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

How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s 5-0 loss against NYCFC?

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3 months ago

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Image of Duncan McGuire playing the ball against New York City FC.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

The less that is written about Saturday’s game the better, but Orlando City was walloped 5-0 on the road at New York City FC, in what is becoming an annual tradition for the Lions to lose in New York City against their expansion brethren. An early red card put the team under tremendous pressure, and Orlando City was unable to overcome the waves and waves of attacking Pigeons.

I have my purple pen out (it probably should have been red for this one) 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 an Eastern Conference matchup.

Starters

GK, Maxime Crépeau, N/A — The Canadian inexplicably lost track of where he was on the field and handled a ball outside of the box in the 16th minute. That poor decision completely changed the game, as the Canadian received a red card for denying a goal-scoring opportunity and left his team to play down a man for more than 80 minutes (including first-half stoppage time). During the few minutes he was on the field, Crepeau completed three of his eight pass attempts, but those were his only contributions in a game he and the rest of the team will want to forget.

D, Tahir Reid-Brown, 4.5 — Reid-Brown got his second straight start at left back, but while his performance against Miami was decent, that was not the case on Saturday against NYCFC. Reid-Brown looked like a young player in his first-ever road start, and while these minutes will be helpful for him in the future, they were a rough 45 minutes while he was on the field. Reid-Brown often looked tentative and a step slow, especially on NYCFC’s second goal, when he allowed Maxi Moralez all the time he wanted to set up to play a cross into the box. The Lions were playing a man down at the time, so he did not want to rush in on Moralez immediately, but he allowed the NYCFC man far too much space to tee up a cross into the danger zone and the Lions paid for it. This game will be another learning experience for the Homegrown defender, as he saw on Saturday what it takes to perform every week at the MLS level. Reid-Brown completed 68.8% of his passes and made one interception on defense, and as he had also picked up a yellow card for a silly challenge early in the first half, he was taken off at halftime for Adrián Marín.

D, Nolan Miller, 5.5 — Miller played the best defense among all of Orlando City’s back line players, leading the game in defensive contributions with eight. Like everyone else on the back line, he did not finish the match unscathed, as Tayvon Gray intercepted a lofted pass attempt from Miller and was able to turn that interception into an assist when he crossed the ball to Keaton Parks for NYCFC’s fourth goal. Miller’s partnership with his fellow center back David Brekalo was that in name only, as they did not seem to be on the same page throughout the game. The former Michigan Wolverine was the steadier of the two, with a 93.1% completion rate on 29 pass attempts and his stat-stuffing eight defensive contributions, which were composed of one tackle, one interception, one block, and five clearances.

D, David Brekalo, 4.5 — Last season, we thought Brekalo was a center back playing left back, but after watching Saturday’s game, it is possible that he was really a left back masquerading as a center back all along. Brekalo looked completely out of sorts in the middle. It is difficult to be under pressure for nearly the entire game, but the Slovenian looked timid and slow all game long. He was late to react to passes and to step in front of runners, and there were multiple times when it was clear that he and his partner Miller were not on the same page with how they were supposed to play together. Robin Jansson cannot return soon enough, as it is clear that despite having the most experience among anyone on the back line, Brekalo is, at least to this point, unable to lead that group. He completed 69.2% of his passes and added two tackles, one block, and three clearances on what was a rough afternoon for the Slovenian.

D, Griffin Dorsey, 5 — The man with the bun once again looked lively going forward, but his accuracy failed him on Saturday. He created several opportunities down the right flank but none of his crosses found their mark, and he had a great chance to put an uncontested shot on goal from about16 yards out but skied it well high and wide of the net. On the defensive side, he contributed one tackle and five clearances, but his failed clearance attempt in the second half led directly to NYCFC’s final goal, as he was unable to put a lot on the ball and played it directly to Parks, who stepped into the pass almost like a jump shooter in basketball and put a left-footed shot into the opposite corner of the net. That was the story of the day for Dorsey, as he completed only 57.9% of his passes, though he had one of only two key passes for the Lions on the afternoon.

MF, Iván Angulo, 6 (MotM) — In a game devoid of any truly outstanding Orlando City players, Angulo stood out the most, as he delivered 90 minutes of high-level work rate while going a perfect 20 for 20 on his pass attempts. He also added a game-high three tackles and two clearances while winning seven of his 12 duels, but my award of Man of the Match to the Colombian is partly due to to his efforts but also due to the fact that so few other players did anything noteworthy during this match. Angulo has a stranglehold on the left wing spot now, and deservedly so after how well he has played ever since he came off the bench during the season opener.

MF, Braian Ojeda, 6 — Defensive Ojeda started alongside his third different central midfield partner in three games, and he once again was solid in the middle. The Paraguayan led the team in completed passes with 29, completing them at a solid 87.9% rate, and his heatmap showed touches all over the defensive and middle thirds of the field. He delivered a high work rate in trying to help a defense that was under pressure all game long. In an interesting twist, each Ojeda took one corner kick during the game, but Braian showed why we call him Defensive Ojeda with his corner, as he put it behind all of the attackers and it did not lead to anything for the Lions. It was a solid-but-unspectacular game for the midfielder, and unfortunately for Orlando City, that made it one of the better performances by any player on the afternoon.

MF, Luis Otávio, 5 — The young midfielder made his debut performance on Saturday, and while he showed some flashes of his potential, he will remember this game more for the poor decision to go to ground late in the first half. The Brazilian was trying to track back to prevent a transition attack and decided that the best idea was to try to slide tackle, but even though he got the ball, he did so by going through Nicolas Fernández Mercau. The Pigeons converted the penalty kick, which killed the game off for all intents and purposes, and when the halftime whistle blew a few minutes later, that was it for Otávio, as he made way for Duncan McGuire. During his 45 minutes he completed 92.3% of his passes and had one tackle and one clearance on defense, and while he did not look overwhelmed in his first game, he will need to improve quickly if he wants to jump over anyone on the central midfield depth chart.

MF, Marco Pašalić, 5.5 — Despite Orlando City barely having any possession (31.7%) Pašalić was able to make some attacking runs, but he never really got anything that created real danger. His most threatening play came from a right-footed (!) cross that found McGuire’s head in the middle of the box, but unfortunately, McGuire was not moving forward enough to generate more than a medium-powered header on goal that did not trouble Matt Freese. Aside from that, the Croatian completed 87.5% of his passes and had one clearance on defense, but it was another game of very little contribution for the Designated Player, who came off for Tiago after 78 minutes.

F, Martín Ojeda, 5.5 — Offensive Ojeda scored a goal on Saturday afternoon, but alas it was NYCFC’s Agustín and not Orlando City’s Martín who put the ball in the back of the net. The Argentinean was starved of service throughout the match, as he ended up with most his touches in the defensive half of the field and only completed two passes in the attacking half. He connected on a total of 12 passes in the game at an 85.7% completion rate, and he added one clearance on defense, but for the most part, he was invisible and came off after 62 minutes for Eduard Atuesta.

F, Tyrese Spicer, N/A — Spicer paid the price for Crépeau’s poor judgment, as he was sacrificed for Javier Otero due to the goalkeeper’s red card. Prior to that, it was clear that he had a hybrid role of protecting Reid-Brown as a defensive wingback while using his speed to range forward into the attack when Orlando held the ball. Spicer did not have many chances to contribute during his brief time on the field, though during one of Orlando City’s few forays forward he took the team’s only shot of the first half, though it was far from accurate. He did not complete any passes or make any defensive contributions, and it was just bad luck for him that his afternoon was cut short almost right after it began.

Substitutes

GK, Javier Otero (19′), 3.5 — Yankee Stadium was once again a house of horrors for Orlando City’s backup goalkeeper, as he came in for Crépeau and was under attack for the rest of the game. Otero gave up five goals in the match but can be excused from two of them, a well-placed header that snuck just inside the far post and a penalty kick that went into nearly the exact same place. On both goals Otero read the play well and was at full extension but just came up inches short of making the save. The other three shots were more questionable, as he was seemingly wrong-footed on a ball that was driven into the ground and bounced over his head but looked saveable; a well-played cross that he was indecisive on if he should come out to get or not and so he came out late, didn’t get there, and was beaten from close range; and a shot from the top of the box off the weaker foot from an attacker that went to the opposite side than he was expecting, and so he was unable to recover after an initial step in the wrong direction. All three shots were struck well by NYCFC and would have been difficult saves, but Otero saved none of them, and in fact made zero saves throughout his time on the field, just as he did (or did not) two years ago when he came off the bench to replace an injured Mason Stajduhar. It was a rough outing for Otero, who had to come off the bench to play behind a defensive line that is nearly brand new and was playing down a player, but the Venezuelan will need to shake it off because Crépeau will be suspended for Saturday’s home game against CF Montréal.

F, Duncan McGuire, (46′), 5.5 — Another game, another shift with little to no service for McGuire, who came on at halftime but primarily brought hustle to the party and nothing else. He completed all five of his pass attempts and took two shots, one a hopeful attempt from extremely long range that was deflected out for a corner, and the other a header off a cross from Pašalić, which ultimately was the best chance the Lions had at a goal and the only shot on target all afternoon. Big Dunc deserves credit for going full bore whenever he is on the field, but there was little else for him to do but run around as NYCFC dominated the ball throughout the game.

D, Adrián Marín, (46′), 5 — The Spaniard came on in a like-for-like swap with Reid-Brown at left back but did little to distinguish himself during his 45 minutes on the field. The MLS website says he was a perfect 9/9 on his pass attempts, but they miscredited several passes he played that were not completed, and aside from those few completed passes, he did not add much during his shift, contributing one interception and one clearance.

MF, Eduard Atuesta, (62′), 5.5 — We do not know the full extent of Atuesta’s fitness but he looked healthy enough during his shift that he probably could have come on sooner or perhaps even started the game before making way for Otávio in the second half. The Colombian looked in control during his shift and partnered well with Braian Ojeda in the middle, completing 80% of his passes and making one interception on defense.

MF, Tiago, (76′), N/A — The Brazilian came on for Pašalić with 14 minutes to go but only touched the ball twice and did not complete his one pass attempt.

That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando City’s disastrous 5-0 loss at NYCFC. Yuck. 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

5 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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9 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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