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

How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s 2-1 road loss to NYCFC?

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4 months ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City hit the road for the first time in 2025, disappointingly dropping its first road match of the year to Eastern Conference rivals New York City FC 2-1. The small confines of Yankee Stadium proved to be too big of a stage for Orlando City on the 10th anniversary of the club’s first match in Major League Soccer.

Let’s take a look at the individual performances for Orlando City and see who impressed and who needs to improve.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6 — Gallese faced more adversity this week against NYCFC than a week ago against Toronto. He made seven saves on the night, including a brilliant reaction save on a powerful shot attempt in the second half. For the second game in a row, Gallese conceded two goals, though the first wasn’t primarily the fault of the Orlando City keeper, as he dove to stop a Maxi Moralez shot that hit off the post and ricocheted out in front. Before he could react, the defense was beaten to the ball by Alonso Martinez for the easy goal. Gallese should have done better on the second goal, in which he left a big, juicy rebound for the second easy goal of the night. The Peruvian finished with six saves, completed 46.7% of his 15 passes, and was successful on five of his 13 long balls.

D, Rafael Santos, 5.5 — Santos touched the ball 58 times and completed 68.4% of his 38 passes. He was credited with two key passes but was only accurate with one of his four crosses and two of his nine long balls. The left back was fairly active on defense, recording one interception, two clearances, and three tackles. Offensively, the Brazilian did not register a shot attempt.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 5.5 — Schlegel touched the ball 57 times and completed 81% of his 42 passes, including two of his six long balls. He wasn’t involved in the attack at all but finished with two tackles, one interception, and six clearances. His positioning seemed off to the right too far on the second goal, and he was as culpable as the rest of the back line in not tracking runners.

D, Robin Jansson, 5.5 — The captain made his season debut after missing the first two matches and had 50 touches in the game. He completed 79.6% of his 44 passes, including five of his 11 long balls. Defensively, Jansson had one tackle and four clearances and blocked a shot. As with the rest of the back line, he was responsible for making sure free runners weren’t getting in behind and that’s how both goals happened, so it was far from a great start for the Swede. Offensively, Jansson did not contribute but it is certainly a welcome sign to see the Orlando City captain back on the field.

D, Alex Freeman, 6 — Freeman got his second career and had a team-high 78 touches, completing 70.5% of his 44 passes, including two key passes. He also completed two of his six long balls and was unsuccessful on both of his crossing attempts. Offensively, he was credited with one successful dribble, was dispossessed twice, and did not record a shot. He was involved in the buildup for Orlando’s goal, however, sending the ball forward that began the give-and-go with Luis Muriel and Marco Pasalic. Defensively, Freeman recorded a tackle and had a team-high nine clearances. There are still some nervy moments defensively for Freeman as he becomes more comfortable on the field, and he was getting beaten on the flanks at times even on the small playing surface, but his activity and effort cannot be questioned.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 6 — Araujo touched the ball 75 times, second only to Freeman, and completed 88.9% of his 54 passes, including a key pass and one successful long ball on two attempts. He recorded two shots, both of which were off target, and suffered a team-high four fouls. Araujo was also whistled offside once in the match, which on such a short field is impressive in its own right. Defensively, he had a team high six tackles, one interception, and two clearances. He kept Julian Fernandez onside when he dropped into the middle defensively, which helped NYCFC score the winning goal.

MF, Eduard Atuesta, 6 — Atuesta slotted into his usual role in the midfield and recorded 51 touches. He completed 80% of his 30 passes, including a key pass, but only one of his four long balls. Offensively, Atuesta put one of his two shots on target and unfortunately was credited with a team-high three unstable touches. Defensively, he had one tackle, two interceptions, two clearances, and a blocked shot. Atuesta also committed a team-high four fouls in the match, a trend worth monitoring going forward as he has appeared quite foul happy over the first three matches. He was also booked.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 5.5 — Angulo had 52 touches and completed 77.4% of his 31 passes. For a player who loves to dribble 1-v-1, 1-v-2, or even 1-v-3 more than he should, Angulo was surprisingly credited with a team-high three key passes, and he completed three of his five crosses. Angulo did not attempt a shot against NYCFC and he contributed defensively with two tackles.

MF, Martin Ojeda, 6 — Ojeda touched the ball 36 times and completed 84.6% of his 26 passes, including two key passes, two of his five crosses, and all three of his long balls. Offensively, Ojeda only mustered one shot attempt, which was not on target, as he scuffed a good opportunity from the top of the area in the first half. The Argentinian did not record a meaningful defensive statistic. He was sacrificed in the 75th minute for Ramiro Enrique as Orlando looked for an equalizer.

MF, Marco Pasalic, 6.5 — Pasalic touched the ball 40 times, completing just 69.6% of his 23 passes. He had one key pass — the assist on Muriel’s goal — and was unsuccessful on his lone long ball attempt. In the early moments of the match, Pasalic looked like a footballer playing his first game on a baseball field, and unfortunately for Orlando City, he never was fully able to showcase his technical abilities in tight spaces. He put one of his three shots on target, and his pass to send Muriel in behind was perfectly executed. While Pasalic failed to find the back of the net, he did not let a sluggish offensive night keep him from contributing on the defensive end, where he was credited with one tackle, two interceptions, and two clearances.

F, Luis Muriel, 6.5 (MotM) — Starting his first game of the season, Muriel touched the ball 27 times while completing 61.5% of his 13 passes. Two of his six shots wound up on target, including his first goal of the year, as he was able to get Orlando City level on a strike in the 69th minute. The six shot attempts were a team high against NYCFC. Defensively, Muriel added a tackle. It is an encouraging sign to see the Designated Player find the back of the net, and just a little disappointing that he didn’t have more as the Colombian had a few other close attempts which either were slightly off the mark or didn’t have enough power behind the shot.

Substitutes

F, Ramiro Enrique (76’), 5 — Enrique came on for Ojeda in the 76th minute, touching the ball seven times. He completed one of his three passes and unfortunately did not log a shot attempt over the final quarter hour.

MF, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson (80’), 6 — Thorhallsson once again entered in the waning moments of the match but was unable to recreate the magic that followed his substitution a week ago, when he scored with his second touch. Against NYCFC, Thorhallsson touched the ball 12 times, and completed all five of his passes. He did not record a shot but was credited with one tackle.

D, Kyle Smith (80′), 6 — Smith entered in place of Santos in an attempt to help Orlando City find an equalizer. He logged 12 touches and completed 90% of his 10 passes. He failed to connect on his lone crossing attempt but completed his only long ball. Defensively, Smith was credited with one tackle.

MF, Gustavo Caraballo (85′), N/A — Caraballo entered the match in the 85th minute replacing Atuesta and logged seven touches, was credited with one key pass, and recorded a shot that was off target.

That’s how I saw Orlando City’s first road loss of the 2025 season. Let us know how you saw the game in the comments below and don’t forget to vote for your Man of the Match.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/2/25

Big names leave Toronto FC, hot conditions in Club World Cup match, FIFPRO makes ACL recommendations, and more.

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22 hours ago

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July 2, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Wednesday, everyone. It already feels like it’s been a long week, as I just got home from being out of town traveling up and down the East Coast for the last few days. The soccer world hasn’t stopped in my absence though, and as usual we have a lot to cover today. Let’s wish a happy birthday to OCB defender Tahir Reid-Brown, and jump into today’s links!

Italians Leave Toronto FC

It’s the end of an era at Toronto FC, as the club has parted ways with both Federico Bernardeschi, and Lorenzo Insigne. The Reds used both of their two buyouts of guaranteed contracts this season in order to get the transactions done, so the club was pretty keen to get them out the door. It’s hard to blame the Reds, as Insigne was the second-highest paid player in the league while Bernardeschi was the fifth highest. They didn’t have much to show for it though, as Bernardeschi had 26 goals and 22 assists in 99 games across all competitions, while Insigne had 19 goals and 17 assists in 76 matches. TFC never made the playoffs while the duo was on the team, and the decision to turn the page is an understandable one.

Difficult Conditions in Juventus vs. Real Madrid

The Club World Cup Round of 16 concluded on Tuesday, with Real Madrid knocking off Juventus 1-0 in afternoon match. Kylian Mbappe made his tournament debut for Madrid as a substitute, but it was Gonzalo Garcia’s 54th-minute goal that made the difference in the game. Juve boss Igor Tudor highlighted the difficult conditions in Miami, saying in his postgame press conference that 10 different players asked to come off the field during the game. Tudor didn’t outright blame the loss on the high heat and humidity during the 3 p.m. kickoff at Hard Rock Stadium, but noted that they were among several factors that made the game a very difficult one for his side.

FIFPRO Makes Recommendations to Curb ACL Tears

Amid a rash of ACL injuries to women’s soccer players, FIFPRO has made some recommendations to cut down on the rate at which they occur. Rather than focusing on things that can’t be controlled, the federation has suggested modifying the calendar, number of games, and the playing surfaces. FIFPRO member Alex Culvin is calling for minimum standards in the women’s game relating to pitch conditions and access to physiotherapists. More research around risk factors is also necessary, as is implementing preventative exercises at the youth levels of the game.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

Summer transfer business is in full swing, so let’s catch up on some of the hot rumors currently flying around. First up, Arsenal is said to be in the final stages of signing Viktor Gyokeres to a five-year deal. Staying in the Premier League, Manchester United is reportedly interested in signing midfielder Fabian Ruiz from Paris Saint-Germain. Juventus reportedly is close to signing Jonathan David after his contract with Lille expired. Finally, Bayern Munich is reportedly preparing a formal offer for Liverpool for Colombian winger Luis Diaz.

Free Kicks

Apparently a non -#usmnt drone has crashed the training session. US Soccer staff aiming to identify it.

— Jeff Carlisle (@jeffreycarlisle.bsky.social) 2025-07-01T17:25:12.954Z

That’s all I have for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/1/25

Pride signings, OCB draws, both U.S. national teams in action Wednesday, and more.

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2 days ago

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July 1, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to July, Mane Landers. If you’re like me, you balanced the excitement and dread of the USMNT advancing on penalty kicks the other night. It was one thing watching Guatemala take out Canada but a whole other level of heart palpitating stress while watching the U.S. avoid a similar fate. There’s no time to relax with plenty of soccer to watch as we head towards Independence Day. Before we get to the links, please join us in wishing Orlando Pride/USWNT defender Emily Sams and OCB defender Clovis Archange each a happy birthday.

Orlando Pride Signings

The Orlando Pride announced a pair of transactions Monday. Midfielder Viviana Villacorta and the club have agreed to exercise the midfielder’s mutual option for the 2026 season. Villacorta was the No. 9 overall pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft. The Pride also signed midfielder Ally Lemos to a new contract through the 2027 season with a mutual option for 2028. The Pride selected Lemos with the No. 9 overall pick of the 2024 NWSL Draft. Orlando continues to lock down current players ahead of time. Now, we wait to see if any new players will be added.

OCB Earns a Point on the Road

Orlando City B played Philadelphia Union II to a 1-1 draw in a Monday afternoon match. Unfortunately, the Young Lions lost the end-of-regulation shootout 4-2 and did not get the additional point. Gustavo Caraballo assisted Jackson Platts on the early goal for OCB. Philadelphia equalized early in the second half. Carlos Mercado was the difference maker in the match, recording a career-high 12 saves.

USMNT’s Gold Cup Run Continues vs. Guatemala

The USMNT will face Guatemala Wednesday night in a 2025 Gold Cup semifinal match. The U.S. advanced past Costa Rica on penalties thanks to a stellar performance from goalkeeper Matt Freese. Guatemala stunned Canada with a second-half equalizer and advanced on penalty kicks. Guatemala has been the overachieving underdog of the competition so far. This will be the USMNT’s 17th Gold Cup semifinal appearance.

USWNT Hosts Canada

The USWNT will host Canada in a third friendly of this international window Wednesday at Washington, D.C.’s Audi Field. The U.S. is coming off two 4-0 victories over the Republic of Ireland. Canada should prove a tougher opponent for Emma Hayes’ squad. There is a possibility that the match will feature two Orlando Pride players — Emily Sams for the U.S. and Zara Chavoshi for Canada. Kerry Abello has returned to her club team after picking up a knock.

Free Kicks

Sources: Bayer Leverkusen are finalizing a deal to sign USMNT attacker Malik Tillman from PSV.Deal in region of $40m.

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2025-06-30T20:36:24.359Z
  • Former Orlando Pride midfielder Erika Tymrak has retired from professional soccer.

That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for Orlando City’s match against Charlotte FC this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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Orlando City

Orlando City Striker Ramiro Enrique Hindered By Inconsistency

Ramiro Enrique’s inconsistent play raises the question if he can be the go-to striker Orlando City desperately needs.

Published

3 days ago

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June 30, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City’s strike force has been inconsistent this season, to say the least. At times, the players up top have looked like they can score at will, but at other times, they struggle on chances they should finish. Nobody displays that inconsistency better than Ramiro Enrique.

Joining the Lions in 2023, Enrique has primarily served in a backup role for Ercan Kara, Duncan McGuire, and Luis Muriel. The young Argentine has had the occasional start, but ultimately ends up back on the bench, entering later in games. 

Orlando City acquired Muriel prior to the 2024 season when it appeared McGuire was on his way to Blackburn Rovers. However, the English side’s struggle with simple paperwork resulted in the Omaha, NE, native returning to Orlando. It left Oscar Pareja with some decisions to make.

The Lions often employ a 4-4-2 formation with a single striker and Muriel playing underneath. As a result, the three forwards all saw plenty of action in 2024.  Enrique started 12 games, Muriel 14, and McGuire was listed 18 times in the starting lineup. However, Enrique’s strong form near the end of the season saw him start 11 of the final 12 regular-season games and all five playoff contests.

Aiding Enrique’s playing time were injuries to McGuire. The 6-foot-1 striker suffered a shoulder injury on Nov. 9 in an MLS Cup playoff game against Charlotte FC, guaranteeing a starting spot for Enrique. As McGuire continued to work towards his return at the start of the year, Enrique took his place.

At times, it looks like Enrique is more than a substitute for Muriel or McGuire and can be the go-to scorer the Lions have struggled to find since Daryl Dike. But his inconsistency eventually returns, making it hard for Pareja to depend on the young attacker. That issue has been most noticeable during the two most recent games.

Putting shots on frame has been a struggle for the Lions this year, but it wasn’t for Enrique Wednesday night in St. Louis. After the Lions lost back-to-back games against Atlanta United and the Chicago Fire, Enrique was inserted into the starting lineup for Muriel. He took advantage of his opportunity in St. Louis, placing three of his five shots on target. He scored a first-half brace, giving his team a commanding three-goal lead after just 22 minutes.

In the seventh minute, Martin Ojeda sent a strong ball across the box that Enrique ran onto with perfect timing. He didn’t try to do too much, tapping the ball in on the slide. After Marco Pasalic made it 2-0, a bad turnover in the 22nd minute gave the striker a second chance. He was in on goal and made no mistake, slamming the ball past Roman Burki to make it 3-0.

The performance had many wondering if the team had finally found the striker it had been looking for since McGuire went down. But it wasn’t to be as Enrique reverted to his inconsistency with a poor performance in Saturday night’s 2-1 loss to FC Cincinnati.

The striker was unable to put any of his three shots on target, but that’s only part of the story. It’s how he failed to score that was the bigger problem.

In the 51st minute, Pasalic forced Brian Anunga into a turnover just outside the Cincinnati box. Enrique made a run toward the near post and Pasalic found him. The striker should’ve had no problem putting the shot on target, but he hit the ball with his left foot as his right came through, knocking the ball out of play for a goal kick.

He had a chance to redeem himself in second-half stoppage time with the Lions looking for an equalizer. Rafael Santos played a beautiful ball to the near post that only required a slight touch to beat Roman Celentano. However, the striker sent his header well wide, squandering a golden opportunity to claim a point.

These two games show the inconsistency that has plagued Enrique throughout his Orlando City career. He’ll look to be in excellent form and ready to claim the starting striker role, only to follow it up with a poor performance. It’s something that has held the Argentine back since his arrival and continues to do so this year.

Even more troublesome, it leaves Orlando City without a dependable striker. McGuire can’t seem to get over his shoulder problems, and he is currently on the sidelines again while he recovers from surgery on the opposite shoulder to the one he hurt in last year’s playoffs. Muriel and Ojeda often partner each other up top, but both are more comfortable in midfield positions.

Injuries and players in uncomfortable positions provide Enrique with the perfect situation. Consistent scoring would assure Pareja that he can depend on the 24-year-old to produce the goals his team has been searching for. But the striker can’t seem to put it together over the span of multiple games.

He’ll have plenty of opportunities in the near future to win the position he undoubtedly craves. McGuire’s absence due to injury and Muriel’s preference to play underneath means Enrique will likely get more playing time. However, he needs to show more consistency if he wants to hold onto the starting spot long-term.

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