Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Real Salt Lake: Player Grades and Man of the Match
How did your favorite Lions perform against Real Salt Lake?
Orlando City went on the road to Sandy, UT and was blanked 4-0 by Real Salt Lake on a forgettable Saturday night. The Lions traveled cross country for the matchup and battled tired legs and the altitude, along with the formidable hosts. Here’s how each Lion performed individually in the loss against RSL.
Starters
GK, Pedro Gallese, 6 (MotM) — Just a few nights earlier, Gallese had virtually nothing to do in a 4-0 victory. But on Saturday night, El Pulpo was on the other end of a 4-0 drumming. Without Gallese in goal though, it strangely enough could have been an even larger deficit. He faced 15 total shots throughout the match, with RSL putting six on frame. He conceded four goals on the evening, two from set pieces which were horribly defended in the first half and an additional two from wide-open, point-blank range in the second half. There was little he could have done on the four goals. Gallese was accurate on 31 of his 34 passes (91.2%), including nine accurate long balls on 12 attempts.
D, Rafael Santos, 5.5 — The left back completed 40 of his 43 passes (93%), including one key pass and four accurate long balls on seven attempts. Two of his six crosses were accurate. while going the full duration of the match. A player who has been growing into his role as off late showed some regression as there were multiple times he found himself out of position and much of RSL’s danger came from his side of the pitch. On the defensive side of the field, Santos was successful on both of his tackles, and logged one clearance, one blocked shot, and one interception. Santos also won one aerial duel during the match. Santos logged one ill-advised shot that was blocked and nearly turned into a breakaway the other way for Cristian Arango, and was dispossessed twice.
D, Antonio Carlos, 6 — AC and his center back partner Robin Jansson were mostly fine until the game got stretched after the two set piece goals. Whether Carlos or Wilder Cartagena was responsible for Arango on the first goal isn’t clear, but the Brazilian went for the headed clearance and came up just inches short. The two goals from open play came from the opposite side from Carlos, who completed a respectable 39 of his 47 passes (83%) with three successful long balls on seven attempts. Additionally, Carlos recorded one successful tackle, one blocked shot, and four clearances, while drawing two fouls.
D, Robin Jansson, 6 — The Swedish center back was culpable on the fourth goal, but he still probably kept the game closer than it could have been with a couple of timely vital challenges, including the one mentioned above on the blocked Santos shot that would have seen Arango in alone on Gallese without his intervention. Jansson also completed a decent 44 of his 52 passes (84.6%) with two successful long balls, albeit on six attempts. He won one aerial, blocked a shot, and was credited with one interception, but knocked another potentially dangerous ball out for a throw. Jansson did not record a clearance or tackle on evening and was also limited getting forward into the attack in this match while committing two fouls, one of which was super soft on the offensive end during a corner kick.
D, Kyle Smith, 5.5 — Subbed off after 58 minutes of action, Smith’s tired legs were apparent with several passes and clearances fired off the opposing player in front of him. He only completed 11 of his 20 passes (55%), which included two accurate long balls on five attempts and two inaccurate crossing attempts. He was unsuccessful on both of his tackle attempts, while winning one aerial duel. On offense, Smith was able to put one shot on target, but it was basically right at the goalkeeper. Smith committed and drew two fouls a piece in less than an hour of game play. It is unclear if it was always the game plan for Smith to come off around the hour mark or not but it did appear as if he might have picked up a slight knock and motioned to the bench prior to being subbed off.
MF, Cesar Araujo, 6 — The Uruguayan was one of the better defenders on the pitch for OCSC in this one. Araujo completed 32 of his 37 passes (86.5%), including one key pass and four successful long balls on five attempts. Defensively, he completed three of his five tackle attempts and blocked a shot but did not record a clearance or interception. A game removed from scoring his first MLS goal, Araujo failed to record an offensive stat throughout the match, going 0-for-2 on cross attempts, but did manage to draw two fouls on the night. He was unable to do anything to stop Justen Glad on the second RSL goal but perhaps shouldn’t have been tasked with covering the team’s biggest aerial threat.
MF, Wilder Cartagena, 5.5 — The Peruvian ended up marking nobody on the first Real Salt Lake goal to start the scoring deluge. He completed 23 of his 25 (92%) passes on the night without a key pass and his lone long ball attempt was not accurate. He also recorded two tackles and one successful aerial duel throughout the match. Cartagena logged one successful dribble but was also dispossessed once. He committed two fouls, including picking up a tactical yellow card, and was ultimately subbed off in the 58th minute for fresh legs.
MF, Ivan Angulo, 6 — The speedy Colombian at times looked like the only Orlando City player who had life left in his legs after a long week. He completed only seven out of 11 passes (64%) but did manage one key pass. On offense, he completed one of his two attempted dibbles while being dispossessed twice. He suffered one foul and also recorded one shot but sent it nowhere near the goal frame. On defense, Angulo chipped in with two successful tackles on three attempts.
MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 6 — Pereyra played the full 90 minutes and completed 37 of his 48 passes (77.1%), recording two key passes on the night. Seven of his long balls were accurate but none of his three crosses were. In a game mostly devoid of rhythm, the maestro tried unsuccessfully to unlock Orlando City on the offensive side of the pitch. He was dispossessed three times, while the ball often stuck at his feet. He did win one aerial duel, while contributing two tackles on the defensive side of the ball. Pereyra committed two fouls but drew a team-high five.
MF, Facundo Torres, 6 — For the second straight match, Facu failed to affect the stat line that mattered most — goal contributions. He completed 27 of his 34 passes (79.4%) and contributed one key pass. He was two-for-two on long balls but his lone cross was off target. Torres had one shot on target early in the match, which was just a little to close to the keeper but still required a good save. The Uruguayan also won an aerial duel, logged an interception, and completed one successful tackle. He was subbed off in the 76th minute for fresh legs and will undoubtedly welcome a week without a midweek fixture.
F, Duncan McGuire, 5 — The striker completed four of his six passes (66.7%) and put only one of his three shot attempts on target. He had a good go from distance just seconds into the match that could have changed the entire complexion of the game had it gone in, but it missed just wide. While he showed good hustle to track back and steal the ball from Braian Ojeda, he then not only quickly lost it back, but committed an unnecessary and silly foul that set up the first RSL goal. McGuire wasn’t able to impose himself on this particular game and much of that is due to good defensive work by RSL and Orlando City failing to find any connectivity in the final third. He only had 15 touches and didn’t attempt a cross or contribute a key pass. McGuire won two aerial duels and was unsuccessful on his lone tackle attempt while committing two fouls in 65 minutes on the field.
Substitutes
D, Martin Ojeda (58’), 6 — Orlando City elected to bring fresh legs on a little prior to the one hour mark as Designated Player Martin Ojeda looked to get the Lions back into the match. Ojeda completed nine of his 11 passes (81.8%), with one successful long ball on two attempts and one shot on target — albeit from too far away and without much pace. His only cross attempt was off the mark. Once RSL found the net for the third time, any chance of Ojeda helping to claw OCSC back into the match seemed to evaporate into the mountain air.
MF, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson (58’), 6 — The midfielder/defender provided fresh legs but was unable to provide his usual burst of energy, while completing all seven of his attempted passes (100%) in 32 minutes. He provided one key pass, committed one foul, and defensively wasn’t burned in a decent but uneventful showing.
MF, Ramiro Enrique (58’), 4.5 — Coming on with Ojeda and Thorhallsson, Enrique took the place of Angulo on the wing. He completed five of his six passes (83.3%) in a little over a half hour on the pitch. His lone shot attempt on the evening was badly hit and ended up being more embarrassing than dangerous. Enrique was able to win one aerial duel and recorded one interception. But he was largely invisible despite playing more than half an hour, registering only 10 touches, going 0-for-1 on crosses and failing to produce a key pass.
F, Ercan Kara (65’), 5 — Kara came on for McGuire at a point in the match where Orlando may have felt that if it could just pull one back than it may have a shot to salvage a point on the road. Instead the offense was never able to really get him meaningful service. Like Enrique, he only touched the ball 10 times. He was successful on five of his seven passes (71%) and logged one key pass while winning an aerial duel. He also recorded an interception.
D, Luca Petrasso (76’), 4.5 — Petrasso subbed on late for Torres and completed two of his four passess (50%) but did little else to have a positive effect on the match. He didn’t close down Jefferson Savarino quickly enough on the third Real Salt Lake goal, allowing the hosts to ice the game. He managed just six touches.
That is how the players graded out from an absolute drumming out west. They will have a full week off before an incredibly important match on the road in Atlanta. Vote for your Man of the Match in our poll below, and let us know your thoughts on who stood out to you.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 2/11/26
New Orlando City kit drops, Orlando City and Orlando Pride preseasons, MLS club valuations, and more.
Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling a bit anxious about the upcoming season. I think it’s because we don’t know much of what is going on. We’re only a few weeks away from the first match for goodness sake. Hopefully, we’ll see some more signings for both clubs, but until then let’s get to the links.
Orlando City’s New Kit
Orlando City dropped the new Sunken Treasure secondary kit yesterday, and it is a stunner. This is the first time the club has used gold as the primary color on a jersey. It looks great with the purple shorts, and the purple stripes. There are some great details like the coin on the collar and sublimated lion head on the chest. This is truly one of the better kits that Orlando City has introduced. The club produced a great reveal video. Check it out.
Orlando Preseasons
There’s not a ton of information to convey regarding Orlando City’s and the Orlando Pride’s preseasons. That seems to be purposeful on the part of the club, but a little news did slip out via social media. New center back Iago is fully participating in practice.
We also learned that goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau is back in training after missing last week. Of course, the Pride got in the action as well with various players trying to run drills. I’ll let you judge how well they did.
MLS Club Valuations
MLS clubs are increasing in value, including Orlando City. Sportico released the list of all MLS club valuations (paywall). Unsurprisingly, the top five were all big market teams with Inter Miami leading the way. When the Wilf family purchased Orlando City, they paid between $400 and $450 million. Now it is estimated to be worth approximately $565 million. That’s pretty good growth.
Chris Mueller’s Lost Year
We missed this last November, but former Orlando City attacker Chris Mueller had a tough time of things in 2025. The player was diagnosed with pericarditis. It meant that he couldn’t sleep laying down, let alone play or practice. He is now on the other side of it and has a new contract. It was a year of lessons for Mueller, and in typical fashion he has bounced back stronger.
Free Kicks
- The Lions weren’t the only team to announce new jerseys. There were 16 other clubs that did the same, though none are as nice as Orlando City’s new kit.
- The USMNT U-17 squad has secured a spot in the U-17 World Cup. The berth came after a 1-1 draw against the Dominican Republic.
- Former England, Chelsea, and Juventus forward Eni Aluko has reignited her debate over female pundits in soccer.
- Defender Noahkai Banks will not be switching from the USMNT to Germany despite contact from the German federation.
- Haley Carter was up for a job with Chelsea. However it seems no one told her.
That will do it for today, me hearties. I hope you have a wonderful day. Vamos Orlando!
Orlando City
Orlando City Unveils 2026 ‘Sunken Treasure’ Kit
Orlando City unveils the first primarily gold kit in club history.
The 2026 Lions will be golden. Orlando City unveiled the club’s new ‘Sunken Treasure’ kit ahead of the 2026 Major League Soccer season — to be worn through the 2027-2028 season.
Soccer season. For the first time, Orlando City has used its secondary color as the primary color of a jersey, going primarily gold.
According to the club, the new kit pays homage to the state’s famed Treasure Coast:
The Sunken Treasure Kit draws inspiration from the legend, mystery and enduring allure of Florida’s Treasure Coast, a region known for stories of lost gold and shipwrecked riches. Stretching along Florida’s east coast, the area takes its name from the legendary 1715 Treasure Fleet, a convoy carrying New World wealth back to Spain before a hurricane sank 11 of its 12
ships. Millions of dollars in gold, silver and jewels have been recovered from the wrecks since the 1960s, and coins still occasionally wash ashore today. That sense of history, discovery and lingering mystery anchors the Sunken Treasure Kit’s identity.
“We’re incredibly excited to unveil the first kit in club history to be predominantly Florida Gold, an iconic color inspired by a truly unique and authentic Florida story that reflects the rich history of our home state,” Orlando City Chief Marketing Officer Pedro Araujo said in a club press release. “This kit is a tribute to our fans and supporters, who are the true treasure of this club. It represents the memories we create together each season — moments that endure across time, much like the legends of Florida’s Treasure Coast. For us, real treasure isn’t found beneath the waves; it lives in the stands, in our community, and in the shared moments our players and fans bring to life every time we take the field.”
The gold kit’s accents are in the club’s traditional deep purple primary hue as well as white. Whereas the jersey is gold with the iconic three Adidas stripes in purple on the shoulders, the shorts are purple with gold Adidas stripes. While you need to be up close and personal with the kit to see it, a lion motif stretches across the kit, a touch inspired by old-time ship figureheads.
A coin on the back of the neck symbolizes Spanish doubloons, bearing the words “The treasure is the memories we make.” Another saying adorns the front hem jock tag around the outline of an ornate nautical compass bearing the year 2026: “Our anchors we will weigh, our sails we will set, 90 minutes with our City family we shall never forget.”
As usual, Orlando Health is the jersey sponsor, continuing a partnership dating back to 2011, the club’s first year in the USL.
The Sunken Treasure Kit is available at the Major League Soccer online store (MLSStore.com) and at OCMobileShop.com, with in‐person pickup at The Den at Inter&Co Stadium beginning Wednesday. Fans will have their first opportunity to purchase the kit at the club’s official jersey launch at The Final Whistle at Thornton Park Pub tonight, with the festivities starting at 6 p.m. There will also be live music, giveaways, player appearances, and a visit from club mascot Kingston. Attendees who purchase the jersey at tonight’s event will receive an exclusive CITYiD patch (while supplies last), along with a limited-edition coin (also while supplies last). The coin is inspired by the new kit. It will be a big year for coin collectors, as today’s is one of five exclusive coins the club is giving away as part of a campaign throughout 2026.
You can check out the kit in all its glory in the gallery of images below:












































Lion Links
Lion Links: 2/10/26
Harvey Sarajian interview, checking in on former Lions, Americans in midweek action, and more.
Good morning, everyone. It’s hard to believe that we’re under two weeks away from the start of the Major League Soccer season, but time shows absolutely no sign of slowing down anytime soon. We’ve got a whole lot of things to discuss this morning, so let’s get right into the links.
Getting to Know Harvey Sarajian
Harvey Sarajian was born in Naples, and the first professional soccer game that he ever went to was when Orlando City took on the Chicago Fire all the way back in 2015. After becoming Orlando’s first pick in this year’s MLS SuperDraft, he’s now earned a contract with the team he watched 11 years ago, and he did so just four days after starting to train with the Lions. He spent a lot of time as a left winger in college, and spoke about his desire to beat defenders out wide and either get service into the box or cut onto his right foot and try to score. He also highlighted Duncan McGuire and Tyrese Spicer as two individuals who have helped him as he settles into his new surroundings.
Monitoring Former Lions Abroad
It’s been a busy few days for some of Orlando City’s former players who have taken their talents overseas. Cyle Larin got his debut for Southampton started with a bang on Saturday, as he entered the game as a substitute in the 67th minute and promptly scored the game’s only goal just three minutes later to lift the team to victory over Watford. The more recently departed Alex Freeman made his debut for Villareal on Monday, when he entered the game in the 73rd minute of a 4-1 win over Espanyol in La Liga action. Finally, Benji Michel has seemingly concluded his time with Finnish side HJK Helsinki, as he posted a farewell to the club on his Instagram page.

Americans in Midweek Action
As is usually the case, there are a number of American players taking part in games during the working week. Things will get started today when Brenden Aaronson and Leeds face Chelsea in the Premier League. Action in England rolls on Wednesday when Antonee Robinson and Fulham face Manchester United, while Chris Richards and Crystal Palace take on Burnley. The Wednesday action concludes when Alejandro Zendejas and Club America attempt to maintain their 2-1 first leg advantage over CD Olimpia, and advance to the next round of the Concacaf Champions Cup. Things then finish up on Friday when Folarin Balogun and Monaco host Nantes in Ligue 1 action.
MLS Transfer Roundup
Monday brought a fresh wave of movement in the transfer market for Major League Soccer, so let’s catch up on what happened. CF Montreal has signed forward Noah Streit from FC Basel on a deal that runs through the 2028-2029 season, with an option for 2029-2030. Moving to the Western Conference, Real Salt Lake signed defender Juan Jose Arias on loan from Atletico Nacional as an MLS U22 Initiative signing. The center back’s loan runs until July 13 and contains a purchase option. San Diego FC has signed free agent midfielder Bryce Duke on a contract that runs through June of 2027 and contains options for the 2027-2028 and 2028-2029 seasons. Finally, Nashville SC has signed center back Jeisson Palacios to a contract extension through the 2027-2028 season, with an option for the 2028-2029 campaign.
Free Kicks
- Take a look at the Orlando Pride’s continuing preseason preparations.
- We got another teaser from OCSC ahead of today’s jersey release.
- The Young Lions have been getting in some preseason preparations of their own.
- Orlando City youth player Lennox Alvarado got a callup to the U-16 National Team training camp.
- Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly ended his boycott of Al Nassr matches.
- Jack Grealish has confirmed that he has undergone a foot surgery that will end his season.
That’s all I’ve got for you today. Vamos Orlando!
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