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Orlando City vs. Inter Miami: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions do in Orlando City’s 5-0 loss to Inter Miami?

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2 months ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City’s 5-0 loss to Inter Miami Saturday at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale tied for the Lions’ worst loss in club history. The Herons took an early commanding lead, going up 2-0 after 10 minutes, and the Lions showed little bite from then on. The rough start to the 2024 MLS regular season continues, only claiming one point in the first two games. 

Here’s how I saw the individual performances in an embarrassing display by the Lions.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 4.5 — Gallese gave up five goals on six shots in this game, the most he’s conceded since joining Orlando City. However, most of the goals were more a result of poor defending than poor goalkeeping. Regardless, giving up five goals on six shots is an awful day for any goalkeeper. The Lions’ number one also completed 77.8% of his 18 passes and five of his nine long balls.

D, Rafael Santos, 5 — Santos’ 61 touches were the second-most on the team in this game. He completed 81.8% of his 44 passes, which were third-most on the team. He also completed one of his two crosses and failed to complete his lone long ball. Defensively, Santos had one interception, but no other defensive stats before being replaced by Kyle Smith in the 58th minute.

D, Robin Jansson, 5.5 — Jansson was the more dependable of the two center backs, even if he didn’t have a great game. The Lions captain finished the game with two tackles, one clearance, and one blocked shot. He completed 92.3% of his 52 passes and two of his five long balls. He was part of the fourth goal but was unlucky when his clearance off the line hit the crossbar, enabling Lionel Messi to scuffle it in.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 4.5 — Schlegel was at fault for two of the first three goals. He stepped up early on the second goal, leaving Luis Suarez behind, and failed to get his head on the chip. He was also at fault on the third goal, keeping Robert Taylor onside by stepping up late. Schlegel was active defensively with one tackle, six interceptions, and five clearances, but his two early mistakes in the back put the game out of reach. Going forward, the center back completed 90.5% of his 42 passes and two of his three long balls.

D, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, 5.5 — Thorhallsson was one of the few bright spots for the Lions in this game. Defensively, he had two tackles, two interceptions, and two clearances. He completed 92.5% of his 40 passes, including a key pass, and had three successful dribbles going forward.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 5 — Araujo led the team with 79 touches, but had a tough game defensively. His early pass for Jansson bounced off Suarez and the defensive midfielder failed to pick up the forward’s run, enabling the fellow Uruguayan to open the scoring. He also failed to keep up with Jordi Alba in the second half, contributing to Miami’s fourth goal. Araujo did have five tackles and two interceptions. He completed 91.9% of his 62 passes and three of his four long balls, which brings his grade up a bit.

MF, Wilder Cartagena, 5 — It was another short appearance for Cartagena, who was replaced at halftime for the second consecutive game by Nico Lodeiro. While in the game, the defensive midfielder had two tackles and completed 87.5% of his 40 passes. However, all four of his long balls didn’t find their target. He drew two fouls but did little else before leaving the game.

MF, Facundo Torres, 5 — Torres is usually an offensive force for the Lions, but he did little in this rivalry game. He wasn’t very involved in play, recording 46 touches, and completed 86.7% of his 30 passes without any key passes. All three of his crosses were incomplete and he only took one off-target shot.

MF, Martin Ojeda, 5.5 — Ojeda was one of the few bright spots, starting as the number 10. He made the most of his 50 touches, completing 86.2% of his 29 passes with three key passes. He only completed one of his nine crosses, but all four of his long balls. He also hit the target with his only shot, one of only three shots on target by Orlando City. The playmaker played 73 minutes before being replaced by Felipe.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 5 — Angulo was absent for most of the game, recording 40 touches and completing 84.6% of his 26 passes. He had one cross and one long ball, both of which were incomplete. He also contributed once defensively with an interception. At least he wasn’t at fault for any of the goals.

F, Duncan McGuire, 4.5 — Similar to Angulo, McGuire was barely in the game. He only had six touches and completed his four pass attempts. The striker took one off-target shot and was replaced at halftime by Luis Muriel.

Substitutes

F, Luis Muriel (46’), 5 — Muriel was an improvement on McGuire up top, even if he didn’t do much offensively. He had 26 touches and completed 79% of his 19 passes. He took one shot in his 45 minutes, being one of the three players to actually hit the target.

MF, Nico Lodeiro (46’), 6 (MotM) — Lodeiro came on at halftime for Cartagena and did his best to make an impact. He touched the ball 56 times, sixth most on the team and the most by an attacking player. He completed 79.5% of his 39 passes, including one key pass, four of his seven crosses, and two of his four long balls. He didn’t take any shots but had a tackle defensively. Despite only playing the second half, Lodeiro gets my Man of the Match.

D, Kyle Smith (58’), 5 — Smith came on in the 58th minute for Santos, getting 26 touches on the ball. He completed 87% of his 23 passes but didn’t complete his only cross. He recorded a clearance defensively, but no other statistics.

F, Ramiro Enrique (58’), 5 — Enrique came on for Angulo in the 58th minute, recording 15 touches in 32 minutes. He completed nine of his 10 passes (90%), but didn’t complete his one cross. His one shot was on target and one of three to be on frame. Additionally, his three successful dribbles were tied with Thorhallsson for most on the team.

MF, Felipe (73’), 5 — Felipe came on for the final 17 minutes, replacing Ojeda, and had 13 touches. The midfielder only completed 75% of his 12 passes, but had one key pass. He completed one of his three long balls and his one through ball, the only one attempted by Orlando City.

An honorable mention goes to backup goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar, who didn’t play but stood up to Suarez when the Miami striker was verbally attacking the assistant referee heading into halftime. It was one of the few moments of excitement by the Lions.

This is how I saw the individual performances of the Orlando City players in a terrible game. Most players get around a 5 out of 10 because they weren’t at fault for the loss, but did little to contribute to any success. Let us know what you thought of the players and have a go at voting for your Man of the Match.

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. FC Cincinnati: Three Keys to Victory

What does Orlando City need to do to ensure a victory over FC Cincinnati Saturday at home?

Published

8 hours ago

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May 2, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City looks to bounce back from the disappointing 2-1 loss to Toronto FC Saturday night at Inter&Co Stadium. Cincinnati has twice as many points as Orlando City and more than twice as many wins. FCC has only scored one more goal than Orlando City, but with only nine goals conceded compared to Orlando City’s 17, it’s easy to see why Cincinnati is sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference.

What I’m trying to say is that the task doesn’t get any easier this weekend. What does Orlando City need to do to secure all three points at home against FC Cincinnati?

Accost Acosta

Cincinnati’s attack revolves around Luciano Acosta. The attacking midfielder has four goals and five assists so far this season. To put that into perspective, Duncan McGuire — Orlando City’s leading scorer — also has four goals but only one assist. If we look at the Lions’ attacking midfielders, Facundo Torres has one goal and one assist, Ivan Angulo and Nico Lodeiro both have one goal and two assists, and Martin Ojeda has zero goals and only one assist. Luis Muriel is still at double zeroes.

The defensive midfield and the back line must do everything possible to mark him out of the match. It’s not enough to keep him from scoring, they must also keep him from setting up chances for his teammates. Most importantly, the defense must do that for 90 minutes plus stoppage time. There is no room for the mental lapses we’ve seen throughout the first part of this season.

Break Through

Cincinnati is stingy on defense. As I mentioned above, the club has only allowed nine goals this season. The back line is formidable with the likes of Matt Miazga, Miles Robinson, and Ian Murphy. On the wings are DeAndre Yedlin and Luca Orellano. This is a tough defense, and whether it is McGuire or Muriel who gets the start, they must find the spaces in between.

Just as importantly, Torres, Angulo, Ojeda, and Lodeiro — depending on who is in at any given moment — must be able to thread the passes in for McGuire, Muriel, or each other to create quality chances. On top of that, the Lions must convert on those chances, which is not something that has been a strength so far this season. If the Orlando City defense continues to give up cheap goals, then the offense will need to one-up the competition when it comes to scoring.

Deal with an Unknown

FC Cincinnati recently signed Venezuelan forward Kevin Kelsy from Ukrainian Premier League club Shakhtar Donetsk. Kelsy comes in as an MLS U22 Initiative player and is eligible to play against Orlando City. Even though Kelsy is only 19, he has 68 professional appearances, including UEFA Champions Leagues matches. At 6-foot-3, he can be a challenge for defenders, especially in the air.

Kelsy hasn’t had much time with the team, but he could be a second-half substitution for Cincinnati. Given that Orlando City just gave up two late headers against Toronto FC, the back line will need to be careful that Kelsy doesn’t hurt the Lions in the same manner — especially if he comes on late when legs and minds are tired.

That is what I will be looking for Saturday night. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/2/24

The Pride win big, OCSC celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month, USMNT news, and more.

Published

12 hours ago

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May 2, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

It’s Thursday, Mane Landers. Of course, the name Thursday comes from Thor’s day, and as such, it isn’t a big leap for us to consider it Thorhallsson’s day. Though I suppose that is a bit of a mouthful, so we’ll just keep things the way they are, but do hold Dagur Dan close to your heart today. Also, let us wish a happy birthday to the Orlando Pride’s Luana. Despite the devastating news that dropped about her health earlier this week, we hope that her spirits are high and we wish her nothing but happiness today. It’s also Dagur Dan Thorhallsson’s birthday today, so we’re celebrating him as well. Let’s get to the links.

The Pride Dominate the Courage

The Orlando Pride defeated the North Carolina Courage 4-1 in a midweek match at Inter&Co Stadium. The Pride did indeed dominate the Courage as much as the score line indicates. It was once again the Barbra Banda show, with the Pride’s newest player contributing a brace and an assist on the night. It is the Pride’s fourth straight victory and the undefeated run continues.

OCSC Celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month

Orlando City and the Orlando Pride are doing their part this May to observe Mental Health Awareness Month. The club is sponsoring and attending events and forums available to the general public, as well as holding club staff workshops around promoting mental health. I have to say my favorite is the therapy dogs visits that will be available to the staff. There’s nothing as good for my personal mental health as the joy and unconditional love a dog can bring. If I didn’t have dogs of my own, I’d be really jealous.

The Billionaires Clubs

Orlando City and Orlando Pride owners, the Wilf family, are not the only billionaire owners in the NWSL. There are more and more owners and ownership groups that fall into that category. The influx of more money is a growth opportunity for the league and potentially for those owners. It’s a bit of a “rising tide lifts all boats” mentality for these owners as they do better when the league as a whole does better. It’s not just the owners who think so. The NWSL was ranked No. 5 on the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2024. I’m just glad the Pride are in the club.

USMNT News

I hate starting off a section with bad news, but Sergino Dest tore his ACL in training with PSV Eindhoven and will miss the Copa America. Dest will require surgery though there is no time frame yet for when he may return. The loss of Dest is a blow to the U.S. defense heading into the competition this coming June. The USMNT plays Bolivia on June 23.

In better news, Tim Weah provided the assist for Juventus on Arkadiusz Milik’s goal against Lazio. Juventus entered the second leg of the Copa Italia semifinal up 2-0, but Lazio drew level before Milik’s goal. Juventus advanced 3-2 on aggregate and will play in the final.

Free Kicks

That will do it for today. There’s plenty more soccer to come this weekend with all three teams playing. Check back for more as we get you ready for those matches. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/1/24

Mason Stajduhar was arrested, Orlando Pride play at home tonight, Colin Guske discusses his signing, and more.

Published

1 day ago

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May 1, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday and welcome to May, Mane Landers. Don’t forget that the undefeated Orlando Pride are in action tonight, so check back for our match preview and the latest episode of SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride PawedCast for additional pre-match coverage. In the meantime, let’s get to the links.

Mason Stajduhar Arrested Early Sunday

Orlando City goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar and his wife Tatiana Stajduhar were both arrested on disorderly conduct charges following an incident at a nightclub overnight Saturday in the early hours of Sunday morning. The couple were reportedly disrespectful to the club’s staff and got into an altercation with the security guards. Mason stated he was only resisting the security guards to re-enter the club because the bouncers allegedly hit his wife. Tatiana allegedly pushed the police officers after they arrived, and she was not charged with battery on a law enforcement officer. The couple were released Monday after posting a bond. Orlando City provided the following statement to WESH 2 News:

“The Club is aware that goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar was arrested early Sunday morning. We are currently gathering more information and will have no further comment at this time.”

Orlando Pride Host the North Carolina Courage Tonight

After a 3-2 win on the road last Friday against the Washington Spirit, the Orlando Pride are back in the City Beautiful and will take on the North Carolina Courage tonight. Unbeaten in their six games so far this season, the Pride have also won their past three games and sit fourth in the standings. They’re tied on points with a Courage team that beat the Seattle Reign Saturday. Orlando has scored at least one goal in every match this season. Forward Barbra Banda had a great performance in that win against the Spirit, so hopefully the scoring trend continues tonight for the Pride.

Orlando City/Pride Earn Golden Brick Awards

Have you enjoyed the new food options at the stadium? I know I have, and I’m looking forward to trying even more. The efforts made by Orlando City’s front office to feature more local food and beverage options did not go unnoticed, as the club won the Hospitality & Dining category in the Downtown Orlando Partnership’s 2023 Golden Brick Awards. The Orlando Pride’s 2023 Highway Woman Kit also won the award in the Arts & Culture category. The home jersey was inspired by the work of Mary Ann Carroll, the sole woman in the famed Highwaymen artists from decades ago.

Colin Guske Speaks On Signing First Pro Contract

Orlando City Development Academy player Colin Guske signed his first professional contract with the club last month and spoke on the importance of this moment in his career. The 17-year-old is now on an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Orlando City B, and he has started in nearly every game for the Young Lions this year. Both of Guske’s brothers have also played for Orlando City’s academy over the years, and he thanked his family for helping him reach this point.

“It’s awesome to represent the Guskes,” Colin said. “Thanks to my brothers for always pushing me through early mornings and late nights, always putting in the work, doing video sessions, everything. My sister as well, for always being there for me and my parents, too. They’re always helping me and what was the best for me.”

Free Kicks

  • Enjoy all of the sights and sounds from the Pride’s big win over the Spirit in the nation’s capital.
  • The Champions League semifinals are underway and Real Madrid and Bayern Munich played to a 2-2 draw in Germany. The second leg will take place on May 8 in Madrid.

That will do it for today. If you can make it out to the stadium tonight to catch the Pride in action, I strongly suggest you do so. Barbra Banda is about to take the NWSL by storm and you’ll want to see it in person. Vamos Orlando!

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