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Orlando City vs. FC Cincinnati: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s 1-1 draw at Cincinnati?

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9 months ago

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Image of Eduard Atuesta dribbling the ball past FC Cincinnati forward Evander.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Orlando City had the better chances but struggled to finish them on Sunday night. Just when it seemed like the Lions would head home with a loss, Alex Freeman scored his sixth (sixth! as a defender!) goal of the season and the Lions snatched a 1-1 draw from the jaws of a loss.

Earning a point on the road is nice, but Orlando City really should have taken all three points with how many chances it created. One point is better than zero points though, and the Lions now have a chance to put a little daylight between themselves and a play-in spot when they host Columbus next week.

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 an Eastern Conference opponent.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 8 (MotM) — El Pulpo’s seven saves were the second most he’s had in any MLS game this season, and if he had not been on top form, the Lions definitely would not have brought a point home. The Peruvian made saves with his legs, hands, and chest, and some of his most impressive leaps did not garner him any statistics, as Cincinnati hit several shots that flashed just wide of the net, but in watching the replay, it was clear that Gallese would have had them covered with one of his eight appendages. The one goal that he allowed was struck perfectly by Cincinnati’s Kevin Denkey into the corner, and even so, Gallese just barely missed tipping it wide. I thought it was an outstanding game by Orlando City’s No. 1, and for me he was the Man of the Match.

D, David Brekalo, 6 — The Slovenian left back generally kept Cincinnati from creating much down the attacking right side, as his partnership with Iván Angulo on Orlando City’s left flank was excellent once again, aside from one barnstorming run from Ender Echenique that created a dangerous chance. Brekalo also got forward more frequently than in many other games, and had a great chance in the first half, but he, like several of his teammates, had his shot blocked by Cincinnati’s Nick Hagglund. He completed 91.7% of his passes and recorded one tackle, two interceptions, and one clearance on defense, before making way for Adrián Marín with Orlando City chasing a goal in the game’s final 10 minutes. His yellow card may have contributed to the substitution as well.

D, Robin Jansson, 6 — It is rare that the Beefy Swede’s player grade focuses initially on his offense, but unfortunately for him, it has to, because Jansson missed an absolutely point-blank sitter in the second half, coughing up a chance for Orlando City to grab a lead on the road early in the second half. The captain was not the only player to fail to score on a great chance on Sunday, but his was the most egregious of the game. Aside from that, he played a good-but-not-great game on defense, sitting back behind the more aggressive Rodrigo Schlegel and cleaning up messes. He did not have any tackles, but he tallied a team-leading four clearances and blocked one shot, and he completed 78.7% of his passes, including two key passes.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6.5 — Schlegel was everywhere on Sunday, stuffing the stat sheet with three tackles, four interceptions, three clearances, two blocks, and one yellow card, which unfortunately was displayed via the Ref Cam so all of the viewers could see him plead his case that he won the ball before he took out Dominik Marczuk. I thought he won the ball, barely, but referee Rosendo Mendoza disagreed, and he will miss Orlando City’s match Saturday against Columbus due to yellow card accumulation. The Argentine was involved in Cincinnati’s goal, as Evander’s driving run preoccupied his eyes and he did not see Denkey moving into space behind him, but it was teammate Alex Freeman who had the better opportunity to prevent Denkey’s shot. Schlegel completed 97% of his passes and delivered a strong performance overall.

D, Alex Freeman, 7 — Orlando City’s right back rescued a point for the Lions with his late header, capping off another game when he was on the attack from beginning to end, despite lining up nominally as a defender. Freeman tied for the team lead in shots, with five, and put three on target, forcing Cincinnati goalkeeper Evan Louro to make two difficult saves before finally burying his header in the back of the net deep in stoppage time. Freeman was a step slow to get in front of Denkey on Cincinnati’s goal, but he made up for it with his perfect run to meet Tyrese Spicer’s long cross with his head, and he is now one of only two defenders in MLS that have scored more than five goals this season. He completed 75.8% of his passes and added one tackle, one interception, and one clearance on defense.

MF, Iván Angulo, 6.5 — During his minutes on the field I thought Angulo was Orlando City’s best player, as he brought more to the attack than usual, with two key passes, two accurate long balls, and one successful take-on, and his defense was excellent as well, in particular when he blazed back to catch up to Echenique and took the ball away from him, simultaneously stopping a Cincinnati attack and initiating an Orlando City counterattack. The Colombian completed 83.3% of his passes and did well on both sides of the ball throughout his shift, before making way for Spicer as Orlando City went offense-for-defense in an attempt to grab all three points on the road.

MF, Kyle Smith, 6.5 — Orlando City’s do-it-all utility man played his minutes in the central midfield on Sunday night and played a solid game, keeping Cincinnati off the scoreboard while he was on the field and hustling box to box throughout his shift. He completed 84% of his passes and took two shots on offense (one blocked, one wide), but as he was playing in the spot where César Araújo usually plays, he was more so focused on defense and delivered one tackle, four clearances, and the aforementioned 70 minutes of middle-clogging play that kept the Orange and Blue scoreless.

MF, Eduard Atuesta, 6.5 — Atuesta led the team in completed passes, pulling the strings for an offense that generated 23 shots and a season high in expected goals. He completed 87.5% of his passes, with two key passes, and if not for the incredible closing speed of Cincinnati’s Miles Robinson, he likely would have had an assist as his perfectly placed through ball seemed to put Martín Ojeda in on goal all alone. However, Robinson was able to run Ojeda down and allow Louro to come out to deflect the ball away. There were a few times when the Colombian could have shot but followed his instincts as a pass-first playmaker, and in retrospect the shot might have been the better option. In the end, it was a solid game from Atuesta, but he was unable to unlock the Cincinnati defense to create a goal that would have changed the complexion of the game.

MF, Marco Pašalić, 6.5 — Freeman’s partner out on the right side of the field played unselfishly, and perhaps overly so, as it seemed that every time he had the ball he was able to run at the Cincinnati defense and find space. He only took one shot, which was blocked, and for a player of his ability he needs to take more shots. He made two key passes, both to Ojeda, and completed 84% of his passes overall. The Croatian also took all of the corner kicks for the Lions from the right side, and all three were well-struck inswinging balls that landed in threatening areas, though his teammates were unable to put any of them on target. The effort was there from Pašalić but nothing materialized from it, and he came off in the 83rd minute for Nico Rodríguez as Orlando City brought on fresh legs to go after the equalizer.

F, Martín Ojeda, 7 — The Argentine was everywhere except on the scoresheet on Sunday night, taking five shots, playing four key passes, and finishing third in completed passes (89.7% completion rate). Alas, he did not bring his finishing shoes with him to Cincinnati, because he had several great chances but was unable to put any of them in the back of the net. It is hard to come down too hard on Ojeda, considering the season he is having and his work rate, but he was unable to get a shot off quickly enough after being played in by Atuesta in the first half, and he did not put a right-footed shot on target after Rodríguez made a great play to set him up in the first minute of second-half stoppage time, and based on his season thus far, I thought he was going to score on both of those plays. It was not to be against Cincinnati, but Ojeda had a great game and hopefully he regresses to the mean in the positive direction Saturday against Columbus.

F, Duncan McGuire, 6 — Orlando City did not run on Duncan on Sunday. Even though the former Creighton Blue Jay took four shots, he could not put any of them in the net. McGuire had two excellent chances in the first half, one on a ball over the top from Ojeda and the other on a short pass inside the box from Ojeda. On the ball over the top, he was unable to dribble by an onrushing Louro, and on the ball inside the box, he took a great first touch, but pushed his left-footed shot just outside of the post. McGuire was active in the first half but disappeared in the second half, recording only 26 total touches and completing seven of his 11 pass attempts. He gave his trademark full hustle for his entire shift, getting all the way back on defense to make two clearances, but he could not capitalize on his chances Sunday.

Substitutes

MF, Tyrese Spicer (70′), 6.5 — The supersub did it again, coming off the bench to help create a late Orlando City goal and earn the team a point. The Trinidad & Tobago international also helped create Cincinnati’s goal with an errant pass to start their attack, but he made up for that with his inch-perfect cross to Freeman for the game-tying goal. Spicer completed five of his eight pass attempts (62.5%) and was not given credit for a shot attempt, but he nearly scored a goal himself when he took what looked to be a shot but must have been coded as a cross attempt off of a pass from fellow sub Marín that Louro had to save. Spicer has been a huge addition since joining Orlando City from Toronto, providing strong depth on the left side of the lineup.

MF, Joran Gerbet, (70′), 5.5 — The rookie midfielder came on for Smith in the midfield and went 10/10 with his passes, helping support the offense as the Lions tried to tie the game after the Denkey goal that occurred just minutes after Gerbet came on. He did not tally any statistics on defense, but he was a deterrent in the middle of the field, and while slotting in behind Freeman as he attacked up the right side, helping to keep Cincinnati from scoring what would have been a backbreaking second goal.

D, Adrián Marín, (79′), NA — Marín was not credited with a secondary assist, but he played the ball ahead to Spicer that became Orlando City’s goal, though Spicer dribbled for a bit before playing his cross, so it was probably the correct decision not to give Marín an official assist. Just moments earlier, the Spaniard almost scored his first goal for the Lions, as his shot flashed just wide after the ball caromed out towards him. Marín looked dangerous on the left side after coming in off the bench, completing 84.6% of his passes (including a team-high seven progressive passes) and partnering well with Spicer, and we may see him in the starting lineup at left back next weekend with Schlegel out.

F, Luis Muriel, (79′), NA — I thought Óscar Pareja waited about 10 minutes too long to bring in Muriel, as the Orlando City offense was struggling to combine at the halfway point of the second half and the Lions could have used the Colombian’s passing ability to help unlock the Cincinnati defense. Orlando then gave up a goal and needed a shot in the arm, and Muriel came in and nearly provided that during his short shift, coming close to scoring the equalizer on a pass from Ojeda that was a bit behind him and hustling all over the field to try help the team get on the scoreboard. He completed both of his pass attempts and looked dangerous with the ball, and I will not be surprised to see him back in the starting lineup next week with Ojeda as Pareja looks to find the hot foot between McGuire and Muriel.

MF, Nico Rodríguez, (83′), NA — The Colombian winger came on for Pašalić in the final minutes of regular time and he was lively, sprinting all over the field and attacking every time he touched the ball. He nearly had an assist after making a nice run deep into the right side of the box and crossing the ball back in to Ojeda, but the Argentine could not convert. He completed one of his two passes, and if he can bring the same energy in future games that he did on Sunday then he will start to earn more minutes from the coaching staff.

That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando City’s 1-1 draw with Cincinnati. 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: 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

8 hours ago

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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.

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11 hours ago

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June 12, 2026

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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.

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1 day ago

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June 11, 2026

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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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