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Orlando City vs. Sporting Kansas City: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s 3-1 victory over Sporting Kansas City?

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11 months ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Cricket is usually the sport that most people associate with games taking place over the course of multiple days, but on Saturday night and Sunday morning, it was soccer that became a two-day game due to extreme weather (read: heavy rain and frequent lightning strikes) in the vicinity of Inter&Co Stadium. Orlando City channeled that lightning into an electric start and a powerful ending, defeating Sporting Kansas City 3-1 to make it four straight victories and six wins in the club’s last seven matches.

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 matchup with a Western Conference opponent.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6.5 — El Pulpo was up to the task when he was called upon, making three acrobatic saves and coming aggressively off his line when balls were played over the top. Kansas City’s one goal came on a play when he had to come out, but the Peruvian was unable to push Mason Toye wide enough to prevent him from playing a ball back into the middle for Dejan Joveljic to tap in and tie the game. That goal felt like it had been coming after Orlando City really let down after the opening goal, so  it is hard to fully fault him as Kansas City had been creating good opportunities for nearly 20 consecutive minutes, and the visitors finally converted one. On the whole, I thought it was a strong game for Gallese, as he even added a cool 90% completion rate on his 20 pass attempts. 

D, David Brekalo, 6 — the strain of seven full 90s and one nearly full 90 in his last eight games, plus a game pushed back several hours due to weather, plus a partnership with a player out on the left wing who was more focused on offense than defense made this game a little rougher than ideal for Brekalo, as he looked a little leggy toward the end after a solid performance during the first three-quarters of the match. Without usual partner Iván Angulo on the field, Brekalo sat back a little more than usual, and he needed to, as Kansas City clearly was more focused on attacking down his side early in the game. The Lions had some nervy moments during that time and gave up a goal on a play that started with a through ball in between Robin Jansson and Brekalo, but after that, the Slovenian stepped up his defense and played solidly until he looked gassed in the final minutes of the match and got turned around a few times. He finished second on the team with 75 completed passes at a 90.4% completion rate and with one key pass, and he added one tackle and four clearances. 

D, Robin Jansson, 6 — The captain had a slightly louder game than his center back partner, Rodrigo Schlegel, but not for positive reasons, as it was on his side where Kansas City focused most of its attack, particularly early in the game. Gallese was called into action early after a through ball split Jansson and Brekalo, and just a few minutes later, it happened again, but this time Kansas City converted. The defense improved after those early chances, but the Lions were fortunate to not be trailing. Jansson contributed to the shoring up of the defense after those early concerns, and he eventually matched his center back partner with 95.1% passing accuracy, as well as making one tackle, one interception, and four clearances. 

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6 — Quiet games from center backs usually are a good thing, and through no fault of his own, the Argentine had a pretty quiet game, playing solidly but mostly playing just as a fulcrum to help pass the ball among his back line teammates. He completed a game-high 77 passes at a 95.1% clip, and made two tackles, one block and four clearances during the rare moments when Kansas City was attacking in his vicinity. 

D, Dagur Dan Thórhallsson, 7 — it was fitting that Thórhallsson took over Kyle Smith’s role in the central midfield during the second half, as he demonstrated his own Smith-like versatility in this game, playing 45 minutes at right back and 45 minutes in the midfield. The Icelandic Dagur-of-all-trades was excellent in both roles, keeping Kansas City from threatening down the attacking left side in the first half and helping the Lions own the center of the field during the second half. He completed 94.5% of his passes and added three tackles and three clearances on defense.

MF, Tyrese Spicer, 6.5 —  It is hard to open a game better than how the Trinidad & Tobago international opened this one, ripping a volley into the back of the net within two minutes after the opening kickoff. Spicer, who started on the left to give Angulo a break in a multi-match week, showed tremendous pace and dribbling ability on Saturday night/Sunday morning, and his performance probably made Toronto fans scream, “I told you he was being misused!” at their televisions while watching Orlando City in jealous frustration. Spicer was a threat offensively, but getting forward creates spaces behind, so he had some issues tracking back on defense. If he wants to earn consistent minutes for Óscar Pareja, he will need to improve his defense in the future. On this night, his offense was enough though, as in addition to his goal, he made multiple aggressive runs up the left side to help create chances. He completed 72% of his passes, including two key passes, and also led the team in tackles with four. 

MF, Kyle Smith, 6 — with César Araújo out due to yellow card suspension, The Accountant stepped into a starting role, playing the first half as a defensive midfielder. He was an active participant, completing 29 of his 30 pass attempts, and helped out defensively as well, adding two tackles and one clearance. Oscar Pareja talked about spacing issues being a problem in the first half, and the Lions’ energy level certainly dropped significantly after the first 10 minutes, so his solution was to move Thorhallsson to the middle, sacrificing Smith to bring on Alex Freeman, which also served to jumpstart the attack.

MF, Eduard Atuesta, 6 — Absent his usual midfield partner, Araújo, the Colombian played a litter deeper than usual, though he still was engaged in the offense, completing 20 more passes than any non-back-line player. Atuesta completed those passes at a 93.1% rate, with one key pass, and he also took one shot and put it on target, but it was right at the goalkeeper. He had one tackle and two interceptions on defense as well, before making way in the 86th minute for Joran Gerbet to get a little bit of rest with the Lions up 3-1. 

MF, Marco Pašalić, 6 — This will not be a game that Pašalić looks back fondly on, as he was unable to get any real threat going on offense and may have been lucky to not be substituted out even earlier than he was. The Croatian took three shots and put two on target, but neither were well struck and both were saved easily. He completed 91.3% of his passes but did not beat any defenders off the dribble, and speaking of defending, he did not contribute any defensive statistics. Perhaps it was due to playing with Thórhallsson instead of his usual partner, Freeman, for most of his minutes on the field, but this was not Pašalić’s night. 

F, Martín Ojeda, 7.5 (MotM) — There are only so many superlatives that I can use before it starts to become repetitive, but once again the Argentinean Designated Player was the talisman and key to the Orlando City offense. His shot/pass off the goalkeeper on Spicer’s goal obviously prevented him from extending his goal contribution streak just minutes into the game. ‘Oh well,’ Ojeda must have thought, ‘I’ll just have to do it again,’ and then he went ahead and did by assisting on Ramiro Enrique’s goal to give Orlando City the lead in the second half. Ojeda was everywhere, and on a different day he might have had a hat trick of assists and perhaps a few goals himself, but his touch was a little off. He completed 82.6% of his passes but had a crazy eight key passes — six more than any other Lion — and he took three shots but was unable to put any on target. The offense ran through him once again, and if he continues at his current pace when people refer to Orlando City’s M. Ojeda, that M just might stand for MVP.

F, Luis Muriel, 6 — Though he was active throughout his time on the field, the Colombian did not factor into any of the scoring plays. He got himself into position to take three shots but put none on target, squandering one big opportunity on his left foot after a beautiful one-two with Ojeda, shooting it with venom but high and wide left. He only completed 69.2% of his passes, but as is usually the case, he was trying creative and aggressive passes to unlock the defense, so it was not surprising his completion rate was lower than that of the rest of his teammates. 

Substitutes

D, Alex Freeman (46′), 7 — The introduction of the U.S. international at right back invigorated the Orlando City offense, and the team looked completely different (in a positive way) during the final 45 minutes. Freeman’s energy and pace were hugely helpful, and he partnered well with Pašalić and fellow substitutes Angulo and Nico Rodríguez on the right side of the field. He completed 89.3% of his passes, and his shot attempt late in the game was deflected and then corralled by Rodríguez, who turned and fired it into the net. Freeman did not get an assist on the play, but for all intents and purposes he assisted on the third and final goal. He could have done better with a partial breakaway opportunity just moments after Rodriguez’s goal.

MF, Iván Angulo, (71′), 6 — Angulo moved to the bench with the big Leagues Cup game coming up on Wednesday, but just as with Freeman, when he came on he brought energy and pace, and the Lions’ offense accelerated with him zooming around the field. He had a secondary assist on Enrique’s goal, and he almost had a goal himself after being played in behind, but he lifted his shot over the bar. Angulo looked to be running at a different speed than everyone else when he came on, and he provided excellent minutes off the bench after coming on for Pašalić. He completed all five of his passes and tracked back very well to provide defensive cover once Orlando City took the lead.

F, Ramiro Enrique, (71′), 6.5 — The Argentine came on with Angulo, replacing Muriel and Pašalić, and the offense improved with the two subs on for the two Designated Players. Enrique got himself into a dangerous location just minutes after coming on, and when Ojeda cut the ball back into the middle, Enrique was ready, receiving the pass, spinning 180 degrees, and then firing with his weaker left foot, equaling his career high with his eighth goal of the season. He completed four of his five pass attempts, including one key pass, and it was his goal that gave Orlando City the lead back for good.

MF, Nico Rodríguez, (78’), 6.5 — Rodríguez came on for Spicer, sending Angulo over to his favored left side and settling in himself on his favored right side. The Colombian impressed in his 12 minutes plus stoppage time, looking lively and active, and his awareness paid off in the 83rd minute. He alertly controlled a blocked Freeman shot, reacted quickly, and turned and fired, scoring his first career MLS goal and effectively ending the game by putting the Lions up by two. Rodríguez completed seven of his eight passes and put his one shot on target and in the net, and he looked completely comfortable on the field throughout his appearance.

MF, Joran Gerbet, (86′), NA — Gerbet made his return from a long absence due to a thigh injury, coming on for Atuesta to see out the final minutes of the game. He completed all nine of his passes and looked back to full speed, which will be important for Orlando City with a busy next few months ahead.

That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando City’s 3-1 win against Sporting Kansas 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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Orlando City

Flashback Friday: July 4, 2023 vs. Toronto FC

Let’s rewind to an Independence Day affair that had plenty of offensive fireworks.

Published

3 days ago

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July 3, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

The United States Men’s National Team picked up a gritty, resilient 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32 on Wednesday, and will now face Belgium in a rematch of the 2014 World Cup Round of 16 next Monday. While we patiently wait for that game, it’s time to continue our Friday tradition of revisiting some classic Orlando City games from years past.

Last week, we rewound to a high octane affair against the Chicago Fire in late June 2022, that saw the Lions douse Chicago’s flames and pick up a much-needed 4-2 victory. Today, let’s hop in the time machine and travel back to Independence Day 2023, when Toronto FC came to town.

At the time of Toronto’s visit, things were going relatively smoothly for OCSC. The team was riding a three-match unbeaten streak and had scored five goals across those three games. Oscar Pareja lined up his team in its customary 4-2-3-1, with Pedro Gallese in goal; a back line of Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Antonio Carlos, and Kyle Smith; Wilder Cartagena and Cesar Araujo in the double pivot; Ivan Angulo, Mauricio Pereyra, and Facundo Torres in the attacking midfield; and Duncan McGuire up top.

Orlando very nearly got a goal a little under 10 minutes into the game. Former OCSC goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh knocked down a cross in front of the net, and while Pereyra was first to the ball, he could only blast it over the bar with the goal at his mercy. Fortunately, that miss would not come back to haunt the Lions, who bagged the game’s first goal in the 16th minute. Angulo sucked defenders toward him on the left edge of the box before releasing Santos out wide. The fullback played a peach of a first-time, curling cross to the back post, where Araujo was waiting to power a diving header into the side netting at the far post for his first league goal.

That goal broke the game open, and Orlando got another goal six minutes later to double the advantage. It initially looked like a carbon copy of the first goal, with Santos out in space on the left side of the box, sending in a curled cross. The ball deflected off a defender and came in low toward the goal. Ranjitsingh waited for the ball instead of going to claim it, and that allowed McGuire to nip in front of him and get a touch on the ball to sneak it in at the near post.

Orlando nearly got even more goals inside the half hour, with Torres and McGuire both going close in quick succession. Federico Bernardeschi smashed a shot off the post in the 28th minute, and the Lions seemed to be losing focus a little bit, with the hydration break a welcome pause in play when it came. OCSC came out of the pause well, and Pereyra put Angulo through in the 36th minute, but the Colombian couldn’t bring the ball under control and fashion a shooting chance.

Orlando led in every meaningful statistical category at halftime. The Lions had more possession (55.8%-44.2%), shots (6-2), shots on goal (2-0), corners (4-2), and passing accuracy (89.5%-85%). Most importantly, they led 2-0 on the scoreboard.

Toronto tried to change things at halftime by introducing three substitutes, but Orlando settled back into the game quickly and negated the efforts of interim TFC manager Terry Dunfield. Angulo and Torres forced Ranjitsingh into a pair of saves in the 53rd and 55th minutes, and the Lions tried to press their advantage by sending on Ramiro Enrique and Martin Ojeda in the 57th minute for McGuire and Pereyra.

The game then changed in a big way in the 62nd minute. Cartagena and Bernardeschi exchanged words after a turnover, and the Italian winger put Cartagena on the ground with the help of a little theatrics from the midfielder. Bernardeschi had already been yellow carded in the 47th minute for a foul on Smith, and the altercation with Wilder saw him receive a second yellow and his marching orders to go along with it.

With TFC down to 10 men, the Lions started to tee off at goal. Ojeda came close to getting the team’s third in the 69th minute, with Enrique doing the same in the 71st but missing just wide. When the goal finally came, it was from the unlikely foot of Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, who had been subbed into the game alongside Ercan Kara in the 68th minute.

Thorhallsson made a great run behind the defense in the 77th minute, and Araujo picked him out well. Ranjitsingh came out to try to play sweeper-keeper, but DDT beat him to the ball easily, touched it around the former Lion, and rolled it into the empty net to score his first MLS goal and make it 3-0.

Toronto had a halfway decent chance to pull one back in the 82nd minute, but Brandon Servania’s long-distance attempt at chipping Gallese ended up missing high and settling on the roof of the net. Kara then iced the game in the 84th minute. Araujo fired a pass to Ojeda at the top of the box, and even though he had trouble bringing it under control, he had the presence of mind to backheel it toward goal for the big Austrian to pounce on and fire a low, hard shot into the net for 4-0.

Ojeda nearly got a goal of his own two minutes later but had a great effort saved in what was the last truly dangerous moment of the game.

As was the case at halftime, when the final whistle blew, the Lions had created plenty of fireworks on both the scoreboard and the stat sheet. OCSC finished with more possession (59.6%-40.4%), shots (18-6), shots on target (9-0), corners (8-2), and passing accuracy (91%-84.8%).

Marcus Mitchell had Player Grades for this one, and he named Araujo the Man of the Match with a grade of 8 out of 10 for his one-goal/one-assist effort. The other high performers on the night were Antonio Carlos, and Cartagena, who each graded out at 7.5 out of 10.

That’ll do it for this week’s trip down memory lane. We’ve been getting spoiled lately, with Orlando putting up four goals in back-to-back time machine games, and it’s made for an enjoyable glimpse into years gone by. With any luck, next week’s edition will be similarly entertaining. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/3/26

Orlando Pride visit Angel City tonight, NWSL free agents to watch, Portugal and Spain advance, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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July 3, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! I don’t have many plans this holiday weekend beyond enjoying some soccer and indulging myself in a few hot dogs to celebrate. It should be a fun weekend, but make sure to stay safe out there if you plan on setting off any fireworks. For now though, let’s get to the links!

Orlando Pride Take On Angel City FC Tonight

The NWSL resumes today and the Orlando Pride will play against Angel City FC at 10 p.m. in their first match since a 3-1 win over Bay FC on May 29. That win capped off a six-game month for the Pride, including a stretch of three straight road games. Meanwhile, Angel City parted ways with Alex Straus over the break after only winning once in May, and tonight’s match will be Leif Gunnar Smerud’s first since being named interim head coach. It can be tough playing an opponent with a new coach, but hopefully the Pride can bring all three points back to Orlando.

Top NWSL Free Agents to Watch

Free agency is officially underway in the NWSL and the list of players with contracts expiring at the end of the year includes some of the league’s best players. Orlando Pride star Marta was listed as one of the top free agents to watch, though I would be pretty shocked if she plays for another NWSL club if she leaves Orlando after this season. Leicy Santos, Debinha, and Rose Lavelle are other skilled attackers who will become free agents, but Gotham FC goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger is sure to have plenty of clubs reaching out for her talents as well.

Portugal and Spain Advance in World Cup

This World Cup hasn’t been short on excitement and that continued with Portugal’s 2-1 win against Croatia. After a scoreless first half, Croatia took the lead thanks to a goal from Ivan Perisic, but Cristiano Ronaldo equalized from the penalty spot and the game was moments away from heading to extra time. Goncalo Ramos gave Portugal the goal it needed to advance deep in stoppage time, but Croatia nearly came back with a goal that was disallowed due to an offside call. Spain cruised to a 3-0 win against Austria to book its spot in the round of 16 as well. Mikel Oyarzabal scored twice for his second brace of the tournament, with Marc Cucurella assisting on both of his goals. Spain and Portugal will square off in the next round in what should be a fantastic match. Switzerland and Algeria kicked off late.

The round of 32 wraps up today with a trio of matches, starting with Egypt’s game against Australia. Cape Verde will then look to shock the world when it plays Argentina, and the late game will be between Colombia and Ghana.

Columbus Crew Sign New Designated Player

The Columbus Crew have signed Spanish midfielder Brais Mendez to a Designated Player contract through the 2028-2029 season with a club option for the 2029-2030 season. Mendez has spent the past four La Liga seasons with Real Sociedad, recording 33 goals and 24 assists in 166 appearances. He gives the crew some additional firepower as reports swirl regarding Diego Rossi’s departure for CF Monterrey. While maybe not in the same headline-grabbing tier of MLS summer signings like Antoine Griezmann or Robert Lewandowski, Mendez is a big addition to the league as the Eastern Conference arms race continues.

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  • CF Montreal sent $2.1 million in General Allocation Money to Austin FC in exchange for midfielder Dani Pereira. Selected with the first overall pick in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft, Pereira has contributed six goals and 23 assists in 165 appearances across all competitions for Austin.
  • Real Salt Lake reportedly rejected a transfer bid around $3.5 million from CF Monterrey for midfielder Diego Luna.
  • American winger Emma Sears reportedly requested a trade from Racing Louisville, although the club is not reportedly interested in a midseason transfer.
  • The United States Men’s National Team’s win over Bosnia and Herzegovina had record viewership. Understandably so, too, as I spent most of the match pacing around my living room.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/2/26

USMNT shuts out Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kat Asman loaned to Denver Summit FC, MLS transfer news, and more.

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4 days ago

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July 2, 2026

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Image of Pride goalkeeper Kat Asman
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Wednesday nights are starting to feel magical. Orlando City has thrived this year when playing on Wednesdays, and now the United States Men’s National Team has provided us with a reason to tackle this Thursday at full force. Before we dive into that result and the rest of today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City defender Tahir Reid-Brown!

USMNT Survives Red Card to Advance

The U.S. won 2-0 against Bosnia and Herzegovina in an emotional rollercoaster of a match in the World Cup’s round of 32. Folarin Balogun got the U.S. on the board at a crucial time right before halftime by scoring his third goal of the tournament. But the game flipped on its head in the second half when Balogun was shown a harsh red card by the referee after video review for a foul when he accidentally came down on the back of an opponent’s foot. The Yanks fought hard to make up for the difference of being down a player and doubled their lead after earning a free kick right outside the box. Malik Tillman’s shot went up and over the wall and into the net for a goal U.S. fans will be replaying over and over again.

The U.S. did well to grind out the win after that second goal, with former Lion Alex Freeman doing his part on defense to help shut out Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was a memorable win, and now the U.S. will turn its focus to its round-of-16 matchup against Belgium on Monday.

Pride Loan Goalkeeper Kat Asman to Denver Summit

The Orlando Pride loaned goalkeeper Kat Asman to the Denver Summit for the remainder of the 2026 NWSL season. Asman is coming off of a loan with Lexington SC in the Gainbridge Super League, where she played every minute of the season to help Lexington win the title. She posted 11 clean sheets with Lexington last season and won the league’s Golden Glove as well. Asman has yet to make an appearance for the Pride since joining prior to the 2025 season, and her contract expires at the end of the season. She now heads to Denver, where Abby Smith has done well in goal as the expansion team’s starter.

MLS Transfer News Roundup

Real Salt Lake sent $625,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) to Atlanta United in exchange for winger Saba Lobjanidze and a third-round pick in the 2028 MLS SuperDraft, with another $100,000 in GAM going Atlanta’s way if he re-signs with Real Salt Lake. The Columbus Crew fully acquired defender Andres Herrera from River Plate after an extended loan, signing him to a contract through the 2028-2029 season. The LA Galaxy transferred defender Mauricio Cuevas to Santos Laguna, the New England Revolution added forward Wilson Harris, and Sporting Kansas City signed center back Moises Mosquera from FC Juarez. The San Jose Earthquakes are reportedly close to signing Scottish goalkeeper Angus Gunn, with Daniel heading to FC Dallas in a trade if that happens. It’s somewhat surprising considering Daniel has done well to help San Jose only concede 15 goals this season.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Sources: San Jose Earthquakes closing in on a deal to sign Scotland int'l GK Angus Gunn.🇧🇷 Sources: FC Dallas has agreed to a deal to acquire GK Daniel from San Jose.➕ Daniel trade is contingent on Gunn signing being formalized.

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2026-07-01T16:34:02.297Z

European Nations Move On After Dramatic Comebacks

This World Cup continues to deliver thrilling games during this new round-of-32 phase. Senegal looked certain to go through to the next round until Belgium scored a pair of goals after the 85th minute to knot the game at 2-2 and send it into extra time. The game was decided by a penalty, but not in a shootout, as a foul in the box resulted in Youri Tielemans scoring from the spot to give Belgium the victory. In Atlanta, Harry Kane scored twice to rescue England in a 2-1 win over the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Brian Cipanga gave the Congo an early lead, but Kane struck twice in the second half, with his winner being one of the best goals of the tournament so far.

England is now set to face Mexico at the Azteca on Sunday in what should be a great game. As for today’s action, Orlando City winger Marco Pasalic and Croatia will take on Portugal in a matchup between European heavyweights. The winner of that match will face whoever prevails today between Spain and Austria, with Switzerland and Algeria squaring off in the late night match.

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That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

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