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Orlando City Players Who May Contend For End-of-Year Awards

A comparison of Orlando City players’ performance to other players in MLS at their positions.

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9 months ago

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Image of Alex Freeman sliding in celebration of a goal.
mage courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

As one of the world’s leading connoisseurs of television shows, I was, of course, glued to my couch to watch every second of the Emmy Awards on Sunday night, with a bowl of popcorn on my left, a bowl of snacks on my right, and a throw pillow handy at all times so I could scream into it (my kids were asleep) when my favorite actors and shows were robbed of their rightful opportunities to bloviate into a microphone after winning their category.

I’m kidding, of the 36 programs that were nominated for the seven major awards, I watched seven of them, a paltry 19%, and it surprised me that it was even that high of a percentage. With what little free time I have, I like to watch sports — soccer in particular.

I may not be the biggest fan of tv shows, but I do like awards, and so with the Emmys in the recent rearview mirror, I thought I would revisit our old friend “goals added,” which I wrote about a month ago, and use the Emmys as a model to see how Orlando City’s players are doing in the positional rankings going into the final weeks of the MLS regular season. So without further ado, and completely without Freddy Adu, let’s get on with the show.

The article I linked to in the previous paragraph contains the particulars around the calculation of goals added, but my TL;DR (for my mom, and any others, that’s “too long; didn’t read”) refresher is that soccer is about goals, so goals added (g+) is a measure of the value of a player in terms of creating goals and preventing goals. The more goals added, the more valuable the player.

The team at American Soccer Analysis has its formula for g+, but instead of looking at the raw calculations of g+ for every player, for this article I wanted to use a different metric on offer, which is g+ above average. This metric takes into account the average performance of a player at a given position, and then compares every other player’s performance to that of an average player.

For example, suppose there is an MLS player, let’s name him Werdna Ovlased, and he is a striker who has a g+ above average of 9.0. That 9.0 means that this player is worth nine goals more than the average striker in MLS. Pretty simple concept, right? Someone should sign him that Ovlased to a multi-million dollar contract, posthaste.

The average player is obviously worth zero goals added above average, because of the laws of mathematics (thank you Archimedes, for the gift that keeps on giving), but each position has a different contribution to goals added, as you will see from the box and whiskers (sometimes just called a boxplot, but that is not as fun to say/write as box and whiskers) chart below. I have been waiting to break out this type of chart, and the appropriate time was right here, right now. Feel free to take a second to queue up Fatboy Slim, because I know that song just came to mind after seeing “right here, right now” in print. [Editor’s note: I’m going with the Jesus Jones song by the same name. Sorry, Andrew!]

If, for some reason, you forgot what a box and whiskers chart was, it is a chart that shows the middle 50% (i.e. the values between the 25th percentile and 75th percentile) of all values inside of a rectangle, and then there is a bottom “whisker” and a top “whisker” that extends either to the maximum value or to 1.5 times the length of the rectangle (called the interquartile range, or IQR), whichever comes first. What this does is show the viewer where the middle 50% perform, and also a reasonable value for a top performance and a bottom performance. As you will see below, however, a box and whiskers chart also shows outliers, which are the performances that are either below or above the whiskers. These are players who are performing way better, or way worse, than the average player.

My guess is that, just like back in high school, it will make more sense when you see it rather than reading about it, so here are the box and whiskers charts by position (the positions are on the bottom) for MLS, with data through Sept. 15:

This is an image of a series of box and whiskers charts, one for each position on the soccer field.

Each circle on the chart represents the g+ above average for a player who has played more than 430 minutes (including stoppage time) thus far this season (there are 536 players who meet this threshold). I usually use 500 minutes as a cutoff, but Son Heung-Min from LAFC has played just more than 430 minutes, so I decided to make the cutoff low enough to include him, as he is already contributing majorly to his team and is among the best players in the league. As you can see from the chart, there are some wide variations by position for goals added (higher is better on this chart, and yes, some players have negative values for their g+ above average, which means they are performing below average, even though the metric is called g+ above average. Fun with words!).

Goalkeepers, by nature of the requirements of their position, contribute majorly to goals added, since every save by definition prevents a goal. Central midfielders and Defensive midfielders have a pretty tight middle 50%, and show very few outlier performances thus far this season. A certain striker who plays in “Miami” is a massive outlier as compared to the average player at his position, but so is a fullback who plays in the same state. More on him in a little bit.

As this is an Orlando City-focused site I am not going to go into detail on the leaders across the league at every position, but rather, using the Emmys as an inspiration, focus on which Orlando City players are finalists for “Outstanding Player at X Position.” If you take a look at the chart below, it looks remarkably similar to the one I just showed, except I have also added purple arrows pointing to the 17 Orlando City players who have played at least 430 minutes in MLS play. I kept Ramiro Enrique (he ranks right behind Luis Muriel), but I did not include an arrow for Rafael Santos.

This is the same image as the previous chart, but with arrows showing that point to Orlando City players and where they are in each box and whiskers chart

We will start with the good news, which is that of the players who have played the most minutes for the Lions this season, most are playing at an above-average level. This is good, and for a team that for most of the season has been around the top 10 in the overall league standings and went deep into Leagues Cup, not that surprising.

Four players stand out among the Lions, as each are in the top 10 at their positions. Two of those players, Eduard Atuesta as a center midfielder and Marco Pašalić as a winger, would definitely be strongly considered as candidates for Outstanding Player at their position, but as they rank ninth (Atuesta) and eighth (Pašalić), they pretty quickly would fall out of consideration once voters picked up their ballots.

The two who will receive serious evaluation for our made up “Outstanding Player” award and also for the real end-of-seasons awards of MLS Best XI and other individual awards are, unsurprisingly for anyone who has watched Orlando City this season, Martín Ojeda and Alex Freeman.

Ojeda ranks third behind Evander (1) and Carles Gil (2), and while he is considerably behind Evander in the attacking midfielder rankings, he is right behind Gil for second and well above Albert Rusnák in fourth. After that debacle in D.C. last weekend, Ojeda needs to get his mojo back and get the offense going again for the final few games, but that does not take away from what has been a tremendous season to this point.

As well as Ojeda has played, Freeman is on track to becoming the second Orlando City player in the club’s MLS era to finish the season ranked as the best player at his position (Araújo ranked first among defensive midfielders in 2023). Freeman has a g+ above average of 4.59 as compared to the average MLS fullback, and the second place player is at 3.09, so Orlando City’s right back is performing nearly 50% better than the player ranked in second place in the entire league! The gap between first and second is as large as the gap between second and ninth, which is a testament to the all-around performance of Freeman this season.

Awards, whether contrived or real, are nice but what really matters are the results on the scoreboard. We will all remember the great seasons from Freeman and Ojeda and the solid debut seasons from Atuesta and Pašalić, but what we really want to remember are five wins in the postseason, because banners fly in the stadium for championships and not individual awards.

Here’s to hoping that at the end of the season many Orlando City players, coaches, and front office personnel are bloviating into a microphone like those winners at the Emmys on Sunday night. If so, you will find me front and center in downtown Orlando after awarding myself a day off to soak in a championship.

Vamos Orlando!

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Flashback Friday: June 10, 2023 vs. Colorado Rapids

Let’s take a trip down memory lane to a booking-laden match at home that took place a little less than three years ago.

Published

10 hours ago

on

June 12, 2026

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

The World Cup is now officially underway, and while that means Orlando City is on break, we can’t have you forgetting about the Lions while all the international action is taking place. That means its time for another edition of Flashback Friday, where we hop in the trusty time machine and reminisce on OCSC matches of yesteryear.

Last week we relived a rousing road win over the New York Red Bulls from June, 3 2023, and this week, we actually pick up right where we left off, on June 10, 2023 as the Lions returned home to take on the Colorado Rapids.

Coming off a 3-0 win over the Red Bulls in the previous match, Oscar Pareja decided to not mess with a good thing, and kept Orlando City’s same starting XI from that victory. Pedro Gallese was in net behind a back line of Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Antonio Carlos, and Kyle Smith. Wilder Cartagena and Cesar Araujo played the double pivot; Ivan Angulo, Mauricio Pereyra, and Facundo Torres were the attacking midfielders, and Ercan Kara was deployed as the striker.

In typical June fashion for the City Beautiful, kickoff was delayed by just under an hour as the stadium was pounded by storms, and the delay did not look to have done any favors for Orlando’s sharpness. That said, OCSC did win a corner kick less than a minute into the game, and Torres had a tame shot saved in the eighth minute, but the Lions weren’t consistently sharp with their passing in the early moments of the contest.

The teams traded chances just before the 15-minute mark, with Kara sending a header too high before Cole Bassett sent a shot straight to Gallese. Carlos then picked up a yellow card in the 24th minute, which evened things out between the two teams after Lalas Abubakar was cautioned for the Rapids after just six minutes. Those two bookings proved to be a harbinger of things to come, because Colorado went down to 10 men in the 39th minute after midfielder Braian Galvan caught Angulo with a high boot while his studs were showing.

Pereyra had Orlando’s best chance of the opening 45 minutes in stoppage time but could only send his effort right at goalkeeper Marko Ilic, and that was the last significant action of the half. The Lions ended the half with an edge in possession (59.7%-40.3%), shots (7-2), shots on target (2-1), and passing accuracy (85.3%-79.4%), while both teams won two corners.

Pareja made two moves at halftime, bringing on Rodrigo Schlegel for the once-booked Carlos, and Martin Ojeda for Cartagena in an effort to go more offensive against a shorthanded Rapids side. The Lions certainly looked brighter going forward as the second half got underway and had a few dangerous moments before finally breaking the deadlock in the 55th minute.

Pereyra played a ball across the top of the box for Torres, who took a couple of touches before sending a ball to the net that took a wicked deflection off Andreas Maxsø that carried it past Ilic.

It wasn’t the prettiest goal the Lions have ever scored, but for a team that was guilty at times of passing up good shots in favor of the perfect look at goal, it was proof that sometimes you just need to take shots in dangerous areas.

Fortunately, Orlando seemed to take that lesson to heart. Kara went close in the 65th minute despite shooting through traffic, Angulo had a shot deflected by Abubakar three minutes later, and Torres had another deflected effort go just wide of the post four minutes after that.

The game changed again in the 75th minute, when the Rapids had another player sent off. Abubakar lasted for 69 minutes on a yellow card but got burned by Angulo in midfield and hauled him down in order to prevent the Lions from potentially working a transition opportunity. He had some teammates behind him, but the referee showed him a second yellow card. Pareja smelled blood in the water and just three minutes later he brought on Ramiro Enrique for Smith, who had been given a yellow card in the 52nd minute.

Ilic made a great save on Pereyra in the 81st minute to keep the score at 1-0 and keep the Rapids in the game, but Orlando got its second goal just two minutes later. Torres had the ball on the right side of the box with a Colorado player backing off him, and that gave him ample time to get his head up and pick out a man. He played a ball to Enrique at the top of the box, who had plenty of time to take a couple of touches and send a low shot into the bottom corner past a diving Ilic for his first goal as an Orlando City player.

Somewhat surprisingly, the game started to get a little stretched after the Lions doubled their advantage. Colorado had a shot blocked in the 81st minute, Kara sent a shot very close to the post six minutes after that, and Gallese saved a Darren Yapi attempt in the 88th minute to keep his clean sheet alive. Aside from Pareja handing Alejandro Granados his MLS debut, that was the last significant action of the match, which finished 2-0 to the good guys.

Unsurprisingly, considering Colorado’s deficit in players, the Lions dominated all of the game’s most important statistics. OCSC finished with the advantage in possession (65%-35%), shots (15-4), shots on goal (6-2), corners (5-3), and passing accuracy (89.4%-81.5%).

The victory made it back-to-back wins for the first time in 2023, stretched Orlando’s unbeaten run to six, and gave El Pulpo his 100th clean sheet for the team in all competitions.

Marcus Mitchell had the helm for Player Grades in this one, and Torres got his nod for Man of the Match with a goal, an assist, and a grade of 7.5 out of 10. Several other Lions graded out at 7 out of 10, with only one player grading below a 6.

While it was a weird win, it unfortunately was the final game of the unbeaten streak, as the Lions fell to a familiar defeat at Gillette Stadium the following week, although things got back on track soon afterward. I’ll see you back here in a week for another trip down memory lane. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 6/12/26

USMNT plays Paraguay tonight, red cards rain down in World Cup opener, Sporting Kansas City linked with Yann Gboho, and more.

Published

13 hours ago

on

June 12, 2026

By

Image of Alex Freeman sliding in celebration of a goal.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! The World Cup is in full swing and the U.S. will play today, so it’s a pretty exciting Friday to say the least. I’m a bit of a bundle of nerves about how the team will do, but I’m still looking forward to catching the game. If you have any gameday rituals, be sure to share, so that we can conjure up enough luck and support for the team tonight. Let’s get to the links!

USMNT’s World Cup Campaign Begins Today

The United States Men’s National Team will take on Paraguay at 9 p.m. tonight in its first match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. There’s plenty of pressure on the U.S. to perform well as one of the host nations, and this will also be Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino’s first time coaching at a World Cup. Pochettino stated that all 26 players are available for selection, including center back Chris Richards, although he may not necessarily start. Former Orlando City defender Alex Freeman, who is the youngest player on the U.S. roster, could make his World Cup debut tonight, so be sure to root for our hometown hero should he take the field. Hopefully, the Yanks can start this tournament off on the right foot with a big win in California.

World Cup Opener Features Three Red Cards

This year’s World Cup began in Mexico City, with Mexico beating South Africa 2-0 in a match that included three red cards. All three were straight red cards given in the second half in separate incidents, as Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane were sent off for South Africa before Mexico’s Cesar Montes was shown red in stoppage time. There hasn’t been a World Cup match with that many red cards since the record of four was set in 2006 in a match between Portugal and the Netherlands. As for the game’s goals, Julian Quinones pounced on a mistake by South Africa to give Mexico an early lead and Raul Jimenez doubled that lead while South Africa was reduced to 10 men.

Sporting Kansas City Linked With Yann Gboho

While the World Cup roars on, the rumor mill is in full force as clubs make plans for summer reinforcements. Sporting Kansas City is reportedly pushing to sign Toulouse winger Yann Gboho, who recorded 10 goals and three assists across all competitions this past season. The surprising aspect of this pursuit would be that Toulouse values Gboho at an eye-watering $20 million transfer fee, which would be a club record by a country mile. Kansas City needs all the help it can get on offense, as it has scored just 14 goals in 14 games so far this season.

Jose Mourinho Officially Returns to Real Madrid

It’s been a bit of an open secret over the past few weeks that Jose Mourinho would become Real Madrid’s next manager and it’s now official, with the 63-year-old signing a three-year contract with the Spanish club. Mourinho helped Real Madrid win a La Liga title and the Copa del Rey over a decade ago before his departure in 2013 after three seasons with the club. Now, he joins a Real Madrid side that has finished second in the league standings and been eliminated in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League the past two seasons. I, for one, can’t wait to see how one of the biggest personalities in soccer works alongside a locker room of star players that seemed in disarray this past season.

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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: 6/11/26

Wilder Cartagena linked with move to Sporting Cristal, Orlando Pride hire Dr. Nicole Surdyka, Barbra Banda injury update, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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June 11, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jermey Reper

The World Cup is finally here! Today starts what should be an exciting month of international soccer featuring more teams than ever before. While I wasn’t able to part with the arm and leg necessary to afford a ticket to one of the games, I’m still looking forward to watching along when I can with the rest of the world. Let’s get to the links!

Wilder Cartagena Linked With Move to Peruvian Club

You’ll need a translation tool to check out the full details unless you are fluent in Spanish, but Sporting Cristal of Peru’s top flight is reportedly interested in signing Orlando City midfielder Wilder Cartagena. The 31-year-old is currently under contract with Orlando through 2026, with the contact also including a club option for 2027. He was a crucial part to Orlando’s success in 2024, but he missed all of last year and has only started one game so far this season due to injuries. It’s not much more than a rumor as of now, but it’ll be something to keep an eye on during this break in the league schedule.

Barbra Banda Sustained a Hamstring Injury

Zambia Head Coach Nora Hauptle stated that Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda is dealing with a hamstring strain. Banda didn’t play in either of Zambia’s matches during this international break, but Hauptle also noted that she should recover in the next week or two and will be fine for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations at the end of July. Banda was injured late in the Pride’s 3-1 win against Bay FC on May 29 and it was unclear how severe the injury was. Hopefully she’ll be good to go before the Pride’s match against Angel City FC on July 3.

Dr. Nicole Surdyka Named Orlando Pride Director of Medical & Performance

The Orlando Pride have hired Dr. Nicole Surdyka as their new director of medical and performance. She’ll oversee the Pride’s medical operations, nutrition, and more while also working with Orlando Health. Dr. Surdyka has over a decade of experience that included leadership roles with OL Reign and the LA Galaxy and has studied extensively into developing frameworks for health and performance in women’s soccer.

“Nicole is one of the most respected practitioners in our field, and her expertise in women’s football, return‑to‑play, and high‑performance systems will elevate every aspect of our medical and performance environment,” said Caitlin Carducci, Orlando Pride VP of Soccer Operations & General Manager. “Her leadership, her commitment to evidence‑based practice and her passion for supporting athletes make her an exceptional addition to the Pride.”

Analyzing Paraguay Ahead of USMNT World Cup Match

The United States Men’s National Team will play its World Cup opener on Friday when it hosts Paraguay at SoFi Stadium. It will be the 10th match between the two nations, with the USMNT most recently winning 2-1 against Paraguay in November of last year. There’s a familiar face on Paraguay’s roster in Orlando City midfielder Braian Ojeda, with Miguel Almiron and Andres Cubas as other MLS midfielders called up. Paraguay’s defense is anchored by center back Gustavo Gomez, who you may remember as the player who put former Lion Alex Freeman in a headlock during that aforementioned November friendly. As for Paraguay’s attack, the Yanks will need to keep Julio Enciso and Antonio Sanabria from wreaking havoc. Paraguay is a physical team that’s also strong in the air, so we’ll see how the USMNT deals with that on Friday.

England Beats Costa Rica 3-0 at Inter&Co Stadium

Orlando City’s Inter&Co Stadium hosted a friendly between England and Costa Rica on Wednesday, with England winning 3-0. Declan Rice gave England an early lead, but Costa Rica kept the Three Lions off the scoresheet until the substitutes came on for England in the second half, with Anthony Gordon and Ollie Watkins both scoring. England got the full Orlando experience due to a heavy storm that delayed kickoff, but Inter&Co Stadium earned praise for its drainage system that had the pitch ready to roll in no time. Enjoy this satisfying time-lapse video of the transformation provided by the stadium.

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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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