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Orlando City vs. Columbus Crew: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s 1-1 away draw against Columbus?

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1 week ago

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Image of Marco Pasalic trying to create space to shoot against Columbus.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

The Lions finally put together a good performance on the road, picking up one point from a hard-fought 1-1 draw in Columbus. The Crew dominated the ball for most of the game but Orlando City had several good chances to bring home all three points, and the Lions will probably be frustrated with themselves that they did not score a second goal. One point is still better than zero points, which is what Orlando City had earned from its first three away matches, and hopefully this game will be a turning point for the Lions.

I have my purple pen out and am ready to issue some grades. Let’s take a look at how Orlando City’s players rated individually in a matchup with an Eastern Conference opponent.

Starters

GK, Maxime Crépeau, 7 — Columbus dominated the ball for the final 65 minutes of the game, and if not for the Canadian and his six saves, the Lions would have come home empty-handed. Crépeau channeled his homeland by making several hockey-like kick saves, and he also went up high to deny Diego Rossi from close range early in the second half, keeping the Lions in the lead. Eventually, the barrage of attacks overcame the defense and Rossi beat him to the far corner, but on the whole, Crépeau was among Orlando City’s best players, and one of the main reasons the Lions picked up their first road point of the season.

D, David Brekalo, 6 — Brekalo had been playing center back during the first games of 2026 after primarily playing left back in 2025. He combined the two on Sunday night by playing left center back in what was a back five every time Columbus had the ball. Like most of the Orlando City defenders, Brekalo looked much more comfortable playing alongside Robin Jansson than he had during the previous games this season, and it was one of his better games because of it. The Slovenian had three tackles, one block, and four clearances on defense, and offensively he completed 90% of his passes and made one long run up into the attack, but that his only real foray forwards. Brekalo looked a lot like he did last year during this game, which is a good thing for Orlando City.

D, Robin Jansson, 7 (MotM) — The Beefy Swede made an unexpectedly early return to the starting lineup, and it was a welcomed return. Despite having played zero minutes in 2026, Jansson immediately looked his imperial self in the middle of the Orlando City defense, calming the entire back line while commanding everyone on where to be and who to mark. It is not a coincidence that Columbus scored just minutes after he came off, as the defense looked far less organized without his leadership in the middle of the back line. He contributed one interception, two blocks, and four clearances in his return to the lineup while completing 82.3% of his passes. Jansson came off in the 78th minute after pulling up a bit gingerly, but hopefully that was just a cramp or the result of not having the stamina yet to go a full 90. I thought his contributions to the game and to his team were vitally influential, and for that he was my Man of the Match.

D, Iago, 6 — Sunday’s game against Columbus was easily the best game of Iago’s brief Orlando City career as the Brazilian center back made plays all over the field, leading the game with 13 defensive contributions even though he only played 74 minutes. Iago demonstrated his aerial prowess with six headed clearances out of his nine total clearances, and he also recorded one tackle, two interceptions, and one blocked shot. He showed some inexperience by picking up an unnecessary yellow card while in the attacking third of the field, but on the whole, he looked solid, partnering well with Jansson and Brekalo in the middle of the defense. He completed a team-leading 90.9% of his passes and he probably would have gone the full 90 minutes, but he used his head to block a wicked shot by Hugo Picard, which led to him coming off to undergo concussion protocol.

WB, Iván Angulo, 6 — After a series of games in which he was frequently among the best players for Orlando City, Angulo was not in that category on Sunday night, though he had several good moments, and had the game only been 20 minutes long, he might have found himself in the running for Man of the Match once again. The Colombian initiated the game’s opening goal with a wonderful stop-and-go move to free himself before sending a perfect left-footed pass to put Tiago in behind the Columbus defense. Angulo picked up a secondary assist after the Brazilian hit a perfect cross into the middle for Marco Pašalić to deposit into the net. After that pass though, Angulo really struggled on the offensive side, as he lost possession 18 times, with many of those turnovers coming on poorly played passes that went directly to a Columbus player. Angulo also did not move quickly enough up the field to get in line with the rest of the Orlando City defenders on the Crew’s goal, keeping Rossi onside as he made his run toward Orlando’s goal. He completed 82.7% of his passes and had a team-leading three tackles while covering more ground than most players, but his passing and decision-making was just not as crisp as it should have been, both when trying to get the ball out of the defensive third and also when he had the ball on the counterattack.

MF, Braian Ojeda, 5.5 — Defensive Ojeda may have played mostly in the defensive half of the field, but he did not contribute a lot defensively, with only one block and zero other defensive contributions. His partnership with Eduard Atuesta in the middle of the field was not a strong one, as neither of the two really disrupted the Crew’s offensive flow or created links between Orlando City’s back line and the attacking group. Ojeda completed 83.3% of his passes and hustled all over the field, but while his effort was there, it did not lead to much for the Lions. He was partly responsible for Jansson’s exit as well, with a poorly placed back pass that nearly allowed Columbus to get level, but for a great save by Crépeau.

MF, Eduard Atuesta, 5.5 — Atuesta was better against Columbus than he was against LAFC, especially early in the first half when Orlando City dominated possession. As the game went on, he became less influential, however, and struggled to help the Lions hold the ball for any significant time during the latter part of the first half and early part of the second half. He finished with two tackles and one interception on defense, but too often he was just around the middle of the field without doing much. He completed 87.5% of his passes, though most were sideways or backwards, and he was the first Lion to come off, as he was replaced by Luis Otávio in the 64th minute.

WB, Griffin Dorsey, 6 — Dorsey returned from the injured list to get the start, and the right back/right wingback frequently found himself in the right place at the right time defensively in the first half, though his clearances often left something to be desired. He was aggressive offensively as well, getting most of his touches in the opposing half of the field, and his cross into the middle generated one of only a handful of shots for the Lions. He completed 88.9% of his passes while stuffing the defensive stat sheet with two tackles, two interceptions, one block, and three clearances before making way for Zakaria Taifi in a like-for-like swap in the 68th minute.

MF, Marco Pašalić, 6.5 — Only two Lions took shots during the game — Pašalić and Tiago — and the Croatian was the only one to put a shot on frame, with his perfectly placed shot in the 15th minute giving Orlando City its first road goal (and first road lead) of the season. He took that first chance well but was unable to threaten again, as on his other two best chances he had his shot blocked and then took a touch too far wide and was unable to even get a shot off on the second. Pašalić played far more in the middle and even on the left side than he had in the past, playing more of a distributor role than his normal winger role, and he frequently also was at the top of the defense alongside Tiago when Columbus had the ball. He completed 72% of his passes and added two clearances on defense, and went the full 90 for the third consecutive game, though he was clearly tired at the end and probably would have come off had the Lions had more available attacking options on the bench.

MF, Martín Ojeda, 5.5 — The Argentine played out on the left wing for most of this game, and delivered a muted performance. He dropped much deeper than he had in recent games, and aside from a few touches on the right side of the field, he played nearly exclusively in the left channel, just slightly in front of Angulo. Ojeda completed 77.4% of his passes, including one key pass on a long ball over the top to Tiago, but he brought little else to the table as he was held without a shot for the second time this season.

F, Tiago, 6.5 — Duncan McGuire was unable to dress due to injury, so Tiago started and went the full 90 minutes. The off-season acquisition was active throughout, especially on the left side of the attack. He picked up his first assist of the season on a cutback pass to Pašalić, and he took a team-leading three shots, though he was unable to put any on target. The positive part of that was he made excellent runs to put himself into threatening positions, but between his off-target shots and several turnovers on counterattacks, he gave away chances for the Lions to score a second goal, which would have given them some breathing room in a game in which they were under pressure for most of the final 65 minutes. On the defensive side, he was excellent, making one tackle, blocking one shot, and winning three aerial balls to clear them away with his head. Overall it was a solid game from the young Brazilian, and one to build on for the rest of the season.

Substitutes

MF, Luis Otávio, (64′), 4.5 — It was a bit surprising to see Otávio, rather than Colin Guske, come on with Orlando City holding a 1-0 lead, but the Brazilian was coming off a good performance against LAFC, so perhaps the coaching staff was going with the hot foot, as it were. Otávio did not make it two strong games in a row, as despite playing for more than 30 minutes, including stoppage time, he barely contributed to the game, completing only five of his eight pass attempts and making one tackle. He was involved in the Crew’s goal as well, failing to pressure Taha Habroune and allowing the Columbus player to scoop a pass over the defense to Rossi — a pass he likely could not have made with a defender closer to him.

D, Zakaria Taifi, (68′), 5 — Taifi came on for Dorsey and took over on the right side, playing aggressively, just like the man he replaced. He got up the right flank on attack, suffering a foul and earning the Lions a free kick, and defensively he impacted the game with one interception, one block, and two clearances. He only completed one of his five pass attempts, but calling two of them pass attempts is a bit unfair to the young defender because they were part pass attempt and part long clearance attempt, as the Lions were just trying to get the ball out of the defensive zone. It was a solid appearance by Taifi, who continues to show that he can contribute to the senior team.

D, Adrián Marin (75′), 5 — The Spaniard came on for Iago and played as the left center back briefly, before moving to the center of the five man back line when Jansson had to go off just moments later. He did well in that central role, hustling to make a diving attempt to block a shot to help Crépeau on a Columbus counterattack and making one important tackle and winning two headed clearances in the final minutes. Marin was a step late to get to Rossi on the Crew’s goal, although it was not his fault Angulo kept the attacker onside, and he was subsequently unable to recover to stop Rossi from getting his shot off. It will be interesting to see if Marin will start to be used more as a center back or a wingback if Orlando City continues to go with this defensive shape.

D, Tahir Reid-Brown, (78′), 4.5 — Reid-Brown entered for Jansson, and was thrust right into the fire as Columbus was pouring on the attack. Unfortunately, he overcommitted right away, coming out one step too far to try to defend Rossi and losing the Uruguayan as he cut toward the goal after passing the ball to Habroune. Reid-Brown paid for the momentary lapse as Rossi put the ball into the far corner and tied the game. After that, he settled into the game and played well as the left center back on a makeshift back line, logging one tackle, one clearance, and four loose-ball recoveries. He also came forward out of the back, showing some confidence with the ball at his feet, and completed two of his four pass attempts while earning the Lions a free kick after suffering a foul.

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

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

How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s 4-1 home win over Charlotte?

Published

44 minutes ago

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April 23, 2026

By

Image of Martin Ojeda celebrating a goal.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City finally managed to score more than two goals thanks to a 4-1 victory over visiting Charlotte FC. If I’m being honest, I wasn’t looking forward to writing or even watching this game, but boy was I wrong. As a whole, the team played well, and there are some good grades for many, unlike the last several weeks. Let’s take a look at how Orlando City’s players rated individually in a matchup with Charlotte.

Starters

GK, Maxime Crépeau, 6.5— This was a pretty good match for the Orlando City keeper, though it almost wasn’t. He made three saves, two of which were difficult. He got big and cut off the angle in the 28th minute on the first save. He got caught inside on Charlotte’s goal, but Braian Ojeda also made a mess of defending Morrison Agyemang at the back post. In the 64th minute, he celebrated a block by Tiago a bit early when he thought the ball had gone out, but it hadn’t. Fortunately, Iago was there to make a play and Charlotte was offside anyway, so the third attempt didn’t count. He made a point-blank save in the 81st and another leaping save deep in stoppage time to keep Charlotte at bay.

D, Adrian Marin, 5.5 — Marin almost got the Lions off to a bad start when he lost a 50/50 ball in the sixth minute but Charlotte couldn’t capitalize. After that, he settled in, though he still scares me a bit. He completed 87.7% of his 65 passes, including three of his seven long balls. Defensively, he contributed four tackles and four clearances. Again, he wasn’t bad, but he also wasn’t impressive.

D, Robin Jansson, 7 — Jansson continues to show excellent form after his return from injury. The captain is a calming presence that keeps the defense organized. Since his return, Orlando City has allowed only three goals. He did his usual job of stopping attacks up and down the field. He completed 92% of his 50 passes, including one of his four long balls. Defensively, he logged one tackle, one interception, and a team-high eight clearances. It was the same type of performances that has earned him Man of the Match honors before, but this time the Lions created some offense.

D, Iago, 6 — Iago seems to be settling in now that he has Jansson next to him on the back line. He made some key defensive plays, including a clearance while Crepeau was celebrating too early. He completed 83.3% of his 36 passes, including one of his four long balls. Defensively, he logged one interception, three blocked shots, and two clearances. Thankfully, he didn’t lead Orlando City on shot attempts in this match.

D, Zakaria Taifi, 6 — Thank goodness Taifi muffed his shot attempt in the 21st minute. That’s not something one would normally say, but since it ended up as a Luis Otavio goal, it’s all good. Technically, it didn’t count as a shot, but he did get credit for the assist. He did take one other shot that was on goal, but it was easily saved, and he had two key passes. The Homegrown fullback made a good toe poke to stop an attack in 14th minute and a good recovery run in the 43rd minute to deflect a cross out for a corner. He finished with two tackles, an interception, and two clearances on the defensive side, passing at a 95.2% success rate. He was subbed off for Ignacio Gomez in the 78th minute.

MF, Iván Angulo, 6 — This was a very Ivan Angulo performance, by which I mean he did some good things, some bad things, and some inexplicable things. He did well tracking back on defense and occasionally taking the ball back in the midfield. He earned a yellow card in the 23rd minute keeping breaking up a counter off Braian Ojeda’s blocked ball into the box on a corner kick. He also missed an excellent opportunity after Ojeda put him in on goal in the 56th minute. It’s the type of play that he should at least put the shot on frame, but he was unable to even come close. He made up for it a bit with his excellent pass for the assist on Gomez’s late goal. He completed 91.7% of his 36 passes, including the one key pass. Defensively, he contributed two tackles. He subbed off for Harvey Sarajian in second-half stoppage time .

MF, Braian Ojeda, 5.5 — Braian Ojeda made one really bad play in this match that cost Orlando City a clean sheet. He was bowled over by Agyemang while defending the back corner on Charlotte’s lone goal. Other than that, he wasn’t too bad. He completed 91.3% of his 46 passes, including one cross. Defensively, he made three tackles and one clearance, while committing two fouls. He was more aggressive in the midfield this match, and that made a difference in limiting Charlotte’s attack.

MF, Luis Otavio, 7 — This was easily Luis Otavio’s best match so far. He only took one shot, but it was on target and in the back of the net to start the scoring on the night. The ball fell perfectly to Otavio after Taifi’s errant shot attempt. He settled it and took a powerful shot with the outside of his right foot that froze everyone, including Charlotte keeper Kristijan Khalina, to give Orlando the 1-0 lead. It was a perfect time to score his first professional goal. Defensively, he compiled three tackles, two interceptions, and one bicycle kick clearance in the 29th minute. He earned a yellow card in the 42nd minute. Otavio subbed off in second-half stoppage time for Colin Guske.

MF, Justin Ellis, 6 — Ellis was a bit of a surprise start due to Tyrese Spicer falling ill on game day, but the young forward played well. He took one shot in the 12th minute, on which he tried to turn in the box, but it went wide right. His big moment came in the 50th minute, when he took a pass from Tiago, made his way into the box, and laid the ball off to Martin Ojeda for the second goal of the match. Ellis’ aforementioned shot was his only one, but he did have an excellent assist on what turned out to be the winning goal. He completed 82.8% of his 29 passes with three key passes. Defensively, he made one tackle and committed one foul, earning a yellow card in the 67th minute. He was subbed off in second-half stoppage time for Bernardo Rhein.

F, Martín Ojeda, 7.5 (MotM) — Welcome back, Martin Ojeda! The Designated Player took four shots and put two on target, both of which went in. The first was a perfectly placed shot into the top right corner from Ellis’ pass. The second was an absolutely beautiful set-piece shot from just outside the box. He completed 91.3% of his 46 passes, including three key passes, two crosses, and six successful long balls. He received a yellow card in first-half stoppage time for arguing about a soft foul he was called for. This was the type of match that Orlando City needs from Martin Ojeda.

F, Tiago, 6.5 — Tiago should have been credited with the secondary assist on Orlando City’s first goal, but he was not. He made a long run to the end line and then put the ball back across the box perfectly for Taifi, who clipped it out to the top of the box where Otavio put it away. Tiago took one shot that was on target and earned a secondary assist on Ojeda’s first goal. He completed 77.8% of his 27 passes, made one key pass, and had three successful crosses. Defensively, he logged three clearances, blocked one shot, and committed two fouls, earning a yellow card in the 67th minute. Like many of his teammates, this was one of his best showings this season. He subbed off in 74th minute for Tahir Reid-Brown.

Substitutes

MF, Tahir Reid-Brown (75′), 5.5 — Tahir Reid-Brown came on for Tiago, who was sitting on a yellow card, to help protect the lead. He didn’t do much with his time on the pitch, but he also wasn’t asked to with the two-goal lead the club had at the time. He didn’t hurt Orlando City, and had some critical interventions to break up Charlotte’s attack near the top of the area. He completed 66.7% of his six passes with one cross. Defensively, he contributed one clearance.

MF, Ignacio Gomez (78′), 6.5 — Gomez decided he was going to make sure he received a grade for his performance. Almost immediately after entering the match, he earned a yellow card for a tussle with Charlotte star attacker Wilfried Zaha. He made up for it in the 87th minute by scoring his first MLS goal. He helped set the play up by finding Angulo with a good pass to the middle and then continued his run, finishing like a veteran. It was his only shot of the match, and he completed all three of his passes. Defensively, he contributed one tackle and two clearances while committing two fouls.

MF, Colin Guske (90+3′), N/A — Guske was brought on for Luis Otavio as Martin Perelman decided that everyone should get to play in this match. Guske wasn’t on long enough, nor did he do enough, to earn a grade.

F, Harvey Sarajian (90+3′), N/A — Harvey Sarajian came on for Ivan Angulo. Like Guske, Sarajian wasn’t on long enough, nor did he do enough, to earn a grade, although he gave up a dangerous free kick in stoppage time.

MF, Bernardo Rhein (90+3′), N/A — Congratulations to Bernardo Rhein for making his first MLS appearance. He came on for Justin Ellis. Sadly, like the other two guys he came on with, he wasn’t on long enough, nor did he do enough, to earn a grade.

That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando City’s 4-1 victory over Charlotte. 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

Orlando City vs. Charlotte FC: Five Takeaways

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

Published

3 hours ago

on

April 23, 2026

By

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

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

6 hours ago

on

April 23, 2026

By

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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