Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Chicago Fire: Player Grades and Man of the Match
How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s 0-0 draw against the Chicago Fire?
Twice this season Orlando City players received red cards, and during each occasion the defense was able to buckle down and keep the opponents from scoring while up a player. The Lions returned the favor on Saturday night, allowing Chicago to play down a player for more than half the game without punishment in what ended up as a disappointing 0-0 draw at Soldier Field.
There were not a lot of standout performances in this game, as aside from one major exception the team just seemed to be playing in a bit of a funk — and not the cool James Brown funk, but rather the something-is-rotten-in-the-state-of-Illinois funk. To torture a Hamlet metaphor: to grade or not to grade was never a question, but to do it with or without holding my nose definitely was.
I have my purple pen out and 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 Eastern Conference matchup.
Starters
GK, Pedro Gallese, 8.5 (MotM) — El Pulpo was simply outstanding in this game, recording eight saves, one below his career high in purple (or yellow, as it often has been), and keeping the game scoreless early when Chicago was relentlessly attacking Orlando City’s defense. He made two double saves, one in each half, and really looked to be the only Lion who actually showed up to play in this game. The Peruvian looked in complete command of his area throughout, extending his shutout streak to more than 500 minutes by the conclusion of this game, and Orlando City has Gallese to thank for escaping with a point, despite playing up a man for more than half of the match.
D, David Brekalo, 6 — The Slovenian defender ventured forward more than usual, with the Fire playing down a player and not offering much of an offensive threat, and he did play a few dangerous balls, but — and this will be a theme of many of the grades for this game — nothing came of it. He completed 60 passes on the night at a 92.3% rate, and Óscar Pareja believed he was playing well enough to leave him on the field and withdraw Rodrigo Schlegel when Orlando City started really pushing forward in the final 10 minutes, but that is not saying much on a night when nobody in the defensive back line was having a great game. Brekalo added one tackle and three clearances, and to his credit, he continued to look more comfortable playing in a position (left back) that he had not played prior to this season.
D, Robin Jansson, 6 — The captain was his normal steady self, though he did not have many opportunities to contribute with Chicago so rarely attacking in the the final 50 minutes of the game. His biggest positive contribution was playing the long ball over the top to Duncan McGuire that turned into a red card and a man advantage, and he narrowly avoided a calamitous negative contribution as a second half shot that was going to go well wide deflected off him and nearly tucked inside the near post, but it thankfully hit the outside of the post instead. Jansson led the team in completed passes with 62, including one key pass, and completed those passes at a 91.2% rate, but it is telling that he did not make any tackles and only had two defensive clearances, as much of his game was spent watching the “offense” in front of him and providing a release valve as they reset and tried another tactic.
D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 5.5 — Schlegel owes a massive debt of gratitude to Gallese, as twice in the game the Argentinean defender was beaten by Philip Zinckernagel, and only a save at full stretch kept the Lions from going down 1-0. Shortly thereafter, he was beaten over the top on a ball to Jonathan Bamba, but Gallese once again kept the game scoreless. It was not shaping up to be a good day for the Orlando City defense, but the red card changed everything, and from then on, Schlegel did not have a lot to do aside from transitioning balls played back to him to another player. He completed 49 passes on the night, third on the team, connecting on 87.5% of those passes, and he also added one tackle and five clearances.
D, Alex Freeman, 6 — I expected Freeman to take full advantage of Chicago playing down a man for more than half the game and he did to a degree, taking three shots and playing two key passes, but the final product was not there and he could not add to his goal contribution tally. Freeman and Marco Pašalić also did not seem to have their usual level of interplay, and according to whoscored.com, the Lions actually attacked up the right side far less often (24% of their possessions) than they did the left side (38%). Freeman was engaged defensively, with two tackles, three interceptions, and one clearance, but as with so many of the Lions on this night, he did not execute well enough on offense to help get the one goal Orlando City needed to walk away with the three points. He also owes Gallese a major thank you, as Zinckernagel picked his pocket in the first half and only a fantastic save kept Freeman from having made the turnover that turned into the opening goal.
MF, César Araújo, 6 — It was nice to see Araújo’s name back in the starting lineup, but I did not think the Uruguayan looked all the way back to 100%. That may have been because early in the game he appeared to pick up some kind of knock, and was limping around for a few minutes, or perhaps because he was not fully back from the injury that had been keeping him out, but this was a pretty muted performance from a player who usually is a midfield destroyer and never stops running when he is on the field. Araújo completed 47 passes at a 94% clip, took three shots, and recorded three tackles, but what I will remember from him from this game is that he was one of several players who took free kicks from very dangerous locations, and just like many of his teammates, he put his free kick right into the wall.
MF, Kyle Smith, 6 — With Eduard Atuesta out, Smith got the start in the midfield alongside Araújo, and gave a solid, workmanlike performance. Smith did not get forward very much and played conservatively, and while he completed 87.1% of his passes, there were very few of consequence. Smith’s biggest contribution was a hustle play, when he got all the way back on defense to deflect a cross away that was headed into a dangerous area. He also added one tackle on defense before making way for Martín Ojeda in an offense-for-defense substitution in the 56th minute.
MF, Iván Angulo, 6 — The Colombian had a bright start to this game, cutting back into the middle and getting off Orlando City’s first shot of the game, which deflected out for a corner. Later in the first half, he also put a left-footed shot on target, one of only two shots on target for Orlando City all game, but it was not struck with a lot of power and was never really a threat. Angulo also played a fantastic pass to Ojeda that nearly turned into an assist, but Ojeda’s blast hit the post instead of the net. The speedy winger completed 79.5% of his passes on the night, with three key passes, and added one tackle and two interceptions, but on the flip side, he also was dispossessed once in the defensive third, giving Chicago an opportunity, and he also committed the turnover that turned into Gallese’s second-half double save.
MF, Marco Pašalić, 6 — Just when the Croatian winger seemed to finally be getting into the game he was substituted out, and while it was understandable considering how invisible he had been for most of the match, the decision to take off one of the few players who had even threatened the goal was one that I did not agree with. As covered earlier, Orlando City did not attack down the right side very much in this game, and Pašalić had his second-fewest touches in any game this season as a result. He did hit one of his trademark dipping shots from outside the box but did not get quite enough of a dip on it, and it rattled the crossbar but did not ricochet into the net. On the night, he completed 70.8% of his passes and he beat three defenders off the dribble, but he was not able to create much else for himself or his teammates.
F, Luis Muriel, 6.5 — Muriel was by far the most active player among Orlando City’s attackers, and while he had several chances himself, he created even more for his teammates with his team-leading nine shot-creating actions, but nobody brought their shooting shoes, and all those chances went begging. Muriel played some absolutely beautiful balls on the night, from a long ball over the top to McGuire, to a back-post cross towards Araújo, to several crosses into the danger area in front of the goal, and on a different day, perhaps he would have had multiple assists. Or, on a different day, he would have scored on some of his chances, as he led the team with five shot attempts but unfortunately could only put one on target, which was saved. The Colombian had four key passes among his 38 completions, and considering he was one of the few players to look lively and engaged, it is not a surprise that he only completed 71.7% of his passes, as he was trying to create offense for his teammates all game long.
F, Duncan McGuire, 5.5 — McGuire received another start in this match next to Muriel, and went the full 90 minutes in an MLS match for the first time since June of 2024. Unfortunately, he continued his trend of not receiving a lot of service, as despite playing 90 minutes and Chicago playing down a player, he only had 23 touches. Early in the game he had a decent chance on a ball over the top from Muriel that he hit well but wide, but aside from that, he was unable to get any other shots off. His biggest contribution was earning the red card from Chicago goalkeeper Chris Brady, which is not be discounted, especially considering that he gave up his just-recovered-from-injury body to do so, but aside from that, there was not a lot else that he offered in this game. He completed 10 passes at a 71.4% completion rate, but unfortunately for Orlando City, his goal contribution drought continued and left me wondering whether it is time for him to return to the bench and his supersub role instead of starting and playing against fresh defenders.
Substitutes
MF, Martín Ojeda (56′), 6 — With Orlando City up a man, I thought Ojeda would enter the game much earlier, but Pareja still waited until nearly two-thirds of the game was complete to bring in the team’s third Designated Player. Ojeda was inches away from adding another goal to his tally, smashing a shot against the post after a great pass from Angulo, but that was really the only serious contribution he made while he was on the field. He competed 14 passes, including one key pass, at an 87.5% rate and also took two additional shots, but placed neither on target.
MF, Dagur Dan Thórhallsson, (81’), N/A — The Icelandic midfielder brought some life to the offense when he entered in an offense-for-defense substitution for Schlegel but was unable to create any serious chances. He completed six of his seven passes and was able to get a shot off, but that shot was not on target.
MF, Ramiro Enrique, (81’), N/A — Enrique entered in a like-for-like swap with Pašalić but really did not have much of an opportunity to contribute to the match as he only had three touches.
D, Rafael Santos, (81′), N/A — The Brazilian replaced Angulo on the left side but was unable to get a chance to play any of his trademark whipped crosses towards the danger zone, and though he completed four passes, nothing came of them.
That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando City’s 0-0 draw on the road against the Chicago Fire. 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.
Orlando City
Intelligence Report: Orlando City vs. New York City FC
Get up to speed on the Pigeons ahead of Saturday’s game, courtesy of someone who knows them best.
Happy Friday, everyone. Orlando City got a week of rest after taking care of business against D.C. United at home, and it returns to the purple palace Saturday night to face a New York City FC team with its back against the wall in the race for a playoff place.
A showdown with the Pigeons means I caught up with Matthew Mangam of New York Soccer Journal. As always, he was helpful in getting us up to speed on NYCFC, and we appreciate his help. I also answered some of his questions about Orlando City, so make sure you check them out over at their place!
Talk me through NYCFC’s summer transfer business. Who’s out, who’s in to replace them, and how have they performed?
Matthew Mangam: NYCFC’s summer business wasn’t anything groundbreaking. The club brought in striker Luighi on loan from SE Palmeiras and got back midfielder/defender James Sands, whose loan with St. Pauli ended.
Luighi started off well, bagging four goals in his first seven league appearances. But since then, the 20-year-old is on a five-game drought. To his credit, Luighi started only two of his last five games. As for Sands, this is his third stint at NYCFC, so the versatile 26-year-old was welcomed back with open arms.
The biggest acquisition this summer, though, was Bénie Traoré. The winger joined the club as a Designated Player from FC Basel in Switzerland, but it hasn’t gone well. In 15 league appearances, Traoré has one goal — a penalty kick that hit off the post and went in — and no assists.
The club’s last move that didn’t happen in the summer surprised everyone: adding free agent Matt Miazga. The veteran defender hasn’t made his debut yet, and I’m honestly not sure when he will.
New York City has been a wildly different team since the league restarted after the World Cup. What’s happened to cause the change in form?
MM: I honestly don’t know where to start with this one. There’s so much I could say, but if I did then I’d be here all day. I’ll narrow it down to this: NYCFC can’t play a complete 90 minutes.
NYCFC has conceded six goals in stoppage time this season, is 0-4-12 after falling behind 16 times, and is 4-5-6 at home. So, they can’t hang onto leads — they’ve lost seven points after the 75th minute — they have no come-from-behind wins, and they’re poor at home.
There are other smaller factors, like injuries, individual mistakes from usually solid players (Matt Freese and Sands), and players struggling, but, as I said, it’s a lot.
The playoffs are still in reach, as NYCFC is just two points out of eighth. What needs to happen in order to get above the line and stay there?
MM: Simply put, NYCFC needs to win all four remaining games, or, at the very least, go 3-1-0. Teams around them, like Toronto, Columbus, and Cincinnati, are picking up wins and building separation, so NYCFC is in a do-or-die situation.
Getting Alonso Martínez back and starting again is huge, but you can’t expect him to return from a brutal injury and save the team immediately; it’s not fair. Traoré has to step up and show why the club paid DP money for him — one lone goal that, in my opinion, fortunately went in, and no goals from open play is extremely concerning.
Also, Nico Fernández Mercau hasn’t scored in five matches. He’s getting double- and triple-marked because teams are now well aware of how talented the Argentine is, but he has to find a way back on the scoresheet in this stretch. NYCFC needs him to. So, so badly.
Will any players be unavailable due to injury, suspension, etc.? What is your projected starting lineup and score prediction?
MM: The only players out are the ones with long-term injuries: Keaton Parks, Kai Trewin, Maxi Moralez, Arnau Farnós, and Drew Baiera.
Given that NYCFC needs to win or the season is practically over, I expect Head Coach Pascal Jansen to leave it all out there with his best possible lineup:
Matt Freese; Kevin O’Toole, James Sands, Thiago Martins, Tayvon Gray; Andres Perea, Aiden O’Neill; Hannes Wolf, Nico Fernández Mercau, Agustin Ojeda; Alonso Martínez.
I think Nico Fernández Mercau and Alonso Martínez score, but it won’t be enough, as Antoine Griezmann gets a brace and both teams settle for a 2-2 draw.
Thank you to Matt for his excellent refresher on NYCFC. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 10/23/26
Orlando City prepares for New York City FC, Antoine Griezmann’s impact in Orlando, U.S. will host FIFA Women’s Club World Cup, and more.
Happy Friday, Mane Landers! It’s been a pretty nice week for me, as I was able to watch all of Slow Horses and finish reading Bad Words by Rioghnach Robinson, both of which were brilliant. Attention now turns to this weekend’s soccer, with both Orlando City and the Orlando Pride playing at home over the next couple of days. Let’s get to the links!
Orlando City Prepares for New York City FC
The Lions host New York City FC on Saturday in one of the marquee matchups in MLS as the regular season nears its conclusion. Plenty has changed since Orlando’s 5-0 loss to NYCFC on March 7. The Lions have clawed their way up the table while the Pigeons have only won once in their past 13 league games. NYCFC enters this match after a 1-1 draw with LAFC that included an equalizer by former Lion Andres Perea to give the team a valuable point amid the playoff race. Nicolas Fernandez Mercau, Luighi, and Benie Traore are all NYCFC players the Lions will need to keep in check, or else it could end up being another high-scoring affair in the City Beautiful.
Antoine Griezmann’s Impact on Orlando’s Offense
Orlando’s wait for Antoine Griezmann to join in the summer has proven to be well worth it, as he’s transformed Orlando’s attack into a force to be reckoned with just as the playoffs near. Although Griezmann wasn’t able to enjoy a fairytale ending with Atletico Madrid by lifting the Copa del Rey or Champions League trophies this year, he’s breathed life into an Orlando side that struggled mightily prior to his arrival. The 35-year-old has recorded 12 goals and seven assists in just 14 appearances this season. Not only has he excelled when it comes to getting the ball in the net, but he’s done well in terms of defensive metrics and intangibles as well.
U.S. Will Host Women’s Club World Cup
The inaugural FIFA Women’s Club World Cup will be held in the U.S. in January of 2028 with the host cities still to be determined. There will be 19 clubs taking part, with Gotham, Arsenal, Barcelona, and Club America having already qualified along with three other teams so far. This tournament is sandwiched between the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil and the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, so there’s plenty of exciting women’s soccer to look forward to in the coming years.
U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team Wins at World Cup
The United States U-17 Women’s National Team won 6-1 against Kenya in the group stage of the FIA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, clinching a spot in the round of 16. Maggie DiMaria scored four goals to bring her total to 10 across just two games. The U.S. will play its final group game on Sunday against China PR, which also won both of its games against Kenya and Samoa to secure a spot in the knockout stage. The winner of this group will get to avoid a match with Spain in the round of 16, so there’s still plenty to play for before the next round gets underway.
Free Kicks
- The first leg of the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal between the United States Men’s National Team and Haiti has been moved from Kingston to Miami. Haiti has had to play games outside of the country due to unrest and submitted a request to Concacaf to play in the country of its opponent.
- American center back Naomi Girma is now dealing with a calf injury that may sideline her for a few weeks according to Chelsea Head Coach Sonia Bompastor. She missed out on the team’s recent friendlies against Spain and may be absent for the Concacaf W Championship quarterfinal against El Salvador next month too.
- The United States Women’s Cerebral Palsy National Team beat Ireland 15-0 to advance to the IFCPF Women’s World Cup final, which takes place today against Australia. Annie Wickett scored five goals with four other players scoring braces.
- The San Diego Wave signed defender Mimi Van Zanten to a contract extension through the 2029 season. She’s made 27 appearances for San Diego during her rookie season, helping the club keep pace in the NWSL Shield race.
- After being stretchered off the field due to a head injury in the U.S. Open Cup final, St. Louis City goalkeeper Roman Burki is alert and in good spirits, according to the club.
That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!
Orlando City
Orlando’s October Outburst Originated Months Ago
Orlando City’s October offensive surge may look like a recent development, but the Lions have been scoring at an impressive rate for months.
We do not watch nearly enough Sesame Street in my house, but ever since the summer we say that A is for Antoine when the show discusses the alphabet. Sadly, this replaced A is for Andrew, which is my name, because Antoine Griezmann is more popular than me in my house. I cannot say that I am surprised, but I can say that it hurts just a little bit. More than a little bit.
For the past few years, O has been for Ojeda, as in Martín Ojeda, the man who is now Orlando City’s all-time leading goal scorer. This October, however, O is for offense, as the Lions have scored 10 goals during their three October matches, and that tally leads all of MLS this month. Orlando City’s offense has actually been on point for several months now, as you can see from the chart below (MLS games only):
| Month | Goals Scored | Games Played | Goals per Game |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| March | 4 | 4 | 1.0 |
| April | 7 | 5 | 1.4 |
| May | 11 | 5 | 2.2 |
| July* | 5 | 2 | 2.5 |
| August | 9 | 5 | 1.8 |
| September | 11 | 5 | 2.2 |
| October | 10 | 3 | 3.3 |
| Total | 58 | 30 | 1.9 |
- *There were no games in June due to the FIFA Men’s World Cup
Griezmann arrived for the July games, but even before that, the offense had started to heat up in May. Although May 1 is an arbitrary date, if we use it as a benchmark it allows us to capture two-thirds of Orlando City’s season, as the first 10 games happened before May and the team has now played 30 in total. Since May, the Lions rank fourth in MLS in goals scored with 46, sitting behind only Miami (54), Philadelphia (52), and St. Louis (47).
In a matter of perfect symmetry, the Lions also rank fourth in goals allowed, and by rank fourth I most certainly do not mean they are among the best defensive teams in the league. Orlando City has allowed 41 goals in the last 20 games, which is an average of more than two goals allowed per game but is also fewer than the 46 the team has scored. I know you already did the math in your head, but 46 – 41 = 5, and that +5 goal differential since May puts the Lions at eighth overall in MLS.
Perhaps we are now in the Inception timeline, because in yet another matter of symmetry Orlando City has also earned the eighth-most points (34) since May 1. This is yet another reminder of how poor of a start the club had this season, with seven losses in those first 10 games.
Since then, however, the 2026 team has performed like the teams of the past few years, but even with a top 10 performance for two-thirds of the season, it has not been able to climb above seventh in the Eastern Conference. This is because four of the five best teams since May are in the same conference, and the ninth and 10th hottest teams, right behind Orlando City, are also in the East. For those of you counting, hopefully in a voice like The Count’s (“Ah, ah,ah!”), that makes seven of the top 10 Eastern teams, so it is no wonder that the Lions are still in a precarious playoff position.
Saturday’s game against New York City FC is, on paper, the easiest of the remaining four games, but then again, the Pigeons did dirty pigeon things all over the Lions in the first matchup, winning that game 5-0. A repeat performance would wipe away the +5 goal differential Orlando has since May, but in addition to the fact that this game will be played on an actual soccer field, there is another pretty major difference between the early season Lions and the current Lions: Griezmann.
The French superstar is up to 12 goals scored and six primary assists (to go with one secondary assist in only 14 MLS games, which is wild), and he and Ojeda make up one of only seven tandems in the league in which both players have at least 12 goals each (Ojeda has 15). Only three tandems have at least 13 goals each (Miami’s Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez, Cincinnati’s Kévin Denkey and Evander, and Nashville’s Sam Surridge and Hany Mukhtar), and with another goal from Griezmann, the two Lions would become the second pair in club history to each score at least 13 goals in a season, joining Facundo Torres and Duncan McGuire in 2023.
Marco Pašalić scored in the most recent game, and both Iván Angulo and Justin Ellis have recorded double-digit goal contributions, so let’s hope the team’s recent offensive onslaught continues, because with all the injuries on the back line and some difficult opponents coming up on the schedule, the Lions will likely need to put up multiple goals if they are going to get results and qualify for the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season.
And considering how poor the start to the season was, if they can orchestrate that it would be outstanding. Let’s gooooooooo.
Vamos Orlando!
Intelligence Report: Orlando City vs. New York City FC
Lion Links: 10/23/26
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