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2023 Orlando City Season in Review: Pedro Gallese

El Pulpo was again rock solid in net for Orlando City.

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1 year ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City signed Peruvian international goalkeeper Pedro Gallese on Jan. 17, 2020 from Alianza Lima after a few weeks of reports linking him with the Lions. It was a Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) signing. Although the club did not specify the length of the deal at the time, it ended up being through the 2022 season, and the Lions re-signed Gallese on Dec. 27, 2022 through the upcoming 2024 season with a club option for 2025. Since Gallese’s arrival, Orlando City has enjoyed stability and excellence at the goalkeeper position and has made the postseason every year.

Let’s look back on the Peruvian’s fourth year with Orlando City.

Statistical Breakdown

Gallese played in 30 of Orlando City’s 34 regular-season matches (all starts), logging 2,700 minutes. He stopped 70.5% of the shots he faced, which was his best save percentage since 2020, making 79 saves and keeping 10 clean sheets — a new career high for him in an MLS season and tied for fifth most in the league. He faced three penalty kicks and saved one in normal time. He passed at a 69.2% rate, which was the lowest of his MLS career to date, but he made his first two key passes. Attacking stats are rare for a goalkeeper, so it’s not surprising that he did not score a goal or assist on one. Defensively, he won 93.3% of his duels and 33.3% of his headed duels. He also recorded a tackle and 22 clearances. Gallese was fouled nine times without conceding any fouls and was booked three times. He was named to the Team of the Matchday four times — twice as the starter and twice on the bench — and was a finalist for MLS Goalkeeper of the Year.

In the playoffs, Gallese started and went the distance in all three of Orlando City’s postseason matches, logging 300 minutes. He made 12 saves and stopped 85.7% of the shots he faced while keeping two clean sheets. In fact, he didn’t allow a goal until extra time of the team’s third playoff game, and his team was down a man at the time. His two shutouts were the first postseason clean sheets in the club’s MLS era. He passed at a 62.6% rate in the postseason with 21 successful long passes but no key passes. He did not record a goal or an assist. He had two clearances in the playoffs. The goalkeeper did not commit or draw a foul in the postseason but he was booked once.

Although Gallese did not make an appearance in the 2023 U.S. Open Cup, he was the starter for both of Orlando City’s Concacaf Champions League matches against Tigres, playing all 180 minutes across the two legs. He was busy in those two matches, allowing just one goal and making 15 total saves on 16 shots on target (93.8%) with a goals-against average of 0.50 and a clean sheet on the road in Mexico. Gallese completed 28 of 49 passes (57.1%) in the competition. He did not have a goal contribution on Orlando’s lone strike of the tournament.

He also started and went the distance in all three of Orlando’s Leagues Cup matches, logging 270 minutes. He allowed five goals in the competition but two of those were from the penalty spot, recording a goals-against average of 1.67. He also stopped Hector Herrera in the post-draw penalty shootout against the Houston Dynamo, helping the Lions win on spot kicks. He made five saves on 10 shots on target for a 50% save percentage. He was booked twice in the competition.

Best Game

Gallese had a number of big games, and ironically most of those did not result in clean sheets. For example, he allowed three goals against Columbus on Sept. 16 but the Crew put 10 of their 15 shots on target, so he made seven saves and some of those were spectacular. However, I will go with a clean sheet for his best game — the Lions’ 0-0 draw at Tigres UANL on March 7 in Concacaf Champions Cup play.

Tigres peppered the Orlando goalkeeper with 22 shot attempts, putting eight of them on target. Gallese stopped all eight, finishing with a perfect save percentage and a clean sheet. It’s rare for an MLS team to go into Mexico in the competition and come home with a result but Orlando City did just that, thanks in large part to Gallese’s efforts at Estadio Universitario in San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León, Mexico.

It was a fun matchup to watch as Gallese thwarted Tigres talisman Andre-Pierre Gignac time and again. Gignac attempted nine total shots and put five of them on target, only to see Gallese keep the door closed. He also made a difficult stop on Fernando Gorriarán’s first-half effort, fighting off a shot that skipped off the pitch in front of him, and denied Sebastián Córdova. Here are a couple of his notable stops in the match:

Gallese didn’t pass particularly well in the game, completing just 15 of 30 attempts, but that was what the game required, given the amount of pressure Tigres brought. Oftentimes he was just lumping long balls forward in hopes of something opening up at the other end or to relieve the pressure for the moment.

Given the environment, the opponent, the barrage of shots faced, and the pressure of the match — it was Orlando City’s first-ever game in the competition — it was a stellar performance for the Lions’ No. 1.

2023 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Gallese a composite grade of 7.5 out of 10 for the 2023 season. This isn’t quite as high as the 8 he received in 2021 and again for the 2022 season, but it’s higher than the 7 out of 10 he received for his first season in Orlando. His scores over the last four seasons show how consistent he’s been while performing at a high level for the team. Gallese is still one of the league’s best shot stoppers, although he had a couple of odd gaffes in 2023 that we aren’t used to seeing. Considering the number of minutes he’s played for club and country over the last few years, that’s a remarkable run of form and consistency.

2024 Outlook

Gallese will be the starter whenever healthy enough to do so in 2024. He’s been one of the best goalkeepers in Major League Soccer since his arrival, although he perhaps flies a bit under the radar at times. There were a couple of uncharacteristic slips last season — notably a goal from long distance by Carles Gil just before halftime in the 2023 home finale and a spill against Nashville that ended up in the net but didn’t cost the team a goal due to Hany Mukhtar being offside in the buildup. Those two moments are aberrations in Gallese’s time in Orlando that will bear watching in the future, although he obviously played through a few knocks during the last couple of seasons. Gallese will be 34 in February, which is still in the prime years for a goalkeeper. He should have plenty left in the tank for 2024 (and beyond).

Previous Season in Review Articles (Date Posted)

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Orlando City

Orlando City Signs Defender Thomas Williams Through 2026

Orlando City signs Homegrown center back Thomas Williams to a new contract through 2026 with a club option for 2027.

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8 hours ago

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January 22, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Orlando City announced this morning that the club has signed defender Thomas Williams through the 2026 season with a club option for 2027. The Homegrown Player has been with the first team since 2021 and will continue for at least two more years.

“Thomas is someone whose future we’re still very excited about and we’re happy to get him locked in with us for a couple more years,” Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi said in a club press release. “He’s shown a lot of growth these last few seasons, continuing to get game action with Orlando City B and proving the importance of our development pathway, and we’re looking forward to having him with us for the foreseeable future.”

The Titusville native joined the Orlando City Academy in 2015 and made his professional debut for the club on Aug. 7, 2020 against New England Revolution II. He played in 13 games that year with 10 starts and recorded 844 minutes. His play on the Young Lions’ back line earned him a first-team contract on June 15, 2021, at just 16 years old, making him the youngest player in club history to sign a Homegrown contract.

The 20-year-old center back made his MLS debut on April 16, 2022 in a 2-0 win over the Columbus Crew in Ohio. He made five appearances with three starts in all competitions that season, recording 271 minutes. To date, those are the only appearances he’s made with the first team.

Since joining OCB in 2021, Williams has made 69 appearances with 61 starts and recorded 5,132 minutes. He’s been booked 19 times and sent off twice, both times after receiving second yellow cards.

What It Means for Orlando City

Williams is the fourth natural center back for Orlando City on the current squad behind Robin Jansson, David Brekalo, and Rodrigo Schlegel. He played well early in his OCB and MLS career, but has struggled recently. Last year, he played exclusively with the second team, partnering with Nabi Kibunguchy.

While Williams hasn’t made much of an impact on the first team so far, he’s only 20 years old and still has plenty of time to develop. Extending his contact shows that the club still has faith that he can turn into a key player for the MLS side.

It’s unlikely that Williams will see any time with the first team in 2025 (barring injuries and/or suspensions), considering that he’s also been behind versatile defender Kyle Smith at the center back position. He’ll likely spend the upcoming season with OCB, continuing to develop and earn his spot with the first team. As a Homegrown Player, there isn’t much risk in signing Williams to a new contract, especially if the club’s technical staff thinks he can develop into a quality defender.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/22/25

Orlando City transfer rumors, Orlando Pride preseason begins, USMNT at Inter&Co, and more.

Published

11 hours ago

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January 22, 2025

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Dan MacDonald, The ManeLand

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Up here in Tallahassee, I’m waking up to snow/sleet, closed schools, closed government offices, and potentially icy roads. Many people will get an extra day off of work, however, I still get to go to work. I’m sure you can imagine how happy I am about that. Enough of my winter grumbling. Let’s get to the links but not until after we wish Orlando City fullback Michael Halliday a happy 22nd birthday.

Orlando City Reportedly Targeting Croatian International

While I can no longer say that Orlando City hasn’t signed any new players, the club is still moving at its traditionally slow speed as compared to other MLS clubs. We had the signing of Nicolas Rodriguez last week. Now, we have Tom Bogert report of yet another winger prospect for the club in Croatian Marco Pasalic from HNK Rijeka, though it is not a done deal. Hopefully the other targets Bogert mentions are of the striker variety.

https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/1881755961125449765?s=46&t=pMoq7Wulqfb35D7C8ydroA

Pride Preseason Begins

The 2024 NWSL champions are back to defend their title. The Orlando Pride returned to training on Tuesday. The club hasn’t needed to add many pieces, though some of the players already here, like Simone Charley and Grace Chanda, haven’t actually played any minutes for the Pride yet. Most of the chemistry is in place for Seb Hines, but reinforcing those bonds will be the challenge as the Pride look to repeat.

USMNT at Inter&Co Tonight

Hopefully you have tickets to the USMNT friendly match versus Costa Rica at Inter&Co Stadium tonight. The match starts at 7 p.m. and there are television and streaming options if you’re not going in person. Despite the squad having 14 players with three or fewer caps, Mauricio Pochettino does not consider this an “alternative” squad, nor does he want the players to think of themselves like that.

Girma Reportedly Nearing Completion of Chelsea Move

USWNT defender Naomi Girma is reportedly headed to Chelsea FC Women for a record $1.1 million transfer fee. That is a very big chunk of change for San Diego FC to use to try to replace one of the best defenders in the world. The deal is not complete as of Tuesday evening, but according to the original report from The Athletic, it is close to being done. Girma would be the first women’s soccer player to earn a transfer fee of over $1 million.

MLS Transfer Updates

Other MLS clubs keep on putting pen to paper when it comes to new players. The Chicago Fire are bringing in Jonathan Bamba on a Designated Player deal from La Liga side Celta de Vigo. The Luca de la Torre loan from Spain’s RC Celta de Vigo to San Diego FC is also official.

https://twitter.com/sandiegofc/status/1881741042904350864

Cucho Hernandez evidently wants to stay with the Columbus Crew, though he is still waiting on a new offer.

https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/1881786193693823104

Free Kicks

https://twitter.com/weareangelcity/status/1881749040863588770?s=12&t=_WZBNG4ILAyRLdwBeB4mpQ
  • Keep your eyes peeled later today for the NWSL schedule drop.
https://twitter.com/nwsl/status/1881749035218042954?s=46&t=pN-YJp3s7ZQlCXqnTAgSfw

That will do it for today. Stay warm out there, my friends. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/21/25

Orlando Pride release preseason camp roster, scouting Costa Rica, women’s soccer transfer grades, and more.

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1 day ago

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January 21, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone! If you had yesterday off for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, then I hope you enjoyed some restful time off. If not, then I hope you got your week started off on a good and productive note. There’s a lot going on around here this week as the United States Men’s National Team is in town, and Orlando City will play its first preseason match on Saturday. That means we have plenty to discuss, so let’s dig into today’s links.

Orlando Pride Drop Preseason Roster

Monday might have been a holiday but the Orlando Pride were busy, as they announced the roster for their upcoming preseason camp. Almost all of the usual suspects from the 2024 season are back, as the Pride return 98% of the player-minutes from last season and every single scorer. Mariana Larroquette is on the list although she’s currently on loan in Argentina, and Amanda Allen is likewise included after her loan at Lexington Sporting Club was terminated due to a torn labrum. The biggest intrigue comes from the trio of non-roster invitees: goalkeeper DeAira Jackson, midfielder Aryssa Mahrt, and forward Simone Jackson.

Scouting Costa Rica

The USMNT takes on Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium to wrap up the team’s annual January camp. Like the U.S., Costa Rica is bringing a roster devoid of the majority of its important players. Costa Rica also has a new manager at the helm in Miguel Herrera, who will take charge of the team for the very first time on Wednesday. Herrera typically lines his teams up in a 5-3-2 where the wingbacks take on a very important role and the team looks to hit on the counter while staying compact at the back. This will be the last time we see the USMNT in action until the Concacaf Nations League semifinals in early March.

Women’s Soccer January Transfer Grades

January has been a busy time for transfers in the women’s soccer world, so which teams have done the best business? Well, the Orlando Pride received an A grade for signing Marta to a new two-year deal, retaining a player who helped the team win its first ever trophies. Liverpool got an A for signing Julia Bartel on loan from Chelsea. Leicester City made an interesting call by transferring goalkeeper Lize Kop to Tottenham despite just being a point above the relegation zone. The Foxes get a C for the move, while Spurs get a B+ for adding a capable netminder.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans taking part in some very important games over the course of this week. Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus face Club Brugge today in the UEFA Champions League, while Ricardo Pepi, Richy Ledezma, Esmir Bajraktarević, Malik Tillman and PSV Eindhoven take on Crvena Zvezda in the same competition. Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan will play Girona in the UCL on Wednesday, while Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic take on Young Boys. On Friday, John Tolkin could make his Bundesliga debut when his new team, Holstein Kiel, travels to face Wolfsburg.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando Pride players reported for their preseason physicals on Monday.
  • Meanwhile, Orlando City took on the dreaded beep test during Monday’s training session.

That’s all I have for you today. Vamos Orlando!

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