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Orlando City vs. Nashville SC: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did the players perform in Orlando’s last-gasp victory over Nashville SC?

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7 months ago

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Image of Duncan McGuire celebrating his winning goal against Nashville SC.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

It was a match that put fans through the full gamut of emotions, but in the end, Orlando City snatched a last-gasp win against Nashville SC and picked up a vital three points in the process. The win keeps Orlando in the race for the top four places in the Eastern Conference, although the Lions have little to no room for error in their final four matches of the season if they want to secure home field advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Let’s take a look at how the Cardiac Cats performed in Saturday’s 3-2 victory.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 7 — While he conceded two goals, Gallese couldn’t really do much to keep either one out of the net. What he did was save Orlando’s bacon on several occasions, as he made an excellent save on a Hany Mukhtar header from close range just before halftime, and did well to keep him out again in the 60th minute. El Pulpo finished the game with four saves, 89% passing accuracy, and would have had an assist had Ivan Angulo been able to find a way past Joe Willis after Gallese played a long ball to put the Colombian in on goal after a corner kick.

D, David Brekalo, 6 — If you skim the statistics from this one, you might wonder why Brekalo’s grade isn’t higher. After all, he recorded two tackles, one interception, four clearances, and three aerial duel wins on defense while drawing two fouls, completing a dribble, playing a key pass, and passing with 88.9% accuracy on offense. However, go back and watch the video of Jacob Shaffelburg’s tying goal. The Slovenian defender allowed Shaffelburg to get goalside of him far far too easily, and once that happened, he wasn’t able to cut out the cross which the Canadian slammed into the back of the net. It was bad defending in an instance when OCSC couldn’t afford it, and so his grade suffers. If not for that error, he’s probably sitting at a seven, as he had a pretty good game otherwise.

D, Robin Jansson, 6 — Orlando City’s captain had a quieter, albeit steady and reliable performance. He held things down in the center of defense with three clearances and two interceptions, while passing with 92.7% accuracy and completing three long balls. While he wasn’t the only one, he was guilty of ball watching on Mukhtar’s goal in first-half stoppage time, as he didn’t react to the rebound and the German was able to collect his own rebound off the post and put it past Gallese. He has to lose some points for that, but otherwise it was a solid performance.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6.5 — Schlegel was largely effective in his center back partnership with Jansson. He ended the night with one tackle, two clearances, and two blocks on defense, and one aerial duel won, while taking one shot on offense that was off target, completing three long balls, and passing with 100% accuracy. He did commit two fouls and picked up a yellow card, which he has to lose some points for. The Argentine was also extremely lucky to have some questionable defending go unpunished in the 53rd minute. Shaffelburg played a cross for Sam Surridge at the back post, who lost Schlegel far too easily and had a free header in the six-yard box that he somehow contrived to miss. It was poor marking, and the Lions were fortunate to not pay the price for it.

D, Alex Freeman, 6 — There was to be no goal for Freeman in this game, but he still had an active outing. On defense, the young fullback won three aerial duels, recorded two interceptions, made one tackle, and added two clearances. Going forward, he took one shot that was blocked, completed two dribbles, drew two fouls, and passed with 84.6% accuracy while completing one cross and one long ball. On the flip side of things, he was another player who was guilty of ball watching on Mukhtar’s goal, and it was worse for him, since he was probably in the best position to get to the ball when it came back off the post. Still, it was a good game overall if not quite as buccaneering an outing as we’ve seen at times this year.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 6 — As is usually the case with Angulo, he was involved on both sides of the ball in this game. On defense, he chipped in with two tackles while also committing a foul. On the other side of the field, he completed two dribbles, drew a foul, passed with 71.4% accuracy, and took one shot which was on target and saved by Joe Willis. He could have done better on it since he was in alone on goal, but he has shown himself to be lacking in the breakaway goal department. He and Luis Muriel couldn’t quite get the timing right on an early second-half pass, as the striker was ultimately offside when Angulo played him in behind, although he failed to hit the target regardless.

MF, Kyle Smith, 7.5 — With Cesar Araujo and Joran Gerbet both unavailable, Smith got the start in midfield, and he did a little bit of everything. On defense he contributed two tackles and two interceptions, while on offense he drew a foul, completed two long balls, recorded one key pass, and distributed the ball with 81.8% accuracy. His best moment of the night however, came on Martin Ojeda’s second goal. Smith took the ball off Patrick Yazbek in midfield, played the ball to Luis Muriel, got it back, and then fed a nice ball in behind for Ojeda who dispatched it past Joe Willis. That means he also ended the game with an assist, which was the finishing touch on a well-rounded evening.

MF, Eduard Atuesta, 6.5 — Atuesta partnered Smith in midfield, and while he was quieter than his counterpart, he still turned in a good performance on the defensive side of the ball with two tackles, one interception, one clearance, one aerial duel won, and one foul committed. Going forward, he drew two fouls, took one shot, which was blocked, and delivered two long balls while passing with 89.1% accuracy. It wasn’t as impactful of an offensive performance as he’s shown himself to be capable of, but it was still the sort of solid outing that we’re used to seeing from him.

MF, Marco Pašalić, 7 — While he didn’t manage to make an impact on the scoresheet, Pasalic was far from quiet. He didn’t do much on defense, although he registered one interception. Instead, as expected, he put in work going forward and finished with a game-high five completed dribbles, one long ball, one foul drawn, one key pass, 81% passing accuracy, and one shot on target. He was unlucky to not score with that shot, which was a beautiful curling effort that Willis saw late and ultimately did well to save. As suggested by the dribbling stat, he was constantly looking to keep the ball at his feet and probe the Nashville defense by going on mazy runs. He’ll hope to get back on the scoresheet soon as its now been four league games without a goal.

F, Martin Ojeda, 8.5 (MotM) — Surely you had to know this was coming right? As he so often has been this year, Ojeda was the man at the center of it all for the Lions. Let’s start with the stats you probably don’t know, as he registered one tackle, one clearance, and one foul, while also playing a game-high three key passes, connecting on three crosses and one long ball, and passing with 81.8% accuracy. He took four shots and put two of them on target, and he scored from each of those two shots on target. His free kick goal for the opener was nothing short of spectacular, as he found the gap that Schlegel and Jansson created in the wall, and banged a shot in off the post. His second goal was all about pinpoint finishing, as he shot first time from Smith’s pass and unerringly hit the far corner. He’s a worthy Man of the Match, and continues to force his way into the MVP conversation.

F, Luis Muriel, 6.5 — Although it wasn’t a bad performance, it wasn’t one of the Colombian’s better outings either. He wasn’t able to impact the game with his dribbling or vision and passing range, although he contributed the secondary assist on Ojeda’s second goal. Other than that and some moments where he flashed his mind-meld understanding with his strike partner, he had a pretty quiet evening. His stat line reads two shots with one off target and one on target that forced an excellent save from Willis, two fouls drawn, and 69.2% passing accuracy.

Substitutes

F, Duncan McGuire (63′), 7 — Brought on to replace Muriel, McGuire had an effective 27 minutes on the field. He injected energy and a desire to press from the front into the team, and he managed to get on the ball in dangerous areas. He took two shots, with one off target and one on target, and played one key pass while distributing the ball with 88.9% precision. Then there was the obvious, as he scored the all-important winning goal with a fantastic first-time finish as the game was entering its final moments. It was great to see Dunc back among the goals after his injury struggles this season, and the departure of Ramiro Enrique means the Lions are going to need him if they want to make any noise in the postseason.

MF, Tyrese Spicer (72′), 7 — Like McGuire, Spicer made the most of his 18-minute substitute appearance after he came on for Angulo. Some of his dribbling wasn’t as crisp as it usually is, but he chipped in defensively with one tackle, drew a foul, passed with 100% accuracy, delivered one cross, one key pass, and had the all-important assist on the winning goal. He was brought on to help change the game and give the Lions more offensive juice and he did exactly that. If he can become a reliable weapon off the bench, then it makes OCSC a much more dangerous team as we enter the final stretch of the regular season.

D, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson (86′), N/A — With just four minutes on the field after replacing David Brekalo, it wouldn’t be fair to assign DDT a grade in this game. He contributed one tackle and two clearances in his limited minutes, and passed with 100% accuracy. It should be noted that while he was the man who fed Spicer before the winger streaked down the left flank and assisted McGuire, Thorhallsson was not credited with an official secondary assist.

MF, Colin Guske (86′), N/A — The injuries to Orlando’s other midfielders meant it was Guske who came on for Smith, but he also wasn’t on the field long enough to be assigned a fair grade. Similar to Thorhallsson, he was plenty involved though. Guske had one tackle and one clearance, while committing one foul and drawing a foul. He completed all four of his passes for an accuracy rate of 100%.

There you have it. Ojeda shone again, Smith had one of his best games of the year, and McGuire came to the rescue to prove that Orlando does in fact, still run on Duncan. Do you agree with my pick for Man of the Match, or should the honors go to someone else? Be sure to vote in our poll, and have your say down in the comments. Vamos Orlando!

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Charlotte FC: Five Takeaways

Here’s what we learned from Orlando City’s enjoyable 4-1 victory over Charlotte.

Published

40 minutes ago

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April 23, 2026

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Image of Ignacio Gomez celebrating his first MLS goal against Charlotte FC.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City got a much-needed victory on Wednesday night, demolishing Charlotte 4-1 and looking nothing like a bottom-of-the-Eastern-Conference squad. The Lions took an early lead, gave it away with some sloppy set-piece defending, but then rebounded and delivered a thorough beatdown in the second half. More nights like this, please and thank you.

Here are my five takeaways from the match.

Young Bench

Every player on the bench for Orlando City was at some point in their career primarily an Orlando City B player, and seven of the eight players had played minutes for the Young Lions in 2026. Only Colin Guske has not logged any minutes for OCB this season, though based on recent starting lineups and substitution choices for the senior team, he also may drop down to MLS NEXT Pro to get some minutes in the upcoming weeks. The kids in the hall on the bench were all right too, with Ignacio Gómez coming off the bench to score his first MLS goal, Tahir Reid-Brown showing his attacking ability up the left side, and Bernardo Rhein making his debut appearance at the senior level. There was a different, youthful, energy in the air at Inter&Co Stadium against Charlotte, and that energy definitely helped carry Orlando City to a victory.

Their First Samba

The Orlando City starting lineup featured all three of Orlando City’s Brazilian MLS U22 Initiative signings — the first time the three had started together for the Lions. This is clearly what Ricardo Moreira and the front office had envisioned during the off-season, and their vision was rewarded by the three young Brazilians on Wednesday night. Tiago was a menace down the left side of the field and should have been awarded a secondary assist for his work setting up the game’s first goal. Iago was once again solid in the center of defense, as he has been ever since Robin Jansson returned, and Luis Otávio scored the goal that Tiago had set up, giving Orlando City a home lead and injecting some confidence into a team that sorely needed it. All three of these players are now serious threats to seize the starting roles at their positions, and it will be interesting to see what happens as the veterans who play those positions return from injury.

Just How They Drew It Up

I do not think I am going out very far on a limb to say that Zakaria Taifi has never been less responsible for an assist that he was credited for, as while yes, Taifi was the last player to touch the ball before Otávio scored, but in no way, shape, or form was the young academy graduate trying to play the ball to Otávio. Tiago had made a 50-yard run up the left side of the field after receiving a pass from Adrián Marin, and his cross was perfectly placed for Taifi to volley it home. The Orlando native swung his left leg through but mistimed the connection, hitting the ball with the outside of his foot and sending his shot hurtling backwards toward the middle of the field. Otávio was waiting there alone, however, and trapped the ball down and then hit a trivela with his right foot that completely fooled Kristijan Kahlina. The play did not look pretty, but the scoreboard afterwards did, as the Lions had an early lead.

B Is For Brace

The off-season acquisition of Braian Ojeda added a second Ojeda to the Orlando City roster, and as a result, the back of the Paraguayan’s jersey reads B. Ojeda. On Wednesday night, however, Martín Ojeda scored two goals, giving us a different type of B. Ojeda to talk about — a b…race for Ojeda. OK, OK, that was a serious stretch, and speaking of a serious stretch, even with his own full extension stretch, Charlotte’s Kahlina was unable to keep Ojeda’s curling free kick out of the bottom corner of the net. That was Ojeda’s second goal, and on his first goal Kahlina did not even make an attempt to stretch and save the shot, because the Argentinean took Justin Ellis’ pass and lifted it up and into the far corner, leaving the Charlotte goalkeeper no chance. It was great to see the Ojeda of 2025 make an appearance in 2026, and hopefully those two goals kick him into gear.

Mest Värdefulla Spelaren

For those of you who do not speak Swedish (didn’t you watch The Muppets and learn from the Swedish Chef?), that headline translates to Most Valuable Player, which Jansson has been for the Lions since he returned against Columbus. The Beefy Swede led the game with 10 defensive contributions, including eight clearances, but it is really more about how his return has completely changed the defense for Orlando City. Iago looks settled and confident next to Jansson, and after a series of struggles early in his Orlando City career, all of a sudden Marin does as well. Martin Ojeda scored two goals and was excellent on the offensive side of the ball, but it is Jansson who stabilized the team and who helped the Lions stymy a Charlotte team that had won four of its most recent five games. Everyone seems more confident now with the captain back and commanding the back line, and he looks like he is completely healed from his injury and ready to help the Lions try to turn this season around.

Those are my takeaways from Orlando City’s dominating victory over its Eastern Conference rivals. The Lions will not have long to celebrate, however, as they travel to the nation’s capital to play D.C. United on Saturday. A win this weekend would give them their first winning streak of the season and jump them over United in the standings, so I recommend that they enjoy this victory and then go get another one and never look back.

Let us know your thoughts about the Charlotte match in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 4/23/26

Orlando City wins big against Charlotte FC, Javier Otero receives praise, Young Lions sign short-term contracts, and more.

Published

4 hours ago

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April 23, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

We might have to start petitioning for all of Orlando City’s games to be moved to Wednesdays as the Lions have won a midweek game for the second consecutive week. This one was a much more exciting affair to boot, and it does feel a bit like a shot in the arm this morning. Let’s go ahead and get to the win and more in today’s links from around the soccer world.

Orlando City Crushes Charlotte FC

The Lions hosted Charlotte FC and claimed all three points in a 4-1 victory, snapping a four-game winless streak in league play. Luis Otavio scored his first goal as a Lion to give Orlando the lead, but Charlotte managed to equalize later in the first half. The second half belonged to Orlando though, as Martin Ojeda took over and Robin Jansson anchored the defense to prevent a comeback. It’s only the third time this year that the Lions have scored multiple goals in a match and hopefully they can keep that attacking momentum going when they travel to play D.C. United on Saturday.

Javier Otero Earns Praise After U.S. Open Cup Win

Orlando City goalkeeper Javier Otero came up with big saves to help the Lions win 1-0 against FC Naples in the U.S. Open Cup’s round of 32 earlier this month and his performance earned him a spot on the bench of the Team of the Round. He was also nominated for Save of the Round for his diving save to parry away a low strike, and voting will remain open until 8:30 p.m. tonight, so be sure to vote! Tyrese Spicer’s impressive strike wasn’t nominated for Goal of the Round, but you can vote on that award as well.

Young Lions Sign Short-Term Contracts

Orlando City B players Ignacio Gomez and Bernardo Rhein were signed to short-term contracts with the first team and both came off the bench for the Lions Wednesday night. Gomez, who made his MLS debut on Saturday, capitalized on his time on the field by scoring his first goal as a Lion. The pair of Young Lions will be available for Saturday’s game against D.C. United too, as the Lions are dealing with a rash of injuries that have tested their depth. Gomez is with Orlando on loan from Velez Sarsfield II, while Rhein has made 24 appearances with OCB as he continues to develop his game.

USWNT Will Face El Salvador in Concacaf W Championship

The schedule and matchups for this year’s Concacaf W Championship were revealed and the United States Women’s National Team will take on El Salvador in the quarterfinals on Nov. 27. This tournament will also notably serve as qualifying for both the 2027 Women’s World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics. The four semifinalists will automatically qualify for the World Cup, while the two finalists and third-place nation will secure an Olympic spot, though the U.S. already has as host. Orlando Pride forward Solai Washington and Jamaica will play against Costa Rica with a World Cup berth on the line, with the winner facing the victor between the U.S. and El Salvador in the semifinals.

Free Kicks

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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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Charlotte FC: Final Score 4-1 as Lions Dominate Second Half in Victory

A three-goal explosion after halftime lifted Orlando City to a much-needed win at home.

Published

13 hours ago

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April 22, 2026

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Image of Martin Ojeda taking a free kick against Charlotte.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

A dominant second half lifted Orlando City to a 4-1 win over Charlotte FC at Inter&Co Stadium tonight, powered by a Martin Ojeda brace. The Lions (2-6-1, 7 points) played a solid first half, but the second half was the club’s best of the year so far, as Orlando blasted the Eastern Conference’s third-best team entering the match. Luis Otavio and Ignacio Gomez each added their first MLS goal as the Lions’ previously sleepy offense exploded.

Morrison Agyemang scored the lone goal for Charlotte (4-3-2, 14 points).

“Today, we had eight players injured out,” Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman said “And I think this is our way. This is our identity. This is who we are. Again, we didn’t win anything today. We didn’t lose anything past games. This (season) is long. The more time we have, the better we can do things on and off the field. But in this industry, and in life in general, it’s about time. So, every time we have one more session, every time we have one more game, we should be developing our team.”

Perelman’s lineup featured Maxime Crepeau in goal behind a back line of Adrian Marin, Robin Jansson, Iago, and Zakaria Taifi. Braian Ojeda and Otavio started in central midfield with Ivan Angulo and Tiago on the wings with Martin Ojeda and Justin Ellis leading the attack. Tyrese Spicer missed the match due to illness.

Tonight’s offensive explosion could hardly have been less expected. The Lions entered with one of the worst attacks in MLS, scoring just six times in the first eight matches before unloading four on Charlotte in one game and three of those in one half. The teams played more or less evenly in the first half before the Lions charged out of the break to seize control of the game.

The first 15 minutes of the match were cagey, with the two sides feeling each other out but not producing much in the final third. Ellis’ spinning shot well off frame in the 12th minute was Orlando’s first sight of goal, but not much of one.

Charlotte’s first look was a good one in the 18th minute, when Ashley Westwood fired just over the bar on the recycle of a corner kick.

The Lions opened the scoring three minutes after Westwood fizzed his shot over the bar. Tiago sent in a great ball to Taifi from left to right. The Homegrown fullback attempted a volley shot but mishit it badly, sending it the other direction where Otavio collectied it outside the box. With no Charlotte player closing him down, the Brazilian took an inside-out shot that swerved inside the left post to make it 1-0. It was his first goal as a Lion.

“It was improvisation,” Otavio said. “It was the way the ball came. Instincts took over, and I hope to do that a lot more.”

Pep Biel chipped off target in the 28th minute, Wilfried Zaha had his shot from the top of the area blocked moments later, and Crepeau denied Rodolfo Aloko at the near side of the net from a tight angle seconds after that as Charlotte looked for a way back into the match.

But it was a foul on Otavio in the 32nd minute that set up the visitors with a dangerous free kick just above the penalty area on the right. Biel sent a good back-post ball to Morrison Agyemang, who overpowered Braian Ojeda and headed in to make it 1-1 in the 33rd minute.

The Lions had a chance to snatch that goal right back two minutes later on a good attacking move. Taifi ended up with the ball on the right with Tiago racing toward the left post. Taifi opted to shoot but didn’t make good contact on the shot, allowing Kristijan Kahlina to make the save.

Agyemang headed off target in the 44th minute on a Charlotte corner kick, and shortly thereafter, the teams went to the break even at a goal apiece.

Charlotte had the halftime advantage in possession (52.1%-47.9%), shots (8-6), and passing accuracy (89.8%-86.6%), while each team fired two shots on target and earned two corners.

Orlando’s second-half dominance started early, as Martin Ojeda scored just four minutes after the restart. Ellis took a pass from Tiago on the left, but he didn’t have a path to goal. He spotted Ojeda’s run and fed a great pass that Ojeda smashed into the upper right corner with his first touch in the 49th minute to make it 2-1. Ellis’ assist was his first MLS goal contribution.

“It’s a special moment for me,” Ellis said about his first assist. “I think that play kind of sums my play style up, like I’m a striker by trade, but you know, I like to get my teammates involved.”

Like Orlando late in the first half, Charlotte had a chance to hit back quickly in the second. Aloko got down the right channel in the 54th minute and sent a wicked shot toward the near post but his attempt hit the outside netting.

The Lions should have extended the lead a minute later. Martin Ojeda sent a perfect pass through the defense for Angulo’s run, but the Colombian made a mess of his shot, firing it well wide of the right post.

Moments later, the Lions extended the lead anyway. A good switch of play by Otavio found Taifi in behind on the right side. Harry Toffolo tripped up the young fullback from behind, giving up a free kick in nearly the same place from which Charlotte had scored earlier. Both Ojedas stood over the ball, but it was Martin who smashed a low, hard, curling shot just inside the right post to make it 3-1 in the 61st minute. He curled the shot around Charlotte’s wall into a space that Iago had just vacated, giving Kahlina no chance to see it or stop it.

“The goal of ‘Tincho,’ the third goal, was crucial in the game, in my opinion, and I’m so happy for him, because he’s our DP, our number 10,” Perelman said. “He worked really hard, so humble. It’s amazing for our locker room, that guy, and he was able to appear in the moment we needed him. If you read the game as a story, that’s the moment of the story that the game changed.”

Charlotte again tried to hit back quickly, creating some chaos in Orlando’s penalty area. The trouble started on Orlando’s defensive right with a good cross into the area. Crepeau palmed it away but couldn’t control the rebound, which fell to Biel in the box. Tiago deflected his shot and the ball cycled to Aloko, who was offside on the play, ending the threat.

Iago had a free header on a free kick in the 69th minute but he failed to make good contact on it, squandering the chance to join the scoring party.

Martin Ojeda’s best chance to complete his hat trick came in the 70th minute when Taifi collected the ball on the right and sent the ball to the back side. Ojeda, however, did not make good contact with his shot on a ball that bounced a couple of yards before it reached him, sending it wide. Tiago then fired a weak shot from distance at Kahlina a minute later.

Charlotte made multiple attacking substitutions trying to find a way back into the game late. Crepeau’s teammates mostly kept him from facing much danger, but the Canadian international did well to track a back post header from Archie Goodwin in the 81st minute. Five minutes later, Wilfried Zaha sent a shot onto the roof of the net that took a slight deflection. Charlotte couldn’t pay off the ensuing corner.

The Lions put the game to bed just after that Charlotte set piece. Second-half sub Gomez got on the ball in the middle of the pitch and sent it to Angulo on his left, continuing his run. Angulo’s return pass sent the youngster in behind the Charlotte back line and Gomez finished like a veteran, scoring his first MLS goal in the 87th minute to kill the match.

Crepeau made one more save before the game concluded, doing well to move to his right and deny Kerwin Vargas’ free kick in stoppage time at the post. Moments later, the whistle blew on Orlando City’s second win of the season.

Charlotte finished with the edge in possession (52.2%-47.8%), shots (16-13), corners (4-2), and passing accuracy (90%-86.5%). The Lions put more shots on target (6-5).

“Happy for the result, and happy for everyone in our club — fans, owners, managers, staff and the players, of course, because the effort the players did was amazing,” Perelman said. “For me, it’s the same message. We’re working. The team is growing. The players are doing an amazing effort. And I think we didn’t win the league today and we didn’t lose the league (three) days ago.”

“Obviously we haven’t been doing the best, but, you know, we always see every game as a new opportunity just get three points,” Ellis said. “And right now we don’t have a lot of time to train, so just playing these games is good for us, you know? So, we’re still improving. We’re still getting where we want to be, where we’re going to be.”

“This has to be one of the best games we’ve played so far,” Otavio added. “It just shows the depth, the strength, and the determination of the team, and we hope to continue this moving forward.”

The Lions have another quick turnaround with a road match at D.C. United coming up Saturday.

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