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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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2 years 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.Β 

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

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6 β€” 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.Β 

D, Rafael Santos, 4 β€” 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 β€” 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.Β 

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6 β€” 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.Β 

D, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, 6 β€” 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) β€” 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 β€” 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 β€” 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 β€” 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 β€” 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 β€” 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 β€” 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 β€” 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.Β 

F, Jack Lynn (82’), 6 β€” 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 β€” 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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Orlando City

Flashback Friday: July 4, 2023 vs. Toronto FC

Let’s rewind to an Independence Day affair that had plenty of offensive fireworks.

Published

3 days ago

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July 3, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

The United States Men’s National Team picked up a gritty, resilient 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32 on Wednesday, and will now face Belgium in a rematch of the 2014 World Cup Round of 16 next Monday. While we patiently wait for that game, it’s time to continue our Friday tradition of revisiting some classic Orlando City games from years past.

Last week, we rewound to a high octane affair against the Chicago Fire in late June 2022, that saw the Lions douse Chicago’s flames and pick up a much-needed 4-2 victory. Today, let’s hop in the time machine and travel back to Independence Day 2023, when Toronto FC came to town.

At the time of Toronto’s visit, things were going relatively smoothly for OCSC. The team was riding a three-match unbeaten streak and had scored five goals across those three games. Oscar Pareja lined up his team in its customary 4-2-3-1, with Pedro Gallese in goal; a back line of Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Antonio Carlos, and Kyle Smith; Wilder Cartagena and Cesar Araujo in the double pivot; Ivan Angulo, Mauricio Pereyra, and Facundo Torres in the attacking midfield; and Duncan McGuire up top.

Orlando very nearly got a goal a little under 10 minutes into the game. Former OCSC goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh knocked down a cross in front of the net, and while Pereyra was first to the ball, he could only blast it over the bar with the goal at his mercy. Fortunately, that miss would not come back to haunt the Lions, who bagged the game’s first goal in the 16th minute. Angulo sucked defenders toward him on the left edge of the box before releasing Santos out wide. The fullback played a peach of a first-time, curling cross to the back post, where Araujo was waiting to power a diving header into the side netting at the far post for his first league goal.

That goal broke the game open, and Orlando got another goal six minutes later to double the advantage. It initially looked like a carbon copy of the first goal, with Santos out in space on the left side of the box, sending in a curled cross. The ball deflected off a defender and came in low toward the goal. Ranjitsingh waited for the ball instead of going to claim it, and that allowed McGuire to nip in front of him and get a touch on the ball to sneak it in at the near post.

Orlando nearly got even more goals inside the half hour, with Torres and McGuire both going close in quick succession. Federico Bernardeschi smashed a shot off the post in the 28th minute, and the Lions seemed to be losing focus a little bit, with the hydration break a welcome pause in play when it came. OCSC came out of the pause well, and Pereyra put Angulo through in the 36th minute, but the Colombian couldn’t bring the ball under control and fashion a shooting chance.

Orlando led in every meaningful statistical category at halftime. The Lions had more possession (55.8%-44.2%), shots (6-2), shots on goal (2-0), corners (4-2), and passing accuracy (89.5%-85%). Most importantly, they led 2-0 on the scoreboard.

Toronto tried to change things at halftime by introducing three substitutes, but Orlando settled back into the game quickly and negated the efforts of interim TFC manager Terry Dunfield. Angulo and Torres forced Ranjitsingh into a pair of saves in the 53rd and 55th minutes, and the Lions tried to press their advantage by sending on Ramiro Enrique and Martin Ojeda in the 57th minute for McGuire and Pereyra.

The game then changed in a big way in the 62nd minute. Cartagena and Bernardeschi exchanged words after a turnover, and the Italian winger put Cartagena on the ground with the help of a little theatrics from the midfielder. Bernardeschi had already been yellow carded in the 47th minute for a foul on Smith, and the altercation with Wilder saw him receive a second yellow and his marching orders to go along with it.

With TFC down to 10 men, the Lions started to tee off at goal. Ojeda came close to getting the team’s third in the 69th minute, with Enrique doing the same in the 71st but missing just wide. When the goal finally came, it was from the unlikely foot of Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, who had been subbed into the game alongside Ercan Kara in the 68th minute.

Thorhallsson made a great run behind the defense in the 77th minute, and Araujo picked him out well. Ranjitsingh came out to try to play sweeper-keeper, but DDT beat him to the ball easily, touched it around the former Lion, and rolled it into the empty net to score his first MLS goal and make it 3-0.

Toronto had a halfway decent chance to pull one back in the 82nd minute, but Brandon Servania’s long-distance attempt at chipping Gallese ended up missing high and settling on the roof of the net. Kara then iced the game in the 84th minute. Araujo fired a pass to Ojeda at the top of the box, and even though he had trouble bringing it under control, he had the presence of mind to backheel it toward goal for the big Austrian to pounce on and fire a low, hard shot into the net for 4-0.

Ojeda nearly got a goal of his own two minutes later but had a great effort saved in what was the last truly dangerous moment of the game.

As was the case at halftime, when the final whistle blew, the Lions had created plenty of fireworks on both the scoreboard and the stat sheet. OCSC finished with more possession (59.6%-40.4%), shots (18-6), shots on target (9-0), corners (8-2), and passing accuracy (91%-84.8%).

Marcus Mitchell had Player Grades for this one, and he named Araujo the Man of the Match with a grade of 8 out of 10 for his one-goal/one-assist effort. The other high performers on the night were Antonio Carlos, and Cartagena, who each graded out at 7.5 out of 10.

That’ll do it for this week’s trip down memory lane. We’ve been getting spoiled lately, with Orlando putting up four goals in back-to-back time machine games, and it’s made for an enjoyable glimpse into years gone by. With any luck, next week’s edition will be similarly entertaining. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/3/26

Orlando Pride visit Angel City tonight, NWSL free agents to watch, Portugal and Spain advance, and more.

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3 days ago

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July 3, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! I don’t have many plans this holiday weekend beyond enjoying some soccer and indulging myself in a few hot dogs to celebrate. It should be a fun weekend, but make sure to stay safe out there if you plan on setting off any fireworks. For now though, let’s get to the links!

Orlando Pride Take On Angel City FC Tonight

The NWSL resumes today and the Orlando Pride will play against Angel City FC at 10 p.m. in their first match since a 3-1 win over Bay FC on May 29. That win capped off a six-game month for the Pride, including a stretch of three straight road games. Meanwhile, Angel City parted ways with Alex Straus over the break after only winning once in May, and tonight’s match will be Leif Gunnar Smerud’s first since being named interim head coach. It can be tough playing an opponent with a new coach, but hopefully the Pride can bring all three points back to Orlando.

Top NWSL Free Agents to Watch

Free agency is officially underway in the NWSL and the list of players with contracts expiring at the end of the year includes some of the league’s best players. Orlando Pride star Marta was listed as one of the top free agents to watch, though I would be pretty shocked if she plays for another NWSL club if she leaves Orlando after this season. Leicy Santos, Debinha, and Rose Lavelle are other skilled attackers who will become free agents, but Gotham FC goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger is sure to have plenty of clubs reaching out for her talents as well.

Portugal and Spain Advance in World Cup

This World Cup hasn’t been short on excitement and that continued with Portugal’s 2-1 win against Croatia. After a scoreless first half, Croatia took the lead thanks to a goal from Ivan Perisic, but Cristiano Ronaldo equalized from the penalty spot and the game was moments away from heading to extra time. Goncalo Ramos gave Portugal the goal it needed to advance deep in stoppage time, but Croatia nearly came back with a goal that was disallowed due to an offside call. Spain cruised to a 3-0 win against Austria to book its spot in the round of 16 as well. Mikel Oyarzabal scored twice for his second brace of the tournament, with Marc Cucurella assisting on both of his goals. Spain and Portugal will square off in the next round in what should be a fantastic match. Switzerland and Algeria kicked off late.

The round of 32 wraps up today with a trio of matches, starting with Egypt’s game against Australia. Cape Verde will then look to shock the world when it plays Argentina, and the late game will be between Colombia and Ghana.

Columbus Crew Sign New Designated Player

The Columbus Crew have signed Spanish midfielder Brais Mendez to a Designated Player contract through the 2028-2029 season with a club option for the 2029-2030 season. Mendez has spent the past four La Liga seasons with Real Sociedad, recording 33 goals and 24 assists in 166 appearances. He gives the crew some additional firepower as reports swirl regarding Diego Rossi’s departure for CF Monterrey. While maybe not in the same headline-grabbing tier of MLS summer signings like Antoine Griezmann or Robert Lewandowski, Mendez is a big addition to the league as the Eastern Conference arms race continues.

Free Kicks

  • CF Montreal sent $2.1 million in General Allocation Money to Austin FC in exchange for midfielder Dani Pereira. Selected with the first overall pick in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft, Pereira has contributed six goals and 23 assists in 165 appearances across all competitions for Austin.
  • Real Salt Lake reportedly rejected a transfer bid around $3.5 million from CF Monterrey for midfielder Diego Luna.
  • American winger Emma Sears reportedly requested a trade from Racing Louisville, although the club is not reportedly interested in a midseason transfer.
  • The United States Men’s National Team’s win over Bosnia and Herzegovina had record viewership. Understandably so, too, as I spent most of the match pacing around my living room.

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: 7/2/26

USMNT shuts out Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kat Asman loaned to Denver Summit FC, MLS transfer news, and more.

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4 days ago

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July 2, 2026

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Image of Pride goalkeeper Kat Asman
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Wednesday nights are starting to feel magical. Orlando City has thrived this year when playing on Wednesdays, and now the United States Men’s National Team has provided us with a reason to tackle this Thursday at full force. Before we dive into that result and the rest of today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City defender Tahir Reid-Brown!

USMNT Survives Red Card to Advance

The U.S. won 2-0 against Bosnia and Herzegovina in an emotional rollercoaster of a match in the World Cup’s round of 32. Folarin Balogun got the U.S. on the board at a crucial time right before halftime by scoring his third goal of the tournament. But the game flipped on its head in the second half when Balogun was shown a harsh red card by the referee after video review for a foul when he accidentally came down on the back of an opponent’s foot. The Yanks fought hard to make up for the difference of being down a player and doubled their lead after earning a free kick right outside the box. Malik Tillman’s shot went up and over the wall and into the net for a goal U.S. fans will be replaying over and over again.

The U.S. did well to grind out the win after that second goal, with former Lion Alex Freeman doing his part on defense to help shut out Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was a memorable win, and now the U.S. will turn its focus to its round-of-16 matchup against Belgium on Monday.

Pride Loan Goalkeeper Kat Asman to Denver Summit

The Orlando Pride loaned goalkeeper Kat Asman to the Denver Summit for the remainder of the 2026 NWSL season. Asman is coming off of a loan with Lexington SC in the Gainbridge Super League, where she played every minute of the season to help Lexington win the title. She posted 11 clean sheets with Lexington last season and won the league’s Golden Glove as well. Asman has yet to make an appearance for the Pride since joining prior to the 2025 season, and her contract expires at the end of the season. She now heads to Denver, where Abby Smith has done well in goal as the expansion team’s starter.

MLS Transfer News Roundup

Real Salt Lake sent $625,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) to Atlanta United in exchange for winger Saba Lobjanidze and a third-round pick in the 2028 MLS SuperDraft, with another $100,000 in GAM going Atlanta’s way if he re-signs with Real Salt Lake. The Columbus Crew fully acquired defender Andres Herrera from River Plate after an extended loan, signing him to a contract through the 2028-2029 season. The LA Galaxy transferred defender Mauricio Cuevas to Santos Laguna, the New England Revolution added forward Wilson Harris, and Sporting Kansas City signed center back Moises Mosquera from FC Juarez. The San Jose Earthquakes are reportedly close to signing Scottish goalkeeper Angus Gunn, with Daniel heading to FC Dallas in a trade if that happens. It’s somewhat surprising considering Daniel has done well to help San Jose only concede 15 goals this season.

🏴󠁧󠁒󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Sources: San Jose Earthquakes closing in on a deal to sign Scotland int'l GK Angus Gunn.πŸ‡§πŸ‡· Sources: FC Dallas has agreed to a deal to acquire GK Daniel from San Jose.βž• Daniel trade is contingent on Gunn signing being formalized.

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2026-07-01T16:34:02.297Z

European Nations Move On After Dramatic Comebacks

This World Cup continues to deliver thrilling games during this new round-of-32 phase. Senegal looked certain to go through to the next round until Belgium scored a pair of goals after the 85th minute to knot the game at 2-2 and send it into extra time. The game was decided by a penalty, but not in a shootout, as a foul in the box resulted in Youri Tielemans scoring from the spot to give Belgium the victory. In Atlanta, Harry Kane scored twice to rescue England in a 2-1 win over the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Brian Cipanga gave the Congo an early lead, but Kane struck twice in the second half, with his winner being one of the best goals of the tournament so far.

England is now set to face Mexico at the Azteca on Sunday in what should be a great game. As for today’s action, Orlando City winger Marco Pasalic and Croatia will take on Portugal in a matchup between European heavyweights. The winner of that match will face whoever prevails today between Spain and Austria, with Switzerland and Algeria squaring off in the late night match.

Free Kicks

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

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