Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Columbus Crew: Player Grades and Man of the Match
How did your favorite Lions rate in Orlando City’s 2-0 defeat in the conference semifinal against the Crew?

It is with a heavy heart that I bring to you the final player grades article of the season. After an outstanding regular season, the best by any margin in team history, the Lions fell 2-0 to the Crew in front of a sold-out Exploria Stadium, exiting the 2023 MLS Cup playoffs in the conference semifinal round. There were individual moments of strong technique but ultimately finding the back of the net which had plagued Orlando City at various times throughout the year turned out to be the difference between joy and sorrow.
Let’s take a look at how Orlando City’s players rated individually in the last match of the 2023 season.
Starters
GK, Pedro Gallese, 7 (MotM) — It’s not often you give a good score and Man of the Match honors to the losing goalkeeper, but without several herculean saves by El Pulpo, the match may very well have never made it to extra time in the first place. For the vast majority of the match, his positioning was spot on, and he did well coming off of his line to win several balls from Crew corner kicks. The first goal was a bouncer through the six yard line across his box and while he initially got a touch on it, the rebound unfortunately was too close to the onrushing Christian Ramirez, who was able to get just enough of it to bundle it home. For the second goal, Gallese was about as far off his line as a keeper could be, but to no fault of his own. The minutes were winding down and with City down a man and a goal, the Lions had to push numbers forward and use him as a sweeper. Gallese’s distribution could have been better, as he passed at a 67.6% rate and only completed eight of his 20 long balls. He also recorded a clearance and was credited with five saves on the evening.
D, Rafael Santos, 6 — This game seemed like a bit of a mixed bag for the young Brazilian defender. He got forward and tried to build the attack with either Ivan Angulo or Facundo Torres but his crosses more often than not sailed over heads and were far from threatening. Defensively, he was sound, nothing flashy, but put in a decent shift. He was 0-for-5 on crossing accuracy and just one of his seven long balls found its target. His passing rate was 71.4%. Defensively, he contributed two interceptions, two clearances and a tackle.
D, Robin Jansson, 6.5 — Jansson put in the type of performance that Orlando City fans have grown to expect match in and match out. That is not to say that it was a perfect performance as the Beefy Swede found himself out of position a few times which luckily amounted to nothing from the Columbus attack. Jansson passed well at 87% and 10 of his 17 long balls were accurate. Jansson led the team in touches (90) and total passes attempted (77) which probably goes a long way to speak to how the game was played from the Orlando perspective. Defensively, he recorded two tackles and three clearances and three blocked shots. Jansson was also credited with one shot, which was not on target and suffered one foul while not committing any.
D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 5 — Schlegel went full Schlegel in this one and you never want to go full Schlegel. The center back, who had been a staple of the starting 11 throughout the second half of the season, got the nod once again next to Jansson after the extended time off during the international window. After picking up a yellow card in the 16th minute of the match, Schlegel did well not to draw another serious call for 61 minutes. The problem is that the match still had 13 minutes to go and Schlegel was shown a second yellow for dragging down Diego Rossi to prevent him from getting to a long ball. Prior to being sent off, Schlegel led the team in passing accuracy by completing 94.1% of his passes while completing one of his three long ball attempts, and he was credited with a key pass. Defensively, he led the team in clearances, with five, and logged one interception, one tackle, two aerials won, and two blocked shots.
D, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, 6.5 — I am not sure what the Icelandic national did prior to the match to the referee but it seemed clear that the two were not fans of one another and probably won’t be following each other on Myspace any time soon. Thorhallsson grew into the fullback role quite well throughout the season and had what could be his best defensive moment of the year, when he broke into a full sprint to catch up and deflect a breakaway opportunity. Defensively, he recorded one tackle, one interception, a blocked shot, and three clearances. He passed at a 79.3% rate, and he was successful on one of two crosses and two of six long balls. He was shown a yellow in the 104th minute for subtly disagreeing with a foul call that went against him.
MF, Cesar Araujo, 6.5 — It was another solid night from the Uruguayan who was tasked with silencing both Rossi and Cucho Hernandez. His passing was a solid 88.9%, including a perfect three for three on long ball attempts, and he recorded one shot which was off target. The defensive midfielder recorded a team-high six tackles and one blocked shot. Araujo committed four fouls on the night and was issued a yellow in the 71st minute for persistent infringements. He was partly responsible for the Crew’s opening goal by not getting rid of the ball, but to be fair to the Uruguayan, he appeared to get caught for a foul that wasn’t given on the turnover that led to Ramirez’s goal.
MF, Wilder Cartagena, 6 — The second part of the Lions dynamic defensive midfield duo failed to leave as much of a mark against Columbus as he did against Nashville. Cartagena passed at an 85.7% clip, contributing a key pass and completing four of his five long balls. He recorded one interception and one blocked shot while committing a team-high five fouls. Oscar Pareja, perhaps afraid of going a man down if Cartagena picked up a second yellow, sacrificed him in the 62nd minute to send more fire power onto the pitch by introducing Designated Player Martin Ojeda.
MF, Ivan Angulo, 6 — Angulo got into several dangerous places throughout the night using his speed as a weapon but failed to connect the dots when he could have put City on the front foot and in the lead. Despite getting a clear-cut breakaway, Angulo was not credited with a shot. He passed at a 90.9% rate, which was the best percentage of all midfielders. He was credited with one key pass, setting up an early chance for Facundo Torres, and did not attempt a cross or long ball. Defensively, he chipped in with two tackles. Angulo was subbed off in the 82nd minute as the Lions looked to shore up their defensive shape after going a man down.
MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 5.5 — The captain was unspectacular throughout much of his time on the pitch, especially in the first half, when it seemed like Columbus was running free through a large expanse of the Orlando midfield. Offensively, he did not attempt a shot and completed 78.1% of his passes. He was unsuccessful on his lone crossing attempt, completed two of his three long balls and was credited with a key pass. Pereyra won two aerial duels. He chipped in one interception while committing two fouls and drawing two as well. Pereyra came off in the 72nd minute for Junior Urso.
MF, Facundo Torres, 6 — Torres had the best early chance to put Orlando ahead in what was otherwise an ugly first half when he recieved a pass from Angulo and then peppered the ball just a few inches above the crossbar. He nearly set up a game-winning goal for Martin Ojeda, but his fellow DP just missed the net deep in stoppage time. Facu contributed two shots, which were both off target, and recorded two key passes while passing at an 82.6% rate, completing two of his three long balls. He won an aerial duel and was fouled once. Defensively, he contributed two tackles and one clearance.
F, Duncan McGuire, 5.5 — The breakout star from the 2023 campaign failed to leave much of a mark on the final game of the year. In a win-or-go-home scenario, one shot which failed to even fall on frame doesn’t cut it. His passing rate of 66.7% was lowest out of the starters and he only won one aerial duel. He did manage to draw three fouls and contributed one tackle and once clearance. McGuire was subbed off in the 71st minute for Ramiro Enrique. His next task will potentially be the toughest of his young career…proving that a 13-goal, three-assist year was no fluke once the calendar turns to 2024.
Substitutes
MF, Martin Ojeda (62′), 6 — Orlando City fans will be left wondering what could have been as the DP super sub took a great through ball from Torres in stoppage time and shot it just wide of the corner post. Ojeda passed at a 68.8% rate and despite coming on as a substitute was credited with a team-high three key passes. Ojeda completed three of six crosses and one of three long balls. Defensively, he contributed one interception.
F, Ramiro Enrique (71′), 6.5 — Arguably the most potent of the substitutes, Enrique was brought on as fresh legs in an attempt to unlock the over-the-top game. Both of his shot attempts were on target (which now that I realize it, is the first time that I am writing that tonight) and he won four aerial duels. He completed 50% of his 10 passes and was not accurate on his lone crossing attempt. If not for some outstanding goalkeeping, Enrique may have once again been the sparkplug that Orlando desperately needed. On defense, the forward contributed one tackle and two clearances.
MF, Junior Urso (72′), 6 — The bear subbed on for the captain with a little less than 20 minutes to go in the match but wound up playing for nearly a full hour when extra time was taken into account. He demonstrated strong ball control and did well in his time on the pitch. He passed a a 79% success rate and was credited with a key pass, which should have unlocked god-tier Kyle Smith if not for an outstanding save from the Crew keeper. Urso was unsuccessful on both of his crossing attempts and on defense was credited with a lone tackle.
D, Antonio Carlos (82′), 6.5 — AC came onto the pitch with Orlando down a man, looking to desperately force the game into extra time, and he helped accomplish just that. Carlos completed 76.7% of his passes, including two out of four long ball attempts. Offensively, Carlos logged two shots, both which missed the target, and was fouled twice. Defensively, the Brazilian added two interceptions and two timely clearances while winning a team-high five aerial duels.
D, Kyle Smith (82′), 5.5 — The American defender had a terrific chance to bring Orlando level and hit a shot after a brilliant run with pace in the 100th minute. Unfortunately, Patrick Schulte was able to make the save to keep Columbus ahead. On the defensive side, Smith was caught up in the play which led to the first goal of the match, as he was just a step slow at being able to poke the ball out of bounds for a Crew corner kick instead of a Crew goal. He completed 84% of his passes in a little over 40 minutes of action but failed to connect on either of his two crossing attempts and only completed one of his four long balls. Defensively, Smith recorded one tackle and one clearance.
That’s how I saw the individual performances on Saturday night as Orlando City was eliminated at the hands of the Columbus Crew. Let me know what I got right and wrong in your opinion. Be sure to vote for your Man of the Match in our poll below and provide your thoughts in the comments section.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 2/19/25
Halliday and Lodeiro are out, Cartagena’s season is over, the SheBelieves Cup starts tomorrow, and more.

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers! Orlando City continues to see more departures than arrivals to the roster with the season opener looming this weekend. Sure would be cool if the Lions added an experienced MLS striker this week. Alas, I feel it’s not in the cards. I’m sure it’ll be fine.
In better news, it’s Marta’s 39th birthday! Happy nirthday to the captain from all of us here at The Mane Land. Let’s get to the links.
Lions Say Goodbye to Halliday, Lodeiro
Both Michael Halliday and Nico Lodeiro have departed Orlando City. Halliday was traded to the Houston Dynamo for a first-round pick in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft. With Dagur Dan Thorhallsson starting at right back and Alex Freeman moving into the number two spot behind him, it made sense for Halliday to try to get minutes elsewhere.
Nico Lodeiro mutually agreed to terminate his contract with the club. Lodeiro’s departure will free up $800,000 salary for the club and allow Lodeiro to pursue more playing time at another club. According to Tom Bogert, that club may also be the Houston Dynamo. Given Lodeiro’s role off the bench for Orlando City, this is a move that makes sense for both the player and the club.
Cartagena Out for the Season
While the news was expected, Orlando City officially placed Wilder Cartagena on the Season-Ending Injury list. The midfielder suffered the injury in the preseason match against Atletico Mineiro. The surgery on his left Achilles tendon was successful, but he will still be out for the remainder of the season. Fortunately, the Lions brought in Eduard Atuesta to shore up the midfield. While Orlando City may even be better with Atuesta on the pitch, losing Cartagena still hurts the team depth.
Orlando City in the Top 10?
The off-season was not as long as usual, thanks to Orlando City’s run to the Eastern Conference final. Despite the shorter time frame, I had forgotten how useless, dumb, and yet fun power rankings can be. I’d warn you against spoilers, but these rankings mean absolutely nothing — especially before a match has been played — so I’ll just tell you that the Lions came in at number nine. However, I won’t spoil why they made the top 10, nor which Ft. Lauderdale based club is in the top spot.
SheBelieves Cup Starts Thursday
The USWNT plays its first match of the 2025 SheBelieves Cup Thursday at 8 p.m. The match will take place at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston. Unless you plan on traveling to Texas, you’ll have to watch it on TV or streaming. The Orlando Pride’s Emily Sams is on the squad and will hopefully see some minutes for Emma Hayes.
Free Kicks
- The Philadelphia Union signed striker Bruno Damiani from Uruguayan club Nacional. At least one team playing at Inter&Co Stadium this weekend signed a striker.
- Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah are out of the UEFA Champions League thanks to AC Milan’s 2-1 aggregate loss to Feyenoord.
- In the “I can’t relate to that level of money but I still feel sorry for the guy” category, LAFC striker Olivier Giroud had approximately $500,000 worth of jewelry stolen when his Los Angeles home was burglarized.
- U.S. Soccer has reached an agreement with Westwood One Sports for the network to serve as their new domestic English-language audio partner.
- In the “isn’t that mildly interesting” category, Pete Mangione will appear for FC Cincinnati.
- When Chase Adams scored 10 goals in the U-17 USMNT’s 22-0 victory over the U.S. Virgin Islands in the 2025 Concacaf U-17 qualifiers, he broke Erling Haaland’s international goal-scoring record. That’s just icing on the top of the 22-goal cake.
That will do it for today. Check back everyday as we get you ready for the season opener on Saturday. Vamos Orlando!
Orlando City
Orlando City, Nico Lodeiro Mutually Agree to Terminate Contract
The club is off the hook for an $800,000 salary and the Uruguayan midfielder is free to pursue other opportunities.

Veteran midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro’s days as a Lion are over. Orlando City announced that the club and player have mutually agreed to terminate Lodeiro’s contract, allowing him to become a free agent. Per the club, Orlando City has utilized one of its two buyouts for 2025 in this transaction.
Tom Bogert reported Monday that a deal was in the works for Lodeiro to join the Houston Dynamo, and this move paves the way for that to happen. As he was going to be out of contract after the season anyway, the Lions had limited options to sell the midfielder and in the end opted to free up room under the cap, allowing the player to move on to a situation where he could get more minutes.
“This was certainly a difficult decision as Nico has been a great addition to the team since joining us at the beginning of last season,” Orlando City Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi said in a club press release. “Ultimately, we feel this is the best move for both the team and Nico at this time. Nico has integrated in such a seamless way that it feels like he’s been part of our club for much longer than just one season. On top of being a tremendous player and teammate, Nico is a fantastic human being. Our doors will always be open to Nico, and we hope he can one day rejoin us and be an integral part of the Club’s future.”
Orlando City signed Lodeiro as a free agent on Jan. 4, 2024, after his stellar eight-year run with the Seattle Sounders. The hope was that he would step in and elevate a position that had been occupied by previous captain Mauricio Pereyra. Lodeiro managed 16 starts and played in all 34 regular-season matches for the Lions in 2024, but he was displaced in the starting lineup by Martin Ojeda. That relegated Lodeiro to coming off the bench in the second half in most of his appearances from August onward. His final start in the regular season came July 20, 2024, vs. New York City FC, and his last start in any competition was July 26 in Leagues Cup play against CF Montreal.
The 35-year-old leaves Orlando after 34 regular-season appearances (16 starts). He logged 1,697 minutes in the regular season, scoring one goal and contributing 11 assists, which matched his third-highest total in MLS. He attempted 36 shots and put 10 of them on target. Lodeiro completed 87.5% of his passes, which was his best-ever completion percentage in an MLS season, as he delivered 1,215 of 1,389 accurately. He also recorded 46 key passes, 20 completed long balls, and 20 successful crosses. On defense, he notched 36 tackles, 14 interceptions, eight clearances, and three blocks.
In addition to appearing in every regular-season match, Lodeiro saw the field in each of Orlando’s five postseason games — all as a substitute — and played 58 minutes. He did not record any goal contributions or shots, although he had the assist on a would-be Facundo Torres winner in Game 2 against Charlotte FC which was ultimately ruled offside. He completed 77.4% of his passes and accurately delivered two key passes, two crosses, and two long balls. Defensively, he made three tackles and chipped in with a clearance.
Nico appeared in all four of OCSC’s Concacaf Champions Cup matches, starting both games against Tigres and coming on as a sub in both legs against Cavalry FC for a total of 270 minutes. He took four shots (one on target), and provided a goal and an assist in the home game against Cavalry. He completed 86% of his passes and provided one key pass and the aforementioned assist. Defensively, he contributed two tackles and one clearance.
He also started one of the Lions’ Leagues Cup matches and came on as a substitute in the other two, for three total appearances, amassing 83 minutes. He did not score on his four shots (one on target), but he provided an assist in the 4-1 win over CF Montreal. He passed with 81.5% accuracy, completed one cross, and provided three key passes.
What It Means for Orlando City
Lodeiro’s departure after just one season in Orlando clears an $800,000 salary from the books, which is too sizable a contract for a player who would have been a bench player when the team had its full complement of starting players. Lodeiro is still a useful player, as evidenced by his double-digit assist totals a year ago, but he has clearly lost some pace and some of his effectiveness in the box. His goal-scoring has dropped off dramatically in recent years, although he is still a threat on set pieces, as shown by his free kick goal late in the CF Montreal preseason match on Feb. 8.
Ultimately, Lodeiro helped the Lions bridge the gap at the No. 10 spot between Pereyra and Ojeda claiming the job. Ojeda continues to show growth in that position and is coming off a one-goal, one-assist performance Friday against Inter Miami in preseason action. His departure will mean there isn’t an ideal backup for Ojeda on the current squad, although that role could be filled by Luis Muriel or Eduard Atuesta if need be.
If Houston completes the signing of Lodeiro, it would put the Uruguayan on a team that isn’t scheduled to face Orlando City this season.
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.
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