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Orlando City vs. the New England Revolution: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando’s 3-2 home win over the New England Revolution?

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1 year ago

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Orlando City finished off its home campaign with an exciting 3-2 victory against a New England Revolution squad that has too often enjoyed joyful results at the expense of the Lions. The Revs came into town five points behind Orlando City but ended the night eight points adrift of the Lions, who secured the second seed in the postseason — the highest finish in club history.

Here’s how I saw each individual performance in Orlando’s win over the former poster boys of the Eastern Conference.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 5.5 — This is a rare departure from the regular match grade for El Pulpo. The Peruvian number one uncharacteristically spilled a goal from distance, allowing the Revolution a sliver of hope before giving up a second on a redirection that he could not do about about in the final seconds of stoppage time. Neither goal ultimately affected the outcome of the game, but they certainly could have if Orlando hadn’t outscored its competition. Gallese did well to deny Carles Gil from point-blank range with an acrobatic save before New England found its garbage time goal. He completed 62.9% of his 35 passes, including only one accurate long ball out of 14 chances.

D, Rafael Santos, 7 — The Brazilian left back put in another solid performance. Santos recorded 62 touches on the night and completed 95% of his 40 passes. He logged two key passes and was accurate on three of his four long balls. On the offensive side of the pitch, Santos logged four shots, which all missed the mark but did include a howitzer that just missed the top of the crossbar. Santos also recorded one successful dribble. His best moment of the night came when he earned the assist setting up Ivan Angulo for a goal giving Orlando a 3-1 lead.

D, Robin Jansson, 6.5 — The heart and soul of the Orlando back line put in another strong effort against numerous efforts from New England especially in the beginning of the match. Jansson completed 86.9% of his 61 passes and recorded 65 touches on the night. He also completed five of his 10 long ball attempts. On defense, Jansson was credited with two clearances, one interception, and an aerial duel won but did not record a tackle on the night. He picked up two fouls and ultimately both goals that New England scored were of the fluky nature and the center back could do little to stop either one.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6.5 — We talk at length about what a luxury it is to have such a quality third center back on the roster and Schlegel has done admirably filling in as Antonio Carlos continues to work his way back into the lineup. Schlegel had 56 touches on the night, and completed 91.3% of his 46 passes and one of three long ball attempts. Schlegel blocked two shots and recorded two clearances while committing one foul. City fans also got a rare Schlegel shot as the defensemen recorded one shot on the night which failed to find the target.

D, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, 7.5 — Thorhallsson found himself back in the starting lineup after coming off the bench during the midweek fixture. The converted defender truly opens up options on the right side of the field that were lacking earlier in the season. The Icelandic international enjoyed a team-high 76 touches and completed 94.7% of his 57 passes. Thorhallsson filled the defensive stat sheet by winning two aerial duels and logging one interception, one blocked shot, and one successful tackle, as well as a team-high three clearances. He completed one of two crosses and also logged a key pass. Offensively, Thorhallsson completed two successful dribbles, and he picked up the first assist of the game on a cross that found Duncan McGuire. He also logged two shots which were not on target.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 7 — Araujo directed traffic throughout the match and did a solid job of keeping New England out of rhythm offensively — in the second half especially. Araujo recorded one successful aerial, and also recorded a shot during the match. He completed 94% of his 50 passes on the night and two key passes while successfully completing three long balls on four attempts. Araujo chipped in with two interceptions and one tackle while suffering four fouls.

MF, Wilder Cartagena, 7 — Cartagena and Araujo just work seamlessly together in the defensive midfield. Against the Revs, Cartagena completed 94.4% of his 54 passes, including both of his long ball attempts. Defensively, Cartagena picked up a team-high four tackles with one interception and a clearance. Cartagena also committed a team-high three fouls on the night. Offensively, the Peruvian put his lone shot attempt on target.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 8 (MotM) — Angulo may have just enjoyed his best game as a Lion. The Colombian was all over the pitch and made his presence known throughout the match. Angulo completed 81.5% of his 27 passes and logged three key passes on the night. He used his speed to frequently get in behind the New England back line and successful completed one of his three crossing attempts. The lone successful cross led to the second goal for Orlando as Angulo crossed the ball to the far end of the box to Facundo Torres in the 37th minute, earning an assist. Angulo later found the goal himself, scoring just before halftime on a strong pass from Santos. He also completed one successful dribble and chipped in with two tackles on the night.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 7 — The captain enjoyed a bounce-back performance for a mundane outing in Nashville. Pereyra completed 93.3% of his 45 passes and was successful on four of six long balls and one of four crosses. Pereyra was credited with a team-high five key passes as he often found himself unlocking the New England defense. He attempted one shot, which was blocked just in front of goal by the Revs. Defensively, the captain contributed two tackles. Pereyra was subbed off in the 66th minute for Junior Urso.

MF, Facundo Torres, 7.5— Torres has lived up to the lofty expectations of fans and pundits throughout the second half of the season and Saturday’s performance continued his great run of form. Torres completed 92.3% of his 26 passes, including one successful cross on two attempts, while failing to complete his lone long ball attempt. Torres added to his team-high goal total on the season by smashing a shot past former Orlando City keeper Earl Edwards Jr. in the 37th minute to put Orlando up 2-0. Both of Torres’ shot attempts on the night were on target. After three matches in eight days, Torres was fortunate to get some much-needed rest after a solid 66-minute shift.

F, Duncan McGuire, 7.5 — At this point in the season, there is not a single defensive center back pairing who should be surprised by McGuire’s presence on the field and yet the rookie continues to find space to score. McGuire opened up the scoring in the 31st minute, finding a quality cross from Thorhallsson and calmly heading it into the back of the net. It was McGuire’s 11th goal on the season. McGuire won two aerial duels and completed 70% of his 10 passes. Defensively, McGuire chipped in with a clearance. He was part of the triple sub in the 66th minute, when he was replaced by Ramiro Enrique.

Substitutes

MF, Martin Ojeda (66′), 6.5 — Ojeda came off the bench with Orlando up 3-1 and did his part in keeping Orlando City on the front foot. Ojeda won one aerial duel and completed 90% of his 10 passes. He completed both long ball attempts and two of his five cross attempts. In a little over a half hour the DP also racked up four key passes. Defensively, he contributed two clearances. Ojeda attempted two shots while on the field but both were off the mark.

F, Ramiro Enrique (66′), 6 — Enrique came on to provide energy. He completed all eight of his passing attempts and three dribbles, and he attempted three shots, which were all off target.

MF, Junior Urso (66′), 6 — The Bear came on to replace Pereyra and provide some additional defensive presence as Orlando looked to close out the match. He completed all of his 17 passing attempts and logged two tackles and a clearance. In limited time, Urso also attempted two shots, which failed to find the mark, and completed one dribble.

MF, Gaston Gonzalez (85′), N/A — The winger continues to work his way back into game shape and got a quick run-out to close out the match. He completed all four of his passes but was unsuccessful in his lone crossing attempt.

MF, Felipe (85′), N/A — Felipe replaced Araujo in the defensive midfield and racked up a significant amount of touches and passes in limited minutes. He was credited with 20 touches and comleted all 19 of his passes. Defensively, Felipe failed to register any stats.

That’s how I saw the individual performances by the Lions. Let me know where you agree and disagree in the comments below and make sure to vote for your Man of the Match in our poll below.

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Orlando City

In Praise of Orlando City’s Game 3 Penalty Kicks

The Lions employed some crafty strategy and flawless execution to win the Game 3 penalty shootout, and it deserves to be recognized.

Published

2 days ago

on

November 15, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Depending on who you talk to, penalty kicks aren’t a great way to decide a soccer game. They’re exciting, of course, but not exactly a good measuring stick of which team is more deserving of winning the game. Fortunately for Orlando City fans, the team has excelled at shootouts for the vast majority of its MLS existence. In fact, the Lions hadn’t lost one until this year, when they were bounced from Leagues Cup by Cruz Azul after losing 5-4 in penalties. The team then accomplished another first in Game 2 of the MLS Cup playoffs against Charlotte, when it missed three of four spot kicks, and lost 3-1 in penalties.

With recent history far from being in OCSC’s favor, there was plenty of reason to be pessimistic when the deciding Game 3 went to a shootout, but the Lions breezed right through it, winning by a score of 4-1 and sending Charlotte packing. While there’s only so much strategy you can employ in shootouts, the Lions pulled a couple fast ones that may just have given them a leg up when they needed it most.

Let’s first talk about the shootouts the Orlando has been involved in this year, because even before Game 3, there had been a lot. The Lions’ final two games in Leagues Cup were both decided at the penalty spot, with the good guys emerging victorious against San Luis 5-4, and then losing by that same score to Cruz Azul to exit the tournament. Game 2 against Charlotte was therefore the team’s third shootout of the year, and by that point we were starting to see some familiar faces in the team’s shooting lineup.

There isn’t anything inherently wrong with sending the same (or mostly the same) guys up in a shootout. Conventional wisdom says that you want your best, most reliable guys from the spot taking penalties. However, if the opposing goalkeeper has done his research, and a player tends to favor shooting in a certain direction, it can potentially give the man between the sticks an advantage in making the save. Let’s examine who Orlando City sent to the spot this year in shootouts, starting with the two Leagues Cup games.

Against San Luis, the order went: Nico Lodeiro, Duncan McGuire, Wilder Cartagena, Rafael Santos, and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson. Lodeiro went central, McGuire went to the goalkeeper’s right, Cartagena to his left, Santos to his right, and Thorhallsson to his left. All five penalties were scored, but the keeper got a strong hand to Thorhallsson’s and it only just went in.

Against Cruz Azul, the order was: Robin Jansson, Luis Muriel, McGuire, Facundo Torres, and Thorhallsson. Jansson shot to the goalie’s left and had it saved, Lodeiro and Muriel both went to his right and scored, McGuire and Torres both went to his left and scored, and Thorhallsson went to his left and had it saved.

That brings us to Game 2 against Charlotte. The order was: Lodeiro, Jansson, Muriel, and McGuire. Nico shot to Kristijan Kahlina’s left and had it saved, Jansson went to his right and put his shot over the bar, Muriel also went right and scored, and McGuire went to the goalie’s left and had his shot saved.

Let’s pause for a minute and dig deeper into those Game 2 takers. Lodeiro had already taken two penalties on the year, and scored both. Jansson had taken one and had it saved, Muriel had taken one and scored, and McGuire had taken two and converted both. Interestingly enough, Kahlina also went the right way on Jansson’s shot, although the Swede put the ball over the bar. After taking penalties in the two previous shootouts and the goalies getting strong hands to both, Thorhallsson wasn’t used, but he couldn’t be, because he’d already been subbed off late in the second half. McGuire went to the goalie’s left for the second shootout in a row, with Kahlina guessing correctly and making the save.

In the all-important Game 3, the takers were: Muriel, Kyle Smith, Torres, and Santos. Muriel and Smith both went to Kahlina’s right, while Torres and Santos went to the Croatian’s left, with all four men scoring. It was Muriel’s third time in a shootout for the club, third time going to the goalie’s right, and third time converting. Smith made his first appearance from the spot on the year. It was Torres’ and Santos’ second time taking in a shootout this year and they both went left for the second time. Taking a closer look at each shooter, I really like the selection choices and the order in which they went.

While Kahlina had plenty of tape on Muriel by this point, the Colombian had already beaten him once, and the striker prefers to watch the goalkeeper during his run-up and go whichever way he doesn’t. That makes it especially difficult to save his penalties, and his years of high-level experience means he’s no stranger to high-pressure situations. You could hardly ask for a better first shooter to set the tone for what was to come.

We then got a big old wild card in the form of Smith, who hadn’t taken a penalty kick at all this year. Oscar Pareja could have chosen to use Jansson or Lodeiro, both of whom have taken multiple kicks this year and were still on the field, but he opted to go for someone who Kahlina both hadn’t seen already, and who he likely had very little, if any, tape on. It was a decision that paid off, as Smith positively blasted his kick into the top corner, with Kahlina guessing the wrong way on his dive.

We then got Torres, who would ordinarily be a no-brainer when it comes to taking penalty kicks if not for the fact that he’d just had one saved mere minutes earlier in stoppage time. Still, you want your main man to step up in high-pressure situations, so it wasn’t surprising to see him stepping forward to take one, particularly with the Lions already leading 2-0. He won the mental battle with Kahlina and went in his preferred direction to the left of the goalkeeper, with Kahlina guessing wrong again.

Finishing things off was Santos, who had only taken one penalty on the year and employs an unconventional, stuttering run-up. As he did in the San Luis game, the Brazilian went to the goalkeeper’s right and scored, with his penalty being the only one in which Kahlina dove the correct way. The decision to go with another player who there was little film on, especially one with a run-up that’s difficult to time correctly, again proved to be a decision that paid off.

We’ll never know who OCSC’s fifth taker would have been, as the shootout never got that far. We know it wouldn’t have been McGuire, who was being kept on the sideline after injuring his shoulder. I think it’s telling that Jansson and Lodeiro weren’t in the first four, even though both had already taken multiple shootout penalties on the season, and Thorhallsson was the only other player who had taken more than one kick in a shootout this year, and he had been substituted. My bet is on Cartagena, who had only taken one and scored it.

Regardless of what we don’t know, we can give the deserved amount of praise to what we do know. Namely, that the decision to use a mix of guys who are proven in high-pressure situations and ones who have few, if any, recent penalties on film was a strategy that paid off big time. Pedro Gallese also deserves every flower in the garden for the two saves he made, which absolutely made things easier on the takers. I think it’s interesting that Karol Swiderski took a spot kick for the second game in a row, with Gallese getting the better of him in Game 3 despite the Polish striker going to the Peruvian’s right instead of his left.

It’s also fair to say that the men who stepped up in Game 3 simply took better shots in than in Game 2. Nico’s wasn’t far enough in the corner and was a good height for Kahlina, Jansson put his completely over, and McGuire’s was too central and at a height that favored the goalkeeper. There were no such issues in Game 3, with every shot being well placed.

All in all, you couldn’t have drawn up the Game 3 shootout any better if you tried. Pareja threw a couple curveballs Charlotte’s way, Pedro Gallese made two huge saves, and all of the shooters came up with outstanding efforts. From strategy to execution, the shootout was about as perfect as you can get. Now here’s hoping that’s the last one we have to endure for awhile. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/15/24

Barbra Banda speaks about playing alongside Marta, USMNT beats Jamaica, international soccer roundup, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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November 15, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday! I hope the week hasn’t been too rough on you as we gear up for what should be an exciting weekend. There aren’t too many plans lined up for me, but I’m still looking forward to being able to relax a bit over the next few days. Before we dive into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to our favorite Beefy Swede, Robin Jansson!

Barbra Banda on Playing With Marta

It’s an understatement to say it’s been a fantastic year for the Orlando Pride, and NWSL MVP finalists Barbra Banda and Marta have been major reasons for the team’s success. Marta has been with the Pride since 2017 and is thriving in what may be the twilight of her legendary career. Meanwhile, it’s Banda’s first year with the Pride and she’s taken the league by storm alongside Marta. In an interview with Futbol W, which is co-hosted by former Pride player Ali Krieger, Banda spoke about how motivating it is to play with the greatest women’s soccer player of all time.

Battle of the Rebuilds in NWSL Playoffs

Of the four teams remaining in the NWSL playoffs, only NJ/NY Gotham FC was in the playoffs last year. Not only are this year’s semifinalists a testament to how much things can change each year, but it’s also an interesting showcase of the different ways clubs can build a team capable of winning in this league. The Pride capped off a patient and smart rebuild by signing international players like Banda, while the Current have benefited greatly from adding Temwa Chawinga. After winning the NWSL Championship last year, Gotham added several American stars like Rose Lavelle and Crystal Dunn in free agency to do it again. Meanwhile, the Washington Spirit have leaned on a strong rookie class and other young players to reach this point.

USMNT Beats Jamaica in Nations League

The United States Men’s National Team got its quarterfinal series started with a solid 1-0 win over Jamaica in Kingston. Ricardo Pepi scored the lone foal of the game early on with a nice strike after a silky smooth assist from Christian Pulisic. Matt Turner came up with a great save on a penalty kick in the first half, earning a clean sheet the hard way. It wasn’t exactly a comfortable victory for Mauricio Pochettino and the Yanks, but winning on the road in Concacaf is hardly ever comfortable. The two teams will reconvene in St. Louis on Monday with a spot in the semifinals on the line.

Keeping Up With International Soccer

The U.S. obviously isn’t the only nation taking part in the international break, with teams all around the world in action. Paraguay arguably had the biggest win of the day, beating Argentina 2-1 in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying. Venezuela also had a decent result, drawing 1-1 against Brazil in a match that included a missed penalty by Vinicius Junior.

In 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying, Nigeria, Tunisia, South Africa, Uganda, and Gabon all booked their tickets to next year’s tournament after the latest round of matches. Saudi Arabia and Australia battled to a scoreless draw in AFC World Cup qualifying, while South Korea moved closer to qualifying after a 3-1 win over Kuwait that featured Son Heung-min’s 50th international goal. There weren’t too many surprises in the UEFA Nations League, with England cruising past Greece and Italy beating Belgium. France was held to a scoreless draw against Israel but still qualified for the quarterfinals.

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That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/14/24

MLS playoff predictions, Barbra Banda and Marta earn recognition, USMNT takes on Jamaica tonight, and more.

Published

4 days ago

on

November 14, 2024

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve been a bit under the weather this week, but it’s at least meant I’ve been able to spend more time with my cat and get some reading done when not hacking up a lung. But enough about that, let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world!

MLS Conference Semifinal Predictions

Former Orlando City captain Sacha Kljestan weighed in on which of the remaining eight teams will prevail in the MLS playoffs. He predicts that Atlanta United can lean on its counterattacking and Brad Guzan’s goalkeeping to beat Orlando City when the two rivals face off in Orlando on Nov. 24. A key thing to watch heading into the match is if Head Coach Oscar Pareja switches things up up top given Ramiro Enrique’s slump.

Kljestan predicts a tight match between New York City FC and the New York Red Bulls, but has NYCFC moving on. He also has both the LA Galaxy and LAFC advancing in the Western Conference, which would set up a playoff edition of El Trafico.

Pride Players Make ESPN’s Top 50

ESPN unveiled its annual list of the top 50 women’s soccer players and a pair of Orlando Pride players made the list. Forward Barbra Banda is ranked third on the list for crushing it in her first year in the NWSL, scoring 13 goals to help the Pride win the NWSL Shield. Marta, who has not been listed in the past two years, ranked 26th for turning back the clock at 38 years old and creating 46 chances for Orlando this season. Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati tops the list, with Naomi Girma in second, Caroline Graham Hansen in fourth, and Sophia Smith rounding out the top five. There are many voters for this year’s list from around the world, including Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter.

Steven Moreira Named Defender of the Year

The Columbus Crew’s Steven Moreira was named 2024 MLS Defender of the Year after a strong season. He made 27 appearances for the Crew this season and was a key part of his team’s success in the Concacaf Champions Cup and Leagues Cup this year. Moreira also helped out offensively with two goals and four assists and was an All-Star this year. The 30-year-old beat out Inter Miami’s Jordi Alba and Seattle Sounders center back Jackson Ragen for the award.

USMNT Takes On Jamaica Tonight

The United States Men’s National Team will play its first competitive match under Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino tonight when it takes on Jamaica in Kingston in the Concacaf Nations League. Although the U.S. may be favored in this series, playing on the road in Concacaf is always tough and Jamaica tends to keep things close against the Yanks. Tonight’s match is the first of the two-leg quarterfinals, with the two nations facing off again in St. Louis on Monday. Hopefully Pochettino can get the team firing on all cylinders as it continues to prepare for the 2026 World Cup.

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  • In a rollercoaster of a match, the U.S. Men’s Deaf National Team fell in a penalty shootout to Brazil in the Deaf Pan American Games. The U.S. took the lead in extra time, but Brazil battled back to tie it, winning from the spot to reach the final.

That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

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