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Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions rate in Orlando City’s 1-1 draw at home against the New York Red Bulls?

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1 year ago

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Orlando City salvaged a point at home against the New York Red Bulls, drawing them 1-1 in a match that Orlando may feel it should have done more in. A penalty in the first half gave New York the lead and the Lions had a majority of the possession to try to claw their way back into the match. 

Let’s take a look at how each Lion individually performed in this draw.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6 — It was a decent, albeit mostly uneventful, game from the Peruvian goalkeeper. He guessed correctly on Lewis Morgan’s penalty kick, but it was well taken and beat him to the bottom right corner. He wasn’t called into action again until the second half, making his only save of the match by catching a header from Elias Manoel that had some pace on it. Manoel nearly scored again later in the match on a breakaway with only Gallese to beat, but Gallese came off his line and made himself wide, with Manoel’s shot going inches wide of the post. El Pulpo had 22 passes at a 77.3% success rate and completed four of his nine long balls, including a key pass out wide right after his save to create a chance for Duncan McGuire. 

D, Rafael Santos, 4 — After a better outing last weekend, the left back’s rough start to the season continued in this match. He was outright beaten by Dylan Nealis in the leadup to the penalty, and had a horrific turnover later in the first half that nearly led to another goal if not for Dennis Gjengaar sending his shot wide. He had no tackles, interceptions, or clearances and was a defensive liability for most of his time on the field. Offensively, he had a key pass, was successful on one of his two crosses, and completed one of his four long balls. Santos completed 84.2% of his 57 passes, but had multiple mistakes in this one before being subbed off in the 66th minute.

D, Robin Jansson, 6.5 — The Lions may not have had a clean sheet, but they didn’t allow a goal in the run of play and Jansson was a major reason why. Orlando’s captain put out fires throughout the night and came up with a crucial blocked shot on an effort from Gjengaar that would’ve likely wound up in the net had Jansson not intervened. Of his team-high 14 long balls, nine found their target, and he completed a whopping 91% of his 89 passes. He may have only ended up with that blocked shot and a clearance, but he was patient and composed while anchoring Orlando’s defense. 

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6 — Schlegel’s performance was a bit overshadowed by his fellow center back, but it was a solid night from him regardless. He had two tackles, a clearance, and blocked a shot by getting in the way of Andres Reyes’s try from the top of the box. He did plenty of the defensive dirty work we’ve learned to expect from him, committing two fouls along the way, but he wasn’t booked and didn’t give the Red Bulls much room to work with. That being said, a heavy touch nearly led to disaster in the second half and he wasn’t able to clean up his own mess. Schlegel was accurate on all but two of his 61 passes for an excellent 96.7% rate, and his lone long ball was successful as well. The center back was subbed off in stoppage time for David Brekalo’s fresher legs. 

D, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, 6 — There were flashes of the electric player seen last week, although he didn’t have any key passes and neither of his two shots wound up on target. His first was blocked and the second bounced off the ground and into a dangerous area, but ultimately out of play. Still, Thorhallsson did well pushing the ball forward, whether that be through dribbling, making overlapping runs, or becoming an option to switch the run of play. He was successful on one of his two crosses, two of his four long balls, and 83% of his 47 passes. Defensively, he had two clearances and a tackle. While there were a few miscues, it was a solid outing as he continues to learn the right back position.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 7 (MotM) — Angulo gave the team needed energy from start to finish and played a key role in Orlando getting a result. Although he won’t be credited with an assist, Angulo whipped in a nice ball towards the near post that wound up with the ball in the net due to an own goal. He had two shots, with the first getting deflected before it could test Carlos Coronel and the second sailing into the stands near the end of the first half. The winger had 52 passes at an 88.5% success rate, although neither of his two crosses nor his single long ball was accurate. He earns Man of the Match honors due to his presence on the defensive side of things as well. He had two tackles and was relentless in chasing down New York players to win the ball back, doing just that multiple times. It wasn’t perfect, but Angulo did well on both sides of the ball and helped provide an answer on offense for Orlando to get a point.

MF, Nico Lodeiro, 6.5 — Lodeiro’s 121 touches led the Lions by a wide margin, as he played a deep role in the midfield and did well cycling the ball to Orlando’s other skill players. He had a team-high 98 passes, completing 88.8% of them, and connected on six of his seven long balls. The Uruguayan had a tough task breaking lines due to New York flooding the midfield and forcing the Lions wide, but he still had three key passes and provided good service from set pieces when not taking short corners. His three tackles were also the most on the team, and he contributed an interception as well. Despite his size, he also won three aerial duels. Only one of his six crosses was accurate and his only shot was blocked, but it was still a strong game from Lodeiro as he found ways to make an impact.

MF, Kyle Smith, 5.5 — Smith started as a defensive midfielder once again, filling in along the back line whenever Santos or Thorhallsson would surge forward. He conceded a penalty in the first half, fouling Lewis Morgan while challenging for a loose ball in the box. He was a bit inconsistent overall, but completed 92.6% of his 54 passes and all three of his long balls were accurate. He also won a foul in a great spot at the top of the box late in the match. However, he didn’t have any defensive stats, his only cross was inaccurate, and he just wasn’t as sharp as he could have been.

MF, Facundo Torres, 6 — The Designated Player didn’t have a shot, but did have three key passes and was fairly active on the left wing. The final ball was just never quite there for him, as the Red Bulls played more and more defensively as the game wore on and made an effort to limit Torres. He had 59 passes at an 86.4% success rate and connected on two of his four long balls, but just one of his six crosses was accurate. Torres also chipped in defensively with a tackle and an interception.

F, Luis Muriel, 6 — Muriel’s quality is obvious, especially when he is on the ball. In his 66 minutes on the field, he had 44 touches, was successful on three of his five dribbles, and made some nice runs. Neither of his two shots were on target, but his low shot from range didn’t miss by much. He had a key pass, completed 82.6% of his 23 passes, and his lone long ball was accurate. His single cross missed the mark though, and he had six unstable touches. Muriel also had a clearance for dealing with a corner kick. The 32-year-old is still adjusting to Oscar Pareja’s game plan and the habits of his teammates, and it showed at times when he was isolated or trying to pick out the right pass. But there was an overall feeling in this match that his breakout MLS game will happen sooner rather than later.

F, Duncan McGuire, 6.5 — Playing up top as Orlando’s target man, McGuire led the Lions with four shots and put two of them on target. Of the two that Coronel didn’t save, one was more of a flicked on header from a corner kick that earned another corner, and the other was blocked. The American’s best opportunity came in the second half, knocking the ball past Sean Nealis and winning the race to it. Unfortunately, his shot was no issue for Coronel to gather. He made some nice runs to try to get behind New York’s defense, but the Lions had a hard time providing him service. He completed 78.6% of his 14 passes, was fouled four times, and provided a pair of clearances in the defensive end. It was a physical match as McGuire dueled with New York’s tough defense, but he was up to the task and won two of his aerial duels.

Substitutes

MF, Wilder Cartagena (66’), 6 — The midfielder came on for Santos, but played centrally and rotated as needed to fill gaps in Orlando’s formation. Cartagena had 41 touches and 38 passes at an 86.8% success rate to stabilize things while Orlando raced for a result. Although he didn’t have any shots or key passes, Cartagena was accurate on two of his three long balls. It was a solid outing from the Peruvian after international duty.

MF, Martin Ojeda (66′), 6 — Ojeda may have only had 19 touches, but he was active in trying to create scoring chances for Orlando. His two shots were great chances, as the first was a free kick that forced a save from Coronel and the second was a volleyed effort in the box that went into the night sky. He completed all but one of his 10 passes and was accurate on his one long ball. All five of his crosses were unsuccessful and he didn’t have a key pass, but he was right in the thick of things to get Orlando back into the match. 

F, Jack Lynn (82’), 6 — A week after scoring his first MLS goal, Lynn came off the bench and played a part in Orlando’s goal this time as well. It’s up for debate how much his attempted backheel led to the own goal, but it’s clear that his run to the near post was a great one to sneak between New York’s defenders. It was the kind of constructive chaos you want from a late substitute and he’s continuing to impress with the minutes he’s been given at this level.

MF, Cesar Araujo (82’), 6 — The Uruguayan made his return from injury and was fairly active in his short time on the field. Araujo wasn’t officially credited with a key pass, but his pass into space to spring Angulo forward in the lead-up to Orlando’s goal deserves recognition. He had 25 touches and only one of his 25 passes missed the mark for an excellent 95.5% success rate. Both of his long balls were accurate as well. His only shot came from outside the box and went over the crossbar. All in all, it was a great game from Araujo as he works his way back.

That’s how I saw things in Orlando City’s 1-1 draw against the New York Red Bulls. Many Lions had strong showings, so let us know what you thought of their performances and make sure to vote on your Man of the Match below.

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Lion Links: 6/4/25

USWNT wins as Abello gets first cap, Orlando Pride’s Concacaf W Champions Cup draw, Club World Cup in Orlando, and more.

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3 hours ago

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June 4, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Tuesday was a busy soccer day, especially on the women’s side. We have plenty of Orlando Pride news, and the USWNT secured yet another victory. I’m hoping the good vibes continue since I’ll be coming down to Orlando for the Pride’s match this Saturday. If you’re going to the match, let me know, as I’d love to meet as many of our readers as possible. For now, let’s get to the links.

USWNT Blanks Jamaica

The USWNT defeated Jamaica 4-0 in a friendly at Energizer Park in St. Louis. The Orlando Pride’s Kerry Abello got her first start and her first cap in the match. She went the full 90 minutes and almost had her first international goal in the second half, but the chance went a bit wide of the right post. Ally Sentnor and Lynn Biyendolo each scored a brace as the U.S. rolled to an easy win.

Pride Internationals

Abello wasn’t the only Pride player to make an international appearance. Marta returned to international duty for Brazil getting the start and the captain’s armband in a 2-1 win over Japan. Both Grace Chanda and Barbra Banda started for Zambia in the 2-0 loss to South Africa in the Three Nations Challenge. Congratulations are also due to Zara Chavoshi, who earned her first cap with the Canadian Women’s National Team in the match against Haiti.

Concacaf W Champions Cup Draw

The Concacaf W Champions Cup draw happened yesterday and the Orlando Pride are in Group A with Club America Femenil, CF Pachuca Femenil, LD Alajuelense, and Chorrillo FC. Group B consists of NJ/NY Gotham FC, the Washington Spirit, CF Monterrey Femenil, Vancouver Rise FC Academy, and Alianza Women FC. The competition kicks off Aug. 19-21.

FIFA Loves Orlando

FIFA President Gianni Infantino sat for an interview with Jamie Seh of WKMG Orlando. Infantino spoke about the upcoming Club World Cup matches at Inter&Co Stadium and Camping World Stadium. FIFA loves Orlando enough for the city to host the Club World Cup, but not the actual World Cup. Here is the schedule for the matches in Orlando. We will be bringing you coverage of these matches.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/3/25

Orlando City B announces signings, details of Concacaf W Champions Cup, UEFA Nations League preview, and more.

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1 day ago

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June 3, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Good morning, everyone. It’s been a pretty brutal last two games for Orlando City, there’s no getting around that fact. While it’s never fun to not have the team in action, a two-week break between games maybe isn’t the worst thing in this particular case. Even though it’ll be a minute before the Lions are back in action, we still have plenty of things to talk about, so let’s get into today’s links.

Orlando City B Announces Signings

Orlando City B announced on Monday that it has signed Clovis Archange and Jackson Platts to MLS NEXT Pro contracts. The pair are graduates of the Orlando City Development Academy and were part of the team that won the U-18 Generation Adidas Cup earlier this year. The 18-year-old Platts captained the team in the final, while Archange was named as one of the players to watch before the tournament started. They’ve both featured for their countries at the youth level, with Platts appearing for the United States U-16 and U-18 teams, and Archange suiting up for Canada’s U-17 side. Congratulations to both players!

Concacaf Announces W Champions Cup Details

Concacaf has named the 10 teams that will participate 2025-2026 Concacaf W Champions Cup and has announced the pots for tonight’s draw. The Orlando Pride are one of three American teams participating in the second year of the competition, and have been placed into Pot 2. Teams will be divided into two groups of five, with each team facing every club in its group once, and the top two sides from each group then advancing to the semifinals. The winner gets a spot in the 2027 FIFA Women’s Champions Cup, and the FIFA Women’s Club World Cup, which is set to be held for the first time in 2028. The draw takes place tonight at 8 p.m.

UEFA Nations League Preview

The UEFA Nations League returns this week, with the semifinals set for tomorrow and Thursday, and the third-place game and final taking place on Sunday. Things get started on Wednesday afternoon with Germany facing off against Portugal in Munich. Germany put away Italy 5-4 on aggregate in the quarterfinals to get to the semis for the first time, while Portugal beat Denmark 5-2, and is hunting for its second Nations League trophy. Thursday has Spain taking on France in Stuttgart. The Spanish beat the Netherlands on penalties in the semis to get here, while France took out Croatia on penalties to punch its ticket. There’s plenty of recent history in this one as these teams also met in the semifinals of Euro 2024 last year, with Spain claiming a 2-1 win.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

The transfer rumor mill has kicked into full swing, so let’s catch up on some of the big talking points. Starting in England, Manchester United has reportedly increased its interest in Brian Mbuemo, with the Brentford forward said to also be interested in moving to the club. There are said to be a number of Premier League teams interested in signing Southampton midfielder Tyler Dibling after his team was relegated to the Championship this season. Jobe Bellingham will reportedly follow in his brother Jude’s footsteps, as he’s reportedly decided to join Borussia Dortmund. Finally, Inter Milan is reportedly interested in signing Marcus Rashford as the Italians look to rebuild the squad following a brutal defeat in the UEFA Champions League final.

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  • Here’s a first look at Alex Freeman in his USMNT kit:

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

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Chicago Fire: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s 3-1 loss against the Chicago Fire?

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2 days ago

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June 2, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City turned one loss into two heading into the international break. The Lions gave up three first-half goals and lost 3-1 at home to the Chicago Fire. A determined but ineffective offense wasn’t able to make up for lapses on the defensive end. The break is about a week late, but perhaps the players can get some rest. Let’s take a look at how Orlando City’s players rated individually in their Eastern Conference matchup.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 5 — El Pulpo literally had the ball slip through his hands on Philip Zinckernagel’s early goal. The other two goals weren’t on him, but it’s hard to forgive the first howler. He recorded one save and one clearance. It was not a great night from Gallese, but every keeper has one like that occasionally. He had 22 touches, completing 89.5% of his 19 passes and five of his seven long balls.

D, David Brekalo, 6 —Brekalo started at left back as usual, but after Rodrigo Schlegel subbed off he moved inside with Robin Jansson. He was busy in both halves of the pitch as he pressed into the attack when at fullback. He didn’t push forward quite as much after moving to center back, though he did still contribute as Orlando chased the match. He recorded 71 touches, completing 86.2% of his 58 passes. Brekalo also completed four of his five long balls. Like many, he managed one shot, though it wasn’t on target as his effort off a corner kick was blocked. Defensively, he tallied three interceptions and one tackle.

D, Robin Jansson, 5.5 — The captain let his emotions get the better of him in the first half. He was battling Hugo Cuypers all night, and given Cuypers scored a brace, I can’t say Jansson won the matchup. His frustration resulted in a yellow card in the 45th minute. After the half, he was able to get back on track, though the damage was done. Jansson had 70 touches, completing 100% of his 59 passes. He had one key pass and even took one shot, though it wasn’t on target. Defensively, he recorded three clearances and one tackle.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 4.5 — It was not a good night for Schlegel. He lost Cuypers on the second and third Chicago goals, and it’s not recommended to allow the opposition’s best goal scorer to be alone in the box or to get in behind the back line. Defensively, he only contributed two tackles and recorded no interceptions or clearances. He managed 30 touches and completed 88.9% of his 27 passes. Schlegel committed two fouls and received a yellow card in the 49th minute. He was subbed off in the 54th minute for Rafael Santos.

D, Alex Freeman, 6 — Freeman scored Orlando’s only goal in the 39th minute, putting a header off the corner kick on target and into the back of the net by way of a deflection in front. It was his lone shot on target in two attempts. The right back recorded 77 touches, completing 78.4% of his 51 passes, including five crosses and one key pass. Defensively, he recorded three interceptions, one clearance, and one tackle.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 6 — Angulo still doesn’t have a goal in 2025, which isn’t surprising given his one shot on goal was well off target. He wasn’t bad in this match, but he also didn’t play very long, as he only touched the ball 19 times. He got lost defensively on the second Chicago goal as there was poor communication and he strayed inside, leaving Zinckernagel out wide alone for an easy cross to Cuypers. His best moment in the match came after tracking back to help recover the ball in his own end before making an incredible long run deep into the attacking box and backheeling a pass to Luis Muriel, who dropped it to Marco Pasalic for a good scoring chance. Angulo completed all of his 12 passes. He came off at halftime for Ramiro Enrique, but he was one of the few players who appeared to have a lot of jump in his legs in the first half.

MF, Eduard Atuesta, 6.5 (MotM) — Atuesta showed how important he is to Orlando City club in this match. His vision and ability to connect passes put teammates in dangerous places, even if they couldn’t convert those chances. He continued to make good passes in and around the box trying to get Orlando’s offense going. Atuesta had a team-high 94 touches, completing 89.7% of his 78 passes, including two key passes. He connected on five of his seven long balls and one of his seven crosses. Atuesta attempted two shots, though neither was on target. Defensively, he contibuted one tackle.

MF, Joran Gerbet, 6 — Gerbet started in place of the suspended Cesar Araujo and continues to have some rookie struggles midway through the season. If he hadn’t been so good earlier in the season, it wouldn’t seem like he’s having difficulty lately. Like others, he got a little bit better as the match went on, though he came off in the 77th minute for Dagur Dan Thorhallsson. Gerbet had 44 touches, completing 93.8% of his 32 passes, winning one aerial, and recording one key pass. Defensively, he contributed four tackles, and one interception,

MF, Marco Pašalić, 6 — Pasalic was active if ultimately ineffective in Orlando’s attack with four shots, though he only put one on target. He recorded 63 touches, completing 82.2% of his 45 passes, including two of his four long balls. Pasalic contributed two key passes and connected on one of his five crosses. He took a nasty tumble, hitting the back of his head when he landed, though he was able to continue. He exited in the 88th minute for Gustavo Caraballo.

F, Martín Ojeda, 6.5 — It was Ojeda’s corner kick that found the head of Freeman to give Orlando its only goal. He wasn’t able to contribute a goal in this match, though not for a lack of trying. He took four shots with one on target, led the team with eight key passes, and recorded the assist. Ojeda touched the ball 62 times, completing 90.6% of 32 passes. He was fouled three times, one of which earned a free kick outside the box in the 58th minute. He even contributed on defense with two tackles and an interception.

F, Luis Muriel, 6 — On another night Muriel has at least a brace. He took six shots with none on target, though he had a free kick that went into the wall 59th minute, and he hit the crossbar in the 64th. If that ball is two inches lower, Orlando maybe climbs back into the match. He still dribbled into blind alleys and gave the ball away to the opposition, though not as much as in some other matches. He had 65 touches, completing 80% of his 35 passes, including one cross and two key passes.

Substitutes

F, Ramiro Enrique, (45′), 6 — Enrique came on for Angulo to start the second half as the Lions pushed for a comeback. He was fairly accurate, putting two of his four shots on target. One shot in the 62nd minute went right to the keeper, though the other shot was saved it was a very well taken chance on the outside of his right foot as he moved towards the goal. He also made a great tackle in the 86th minute to take the ball back from Jonathan Bamba. He did all of that on only 19 touches, completing 88.9% of his nine passes, including one key pass.

D, Rafael Santos, (54’), 5.5 — With both Schlegel and Jansson on yellow cards, Santos came on to replace Schlegel to allow Brekalo to move inside with Jansson. Perhaps it was because of the desperation with which Orlando City was playing, but it wasn’t too bad of an outing for Santos. He was active on the left side, putting in five crosses, but he completed just one. Santos tried to combine with his teammates while looking to break down the Chicago defense. He had 34 touches, completing 95.8% of his 24 passes. Defensively, he had one clearance.

MF, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, (77’), 6 — I feel like Dagur Dan could have started in place of Gerbet rather than subbing on. His motor was obviously better than those that had played more minutes during the month of May. He was persistent in trying to win the ball back when Chicago tried to counter attack. He only managed nine touches, completing 100% of his six passes. His individual effort in stoppage time was a highlight, as he did well to win the ball back and jumpstart the counter, but ultimately Enrique not only strayed offside prior to the pass but also fired his shot off target anyway.

MF, Gustavo Caraballo (88′), N/A — The youngster came on late for Pasalic. He only managed six touches, completing 80% of his five passes. The four he completed were all back passes. He made some runs into the box, but the ball never arrived for him to get a chance.

That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando City’s disappointing 3-1 loss at home against Chicago. Let us know what you thought of the game in the comments below and don’t forget to vote for your Man of the Match.

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