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

How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s away loss against Toronto?

Published

7 months ago

on

Image of Duncan McGuire reacting to his goal against Toronto FC.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City celebrated Decision Day by deciding to play decidedly dreadfully in Toronto on Saturday evening, making the wrong choice over and over and getting blown out 4-2 by one of the worst teams in the league. I was tempted to give the Man of the Match to anyone who sat through the full game without giving up and changing the channel to something else, because from the opening kickoff the Lions seemed slightly off and it never really got any better.

The good news is that once the playoffs begin every team starts with a clean slate, but Orlando City will have a steep climb ahead as with this loss and results in other locations the Lions fell into ninth place and the play-in game.

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 the final game of the 2025 MLS regular season.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 4.5 — Saturday’s game will be on the shortlist for the worst games in El Pulpo’s career, as even octopi have days when it seems like they need more limbs. The Peruvian made two saves during the game. The first and fourth goals were ones that few goalkeepers could have stopped, but had he dived instead of just put his hand out he could have saved Đjorđje Mihailovic’s free kick, and Mihailovic’s second goal, Toronto’s third, was the result of a poor effort by Gallese, who was caught off balance and tried to extend a leg to make the save and could only deflect the ball into his own net. In fairness, the Mihailovic free kick had a ton of curve to it and may have fooled him, and the second Mihailovic goal came through a defender, so he may not have picked it up until he committed too far to his post. Regardless, this will be a match he quickly wants to forget.

D, Adrián Marín, 4.5 — With Robin Jansson out, the Lions shifted around their defensive personnel, and Marín got the start at left back. The Spaniard did not impress, completing only 79.3% of his passes and adding zero defensive statistics. He was taken off after 45 minutes because Orlando City needed goals to get back in the game. Marín has shown that he can play much better than he did on Saturday, but it was telling that he was removed at halftime for more offense when he was supposed to be a fullback who provided an offensive threat.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 5 —The Argentine moved over from his usual spot at right center back to take over Jansson’s spot at left center back, but the defense certainly missed the Beefy Swede as the partnership between Schlegel and David Brekalo looked just like it was: two players playing positions that they had not played very much this season. Schlegel worked hard and gave his trademark full effort for every minute, but when the opponent puts six shots on target and converts four of them into goals, it means there were issues on the back line. Schlegel got pulled out of position on the third goal trying to help Kyle Smith out wide, which left Brekalo to cover two men in the box by himself. He also left the eventual goal scorer on the fourth Toronto goal, thinking he had help behind him, but he did not. The Argentine completed 55 passes — second on the team — completing them at a 93.2% rate, and he also added one tackle and one clearance.

D, David Brekalo, 6 (MotM) — After playing left back for most of Orlando City’s season, Brekalo played right back for Slovenia during the international break and then started Saturday’s game at right center back, showing some Smith-like versatility. Brekalo also showed off his offensive abilities as well, scoring his first goal of the season by clinically finishing a cross from Marco Pašalić to cut the Toronto lead to 3-1. He completed a team-leading 67 passes at a 94.4% completion rate, and also made two tackles, one interception, three clearances and had one blocked shot. He looked a little rusty playing in the middle of the field but played well overall, and was one of the few bright spots on an otherwise dreary night for the Lions, although he perhaps could have done more to get in front of Mihailovic’s shot on the Designated Player’s second goal, although he was left defending two attackers.

D, Alex Freeman, 6 — Freeman has put a lot of minutes on his legs this season, and there were moments when he clearly looked a little tired against Toronto, which makes sense since he played the full 90 minutes for the U.S. Men’s National Team on Tuesday evening at altitude in Denver in an important game for his hopes of making next year’s World Cup roster. He then had to fly back across the country and play in another crucial game on Saturday night. He still gutted out a solid performance, and perhaps I am holding him to too high a standard based on his outstanding season, but I thought he just was not at his sharpest against the Reds. He was caught up the pitch on counterattacks multiple times and he often held the ball a little too long while looking for something instead of making a play to keep possession and continue the attack. Still, he completed 83.3% of his passes, including five key passes, and one well-played assist to Duncan McGuire for Orlando City’s second goal. He also added two tackles, two interceptions and one clearance.

MF, Iván Angulo, 5.5 — We saw the full spectrum from the Colombian, from wayward passes and loose touches to explosive driving runs down the side of the field and speedy recoveries to track back and slow down the Toronto offense. The Reds only attacked down Angulo’s side on 27% of their possessions, favoring the other two-thirds of the field for most of the game, but even so, Angulo was still involved in both the first and fourth goals, being a step late to get back to prevent a pass to José Cifuentes, who assisted the first goal, and then not controlling a pass and turning it over to Toronto, which led to Deandre Kerr scoring Toronto’s fourth goal. Angulo is most valuable when Orlando City has a lead, and as the Lions were chasing all game long, I thought he did a good job trying to be more offensive, but that is not his strong suit. He completed 20 of 21 passes (95.2%), including three key passes, and also contributed one tackle and one clearance before coming off for César Araújo after 62 minutes.

MF, Kyle Smith, 5.5 — Once again the Transylvania University graduate showed off his well-rounded game, playing the first half as a defensive central midfielder and then the second half as past of what amounted to be a three man back line, with Freeman pushed up even more than usual and Smith playing similar to where Brekalo usually played when he started at left back. Like many of his teammates though, he just was a little off his game, in particular in the first half when he decided to shoot from just outside the box instead of passing to a wide-open Freeman, and in the second half, when tried to muscle Theo Corbeanu off the ball but failed, and then Toronto scored moments later after Corbeanu’s cross made its way to Mihailovic. While it was not one of his better games, he looked better than Marín when he was playing in the back. If Jansson does not return and Araújo is healthy enough to start, I wonder if Smith might get the start at left back in the play-in game. Smith completed 93.2% of his passes and added two tackles, one interception, two clearances, and one blocked shot.

MF, Eduard Atuesta, 4.5 — Atuesta’s performance was not as poor as Gallese’s, but I think both were among the poorest of the season for each player, as it seemed like on nearly every 50/50 decision the Colombian chose the wrong play. He was less accurate than usual with his passes, completing 83.9%, and despite having a team-high 0.64 expected goals, he was unable to place any shots on target (usually getting them blocked), let alone score a goal. Defensively he was active, with two tackles, one interception, and two clearances, but he also committed a team-high four fouls and was lucky to not be booked for some fouls that were clearly borne of frustration in the second half. He played 87 minutes before making way for Colin Guske in a like-for-like swap in the game’s final minutes.

MF, Marco Pašalić, 6 — The Croatian gave what he could after flying across the ocean to rejoin the team after the international window before being taken off with the Lions trailing by three goals with approximately 30 minutes left on the clock. During his minutes he was the most dangerous Lion, and had some of his six shots flown just a foot or so differently, he might have had a brace or even a hat trick. Alas he was not clinical enough on Saturday, ending up with no goals. However, he placed a cross on a platter for Brekalo in the second half to pick up an assist. Pašalić was also involved in a play that completely changed the game, throwing a hand up to protect his face and handling the ball while doing so. That is not supposed to be called a handball, but one was called anyway, and Toronto scored on the free kick and doubled its lead. On the whole, he put in a solid shift, completing 75% of his passes, including his one assist, and making one tackle before coming off for Luis Muriel in the 62nd minute.

F, Martín Ojeda, 6 — Orlando City’s leading scorer is in a slump, with only three goal contributions in the team’s last 10 games. Despite taking six shots and making five key passes, he did not contribute to either goal against Toronto. He completed 85.7% of his passes and frequently made runs behind the defense to get open in the left side of the box, but like many of his teammates he did not have his best offensive stuff, although he put a team-high three shots on target on his team-high six shot attempts. Orlando City’s playoff run will be short if he cannot break out of this slump, so hopefully the change from regular season to postseason will energize Ojeda and we will see the player we saw for most of the season when the Lions take the field in Chicago.

F, Duncan McGuire, 6.5 — Few forwards in the league play with the energy and passion of the former Creighton player, and that was on display again in this game. Even when his team was down by three goals, he made a lung-busting 60-yard run to get back to try to slow down a Toronto attack. Late in the game he made an excellent run in the box and smashed a pass from Freeman past Sean Johnson to cut the Toronto lead in half. In a game of huge magnitude the coaching staff trusted McGuire to start over Muriel. Based on how both players played, that was the right decision. It could have been even more impactful, but a call in the first half did not go Orlando City’s way after McGuire was brought down in the box. Many penalties have been given for less (often against Orlando City), and had the call on the field been for a penalty, it would have been hard to overturn due to the presence of an arm on McGuire’s back. Alas, that call did not go Big Dunc’s way, but he finished with four key passes and one goal, putting both of his shots on target. He looks back to full health as the calendar turns to playoff season.

Substitutes

MF, Tyrese Spicer (46′), 5.5 — Orlando City turned to Spicer earlier than usual, in hopes that he would once again be a supersub and help the Lions find some offense against his former team. Perhaps there was something he did not like about playing at BMO Field though, because he did not look like the player we have seen in recent weeks, completing only 10 passes at an 83.3% clip and taking three shots (one on target) but never really threatening to score.

F, Luis Muriel, (63′), 4.5 — By the time the Designated Player entered the fray the game was nearly out of hand. Muriel did not bring his “A” game with him to Toronto, completing only eight passes at a 72.7% rate and losing the ball multiple times off the dribble. He was not credited with a secondary assist on McGuire’s goal, but he should be, because his one positive moment was the 1-2 connection with Freeman that led to the second Orlando goal. Muriel generally performs better in longer stints than shorter ones, and that was evident against the Reds as he just never seemed to get into the flow of the game.

MF, César Araújo, (63′), 5.5 — The Uruguayan finally made his return to the field, but the game was effectively over by the time he entered. Despite only playing 28 minutes, Araújo completed 31 passes (at an 88.6% completion rate), putting him on pace for exactly 100 over a full 90 minutes. He only had one defensive contribution, an interception, but he looked healthy, pressing high at full speed and running well in his return from a back injury.

D, Dagur Dan Thórhallsson, (79′), NA — Orlando City swapped one utility player for another, with Thórhallsson coming on for Smith and taking over on the back line. He had one real opportunity to impact the match, but he was unable to take a pass from Freeman and put it on frame, despite being in a good shooting position. He completed 14 passes during his short stint on the field, connecting on 87.5% of his attempts. Just as with Smith, I wonder if the coaching staff will consider him for a start at left back for Wednesday’s game against Chicago if Jansson is unavailable.

MF, Colin Guske, (87′), NA — The 18-year-old came on for Atuesta for the game’s final three minutes and stoppage time and completed all nine passes to finish with a perfect 100% completion rate.

That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando City’s disappointing 4-2 loss to Toronto. 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 vs. Philadelphia Union: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Lions return home looking to bounce back from a poor performance in Montreal.

Published

8 hours ago

on

May 13, 2026

By

Image of Joran Gerbet playing against the Union.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to your match thread for a midweek matchup between Orlando City (3-8-1, 10 points) and the Philadelphia Union (1-8-3, 6 points) at Inter&Co Stadium (7:30 p.m., Apple TV). This is the first of two regular-season meetings between the Eastern Conference clubs in 2026, with the Lions scheduled to make the return trip to Philadelphia on Sept. 26.

Here’s what you need to know ahead of the match.

History

Orlando City is 7-8-7 in the 22 MLS meetings with the Union since the club joined Major League Soccer in 2015, and 8-9-8 in all competitions. The Lions are 3-3-4 against the Union at home in league play, 4-3-4 in their home stadium against Philadelphia in all competitions, and 4-3-5 in the greater Orlando area against the Union, having drawn against Philly in the MLS is Back Tournament.

The two sides last met on April 5, 2025 in Philadelphia and played to a scoreless draw. These two teams also kicked off the 2025 season against each other in Orlando on Feb. 22, with the Union stunning the Lions by scoring on all four of the team’s shots on target, taking advantage of individual mistakes in a 4-2 win. Marco Pasalic scored his first two goals as a Lion in his first OCSC appearance that night, but Tai Baribo scored a brace, with Daniel Gazdag and Mikael Uhre also scoring for Philadelphia. The Lions dominated open play but could not pay off their chances while the Union were lethal. It was Orlando’s first loss on opening day in its MLS existence.

The met in 2024 for the final time on Oct. 2, when the Lions won 2-1 at home. Facundo Torres and Duncan McGuire pushed Orlando out to a 2-0 lead. Luis Muriel assisted on both goals. Quinn Sullivan pulled one back but the Lions hung on. The teams met for the first time that year on May 11, with the Lions snatching a 3-2 road win at Subaru Park. Muriel scored his first two MLS goals, McGuire added a strike, and Nico Lodeiro assisted on all three tallies for the Lions to offset an early goal by Uhre and a penalty by Gazdag.

The last meeting of 2023 took place in Orlando on June 21, with the Lions blowing a two-goal lead in a controversial 2-2 draw. McGuire and Martin Ojeda scored early in each half, only to see Jack McGlynn score on a cross into the box that missed everyone and got past Mason Stajduhar at the far post, followed by a rocket shot by Jose Martinez from distance. Ivan Angulo’s would-be game winner was chalked off after a questionable foul call in the buildup against Ercan Kara.

The teams met in Philadelphia on March 25, 2023 with the Lions jumping out to a 2-0 lead on goals by Angulo and Ojeda. Former Lion Andres Perea pulled one back, but the Lions held on for a 2-1 road win. The victory snapped Philadelphia’s 24-match home unbeaten streak.

The Union put the Lions to the sword in the last meeting of 2022, a dominant 5-1 win by Philadelphia on Sept. 10 of that year. That was Orlando’s first match since winning the U.S. Open Cup title three days earlier. Joao Moutinho’s own goal started the scoring and the Union got goals from Uhre, Gazdag (penalty), Alejandro Bedoya, and Jack Elliott. Perea, who was then still a Lion, scored for Orlando, but the team was trailing by 4-0 at the time.

The Eastern Conference foes met on July 23, 2022 at Exploria Stadium. Two controversial video review decisions went against Orlando that night and the Lions were wasteful with their chances in an evenly matched 1-0 Philadelphia win. Gazdag scored the game’s only goal off a set piece.

The teams also met in U.S. Open Cup play on May 10, 2022, with the Lions winning 2-1 at home. Kara and Perea hoisted Orlando to a 2-0 lead. Stuart Findlay pulled one back late, but the Lions saw it out and advanced.

On Sept. 19, 2021 the Union prevailed 3-1 at Subaru Park, largely due to a brace by Kacper Przybylko after he got away with what appeared to be a clear elbow to the face of Rodrigo Schlegel. Instead of being sent off and/or conceding a free kick to Orlando City, the Union scored on the ensuing play and went on to win the match. The teams met in Orlando on July 22, 2021 and the Lions got goals by Benji Michel and Perea on the team’s only two shots on target to win 2-1. Przybylko pulled one back for the visitors but the Lions hung on.

The teams faced each other in the group stage of the MLS is Back Tournament in 2020 in the only meeting to date that did not take place in either side’s home stadium. The game ended in a 1-1 draw after a Mauricio Pereyra goal canceled out a strike by Ilsinho. That draw allowed the Lions to win Group A in the competition and they went on to reach the final.

The Lions and Union tangled in what was then known as Talen Energy Stadium on July 7, 2019, drawing, 2-2. Dom Dwyer and Santiago Patino brought Orlando back from 1-0 down but Przybylko poached a goal in the 90th to capture a share of the points for the Union.

The two teams had met just a few days earlier on July 3, ending in Orlando’s 3-1 home loss to the Union. Chris Mueller and Przybylko swapped goals in the first half before Robin Jansson was sent off just prior to the break. Afterwards, the 10-man Lions gave up two more goals — to Przybylko and Fafa Picault — and then went down another man with Sacha Kljestan seeing red.

In 2018, the teams drew 2-2 on Sept. 1 in Orlando. The Lions prevailed over the Union in Philadelphia on April 13, 2018 by a 2-0 score. Orlando and Philadelphia also met that season in U.S. Open Cup play, with the Union capturing a 1-0 home win back on July 18, 2018 on a goal by Bedoya.

The teams split their two matches in 2017, with the home side prevailing both times. The Lions won 2-1 at Orlando City Stadium on March 18. The rematch was an ugly 6-1 Philadelphia win in the season finale for both teams.

The Lions were 1-1-1 against Philadelphia in 2016. The team’s first road victory in the series came on Oct. 16, 2016, as the Lions roared, 2-0. The teams played to a 2-2 draw on May 25 in Orlando. Tranquillo Barnetta’s free kick gave Philly a 2-1 win.

Orlando drew 0-0 at home and lost on the road, 1-0 (on a penalty kick), against Philadelphia in 2015.

Overview

Orlando City is coming off a 2-0 loss at CF Montreal Saturday afternoon. The Lions were outplayed for most of the match but were still only moments away from a crucial road point when the roof caved in. Jansson committed a foul in the box, allowing Daniel Rios to give the hosts a late lead. Former Lion Dagur Dan Thorhallsson added the…well, the dagger. Orlando City could not afford to come away without points in the match after a poor start to the season, but that’s exactly what happened.

The same, however, is true for tonight. Philadelphia is the only team below Orlando in the Eastern Conference table. With a 2-3-0 mark at home (which is much better than the Lions’ 1-5-1 away record), nothing but a win will suffice if Orlando City is going to maintain any semblance of contact with the teams circling the final playoff places.

The Union are better on the road than at home, but that’s not saying much, because Philadelphia is 1-5-1 in away matches, earning four of its six points on the road. Philly is 0-2-3 in its last five games, but one of those draws came against Eastern Conference power Nashville. Milan Iloski and Danley Jean Jacques are the Union’s leading goal scorers with just two apiece, while 39-year-old Bedoya leads Philadelphia in assists with three.

Tonight’s game pits two of the league’s worst teams against each other and both will be hungry to try to add points to their total in an attempt to turn around their early season fortunes with the World Cup break quickly approaching. This match kicks off a stretch of three matches in seven days for Orlando City, so the Lions will be especially eager to rebound from the late meltdown in Montreal and start this final stretch out on the right foot.

“This is a process, and I think we have been able to compete better and prepare ourselves better. Now what comes next is consistency in a positive way in terms of results,” Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman said ahead of the match. “I have no doubt that consistency will come. We are working for that and are proud of the effort from the players and the entire club. We have been working really hard and will continue to do so, so hopefully soon we can find that consistency not only in performance but also in results.” 

Orlando City will be without Joran Gerbet (knee), while Pasalic (thigh) is listed as questionable. Philadelphia will be without Jesus Bueno (ankle), Eddy Davis III (hamstring), Jephet Sery Larsen (shoulder), Quinn Sullivan (knee), and Frankie Westfield (hip), while Andre Blake (knee) is questionable.

Match Content

Projected Lineups:

Orlando City (4-4-2),

Goalkeeper: Maxime Crepeau.

Defenders: Adrian Marin, Robin Jansson, Iago, Griffin Dorsey.

Midfielders: Ivan Angulo, Braian Ojeda, Eduard Atuesta, Tiago.

Forwards: Martin Ojeda, Justin Ellis.

Philadelphia Union (4-4-2)

Goalkeeper: Andre Blake.

Defenders: Nathan Harriel, Olwethu Makhanya, Geiner Martinez, Olivier Mbaizo.

Midfielders: Cavan Sullivan, Danley Jean Jacques, Jovan Lukic, Indiana Vassilev.

Forwards: Ezekiel Alladoh, Milan Iloski.

Referees:

REF: Sergii Boiko.
AR1: Corey Rockwell.
AR2: Adam Wienckowski.
4TH: Elvis Osmanovic.
VAR: Joe Dickerson.
AVAR: Craig Lowry.

How to Watch

Match Time: 7:30 p.m.

Venue: Inter&Co Stadium — Orlando.

TV/Streaming: Apple TV.

Radio: AM 810 FOX Sports Radio Orlando (English), Mega 97.1 FM (Spanish), Nossa Rádio 1160 AM-WRLZ (Portuguese).

Social Media: For rapid reaction and live updates, follow us on Bluesky Social at @themaneland.bsky.social or Orlando City’s official Twitter feed (@OrlandoCitySC).

Enjoy the match. Go City!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/13/26

Orlando City hosts the Philadelphia Union tonight, Orlando Pride defeated on the road, MLS player salary information released, and more.

Published

11 hours ago

on

May 13, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Not only have we made it to the middle of the week, but we have Orlando City soccer waiting for us tonight. It’s been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster of ups and downs this year when it comes to supporting our favorite players in purple, but I’m still excited for some midweek soccer. But for now, let’s dive into today’s links!

Orlando City Hosts the Philadelphia Union Tonight

After a loss on the road to CF Montreal on Saturday, Orlando City will aim to bounce back when it plays the Philadelphia Union tonight at Inter&Co Stadium. Both teams have struggled mightily this year and Philadelphia sits at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with just one win from 12 games. While the Union have only scored a measly 10 goals this season, the Lions have conceded a whopping 34 times. It’s the age-old battle between a movable object and a stoppable force. Tonight’s match will be the first of three consecutive home games across all competitions for the Lions, so hopefully they can start this homestand off with a win.

Orlando Pride Lose Late to Boston Legacy FC

The Orlando Pride don’t have anything to show from a frustrating 2-1 loss on the road to the Boston Legacy. The Pride struck first from the penalty spot and carried that lead into halftime, but Boston equalized in the second half and then scored a penalty kick of its own in stoppage time to win it late. It’s a brutal loss for an Orlando team that has struggled with consistency and has yet to win twice in a row this season. There’s not much time for the Pride to regroup before their next match, as they’re set to take on the Denver Summit on the road on Saturday.

MLSPA Releases Player Salary Information

The Major League Soccer Players Association shared the salary information for players under contract as of April 16. Designated Players Martin Ojeda and Marco Pasalic are the only Lions with base salaries over $1 million, with each having a salary of $1.6 million. As for some of the new faces in the City Beautiful this year, Braian Ojeda’s salary is $725,000, Maxime Crepeau’s is $600,000, and Tiago’s is $500,000.

There’s no prize for guessing which player has the highest salary in the league, with Lionel Messi’s $25 million salary at more than double that of Son Heung-Min’s $10.3 million. In third is another Miami player, with Rodrigo De Paul’s base salary listed as $7.5 million. It at least makes Orlando’s recent win in Miami feel a bit sweeter.

Orlando City B Makes MLS NEXT Pro Power Rankings

In the latest MLS NEXT Pro power rankings, which only list the top 10 teams in the league, Orlando City B placed eighth. This comes following a 2-0 win over Atlanta United 2 as OCB extended its unbeaten run to four games. Harvey Sarajian and Gustavo Caraballo have led OCB’s attack so far this season, while Issah Haruna has now scored in two consecutive games as well. Goalkeeper Luca Maxim was also stellar between the sticks for his first professional clean sheet in that win against Atlanta. It’s nice to see the Young Lions receive some recognition and they will have a chance to keep their streak going when they play New England Revolution II on the road on Sunday.

Free Kicks

  • San Jose Earthquakes midfielder Niko Tsakiris underwent successful groin surgery and is expected to miss three or four months. The 20-year-old has been great this season, recording three goals and seven assists while leading the league with 34 created chances.
  • American midfielder Aidan Morris and Middlesbrough were beaten 2-1 by Southampton in the playoffs for promotion to the English Premier League. Shea Charles scored in extra time to book Southampton’s ticket to the final against Hull City at Wembley Stadium.
  • The United States Men’s National Team’s roster for the World Cup is released later this month and Giovanni Reyna is one of the biggest names on the bubble. A goal for Borussia Monchengladbach this past Saturday likely didn’t hurt his chances.
  • Cristo Fernandez, who you may know as Dani Rojas from Ted Lasso, has signed a contract to play for El Paso Locomotive in the USL Championship after a trial with the team. El Paso is life?
  • Arsenal defender Ben White will miss the remainder of the season due to MCL damage and won’t be available for England for the World Cup either.
  • Slavia Prague was handed a 3-0 forfeit loss after its fans invaded the pitch in stoppage time against rival Sparta Prague. The club was also fined and will play its next four home games without fans.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday. Go Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/12/26

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

Published

1 day ago

on

May 12, 2026

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

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

Barbra Banda up for Weekly Honors

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

Surgery for Johnny Cardoso

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

Americans in Midweek Action

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

MLS Matchday 12 Lessons

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

Transfer Rumor Roundup

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

Free Kicks

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

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

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