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Orlando City vs. Columbus Crew: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s 3-1 victory against the Columbus Crew?

Published

10 months ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City will end the MLS regular season undefeated under the Friday night lights, as in their one and only Friday game, the Lions came from behind to defeat the Columbus Crew 3-1. The game started an hour late due to inclement weather and the Orlando City offense started an hour late due to reasons that they did not share, but once the game hit the final 30 minutes the Lions roared, scoring three goals in a 20-minute period and giving Columbus its first true home loss of the 2025 season.

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, 7 — El Pulpo probably should have added to his shutout tally during this game, because if not for a cross just barely grazing the hand of Marco Pašalić to give Columbus a penalty kick, he had the goal locked up, putting himself in the perfect position to collect all of the Crew’s non-penalty shots on target. With nearly two-thirds of the possession, Columbus threatened throughout, but Gallese was up to the task, starting in the second minute with a kick save and going all the way into the 10th minute of second-half stoppage time, when he saved a deflected volley, ending with six saves on the night. The Peruvian was quick to come off his line as well, playing an all-around solid game in net. He also completed 61.9% of his passes.

D, David Brekalo, 6.5 — The Crew attacked down their right side on 48% of their possessions, so Brekalo and left side partner Iván Angulo were frequently called on to step up defensively on Friday night. I thought the Slovenian was more good than great on the evening, as the Crew were able to play several threatening balls into the box after going down his side, but he also shut down several promising attacks and made some nice offensive runs up the left side, showing that Alex Freeman is not Orlando City’s only outside back who can contribute offensively. Brekalo was tied for second on the team with 29 completed passes, completing them at an 82.9% rate, and on the defensive side, he led the team with 10 clearances and contributed two tackles, two blocked shots, and one interception.

D, Robin Jansson, 6.5 — The captain was his usual solid self in the middle of the defense, but he did have one scary moment when he mis-hit a clearance and played a perfectly placed ball on the ground to Jacen Russell-Rowe, who is not a Lion, but thankfully Gallese was up to the task and that poor clearance did not come back to hurt Orlando City. Aside from that, the Beefy Swede delivered defensively, leading the team with three interceptions while logging three tackles, seven clearances, and one blocked shot. He was not as proficient as he usually is with his passes, completing only 81.8% of them, but because Orlando City had very little of the ball, that low completion rate only equated to six incomplete passes, and they did not hurt the team.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6 — Jansson’s center back partner did not have any major misplays that created risk for the defense, but Schlegel did not make as many positive plays either, which is why I rated him a half point lower. He recorded two tackles and seven clearances, but most importantly, he had zero Schlegels, which contributed greatly to the Lions only allowing the one penalty kick goal. Offensively, he completed 90.3% of his passes, mostly short and medium passes, to change the point of attack. His overall collaboration with Jansson helped to keep Columbus from any goals from open play.

D, Alex Freeman, 6.5 — As regulation time was winding down, I was thinking that Friday night was going to be one of Freeman’s least impressive games of the season, but then the young right back showed why is so highly thought of, stepping up to intercept a pass, driving forward, and playing a perfectly weighted pass directly onto the left foot of a sprinting Martín Ojeda for the back-breaking third goal. That pass was so good that at first I thought it must have come from Eduard Atuesta, but no, it was the 20-year-old, and it was a beautiful assist. The rest of the game was only so-so for Freeman; Columbus attacked primarily down its right side but had good success down Freeman’s side, and there were several plays when he allowed Crew attackers to cut back inside and take dangerous shots, struggling to contain Max Arfsten. He did not have any tackles, but he contributed one interception and two clearances, and as usual, it was on offense where he made more of a mark, completing 84.4% of his passes with two key passes and one assist.

MF, Iván Angulo, 8.5 (MotM) — Columbus was done in by the Colombian, as Angulo was everywhere, leading the team in tackles with five while also getting the Lions back into the game, and then winning the game, with his two beautiful left-footed assists to Ramiro Enrique. This game was undoubtedly one of his best ever for the Lions, and it could have been even better, as he should have drawn a penalty as well, except that he forgot he was playing for Orlando City so he was never going to get that call. With how often Columbus attacked down the right side, Angulo was involved throughout his 89 minutes, and he delivered both offensively and defensively, helping Orlando City turn the game around after falling behind. He completed 84% of his passes, with both of his key passes becoming assists, and he also had two successful take-ons before coming off for Kyle Smith as Óscar Pareja put in some fresh legs to protect the lead.

MF, César Araújo, 6.5 — The Uruguayan was a quiet contributor against the Crew, playing his role well as he sat in front of the defense and helped connect the defense to the offense. With both Brekalo and Freeman venturing forward, Araújo often looked like a third center back alongside Jansson and Schlegel, and while that prevented him from making any threatening runs on offense, he still led the team in completed passes with 33 on 35 attempts to finish with a 97.1% completion rate. He added one tackle, one clearance, and one blocked shot on defense, playing a solid two-way game.

MF, Eduard Atuesta, 6 — Friday night’s performance was not one of Atuesta’s best, but even when not at his best, he still brought more to the table than he took off. The Colombian completed 85.3% of his passes, and on a different day his two key passes to Luis Muriel and Marco Pašalić could have turned into goals. He also added two tackles defensively, but the Crew’s domination of the ball meant he played deeper and more defensively than usual, and on this night he was not able to kickstart any major counterattacks from that defensive position.

MF, Marco Pašalić, 6.5 — The newly minted MLS All-Star created several chances, but he was unable to convert any of his four shots and was unlucky that Ojeda did not do better after he set him up in a dangerous location right at the end of the first half. Crew goalkeeper Patrick Schulte made a great save on a Pašalić rocket from close range in the second half, and even though he did not contribute a goal or an assist, I thought he played well. While the Croatian is not the defender that his opposite winger Angulo is, he still did well to track back and engage, which unfortunately came back to bite him when a cross just barely tipped his hand in the box, not even changing the flight of the ball, but it was deemed enough to give Columbus the penalty kick that put the Crew on the board. He completed 85.7% of his passes with one key pass before coming off for Zakaria Taifi in the 84th minute.

F, Luis Muriel, 5.5 — I imagine that Muriel must feel like he is cursed, as game after game he comes so close but just cannot find the back of the net. On Friday night he burst onto a deflected ball and had only Schulte to beat, but the Columbus goalkeeper made a great save after Muriel just could not get his shot wide enough. The Designated Player did not let it get him down though, continuing to make darting runs and trying to unlock the defense with his passes, but the final product was lacking during his 64 minutes on the field. He completed 64.7% of his passes and contributed one tackle and one clearance, but while he gave a worthy effort, he was not successful, and coincidence or not, the offense did not really get going until he came off for Enrique.

F, Martín Ojeda, 8 — It says a lot about Angulo’s night that Ojeda, with two assists and one goal, was not my choice for man of the match. Ojeda was outstanding though, delivering secondary assists on both of Enrique’s goals, and his through ball that set up Angulo’s second assist was one of the best passes by any Lion this season. The Argentine then received a pass from Freeman that was almost as nice as the one he played to Angulo, and he salted the game away with a blast that beat Schulte to the near post. Ojeda now has 25 goal contributions this season, a club record, and that is with nine games still remaining in the season. He completed 76.7% of his passes, including the two assists, and also added two tackles, one interception, and one clearance.

Substitutes

F, Ramiro Enrique (67′), 8 — Enrique came on and delivered everything a coach could hope for when subbing in a striker in the second half, scoring two goals and completely changing the tenor of the game. The Argentine’s first goal came by getting himself to a dangerous location and using his aerial ability to win the cross and flick it toward the uncovered far post. Just minutes later, he made another perfectly timed run, tracking Angulo’s second straight left-footed cross and finishing it from three yards out. The 24-year-old striker’s pace and energy were contagious, and with respect to Muriel, who played hard and gave his all, the Lions would not have won this game without Enrique changing the game.

MF, Zakaria Taifi, (84′), N/A — Taifi appears to have jumped up on the depth chart, as Friday’s game marked two straight matches in which he was the first choice to come on for one of Orlando City’s wing midfielders to help see out a win. He seemed confident and poised, completing three of his four pass attempts and hustling throughout his minutes on the field.

D, Kyle Smith, (89’), N/A — The Accountant came on in the final minute of regulation, entering for Angulo but playing more of a left back in a five-man back line. He completed one of his three pass attempts and recorded one tackle and two clearances.

That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando City’s 3-1 win over the Columbus Crew. 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: 5/12/26

Barbra Banda up for weekly honors, Johnny Cardoso to have surgery, Americans in midweek action, and more.

Published

11 hours ago

on

May 12, 2026

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Good morning, everyone. It was a mixed bag for Orlando’s soccer teams over the weekend, as the Orlando Pride and Orlando City B both picked up victories, while Orlando City lost. There’s no rest for the wicked though, because the Pride take on Boston Legacy on the road tonight, while the Lions will host the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday. We’ve got a lot to talk about this morning, so let’s get into the links.

Barbra Banda up for Weekly Honors

Barbra Banda’s game-winning strike over the North Carolina Courage has been nominated for the NWSL Goal of the Week. Banda cut across her marker in the 87th minute with the match tied 0-0 and curled a great strike inside the far post to give the Pride a lead that wouldn’t be relinquished. The victory got Orlando back on track after dropping two games in a row, and the goal was Banda’s league-leading eighth strike of the year. Make sure you go vote for her to win!

Surgery for Johnny Cardoso

Atletico Madrid announced on Monday that midfielder Johnny Cardoso will have surgery to repair an injury to his right ankle. Cardoso was hurt during a training session, with Atletico classifying the injury as a “high-grade sprain involving joint damage.” The club’s statement did not specify a timeline for his return to the field and U.S. Soccer has not made any statement besides wishing Cardoso a speedy recovery. That said, with this summer’s World Cup less than a month away, its tough to imagine that he’ll be healed up and ready to be part of the United States Men’s National Team roster. If that’s the case, it’ll be a bitter blow for both the USMNT and a midfielder that looked like a sure bet to be on the squad.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans who will be taking part in games during the working week, so let’s make sure we’ve got everything on the schedule. Things got started on Monday when Brenden Aaronson played 63 minutes in Leeds United’s 1-1 draw with Tottenham. Action continues today when Aidan Morris and Middlesborough face Southampton in the second leg of an EFL Championship playoff promotion semifinal. Wednesday sees Auston Trusty and Celtic take on Motherwell in a game with massive ramifications on the title race in the Scottish Premier League. Wednesday also has Alex Freeman and Villarreal hosting Sevilla in La Liga play, while Chris Richards and Crystal Palace will try to play spoiler against Manchester City.

MLS Matchday 12 Lessons

Matchday 12 is officially in the books for Major League Soccer, so what did we learn from the weekend’s action? For one thing, Jack McGlynn was imperious in his second game back from injury, as his brace helped the Houston Dynamo knock off LAFC on the road while USMNT assistant Jesus Perez was watching from the stands. The New England Revolution are now unbeaten in the club’s last seven league games, and Carles Gil was a big reason why, as he nabbed a goal and an assist in the Revs’ 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Union. He’s got four goals and four assists so far, and the Revs are sitting pretty at second in the Eastern Conference.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

European seasons aren’t quite wrapped up yet, but that isn’t stopping transfer rumors from flying thick and fast. We start with the Premier League, where Manchester City is reportedly prepared to trigger the release clause of 16-year-old Hertha Berlin midfielder Kennet Eichhorn, before immediately sending the player on loan to continue his development. Elsewhere in England, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Arsenal are all said to be interested in signing Juventus fullback Andrea Cambiaso. Switching lanes to the managerial side of things, Chelsea has reportedly identified Xabi Alonso as the leading candidate to become the next manager of the team, with the Spaniard said to be open to taking the job. Finally, Jose Mourinho is said to be open to taking the Real Madrid job, although he reportedly has a couple conditions that he wants met first.

Free Kicks

  • Kickoff times have been set for Orlando City’s three group stages matches in this year’s Leagues Cup.
  • The Lions will be launching a new merch collection Friday at The Final Whistle.

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

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. CF Montreal: Player Grades and Man of the Match

Here’s how your favorite Lions performed in Orlando City’s 2-0 loss to CF Montreal.

Published

1 day ago

on

May 11, 2026

By

Image of Griffin Dorsey trying to send the ball upfield against a Montreal defender.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

If you play Football Manager enough, you play plenty of games where the after-match comment is “a bore draw.” That appeared to be where Orlando City’s road game at CF Montreal was headed until a mistake by Robin Jansson in added time led to a penalty which opened the scoring for the hosts. They tacked on another late in stoppage time and the Lions will return home for a three-game set (one of them in the U.S. Open Cup) sore from Saturday’s 2-0 loss to CF Montreal.

Let’s take a look at how Orlando City’s players rated individually in their matchup with the Quebecois.

Starters

GK, Maxime Crépeau, 5.5 — With 25 shots by Montreal, one would’ve figured Crepeau was busy. Not really — he finished with three saves. A goalkeeper is almost never responsible for being scored on from the penalty spot, but Dagur Dan Thorallsson’s goal at the death is one Crepeau will want back, although in fairness it was perfectly placed. The Canadian goalkeeper finished with a 72.7% passing rate and was helped out after being rounded by Prince Owusu in a 1-v-1 opportunity that his teammates should never have allwoed for what would have been a goal if not for Iago’s sliding block to clear it off the line.

D, Adrián Marin, 5.5 — Marin got caught ball-watching in the 34th minute to allow a Wiki Carmona rocket that just went wide. Otherwise, he just didn’t impact the game one way or the other. Marin completed 87.8% of his passes and added one tackle, one block, and three clearances.

D, Robin Jansson, 5 — Jansson played his normal emergency role all game. Unfortunately, he got put off-balance in the first minute of added time in the second half and fell into the legs of Luca Petrasso, giving a penalty. It was a rough ending for the captain, but Orlando left the door open for Montreal and the hosts took it. The Swede also couldn’t close down Thorhallsson to prevent the second late Montreal goal. Jansson completed 78.7% of his passes, with one tackle, 10(!) clearances, and one block.

D, Iago, 6 — We saw both sides of Iago. He had a really nice pass in the 17th minute to free up Eduard Atuesta on goal but the Colombian missed the target to waste Orlando’s best chance of the game. The Brazilian’s biggest highlight moment was in the 76th minute, when Owusu dribbled past Crepeau for an open look at goal but Iago was there to clear it off the line. On the flip side, he also had a dangerous header defending a corner that almost created an own goal, instead hitting the left post. He got pulled wide in the first minute of the second half, allowing a dangerous shot by Owusu. On the offensive end, he got on the end of a corner but headed it right at Thomas Gillier. He was all over the place, which you can expect from a young player. He would’ve gotten a higher grade had the game finished scoreless because of his goal-line clearance and a couple of sparkling long balls that should have led to more. Alas. He finished with zero interceptions or tackles, three blocks, six clearances, and a 92.3% passing rate. He also picked up a yellow card in the sixth minute of added time in the second half preventing a counter on one of his attacking teammates’ many turnovers.

D, Griffin Dorsey, 5.5— While Orlando City was heavily weighted to the left side all game, when the Lions went down the right, it was through Dorsey. He led the break down that side multiple times but had trouble connecting. Dorsey finished with one tackle, three clearances, and one cross while passing at a 79% rate.

MF, Iván Angulo, 4.5 — When Angulo whiffed on a ball in the second minute which caused a Montreal counter, it was an indicator of the night to come. He was sloppy all game long and, by The Mane Land’s unofficial tally, turned the ball over eight times, with the majority of those coming in his own defensive half. It was an ugly night that looked a touch better when Tyrese Spicer departed, changing Angulo’s duties, but it didn’t wipe out a forgettable match. He finished with 90.2% passing, despite being loose with the ball. He was two out of six for successful dribbles and two out of seven in winning ground duels.

MF, Eduard Atuesta, 5.5 — A major part of the toothlessness of the Lions in the match was the midfield play. While Atuesta had a 95% passing rate, the only real impact he had was in the 17th minute, when Iago broke him free with a great pass. Atuesta made a well-timed run, but he ended up doing nothing with it when he sent his shot wide of goal. He had a turnover in the fourth minute to leave Montreal with a 3-on-2 break, leaving me to wonder if it was going to be one of those nights for him. Luckily no, but there was no real contribution either. He picked up a yellow card in the 62nd, was dispossessed once, and committed four fouls.

MF, Braian Ojeda, 5.5— Atuesta’s midfield partner also had trouble linking the play but contributed a touch more defensively. His sloppy handling in the 41st minute allowed Montreal to keep possession and created a corner. In the end, he finished with one tackle, one block, one clearance, and a 90% passing rate.

MF, Tyrese Spicer, 6— Unfortunately, most of Spicer’s contributions came on the defensive end this game because he could never get himself in the flow offensively. While he was 10-for-11 passing, he attempted two shots, one right at the goalkeeper and the other that missed so badly it almost went behind the net without hitting anything. He had just two touches in the opposition box. His biggest highlight was a tackle in the 23rd minute to end a dangerous Montreal possession. He was replaced in the 67th minute by Duncan McGuire. Spicer finished with a 91% passing success rate, led the team in tackles with four, and added two interceptions.

F, Martín Ojeda, 5 — This grade may be a bit harsh. However, when you are a Designated Player, you have to contribute, and Martin Ojeda was invisible at best. With 44 total passes, he was the one having to compensate for the lack of midfield control and it showed by his lack of offensive contribution. He had zero touches in the opposition box, which is not going to be a recipe for Orlando City success. Martin took one shot that was on target and passed at a 91% rate.

F, Justin Ellis, 6.5 (MotM)— Someone has to win Man of the Match. Ellis almost wins it by default as his overall play was the only positive thing all game. While his stats were mediocre, and there was not one moment you can pick to point to, he was the most talented when on the ball, tracked back to collect the ball occasionally, did more to link play than the midfield did, and just didn’t have a negative impact. He was replaced in the 80th by David Brekalo and finished with a 94% passing rate, was four-for-four on successful dribbles, and went five-for-six on ground duels won.

Substitutes

F, Duncan McGuire (67′), 5— McGuire started out playing out of position on the wing and while asked to pick up the offense, McGuire was unable to show anything of promise. Dorsey found him in the 88th minute with a cross, but McGuire turned down a quick shot and held the ball too long while deciding, and he ended up taking a low angle shot that had been there from the beginning that ended up harmless. He passed at a 75% rate and had three touches in the opposition box, turning those into a measly 0.05 expected goals. One of his touches on a promising attack was heavy and wasted the opportunity to get a shot off late in the game.

D, David Brekalo (80′), N/A — Brekalo came on for Ellis with a few minutes remaining, maybe a tactical choice to see out the draw. He completed all seven of his passes and had one clearance. He was not able to do anything to prevent Montreal’s two late goals, but he wasn’t the only one.

MF, Tiago (90′+5), N/A — Tiago entered right after the penalty to try to claw back a goal. Unfortunately, he whiffed on a 50/50 ball just moments before Thorhallsson ended up scoring the game’s second goal. He wasn’t on long enough to issue a grade, however.

D, Zakaria Taifi (90′+5), N/A — The best thing you can say about Taifi’s time is that he didn’t turn the ball over conceding a goal in the five minutes he was on the field.

That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando City’s loss to CF Montreal. 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: 5/11/26

Lions fall to CF Montreal, Pride defeat North Carolina Courage, OCB beats Atlanta United 2, and more.

Published

1 day ago

on

May 11, 2026

By

Image of Barbra Banda taking a shot against North Carolina.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Justin Glatt

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida, and belated happy Mother’s Day to all you moms out there. I spent the weekend in Texas catching up with friends and family. Let’s wish a happy birthday to Orlando City goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau, who turns 32 today. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Fall to CF Montreal

Orlando City fell 2-0 to CF Montreal at Stade Saputo Saturday on a pair of late goals. After a scoreless first half, the Lions were minutes away from escaping with a point on the road but conceded twice in stoppage time, with former Lion Dagur Dan Thorhallsson adding the insurance goal for Montreal as Orlando City left Canada with zero points. The Lions could not capitalize on their few scoring chances throughout the match. Orlando City returns home for its next match on Wednesday against the Philadelphia Union at Inter&Co Stadium.

Banda’s Late Goal Lifts Pride Over Courage

The Orlando Pride defeated the North Carolina Courage 1-0 at Inter&Co Stadium Friday, as Barbra Banda scored the lone goal late in the second half to help the Pride secure a much-needed win, snapping their two-match losing streak. Banda scored her eighth goal of the season, and she has scored five goals in the last three matches. The Pride will be on the road this week, facing the Boston Legacy Tuesday at Gillette Stadium, followed by another match Saturday against the Denver Summit at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.

OCB Beats Atlanta United 2 on the Road

Orlando City B defeated Atlanta United 2 with a goal in each half, winning 2-0 at Turner Soccer Complex in Athens, GA Sunday. Gustavo Caraballo scored the opening goal from the spot to give the Young Lions the early lead. In the second half, Issah Haruna added another goal for the Young Lions to put it away and take three points. OCB will be back on the road Sunday to face New England Revolution II at Beirne Stadium in Smithfield, RI.

Americans Abroad

Austin Trusty played a full 90 minutes as Celtic won its sixth consecutive match across all competitions 3-1 against Rangers. Gio Reyna scored his first goal of the season for Borussia Monchengladbach to snap his 16-month goal drought at the club level, but his side fell 3-1 to FC Augsburg. Weston McKennie played 86 minutes for Juventus in a 1-0 win against Lecce. In the Women’s FA Cup semifinals, Alyssa Thompson played 78 minutes for Chelsea, but her side fell 3-2 to Manchester City after extra time. Lindsey Heaps scored for OL Lyonnes while Lily Yohannes and Korbin Shrader were also in action in a 4-1 win against Paris Saint-Germain to lift the Coupe De France trophy. Later today, Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United will face Tottenham Hotspur.

Free Kicks

  • Check out this video on Orlando City’s social media pages featuring some players writing letters to their moms for Mother’s Day.
  • James Rodriguez will reportedly leave Minnesota United this week and will not return to the club after the World Cup concludes this summer.
  • Slavia Prague chairman Jaroslav Tvrdik stated that the club will impose a lifetime ban to fans who invaded the pitch as the club was minutes away from defeating rivals Sparta Prague Saturday to win the Czech First League title before the match was abandoned.
  • Leandro Trossard scored a late winner in the second half to help Arsenal beat West Ham United 1-0 to keep its five-point lead over Manchester City and pull a step closer to clinching the English Premier League title.

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

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