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

How did your favorite Lions perform in a 4-2 home victory against the Chicago Fire?

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2 years ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

After a midweek draw against Charlotte FC and on the tail end of three matches in eight days, Orlando City returned to Central Florida for the second meeting of the season against the Chicago Fire. Orlando City recorded its best offensive performace of the season, winning 4-2 in front of the home crowd.

Let’s take a look at how the players performed individually in the much-needed home victory.

Starters

GK, Mason Stajduhar, 8 —  In his third straight start in net, Stajduhar answered the bell time and time again for Orlando City against the Fire and in doing so, put in arugably the best performance by an Orlando City keeper this season. On the night, Mason made a total of 10 saves, tying a club single-game record. He completed 61.8% of his 34 passes, which included seven accurate long balls on 20 attempts and was also credited with one clearance. The keeper can hardly be faulted for the two goals scored, as he guessed wrong on a Chicago Fire penalty kick early in the second half and then allowed the second goal from point-blank range on a giveaway by his back line.

D, Rafael Santos, 6 — Santos recorded 50 touches and completed 87.5% of his 32 passes, including completing both of his long ball attempts but missing failing on his lone crossing attempt. Santos had a team-high four interceptions while also contributing two clearances but failed to record a tackle. Santos was unfortunate that the second goal came off his leg, as he would have expected captain Robin Jansson to deal with the cross. When the Swede whiffed, it hit the back of Santos’ leg and teed up Hugo Cuypers for an easy goal. One thing Santos did well in this match was switch the point of attack. Offensively, Santos did not attempt a shot, was dispossesed once, and had one unstable touch.

D, Robin Jansson, 6 — The Swedish center back recorded 47 touches and completed 91.7% of his 36 passes, including two of his five long balls. Defensively, he added a team-high six clearances and two tackles. He unfortunately played a major role in the second Fire goal, giving the opposition a lifeline as he whiffed attempting to clear a Chicago cross into the box in the second half. Jansson was fouled once and committed no fouls against the Fire.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6 —  The Argentine touched the ball 46 times and completed 79.4% of his 46 passes, including one of his four long balls. Defensively, he won a team-high three aerial duels and contributed two tackles, four clearances, and a blocked shot while committing one foul. Schlegel gave away a penalty with a late slide as he tried to recover on defense in the 51st minute. Attempting to deny a cutback pass, the ball hit his arm as he was going to ground. If his arm had been making contact with the ground, the play would have been legal, but it had not yet touched and it allowed Maren Haile-Selassie to score from the spot. Offensively, Schlegel did not record an offensive statistic but drew three fouls.

D, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, 7.5 — The Icelandic fullback recorded 47 touches, completing 80.7% of his 31 passes. Thorhallsson was credited with a team-high three key passes against the Fire but was unlucky in the long ball department, failing on all three of his attempts. Defensively, he logged two tackles, two interceptions, and three clearances while comitting two fouls. Offensively, Thorhallsson failed to record a shot but assisted on both Facundo Torres bangers. He completed two dribbles and looked potent in the attacking third of the field.

MF, Facundo Torres, 8.5 (MotM) — The Designated Player showed the form that Orlando City has been waiting for all season, picking up where he left off Wednesday in Charlotte. The Uruguayan played with confidence Saturday. He recorded 46 touches and completed 89.2% of his 37 passes. Torres put both of his shot attempts on target and scored a goal on each of them. He also completed one dribble and drew one foul. Defensively, Torres did not record any statistics but did commit one foul. Torres’ early goal set the tone for the team’s best offensive performance on the year.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 6 — Araujo returned to the starting lineup after coming off the bench in Charlotte and managed a team-high 56 touches while completing 89.6% of his 48 passes. He was acurate on three of his four long balls as well. Defensively, he logged three tackles and one clearance and was issued a yellow card in the 83rd minute. Statistically, it was a calm night for the young Uruguyan. A criticism of not just Araujo, but the team as a whole, is that there was too much space outside the area left for gifted players like Brian Gutierrez to fire uncontested shots.

MF, Nico Lodeiro, 6 — Lodeiro recorded 55 touches and completed 84.1% of his 44 passes. He completed one dribble and suffered three fouls. Defensively, he logged two tackles and an interception. Lodeiro’s hustle in the third minute was the catalyst for the opening goal as the midfielder slid to win a 50-50 ball and knocking it to Thorhallsson. For that, he received a secondary assist on the play. Surprisingly, Lodeiro did not record a key pass after amassing 10 on Wednesday, nor did he attempt a shot. He was subbed off in the 66th minute for seldom used rookie Jeorgio Kocevski and fresh legs.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 7 — The Colombian had a solid outing, scoring a goal, drawing a penalty, and using his speed effectively. Angulo used that speed to slip past two defenders on a through ball from Luis Muriel and was pulled down from behind, leading to Muriel’s penalty kick goal. He had a chance in transition to put the game away late but missed the target on his shot from the left. Angulo finished with 39 touches and completed 91.7% of his 24 passes, including a successful long ball on his only attempt. He drew one foul. One area of concern was his three unstable touches. Defensively, he led the team with four tackles and logged an interception.

F, Luis Muriel, 6.5 — Muriel recorded 36 touches and completed 76% of his 25 passes. He was successful on his lone long ball attempt as well. He finally scored at home, sending Chris Brady to score from the penalty spot. He put both of his shot attempts on target and and completed one dribble but also had five unstable touches. Defensively, he got back and contributed a tackle and an interception. He was subbed off in the 59th minute for Martin Ojeda.

F, Duncan McGuire, 6 — The target man up top recorded 24 touches, completed 85.7% of his 14 passes, and was successful on his lone long ball attempt. Offensively, McGuire put his lone shot attempt on target but was not as involved in this match. His back heel attempt in the 29th minute was initially saved by Brady, but it was not a clean save and resulted in Angulo’s goal. There were a few instances where he could have done better, as the striker was dispossesed three times, including a bad giveaway in the 11th minute that nearly led to a tying goal at the time. Stajduhar was able to deny a good chance by Cuypers and Haile-Selassie put the rebound over the net. McGuire was whistled for offside once and had an unstable touch. Defensively, he chipped in with a tackle and a clearance.

Substitutes

MF, Martin Ojeda (59’), 5 — Ojeda came on in the 59th minute for Muriel and the attacking midfielder managed just 17 touches and completed only 50% of his eight passes, including one successful long ball on two attempts. Ojeda was credited with one key pass when he picked out Angulo on the break, but the Colombian was unable to finish the job. Ojeda took one shot which sailed just inches over the crossbar with an open net in the 87th minute. He was dispossessed once and had three unstable touches. Defensively, he contributed two tackles.

MF, Jeorgio Kocevski (67’), 5.5 — Kocevski entered the match in the 67th minute for Lodeiro. He had 10 touches and completed four of his six passes (66.7%). He had one dribble and also recorded a tackle and a clearance while providing solid, if not unspectacular, depth in the midfield.

D, Kyle Smith (78′), 5.5 — Smith came on for Santos in the 78th minute as Orlando looked to lock things down defensively. He logged 16 touches and completed 60% of his 10 passes. Smith failed to connect on both of his long ball attempts. In limited minutes, he won an aerial duel and contributed one tackle, one interception, and three clearances. However, he also had a bad giveaway in the 79th minute that forced Stajduhar to punch away a hard shot by Gutierrez.

That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando City’s victory against the Chicago Fire. Let us know how you saw the game and don’t forget to vote on your Man of the Match below.

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Orlando City

A Look at Left Back for Orlando City and the Orlando Pride

How does the left side of Orlando City’s and the Orlando Pride’s defense stack up?

Published

13 hours ago

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January 22, 2026

By

Image of Adrian Marin dribbling the ball against the Columbus Crew.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Left back seems to be an issue for many teams in many leagues. Right backs are a dime a dozen. I suppose left-footed players are harder to come by, making good ones all the more valuable. There have been challenges for both Orlando City and the Orlando Pride when it comes to filling the role. Let’s look at the current state of things for both teams.

Orlando City

Oscar Pareja prefers to have one or both of his fullbacks move forward into the offense. For two years, Orlando City tried to have Rafael Santos shore up the left side of the back line. He was quick enough, and effective enough on offense to play the position in Pareja’s system. However, the results were mixed. It took Santos quite a bit of time each season to round into form, making him a liability early in the year. He would then start to show signs of improvement, even having the occasional excellent performance. Sadly, it wouldn’t last. He was inconsistent and eventually lost the starting role in 2025 to center back David Brekalo. He lost the starting role to a player whose primary position was not left back.

Brekalo was a defensive improvement over Santos, which Orlando City needed, but he was not as effective moving forward. The added problem of having him at left back was that it diminished the depth at center back. It forced Rodrigo Schlegel into the starting role, meaning you never knew if you were getting good Rodri or bad Rodri, but you were always guaranteed a booking. With his departure, it looks like Brekalo will have a chance to earn a starting spot next to Robin Jansson at center back.

That paves the way for Adrian Marin to assume the starting role at left back. Marin was brought in last season for that reason, but joining a club mid-season often presents challenges. As such, Pareja stuck with Brekalo more often than not. It will be Marin’s spot to lose. That puts Homegrown Tahir Reid-Brown as a potential back up, but Pareja might still utilize Brekalo if necessary. There is still a need for more depth.

Orlando Pride

Things are a little more stable on the Orlando Pride side of the ledger. Kerry Abello has been, and continues to be, the starting left back. Abello is a solid if not spectacular defender. After that, there are a bunch of right backs and a center back who can play on the left. Kylie Nadaner has player there but is more likely to be at center back. More importantly, she won’t be available until summer after her baby is born.

Oihane is the starting right back. Cori Dyke has also spent time as a backup on the left, but her natural position is on the right. The list of defenders who could play on the left also includes Hailie Mace, Zara Chavoshi, and Hannah Anderson. Again, none of these players are natural left backs. I know that Seb Hines loves players who are versatile, but perhaps a natural left back to challenge or at least back up Abello would be better. We will have to see what Caitlin Carducci has up her sleeve with all that money from the Emily Sams deal.

I know that my being left-handed has nothing to do with the lack of depth on the left side of the defense, but it still feels like right-handed bias. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/22/26

Orlando City B’s 2026 schedule is out, MLS unveils General Allocation Money totals, Adrian Heath reveals details of kidnapping nightmare, and more.

Published

16 hours ago

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January 22, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’m getting pretty excited for soccer to return to the City Beautiful, and it won’t be much longer until we can see our favorite players in purple once more. Until then, enjoy today’s links from around the soccer world!

Orlando City B Announces 2026 Schedule

We now know the schedules for all three of the club’s soccer teams, as Orlando City B unveiled its MLS NEXT Pro schedule for 2026. The Young Lions will open the season on a Monday when they host Huntsville City FC on March 2. They’ll follow that match with another home game on March 8 against Chicago Fire FC II. OCB’s schedule will include 28 games yet again, with the league staying in action while the World Cup is going on. Decision Day will take place on Sept. 20 against Atlanta United 2, with all Eastern Conference teams playing at 2 p.m. Hopefully the Young Lions can return to the playoffs after missing out last year.

MLS Unveils General Allocation Money Totals

MLS released information on how much 2026 General Allocation Money (GAM) each club has heading into the upcoming season. As of Jan. 20, Orlando City’s total comes to $3,518,514, which is a bit low compared to other clubs. However, it’s worth bearing in mind that roster moves are still being made that could easily change these totals, such as former Lion Facundo Torres’ reported move to Austin FC that will give Orlando some money due to the sell-on percentage. Clubs who choose the MLS U22 Initiative roster construction path will also receive another $2 million in GAM once the roster compliance deadline passes.

Minnesota United has the most 2026 GAM in the league and is the only club with over $7 million of it. The award for the lowest amount goes to Austin, which has roughly $2.5 million and is the only club under the $3 million mark according to the league.

Adrian Heath Was Held at Knifepoint in Morocco in 2024

You will need to get past the paywall for the full details, but former Orlando City head coach Adrian Heath spoke to The Athletic about being kidnapped and held at knifepoint in Morocco in 2024. Heath flew to the country for a management opportunity in Saudi Arabia that turned out to be a sham, with men holding him captive in exchange for money. Heath thankfully made it back to the United States thanks to help from his wife Jane, his son and former Lion Harrison Heath, and Harrison’s wife and soccer analyst Kaylyn Kyle (formerly with the Orlando Pride). It’s a harrowing story that’s worth checking out, and hopefully Heath coming forward about this helps keep other coaches safe.

UEFA Champions League Roundup

The penultimate round of the UEFA Champions League’s league phase is complete and the tournament’s bigger teams cruised for the most part. English clubs Liverpool, Chelsea, and Newcastle all had shutout wins, Harry Kane scored a brace in Bayern Munich’s 2-0 win over Union Saint-Gilloise, and Barcelona rallied to beat Slavia Praha 4-2. The match of the day though was in Azerbaijan, as Qarabag scored a late equalizer and then a winner in stoppage time to beat Eintracht Frankfurt 3-2. While Frankfurt has been in dire straits this tournament and is eliminated, it’s still an impressive result from Qarabag.

BAHLUL MUSTAFAZADA WINS IT FOR QARABAĞ FK WITH THE LAST KICK OF THE GAME 🤯

— CBS Sports Golazo (@cbssportsgolazo-m.bsky.social) 2026-01-21T13:58:25-06:00

The last round of matches in the league phase is next week and there’s plenty to play for for most teams as they jockey for position to qualify for either the knockout phase or the round of 16.

Free Kicks

  • The cinematography on these videos of the Orlando Pride training this preseason is pretty top notch if I do say so myself.
  • The LA Galaxy are reportedly aiming to acquire St. Louis City forward Joao Klauss in exchange for around $2 million. Klauss scored 10 goals last season and would reportedly fill the Designated Player slot opened up in LA by Riqui Puig’s injury.

🟡🚨 BREAKING: LA Galaxy in talks to acquire St. Louis City DP forward Joao Klauss, per sources.Deal would be a cash trade around $2m.Not done yet, still details to sort + green light from player needed, but talks ongoing.www.nytimes.com/athletic/698…

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2026-01-21T19:07:56.157Z
  • The Josh Sargent transfer saga has reportedly escalated as he pushes for a move from Norwich City to Toronto FC.

Josh Sargent continues to train with second team as he pushes for transfer to Toronto FC.TFC & Norwich continue negotiations.

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2026-01-22T00:02:20.027Z

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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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/21/26

The Orlando Pride return to training, Facundo Torres returning to MLS, U.S. National Team news, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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January 21, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers! I hope you’ve been staying warm, though I assume it’s been a bit cooler up here in Tallahassee than it has been for those of you who reside in or near Orlando. Personally, I love this weather. I get that I live in Florida, but I should be able to wear jackets and sweaters during January and February at the very least. I appreciate you reading my short weather rant. Now, let’s get to the links.

The Orlando Pride Are Back

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. If that is indeed the case, then I wonder how many words a video is worth? Since we don’t have any articles detailing the return of the Orlando Pride to training on Tuesday, the club’s social media pictures and videos will have to suffice to let us know how it went.

Torres Returns to MLS

Facundo Torres’ time with Palmeiras is over. The former Lion is reportedly headed back to MLS to sign with Austin FC. Assuming that Tom Bogert’s information is correct, Orlando City will pocket an almost $1.5 million sell-on fee for Torres. That money plus the $14 million the Lions got in the transfer to Palmeiras is a good chunk of change for the left-footed attacker. If anyone knows his strengths and weaknesses, it will be Orlando City.

MLS Transfer News

The rest of MLS is not sitting around waiting for the season to begin. There have been more signings from across the league. The Houston Dynamo acquired forward Nick Markanich on loan from Spanish side CD Castellón. The LA Galaxy signed Johnny Nelson to a new contract through the 2027-2028 season.

Atlanta United transferred midfielder Edwin Mosquera to Colombian side Independiente Santa Fe. Meanwhile, the New England Revolution signed Griffin Yow from Belgian Pro League side KVC Westerlo through the 2027-2028 MLS season.

U.S. National Team News

Every day we get a little closer to the 2026 World Cup, although we’re still a way off from Mauricio Pochettino naming his World Cup roster. That being said, there are still some obvious front runners for those spots, including Orlando City’s Alex Freeman. Once the MLS season starts, the selection process will really begin, as all the potential players will be playing for their respective clubs in the hopes of playing for their country. Ricardo Pepi might be with a different club despite a recent broken arm. The PSV striker has interest from English Premier League sides like Fulham. Also, check out this goal from Haji Wright.

On the women’s side, Emma Hayes is doing some evaluations of her own. The USWNT coach is using the January camp to look at how deep the player pool for the U.S. really is. The first chance for players to shine comes Saturday against Paraguay. The second match will be Tuesday against Chile.

Free Kicks

  • The Canadian Premier League will institute Arsene Wenger’s “daylight” offside rule this season. This is a trial of the new rule to see how it plays out in actual matches and not just in theory. If it works it could pave the way for broader adoption.
  • You probably saw the video of Moroccan ball boys trying to take a towel away from Senegal’s backup goalkeeper. This is worse and indicative of how out of control the match really was.

That will do it for today. We very much appreciate you reading our content so please feel free to provide feedback in the comments of any of our articles. Vamos Orlando!

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