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

How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s 6-2 away loss against FC Cincinnati?

Published

4 months ago

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Image of Martin Ojeda taking a shot against FC Cincinnati.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City gave up four consecutive goals after tying the game 2-2, turning a competitive game into a 6-2 blowout loss on the road against Cincinnati on Saturday night. The World Cup break may have arrived at the perfect time for the Lions, who clearly need to take a comprehensive look at the roster and the coaching staff and figure out a new plan for the back part of the season.

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

Starters

GK, Maxime Crépeau, 6 — It may seem odd to see a grade of six when Orlando City allowed six goals, but Cincinnati tore apart the Orlando City defense during the last 60 minutes of the game and few goalkeepers would have kept out any of the six goals that went into the back of the net. Perhaps he could have gotten a hand on some, but Cincinnati shot the ball extremely well and I do not believe he should have saved any of the goals. The Canadian faced 11 shots on target, including nine from inside the box, and did well to make five saves and keep the team from becoming the first Orlando City team to allow seven goals in a single game. His distribution was solid, as he completed 88.9% of his passes, and once again he was one of the best players on the field for the Lions, despite the awful looking number of goals allowed.

D, Adrián Marin, 4 — The Spaniard made one great play, a sliding tackle from behind that robbed Kévin Denkey of a point-blank chance to score, but aside from that, he seemed to primarily be playing some kind of NBA-style drop coverage, where he just kept dropping and dropping as Cincinnati players attacked right at him, instead of stepping up to the ball. This allowed Marin to make three interceptions and to be in position to clear the ball twice, but it is telling that he had zero tackles in a game that was dominated by Cincinnati’s offense. Marin completed the second-most passes on the team (49, at an 87.5% completion rate), but most were of the very short variety and did not create anything offensively.

D, Robin Jansson, 4.5 — The Lions took an early lead thanks to a great ball over the top from Jansson to back line partner Griffin Dorsey, but after that play it was pretty much all downhill for the entire defense. The Beefy Swede put his body on the line, blocking three shots and heading the ball away for two clearances, but he made zero tackles or interceptions and was part of a Lions’ defense that allowed Cincinnati to repeatedly get open chances in the center of the box. He completed 90.4% of his passes, including a healthy amount of passes that moved the ball forward instead of just swinging it side to side, but the Jansson-led defense was far too soft on Saturday night and Cincinnati took full advantage.

D, David Brekalo, 4 — The one positive from Brekalo was that he stepped up and stepped in to make four tackles, but aside from that, it was a night to forget for the Slovenian. He was responsible for Kenji Mboma Dem on Cincinnati’s opening goal but he was beaten to the ball and allowed a free header, and then Evander just had his way repeatedly with the Orlando defense throughout the rest of the game, with the Slovenian often being isolated against the Cincinnati attacker and losing that battle. It is not a shame to be beaten by Evander, who is one the best attacking players in the league, but Brekalo’s name and number were repeatedly shown on the screen in the second half because he had turned his back and was chasing the Brazilian after getting beat. He completed 92.3% of his passes and hustled to get up into the attack more than fellow defenders Jansson and Marin, but he could not put either of his shots on target in what was a rough evening for the center back.

D, Griffin Dorsey, 4.5 — Dorsey’s three-game goal-scoring streak came to an end on Saturday night, though he nearly made it four with an acrobatic attempt to finish a cross with the outside of his right foot. He did not receive an assist, but he contributed directly to the game’s first goal, as it was his cross after a long run up the right sideline that led to a foul on Tiago and a penalty kick for the Lions. Orlando City probably should have looked to go up the right side more often than it did, as Dorsey only had 26 touches and was able to complete nine passes (64.3% completion rate). The man with the bun looked dangerous during the few times he had the ball, but those opportunities were few and far between. Like his other back line teammates, he bears responsibility for Cincinnati’s high-scoring output, as although he made two tackles, he did not have any other defensive contributions and was often caught too far up the field to help as Cincinnati went on the counterattack.

MF, Iván Angulo, 5 — It does not happen often but Angulo looked tired at points on Saturday night, the result of so many games in so few days, but he gamely pushed through it and went the full 90. The Colombian completed 81.5% of his passes but did not threaten often, though late in the game he shook loose and was able to put a shot on target that forced a diving stop from Cincinnati’s Roman Celentano. Angulo’s bigger contributions were, as they often are, on the defensive side of the field, as he made three tackles and intercepted two passes, with one of those interceptions snuffing out a Cincinnati counterattack on which Angulo was the last defender back. Overall, it was a middling game for Angulo, who probably needed a little more of a break in previous games or to come off the bench in this one.

MF, Eduard Atuesta, 6 — Atuesta showed off the full range of his skills against Cincinnati, delivering on both sides of the ball. Defensively, he led the team with eight defensive contributions — a game-high six tackles and two interceptions — and he also led all field players with eight loose ball recoveries. On the offensive side of the ball, he completed a game-high 62 passes at an 86.1% completion rate with two key passes. He suffered four fouls, including the foul that led to the free kick goal that tied the game 2-2, and he showed off some nice dribbling moves to get free and hit a shot that just missed the far corner by inches, bouncing off the far post and back out onto the field of play. It was a solid all-around game for Atuesta, but his partnership with Braian Ojeda needs to improve as Cincinnati owned the center of the field for most of Saturday night.

MF, Braian Ojeda, 4.5 — The Orlando City coaching staff probably deserves responsibility for a portion of Ojeda’s grade, as the Lions played 10 games between April 18 and Saturday night, a period of 35 days, and Ojeda played in 96% of the possible minutes during those games. He did not have the burst to track back quickly enough to disrupt Cincinnati’s attacks, and with Dorsey pushed way up high, as usual, and Ojeda unable to get back, Cincinnati did pretty much whatever it wanted for the final two-thirds of the game. The effort was there but the legs were not, which helped lead to Ojeda committing four fouls as he was desperate to find any way to slow down the opposition’s attack. He made two tackles and added three interceptions and a clearance, and offensively he completed 86.8% of his passes, but only one Ojeda had a positive game on Saturday, and it was not Braian.

MF, Tiago, 5 — After a two-goal performance against Atlanta on Tuesday, Tiago got the start again out on the wing, but Cincinnati bottled him up and he did not create a lot offensively. What he did create he did with his pressing efforts, as he made a great play early in the game to win the ball in the Cincinnati 18 and set up Martín Ojeda for a shot that went into the back of the net, but unfortunately was called back as Ojeda was offside. Tiago then made another great play to earn Orlando City a penalty kick, as he hustled to dispossess Kyle Smith of the ball after Smith stepped in front of a Dorsey cross, and Smith then fouled him to give the Lions a penalty kick. Tiago was active on defense throughout his 45 minutes, with three tackles and an interception, but he brought little else to the attack (he had 25 touches but completed only 57.1% of his passes) and came off at halftime for Tyrese Spicer.

F, Martín Ojeda, 8 (MotM) — There should be little debate as to who the man of the match was for Orlando City in this one, as Orlando’s attacking Ojeda put the ball into the net three times, with two of them accounting for both of Orlando City’s goals. His best finish might have been the tight angled shot that went through Celentano’s legs after Tiago made a great defensive play to get him the shot, but that was the one that did not count as he was offside when the ball was played. The Argentine made up for it with a well-placed penalty kick in the first half and an outrageous free kick in the second half, and he probably should have completed his hat trick after that free kick but for Celentano making a great save on one shot and Ojeda channeling his inner Carlos Rivas (read: skying the ball way over the net) on a close-range opportunity right at the end of the game. Tincho completed 85% of his passes with two key passes, and he was by far the most dangerous Lion on the field throughout the game.

F, Justin Ellis, 4.5 — The Homegrown player saw very little of the ball during his 57 minutes, recording only 20 touches and completing only seven passes at a 53.9% completion rate. Ellis is an adventurous attacker, so his passing completion rate is often low, but completing what amounts to every other pass is too low, especially against a team that can counterattack as well as Cincinnati. The young forward suffered four fouls but didn’t contribute much else, as he looked tired after so many games in a short amount of time and came off for Marco Pašalić with just over 30 minutes remaining.

Substitutes

MF, Tyrese Spicer (46′), 5.5 —Spicer came on at the half for Tiago and did not touch the ball for quite a while into the second half, before he finally got going and ended up leading the team with three key passes. He completed eight of his nine pass attempts and also ripped a shot from close range that forced Celentano to make a good save. Spicer is not the tenacious defender that Tiago is, but he generally creates chances when he is on the field, and although Orlando City did not finish those chances against Cincinnati, the team looked better offensively with him on the field during the second half.

MF, Marco Pašalić (57′), 4.5 — Pašalić was a passenger for the opening minutes of his shift, but he finally warmed up to the competition toward the end of the game, but it was far too little and far too late. He completed 75% of his passes, with eight of those advancing the ball and only one was a short pass, and he ripped a late shot from outside the box that reminded everyone of the lethality in his left foot. Unfortunately, his shot curled back just a little too far and was saved, but those are the shots Orlando City needs the Croatian to take to open up room for the rest of the offense. The team also needs him engaged throughout his time on the field, which he was not on Saturday night.

F, Duncan McGuire (72′), 5 — Big Dunc had very little opportunity to contribute, as he only had eight touches and spent most of his minutes chasing the ball as Cincinnati passed it around. He played in one dangerous cross but none of his teammates could get on the end of it, and he took one shot from outside the box but it did not threaten Celentano. He completed six of his eight pass attempts and hustled as he always does, but had nothing to show for it.

D, Wilder Cartagena (72′), 4 — Cartagena came on as a defender, but he still does not seem fully fit and ready to be back on the field at the MLS level. He got caught too far in front of Denkey and on the wrong side of the Togolese attacker, and Denkey just boxed him out and easily finished for a goal, and then late in the game he was not quick enough to get to Ender Echenique and prevent a cross, and Tom Barlow finished that cross to put a bow on Cincinnati’s dominance of the Lions. Cartagena completed 85.7% of his passes and made one tackle, but hopefully by the time the World Cup break is over he is able to get back the game speed he had before his injuries.

MF, Luís Otávio (85′), N/A — The Brazilian came on late and had a great chance to score but hit his shot right down the middle and Celentano made the simple save. He completed four of his six passes and added one tackle on defense.

That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando City’s brutal 6-2 loss on the road at Cincinnati. Let us know what you thought of the game in the comments below, and don’t forget to vote for your Man of the Match.

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Lion Links

Lion Links 9/22/26

Cosette Morche up for weekly honors, lessons from matchday 27, key players in the UEFA Women’s Champions League, and more.

Published

18 hours ago

on

September 22, 2026

By

Image of Cosette Morche during her NWSL debut vs. Washington.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Good morning, everyone. It was a terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad weekend for Orlando’s three soccer teams, as they all lost and did so by an aggregate score of 12-5. Fortunately, we’ve got lots to talk about this morning, so let’s not dwell any further on the horror show that was the weekend slate, and instead dive into today’s links.

Cosette Morche up for Weekly Honors

Despite the Orlando Pride falling at home against the Portland Thorns, a bright spot has emerged from the game in the form of Cosette Morche being nominated for the NWSL Save of the Week. She made a fantastic triple save in the 17th minute to frustrate both Sophia Wilson and Pietra Tordin and keep the score at 1-0. Unfortunately, the Pride went on to lose 4-1, but Morche continued a trend of strong performances in net since taking over for the loaned-out Anna Moorhouse. Make sure you go vote for her to win!

Lessons from Matchday 27

Matchday 27 is in the books for Major League Soccer, and there are plenty of things to be learned from the weekend’s action. A number of young players called up by the United States Men’s National Team turned in impressive performances, as Cavan Sullivan had a goal and an assist, Frankie Westfield and Neil Pierre helped Sullivan and the Union overturn a 4-3 deficit against Sporting Kansas City, and Julian Hall scored the winner in the Hudson River Derby. Elsewhere, Nashville clinched a playoff spot and did so in style by knocking off a good Chicago Fire team 3-0. Finally, St Louis City beat Toronto FC 3-1 and now has a mind-boggling 16-game unbeaten streak in the league that grows to 18 games unbeaten in all competitions.

Women’s Champions League Key Players

The UEFA Women’s Champions League kicks off today, so this is an excellent time to familiarize yourself with some of the most important players in the competition. Some of them may be familiar to you already, like Real Madrid’s Colombian attacker Linda Caicedo or Chelsea midfielder Lauren James. Midfielder Patri Guijarro will be an important piece for Barcelona following the summer departures of Alexia Putellas and Salma Paralluelo, while Annamaria Serturini, Remina Chiba, and Redondo are in a similar situation for Juventus. Finally, there are players on less heralded teams, like Uka Modesta for Austria Wien and Lowiese Seynhaeve for OH Leuven.

Granit Xhaka Dropped by Switzerland

We finish our main story section today with an odd one, as Granit Xhaka has been left out of the latest Switzerland squad after he admitted to using a fake COVID-19 vaccination certificate. Amid an investigation into a Swiss doctor who was allegedly producing false certificates for unvaccinated individuals, Xhaka has admitted to using falsified paperwork. Not only has he been left out of the Swiss squad, but he could also face legal repercussions, and the player confirmed that he is currently in the process of speaking to the authorities. Xhaka is Switzerland’s all-time leader in appearances, and has been a key member of the team for a number of years.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City somehow rose two spots to no.10 in ESPN.com’s MLS power rankings.
  • The Orlando Pride held fast at no. 12 in the same outlet’s NWSL power rankings.
  • For better or worse, Orlando City will be back in the red kits for Saturday’s match against the Philadelphia Union.

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

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. New England Revolution: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s road loss to the New England Revolution?

Published

2 days ago

on

September 21, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City was minutes away from drawing the New England Revolution Saturday night, which would’ve been a big point in the Lions’ quest for the postseason. But two second-half injury-time goals saw that point dissipate. Instead, they followed their U.S. Open Cup semifinal defeat with a crushing 4-2 loss.

Let’s take a look at how the individual players fared in the disappointing result.

Starters

GK, Maxime Crepeau, 5 — None of the four goals were specifically Crepeau’s fault, with one being a deflection and the other three coming from poor defense. But the goalkeeper’s four goals conceded matched his number of saves. It can also be argued he should’ve come out earlier on some of the goals to cut down the attacker’s angle. In addition to his four goals conceded and four saves, he ended the game with 39 touches and completed 74.1% of his 27 passes, including seven of his 14 long balls.

D, Bernardo Rhein, 5.5 — The teenager got the start at left back in this game, touching the ball 58 times. He completed 83.3% of his 42 passes, but neither of his two long balls nor his lone cross. Defensively, Rhein recorded a tackle and a blocked shot before being replaced in the 77th minute by Harvey Sarajian in an attacking change.

D, Robin Jansson, 5.5 — The Orlando City captain had 65 touches in this game and completed 98.1% of his 53 passes, including three of his four long balls. Defensively, he had an interception, a team-high six clearances, and an aerial duel won. But his age showed as he was unable to keep up with the counterattacks the other way. While it wasn’t a bad game for Jansson, I can’t give a higher grade to a key component of a back line that conceded four times.

D, David Brekalo, 5.5 — Jansson’s center back partner had 52 touches and completed 95% of his 40 passes, including one of his two long balls. He took one shot in the game, but it was off target. Defensively, Brekalo recorded a tackle and six clearances, and won two aerial balls. Similar to Jansson, Brekalo wasn’t necessarily bad, but was part of a center back pairing that helped concede four goals.

D, Ivan Angulo, 6 — Angulo started this game at right back and moved to left wing and left back as the game progressed. As you would expect, the Colombian pushed forward quite a bit. He ended the game with 69 touches and completed 81.3% of his 48 passes, including one of his three long balls. His most impactful play came in the 62nd minute, when he shielded his defender to tuck away the Lions’ first goal, cutting the deficit to 2-1. That was his lone shot of the night. Defensively, he added five tackles and two interceptions, providing one of the team’s best performances.

MF, Tyrese Spicer, 5 — In the team’s third game in eight days, Spicer got the start in the midfield. He touched the ball 20 times and completed 72.7% of his 11 passes, including his lone long ball. Other than that, he did little offensively before being replaced by Zakaria Taifi at halftime, allowing Angulo to go forward. Defensively, he added a tackle and an interception, but the Lions could’ve used much more from the speedster.

MF, Joran Gerbet, 6 — Gerbet once again was in the lineup for the Lions, playing his typical defensive midfield role. The Frenchman had a team-high 72 touches and completed 98.5% of his 67 passes, including two key passes and both of his long balls. The midfielder’s only shot was blocked, but it bounced off Peyton Miller’s hand for a penalty. He also contributed defensively with a tackle and an interception. Gerbet was replaced by Tiago in second-half stoppage time to bring on an attacker after the team fell behind again.

MF, Luis Otavio, 5.5 — The quick turnaround gave Otavio a chance to start, though he only played 45 minutes. The Brazilian had 21 touches and completed 94.1% of his 17 passes, including one of his two long balls. He didn’t contribute any shots in the attack and only recorded a clearance defensively in what was a rather forgettable performance. His night ended at halftime when he was taken off for regular starter Eduard Atuesta.

MF, Marco Pasalic, 5.5 — With Antoine Griezmann injured, Pasalic got a rare start. He touched the ball 35 times and completed 91.7% of his 24 passes, including one of his two long balls. The attacking midfielder took two shots and put one on target. Defensively, he recorded two tackles and a clearance before being replaced by Daryl Dike in the 71st minute.

F, Martin Ojeda, 6 (MotM) — Ojeda is starting to look more like his old self since returning from injury and was the primary attacker for the Lions in this game. The Argentinian had 59 touches and completed 79.6% of his 44 passes, including a key pass, two of his three long balls, and two of his four crosses. He also put two of his three shots on target. Ojeda was instrumental in the attacking movement that ended with Angulo’s goal, working a give-and-go straight up the middle with Justin Ellis. In the 88th minute, he converted the game-tying penalty, keeping his record from the spot perfect and pulling him to within one goal of Facundo Torres for the club record. He was the best player for me and earned my Man of the Match.

F, Justin Ellis, 5.5 — Ellis was active in this game, touching the ball 67 times and completing 76.1% of his 46 passes, including one of his two long balls and one of his two crosses. His only shot was off target. The forward added two tackles in his last game before heading out on international duty.

Substitutes

D, Zakaria Taifi, 5.5 (45’) — Taifi came on at halftime for Spicer, allowing Angulo to move forward into his natural position. The Homegrown Player had 24 touches in his 45 minutes while completing 85.7% of his 14 passes. He had three key passes, completed his lone cross, and didn’t complete either of his two long balls. The defender didn’t do anything else offensively, but added a tackle and a clearance.

MF, Eduard Atuesta, 5.5 (45’) — A regular starter, Atuesta got the first half off before coming on for Otavio. The Colombian touched the ball 41 times and completed 94.1% of his 34 passes, including a key pass and two of his three long balls, but neither of his two crosses. Additionally, his only shot was on target. Defensivley, Atuesta didn’t record any statistics.

F, Daryl Dike, 4.5 (71’) — Dike came on for Pasalic in the 71st minue with the Lions looking for a goal. It was another disappointing performance for the striker, who only had six touches and completed two of his four passes. Despite coming on to score, his only shot was off target and he didn’t contribute anything defensively.

F, Harvey Sarajian, 5 (77’) — Sarajian came on for Rhein in the 77th minute, another move aimed towards finding an equalizer. The rookie had seven touches in 13 minutes while completing 83.3% of his six passes. Sarajian also didn’t contribute much in this game, failing to take a shot or build an attack.

MF, Tiago, N/A (90+5’) — Tiago came on in the dying minutes for Gerbet after Orlando CIty fell behind again. The attacker only recorded three touches, completed his lone pass, and drew a foul in his brief stint on the field.

That’s how I saw the individual performances in this disappointing loss. Let us know how you saw the game in the comments below, and don’t forget to vote on your Man of the Match.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 9/21/26

All of Orlando’s soccer teams lose, Lions unveil Vinicius Nogueira, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

September 21, 2026

By

Image of Martin Ojeda playing the ball against Inter Miami.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been staying busy at work over the weekend. Let’s wish a happy belated birthday to Orlando Pride defender Cori Dyke, who turned 26 on Sunday, and a happy birthday to Orlando City defender Bernardo Rhein, who turns 19 today. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Concede Two Late Goals in Loss at New England

Orlando City fell 4-2 to the New England Revolution on the road on Saturday at Gillette Stadium, conceding twice in stoppage time to drop a point. After trailing 2-0, the Lions came back with second-half goals from Ivan Angulo and Martin Ojeda, with the latter from the penalty spot just before the 90 minutes were up. However, in stoppage time, the Lions imploded, with Peyton Miller and Carles Gil closing out the night with two goals each for the Revolution. The loss snapped Orlando’s five-game unbeaten streak in league play, and the Lions left Foxborough with no points instead of at least one. Orlando City will be back on the road for its next match on Saturday against the Philadelphia Union.

Lions Unveil Vinicius Nogueira

Orlando City unveiled left back Vinicius Nogueira on Friday with a photo shoot at Inter.co Stadium.

The Lions signed Nogueira on Aug. 27 on loan from Bulgarian First League side PFC Ludogorets through the end of the 2027 MLS Sprint Season, with an option to make the move permanent. The 24-year-old Brazilian was on the bench during Orlando City’s match against the New England Revolution on Saturday but did not play.

Pride Fall at home to Portland Thorns

The Orlando Pride lost 4-1 to the Portland Thorns on Saturday at Inter.co Stadium, and while the team is still mathematically alive for the postseason, the home defeat made things even more of a longshot than they were. The Pride started slowly and were down 2-0 before Ally Lemos pulled one back in the first half. Orlando missed several scoring chances, and in the second half, Portland scored two goals to put the match away. Orlando will travel to the West Coast to take on Bay FC on Sunday.

OCB Falls to Atlanta United 2 on Decision Day

Orlando City B lost 4-2 to Atlanta United 2 on Decision Day Sunday at Osceola County Stadium, falling all the way to 10th and out of the playoff places. Atlanta struck first early before Issah Haruna tied it up for the Young Lions. However, Atlanta got an own goal when Tristan Himes punched a set piece deliver in off Harvey Sarajian to retake the lead, and Ignacio Saurez-Couri added another to make it 3-1. Justin Hylton scored for OCB to cut the deficit to one before halftime. In the second half, Dominik Chong-Qui scored the final goal to secure Atlanta’s win. For the Young Lions, the season ends in disappointment again, missing the MLS NEXT Pro postseason for the second straight season.

Free Kicks

  • Just two days after Gabi Nunes and the Orlando Pride mutually agreed to part ways on Wednesday, Nunes signed with Liga F side Atletico de Madrid Femenino on Friday.
  • New York City FC is reportedly signing defender Matt Miazga after he was waived by FC Cincinnati earlier this month.

🇺🇸 BREAKING: NYCFC set to sign center back Matt Miazga, per sources.- Miazga waived by FC Cincinnati earlier this month- Miazga, 31, is former MLS Defender of the Year. Boosts defensive options for NYCFC down the stretchwww.nytimes.com/athletic/760…

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2026-09-18T13:17:04.926Z

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.

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