Happy Tuesday, everyone. If you were lucky enough to have Memorial Day off, then I hope you had a restful and enjoyable holiday! If not, then I hope your week got started off on a good note. As has been the case for most of May, we’ll barely have time to catch our breath before another Orlando City game is upon us, as the Lions travel up to Georgia to take on Atlanta United on Wednesday. Let’s jump right into today’s links.

Eduard Atuesta Earns Recognition

Eduard Atuesta played a crucial role in his first game back from a neck injury, as he supplied the assist on Duncan McGuire’s game-winning goal against the Portland Timbers on Saturday. The Colombian slipped a beautiful ball behind the Timbers’ defense and McGuire made no mistake with his finish. That assist, combined with a defensive performance of three tackles and a clearance, earned him a spot on the bench of the most recent MLS Team of the Matchday. Nic Josey also named him the Man of the Match in his Player Grades piece, so it’s nice to see him getting some wider recognition.

MLS Matchday 15 Lessons

Major League Soccer’s 15th matchday had a ton going on, and there were plenty of things to be taken away from the action. Nashville SC continued its bounce-back from a rough 2024 season with a 2-1 win over Toronto FC, as the team stretched its unbeaten run in MLS play to six matches. The Vancouver Whitecaps also kept things rolling with a 3-2 victory over Real Salt Lake, and they look pretty well prepared for their Concacaf Champions Cup final against Cruz Azul on Sunday. Finally, some of the guys who got the call for the United States Men’s National Team this month had great showings, with Patrick Agyemang and Brian White each scoring braces, and Diego Luna getting a goal as well.

Host Cities Continue World Cup Preparations

The 2026 World Cup will be here before we know it, and that means that cities which will be hosting games are continuing to make their preparations. Host sites with established public transit options like Metlife Stadium have a leg up, while Kansas City is implementing special buses to get fans from the city to the stadium, while also constructing a tram to help ferry people back and forth. Other stadiums have had to make changes to their fields, whether it’s been removing seating in order to widen the pitch, or adding natural grass to a turf surface and letting it grow in naturally over the course of a year and a half. Other changes will happen much closer to the tournament, like existing stadium branding being covered up or replaced and constructing fan zones for spectators to watch games outside the stadium itself. It’s a huge undertaking, and the work won’t stop until balls are being kicked next summer.

Man in Custody after Hitting Spectators at Liverpool Title Parade

Over two dozen people were injured on Monday evening when a car drove into fans at Liverpool’s trophy parade. A reported 27 people were taken to the hospital, and two were said to have “sustained serious injuries.” A man believed to be the driver of the car was taken into custody by the police after the incident, and the police force has urged the public to not make speculations about the nature and intent of the incident. The police have also said that they are not treating the incident as an act of terrorism and are continuing to investigate.

Free Kicks

• Orlando City winger Marco Pasalic has been called up to the Croatian Men’s National Team for June.

• Parma has reportedly put in a lowball offer for Alex Freeman.

• Orlando City rose one spot to No. 7 in ESPN.com’s MLS power rankings after Saturday’s 1-0 win over Portland.
• The Orlando Pride fell a spot to No. 3 in ESPN.com’s NWSL power rankings despite winning 3-1 on the road behind Barbra Banda’s hat trick.
• Cristiano Ronaldo has seemingly confirmed that he will be leaving Al Nassr, and there are reports floating around that he has an offer to join one of the Brazilian teams participating in the Club World Cup.

That does it for me today. Vamos Orlando!

Orlando City returned to Major League Soccer action after exiting the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and, more importantly, the Lions returned to their winning ways. In a battle of east vs. west, Orlando City defeated the Portland Timbers 1-0. Despite significant schedule congestion in the month of May, Orlando City has now tied a club record with a 12-game unbeaten streak.

Let’s take a look at how the individual Lions performed in this bounce-back win.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6.5 — Gallese touched the ball 37 times, completing 65.2% of his 23 passes and seven of his 15 long balls. He was credited with two saves on a night when the Timbers could only muster seven total shot attempts. Overall, Gallese was solid once again, aggressively coming out to catch or punch away crosses and helping the Lions earn another shutout, tying Dayne St. Clair of Minnesota United for the league lead in shutouts (7). He was good, but his teammates left little for him to do most of the game. On a busier night with this performance, he would have scored higher.

D, David Brekalo, 6.5 — Brekalo recorded 43 touches and completed 91.4% of his 35 passes, including one successful long ball on his only attempt. The more defensive-minded of the two outside backs, Brekalo was not afraid to get into the attacking third against Portland and completed multiple runs, which, while not overly successful, did put pressure on the Timbers’ defensive shape. He finished the game with three tackles and two clearances while being whistled for a team-high four fouls. He had one scary moment in the match when he was beaten to the end line by Ariel Lassiter, but the converted center back did well to get his right foot on the ball to knock it out for a corner rather than conceding a penalty.

D, Robin Jansson, 6.5 — Orlando City defended for large periods of the second half while Portland searched for an equalizer, which put significant pressure on the center backs, including Jansson. He touched the ball a team-high 64 times and completed 83.7% of his team-high 49 passes. The captain was only accurate on one of his six long ball attempts, as the timing with Duncan McGuire appeared slightly off throughout the match when attempting to unlock passes over the top. Defensively, he contributed two tackles and a team-best nine clearances. Jansson picked up an unnecessary yellow card in the waining moments of the match for dissent.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 7 — Much like Jansson, Schlegel saw periods of extended pressure as the Timbers looked to steal a point on the road. He touched the ball 54 times and completed 92.7% of his 41 passes, but was 0/3 on his long ball attempts, again highlighting the difficulty the team had in attempting to release the attacking players with long passing attempts. Defensively, Schlegel did a little bit of everything as he recorded two tackles, one interception, five clearances, and blocked one shot. He was also shown a yellow card near the end of the match, like Jansson for dissent.

D, Alex Freeman, 7 — After seven matches in May, Freeman continues to be Orlando’s Energizer Bunny. The 20-year-old is racking up the minutes and the miles this month as he plays an integral role in both the attack and the defense. Freeman logged 53 touches against Portland and completed 93.9% of his 33 passes. He tied Eduard Atuesta with a team-high three key passes. Offensively, he recorded one successful dribble but was unable to record a shot attempt against the Timbers. He would have registered a goal contribution with an assist if Ivan Angulo had stayed onside just moments after Duncan McGuire opened the scoring for Orlando. Defensively, he logged two tackles, one interception, three clearances, and a blocked one. If he goes the distance against Atlanta and Chicago to end the month, his legs might need to be physically replaced before he joins the USMNT training camp.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 5.5 — As is usually the case, Angulo contributed his top-notch speed, considerable work rate, and pressure in the match, but struggled in key moments with his precision, wasting opportunities for the Lions to distance themselves from the visiting Timbers. Helping create those opportunities is admirable, but finishing them has been a problem throughout Angulo’s time in Orlando, and providing the final decision and/or ball has been especially problematic in 2025, as he has just two goal contributions nearly halfway through the season. Against Portland, Angulo touched the ball 42 times and completed 82.8% of his 29 passes. He was unsuccessful on his lone cross but was credited with one key pass. Angulo attempted two shots, putting one on target, but he could have done better with that one, as he had a clear-cut breakaway off a Portland corner at the other end. He would have had his first goal of the season in the 42nd minute if he had held his run for a split second. Angulo completed one successful dribble. In the 74th minute, he was careless with the ball again and gave it away in the attacking third, then committed a tactical foul to pick up a yellow card. Defensively, he contributed two tackles and one interception.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 6 — Araujo was solid, bouncing back from an inconsistent performance in the midweek and helping the Lions limit the Portland attack throughout the game. He touched the ball 51 times and completed 85.7% of his 42 passes. He also completed one of his three long balls. With Atuesta back in the starting line-up, Araujo was allowed to function in his more defensive-minded role as he did not record an offensive statistic. Defensively, he recorded three tackles, and he slowed the Timbers down when necessary, committing three fouls while avoiding a booking.

MF, Eduard Atuesta, 7.5 (MotM) — Welcome back to the fold, Atuesta! After battling injuries over the last month and a half, Atuesta returned to the starting lineup, played the full 90 minutes, and provided just enough offensive spark to help Orlando City secure the victory. He was also involved in helping Orlando win back the ball and prevent Portland from generating clear-cut chances. He touched the ball 59 times and completed 95.7% of his 47 passes, including a successful long ball and through ball. Atuesta tied Freeman with a team-best three key passes, including the assist on McGuire’s goal in the 39th minute. The midfielder logged one shot attempt, which was not on target, and on defense, he chipped in three tackles and one clearance.

MF, Marco Pasalic, 6 — Pasalic touched the ball 44 times, completed 91.7% of his 24 passes, and was unsuccessful on both of his crosses, however, he did record two key passes. He took a team-high four shots but was only able to put one on frame. Defensively, he covered his space well and contibuted one interception and one clearance.

F, Luis Muriel, 5.5 — Muriel started up top with McGuire in a 4-4-2 but played beneath his strike partner in a role similar to what Martin Ojeda has been playing of late. Muriel’s work rate was good, but he struggled with his final decision and his final product despite working hard to create in the attacking half. There were instances of dribbling into three defenders without dropping the ball off to a nearby teammate, turning down openings to shoot, and failing to hit the target when he did fire. He touched the ball 41 times but completed only 57.1% of 28 passes. While Muriel managed to record two key passes, his overall success rate needed to be better against Portland for the Lions to run the attack through him. His three shots were all off target, but he contributed one successful dribble. Defensively, Muriel did not record a statistic.

F, Duncan McGuire, 7.5 — Orlando runs on Duncan once again! McGuire’s biggest contribution came when he found the back of the net in the 39th minute, taking Atuesta’s excellent through ball and correctly opting to turn on the ball and shoot with his first touch with multiple defenders closing. He touched the ball 29 times and completed 77.8% of his 18 passes while earning one key pass. McGuire put one of his two shots (Orlando’s lone goal) on target — narrowly missing a second goal wide late in the first half — and was credited with one successful dribble. The main knock on McGuire against the Timbers is that he was called for two offside infractions, which seemed to highlight the timing issue that I mentioned earlier, however, it’s understandable that the big striker wasn’t in rhythm, as he has been coming on late in a reserve role in recent weeks. Defensively, McGuire recorded one tackle, an interception, and a clearance. He gave fans a nervy moment on the pitch as he was sandwiched between two defenders and went down hard, holding his wrist. After an off-season shoulder procedure, the contact was enough to prompt evaluation by the training staff, but McGuire was able to continue.

Substitutes

F, Martin Ojeda (67’), 6 — Ojeda came off the bench for Muriel in an attempt to deploy fresher legs for the final 20 minutes of the match. He touched the ball 11 times and completed all seven of his passes, including both of his long balls. Offensively, he put his lone shot attempt on target, forcing a decent save in the 82nd minute. Defensively, he did not record a statistic.

F, Ramiro Enrique (67’), 5.5 — Enrique replaced McGuire up top and provided his usual spark off the bench, picking and choosing his moments to press the back line. He had great jump in his legs and should have brought the team some much-needed energy, but too often he was isolated and reduced to merely heading long balls back to the Portland defense to alleviate pressure. He logged 13 touches, completed just 57.1% of his seven passes, and won a team-high four aerial duels in the final 23 minutes, plus stoppage time. He took one shot, which was blocked by the defense on the rebound of Ojeda’s aforementioned shot on target. Enrique also added a tackle and a clearance while helping Orlando City see out the victory.

MF, Kyle Smith (78’), 5.5 — The human Swiss Army knife was deployed in the midfield, replacing Angulo. Smith touched the ball nine times and completed 83.3% of his six passes, including a well-placed ball which unlocked Ojeda behind the defense. He contributed three clearances on defense. He was solid, but wasn’t able to have much impact on the match at the left wing spot, as the Lions struggled to maintain any possession or break out of their own end in the second half.

MF, Joran Gerbet (78’), 6 — After playing admirably over the last several matches, the 2025 MLS SuperDraft pick came off the bench for Araujo for the final minutes. He touched the ball nine times and completed all eight of his passes. He also contributed one clearance and helped clog up the middle to prevent Portland from creating much danger while chasing the game.

MF, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson (86’), N/A — Thorhallsson was the final sub of the match, replacing Pasalic in the midfield. He touched the ball eight times, completed all four of his passes and logging one interception. The energy he brought was noticeable, and he could perhaps have been brought on a bit earlier.

That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando City’s 1-0 win over the Portland Timbers. Let us know what you thought of the game in the comments below, and don’t forget to vote for your Man of the Match.

Happy Memorial Day, Mane Landers! I hope you’re all having a good holiday weekend. I’ve stayed busy working and checked out the Post Malone concert at Wrigley Field. Our Lions and the Pride picked up wins, while OCB lost to Atlanta United 2 over the weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Blank Portland Timbers at Home

Orlando City defeated the Portland Timbers 1-0 on Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium. Duncan McGuire scored the lone goal for the Lions in the first half to seal the win and extend Orlando’s unbeaten streak to 12 matches. That streak ties the club record set in 2020, and the Lions have still never lost to the Timbers at home.

The Lions jumped to fourth in the Eastern Conference standings with 27 points. Orlando City will be on the road for its next match on Wednesday to face rival Atlanta United at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Banda’s Hat Trick Leads Pride Over Utah Royals

The Orlando Pride defeated the Utah Royals 3-1 Friday at America First Field in Sandy, UT behind Barbra Banda’s first-half hat trick. In addition to being the first in club history, Banda’s hat trick was the fastest in NWSL history, as she scored her three goals in 38 minutes. It was also the first NWSL hat trick on the road in which all three goals were scored in the first half. Friday’s win was the first time Orlando has scored more than one goal since April 25 against Angel City FC. The Pride snapped a three-match winless streak and moved to second in the NWSL table with 19 points. The Pride will be off this weekend for the international break, and their next match is scheduled for June 7 against the Houston Dash at Inter&Co Stadium.

OCB Routed by Atlanta United 2

In perhaps the club’s worst performance of the season, OCB fell 3-0 to Atlanta United 2 at Osceola Heritage Park on Sunday in a rare “home road match.” The match was originally scheduled for Friday at Fifth Third Stadium in Georgia but was rescheduled to Sunday due to the stadium not being available. Kickoff for the match was delayed about an hour because of inclement weather, and the match was played behind close doors. Atlanta United 2 took advantage of two of OCB’s numerous mistakes to go up 2-0 in the first half and added another in the second half in a match that could have been far worse than the scoreline indicated.

European Soccer Weekend Recap

There was plenty of drama over in Europe as many leagues wrapped up the 2024-2025 season. In the Premier League, all that was left to decide was which clubs would qualify for the UEFA Champions League alongside Liverpool, Arsenal, and Tottenham Hotspur. Manchester City beat Fulham 2-0, Chelsea defeated Nottingham Forest 1-0, and Newcastle lost to Everton 1-0 but still secured the last Champions League spot alongside Manchester City and Chelsea on the final day. Aston Villa fell to Manchester United 2-0 amid controversy and joined Nottingham Forest as the two sides to miss out on the UEFA Champions League.

In Serie A, Napoli took care of business at home, beating Cagliari 2-0. Napoli edged Inter Milan by one point to clinch the scudetto for the second time in three years. In the UEFA Women’s Champions League final, Arsenal defeated Barcelona 1-0 to secure the club’s first European title since 2007 and end Barcelona’s run for a fourth title in five years. Finally, in the EFL Championship playoff final, Sunderland edged Sheffield United 2-1 with a winner from Tom Wilson in stoppage time and earned promotion to the Premier League next season after eight years in the second division.

Free Kicks

• MLS 360 analyst Dax McCarty praised Orlando City defender Alex Freeman for getting his first international call-up to the U.S. Men’s National Team 27-man roster. He also mentioned he could be a dark horse pick to make the 2026 World Cup squad.

• Esther Gonzalez scored the lone goal for NJ/NY Gotham FC to defeat Tigres 1-0 Saturday and win the first edition of the Concacaf W Champions Cup. Gotham FC has qualified for the 2026 Women’s Champions Cup and the 2028 Women’s Club World Cup.
• The LA Galaxy and San Diego FC released a statement condemning the violence between supporters from both clubs after fights broke out after the match at Snapdragon Stadium Saturday.

• Kevin De Bruyne played his final match for Manchester City on Sunday and is now a free agent. He has reportedly turned down a move to join the Chicago Fire in MLS and will hold talks to join Serie A champions Napoli.
• Erik ten Hag is reportedly set to join Bayer Leverkusen as its next manager, replacing the departing Xabi Alonso.

• Speaking of Alonso, Real Madrid has appointed the former Bayer Leverkusen manager as its next manager. Alonso has signed a contract through the 2028 La Liga season.
• Disney+ has secured exclusive live streaming rights to the UEFA Women’s Champions League in Europe on a 5-year deal.
• Boston Legacy FC has reached an agreement with Benfica women’s coach Filipa Patao to become the NWSL expansion side’s first head coach as the club prepares for its league debut in 2026.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday and I’ll see you next time.