Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Sporting Kansas City: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s 3-0 loss against Sporting Kansas City?

Published

1 year ago

August 25, 2024

S. Andrew DeSalvo

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Well, that was simply altogether unpleasant. With a chance to extend its unbeaten streak to six MLS matches and nine games in all competitions, Orlando City simply failed to show up to compete on Saturday night, and was dominated 3-0 by a Sporting Kansas City team that came into the match ranked 26th in the MLS standings. Yuck.

I usually like to grade with my purple pen, but after that performance I am going to have to dishonor the original Orlando City colors by getting the red pen out of storage, and I may run out of ink. I am ready to issue some grades, so here we go. Let’s take a look at how Orlando City’s players rated individually in their road matchup against a Western Conference opponent.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 5.5 — Saturday night’s match started brightly for El Pulpo, with a few big saves in the first half, but in the end, three goals did go by him into the net. He will likely feel that he could have saved all three, but I do not fault Gallese directly for any of the three goals. The first and third were in the corners out of reach, and the second goal was well struck with power from inside the box on a fast break. He passed at an 83.3% rate and connected on two of his five long balls.

D, Kyle Smith, 5 — The back-and-forth battle for the starting left back spot between Kyle Smith and Rafael Santos went to Smith for this match, but that win was short-lived, because Smith only played the first 45 minutes before coming off at halftime. He completed the most passes of any player on the field during the first half and he was active on both sides of the field. Smith created a great chance for the Lions with a header across the box that was almost tapped in, but also could (should?) have gone for goal from that position. However, he was burned by Erik Thommy, allowing a good scoring chance in the 27th minute that required a good save by Gallese. He also had a chance to stop the attack that led to the opening goal for Sporting but was unable to win the ball, even with help from Cesar Araujo. In the end, it was a middling night for Smith, and the left back battle will surely continue during practice throughout the upcoming week .

D, Robin Jansson, 5.5 — None of the goals scored by Sporting KC were scored on or around Jansson. On the cross that led to the third goal, he was the primary defender, but he forced the cross to go all the way back to about 20-25 yards away from the goal, so I do not think that the goal was on him so much as it was the rest of the defensive grouping for not being able to stop that shot from happening while playing a man up. Despite being second on the team in touches (67) and completed passes (57), I felt like Jansson was mostly invisible in this game. He did not have any interceptions or blocked shots and he only won one aerial duel. He completed 85.1% of those 57 passes and gave his trademark effort, but Saturday night’s match was not one he will look back fondly on in the future.

D, David Brekalo, 5 — The Slovenian international got his first MLS start since June 1 but he did not play well enough to show that the decision to switch from Rodrigo Schlegel to him in MLS matches was the right call. All three goals happened around Brekalo, with the first goal happening after his lunge attempt did not thwart Jake Davis. The second goal happened after he slowed down Thommy but the Kansas City attacker was able to pass the ball into space for Salloi to finish, although that was more of a numbers game for the hosts. The third goal happened because Brekalo (and the other players in the middle for Orlando City) did not come out to close down Remi Walter and allowed him to tee up a blast into the net. Brekalo definitely deserves some of the responsibility for all three of these goals, but on none of them do I think he was singularly the reason why the goal happened. On the attacking side of the ball, Brekalo was third on the team in completed passes (at just a 79.7% rate) but contributed little else, and though he did work hard during his 90 minutes, with five recoveries, three tackles, two clearances, one interception, and one blocked shot.

D, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, 4 — Thorhallsson struggled to get into the attack on the right for much of the game, leading to a quiet night for Facundo Torres, who didn’t have his usual attacking flank partner to team up with, as Tim Liebold had a strong game. When the attack went up the left, Thorhallsson tried to push up and help on the back side, but then he was caught upfield as a result. This was particularly evident on the second goal, which started with a good cross in from Orlando’s attacking left that Torres couldn’t get a touch to. Thorhallsson attempted to get to the loose ball but was beaten to it by the defense, and the resulting clearance ended up with Salloi scoring from exactly where a right back should have been. Thorhallsson also had an uncharacteristically poor passing performance in this game at just a 64.3% completion rate, and he did not provide any offensive threat aside from one key pass. Not a game to look fondly back on for the Icelandic defender,

MF, César Araujo, 5 — It was a muted performance on the night for Araujo, as the midfield destroyer that we often see in the middle of the field for the Lions did not make an appearance in Kansas City. Araujo had fewer touches than every defender except Thorhallsson, and while he led the team in passing completion percentage (92.3%), few of his passes advanced the ball in any significant manner. Araujo also had zero tackles, a rarity for a player who came into the game averaging nearly three tackles per 90 minutes. He came off in the 72nd minute in an offense-for-defense swap for Nico Lodeiro.

MF, Wilder Cartagena, 6 — Cartagena had a few good moments in this game, but on the whole it was not one of his better games. It was, however, one of the better performances by any Orlando City player on Saturday night, which is indicative of the overall showing by the Lions. Cartagena made up for his midfield partner Araujo’s lack of tackles by leading Orlando City with four tackles, and he also added five recoveries, four aerial duel wins, four blocks, and two interceptions. He helped create one of the best chances on the night offensively as well, winning a ball in the box that then turned into a shot from Ojeda from close range, but unfortunately the left footed ~~Carlos Rivas~~ Ojeda put his shot high into the seats. The lasting image of Cartagena for me from this match though will be his slow walk during the sequence that led to the opening goal, as the action was happening right in front of him and he was just slowly walking and watching the play, and then shortly thereafter Sporting went up 1-0.

MF, Iván Angulo, 3.5 — This match will be one to forget for Angulo, as he struggled throughout, and I think he was lucky to not have been subbed off during the first half or at halftime. There were several uncharacteristically wayward passes from Angulo, including some deep in the defensive third of the field, and he did not seem to have his usual burst of speed available to him to create chances or win loose balls. He only completed 74% of his passes and did not contribute anything of note on offense. He will want time to fly to get to the next match, so he can put this one behind him.

MF, Martín Ojeda, 5 — Ojeda was involved in several big chances during Saturday night’s match, but nothing came from any of them. He will particularly rue the shot he blasted over the net from close range in the first half, as a player of his caliber should at a minimum hit that on goal and he really should have put it away to give Orlando City an early lead. He also hit a wonderful free kick that Smith headed back across, just past the outstretched leg of Ramiro Enrique, inches away from garnering him a hockey assist from that free kick. Ojeda made way in the 60th minute as part of a double substitution that brought on Duncan McGuire and Luis Muriel, ending a night where the final product was just not good enough.

MF, Facundo Torres, 5 — If you asked a random to fan to name the Designated Players on Orlando City’s roster just by watching this match, I do not think they would have selected Torres, as he struggled to demonstrate much of his skill. There were multiple chances for him to do so, but he failed on all of them, and his whiff on a cross in the second half led directly to to a counterattack and the second goal for Sporting. Torres also could not properly time his run on a 3-v-1 break, receiving a pass in an offside position that negated an Enrique goal that could have cut the lead to 2-1. He made an excellent pass to set up that goal, but it was for naught due to the offside call. I think a stat that tells you all you need to know about Torres’ night is that he had the same number of touches (49) as Smith, who only played during the first half. Torrs made way for Yutaro Tsukada in the 82nd minute and will probably wish that he could have had a few of those chances back when he watches the game film.

F, Ramiro Enrique, 6.5 (MotM) — The goal-scoring streaks for Enrique are now completely over, as he has not scored in his last two matches, so the all-competition and MLS-only streaks are both now done. Enrique was by far the most active Orlando City attacking player on Saturday though, but he was unable to finish any of his chances except one — the aforementioned offside play. It was a great shot, but if a shot happens after an offside situation, did it happen at all? Enrique led the team with five shot-creating actions and had the only shot on target (the team put only one of its 12 total shots on target, the math on that is bad). He was inches away from a sliding left footed finish on Smith’s header back across the box, but inches away does not show up in the stat line. I thought Enrique impressed in both his role as striker and then also when he shifted out the wing when McGuire came on, and I expect that we will continue to see him playing significant minutes here on out this season.

Substitutes

D, Rafael Santos (46′), 5 — Santos subbed in at halftime with the Lions trailing by one and he brought more of an offensive threat than Smith had in the left back position, but that threat was limited as opposed to major. Santos was third on the team in progressive passes attempted with 10, and he completed seven of those passes. He also had one key pass and one successful take-on where he beat his defender off the dribble. He had some culpability on the third goal as well, as the throw in that initiated the play went to the player he was marking and he allowed a pass that turned into the cross that was finished to put the game to bed at 3-0. I do not know who has the edge between Smith and Santos for the start next week. Neither seized the opportunity in Kansas City, but I thought Smith was slightly better. My prediction as of right now is…Luca Petrasso.

F, Duncan McGuire, (59’), 5 — Duncan was starved of service in this game, despite playing all of his minutes while Orlando City was trailing and most of his minutes with an extra man on the field. Duncan only had 11 touches during what amounted to approximately 42 minutes (including stoppage time) on the field, and with so few touches and no service he was unable to even get one shot off during his shift. He had a chance to change the game when he received a pass from Muriel and initiated a 3-v-1 counterattack, but he played the ball to an offside Torres instead of driving the ball himself or playing the onside Enrique. While I blame Torres more than McGuire for the offside call, that was a huge chance for Orlando City to get back in the game and the Lions squandered the opportunity. The ball was well played, but for all intents and purposes, it never happened. I do not think McGuire did enough in this game to supplant Enrique as the starter for next week’s match against Nashville, but Óscar Pareja did roll out a lineup that had both on the field at the same time for 30 minutes, so perhaps they will consider that for next week with Angulo, Ojeda, or Torres on the bench.

MF, Luis Muriel (60′), 5 — Muriel provided an excellent pass to McGuire that should have been a goal-initiating play, but he also had two needlessly launched 25+ yard shots that were well off target. That tells the story again for a player who simply has not consistently played well for Orlando City this season. There are moments of brilliance, and soccer is a game where it generally takes only a few moments of brilliance to determine a winner and loser, but it just has not been a good fit between his style and Orlando City’s style. Orlando City was up a player for most of his minutes on the field, and yet he could not unlock anything of real significance. He only completed 76.5% of his passes and had one shot-creating action. The expectations are high in MLS when you are a Designated Player, and the execution was not there on Saturday night.

MF, Nico Lodeiro (73′), 6 — Nico was one of the few bright spots for Orlando City during his limited minutes. From the moment he entered the match, he was completing passes and trying to initiate offense for the Lions. He completed 25 passes at an 86.2% completion rate, and though ultimately nothing came of it, he seemed more threatening during his minutes than some of the other starting attacking players were during theirs. It helped that he played all of his minutes in an 11 vs. 10 situation, but Lodeiro leads the team in assists in MLS play for a reason, and I thought he looked lively and effective on Saturday night.

MF, Yutaro Tsukada (82′), N/A — Tsukada came in for Facundo Torres and brought excellent energy to the field —so much so that he almost earned a grade from me rather than N/A, despite playing limited minutes. I thought he looked comfortable on the field, and he completed six of his seven passes and also beat one defender off the dribble.

That’s how I saw the individual performances on Saturday night. What did you think? Be sure to let us know in the comments, and vote in the poll below for your Orlando City Man of the Match.

Related Topics:Featured Orlando City Player Grades

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Orlando City

2025 Orlando City Season In Review: Robin Jansson

The captain’s play declined slightly, but he was still a first-choice player when healthy.

Published

19 hours ago

November 13, 2025

S. Andrew DeSalvo

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City signed Robin Jansson back in early March of 2019, and he has been a starter at center back ever since. There is no question that he is one of the club’s all-time great players, and he is also on the list of all-time fan favorites as well. The team recognized his efforts with a new contract before the 2024 season that went through the 2025 season with a club option for the 2026 season, and as of this writing, we do not know the status of that club option.

Let’s take a look back at the Beefy Swede’s seventh (!) season in purple.

Statistical Breakdown

Jansson’s total games played decreased for the third straight season, partially due to the early playoff exit and also due to a few injuries. When healthy, he started nearly every game though, slotting in as the left center back in Orlando City’s usual back four alignment.

In MLS regular-season play, Jansson appeared in 30 of Orlando’s 34 matches, starting all 30 and playing a total of 2,614 minutes —the fourth-most minutes of any player. He scored one goal, making it four out of the last five seasons that he has scored from his center back position, and added one assist. He attempted seven shots and put four on target. Jansson completed 88% of his passes, including career-high completion percentages on short (96%) and medium (95%) passes, and contributed five key passes. On the defensive side, he compiled 25 tackles, 24 interceptions, 136 clearances, and 20 blocks. He committed 20 fouls and suffered 23, and he received eight yellow cards but no red cards.

Orlando City went with its usual back four in the Eastern Conference wild card game, and even though Jansson was not 100% healthy, he started and went the full 90 minutes. He did not take any shots or contribute to a goal, completing 83% of his passes with no key passes. He added one tackle and three clearances on defense and committed zero fouls while suffering one. He was not booked.

The Beefy Swede only played one game in the U.S. Open Cup, starting against Nashville and playing all 90 minutes. He did not take any shots or record any goal contributions, but he completed 93% of his passes with two key passes. Defensively, he did not have any tackles but tallied six clearances and blocked one shot. He committed three fouls, drew two on the opposition, and was not booked.

Jansson played every minute during the first five Leagues Cup games, starting all five and playing until the final whistle (this will be important later in this paragraph) for a total of 450 minutes. He did not take any shots or have any goal contributions, though he converted his spot kick attempt in the game against Toluca that went to a penalty shootout. Jansson completed 85% of his passes with one key pass. On defense, he contributed one tackle, five interceptions, 21 clearances, and five blocks. He committed one foul but suffered six, and received one yellow card during game action and one red card after the conclusion of the semifinal game against Miami, due to the language he used when talking to the officials. That resulted in a suspension that forced him to miss the road game at the LA Galaxy.

Best Game

While he scored his only goal of the season against New York City FC and chipped in his only assist against Miami, I think Jansson’s best all-around game was in Orlando City’s 3-1 victory over Charlotte on May 14. The big man turned back the clock in this one, leading the team in tackles (4), interceptions (4), and clearances (5), while also recovering four loose balls and blocking a shot. He brought his offensive boots as well, completing a team-leading 72 passes at a 95% completion rate, and going 49-for-52 (94%) on medium and long passes. It was his long ball over the top to Alex Freeman that set up Orlando City’s second goal, and while he did not receive an assist, that goal would not have happened without his inch-perfect 50-yard bomb, which made Freeman look more like his wide receiver dad Antonio as he “caught” a long pass down the sideline. The Beefy Swede was excellent in helping the team secure all three points against Charlotte in a game that took Orlando City’s streak to 10 straight MLS games without a loss.

2025 Final Grade

The Mane Land awarded Jansson a composite rating of 6.5 out of 10 for the 2025 season, which is a decrease from the 7.5 out of 10 that he received in 2024, and tied for the lowest he has ever received from our site (6.5 in 2019, 7 in 2020, 7.5 in 2021, 7 in 2022, and 8 in 2023). Father Time robbed Jansson of somewhere between a quarter-step and half-step during 2025, and with a slight decrease in speed, Jansson stayed home on defense more often, decreasing his progressive carries from seven in 2023 and 2024 to zero in 2025. The captain was still a more-than-capable MLS center back, but there was a slight dip from 2024 to 2025 — something not unique specifically to him — and that is reflected in our grade.

2026 Outlook

As mentioned, the decision on Jansson’s 2026 club option has not been publicly announced, but if he wants to return to Orlando, the Lions will likely do everything they can to make that happen. Jansson is the club’s all-time leader in appearances with 238 and probably would surpass 250 during the initial months of 2026 if he returns, further cementing his status as a club legend.

He may have lost a little of his speed, but as is reflected in our final grade and in positional rankings, like this one from American Soccer Analysis (he ranked 53rd out of 124 qualified center backs), Jansson is still an MLS-caliber center back and would have the inside track on a starting role in 2026.

With several other players out of contract and likely to depart, it is logical that the club would want to keep some stability in the middle of the defense, so the Lions are likely to either trigger his club option or sign him to a new contract — probably a one-year deal with an option for the 2027 season — at a lower salary than his current guaranteed compensation of $996,667. Triggering his club option probably would push his salary above $1,000,000, so I think the club will go the new contract route instead of the club option route since he declined this past season and is in the latter part of his career. I expect him to return though, and to continue to be a fan favorite for his passionate play on defense, great hair, and the leadership he shows during every minute of every game.

Previous Season in Review Articles (Date Posted)

Cesar Araujo (11/9/25)
Alex Freeman (11/10/25)
Rodrigo Schlegel (11/11/25)
Eduard Atuesta (11/12/25)

Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/13/25

Wilder Cartagena agrees to new Orlando City contract, Inter&Co Stadium hosts food drive, Carson Pickett chosen for NWSL Skills Challenge, and more.

Published

23 hours ago

November 13, 2025

Marcus Mitchell

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope you all enjoyed the cold weather, as it looks like things will be warming up pretty soon. It’s been pretty nice to exist outside without sweating, and hopefully that trend continues this weekend since it includes an Orlando Pride playoff match in the City Beautiful on Sunday. For now though, let’s dive into today’s links!

Wilder Cartagena Will Stay In Orlando

Orlando City midfielder Wilder Cartagena agreed to a new contract with Orlando City that will last through 2026 with a club option for 2027. The 31-year-old was a key part of Orlando’s midfield in 2024 but missed the entirety of the 2025 season due to an Achilles injury sustained during the preseason. With the status of many defensive players up in the air this off-season, it’s nice knowing that at least Cartagena will be a familiar face holding things down in 2026.

Community Food Drive at Inter&Co Stadium

Orlando City and the Orlando Pride are teaming up with The Ruckus for a food drive to help ensure families have essential items for the holidays. Donations of shelf-stable and nonperishable food items will be accepted Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. until Nov. 26, with locations at the club’s front office and the Gate D lobby at Inter&Co Stadium. This will coincide with other annual food drives to address food insecurity in the community. The holidays can be a rough time for many of us, so let’s make sure to check out ways we can help each other if able.

Carson Pickett Selected for NWSL Skills Challenge

The NWSL unveiled details about this year’s NWSL Skills Challenge, and Orlando Pride defender Carson Pickett is one of seven players slated to participate. Players who are set to play in the NWSL Championship won’t take part in the event though, so hopefully that’s the case for Pickett. Other players set to participate include Croix Bethune and Racheal Kundananji, with the rosters for each of the two competing teams set to be revealed later. The winning team of the Skills Challenge will get $30,000 of prize money to split and this year’s competition will feature a crossbar challenge, a relay race, and a gauntlet involving scoring on mini goals.

Atlanta Officially Receives an NWSL Team

The NWSL officially awarded an expansion club to Atlanta and the club will be owned by Arthur Blank, who also owns Atlanta United. This team in Atlanta will be the closest one to the Pride in terms of distance, so we’ll see if a rivalry of sorts develops between the two. It’s all still a few years away though. The club is set to begin play in 2028 and will play at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with modifications expected and a capacity of about 28,000 people. The NWSL’s expansion has been steady, with the Denver Summit and Boston Legacy set to take the field for the first time next year. I’ve been enjoying the balanced schedule in the league in recent years but am curious how the league will adjust to having Atlanta and possibly another team in the mix in 2028.

Free Kicks

American defender Walker Zimmerman’s time in Nashville will reportedly come to a close once his contract expires this winter. I can think of one team that could use some help at center back.

San Jose Earthquakes winger Cristian Espinoza is reportedly a free agent as well. The MLS veteran had four goals and 12 assists this year and is a creative player to keep an eye on as teams look to keep up in the league-wide arms race for talented attackers.

MLS owners are once again expected to vote on changing the league schedule to run from fall to spring. As an avid romance novel reader, I’m used to this “will they, won’t they” rigmarole from the league about this and won’t believe anything until the Lions are up to their manes in snow for a January game in Colorado.

Wolverhampton hired Rob Edwards as its next manager and he has his work cut out for him. Dead last in the English Premier League, Wolverhampton has yet to win a game this season and has only scored seven goals in 11 matches.
World Cup qualifying is back and many eyes will be on Victor Osimhen as he aims to lead Nigeria towards qualification. Nigeria will take on Gabon in a semifinal today, with the winner taking on whichever team prevails between Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The 2028 Euros will be hosted across the United Kingdom and Ireland, with the opener taking place in Cardiff City and the semifinals and final set for Wembley Stadium in London.

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

Orlando City

Orlando City Reaches Agreement to Extend Wilder Cartagena through 2026

The Peruvian international midfield destroyer signs through 2026 with an option for 2027 after missing all of 2025 with an Achilles injury.

Published

2 days ago

November 12, 2025

Michael Citro

Image of Wilder Cartagena playing against D.C. United

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City answered one of the questions about the Lions’ 2026 midfield today with the club announcing that veteran Wilder Cartagena has agreed to a new contract through 2026 with a club option for 2027. The club announced the new agreement today.

“Wilder is one of those players who brings so much more than just his performance on the pitch,” Orlando City SC General Manager and Sporting Director Ricardo Moreira said in a club press release. “He’s a true leader in our locker room; someone our players look to both in moments of intensity and in everyday preparation. His experience at the international level and his commitment to excellence make everyone around him better. We’re proud to have him back, he was missed in our 2025 campaign, and know he’ll continue to be a driving force in our pursuit of success and championships.”

The 31-year-old native of Lima, Peru missed the entire 2025 season after sustaining a torn left Achilles tendon in the Lions’ preseason opener against Atletico Mineiro on Jan. 25. He underwent surgery days later and was ruled out for the season.

Orlando City initially acquired Cartagena on loan through the 2022 MLS season. After a successful end of the year, the club exercised the option to extend the loan through the 2023 season. He became a key player in the starting lineup for the Lions that season, resulting in the club signing him to a permanent deal on Dec. 14, 2024.

The midfielder entered 2025 having enjoyed a solid 2024 season. He appeared in 27 matches during the regular season (25 starts) that year, playing 2,192 minutes. He did not score a goal but recorded an assist and took 24 shots, putting eight on target. He completed 89% of his passes with 16 key passes, one successful cross, and 25 completed long balls. On the defensive side, he recorded 76 tackles, 20 interceptions, 42 clearances, and nine blocks. He committed a team-leading 48 fouls, suffered 28, and received seven yellow cards and one red card, which he picked up after the conclusion of the game against Minnesota United.

During the 2024 MLS playoffs, Cartagena started all five of Orlando City’s matches, playing 431 minutes with no goals or assists. He took two shots, putting one on target, and he completed 87.2% of his passes in the postseason with one key pass. Defensively, he recorded nine tackles, four interceptions, 11 clearances, and one block. He drew eight fouls and committed nine, and he was booked twice, with both being yellow cards.

For his performance across the 2024 campaign, The Mane Land gave Cartagena a season grade of 7.5 out of 10. That was the same grade we gave him in 2023 after not playing enough minutes to earn a grade in 2022.

In his first three seasons in Orlando, Cartagena scored one goal and added three assists in 59 games (52 starts). More importantly, he formed one of the more cohesive central midfield partnerships in the league with Cesar Araujo and provided Orlando City with a defensive shield in the middle to protect the back line. Beyond that, Cartagena also filled in on the back line at times.

In addition to league play, Cartagena has scored a game-winning goal for Orlando City in the 2023 playoff series against Nashville SC, and it was one of the most unforgettable goals in the club’s history.

OMG 😱 WILDER CARTAGENA SCORES A BANGER! #OrlandoCity // Audi #MLSCupPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/Yc9k5VkVY6
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 30, 2023

Cartagena scored another game winner in the 2023 Leagues Cup match against Santos Laguna. He was also one of the key members of the club’s 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup championship team.

Prior to joining Orlando City, Cartagena appeared in 238 competitive matches in his 10-year professional career, scoring seven goals and adding seven assists. The product of Alianza Lima in Peru was promoted to the first team in January of 2012. He transferred to Portuguese club Vitória Setúbal FC in 2014 but did not play during the 2014-2015 season before returning to Lima to play with Universidad San Martín, where he logged 100 appearances and scored three goals from 2015-2017.

Cartagena moved on to Tiburones Rojos de Veracruz in Mexico, playing 24 matches in 2018 before returning to Alianza Lima, where he made 30 appearances in 2019. He then spent 2020-2021 in Argentina with CD Godoy Cruz, where he scored three goals in 20 appearances before moving on to Al-Ittihad Kalba SC in July of 2021.

On the international stage, Cartagena has amassed 40 caps with the Peruvian National Team, where he was teammates with recently departed Orlando City goalkeeper Pedro Gallese, making his debut on Sept. 5, 2017 in a World Cup qualifier against Ecuador. He has made appearances in the Copa America and the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

What It Means for Orlando City

Re-signing Cartagena is a major piece of Orlando City’s off-season puzzle. Both he and Araujo were out of contract and Eduard Atuesta has only an option year remaining, which as of this writing has not officially been picked up by the club. Gallese has already exited Orlando, center back Rodrigo Schlegel is out of contract, and fellow center back and team captain Robin Jansson, like Atuesta, has an option year remaining. As a result, the team’s defensive end is in flux. Cartagena will be coming off a nasty injury, so there’s no guarantee the 31-year-old will quickly return to form, but if he does, he’s a major addition to the 2026 roster, as he can play the No. 6 role or even play at center back if needed.

The Peruvian adds more bite to an Orlando central midfield that got pushed around more in 2025 than in previous years, as Araujo missed time with injuries, and Atuesta simply isn’t as physical in his own end as either Araujo or Cartagena. That showed in the second half of 2025, when the Lions failed to keep a clean sheet after June 14. Central midfield wasn’t the only reason for a lack of OCSC shutouts, but it was a factor.

With Cartagena in the fold and Araujo reportedly on his way out, it seems logical Orlando will pick up Atuesta’s option year. Rookie Joran Gerbet played well when called upon in his first pro season, but he’ll likely be on the shelf for the start of 2026 after sustaining a knee injury late in the year. Orlando will likely pick up Gerbet’s 2026 contract option, but he won’t be able to help immediately. That will either force Moreira to add another central midfielder or Oscar Pareja may need to elevate Homegrown Colin Guske and hope he’s ready if he’s called upon.

The next eight to 12 weeks will reveal Orlando’s defensive plan for 2026. A new goalkeeper is needed, the center back situation must be sorted out, and the Lions will need to make contract option decisions on Atuesta and Gerbet while possibly looking to add one more body in that position group.