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Orlando City vs. St. Louis City: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s 4-2 win over St. Louis City?

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7 months ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City got back to its winning ways on Wednesday night with a 4-2 victory, though it was a much closer game than it needed to be against a team near the bottom of the Western Conference standings. My fellow math people will appreciate that the game was similar to a sine wave from 0 to 5π/2 as Orlando City opened well, faltered badly, but then ended on a high note, taking all three points in the process. If that went over your head, then dust off that Trigonometry textbook. Your teacher told you that you will use trig someday, and today is that day!

It was not the prettiest result, but wins are wins, and the team will fly home hoping to recover quickly with FC Cincinnati coming to Inter&Co Stadium on Saturday night. 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 road matchup against a Western Conference opponent.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6 — Orlando City’s No. 1 could do little about either St. Louis goal, and aside from those two shots, he had little to do for most of the game, as St. Louis was unable to generate many threatening shots. Gallese’s best sequence of the game came in second-half stoppage time when he elevated to palm a shot from Brendan McSorley over the crossbar and then came off his line to punch the subsequent corner kick out of the box — an excellent set of plays to cap what until then had been a quiet night. Gallese also completed 15 passes at a 53.6% completion rate.

D, Kyle Smith, 6 — With Rodrigo Schlegel forced to sit out due to yellow card accumulation, David Brekalo shifted over to center back and it was Smith who got the call at left back, as at least for this game he jumped over Rafael Santos on the depth chart. The Accountant was steady on the left side. He did not venture forward a ton and played conservatively behind Iván Angulo and Luis Muriel for most of the game, though he made a few attacking runs and ended up getting off one shot and making two key passes. He completed 54 passes — fourth most on the team — at a 94.6% completion rate and added two tackles on defense. He was partly culpable for the first goal Orlando City allowed, as a long ball from the midfield line went over his head to a streaking Simon Becher, and had Smith been tucked in a little tighter, he may have been able to head that ball away instead of making me think briefly about Billy Hoyle and White Men Can’t Jump as the ball sailed over his head.

D, Robin Jansson, 6.5 — Jansson shared the culpability with Smith for that Becher goal, as he was stuck tightly onto Klauss and allowed Becher to slip into the gap and run onto that long ball, and then he was beat by Becher’s cutback that then became a left-footed shot that put St. Louis on the scoreboard. It was understandable why Jansson was tight to Klauss, and it may have been more on Brekalo or Gallese to communicate to Jansson that Becher was making that run and that Brekalo should have shifted to Klauss so Jansson could get in between the ball and Becher, but ultimately the Swede likely expected Smith to handle the danger on that side. Aside from that play, Jansson was solid though, patrolling the middle while blocking three shots and making a game-high 12 clearances — eight more than any other player. The Beefy Swede also completed 91.4% of his passes, looking comfortable playing with Brekalo instead of his usual central partner Schlegel.

D, David Brekalo, 6 — The Slovenian moved to center back with Schegel out, and while he was not directly at fault for either of the goals Orlando City allowed, he was right there for both of them, and had chances to snuff out each. I think Brekalo could have done more to prevent the second goal than the first, as he did not see Klauss, the most dangerous player on St. Louis, moving into the box and setting up right around the penalty spot. When Eduard Atuesta whiffed on a clearance attempt, Brekalo did not have time to react to the miss, so the ball went right past him to Klauss, who wasted no time putting it into the lower corner past Gallese. Klauss has to have a man on him, and with where he was on the field, it should have been Brekalo, but it’s understandable that the Slovenian thought the defense was sufficiently in position to deal with the ball in from the defensive left. Aside from that, Brekalo acquitted himself well alongside Jansson in the middle, going deuces wild with two tackles, interceptions, clearances, and blocks and completing 50 passes at an 87.7% completion rate.

D, Dagur Dan Thórhallsson, 6 — Alex Freeman’s call-up to the U.S. Men’s National Team meant that the Icelandic Army knife was deployed at right back again, and while St. Louis tried to attack down its left more than the right, the hosts did not initiate many scoring opportunities against Thórhallsson. Klauss’ goal was scored right in front of Thórhallsson, and there were no other attacking players behind him, so perhaps he could have been tighter to the St. Louis striker, but that goal is mostly on Atuesta, not the Orlando City back line. Thórhallsson also took opportunities to get forward, taking two shots and making two key passes, and he will be frustrated with putting one of his shots over and wide of the target as he had a great opportunity to score, but it was not his best effort. He completed 91.8% of his passes and added two tackles, one interception and three clearances.

MF, Iván Angulo, 6 — The Colombian winger was a key participant in one of the game’s best plays and one of the game’s most frustrating plays — a continuation of his season-long trend of inconsistent play on the left side for the Lions. On the positive side, he made a perfect pass to a cutting Martín Ojeda early in the game for a secondary assist on the game’s opening goal, but on the frustrating side he made a brilliant run up the left side, but then dribbled too deep into the box before trying to pass the ball to a wide-open Enrique, who would have easily scored to make it 4-1. There was no reason to dribble as far as he did, and after watching it five times, I am still not sure what he was thinking or why he did not pass the ball earlier so Enrique could complete his hat trick and restore the three-goal lead. He completed 86.5% of his passes on the night, but he and all of Orlando City’s fans wish he had completed one more pass on that attack. On the defensive side, he was second on the team with three tackles while adding one interception and clearance. But both St. Louis goals came on plays that happened right in front of him, as he was unable to close down the attacker and prevent the passes that led to the shots.

MF, César Araújo, 7.5 — Araújo was excellent on both sides of the ball on Wednesday, doing yeoman’s work in the middle of the field for the Lions. The Uruguayan made a game-leading six tackles and completed the second-most passes in the game (65) at a 95.6% completion rate. His midfield partner, Atuesta, may have walked away with three assists, but Araújo was the better two-way player on the evening, quietly dominating the center of the field and triggering attack after attack for Orlando City, who on a different night could have easily scored six or seven goals. He put both of his shot attempts on target with a pair of headers on set pieces.

MF, Eduard Atuesta, 8 — It is rare that a player who made such a gaffe defensively can still earn a score as high as I gave Atuesta, but the Colombian’s passing against St. Louis City was so good that even with that mistake he is in contention for Man of the Match. Atuesta was involved in all four goals for the Lions, and the ball he played to Angulo for the first goal might have been his best pass of the night. That was the one goal on which he did not get an assist. The other pass that I consider in contention for his best pass was the little flick he had to Enrique for the third goal, as he had to weight it perfectly while rushing in to take advantage of a defensive miscue. He did just that, setting up Enrique to smash a shot into the far corner and put Orlando City up 3-0. Atuesta completed 59 passes on the night at an 88.1% completion rate. Seven of those were key passes, a season high for the midfielder. He attempted three shots, putting one on target. He swung and missed on a simple clearance opportunity that allowed St. Louis back into a game it did not deserve to be in, and turned the ball over in the attacking third that led to a dangerous chance on the counter by Klauss, but aside from that, Atuesta was outstanding.

MF, Marco Pašalić, 8.5 (MotM)— What a performance by the Designated Player, with two brilliant strikes from distance that were absolute arrows into the lower corner of the net. The Croatian now has eight goals on the season, and both of these will go on the end-of-season highlight video because of how pure the strikes were. Pašalić was a threat every time he had the ball in this game, as he rampaged down the field at speed multiple times, flying by defenders and putting the St. Louis defenders on their heels. He beat three defenders off the dribble, but it felt like even more, and every time he had the ball it felt like something good was going to happen for the Lions. He completed 40 passes at an 83.3% completion rate and put three of his four shots on target before making way in the 84th minute for Zakaria Taifi in an offense-for-defense substitution.

F, Ramiro Enrique, 8 — I have the receipts on my hope that Orlando City would start Enrique in this game, and I was vindicated just minutes in when Ojeda played a perfect cross into the middle of the box and Enrique timed his run so he could slide right into that cross and get Orlando City on the scoreboard. The Argentine was not done though, as he added a second after Atuesta stole the ball and put him in, and he made no mistake with the shot, blasting it into the far corner. Enrique should have had his hat trick on the play when Angulo did not make the pass in time, and he almost got it in the second half anyway if not for a leaping save by Roman Bürki to keep his shot out of the net. I thought Enrique was excellent at the top of the lineup for the Lions, leading the press on defense and constantly making runs into space on offense. If not for Bürki, he could have had four or even five goals, but he got his brace and hopefully this kicks off a hot streak now that summer is officially here on the calendar. He completed 90.3% of his passes and put three of his shots on target, narrowly missing the net on two other occasions before coming out in stoppage time for Nico Rodríguez.

F, Martín Ojeda, 7.5 — Ojeda will only be credited with one goal contribution — the assist on Enrique’s opener — but he was deeply involved in the offense all game long, and, just like with Enrique, if not for Bürki we would have seen his name on the scoresheet with goals of his own. The Argentinean led all players with 68 completed passes, and he completed them at a 90.7% rate, including going eight for eight on long balls and making three key passes. His offensive strike partners may have gotten all the counting statistics in this game, but make no mistake, it was Ojeda who was pulling the offensive strings, and with the Lions scoring four goals, he definitely pulled the correct ones in a midweek game in Missouri.

Substitutes

F, Luis Muriel, (68′), 5 — Muriel played 22 minutes but was basically a non-factor, even with St. Louis City stretched out while trying to make a comeback to tie the game. He completed eight of his nine pass attempts, but his biggest contribution was in the humor category, when his shorts were pulled off when he got pulled down to prevent a counterattack. He was going to be in on goal if not for that foul, so he could have contributed more, but alas he was pantsed, a sentence I know I have never typed before while delivering grades.

MF, Zakaria Taifi, (84’), N/A — Taifi entered the game for Pašalić and was a bundle of energy for the final minutes, and though he only completed one of his three pass attempts, he added one tackle and one clearance and suffered one foul on a run up the right sideline.

MF, Rafael Santos (90 + 1′), N/A — Santos came on in stoppage time but did not touch the ball or make any plays on defense.

F, Nico Rodríguez (90 + 1), N/A —Rodríguez came on in stoppage time but did not touch the ball or make any plays on defense.

That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando City’s 4-2 win on the road against St. Louis City. 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.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/20/26

New signing for the Orlando Pride, MLS transfer happenings, Americans in midweek action, and more.

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7 hours ago

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January 20, 2026

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Image of the Orlando Pride starting XI prior to the 2025 NWSL semifinal against Gotham FC.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone. If you were lucky enough to have Monday off from work, I hope you’re feeling rested and ready to tackle the week. If you weren’t so fortunate, take solace in the fact that you’re one day closer to the weekend. We’ve got plenty to discuss this morning, but before we get into the links, we want to welcome Josh Simon as a subscriber member of The Mane Land . If you’d like to subscribe and receive extra perks, please consider signing up at our Buy Me a Coffee site (or just check it out and swee what’s on offer) at buymeacoffee.com/themaneland. OK, now let’s get into the links!

Orlando Pride Add a Forward

The Orlando Pride kicked off the week by announcing the signing of Jamaican international forward Solai Washington on Monday afternoon. The 20-year-old FSU product joins on a deal that runs through the 2027 season and contains a mutual option for the 2028 campaign. At the international level, Washington has played five times for Jamaica, including three appearances at the 2023 Women’s World Cup when she was only 17. While she has yet to make her professional debut, she’s a young player with plenty of upside, and the Pride have been sorely in need of depth when it comes to the team’s group of attackers. She’s got some excellent players to learn from, and a contract that runs through next season means she should have a couple of years to do so. Welcome to Orlando!

MLS Transfer Roundup

With the beginning of the new Major League Soccer season drawing nearer by the day, the transfer business in and around the league is showing no signs of slowing down. We begin with Inter Miami, which has fully signed Tadeo Allende from Celta Vigo after he spent 2025 on loan with the Herons. Allende is now under contract through June of 2030. Next, there’s the Houston Dynamo, who Tom Bogert says are finalizing the signing of Mateusz Bogusz from Cruz Azul that has been rumored for awhile now.

Mr. Scoops also says that LAFC is putting the final touches on a deal to acquire midfielder Amin Boudri as an MLS U22 Initiative signing.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a whole slew of Americans who will be playing games during the working week, and the Champions League is a recurring theme. Things get going later today when Malik Tillman and Bayer Leverkusen take on Real Madrid, while Folarin Balogun’s Monaco side hits the road to face Real Madrid. Wednesday has Yunus Musah and Atalanta squaring off against Athletic Bilbao, while Tim Weah and Marseille host Liverpool. Attention shifts to the Europa League on Thursday when Auston Trusty and Celtic visit Bologna, while Tanner Tessman and Lyon face Young Boys. Things wrap up on Friday when Damion Downs and Hamburg play James Sands and St. Pauli in the Bundesliga, while West Brom and former Lion Daryl Dike have a road game against Patrick Agyemang and Derby County in the Championship.

AFCON Final Fallout

Saying that the AFCON final was a chaotic affair is an understatement, and now that the dust is settling after the end of the tournament, some of the fallout from the match is beginning to be felt. FIFA President Gianni Infantino criticized the scenes at the final as “unacceptable” and stated his belief that the Confederation of African Football will take disciplinary measures. The Royal Moroccan Football Federation stated that it will file complaints with both FIFA and CAF regarding the bulk of Senegal’s team withdrawing to the locker room after Morocco was given a late penalty kick. Senegal coach Pape Thiaw could be in line to receive match bans for his role in leading Senegal’s players off the field, although its unknown whether any ban would only be for CAF competitions or would come into play at this summer’s World Cup.

Free Kicks

  • Former Lion Cesar Araujo looks to be close to joining a new team.
  • Senegal’s backup goalkeeper didn’t play in the AFCON final but was still extremely active during the game.
  • Charalampos Kostoulas scored a ridiculous goal to help Brighton and Hove Albion rescue a late point against Bournemouth.

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

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Orlando City

Orlando City’s Three Biggest Current Roster Questions

What are the three most concerning issues for Orlando City this preseason?

Published

1 day ago

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January 19, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City has begun its preseason training as the 2026 MLS season nears. The last few weeks have seen signings and departures that have given fans a closer look at what the team will look like when the Lions take on the New York Red Bulls on Feb. 21.

In some cases, the team has made moves that will secure positions that were questionable during the off-season. The two most notable are the signing of Maxime Crepeau as the starting goalkeeper and Martin Ojeda signing a new deal through the 2028-2029 season.

But there are also some questions still to be answered. Let’s take a look at some of the most concerning issues with the current roster.

Who Will Start at Left Back?

Rafael Santos became Orlando City’s starting left back for the 2023 MLS season after the departure of Joao Moutinho.  The Brazilian was a regular in the lineup until early last season when he was relegated to the bench in favor of David Brekalo. The club ended up trading Santos to the Colorado Rapids on Aug. 15, 2025.

Despite not being a natural left back, Brekalo started in the position for the majority of last season until the final three games, when Adrian Marin started in the role. Brekalo started two of the last three games at center back and was away on international duty for the other.

Marin was less than impressive in his first starts for the club. Even though he’s really a center back, Brekalo seemed better at the position than the newer arrival. However, that might not be an option this season and isn’t an ideal situation in any case.

Orlando City sold starting center back Rodrigo Schlegel to Atlas FC on Dec. 16. The decision seemingly forces Brekalo back into the center of the field, where he’ll start alongside club captain Robin Jansson. Even if the club complete the rumored acquisition of Brazilian defender Iago, the departures of both Schlegel and Thomas Williams mean Brekalo will likely need to play his natural position.

That leaves the question of what to do at left back. At this point, Marin starting makes the left back position the weakest of the four. The club doesn’t have any dependable options after Kyle Smith departed the club this off-season. Right now, it will be either Marin or Brekalo, which will cause concerns at the position or leave depth issues at center back. Regardless, it’s an issue that needs to be addressed as the season gets closer.

However, it bears mentioning that Marin had to adjust midseason to a new team on a new continent. It’ll be up to him to settle in during preseason camp and be ready when the season starts.

What Will Happen With Alex Freeman?

The left fullback position isn’t the only potential problem on the back line. A Homegrown product that came through the Orlando City academy and Orlando City B, Freeman made himself a household name last year. The right back quickly took the starting role from Dagur Dan Thorhallsson and started at right back for the U.S. National Team over the summer.

However, his stellar play has also led to interest from clubs overseas. Freeman has publicly stated his desire to play in Europe and he’s currently on a club option year for 2026. If he refuses to re-sign with the club, Orlando City might look to sell him before the European transfer window closes in early February or this summer in the MLS secondary transfer window to avoid losing the 21-year-old for free.

That would leave the Lions with a very serious problem at right back. The Lions traded Thorhallsson to CF Montreal this off-season and, as previously stated, Smith is gone as well. At this point, the starter if Freeman departs would probably be Zakaria Taifi. While the 20-year-old has shown quality for OCB and the first team, he’s still raw with little MLS experience.

As of now, Freeman will be the starter when the season begins and could end up extending his contract with the club, especially since playing in MLS hasn’t hindered his ability to get into the senior national team. But if contract negotiations don’t look positive in the near future, the club will have to figure out what to do with the future of that position.

Will Duncan  McGuire Solidify His Spot Up Top?

The defensive midfield and attacking midfield positions are pretty well set for the 2026 campaign. However, there are definitely some questions when it comes to who will play up top.

The position wasn’t exactly in a great state late in the 2025 season. The two top goal scorers on the team last year were midfielders in Ojeda and Marco Pasalic. Luis Muriel and Ramiro Enrique both scored in double digits in all competitions, but neither is with the club anymore.

The Lions sold Enrique to Saudi side Al-Kholood on Sept. 8, and sold Muriel to Colombia’s Atletico Junior on Jan. 15. That leaves McGuire as the club’s only striker with any considerable experience.

A first-round pick in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft, McGuire had a strong rookie campaign that saw him score 15 goals in 37 appearances in all competitions. He nearly left the club following the season — even traveling to England to finalize the deal — but a clerical error on Blackburn Rovers’ part saw the move fall through.

McGuire’s contributions dipped slightly in 2024 as he scored 11 goals in 37 appearances and it got worse when he suffered a shoulder injury in the first round of the playoffs that required surgery.

The 2025 season was McGuire’s worst since turning professional as he sustained an injury to his other shoulder and watched Muriel and Enrique carry the attacking position until Enrique’s departure. Even when Oscar Pareja put two players up top, he usually paired Ojeda with Muriel rather than McGuire. McGuire only appeared 23 times in 2025 with seven starts in all competitions, scoring just three goals. However, with Muriel’s departure this off-season, McGuire is the only experienced natural striker on the roster.

The main question for McGuire this season will be his health. The attacker has had trouble staying on the field with the back-to-back shoulder injuries. The recent departures and lack of additions into the squad mean he’ll likely be expected to start when the season begins. It could be a bounce back season if he can stay healthy.

However, that’s still a big question. In the meantime, the club still needs depth at that position, regardless of McGuire’s health. It’s something that must be addressed during the preseason. The club does, however, have an open Designated Player slot available.

This off-season has been somewhat troubling for Orlando City fans. The club saw some key departures and not enough additions to feel confident about the upcoming season, but there is still a month before opening day.

As the team goes through preseason training and the first regular-season game gets closer, there are still some issues that must be addressed if the team wants to improve on last year’s disappointing finish. These three questions are the most concerning.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/19/25

Lions signs Harvey Sarajian, Orlando City’s latest transfer rumor, Pride sign three players, and more.

Published

1 day ago

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January 19, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope you all had a good holiday weekend as we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. I’ve been staying busy at work and checked out the 2026 Chicago Cubs Convention over the weekend. Before we get started, let’s all wish OCB’s Titus Sandy Jr. a happy birthday. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Signs First-Round Pick Harvey Sarajian

Orlando City announced Friday that the club has signed 2026 MLS SuperDraft first-round pick Harvey Sarajian to a first-team contract. The deal runs through the 2027-2028 MLS season, with three additional club option years that could keep him in Orlando through 2030-2031. The Naples native began his collegiate career at Georgia Southern before transferring to Wake Forest last year. He scored two goals and added two assists in 17 games last season for the Demon Deacons, but his side fell to SMU in the ACC Tournament and failed to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. Sarajian will likely be a reserve for MLS games this year and develop his game with Orlando City B in MLS NEXT Pro.

Lions Reportedly in Negotiations to Sign Brazilian Defender

According to Tom Bogert of The Athletic, Orlando City is reportedly in negotiations to sign 20-year-old center back Iago from Flamengo in Brazil’s Serie A.

https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/2012983324361343248

Iago joined the club in 2024 and has played for the Flamengo U-20 squad, making 10 appearances and scoring six goals. He has also made five appearances for Flamengo’s first team, scoring one goal across all competitions. According to another report, the two sides have been in negotiations for the last 10 days, and the transfer fee is reportedly $3.5 million. Iago has exceeded the age limit for Flamengo’s U-20 side, and his contract expires at the end of the year as the club looks to sell the defender.

https://twitter.com/JulioMiguelNeto/status/2012974189527855558

Orlando Pride Sign Three Players to One-Year Deals

The Orlando Pride announced Friday that the club has signed forward Seven Castain, goalkeeper Cara Martin, and defender Nicole Payne to one-year contracts for the 2026 NWSL season. Castain spent four seasons playing collegiate soccer at Texas Christian University. She earned 2025 United Soccer Coaches All-America first-team honors, was a MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist, and tied the school’s single-season goals record with 17 in her senior season. Martin played college soccer at Georgetown University, where she was named Big East Goalkeeper of the Year, starting 23 games in her senior season, and recording eight shutouts and 59 saves. Payne was a free agent and had previously played for the Portland Thorns and Paris Saint-Germain.

MLS Transfer News Roundup

There is plenty of transfer moves from the past few days. Austin FC has reportedly submitted a transfer bid to acquire former Lion Facundo Torres from Palmeiras. A week ago, Torres was linked with a potential move to Benfica. Orlando City would receive a 15% sell-on percentage if the transfer move is finalized.

https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/2012264099913085209

St. Louis City is reportedly finalizing a deal to sign Mamadou Mbacke Fall from Barcelona.

https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/2012626458376646923

Toronto FC has signed goalkeeper William Yabrough to a contract through the 2026 season with an option through June 2027. Real Salt Lake has acquired Lukas Engel from EFL Championship side Middlesbrough. Engel is under contract through December 2028 with an option for 2028-2029. New York City FC announced the club has loaned defender Mitja Ilenic to Polish side Rakow Czestochowa through December 2026. Lastly, the San Jose Earthquakes announced that defender Nick Lima has retired from professional soccer after nine seasons in Major League Soccer.

Rose Lavelle, Lilly Earn U.S. Soccer Recognition

The U.S. Soccer Federation announced its 2025 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year and Young Female Player of the Year Award Friday. NJ/NY Gotham FC midfielder Rose Lavelle was voted 2025 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year. Lavelle scored the lone goal to help Gotham FC defeat the Washington Spirit to win the 2025 NWSL Championship, earning match MVP honors. She returned to the U.S. Women’s National Team last June and had six caps and one goal contribution in each of those matches. She beat out Sam Coffey and Catarina Macario for the award. Lavelle’s teammate, Lilly Reale, was voted the 2025 U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year. The 22-year-old defender made 29 appearances last season in the NWSL, played 2,217 minutes, and was named the NWSL Rookie of the Year. Reale had five caps for the USWNT and recorded one assist in her debut against Ireland last summer. She won 48% of the total vote, beating out Jordyn Bugg and Micayla Johnson.

Senegal Wins 2025 Africa Cup of Nations

Senegal beat host Morocco 1-0 after extra time to win the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title for the second time in five years. The match saw drama late in the second half when Morocco was awarded a controversial penalty kick in stoppage time. Senegal Men’s National Team manager Pape Thiaw instructed his team to leave the pitch. Players from both teams argued over the controversial VAR penalty call, and violent altercations ensued between Senegal supporters and Moroccan authorities. After a 15-minute delay, the Senegal players returned to the pitch, and Brahim Diaz saw his Panenka penalty attempt easily saved, keeping the match scoreless and sending it to extra time. Pape Gueye scored the winning goal for Senegal, while Morocco missed out on ending its 50-year wait for a continental title on home soil.

Free Kicks

  • Our Lions have been busy at preseason training camp over the weekend, working on their conditioning.
https://twitter.com/OrlandoCitySC/status/2013004943645413401
  • Orlando City gave new signings Braian Ojeda and Maxime Crepeau a warm welcome at Inter&Co Stadium.
https://twitter.com/OrlandoCitySC/status/2012585711128510914
https://twitter.com/OrlandoCitySC/status/2012948099820302473

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

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