Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Nashville SC: Player Grades and Man of the Match
How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s 1-0 home win against Nashville SC?
Antoine Griezmann made his first home appearance in front of a sold-out crowd on Saturday night, and he and the Lions sent those fans home smiling. Supporters’ Shield race-leading Nashville SC couldn’t overcome a suddenly stout Orlando defense, and Tyrese Spicer fired a scorcher into the net to give the Lions a 1-0 win and three much-needed points.
Nashville and Orlando were both without some imprtant players, but the Lions were the better team at nearly every position, so I don’t think that played a major factor in this matchup. It’s only been two post-World Cup matches, but the Lions look like a different team. We can only hope it’s a sign of things to come.
Let’s take a look at how Orlando City’s players rated in a memorable victory over the No. 1 team in the league.
Starters
GK, Maxime Crépeau, 6.5 — Crépeau had next to nothing to do on a hot night in Central Florida against a red-hot Nashville team. The Lions put in a defensive shift from the forwards on down, limiting the Nashville attackers to six total shots with three on target. The first shot on target was a point-blank effort in the 42nd minute from a charging Alex Muyl that Crépeau saw coming and snuffed out. Muyl was injured on the play and had to be subbed off at halftime. Crépeau’s other big save on the night denied former Orlando City player Shak Mohammed, who got on the end of a ball over the top and fired right at Crépeau from about 12 yards out. It was only Orlando’s second clean sheet of the season, just three days after posting the first of the year against San Jose. The Canadian international made three saves and passed at a 77.8% success rate.
D, Bernardo Rhein, 6.5 — Hours after signing as a Homegrown Player, Rhein had a good night, especially given the task in front of him. Nashville’s potent attack was a little more focused on his side of the pitch and he handled the challenge well. He applied good defensive pressure throughout his time on the pitch and remained calm under pressure. He recorded one tackle, two interceptions, and one clearance, keeping former teammate Mohammed quiet with the exception of when he was caught up the field to allow the ex-Lion to jump into the attack for one of Nashville’s few dangerous moments. Rhein committed one foul and suffered none. He passed at an 87.5% rate and helped out in the offense with a cross attempt, one key pass, and one long ball that found its target.
D, Robin Jansson, 7 — The captain was once again his usual, stout, solid self. Jansson read the Nashville offensive efforts, heading off plays with well-timed interventions. He made a perfect sliding recovery tackle in the 47th minute on a charging Mohammed to snuff out a promising attack. He made three clearances on the night and blocked two shots. He committed no fouls, and none were committed against him. He passed at a 98.3% rate and attempted one long ball that connected. The defensive efforts of the whole team were so complete, the back line didn’t have to deal with many emergencies.
D, David Brekalo, 6.5 — Along with Jansson, Brekalo was not put in difficult positions too many times, as the Nashville attack tended to come down the wings, and the team in front of the back line was organized and proactive throughout the match. He did his job but only had to make one clearance, no blocks, and no interceptions. He committed no fouls but suffered one. On offense, he managed one key pass. He was clean in his passing at 95.9%. He put a poor header right in front of Sam Surridge during a Nashville breakout, but it was not overly egregious.
D, Griffin Dorsey, 7 — Dorsey was active on offense as well as defense as per usual, contributing three crosses, although none connected, and working down his side of the pitch well in combination with his teammates. His passing was clean as well, especially for an attacking player, at 96.2%. He had a particularly good read on a Nashville attack he snuffed out with a well-timed clearance in the 50th minute. Dorsey applied good defensive pressure all night and was a handful for Nashville in both directions. He made one tackle and one interception, as well as three clearances without committing a foul. He didn’t manage any shots, and suffered two fouls for his efforts.
MF, Tiago, 6 — Tiago was energetic on the night, but he was not overly productive. He wasn’t as indecisive as he was Wednesday night in San Jose, but he made a couple of mental errors and got on the wrong side of his man that forced him to take a yellow card. He committed a completely unnecessary foul in the 20th minute on Andy Najar. who was breaking away, but there were plenty of purple shirts between him and goal. In the 29th minute, he did well to win a ball in midfield but fired an inexplicable ball intended for Crepeau back over the end line, which handed Nashville a corner. He contributed a tackle, committed one foul, suffered one, and passed with an 81.3% rate. He attempted no shots and attempted one long ball and one cross, neither of which found a teammate. He did have some nifty combination play in the 47th minute with Griezmann and Ivan Angulo, then sent a lofted ball to himself that he almost got onto, but Nashville goalkeeper Brian Schwake was there to catch it.
MF, Braian Ojeda, 7 — Ojeda put in a good shift, especially on defense, with two tackles, an interception, one blocked shot, and one clearance. He was better in the second half than the first, as he looked a bit tired with some poor touches and off-line passes, but he recovered his rhythm after halftime. The 67th minute blocked shot was a crucial one, as it looked like it might have been a contender for a goal, and Ojeda busted a lung to make it back to cover. He committed a foul, suffered one, and managed a shot in the 42nd minute that was blocked. He attempted three long balls with one connecting. His passing accuracy was 80.9%.
MF, Luis Otávio, 7 — Ojeda’s midfield partner Otávio put in a good defensive shift as well in place of the suspended Eduard Atuesta. He had one ill-advised lunge on Mohammed in the 41st minute following an uncalled foul on Angulo, and Nashville broke unimpeded toward the Orlando goal. The play resulted in the Muyl shot and might have been avoided otherwise. Otávio made many crucial contributions, however, and overall he was good on the night. In the 49th, he shut down Ahmed Qasem, who was advancing unopposed toward the Orlando 18-yard box, with a textbook clean tackle. Statistically, Otávio logged three tackles and two clearances, and he committed no fouls and suffered one. He attempted one long ball that connected, managed a key pass, took one shot, and passed with a respectable 90.9% rate.
MF, Ivan Angulo, 8 — Angulo’s work rate never ceases to amaze. He was nearly omnipresent in the match, contributing in attack, especially throughout the first half, and making interventions that disrupted Nashville’s plans before they could develop into threatening opportunities. He had a couple of giveaways in the second half, but these were overshadowed by his outsized contribution to the result. His new hybrid role really seems to be a good fit for the Orlando stalwart. He’s always been a dynamo, but Angulo’s contributions in the last two matches have been above and beyond his usual high rate. His passing rate was 84.6%, and he managed three key passes but took no shots. On defense, he finished with one tackle, one clearance, and a blocked shot. He committed three fouls, suffering one.
F, Justin Ellis, 8.5 (MotM) — Ellis was the Man of the Match for me. There were other candidates. Tyrese Spicer scored the game’s only goal, so he would be a popular choice. Griezmann would be another, of course. But Ellis made the goal happen, and he created many other promising opportunities with his dribbling and shrugging off opponents, including putting Hany Mukhtar on the ground while maintaining possession. Ellis is young, and there is only a small sample size so far, but he exhibits skills and vision that are far beyond not only someone of his age, but quite a few veteran players as well. All throughout the match, Ellis’ control facilitated attacking opportunities for himself and his teammates. He looked for his own offense more in this game as Nashville committed numbers on Griezmann, taking six shots, putting three on target, supplying two key passes, and attempting one long ball that did not connect. He committed no fouls but suffered one. He made no statistical defensive contributions and passed with 83.9% accuracy.
F, Antoine Griezmann, 8.5 — In the first home match of his Orlando City career, Griezmann predictably did not disappoint the sold-out crowd. The Frenchman lived up to his well-earned reputation and contributed both on offense and defense. His quality makes those around him better. His seasoned touch and elite vision create so many opportunities that in the last two matches, Orlando looks like a completely different team. Not to take away from the hard work that the players and staff have been clearly putting in, but Griezmann’s level of skill is simply a huge level-up. I could have easily selected Griezmann for Man of the Match, if not for the more direct role Ellis played in the goal and other opportunities. Griezmann took three shots, although none were on target, sent in five crosses, with one connecting amid Nashville’s big center backs, and contributed two key passes. He made two accurate long ball attempts and passed at an exceptional 91.9% rate, especially for an attacking player, and suffered one foul while committing none. Defensively, he recorded two tackles, one interception, and a clearance.
Substitutes
F, Tyrese Spicer (53′), 8 — Spicer came on for Tiago, and was another player I could have easily picked for Man of the Match honors. In addition to scoring the game’s only goal and securing the three points for the Lions, he just added a spark. That’s nothing new for Spicer, who usually adds energy coming off the bench, and this time he made it count. He was aggressive and active in offense and defense, and makes an exceptional super-sub. He took one shot on the night, which was of course on target, and passed with 80% accuracy. He attempted two crosses, with one connecting with a teammate. Defensively, he made three tackles and two clearances, and he committed no fouls and suffered none.
D, Adrian Marin (69′), 6.5 — Marin came on for Rhein and did well helping to see the match out. Nashville pressed hard in the later stages and Marin did his part to help keep the clean sheet. He made no offensive contributions, unsurprisingly, but he recorded two tackles and four clearances. He passed at 87.5% on eight passes.
D, Iago (69′), 6 — Iago came on for Brekalo and he filled in well enough, but it was difficult to assign a grade. He did not find himself in position to contribute much to the match, which was not necessarily an issue with him. The game just did not seem to find him in the time he was on the pitch, but he was able to combine with the rest of the back line to keep Nashville’s offensive stars from getting a late chance at an equalizer. He passed at an 88.9% success rate on nine passes and recorded no offensive nor defensive stats with the exception of two long ball attempts, both of which found their mark.
F, Harvey Sarajian (85′), N/A — Sarajian subbed on for Ellis, and even though he was only on for a short time, he was able to get involved in the action. He only had five touches and completed one pass, but he made himself a nuisance to Nashville and contributed to seeing out the match. He made one tackle and committed one foul without suffering one. He wasn’t on long enough to earn a score.
MF, Wilder Cartagena (85′), N/A — Cartagena subbed on for Otávio and made an outsized impact on the match as well, given his limited minutes. He had two clearances and committed a foul without suffering one, and otherwise registered no significant stats, but like Sarajian, he imposed himself on the match and helped clinch the points for the Lions, although he didn’t play long enough to earn a grade.
That’s how I saw the individual performances in a much-needed Orlando win. Let us know how you saw the game in the comments below, and don’t forget to vote for your Man of the Match.
Orlando City
More Spice or Less? Tyrese Spicer as Starter vs. Substitute
Tyrese Spicer’s performances as an OCSC starter and substitute, and how he ranks as against offensive subs in MLS.
Back in 2015, I worked for a company that assigned me to a project for a company in Trinidad & Tobago, and I spent about half a year traveling back and forth from Orlando to Port of Spain, the capital city. I loved everything about my time in Trinidad & Tobago, and while I promise this will move to soccer shortly and not become a travelogue or a food blog, I have to briefly mention my discovery there of a food called “doubles.”
Doubles are often eaten as a breakfast food but are delicious at any time of the day. Much like with cheesesteaks in Philadelphia, there is a language associated with ordering them. A doubles order usually consists of how many you want and how hot you would like them to be. I do not have a high tolerance for heat, so I often ordered mine with “no pepper,” (tell me you are an American without telling me you are an American), but Trinis generally go with at least slight pepper and often medium or heavy pepper.
All of that discussion of Trinidad & Tobago and pepper brings us to a man who comes from the twin islands and literally has spice in his last name — Tyrese Spicer.
Spicy T was the Man of the Match in our player grades from Orlando City’s most recent MLS game after contributing a goal and an assist. He scored his fourth goal of the MLS season, which ranks second on the team behind Martín Ojeda’s 11. Spicer scored that goal after coming off the bench to replace Tiago, and his bench goal was the seventh for the Lions this season, which ties them for the league lead in goals scored by substitutes:
| Team | Substitute Goals | Total Goals* | Substitute Goal % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orlando City | 7 | 30 | 23% |
| Cincinnati | 7 | 44 | 16% |
| Seattle | 6 | 20 | 30% |
| Miami | 6 | 44 | 14% |
| Portland | 5 | 32 | 16% |
| Dallas | 5 | 31 | 16% |
| St. Louis | 5 | 23 | 22% |
| Nashville | 5 | 35 | 14% |
*Excludes opposition own goals
All four of Spicer’s goals in MLS play have come as a substitute, and he is tied for the league lead with Cincinnati’s Tom Barlow in that category:
| Player | Team | Substitute Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Tyrese Spicer | Orlando City | 4 |
| Tom Barlow | Cincinnati | 4 |
| Christian Ramirez | Austin | 3 |
| Samuel Sarver | Dallas | 3 |
| Peyton Miller | New England | 3 |
During the entire 2025 MLS season the league leaders in substitute goals scored only four goals off the bench, and Spicer has already reached that tally through Orlando City’s first 18 league games.
Extrapolating those 18 games to the full season would put Spicer on pace for 7.56 goals, and since he has scored all of his goals off the bench, the extrapolation for goals as a substitute would also be for that same amount, which would be the most in MLS since Dejan Joveljić scored eight goals as a substitute for the LA Galaxy in 2022.
A logical question would be: If Spicer is scoring all these goals in limited minutes as a substitute, should Orlando City just make him a starter?
On the surface, it seems like an obvious no.
Put aside the fact that leading scorer Martín Ojeda is out injured but will command a starting spot when he returns, likely at the same left wing position where Spicer usually plays, another fact is that since joining Orlando City in August of 2025, Spicer has played demonstrably better off the bench than as a starter across all competitions (data from Opta’s tracking on fbref.com):
| Role | Minutes Played | Goals | Primary Assists | Goal Contributions per 90 mins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | 457 | 2 | 0 | 0.39 |
| Subtitute | 557 | 5 | 4 | 1.45 |
In recent years, Orlando City has benefitted from “supersubs,” as Spicer’s four goals thus far in 2026 marks the fourth consecutive season in which a Lion has scored at least four goals in a season as a substitute. Duncan McGuire started the trend with five in 2023 and added four in 2024. Ramiro Enrique followed with four off the bench in 2025 (and likely would have scored more that had he not transferred in August; I really wish he had stayed. Sigh.), and now Spicer has four in 2026 with many games still to play. McGuire’s five in 2023 is the joint club record with Júlio Baptista, as The Beast lived up to that moniker when coming off the bench in 2016, but Spicer is hot on their heels.
Some players simply perform better off the bench, and Spicer, at least so far, seems to be in that Manu Ginóbili mold of a player with starter-level talent that is better at finishing games than starting them.
Orlando City General Manager and Sporting Director Ricardo Moreira noted this when the club acquired Spicer from Toronto, saying that the Trinidad & Tobago international player would “bring additional depth and energy” and that “his relentless work rate and ability to stretch the field will give us a much-needed boost and add another dimension to our attack moving forward.”
Spicer’s boosts off the bench have led to two game-winning goals this season, the fourth in the amazing 4-3 comeback victory over Inter Miami in May and the only goal in the 1-0 home victory over Nashville at the end of July.
August is a packed month for Orlando City, with at least eight games on the calendar and possibly nine, depending on how the Lions do in Leagues Cup. We’ll see throughout the rest of August (this article was written before the Leagues Cup game against CF Monterrey, which had Spicer in the starting lineup) if Martín Perelman is locked in to using Spicer as a supersub or gives him additional chances as a starter, as there will need to be some rotation with games every three to four days.
The numbers say that Perelman should keep looking for someone to hold down the left wing for the first portion of the game and bring in Spicer to close, but Orlando City’s poor play on the left side of the field in the first half helped dig a hole it could not climb out of against the Red Bulls, and this is a critical part of the season, so getting positive results is of paramount importance.
I’m looking forward to finding out if Perelman makes the call to go from no pepper to Spicy T as a frequent left wing starter, at least until Ojeda returns. The numbers are against it, as am I, but we shall see what Perelman orders.
Vamos Orlando!
Orlando City
Pasalic Remains in Purple
Marco Pasalic is staying. What does that mean for Orlando City’s season?
At least for the moment, it seems the Marco Pasalic to Hull City transfer is a bust. With the Croatian back in the mix for Orlando City, the team will have two of three Designated Players available. Unfortunately, we’re still waiting for Martin Ojeda to make it back from his injury. In the meantime, the return of the left-footed, Croatian rocket launcher is a good thing, right? Let’s take a look at the arguments for and against, and how it affects the rest of the squad.
More Firepower
Pasalic has the potential to contribute a significant number of goals for Orlando City. We haven’t seen what he can do when on the pitch with Antoine Griezmann, who can create space for Pasalic on the right side of the box. Griezmann can drag defenders to the left, allowing Pasalic more of an opening to unleash his signature top-of-the-box shot. Griezmann or Justin Ellis will be able to provide slick, no-look passes to a hopefully wide-open Pasalic.
Additionally, if Pasalic regains his form, the threat he poses will allow the left side of the attack some more space to move. There’s also the Daryl Dike factor. Once the big man is fully integrated back into the attack, there is a veritable smorgasbord of attacking options for an attack-oriented Martin Perelman to employ. He does seem to have an “all gas, no brakes, who needs defense” approach to tactics. Obviously, that is hyperbole, but not by much.
All of this is contingent on Pasalic resetting his mindset to give 100% to Orlando City. As a professional, I expect he will believe he is going to do so, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy, given he obviously wanted to make a move back to Europe. Recommitting to a team you thought you were leaving is never easy, no matter what anyone says.
Defensive Implications
If Orlando City had sold Pasalic, there would have been an infusion of cash available to help build the roster. I think it unlikely that a new Designated Player could be signed before the secondary window closes. That kind of money could be used on a decent left back, another veteran center back, or help in the defensive midfield. Maybe even all of the above.
Now, the money is tied up and the defense still has so many challenges. I don’t think Pasalic’s offensive production will be able to overcome the goals the defense will give up the rest of the season. Not losing a Designated Player at this point of the season is generally a good thing, especially with Ojeda being injured, though I’m not convinced things are actually better with Pasalic staying. Of course, even if he had been sold, there’s no guarantee that Ricardo Moreira would reinforce the defense in the transfer window.
I’m hopeful that Pasalic rededicates himself to Orlando City and starts to produce some goals for the Lions, because given this defense, the team will need as many goals as possible. Let us know your thoughts on how Pasalic staying plays out. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 8/6/26
Orlando City beats Monterrey, Marco Pasalic reportedly staying in Orlando, Zambia ousted from Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, and more.
It’s Thursday, which means we’re celebrating an Orlando City victory. The Lions have been midweek monsters this season and it’s been a nice boost of energy to get through the week. If any of you are performing some sort of ritual on Wednesday nights, please keep it up. Let’s get to the big win and more in today’s links!
Orlando City Beats Monterrey in Leagues Cup
After a lengthy weather delay, Orlando City beat Monterrey 2-1 at home in its first match of this year’s Leagues Cup. The video review system was put through its paces in this match, overturning a Monterrey goal, a Monterrey red card, and a penalty on Orlando’s Robin Jansson in separate instances. Be sure to check out our recap of the win, which included a nice performance from Tyrese Spicer as a starter and the return of Daryl Dike off the bench. The Lions will be back in action on Saturday against Club Leon before wrapping up this phase of the tournament on Wednesday against San Luis.
Marco Pasalic Reportedly Staying in Orlando
There’s been buzz this summer regarding Marco Pasalic being transferred form Orlando City to Hull City, but the move is reportedly not going to happen according to Croatian sports newspaper Sportske Novosti.
Pasalic had 12 goals and five assists in his first MLS season last year after joining Orlando from HNK Rijeka. While the 25-year-old hasn’t quite had the same impact so far this season, he did play for Croatia in this summer’s World Cup and could benefit from the addition of Antoine Griezmann to the offense. Pasalic came off the bench for a late cameo on Wednesday to help see out the win over Monterrey.
Zambia Eliminated From WAFCON Despite Win
Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda scored in Zambia’s 2-1 win against Malawi in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, but it wasn’t enough for Zambia to avoid elimination. Zambia, Malawi, and Nigeria all finished with six points in the group stage, but Zambia was ousted due to the third tiebreaker of goals scored in matches between the three. It’s a rough way to go out for Zambia, which finished with the best overall goal differential in the group. As a result, Zambia will not take part in the 2027 Women’s World Cup. Banda finished the tournament with five goals and will return to a Pride team in desperate need of help on offense.
U.S. Qualifies for 2027 U-20 Men’s World Cup
The United States U-19 Men’s National Team beat Guatemala 3-1 to advance to the semifinals of the Concacaf U-20 Men’s Championship, qualifying for the 2027 U-20 World Cup and 2027 Pan American Games in the process. Guatemala struck first, but the U.S. found an equalizer right before halftime and went on to win the game with a pair of goals in the second half. Orlando City midfielder Colin Guske was a starter in the match as well. The U.S. will take on Costa Rica in the semifinals Friday at the Azteca.
FIFA Backs Gianni Infantino as Pressure Rises
As the soccer world reacts to FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s failed scheme to sell stakes in the World Cup, FIFA reaffirmed its support for him at a crisis meeting in Morocco over his presidency. There have been many calls for reform due to Infantino’s actions, with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stating he does not have confidence in him and Portuguese legend Luis Figo calling for him to step down. FIFA also denied a report that Infantino offered Morocco hosting for the 2030 World Cup final in exchange for support.
Free Kicks
- Former Lion Nico Lodeiro announced his retirement from professional soccer and Orlando City General Manager and Sporting Director Ricardo Moreira wished him the best with one of his highlights as a Lion.
- The Columbus Crew added Chilean forward Gonzalo Tapia on loan from Sao Paulo through the 2027 MLS sprint season.
- Eva Olid was announced as the next head coach of Manchester United’s women’s soccer team, replacing former Pride head coach Marc Skinner. She has spent the past five years with Hearts and won the Scottish Women’s Premier League title last season.
- Wrexham signed midfielder Ben Whiteman, who has 200 EFL Championship appearances under his belt and was Preston North End’s captain.
- Mo Salah arrived in Istanbul as it appears he will sign with Trabzonspor after nine seasons with Liverpool. Does this make the Turkish Super Lig a retirement league or does that label only apply when it’s about MLS?
That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!
More Spice or Less? Tyrese Spicer as Starter vs. Substitute
Pasalic Remains in Purple
Lion Links: 8/6/26
Orlando City vs. Monterrey, Leagues Cup: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Player Grades and Man of the Match
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