Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Toronto FC: Player Grades and Man of the Match
How did your favorite Lions perform in a Fourth of July victory against Toronto FC?

Orlando City supplied the fireworks both during and after a 4-0 win over Toronto FC on the Fourth of July. Cesar Araujo and Duncan McGuire gave the Lions the lead in the first half, then substitutes Dagur Dan Thorhallsson and Ercan Kara put the game to bed. Toronto’s Federico Bernardeschi was shown a second yellow card in the 62nd minute, putting an already shorthanded Toronto side at a disadvantage.
Here’s how each Lion individually performed in the big win at Exploria Stadium.
Starters
GK, Pedro Gallese, 6 — Gallese didn’t have to make any saves in this match, as Toronto’s best shot was a Bernardeschi strike that smacked the post. He did have a tackle though, doing well to poke the ball out of play for a throw-in while away from his goal. El Pulpo completed 73.7% of his 19 passes and was accurate on three of his seven long balls.
D, Rafael Santos, 7 — The left back notched an assist with a pinpoint cross to Araujo at the far post. He’s been delivering some really dangerous crosses this season, so it’s nice to see one put away. His other three crosses missed their mark, but all five of his long balls were accurate. One of those crosses was also deflected and wound up finding McGuire at the near post. Santos isn’t credited for an assist for McGuire’s goal because of the deflection but he put himself in a good attacking position. He completed 90.9% of his 55 passes and had two key passes to keep Orlando’s offense sharp. Santos had two headed shots from corner kicks, but both were deflected. He had two clearances, an interception, and a tackle to take care of business on the defensive side of things as well. This match was a testament to how the Brazilian is finding his footing with the Lions.
D, Robin Jansson, 6 — It was a statistically odd match for the Beefy Swede, as he didn’t have any defensive stats — that’s how dominating Orlando was in the match. He also didn’t attempt any long balls, a method of attack that’s been fairly common from the center back. He did, however, complete all but two of his 58 passes for a fantastic 96.6% success rate. Jansson muscled off Toronto players who challenged him, took care of the ball, and didn’t commit a foul.
D, Antonio Carlos, 7.5 — Carlos hardly put a foot wrong in this match. He had a team-high 77 passes, completing 94.8% of them, while also being accurate on nine of his 11 long balls. Carlos also led the Lions with three interceptions and had three tackles, a clearance, and a blocked shot as well. His best tackle came late in the match on a sliding challenge in the box to prevent the visitors from having a quality scoring chance. Toronto didn’t create many chances, especially once Bernardeschi was sent off, but Carlos was there to snuff out the few fires that came.
D, Kyle Smith, 6.5 — Smith was fairly understated in the 67 minutes he was on the field, which is hardly a bad thing for a defender. Of course that’s not to say he wasn’t effective. The right back completed 93.3% of his passes, provided a key pass, and connected on two of his three long balls. Neither of his two crosses found their mark, but he did well finding open space and open Lions to keep momentum rolling on offense. Defensively, he had three tackles as well. It was a solid outing from the 31-year-old, who went 88 minutes on Saturday.
MF, Wilder Cartagena, 7.5 — The Peruvian was a force to be reckoned with once again for Orlando. He nearly scored with a nice strike following a corner kick, but his shot smacked the post. It was his only shot of the match and he helped out on offense by making two key passes and connecting on all seven of his long balls to really exploit Toronto’s tired legs. Cartagena completed all but three of his 71 passes for a great 95.8% success rate. In terms of his defensive contributions, he was an irritant for Toronto and ended the night with two tackles, an interception, and a blocked shot. He was also fouled four times, including Bernardeschi’s second yellow that ended the Italian’s night.
MF, Cesar Araujo, 8 (MotM) — This was a fantastic performance from Araujo in his return from suspension. The midfielder scored his first MLS goal in style, using a diving header to generate enough power to put away the cross from Santos. It was a great way for him to cap off an attack he kickstarted by winning the ball in the midfield. He then provided a terrific assist in the second half, with a weighted ball over the top for Thorhallsson to chase down. He narrowly missed on a secondary assist on the fourth goal, feeding the ball to Martin Ojeda, who bobbled his control, allowing a defender to get a touch. Araujo was accurate on all eight of his long balls and had 76 passes at an impressive 93.4% success rate. Both of his shots were on target and he had two key passes as he stirred Orlando’s attacks. His 91 touches were also the most on the team. Defensively, he had three tackles and an interception to control the midfield. Simply put, it was one of his best games in purple and deserving of Man of the Match honors.
MF, Ivan Angulo, 6.5 — Although he didn’t have a goal, Angulo did well when on the ball and was credited with an assist for feeding the ball to Santos on Orlando’s first goal. His speed and ability to turn defenders inside out was effective against a Toronto side on short rest in the heat. In 68 minutes of action, Angulo had 24 passes at an 83.3% success rate and a key pass. He earned corner kicks, stretched Toronto’s defense, and pressed the opposition into mistakes. It wasn’t his best game, but it didn’t have to be and he took care of what was asked of him more often than not.
MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 6 — The captain missed another chance to score in front of an empty net, sending his first shot of the match into the stands after a rebound from Greg Ranjitsingh. His only other shot of the match was soon after from a tougher angle, but it skipped wide of goal. Although a bit sluggish in this one after playing a few days ago, Pereyra had two key passes, connected on both of his long balls, and two of his six crosses. His best moment may have been a threaded ball that hit Angulo perfectly on a diagonal run, but the Colombian couldn’t control it and was unable to get a shot off. Pereyra was subbed off in the 58th minute and ended up with 34 passes at a strong 88.2% success rate. He also helped out defensively with a tackle, an interception, and a clearance.
MF, Facundo Torres, 6.5 — The Designated Player had plenty of room to operate against Toronto. He put one of his two shots on target, delivering a strike from distance that Ranjitsingh had to parry away for a corner. While he wasn’t credited with a key pass, he was fairly involved in Orlando’s attack until coming off in the 79th minute. He completed 88.6% of his 44 passes, was a little off with his crosses (hitting just two of six accurately), and his lone long ball didn’t connect. Of his seven dribbles, only two were successful, but he still looked dangerous while on the field.
F, Duncan McGuire, 7 — McGuire has a knack for being in the right place at the right time and it paid off again for him in this one. The rookie pounced on a deflected cross to beat Ranjitsingh to it and poke it home for his seventh goal of the season. He nearly scored another later in the first half after getting on the end of a long ball, hitting the post with his strike. Those were two of his three shots in the match, the other going off target before he was subbed off in the 57th minute. He finished with 16 touches and nine passes at a 55.6% success rate. The pressure he provided on defense was also notable to prevent Toronto from getting much of a foothold and he contributed a clearance as well.
Substitutes
F, Ramiro Enrique (57′), 6 — Enrique’s decent run of form continued in this match, even if he didn’t get on the scoresheet. The 22-year-old made good runs that weren’t always rewarded with a pass and played with plenty of energy off the bench. His only shot was from a similar position as his goal a few days ago, but this time his strike went wide instead of sneaking into the bottom right corner. Enrique completed 85.7% of his seven passes as well. Hopefully he can continue providing a spark when on the field.
MF, Martin Ojeda (58′), 7 — Ojeda had a great game off the bench, putting all three of his shots on target and providing an assist with a backheel for Kara. His first shot was a lightning bolt while cutting across the top of the box, but Ranjitsingh did well to keep it out. His second was from distance and hit the post after a slight touch from the goalkeeper, while the third was a free kick that was easily saved. Ojeda also had two key passes and completed both of his long balls as he often switched play and tried to break Toronto’s defense. He had 26 touches, completed 88.9% of his 18 passes, and his lone cross missed its mark. Ojeda was a key reason why Orlando was able to break down Toronto’s low block once it was reduced to 10 men.
D, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson (68′) 6.5 — Dagur Dan scored his first MLS goal by turning on the jets and getting to a long ball before Ranjitsingh, dribbling around the goalkeeper to easily put the ball in the net. Usually a midfielder, he replaced Smith as the team’s right back and raced up and down the right side of the field. There was a defensive lapse or two, but Carlos was there to back him up and he made some nice runs to try increasing Orlando’s lead. His only cross was inaccurate and he was successful on 87.5% of his eight passes.
F, Ercan Kara (68′) 6.5 — The Austrian forward scored his fifth goal of the year by burying an opportunity created by a backheel from Ojeda. He made the goal look easier than it was, as he had little time to strike the bouncing ball with his first touch while a defender was breathing down his neck. It was his only shot of the match and he had four touches and two passes, completing one of them.
MF, Luca Petrasso (79′) N/A — Petrasso came on for Torres and took his position as a winger on the left. He only had five touches, completing all five of his passes with them. We didn’t see enough of him in action to warrant a grade, but it’s nice to see some of his versatility come into play.
That’s how I saw each Lion’s performance in the shutout victory. Many Lions did well in this one, so be sure to vote for who you think deserves the title of Man of the Match. Let us know what you think in the comments below as well.
Orlando City
Orlando City Trades Homegrown Right Back Michael Halliday to the Houston Dynamo
Orlando City has acquired a first-round draft pick in 2026 for fullback Michael Halliday.

Orlando City announced today that the club has traded Homegrown right back Michael Halliday to the Houston Dynamo for the club’s natural first-round pick in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft. The move ends the Apopka native’s stay with his hometown club, which started in 2016 when he joined the academy. It’s the second time this year that the club has traded away a long-serving Homegrown player, having sent backup goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar to Real Salt Lake on Jan. 15.
Tom Bogert first broke the news Monday that a deal for Halliday was in the works between Orlando and Houston, and now it has been completed. The club will also retain a sell-on percentage in the event Houston transfers Halliday to another club.
The 22-year-old defender signed as the club’s eighth-ever Homegrown Player on July 15, 2020, coming out of the academy. At the time of his signing, he was the youngest player to sign for the club since Tommy Redding in 2014 at 17 years, five months, and 23 days.
He initially joined the club in 2016, playing for the U-13 side and made his way up the academy ranks, eventually reaching the U-19 team before making his professional debut for OCB on Aug. 1, 2020. He made seven appearances for the Young Lions that year with six starts and 561 minutes, recording an assist. He was an unused substitute three times for the first team in 2020.
Halliday’s first appearance for the first team came on May 29, 2021 in a 2-1 loss to the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena. He bounced between the first and second teams over the next four years, making 12 total appearances for OCB with 11 starts and 966 minutes, recording just the one assist. He made 43 appearances for the MLS side with 18 starts, recording 1,841 minutes with two assists.
The right back recently signed a new contract with the club on Jan. 16, 2024. It was a two-year deal that was to keep him in town through the 2025 season with club options for 2026 and 2027.
However, the Apopka native saw a significant decrease in playing time in 2024. After appearing 21 times with 12 starts in 2023, he only made seven appearances with one start in all competitions last season.
Halliday received his first season grade by The Mane Land in 2023, reaching the threshold with 1,109 minutes of action. After getting a 5.5 out of 10 for the season, he didn’t play enough to receive a grade in 2024.
In addition to his club play, Halliday has found a place with the U.S. Men’s National Team youth setup. He began playing with the U-20 national team in 2022, was a member of the 2022 Concacaf U-20 Championship team, and played four games at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
What It Means for Orlando City
Halliday was primarily a right back for Oscar Pareja’s side. He started the 2023 season on the right with Luca Petrasso on the left. However, both were soon supplanted. Dagur Dan Thorhallsson took over for Halliday and Rafael Santos took over for Petrasso. The left back also left the club following the 2024 season.
This trade might say more about another player than it does about Halliday. The club signed 20-year-old right back Alex Freeman to a Homegrown deal on Feb. 15, 2022. The defender has been playing with OCB for the last couple of years but saw significant minutes this preseason. The club might see more possibilities with the younger right back moving forward. Halliday had seemingly slipped to fourth on the depth chart at right back behind Thorhallsson, Kyle Smith, and Freeman.
After the club traded Stajduhar, Halliday became the longest-tenured Homegrown player at the club. With his departure, that designation now belongs to center back Thomas Williams, who signed a Homegrown contract on June 15, 2021, and a new two-year contract earlier this offseason.
This move gives Halliday an opportunity to compete for more minutes to further his professional development. The full value of the trade for Orlando remains to be seen and will depend on how the club uses the draft pick and whether a future Halliday transfer brings any cash back to OCSC.
Orlando City
Wilder Cartagena Officially Out for the 2025 Season After Surgery
The Peruvian midfielder will miss all of the 2025 season after surgery to repair his left Achilles tendon.

The worst fears about Wilder Cartagena’s injury have come to pass, as the standout central midfielder will miss the entire 2025 season after undergoing surgery to repair his left Achilles tendon. The Peruvian international suffered the injury in Orlando City’s preseason opener against Atletico Mineiro on Jan. 25 and had surgery at the end of last month, per his Twitter account.
Orlando City confirmed today that the injury will keep him out throughout the 2025 campaign and the Lions have placed Cartagena on the Season-Ending Injury list. The procedure was performed by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Steven Choung at the Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute in Orlando on Jan. 29.
“These are the first days for Wilder on the road of a long recovery process and we’re thankful for our partners at Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute and their amazing care,” said Director of Medical & Performance Gonzalo Rodríguez in a club press release. “We plan to fully support Wilder during his recovery process and help him get stronger and we look forward to seeing him back and fully healthy.”
Orlando City initially acquired Cartagena on loan through the 2022 MLS season. After a successful end of the year, the club exercised the option to extend the loan through the 2023 season. He became a key player in the starting lineup for the Lions that season, resulting in the club signing him to a permanent deal on Dec. 14, 2024.
The 30-year-old native of Lima, Peru, is coming off a solid season. He appeared in 27 matches during the regular season (25 starts), playing 2,192 minutes. He did not score a goal but recorded an assist on his 24 total shots, putting eight on target. He completed 89% of his passes with 16 key passes, one successful cross, and 25 completed long balls. On the defensive side, he recorded 76 tackles, 20 interceptions, 42 clearances, and nine blocks. He committed a team-leading 48 fouls, suffered 28, and received seven yellow cards and one red card, which he picked up after the conclusion of the game against Minnesota United.
During the playoffs, Cartagena started all five matches, playing 431 minutes with no goals or assists. He took two shots, putting one on target, and he completed 87.2% of his passes with one key pass. Defensively, he recorded nine tackles, four interceptions, 11 clearances, and one block. He drew eight fouls and committed nine, and he was booked twice, with both being yellow cards.
In his first three seasons in Orlando, Cartagena has one goal and three assists in 59 games (52 starts). More importantly, he has formed one of the more cohesive central midfield partnerships in the league with Cesar Araujo.
What It Means for Orlando City
The Lions not only free up a spot on the senior roster by placing Cartagena on the Season-Ending Injury List, but the club could sign a replacement without taking a double salary cap hit. If Orlando signs a player prior to the roster freeze date (Sept. 12, 2025) and designates that player officially as an injury replacement for Cartagena, then as long as that player does not make more than the Peruvian’s compensation of $520,250 the club will not eat Cartagena’s salary budget charge.
Losing Cartagena is a blow to the team’s defense, as he has become one of the most reliable defensive midfielders in the league. His absence could be mitigated by Eduard Atuesta’s arrival. Atuesta is a better passer and has more attacking talent, so if Atuesta can play near Cartagena’s level on the defensive end, it would be huge for the Lions. However, it is unlikely Atuesta would be as adept at dropping into the back line and becoming a third center back when circumstances warrant it as Cartagena did last season to great effect.
Cartagena’s injury is unfortunate, but hopefully he’ll make a full recovery, which would give the Lions some coverage in case Araujo departs as was rumored throughout the off-season.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 2/18/25
Orlando City signs Joran Gerbet, two Lions reportedly heading out the door, Orlando Pride celebrate 10th year of play, and more.

Happy Tuesday and happy Orlando City matchweek everyone! The season opener is almost upon us, and I couldn’t be more excited to get back into Inter&Co Stadium with all of you wonderful people. I’ll keep this brief because we have a whole glut of news to get to this morning. Let’s dive into these links.
Orlando City Signs Joran Gerbet
Orlando City announced Monday that the team has signed Joran Gerbet through the 2025 MLS season, with options for the next three seasons. The central midfielder was the team’s first-round selection in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft, and he’s done some good stuff during OCSC’s preseason preparations. The arrival of Eduard Atuesta means that Gerbet will be able to work his way into the team slowly without any undue pressure, although he’s shown enough during the preseason to expect him to start getting minutes from the bench much sooner rather than later. That will especially be the case if our next news item proves to be a reliable one.
Two Lions Reportedly on the Move
A pair of Lions could be on their way out the door very soon, as Tom Bogert is reporting that the Houston Dynamo are on the verge of signing Nico Lodeiro and Michael Halliday. He adds that the terms for Halliday’s signings are set, while the Lodeiro deal is likely to go through but is not quite done yet. There is no word yet on what Orlando will receive in return, but as Bogert doesn’t mention any players coming over in exchange, it’s likely that it’ll involve General Allocation Money, cash, a draft pick, an international slot, or some combination of those. We will bring you more on this story as it develops, so keep your eyes peeled.
Orlando Pride Celebrate 10th Year of Play
The 2025 season will be the 10th of the Orlando Pride’s existence, and the club will celebrate that fact for the duration of the upcoming campaign. Things will kick off on March 2 with the 10 Years of Pride Kickoff Party and continue from there with Pints With Pride, and the NWSL Challenge Cup. Pride Season Ticket Members will get a complimentary 2025 replica jersey as part of their STM package, and there will be numerous events hosted by the club throughout the season to celebrate the Pride’s 10th year.
Americans in Midweek Action
Plenty of Americans will take part in games during the working week, and UEFA Champions League play once again features heavily. Things start later today when Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan try to overturn a 1-0 first leg deficit against Feyenoord. They’ll be followed by Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic as they try to likewise come back from a 2-1 first leg deficit against Bayern Munich. Wednesday sees Gio Reyna, Cole Campbell, and Borussia Dortmund host Sporting CP, which holds a commanding 3-0 lead after the first leg, while Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus have a more precarious 2-1 lead against PSV Eindhoven and its quartet of injured Americans.
MLS Transfer Roundup
Monday saw some big transfers completed in Major League Soccer, so let’s get all caught up. FC Cincinnati set an MLS trade record by sending $12 million in cash, and $150,000 in incentives to the Portland Timbers in exchange for Evander, who joins FCC as a Designated Player. In order to replace the outgoing Brazilian, Portland signed David Da Costa from Ligue 1 side Lens. The fee is said to be in the region of $6 million and he’ll join the Timbers as a DP on a four-year deal. The Vancouver Whitecaps completed the signing of striker Daniel Rios on loan from Chivas de Guadalajara for the duration of the 2025 season, with the deal also including a purchase option. Finally, the Columbus Crew signed goalkeeper Patrick Schulte to a contract extension through the 2027 season with an additional option year for 2028.
Free Kicks
- It’s matchweek and the boys are happy to be back.
- In case you forgot, Seb Hines is still that dude.
- The Concacaf Champions Cup match between Sporting Kansas City and Inter Miami has been postponed to Feb. 19 due to anticipated adverse weather.
- Real Valladolid has fired manager Diego Cocca after eight games in charge.
That’s all I have for you today. Vamos Orlando!
-
Orlando City1 week ago
Orlando City vs. CF Montreal: Final Score 2-1 as Wasteful Lions Suffer First Preseason Loss
-
Orlando City2 weeks ago
Orlando City Signs Croation Winger Marco Pasalić as a Designated Player
-
Opinion2 weeks ago
Likes and Dislikes from this Week of Orlando City’s Preseason
-
Lion Links2 weeks ago
Orlando City’s Potential Roster Flexibility
-
Orlando City6 days ago
Orlando City Unveils New Perfect Storm Kit Ahead of 2025 MLS Season
-
Orlando City1 week ago
Orlando City Signs Colombian International Midfielder Eduard Atuesta
-
Orlando City5 days ago
Ranking Orlando City’s Home Kits
-
Lion Links2 weeks ago
Lion Links: 2/6/25