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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Toronto FC: Final Score 2-1 as Lions Pick up Road Win in Canada

The Lions fell behind early again but were able to grind out a road win in Toronto.

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3 days ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

The Lions conceded in the opening minutes yet again, but this time Orlando City (6-9-6, 24 points) was able to come from behind and take all three points. Martin Ojeda and an own goal forced by Facundo Torres brought the Lions back just before halftime in a 2-1 victory over Toronto FC (7-12-3, 24 points) at BMO Field. Derrick Etienne Jr. had given the hosts the lead just minutes after the opening kick, but the Lions held firm despite several nervy moments in the second half.

“We want to dedicate this game to Mason (Stajduhar), who has suffered this tremendous injury. And I know he’s happy to see us winning, but we want to share this joy with him. So, this is for Mason. We’re all talking about it in the lockerroom,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “I want to congratulate the players for such an important resolve in this moment that we need to win games. Today they demonstrated the commitment that they have with the club. So, we’re very proud of this result and the effort that they had on the pitch.”

Pareja’s lineup featured the return of Pedro Gallese in goal behind a back line of Kyle Smith, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson. Wilder Cartagena was also back in the starting XI, joining Cesar Araujo in central midfield behind an attacking line of Ivan Angulo, Ojeda, and Torres, with Duncan McGuire up top.

Toronto scored on its first shot, as Orlando’s defensive inattentiveness continued. Federico Bernardeschi sent in a cross from the right that Raoul Petretta easily won over Thorhallsson at the back post. He headed it down into the middle of the area where absolutely no Lions were concerned with Etienne Jr., who smashed it past Gallese from point-blank range to open the scoring. It was a ridiculously easy goal for the hosts just five minutes in, and it was the 10th goal conceded by Orlando in the first 15 minutes of an MLS match this season — the 16th in all competitions.

“I think it was a couple of distractions that we had,” Pareja said about the early goal. “It’s something that I need to work on and help them. That’s probably a lack of sharpness or concentration, because after that we just engaged in the game in such a way that we looked as we wanted. But these things cannot happen. It’s something that we have been working on but it seems like it is not enough yet. We all collectively need to be aware that this can’t happen.”

Bernardeschi didn’t miss by much in an attempt to double the lead four minutes later. Marked by Angulo, the Italian made one quick fake and easily cleared himself for a left-footed shot that fizzed just off target.

After a dreadful effort from distance by Cartagena came nowhere near the goal, Orlando fashioned its first decent scoring chance in the 15th minute. Ojeda took the ball away in the attacking third, worked his way from right to left across the top of the box to free himself, and fired a shot on goal. The Argentine couldn’t generate much power on the effort, however, and it was an easy save for Sean Johnson.

Angulo had a couple of crosses blocked in the following minutes, with one getting knocked behind for a corner in the 24th minute. The initial cross was cleared but Orlando nearly created something with the two recycled attacks through Cartagena. The first was fizzed dangerously in front with the Peruvian’s right foot, but Johnson did well to get down and get a hand to it to keep it from getting through, allowing his defense to clear. Another ball came in to Cartagena, and this time he headed it across the box but it didn’t reach the intended target.

Three minutes after that flurry, the Lions equalized. Angulo got his cross through this time and it was a perfect ball for Ojeda to smash home with his head after being left unmarked in front. His second goal of the season tied the match in the 27th minute.

“Of course, I’m happy about the the goal that I was able to convert, but I think more so just overall about this victory that the team needed to get tonight and that we’ve been working so hard to get,” Ojeda said through a club interpreter. “When I saw Facu turn to the other side of the field, the opposite side of where I was, I knew I had to get into the box. That was what I was trying to do to make sure Duncan wasn’t alone in the box. And then, once I saw Ivan out wide in space and Facu played the ball to him, I knew that if I could get into the center, I’d be in a really good spot to make a play on the ball. And thankfully the cross from Ivan was fantastic, and he put it right on my head, where all I had to do was just make the movement towards the ball, and thankfully it went in.”

The Lions continued to control the match for several minutes after the tying goal, winning some set pieces but doing little with them. Thorhallsson scorched a free kick from the left toward goal in the 33rd minute but it hit the wall and deflected out for a corner. On the ensuing set piece, Araujo got a foot to it and knocked it to the left of the goal, where Jansson tried to redirect it but he missed just wide.

Toronto got back on the front foot after that series of chances. A free kick conceded by Araujo near the left sideline was sent in front and headed toward the back post, forcing Gallese to get over and punch it away. The second ball in was cleared out by Jansson’s head, but Toronto maintained possession. Lorenzo Insigne got a step on Thorhallsson moving inside from the left and sent a curling shot just wide of the right post in the 39th minute.

Orlando took the lead on the brink of halftime. A well-worked play starting in the midfield ended up with Torres on the right. The Uruguayan tried to cross in with his right foot. Toronto defender Gomis got a foot on it but only deflected it toward the back post. Johnson couldn’t react in time and the ball bounced in to make it 2-1 Lions in the 45th minute. It was just the second own goal to Orlando’s benefit in 2024.

“It means a lot for the group to see Facu at this level,” Pareja said about his star setting up the winner with his seldom-used right foot. “Today he threatened not just (with) his left cutting inside, but his right, and I think it’s going to give him a lot of confidence because he could do that much more often on receiving the ball and pushing the ball forward on his right. That’s very difficult to mark, and today he tried. He decided to do it, and look at what happened — a cross that was dangerous.”

The three minutes of stoppage time played out without incident and Orlando took its lead into the lockerroom.

The Reds had the halftime advantage in possession (51.7%-48.3%) and passing accuracy (88.3%-87.3%). Orlando finished the half with more shots (8-5), shots on target (2-1), and corners (4-0). The half was evenly played, but the own goal was the difference.

“The first half I liked it a lot,” Pareja said. “I thought we played very well. This is pretty much where we are and we scored goals. And despite that first goal in the first minutes that shouldn’t happen, the reaction was outstanding from the players.”

Neither team was able to find a goal in the second half, although Toronto came closest and fashioned by far the most chances. Orlando struggled to maintain possession and eventually gave up doing anything but trying to stay organized and hit on the counter — something Luis Muriel had two golden opportunities to do but could not.

When the Lions did have chances to get the ball forward, McGuire struggled to win the initial ball or maintain possession, as the striker fought with his first touch most of the evening.

Orlando created the first good chance of the second half just three minutes after the restart as Torres got in on the right and received the ball, but he slipped as he was cutting back to shoot it and ended up getting his attempt blocked as a result of the delay. A minute later, the Lions were in good shape on another transition opportunity but Angulo became indecisive, then made one too many moves, allowing the defense to arrive and dispossess him.

One of McGuire’s turnovers led to a Toronto chance in the 53rd minute as a cross from the left was just inches over Prince Owusu’s head. Three minutes later, Insigne switched play from left to right to Bernardeschi, who sent a dangerous cross through the area but it skipped out the other side for a goal kick.

From that point on, it was primarily about Orlando keeping Toronto from breaking down the door. Jansson did well in the 70th minute to clear the box after Owusu knocked down a dangerous ball to the middle of the penalty area. Gallese caught a high deflection moments later as the Reds continued to rain crosses into the penalty area and the Lions’ block got pushed lower and lower.

Orlando survived a poor header from center back Aime Mabika in the 76th minute when Jansson tripped in the area.

As time wound down, the Lions finally created some opportunities in transition to put the game away. The first came in the 86th minute when Gallese punched the ball out of his area and it was sent up the field for second-half sub Muriel. He had two defenders closing on him, but seeing Johnson off his line, he went for goal from midfield and missed wide to the right. He would have done better to play in fellow sub Ramiro Enrique, who would have been all alone, but perhaps he didn’t see the Argentine.

Kobe Franklin nearly tied the match in the 90th minute. He took a layoff at the top of the area and smashed a shot off Gallese’s crossbar.

Muriel got down the field in the 93rd minute and beat Johnson with his shot but missed inches wide of the left post. Three minutes later, he found himself in a similar situation and missed inches wide of the right post, failing again to seal the deal.

After a few more nervous minutes, the final whistle blew and Orlando had its road win.

Toronto finished with the advantage in possession (56.6%-43.4%), passing accuracy (87.3%-85%), and corners (6-4), while each team finished with 13 shot attempts and Orlando put more on frame (2-1).

“Second half, we defended in the last period of the game very low,” Pareja said. “We couldn’t contain the numbers and the volume of the players that Toronto sent, but we had also some opportunities to put the game (to) 3-1. So, again, we’re happy. This is a good step for us in this moment. Now we’re looking forward to going back home and winning there.”

The Lions won their third straight match at BMO Field and improved to 9-9-3 in the all-time series and 4-4-3 on the road against Toronto, although one of those “road” games came on Orlando’s home field during the Canadian pandemic travel restrictions.

The Reds’ winless skid reached eight matches (0-6-2) after a bright start to the season.

The Lions return home with another quick turnaround as D.C. United visits Inter&Co Stadium on Saturday.

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. D.C. United: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Lions host D.C. United in search of an elusive second consecutive win.

Published

2 hours ago

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July 6, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to your match thread for a Saturday night matchup between Orlando City and D.C. United at Inter&Co Stadium (7:30 p.m., MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+). This is the second of the two scheduled MLS matches this season between the Lions (6-9-6, 24 points) and the Black and Red (4-10-8, 20 points).

Here’s what you need to know ahead of the match.

History

The Lions are 7-9-2 against D.C. in the all-time league series since the club joined MLS, and 7-9-3 in all competitions. Orlando is 4-4-1 in MLS home games against D.C. Oscar Pareja is 6-6-2 in his managerial career against United.

The Black and Red had managed four consecutive results in the series (3-0-1) prior to the Lions’ visit to Audi Field on April 13. United went ahead twice in the match on goals by Christian Benteke and Gabriel Pirani and led the game late. Dagur Dan Thorhallsson equalized in the first half on a great cross from Ivan Angulo, and David Brekalo scored down the stretch to make it 2-2. Duncan McGuire’s well-timed breakaway goal in stoppage time lifted Orlando to a 3-2 road win.

The last meeting in Orlando took place on April 22, 2023, with D.C. scoring twice in the second half to snap a 1-1 deadlock and win, 3-1. Taxiarchis Fountas, Donovan Pines, and Benteke scored for D.C. to more than offset McGuire’s strike.

These teams squared off just a few weeks before that in D.C., splitting the points in a 1-1 draw at Audi Field on March 11. McGuire scored his first MLS goal but Chis Durkin leveled things late in a match that was sandwiched between Orlando City’s two legs of Concacaf Champions League play against Tigres UANL.

D.C. swept the season series in 2022, despite being a terrible team that “won” the league’s Wooden Spoon by no small margin. The meeting in D.C. that year took place July 31 and saw Orlando City dominate the first half but miss multiple glorious chances to put the game away early. The Lions were wasteful and took only a 1-0 lead into stoppage time, thanks to Junior Urso’s first-half goal, only to fall 2-1 on stoppage-time strikes by Durkin and Fountas.

The teams also met on Independence Day at Exploria Stadium, with D.C. putting together a performance out of nowhere in a 5-3 road win. Fountas netted his first MLS hat trick and Kimarni Smith and Nigel Robertha added their first goals of the season. Facundo Torres, Ercan Kara, and Alexandre Pato scored for Orlando, threatening to bring the Lions back, but Orlando could never get on level terms.

The teams met twice in 2021, including Oct. 2 at Exploria Stadium. Daryl Dike scored deep in stoppage to lift the Lions to a 2-1 home victory. Robin Jansson scored a first-half goal off a corner kick scramble to offset an early Julian Gressel strike. The first match of 2021 took place on May 16 in D.C., with the Lions winning 1-0 on an early Mauricio Pereyra goal. That win snapped United’s 3-0-1 streak in the series in league play and 3-0-2 in all competitions dating back to City’s previously most recent win over D.C. back in 2017.

The teams did not meet in what was an odd 2020 season.

D.C. United swept the season series in 2019, winning 1-0 at Audi Field back on June 26, 2019. Wayne Rooney’s wondergoal from his own half of the pitch caught Brian Rowe napping. The Lions fell 2-1 at home on March 31, 2019, with set pieces ruining the night for Orlando. You might recall the controversy that surrounded the winning goal, with then-coach James O’Connor visibly upset after the match. Steve Birnbaum scored the first on a set piece and Rooney scored the second on a free kick that he took from wherever the hell he wanted rather than where the foul occurred. Frederic Brillant bulldozed Rowe on the play as the ball sailed into the net.

D.C. was 1-0-2 in three total meetings (two in league play) in 2018. Orlando swept the two league meetings in 2017, the teams split two lopsided games in 2016 — with each team winning at home — and the Black and Red went 2-1-0 in the first three meetings back in 2015.

Match Overview

Orlando City is coming off a 2-1 road win Wednesday at Toronto FC. The Lions fell behind in the fifth minute but rallied on a Martin Ojeda header and an own goal by Nicksoen Gomis forced by Facundo Torres put Orlando ahead by halftime. No one scored in the second period and Orlando grabbed the three points. The Lions return home where they are a disastrous 2-5-3 on the season so far, although they won their most recent match at Inter&Co Stadium against the Chicago Fire on June 22.

D.C. jumped out to a three-match unbeaten start to the season under Head Coach Troy Lesesne and lost only once in its first six games of 2024 before hosting Orlando City in April. Since then, the team has sunk to the bottom of the Eastern Conference and enters on the heels of a hard-fought, 3-2 midweek home loss to FC Cincinnati — the club’s 10th consecutive match without a win (0-7-3). The Black and Red are just 1-4-5 away from Audi Field this season.

The Lions will need to be aware of where Benteke is at all times. The former Crystal Palace, Liverpool, and Aston Villa man leads D.C. in goals (14) and is in the thick of the MLS Golden Boot race. That pursuit was put on pause in the loss to Cincinnati, as Benteke was suspended for that match, meaning he’ll be fully rested for tonight. Benteke’s size and strength make him difficult to defend in the air, so Orlando City will need to pull out all the stops to make him uncomfortable. The Congo native has put up 62 shots on the season and 29 of them have been on frame. He’s also chipped in a pair of assists.

Behind Benteke, no D.C. player has more than two goals. Five different players have scored twice and six more have added one goal, so it’s difficult to say who the team’s secondary threat is. However, the Lions must pay attention to Mateusz Klich, who has a team-high seven assists to go with his two goals, and Aaron Herrera, who has six helpers to go with his pair of strikes.

“(Benteke) has that quality. We’ll prepare the best that we can,” Pareja said ahead of the match. “First is to recognize what are the strengths that [D.C. United] have and this is one of them. We’re just trying to be sharp, be conscious, be informed about what those things are that we need to move and how we can avoid that too. It’s not just that final phase of that play, marking him, but probably preventing them getting there to him too and that’s what we’re trying to do.”

The Lions will be without Michael Halliday (knee) and Mason Stajduhar (lower leg), while Homegrown fullback Tahir Reid-Brown (thigh) is listed as questionable. None of Orlando’s internationals are on the availability report anymore, so presumably Brekalo is available, although it’s possible he may start the match on the bench after returning from the 2024 Euros. As of this writing, D.C.’s availability report was…well, unavailable. However, entering Wednesday, the team reported several players out: Conner Antley (knee), Steven Birnbaum (hip), Russell Canouse (not due to injury), Kristian Fletcher (ankle), Jackson Hopkins (back), and Garrison Tubbs (head).

Match Content

Projected Lineups

Orlando City (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Pedro Gallese.

Defenders: Kyle Smith, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson.

Defensive Midfielders: Cesar Araujo, Wilder Cartagena.

Attacking Midfielders: Ivan Angulo, Martin Ojeda, Facundo Torres.

Forward: Duncan McGuire.

D.C. United (3-5-1-1)

Goalkeeper: Tyler Miller.

Defenders: Matti Peltola, Lucas Bartlett, Christopher McVey.

Wingbacks/Midfielders: Pedro Santos, Jared Stroud, Mateusz Klich, Theodore Ku-Dipietro, Aaron Herrera.

Attacking Midfielder: Martin Rodriquez.

Forward: Christian Benteke.

Referees

REF: Lukasz Szpala.
AR1: Logan Brown.
AR2: Mike Nickerson.
4TH: Elton Garcia.
VAR: David Barrie.
AVAR: Joshua Patlak.

How to Watch

Match Time: 7:30 p.m.

Venue: Inter&Co Stadium — Orlando.

TV/Streaming: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+.

Radio: FM 96.9 The Game (English), Mega 97.1 FM (Spanish).

Twitter: For rapid reaction and live updates, follow along at @TheManeLand, as well as Orlando City’s official Twitter feed (@OrlandoCitySC).

Enjoy the match. Go City!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/5/24

Orlando City picking up momentum, Orlando Pride gear up for big match, Euro quarterfinals begin today, and more.

Published

1 day ago

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July 5, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday! I hope you all had a wonderful Fourth of July as we shift gears and get ready for a weekend filled with Orlando soccer. For those of you that took today off as well to parlay the holiday into a four-day weekend, know that I envy you but do wish you a relaxing next few days. Let’s get this Friday started with today’s links!

Orlando City Picks Up Momentum in Midweek Win

It’s been a rollercoaster of a season for Orlando City so far, but the Lions are riding high after a crucial win on the road against Toronto FC. Designated Player Martin Ojeda bagged his third goal of the season and the defense overcame an early disaster to secure victory. Last year, July was the start of a stretch that included 11 wins in the final 15 games of the season. While there seems to be a few more wrinkles to iron out before a similar finish can be expected, Wednesday’s win is a step in the right direction. The next step will be getting a win Saturday against a D.C. United side that is winless in its past 10 games.

Orlando Pride Prepare for Showdown in Kansas City

In arguably the most anticipated match of the NWSL season so far, the Orlando Pride will take on the Kansas City Current Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Both teams are undefeated through 15 games and tied at the top of the table in both points and goal difference. The Current lead the league with 39 goals, while the Pride’s 11 conceded goals are the fewest in the league. While the NWSL Shield implications are obvious in this one, Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on how the team isn’t letting the attention on this match distract from preparations. He also talked about how the Pride will need to do well in transition against Kansas City and about Anna Moorhouse’s performance in goal this season.

African Players Excelling in the NWSL

One of the biggest storylines of the recent NWSL off-season was the addition of many talented African players to the league, and they’ve made an incredible impact so far this season. Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda and Kansas City Current forward Temwa Chawinga have been major reasons why their teams are undefeated this season, and they’re tied for the NWSL Golden Boot lead on 11 goals each. Chawinga currently has the tiebreaker with one more assist, but Banda has played in four fewer games.

Elsewhere, Bay FC forwards Racheal Kundananji and Asisat Oshoala have been helping the club turn its season around before they depart for the Olympics. Princess Marfo has also played a part in Bay FC’s rise up the table, and Houston Dash defender Michelle Alozie was also noted as one of the top African women’s soccer players in the world.

Euro 2024 Quarterfinals Kick Off Today

Only eight teams remain in this year’s Euros and today’s action features the kind of matchups that make this tournament so much fun to watch. The quarterfinals start with a heavyweight bout between Spain and Germany, arguably the two best teams of the tournament up to this point. The match also features some of the game’s youngest stars, as the Spanish trio of Pedri, Nico Williams, and 16-year-old phenom Lamine Yasal goes up against Germany’s Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz.

The later game will be between France and Portugal, with plenty of attention on Kylian Mbappe and Cristiano Ronaldo. Neither star, nor their respective teams, have been playing at their best this tournament, which makes today’s match an opportunity for either side to find its rhythm before the semifinals.

Free Kicks

  • The Current will be without forward Alex Pfeiffer for the rest of the 2024 season after suffering an ACL injury.

That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Toronto FC: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s 2-1 road win over Toronto FC?

Published

2 days ago

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July 4, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City went north of the border and beat Toronto FC 2-1 in a six-point contest. It’s the Lions’ first win over a team not in last place in their conference since May 11, when they defeated the Philadelphia Union 3-2. The three points also move them even with Atlanta United and Toronto FC for eighth in the Eastern Conference.

Let’s take a look at the individual performances in this essential win.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 5.5 — Gallese’s probably the hardest player to grade in this game because he didn’t have much to do. Toronto only got one shot on target, the team’s fifth-minute goal by Derrick Etienne, Jr. However, the goal wasn’t all Gallese’s fault, as his center backs were caught flat-footed, enabling the attacker a free shot on goal from close distance. In addition to shot-stopping — or lack thereof — Gallese completed 65.2% of his 23 passes, including six of his 14 long balls.

D, Kyle Smith, 6 — Smith’s 56 touches were fourth most on the team in this game. He completed 79.6% of his 44 passes but failed to complete his lone cross or any of his four long balls. Defensively, he recorded two tackles and one clearance. After a good shift, Smith was replaced by Rafael Santos in the 69th minute.

D, Robin Jansson, 5.5 — Jansson’s 63 touches were a team high. He completed 77.8% of his team-high 54 passes and five of his 15 long balls, and he took one off-target shot. On the defensive side, he recorded an interception, a blocked shot, and a team-high five clearances. I knocked him down a little because of the Toronto goal, on which he was slow to react, enabling Etienne to reach the ball first.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6 — Schlegel’s 57 touches were the third most on the team. He completed 84.2% of his 38 passes and four of his nine long balls, and he took one off-target shot. He had a more impactful game than Jansson, with three interceptions, four clearances, and a blocked shot. He would probably get a better grade, but he got outmuscled by Prince Owusu, resulting in him not being in front of the goal when Etienne scored.

D, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, 6 — Thorhallsson was the lesser involved of the two outside backs in this game, recording 37 touches. He completed 84% of his 25 passes, including a key pass and his lone long ball attempt. Meanwhile, his one shot was off target. Defensively, the right back added a tackle, a clearance, and a blocked shot. He was overpowered at the back post on the pass that set up Toronto’s goal, allowing it to be headed down for Etienne to finish.

MF, Wilder Cartagena, 5.5 — Cartagena was pretty strong in this game except for one key play. He recorded 49 touches and completed 90.5% of his 42 passes, including a key pass and his lone long ball. His only shot was off target, but he recorded three tackles and one interception defensively. Unfortunately, he was defending Etienne in the fifth minute and let him get open in the box to score Toronto’s goal, knocking his grade down.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 6.5 — This was a classic Araujo performance with 61 touches, second most on the team. He completed a team-high 92.3% of his 52 passes, including a key pass and three of his five long balls. Defensively, he won four tackles and had a blocked shot.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 6.5 — Similar to Araujo, Angulo had a strong showing in this game. He recorded 47 touches and completed 88.6% of his 35 passes, including two key passes. While he only completed one of his three crosses, it was a beautiful ball that landed on the head of Martin Ojeda for the equalizing goal. The attacking midfielder also helped out defensively with a successful tackle, an interception, and a clearance. His defensive work was vital in helping Smith contain the dangerous Federico Bernardeschi.

MF, Martin Ojeda, 6.5 — Ojeda was very good in this game, recording 52 touches and completing 75% of his 36 passes in 69 minutes. He had a key pass, completed three of his eight crosses, and connected on all of his three long balls. He put two of his three shots on target and headed in Angulo’s cross in the 27th minute to even the game at 1-1.

MF, Facundo Torres, 6.5 (MotM) — Torres had 54 touches in this game and was a threat going forward throughout. He completed 80.6% of his 36 passes, including a key pass, but he didn’t complete his lone cross. He played a nice ball forward for Angulo in the 27th minute, recording a secondary assist, and his dangerous ball into the six-yard box in the 45th minute was knocked in by Nicksoen Gomis for the game-winning goal. In addition to his offensive play, Torres recorded a tackle, an interception, and a blocked shot defensively. He’s my Man of the Match for being part of both goals.

F, Duncan McGuire, 5 — McGuire was poor in this game, unable to make much of an impact. He had 17 touches and wasn’t able to get on the end of any crosses. The forward completed 44.4% of his nine passes with a key pass and was replaced by Jeorgio Kocevski in the 79th minute.

Substitutes

D, Rafael Santos (69’), 5.5 — Santos came on for Smith in the 69th minute but was less involved. He had 17 touches and completed 85.7% of his seven passes. While he completed his lone cross, his one long ball was incomplete. He had one clearance defensively, but his appearance wasn’t very memorable.

MF, Nico Lodeiro (69’), 6 — Lodeiro came on in the 69th minute for Ojeda in a like-for-like change. He recorded 19 touches and completed 76.9% of his 13 passes, including two key passes and both of his long balls. Defensively, he added a tackle and blocked a shot in a strong performance by the veteran.

MF, Jeorgio Kocevski (79’), 6 — Kocevski came on in the 79th minute for McGuire in a defensive role. He had 10 touches and completed 85.7% of his seven passes, but his impact was defensive. The rookie had four clearances as the Lions looked to keep a one-goal lead, helping to see out the game.

F, Ramiro Enrique (83’), 5.5 — Enrique replaced Torres in the 83rd minute for energy and to help see out the game. He only had nine touches and completed four of his five passes, including his lone cross. He added a clearance defensively as the team defended fiercely in the final minutes.

F, Luis Muriel (83’), 5 — Muriel came on in the 83rd minute for Angulo and it was difficult to watch the Designated Player. He took three shots and two could’ve been game-clinching goals, but he missed the target on all three attempts. He had 12 touches and completed his four passes, but he could’ve made the end of the game much easier by putting away one of his golden chances.

That’s how I saw the Lions’ win over Toronto FC. How did you see their performances? Let us know, and be sure to vote for your Man of the Match in the poll below.

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