keep up with Chu down the flank all night. Early on, it looked as if Chu made a meal of Mikey by drawing a penalty, but thankfully he was offside on the play. In the 48th minute, Chu created another opportunity getting behind Halliday and swinging in a dangerous cross. Aside from that, Halliday mostly held firm on the right side of the defense. With 48 touches, Halliday had one key pass in his 26 attempts (84% accuracy). He was accurate on one of three crosses, made four tackles, and added a clearance. Unfortunately, his night came to a close in the 70th minute when he pulled up mid-dribble, grabbing his hamstring in obvious pain. Hopefully, the severity of the injury won’t turn out to be too serious.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 6.5 — Only seven minutes in, we almost witnessed the spectacular. Araujo tried to channel his inner Jose Martinez from the midweek Philadelphia Union match and go full volley at the back post. For Araujo though, he realized just how rare it is for a defensive midfielder to convert on those, as his attempt hit the side netting on the wrong side of the post. For the rest of the match, Araujo was his regular workhorse self. He made a tackle, won an aerial, and intercepted the ball once, but was booked with his only foul in the match. He had 69 touches, attempted 53 passes (81% accuracy), missed both of his crossing attempts, and completed only one of his three long ball attempts. But he maintained his positioning well and Seattle created very little up the middle.

MF, Wilder Cartagena, 7.5 (MotM) The Peruvian returned from international duty and put in a solid shift. During his absence, there was a distinct piece missing defensively in the midfield. While the statistics show he only made two tackles, won an aerial duel, and cleared once, Cartagena does so many little things off the ball that it is hard to mention them all. He subtly finds attackers like Rusnak coming through and cuts down passing lanes or offers a bit of his body to them as they try to collect a pass. While these things do not make the stat sheet, they do matter. A key pass, a dribble, and a foul conceded won’t get you in the conversation for Man of the Match alone — but 100% passing accuracy will on 41 attempts and going seven-for-seven on long balls in a crowded and talented Seattle midfield. Welcome back, Wilder Cartagena. You were missed.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 6.5 — Fresh off a loan extension, Angulo was once again lively and hoping to make an impact. He appeared to be a bit more of himself this match and perhaps understands how to handle the turf a little bit better now. His pace didn’t seem to be hampered and made good runs into the channels playing alongside Santos. He won a corner kick in the 35th minute that nearly turned into an Orlando City goal, but a great effort by Stefan Frei kept it out. Defensively, he only made two interceptions. Offensively, he made one key pass, one cross, one dribble, and passed at a 92% clip on 38 attempts.

MF, Facundo Torres, 7.5 — Facu was everywhere on the night. If he had found the net, he would be a shoo-in for Man of the Match. But ultimately, his lack of finesse left me wanting just a little bit more and while his grade ties Cartagena, I’m docking the nod at the award from him for it. In the 76th minute, he forced Frei to make a save with no chance to control the rebound, but the Lions missed a sitter off the deflection. In the 89th minute, Torres slid a shot wide of the far post. His night finished with one foul drawn, 100% completion on his two long balls, four of six on crossing accuracy, and four key passes, while distributing the ball with 79% accuracy on 39 attempts. Only one of his four shots ended up on target, and he earned himself a yellow card for something off camera in the 41st minute without committing a foul in the match.

MF, Martin Ojeda, 6 — For me, I thought Oscar Pareja couldn’t bring on Mauricio Pereyra soon enough. Ojeda was definitely on the pitch, but he wasn’t doing anything out there that made me want to see him play for a full 90 minutes. He blasted two shots, with neither on target, and was dispossessed twice. He only found himself on the ball 39 times, which is the second lowest among outfield starters. He passed 22 times at a 68% accuracy, with one key pass. Only two of eight crosses were successful, however, his saving grace might be that he was four-for-four on his long ball attempts. I’m still not seeing a great return on investment for Orlando’s latest Designated Player, but I’m willing to be patient. I just think he needs to earn his starting minutes still.

F, Duncan McGuire, 7 — The MAC Hermann Trophy winner continues to be the spark the club needs in the attack. He has great holdup play and can create chances for himself. His imposing size allows him to win balls in the air. This was once again proven in the 35th minute as he put a header on target in the bottom left corner. A great save by Frei is the only thing that kept McGuire off of the scoresheet. Frei made a save on another McGuire header in the 65th minute before he made way for Ramiro Enrique in the 70th minute. Duncan found himself on the ball 24 times, won two aerial duels, put both his shots on target, and attempted 11 passes at a 63% completion rate. He also offered a tackle, two clearances, and two fouls conceded.

Substitutes

MF, Mauricio Pereyra (57′)6.5 — Brought on to maestro the midfield where Ojeda left the team lacking, Pereyra was eventually able to create some dangerous chances with his pinpoint passing. His vision and quality were on full display as he split the back line in the 89th minute to give Torres a free chance at goal. Torres ultimately pushed the shot wide, which seemed only fair after Pereyra missed his own tap-in that Facu created in the 76th minute. Pereyra had 34 touches (only five fewer than Ojeda) in his time on the field. He had two key passes and a badly missed shot. He passed 26 times with 80% accuracy and even added three interceptions defensively.

F, Ramiro Enrique (70′) 5.5 — There are certain truths in the world and one of them seems to be Ramiro Enrique’s lack of real impact coming off the bench. Why Kara wasn’t chosen after we saw McGuire use his body in the air to relevant success throughout the match is something I don’t understand. However, Pareja called up on the services of Enrique. For that, we witnessed 15 touches, one way-off-target shot, and a 70% passing accuracy on 10 attempts. Surprisingly, he won three aerials, so perhaps even the smaller stature Enrique has picked up a thing or two from the big men on the training ground.

D, Kyle Smith (70′) 6.5 — Brought on to replace an ailing Halliday, Smith didn’t miss a beat. He recorded 21 touches, a key pass, a dribble, a tackle, and two clearances. He completed just 61% of his 13 passes, going one-for-one on crosses and was accurate once on two attempted long balls.

MF, Felipe (83′) N/A — The changes in the 83rd minute were likely Pareja wanting to hold onto the point the Lions had earned on the road. Felipe won an aerial duel and added a tackle in his time on the pitch. He completed eight of his 10 passes but was inaccurate on his only long ball attempt.

MF, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson (83′) N/A — Dagur Dan was able to muster one shot and a tackle in his brief time on the field. Aside from that, he completed six of his eight passes.


That’s how I saw the performances in a draw against the Seattle Sounders on quick turnaround. It was great to have our Peruvians back, with one of them getting my personal Man of the Match honors. Be sure to cast your vote for this game’s Man of the Match in the poll below, and tell us your thoughts about this one down in the comments.

Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/12/26

Barbra Banda up for weekly honors, Johnny Cardoso to have surgery, Americans in midweek action, and more.

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Good morning, everyone. It was a mixed bag for Orlando’s soccer teams over the weekend, as the Orlando Pride and Orlando City B both picked up victories, while Orlando City lost. There’s no rest for the wicked though, because the Pride take on Boston Legacy on the road tonight, while the Lions will host the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday. We’ve got a lot to talk about this morning, so let’s get into the links.

Barbra Banda up for Weekly Honors

Barbra Banda’s game-winning strike over the North Carolina Courage has been nominated for the NWSL Goal of the Week. Banda cut across her marker in the 87th minute with the match tied 0-0 and curled a great strike inside the far post to give the Pride a lead that wouldn’t be relinquished. The victory got Orlando back on track after dropping two games in a row, and the goal was Banda’s league-leading eighth strike of the year. Make sure you go vote for her to win!

Surgery for Johnny Cardoso

Atletico Madrid announced on Monday that midfielder Johnny Cardoso will have surgery to repair an injury to his right ankle. Cardoso was hurt during a training session, with Atletico classifying the injury as a “high-grade sprain involving joint damage.” The club’s statement did not specify a timeline for his return to the field and U.S. Soccer has not made any statement besides wishing Cardoso a speedy recovery. That said, with this summer’s World Cup less than a month away, its tough to imagine that he’ll be healed up and ready to be part of the United States Men’s National Team roster. If that’s the case, it’ll be a bitter blow for both the USMNT and a midfielder that looked like a sure bet to be on the squad.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans who will be taking part in games during the working week, so let’s make sure we’ve got everything on the schedule. Things got started on Monday when Brenden Aaronson played 63 minutes in Leeds United’s 1-1 draw with Tottenham. Action continues today when Aidan Morris and Middlesborough face Southampton in the second leg of an EFL Championship playoff promotion semifinal. Wednesday sees Auston Trusty and Celtic take on Motherwell in a game with massive ramifications on the title race in the Scottish Premier League. Wednesday also has Alex Freeman and Villarreal hosting Sevilla in La Liga play, while Chris Richards and Crystal Palace will try to play spoiler against Manchester City.

MLS Matchday 12 Lessons

Matchday 12 is officially in the books for Major League Soccer, so what did we learn from the weekend’s action? For one thing, Jack McGlynn was imperious in his second game back from injury, as his brace helped the Houston Dynamo knock off LAFC on the road while USMNT assistant Jesus Perez was watching from the stands. The New England Revolution are now unbeaten in the club’s last seven league games, and Carles Gil was a big reason why, as he nabbed a goal and an assist in the Revs’ 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Union. He’s got four goals and four assists so far, and the Revs are sitting pretty at second in the Eastern Conference.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

European seasons aren’t quite wrapped up yet, but that isn’t stopping transfer rumors from flying thick and fast. We start with the Premier League, where Manchester City is reportedly prepared to trigger the release clause of 16-year-old Hertha Berlin midfielder Kennet Eichhorn, before immediately sending the player on loan to continue his development. Elsewhere in England, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Arsenal are all said to be interested in signing Juventus fullback Andrea Cambiaso. Switching lanes to the managerial side of things, Chelsea has reportedly identified Xabi Alonso as the leading candidate to become the next manager of the team, with the Spaniard said to be open to taking the job. Finally, Jose Mourinho is said to be open to taking the Real Madrid job, although he reportedly has a couple conditions that he wants met first.

Free Kicks

  • Kickoff times have been set for Orlando City’s three group stages matches in this year’s Leagues Cup.
  • The Lions will be launching a new merch collection Friday at The Final Whistle.

That’s all I’ve got for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. CF Montreal: Player Grades and Man of the Match

Here’s how your favorite Lions performed in Orlando City’s 2-0 loss to CF Montreal.

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Image of Griffin Dorsey trying to send the ball upfield against a Montreal defender.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

If you play Football Manager enough, you play plenty of games where the after-match comment is “a bore draw.” That appeared to be where Orlando City’s road game at CF Montreal was headed until a mistake by Robin Jansson in added time led to a penalty which opened the scoring for the hosts. They tacked on another late in stoppage time and the Lions will return home for a three-game set (one of them in the U.S. Open Cup) sore from Saturday’s 2-0 loss to CF Montreal.

Let’s take a look at how Orlando City’s players rated individually in their matchup with the Quebecois.

Starters

GK, Maxime Crépeau, 5.5 — With 25 shots by Montreal, one would’ve figured Crepeau was busy. Not really — he finished with three saves. A goalkeeper is almost never responsible for being scored on from the penalty spot, but Dagur Dan Thorallsson’s goal at the death is one Crepeau will want back, although in fairness it was perfectly placed. The Canadian goalkeeper finished with a 72.7% passing rate and was helped out after being rounded by Prince Owusu in a 1-v-1 opportunity that his teammates should never have allwoed for what would have been a goal if not for Iago’s sliding block to clear it off the line.

D, Adrián Marin, 5.5 — Marin got caught ball-watching in the 34th minute to allow a Wiki Carmona rocket that just went wide. Otherwise, he just didn’t impact the game one way or the other. Marin completed 87.8% of his passes and added one tackle, one block, and three clearances.

D, Robin Jansson, 5 Jansson played his normal emergency role all game. Unfortunately, he got put off-balance in the first minute of added time in the second half and fell into the legs of Luca Petrasso, giving a penalty. It was a rough ending for the captain, but Orlando left the door open for Montreal and the hosts took it. The Swede also couldn’t close down Thorhallsson to prevent the second late Montreal goal. Jansson completed 78.7% of his passes, with one tackle, 10(!) clearances, and one block.

D, Iago, 6 — We saw both sides of Iago. He had a really nice pass in the 17th minute to free up Eduard Atuesta on goal but the Colombian missed the target to waste Orlando’s best chance of the game. The Brazilian’s biggest highlight moment was in the 76th minute, when Owusu dribbled past Crepeau for an open look at goal but Iago was there to clear it off the line. On the flip side, he also had a dangerous header defending a corner that almost created an own goal, instead hitting the left post. He got pulled wide in the first minute of the second half, allowing a dangerous shot by Owusu. On the offensive end, he got on the end of a corner but headed it right at Thomas Gillier. He was all over the place, which you can expect from a young player. He would’ve gotten a higher grade had the game finished scoreless because of his goal-line clearance and a couple of sparkling long balls that should have led to more. Alas. He finished with zero interceptions or tackles, three blocks, six clearances, and a 92.3% passing rate. He also picked up a yellow card in the sixth minute of added time in the second half preventing a counter on one of his attacking teammates’ many turnovers.

D, Griffin Dorsey, 5.5— While Orlando City was heavily weighted to the left side all game, when the Lions went down the right, it was through Dorsey. He led the break down that side multiple times but had trouble connecting. Dorsey finished with one tackle, three clearances, and one cross while passing at a 79% rate.

MF, Iván Angulo, 4.5 — When Angulo whiffed on a ball in the second minute which caused a Montreal counter, it was an indicator of the night to come. He was sloppy all game long and, by The Mane Land’s unofficial tally, turned the ball over eight times, with the majority of those coming in his own defensive half. It was an ugly night that looked a touch better when Tyrese Spicer departed, changing Angulo’s duties, but it didn’t wipe out a forgettable match. He finished with 90.2% passing, despite being loose with the ball. He was two out of six for successful dribbles and two out of seven in winning ground duels.

MF, Eduard Atuesta, 5.5 — A major part of the toothlessness of the Lions in the match was the midfield play. While Atuesta had a 95% passing rate, the only real impact he had was in the 17th minute, when Iago broke him free with a great pass. Atuesta made a well-timed run, but he ended up doing nothing with it when he sent his shot wide of goal. He had a turnover in the fourth minute to leave Montreal with a 3-on-2 break, leaving me to wonder if it was going to be one of those nights for him. Luckily no, but there was no real contribution either. He picked up a yellow card in the 62nd, was dispossessed once, and committed four fouls.

MF, Braian Ojeda, 5.5 Atuesta’s midfield partner also had trouble linking the play but contributed a touch more defensively. His sloppy handling in the 41st minute allowed Montreal to keep possession and created a corner. In the end, he finished with one tackle, one block, one clearance, and a 90% passing rate.

MF, Tyrese Spicer, 6— Unfortunately, most of Spicer’s contributions came on the defensive end this game because he could never get himself in the flow offensively. While he was 10-for-11 passing, he attempted two shots, one right at the goalkeeper and the other that missed so badly it almost went behind the net without hitting anything. He had just two touches in the opposition box. His biggest highlight was a tackle in the 23rd minute to end a dangerous Montreal possession. He was replaced in the 67th minute by Duncan McGuire. Spicer finished with a 91% passing success rate, led the team in tackles with four, and added two interceptions.

F, Martín Ojeda, 5 — This grade may be a bit harsh. However, when you are a Designated Player, you have to contribute, and Martin Ojeda was invisible at best. With 44 total passes, he was the one having to compensate for the lack of midfield control and it showed by his lack of offensive contribution. He had zero touches in the opposition box, which is not going to be a recipe for Orlando City success. Martin took one shot that was on target and passed at a 91% rate.

F, Justin Ellis, 6.5 (MotM) Someone has to win Man of the Match. Ellis almost wins it by default as his overall play was the only positive thing all game. While his stats were mediocre, and there was not one moment you can pick to point to, he was the most talented when on the ball, tracked back to collect the ball occasionally, did more to link play than the midfield did, and just didn’t have a negative impact. He was replaced in the 80th by David Brekalo and finished with a 94% passing rate, was four-for-four on successful dribbles, and went five-for-six on ground duels won.

Substitutes

F, Duncan McGuire (67′), 5— McGuire started out playing out of position on the wing and while asked to pick up the offense, McGuire was unable to show anything of promise. Dorsey found him in the 88th minute with a cross, but McGuire turned down a quick shot and held the ball too long while deciding, and he ended up taking a low angle shot that had been there from the beginning that ended up harmless. He passed at a 75% rate and had three touches in the opposition box, turning those into a measly 0.05 expected goals. One of his touches on a promising attack was heavy and wasted the opportunity to get a shot off late in the game.

D, David Brekalo (80′), N/A — Brekalo came on for Ellis with a few minutes remaining, maybe a tactical choice to see out the draw. He completed all seven of his passes and had one clearance. He was not able to do anything to prevent Montreal’s two late goals, but he wasn’t the only one.

MF, Tiago (90′+5), N/A — Tiago entered right after the penalty to try to claw back a goal. Unfortunately, he whiffed on a 50/50 ball just moments before Thorhallsson ended up scoring the game’s second goal. He wasn’t on long enough to issue a grade, however.

D, Zakaria Taifi (90′+5), N/A — The best thing you can say about Taifi’s time is that he didn’t turn the ball over conceding a goal in the five minutes he was on the field.


That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando City’s loss to CF Montreal. Let us know what you thought of the game in the comments below, and don’t forget to vote for your Man of the Match.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/11/26

Lions fall to CF Montreal, Pride defeat North Carolina Courage, OCB beats Atlanta United 2, and more.

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Image of Barbra Banda taking a shot against North Carolina.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Justin Glatt

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida, and belated happy Mother’s Day to all you moms out there. I spent the weekend in Texas catching up with friends and family. Let’s wish a happy birthday to Orlando City goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau, who turns 32 today. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Fall to CF Montreal

Orlando City fell 2-0 to CF Montreal at Stade Saputo Saturday on a pair of late goals. After a scoreless first half, the Lions were minutes away from escaping with a point on the road but conceded twice in stoppage time, with former Lion Dagur Dan Thorhallsson adding the insurance goal for Montreal as Orlando City left Canada with zero points. The Lions could not capitalize on their few scoring chances throughout the match. Orlando City returns home for its next match on Wednesday against the Philadelphia Union at Inter&Co Stadium.

Banda’s Late Goal Lifts Pride Over Courage

The Orlando Pride defeated the North Carolina Courage 1-0 at Inter&Co Stadium Friday, as Barbra Banda scored the lone goal late in the second half to help the Pride secure a much-needed win, snapping their two-match losing streak. Banda scored her eighth goal of the season, and she has scored five goals in the last three matches. The Pride will be on the road this week, facing the Boston Legacy Tuesday at Gillette Stadium, followed by another match Saturday against the Denver Summit at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.

OCB Beats Atlanta United 2 on the Road

Orlando City B defeated Atlanta United 2 with a goal in each half, winning 2-0 at Turner Soccer Complex in Athens, GA Sunday. Gustavo Caraballo scored the opening goal from the spot to give the Young Lions the early lead. In the second half, Issah Haruna added another goal for the Young Lions to put it away and take three points. OCB will be back on the road Sunday to face New England Revolution II at Beirne Stadium in Smithfield, RI.

Americans Abroad

Austin Trusty played a full 90 minutes as Celtic won its sixth consecutive match across all competitions 3-1 against Rangers. Gio Reyna scored his first goal of the season for Borussia Monchengladbach to snap his 16-month goal drought at the club level, but his side fell 3-1 to FC Augsburg. Weston McKennie played 86 minutes for Juventus in a 1-0 win against Lecce. In the Women’s FA Cup semifinals, Alyssa Thompson played 78 minutes for Chelsea, but her side fell 3-2 to Manchester City after extra time. Lindsey Heaps scored for OL Lyonnes while Lily Yohannes and Korbin Shrader were also in action in a 4-1 win against Paris Saint-Germain to lift the Coupe De France trophy. Later today, Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United will face Tottenham Hotspur.

Free Kicks

  • Check out this video on Orlando City’s social media pages featuring some players writing letters to their moms for Mother’s Day.
  • James Rodriguez will reportedly leave Minnesota United this week and will not return to the club after the World Cup concludes this summer.
  • Slavia Prague chairman Jaroslav Tvrdik stated that the club will impose a lifetime ban to fans who invaded the pitch as the club was minutes away from defeating rivals Sparta Prague Saturday to win the Czech First League title before the match was abandoned.
  • Leandro Trossard scored a late winner in the second half to help Arsenal beat West Ham United 1-0 to keep its five-point lead over Manchester City and pull a step closer to clinching the English Premier League title.

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

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