Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Yesterday, we lost a great human being. Dolly Parton passed away at the age of 80, and even though I’m not a country music fan I am still a fan of Dolly. She was a humanitarian who brought joy to many through her music, her philanthropy, and her genuine good nature. The world is a darker place without her glittering rhinestones and she will be missed by many.

I also feel that Dolly would want all of us to find our joy in life, and for me, that often involves soccer, and in particular, Orlando City and the Orlando Pride. So in Dolly’s honor, let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Climbs

Orlando City has inched above the playoff line thanks to a 2-1 victory over Real Salt Lake. The Lions have also climbed four spots to 18th in MLSsoccer.com’s MLS power rankings. Given how the season started, this is all good news. Next up for Orlando City is a trip to Minnesota. I always find it fascinating to see how the opposition looks at a matchup, and you can also check out what we expect to see on Saturday on the latest episode of The Mane Land PawedCast.

Orlando Pride News and Notes

Barbra Banda has yet to score a goal since returning from WAFCON, though she provided the assist to Haley McCutcheon in the Orlando Pride’s 1-0 victory over the Washington Spirit. As such, Ashley Sanchez has taken the lead in the Golden Boot race. While there were plenty of interesting facts from NWSL Week 18, an important one for Pride fans is that Cosette Morché became the first keeper in Pride history to record a shutout in her debut. Next up for the Pride is a home match against the Utah Royals.

MLS Roundup

People in Europe are shocked by Breel Embolo’s move to Atlanta United. I assume it’s because he’s under 30 years old. The Seattle Sounders acquired striker Dejan Joveljić from Sporting Kansas City for $6 million. He will be a Designated Player. LA Galaxy goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski has been fined by the MLS Disciplinary Committee for failing to leave the field in a timely manner. Here is the video of the incident.

USMNT Player Stock Rising/Falling

With midweek matches looming, let’s look back at how USMNT players — including Orlando City’s Justin Ellis — did both abroad and here in the States. Some players, like Zavier Gozo and Matt Freese, saw their stock rise, while others, like Tyler Adams, did not. Stu Holden shared who he thinks should be the faces of the USMNT going forward, and it’s hard for me to disagree with his assessment.

Free Kicks

• The Portland Thorns and the WNBA’s Portland Fire opened the first joint women’s sports complex. The training facility will have two soccer pitches and two full-sized basketball courts along with other amenities.
• The Chicago (Red) Stars will play their 2027 home schedule at Northwestern’s Martin Stadium.

• Austin FC named Khaled El-Ahmad the club’s new chief soccer officer & sporting director. He recently held a similar position with Minnesota United.
• Finally, proof that Mason Stadjuhar is Forever a Lion. Well done, StadjuHeart. You make us proud.

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

Good morning, everyone. It was an improved, but not perfect weekend for Orlando’s soccer teams, as the three sides combined to take six of the nine points on offer. The midweek games have finally ceased for the time being, but Orlando City and the Orlando Pride will both be back in action on Saturday, while Orlando City B will try to get things back on track on Sunday. We’ve got a whole host of things to cover this morning, so let’s get into the links. But before we do, we want to give a big shout out and thank you to Barry, our latest TAM-level subscriber at The Mane Land’s subscription service at Buy Me a Coffee. If you’d like to check out what’s on offer to see if it’s for you, click here (you can also just make a donation if you want to support us and subscribing isn’t for you).

Antoine Griezmann Named MLS Player of the Matchday

Designated Player Antoine Griezmann played a starring role in Orlando City’s win over Real Salt Lake, as the Frenchman bagged a second-half brace to complete the Lions’ comeback and secure a vital three points. He’s been rewarded for his efforts with not just a starting spot in the MLS Team of the Matchday, but with his first MLS Player of the Matchday nod as well. Griezmann’s double makes it three goals and two assists in six league games since joining the team following the World Cup break, and while the team’s form hasn’t been flawless, it certainly looks a lot better with him in the fold. Here’s hoping his good form continues!

Pride Players Up for Weekly Honors

Sticking with the topic of weekly awards, Barbra Banda has been nominated for the NWSL Assist of the Week. The striker is most known for her prolific goal scoring, but she turned provider in the Orlando Pride’s 1-0 win over the Washington Spirit. Banda drove at the defense in the opening moments of the game before playing a beautiful ball across the face of the box, where it found an onrushing Haley McCutcheon, who put her effort into the back of the net. It was a great all-around effort from Banda, as she made a tackle and won the ball on the halfway line before leading the break up the field and playing the key pass.

Speaking of McCutcheon, the Pride’s goal scorer has been nominated for the NWSL Player of the Week. McCutcheon took her goal well, and had a chance to tack on a late insurance goal, but her effort was saved by Spirit goalkeeper Sandy MacIver. Make sure you go vote for both players to win their respective awards!

Lessons from MLS Matchday 22

Matchday 22 is in the books for Major League Soccer, and there were plenty of things to be gleaned from the weekend’s action. Griezmann did a little bit of everything for Orlando City once again, but he wasn’t the only MLS newcomer that made a difference. Josh Sargent scored his first goal for Toronto FC since May as he helped the Reds knock off Inter Miami on the road, and Jack Harrison marked his first game against former team New York City FC with a gorgeous secondary assist on the game’s opening goal. He’s got five assists in four games since joining during the summer window and so far looks like a Designated Player spot smartly used by the New England Revolution.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans who will be playing matches during the working week, so make sure you get everything marked down on your calendars. Sebastian Berhalter, Max Arfsten, and Aidan Morris get things going later today when their Middlesborough side travels to face Doncaster in the Carabao Cup. Things continue on Wednesday when Tanner Tesssmann and Lyon play Fenerbahce in the second leg of a UEFA Champions League qualifying tie, with the matchup finely balanced at 1-1 after the first leg. Thursday will see Folarin Balogun and Monaco try to hold onto a 3-2 lead over Gornik Zabrze in the second leg of UEFA Conference League qualifying, before Yunus Musah (and possibly Christian Pulisic, if he’s recovered from injury) and AC Milan face Gianluca Busio and Venezia in Serie A play.

Free Kicks

• Orlando City took a big leap in ESPN.com’s MLS power rankings, as the Lions rose seven spots to no.17.
• The Orlando Pride rose two spots of their own in the same outlet’s NWSL power rankings, and now sit at no. 11, which is where they are in the league table.
• Amanda Vandervort is leaving her position as president of the USL Super League.
• Samuel Eto’o has spoken out in favor of Gianni Infantino and his plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors.

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

Orlando City got a much-needed win on Saturday night, but it was anything but easy. Despite holding the bulk of possession through the first half against a heavily rotated Real Salt Lake side, the Lions generated zero shots and fell behind when the visitors took advantage of young fullback Zakaria Taifi, who was deputized at left back due to the absences of Bernardo Rhein and Adrian Marin. But Orlando rallied after halftime due in large part to three important halftime subs and the introduction of Tyrese Spicer to storm back for a 2-1 win, with Antoine Griezmann scoring both second-half goals.

Let’s take a look at how Orlando City’s players rated in their matchup against Real Salt Lake.

Starters

GK, Maxime Crepeau, 6 — Salt Lake scored one goal out of four shots on target against the Orlando goalkeeper, and he did well to save two of them, especially a diving one hander in the fifth minute of first-half stoppage time. One was blocked by Eduard Atuesta, and the one that slipped by was a tough one that would have been difficult for any keeper. Dominik Marczuk put a first-touch volley shot past Crepeau from close range, after Sam Junqua’s lofted ball over the Orlando defense left him one-on-one. Otherwise, it was a relatively quiet night for the Lions’ goalkeeper. His passing was 78.1% accurate, hitting six out of 13 long-ball attempts.

D, Zakaria Taifi, 6 — It was a mixed bag for Taifi in this match. He struggled a bit in the first half with some sloppy touches that interrupted the Lions flow in possession. He also provided a well-weighted through ball for Tiago early on in the match that ended in an Orlando corner. The biggest mark against him though was that he allowed Marczuk to run past him into the box in the 36th minute, putting him in on goal, unopposed, for Salt Lake’s goal. Taifi improved markedly in the second half though, as did the rest of the Lions, and he helped to create some clear-cut attacking sequences. He got off a couple of shots himself as well, pinging one off the outside of the left post. He contributed a key pass and was clean in his passing at 89.2%. Defensively, he had one interception.

D, Robin Jansson, 6.5 — Jansson bounced back from Wednesday’s game against Chicago. He made an excellent clearance after a hard recovery run that could have easily been an own goal, albeit on an offside ball, but the effort and skill still count. He threw himself at a charging Marczuk, preventing a breakaway and taking a knock in the process, although he was able to continue without too much trouble. He kept his head, as the captain should, and did his job, contributing four clearances, completing three out of four long balls, and passing with 98.6% accuracy.

D, David Brekalo, 6 — Brekalo had a steady match against Real Salt Lake. He lost a 50/50 ball in a bad spot early in the match, allowing a dangerous breakaway but also fought hard defending the Orlando box all night. He stood his ground and provided a solid defensive presence if nothing else. He didn’t stand out in any conspicuous way, and made no offensive contributions, but he did finish with a team-high six clearances and was 98.4% accurate in his passing.

D, Griffin Dorsey, 7 — Dorsey was active in the attack down the right side of the pitch as we have come to expect. He combined well with Justin Ellis, Atuesta and Griezmann, especially in the second half. He was busy on the other side of the ball as well, anticipating the RSL attack and making a crucial interception in the box in the 64th minute, that would have likely wound up as a dangerous shot otherwise for Diego Luna. He was precise in his passing at 89.7%, contributed one key pass, and attempted five crosses with one completed. Defensively, he logged two tackles, an interception, and a clearance.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 5.5 — Angulo played mostly in his traditional left attacking wing position against Real Salt Lake, but he showed signs of fatigue and made some mistakes that could have been costly. Crepeau’s huge save bailed him out for his turnover in the fifth minute of stoppage time just before halftime that ignited the RSL break and nearly handed Marczuk his second goal of the half. Angulo’s box score was modest, and he had less influence on the game than usual, with one key pass and one incomplete long-ball attempt. Although he completed 93.8% of his passes, he seemed hesitant to take on defenders on the dribble, often dropping the ball back, and his heat map is a blob just barely across the midfield line in the attacking half. Defensively, he chipped in three tackles.

MF, Luis Otavio, 5.5 — Otavio was part of the low energy first half of this match. He was not alone in this by any means as the Lions were not impressive as a whole. One of his more aggressive moments was an attempt to carry the ball up the middle of the pitch, only to be dispossessed by a clinical tackle from behind. Otavio completed a couple of long-ball attempts as well but contributed no other offensive or defensive statistics, while passing at 93.8%. Otavio has been improving as of late, but the first half needed a bit more from the midfielder, who was replaced at the half.

MF, Eduard Atuesta, 6.5 — The veteran midfielder appeared a step behind to start the match, providing an overcooked cross in the 14th minute, and getting a bit turned around in midfield in the 16th minute. He also made more than his fair share of bad passes while not under much pressure. He began to click though in the second half, and made his mark through some solid possession with his teammates, as well as his own direct contributions. He slid a through ball past Real Salt Lake’s defense for Griezmann who chipped the goalkeeper with a shot that hit the outside netting. Atuesta followed that up by finding Ellis off an RSL turnover, leading to Orlando’s first goal, on what would have been a secondary assist had Daryl Dike scored instead of Griezmann on the rebound. He sent in one incomplete cross, and connected on one out of three long balls. He was 90.8% accurate in his passing and defensively contributed one tackle and one blocked shot.

MF, Marco Pasalic, 5 — Pasalic wasn’t able to combine well on the night and seemed at times as if he may have been trying to do too much. He attempted two crosses, completing one, and connected on a long ball, passing with an 87.5% success rate. As the Lions did not attempt a shot in the first half, Pasalic did not have an attempt. The Croatian registered no defensive statistics. He checked out at halftime in the team’s triple substitution.

F, Antoine Griezmann, 8 (MotM) — The second half is doing a lot of lifting on this grade for Griezmann. His first half was not much better than most of the rest of the team. He was a little better than most on the team in the first half, but his touch eluded him at times, as evidenced by his 64.6% passing rate and rare lack of a key pass, and the minutes logged during a hot, wet August full of games every three days seemed to be taking its toll. But, he came alive in the second half, pouncing on rebound of Dike’s saved shot to put the first goal away for the Lions. For his second, he tried to back-heel Tyrese Spicer’s cutback into the middle, but it came off of Juan José Arias and fell right back to him to slot it into the bottom corner for the brace and the winning goal. Griezmann, and the attacking group executed some quality possession outside of the Real Salt Lake 18-yard box, for large stretches of the second half. It’s difficult to break down a low block but the Lions managed it twice, with Griezmann putting two past former Lions backup goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar. He put two of his five shots on target, but came agonizingly close to his hat trick with the chip attempt and a volley just over the bar both coming close. He completed three dribbles as well. Defensively, Griezmann provided a tackle and a clearance.

F, Tiago, 4.5 — Tiago continues to struggle to produce in the final third, getting into good spots before the play typically breaks down. Multiple promising attacks ended with a Tiago touch in this game, although he won a couple of set pieces. He registered three incomplete crosses, and one tackle, but he managed only eight touches in his 45 minutes, completing 87.5% of his passes before being subbed off for Ellis at the half.

Substitutes

F, Daryl Dike (45′), 6.5 — Dike came on for Pasalic at the half. The big forward drew attention away from Griezmann, helping to create space, and he brought down a difficult pass from Ellis and shot at goal, but Stajduhar made the save before Griezmann fired it into the net. The ball didn’t make it to him much, and he had to contend with being held a lot, but he made what he could out of his limited opportunities. Dike contributed one key pass, one incomplete cross, and took one shot that was on target. He completed 72.7% of his 11 pass attempts.

F, Justin Ellis (45′), 7.5 — Ellis came on for Tiago and was a major spark to the Lions’ offense. Once again, combining creatively with his teammates and dribbling through the RSL defense, Ellis brought the needed quality to put Salt Lake on the back foot. Offensively, he took two shots, though both were off target, made two key passes, completed three of four crosses, and attempted three long balls without completing one. His passing rate was good (83.3% on 30 attempts). Defensively, he recorded one clearance.

MF, Joran Gerbet (45′), 6.5 — Gerbet came on for Otavio at the half and was an important connecting piece, helping keep possession in the attacking half and found ways to progress the ball up the field where Otavio had previously curled back and recycled the attack. He brought energy to the midfield, which was much needed after the first half, and was part of the buildup for the first goal, picking up the loose ball off Jansson’s challenge at midfield. He had excellent passing stats for being generally in the middle of the pitch, with 97.6% accuracy on 42 passes. He completed one long ball and had no other offensive or defensive stats.

F, Tyrese Spicer (69′), 7 — Spicer came on for Taifi, and brought his typical supersub energy. He drove into the Real Salt Lake 18-yard box and cut the ball back toward the penalty spot, starting the sequence that ended with Griezmann’s game-winning goal, and he never let up after that. He forced a corner in the 84th minute and was active in pressing defensively, and while seeking attacking opportunities. He managed a shot, which was off target, and one cross that did not connect. He passed with 77.8% accuracy on his nine passes.

MF, Wilder Cartagena (85′), N/A — Cartagena came on for Atuesta late, and his job was to help see out the match. He did exactly that, cutting out a potentially dangerous cross from inside the box in the 88th minute and contributing two clearances. He only attempted 10 passes, but completed nine (90%) of them.

That’s how I saw the individual performances in a much-needed Orlando win. Let us know how you saw the game in the comments below, and don’t forget to vote for your Man of the Match.