Orlando City
Justin Ellis Showing Another Side of His Game
Justin Ellis has emerged as one of Orlando City’s most promising attacking players, and now he’s showing his versatility by thriving on the right.
Justin Ellis has quickly established himself as one of Orlando City’s most promising young attacking players. Now, as he continues to develop, the 19-year-old is showing that his value extends beyond what he can do with the ball at his feet.
Ellis has spent much of his young career playing in central midfield or higher up the field, where his creativity and attacking instincts have made him an exciting part of Orlando City’s future. But over the last two games, he’s taken on a different challenge, moving to the right side and showing a willingness to adapt to what the team needs.
The position is new for Ellis, and it comes with considerably more defensive responsibility. Yet, instead of simply adjusting to a different spot on the field, he’s beginning to show that the move could help him become a more complete player.
“Obviously, this is a new position for me,” Ellis said after Orlando City’s 1-0 victory over San Diego FC. “Last game was the first time I played this new role, off the right a little bit. It’s so much more defending than centrally.”
For a young player who has made his biggest impact by creating and attacking, the change represents a significant adjustment. But Ellis has embraced it, even if the right side isn’t necessarily where he’d prefer to play.
“Do I prefer it? No,” Ellis said. “But will I do it? Yes.”
That willingness has allowed Ellis to remain an important part of Orlando’s attack while also taking on responsibilities that could prove valuable to his long-term development.
Ellis’ move to the right hasn’t come because Orlando suddenly stopped believing in what he could do centrally. Instead, it’s primarily the result of the Lions having more attacking options available.
Earlier in the season, Ellis benefited from circumstances that opened up opportunities in the center. Martin Ojeda was dealing with an injury, Marco Pašalić was slow to return from the World Cup amid Hull City transfer reports, and Daryl Dike was still building his fitness. That gave Ellis more opportunities to play centrally and higher up the field. The addition of Antoine Griezmann further cluttered the attack.
Ellis knew those opportunities would eventually become more difficult to come by as Orlando’s attacking group strengthened.
“I had a feeling that this was going to come at some point in the season, because we’re bringing in great players up top,” Ellis said. “I think I was lucky to have that much time in the central position because Tincho (Ojeda) was injured and then Daryl was just building his fitness. But I knew at some point.”
Rather than viewing the move as losing a role, Ellis has approached it as another opportunity to contribute. And that flexibility could become increasingly important for Orlando.
The Lions have a deep collection of attacking options, giving head coach Martin Perelman a number of players capable of influencing the game in different ways. For Ellis, being able to operate in more than one position gives him another avenue to get on the field and another way to help the team.
But playing on the right has also forced him to expand his responsibilities. The biggest difference for Ellis has been what happens when Orlando doesn’t have the ball. Playing centrally allowed him to concentrate more on finding space and influencing the attack. On the right, he has to think about the players around him and the defensive structure.
“I have to help out Griffin (Dorsey) and we’re always talking,” Ellis said.
That communication has become an important part of the adjustment. Ellis said he, Dorsey, Joran Gerbet, and David Brekalo, along with the other players on the right side, have spent time at training developing an understanding of their responsibilities.
“It’s just communication. It’s also me willing to sacrifice as well,” Ellis said. “I think me, Grif, Joran, David, our whole right side on defense, we talk a lot at training, we all know our job.”
For Ellis, that sacrifice means doing more of the work that doesn’t necessarily show up in the statistics. He has to defend wider areas, help teammates behind him, recognize when to stay with his assignment, and when to provide support elsewhere.
It’s a different side of the game for a player whose natural instincts are often geared toward getting forward. But it’s also the part of his game that Perelman believes is developing the most.
“I think the biggest change for Justin is defensively,” Perelman said Saturday night. “I think for him, the biggest change, and where he is improving and developing the most, is on the defensive side.”
That makes Ellis’ move to the right about more than simply finding a place for him in the lineup. It’s giving him an opportunity to develop an area of his game that could make his already impressive attacking ability even more valuable.
Perelman said there isn’t much that needs to be changed about Ellis’ attacking instincts. The coach sees something unique in the teenager’s ability with the ball.
“Offensively, I don’t think there is a coach who can help Justin,” Perelman said. “He’s so talented and so unique.”
Instead, Orlando’s focus is on helping Ellis learn how to combine those natural attacking abilities with the other aspects of his game.
That includes learning from the experienced players now surrounding him in the attack. Griezmann, Ojeda, Dike, Pašalić, Tyrese Spicer, and Iván Angulo are among the options Orlando can put in front of Ellis, giving the young player an opportunity to learn alongside established attackers.
Perelman said Ellis can continue developing his own game while learning how to connect with those players.
“We try to help him there, but again, I think he’s working defensively,” Perelman said.
That work was particularly noticeable to Perelman against San Diego. Despite the fact that Ellis’ attacking talent is what initially made him stand out, his manager was most impressed by what he did defensively.
“I think what I like most from him now is how he is defending,” Perelman said. “His defensive game today, for me, was amazing.”
That’s significant praise for Ellis, particularly because defensive play hasn’t traditionally been the first thing associated with his game. But it’s also exactly why Perelman believes the new role can be beneficial.
“I think this is important for him because he’s completing his profile as a player,” Perelman said.
At just 19 years old, Ellis still has plenty of time to determine exactly what kind of player he will become. His attacking ability has already made him one of the most intriguing young players on Orlando’s roster. Now he’s learning how to contribute in other ways.
The challenge now for Perelman and the Orlando City coaching staff is making sure that Ellis’ development doesn’t come at the expense of the qualities that make him special.
Moving to the right means Ellis is often receiving the ball in different areas and playing deeper than he did centrally. But once he gets possession, Perelman still wants him to trust his instincts.
The key is having the freedom to make decisions once he has the ball.
“On the ball is different,” Ellis said. “I’m playing a lot deeper. But I don’t mind it. As long as the coach gives me freedom. Once I have the ball, he tells me, just play your game. I’m not going to tell you what to do when you have the ball.”
That balance has allowed Ellis to embrace the defensive demands of the position without feeling as though he has to become a completely different player. He can be disciplined without the ball and creative with it. He can sacrifice for the players around him and still look for opportunities to attack.
And he can play somewhere that isn’t necessarily his preferred position while continuing to develop the qualities that have made him such an exciting young player. That versatility could prove increasingly valuable as Orlando’s roster continues to take shape.
Ellis doesn’t necessarily need to become a permanent right-sided player. The value of these last two matches may ultimately be less about where he plays and more about what he learns from playing there.
For a young attacking player, learning to defend is part of becoming a more complete player. For Orlando City, discovering that Ellis can do it could give the club another option and another dimension to a player who already has plenty of attacking ones.
“Being an ’07 with that quality, and if he is going to defend like that, then the future is bright for him,” Perelman said.
Ellis may not prefer playing on the right. But he understands that being willing to do it can make him a better player. And after two matches in his new role, he’s already showing that his future may be about much more than what he can do in the middle of the field.
Orlando City
Orlando City vs. San Diego FC: Player Grades and Man of the Match
How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s 1-0 home win against San Diego FC?
Orlando City’s match against San Diego FC at Inter.co Stadium was the first-ever meeting between the two clubs, and the Lions made sure the inaugural meeting went their way. The Lions ground out a 1-0 win, built around Antoine Griezmann’s 28th-minute goal, and an organized, resilient defensive team effort. San Diego wasn’t clinical by any means, but it is a dangerous team and has been in good form of late. In any case, for Orlando’s defense — the second most porous in MLS this season — a 1-0 win with a clean sheet attached is a welcome result, and the visitors didn’t create much danger (0.47 expected goals) thanks to a complete team effort defensively.
Let’s take a look at how Orlando City’s players rated in their matchup against San Diego FC.
Starters
GK, Maxime Crepeau, 6 — San Diego didn’t test Crépeau much, but he did what he needed to do when he was called on, making two saves and keeping a rare clean sheet. The night’s biggest moment came in the 22nd minute, palming a close-range Anders Dreyer shot over the end line. He also closed down Dreyer well in the 38th (even though the play was offside anyway), and bravely stood his ground under pressure to disrupt a ball into the box and draw a foul in the 97th. He completed 76.2% of his passes and connected on six of 16 long-ball attempts. Crepeau did it all after losing his father earlier in the week. The stadium held a moment of silence for the keeper, and the Lions all wore black armbands in honor.
D, Bernardo Rhein, 6 — Cleared to start after a recent thigh issue, Rhein had a quiet, competent, 51 minutes before Martín Ojeda replaced him. His only real blemish was a poor pass out of a dangerous area in the 12th minute — outside of that, there’s not much else to report in either direction, which is good, considering the teenager was tasked with keeping tabs on Dreyer. He completed 91.3% of his passes and added a clearance and a long ball that didn’t find a mark.
D, Robin Jansson, 6.5 — The captain had a solid night, along with the rest of the back line, but also contributed offensively, bypassing the San Diego defense with a great ball over the top in the 28th minute that started the move for Griezmann’s goal. He showed presence of mind, staying composed under pressure, helping to play out from the back, shielding the ball and winning a foul, with Elias Achouri draped all over him in the 64th minute. Jansson marshalled the back line that kept San Diego from threatening Crepeau most of the night. He completed 92.7% of his passes, found a teammate on three of six long balls, and finished with three clearances.
D, David Brekalo, 6.5 — Brekalo had a good night for the Lions. He made a great sliding tackle in the 46th minute and had a good read on a cross from Oscar Verhoeven in the 57th that he intercepted. Brekalo led the team with 84 touches, completed 93.5% of his passes, and finished with four clearances, a tackle, and a key pass.
D, Griffin Dorsey, 6.5 — Dorsey was involved early and often — he attempted a cross that didn’t find a teammate in the 14th minute, made a good defensive stop two minutes later, made a nice progressive carry through midfield in the 18th, had another good attacking run and cross in the 23rd, and a smart defensive stop just outside the box in the 32nd. He was a little bit quieter in the second half, but that appeared to have more to do with substitutions changing his role than anything on Dorsey’s part. The biggest issue he had was in the attacking third, where he got forward but struggled to pick out the right pass or deliver the final ball with accuracy. He completed 85.7% of his total passes, put up a team-high five tackles, and added three clearances. Offensively he took one off-target shot, and connected on one of four long ball attempts.
MF, Ivan Angulo, 5.5 — Angulo was a little quiet for most of the first half but got more involved after the break, helping snuff out a promising San Diego counter in the 55th minute, showing a slightly loose touch before recovering well 12 minutes later, and giving the ball away in a dangerous area again in the 70th minute. His best, and worst, sequence came in the 72nd minute, doing well to get in behind and onto a Martin Ojeda through ball. He took a bit of a heavy touch to round the goalkeeper, which allowed the defense to arrive and bother him so that he got nothing on his shot from point-blank range on an empty net. Kieran Sargeant blocked what should have been the Lions’ second goal at the last second. Angulo closed the second half with excellent defensive work, though, and his usual relentless energy. He completed 92.1% of his passes, connected on one of two crosses, put the aforementioned shot on target, and added an interception. He loses points for missing the sitter and for getting a pointless yellow card for dissent.
MF, Joran Gerbet, 6 — Gerbet was tidy in the defensive midfield role before making way for Wilder Cartagena in the 66th minute. It started early, with the Clemson product winning the ball with a good defensive stab in the fourth minute, fighting to win possession and draw a foul again in the 19th, and showing good composure under pressure in the 36th. His passing was the best on the team at 94.9%, and he chipped in an interception and a clearance defensively, adding an off-target shot on the offensive side of the ball.
MF, Eduard Atuesta, 6 — Aside from a couple of minor giveaways and over-hit attempts to send players in behind, Atuesta had a solid night, before Luis Otávio replaced him in the 75th. He was slow to connect with his teamates resulting in a needless giveaway in the sixth minute but did well to hold the ball under pressure and draw a foul in the 26th. He contributed to some buildup play in tight spaces in the second half as well, something not really showing up in the stats. He was also an integral part of a stout Orlando defense in the middle of the pitch. He misfired on all four of his long-ball attempts and completed 86.7% of his passes, adding a key pass and an interception.
MF, Justin Ellis, 6.5 — The Homegrown Player was one of Orlando’s most involved players all night. He combined well early, finding Dorsey with a good touch in the 14th minute to trigger an attack, and slipping him in behind again in the 23rd. He then helped to deliver the moment of the match in the 28th minute, controlling a pass from Daryl Dike in tight space, before setting up Griezmann’s goal. He kept working after the break — showing excellent footwork under pressure to spark an attack in the 49th, but had a rare lapse in the 51st when he decided not to pass to Dike in the box, choosing instead to try to play through three defenders, and losing possession. Ellis showed his control again though, winning possession, advancing the ball, and this time sending a feed to Dike in the 53rd, which ended in a blocked shot and a corner. He sent a brilliant back-heel to Atuesta in the 59th to help threaten the San Diego box, again ending in a corner. He finished with two shots (both off target), two key passes, one assist, one completed long ball, and he hit on one of three crosses while adding two tackles and an interception and passing with 86.7% accuracy.
F, Daryl Dike, 6.5 — Dike’s best moment came in the buildup to the opening goal, showing great control on Jansson’s long ball before deftly playing it through a defender to Ellis, picking up a secondary assist on Griezmann’s goal in the 28th minute. He also had a decent chance in the box in the 53rd that was blocked and held the ball up well when called on before Tyrese Spicer replaced him in the 66th minute. He took two shots (both off target), completed five of his eight passes for 62.5% accuracy, chipped in a key pass, missed on his one long ball attempt, and contributed a tackle, an interception, and a clearance on the defensive side.
F, Antoine Griezmann, 7.5 (MotM) — Griezmann scored the only goal of the match in the 28th minute, and was Orlando’s string puller throughout the night. He drove toward the box from the right for an early shot in the seventh minute. All three of his shots on the night were on target. He was just as involved without the ball, winning it back with smart defensive interventions in the 31st, 58th, 83rd, and 86th minutes, and he nearly turned provider himself with a ball in behind for Ojeda in the 64th that was just slightly overhit. He completed 78.4% of his passes, chipped in a key pass, connected on two of his seven crosses, and added three tackles and a clearance at the other end.
Substitutes
MF, Martín Ojeda (51′), 5.5 — On for Rhein and making his first appearance at home since May, Ojeda’s best moment came in the 59th minute with a good buildup sequence and a shot on goal. An overcooked pass to a charging Ellis in the box in the 67th minute and another loose touch in the 86th kept him from contributing more. Still working his way back to full sharpness after a long injury layoff, he completed 66.7% of his passes and had two key passes, a missed cross attempt, and three incomplete long-ball attempts to his name with no defensive stats to speak of.
MF, Wilder Cartagena (66′), 6.5 — Cartagena made an immediate defensive impact after replacing Gerbet, with a great sliding tackle to snuff out a cutback in the box in the 71st minute and another good tackle just outside Orlando’s box in the ninth minute of stoppage time that the referee controversially whistled as a foul. He nearly scored in the 88th minute, pinging the ball off the crossbar, for it to bounce off of Manu Duah and the goal line, but the spin took it away from goal. He completed 92.9% of his passes, added an interception, contributed a key pass, and connected on one cross and one long ball.
F, Tyrese Spicer (66′), 6 — On for Dike, Spicer’s best sequence came in the 87th, getting past the San Diego defense and cutting the ball back for Griezmann, whose shot from a tight angle was saved by the goalkeeper and knocked out for a corner. He took one shot, although it was not on target, and had no other offensive or defensive stats to speak of. He passed at 66.7% accuracy. As usual, he made his presence felt through buildup play and high energy.
MF, Marco Pasalic (75′), 6 — Pasalic’s short cameo after coming on for Ellis was tidy if unspectacular. He did well to fight for posession throughout his time on the pitch. He shepherded the ball out of bounds under pressure and suffered fouls to keep Orlando in control. He blocked a shot, completed all four of his passes, and took two off-target shots.
MF, Luis Otávio (75′), 6 — Otávio’s cameo for Atuesta was brief but positive. He calmly played out from the back and found Griezmann with a good pass through the middle in the 82nd minute, then read the game well enough to make a smart tactical foul to stop an attack in the 85th minute. He completed 80% of his passes and added a tackle and a clearance defensively.
That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando’s clean sheet 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.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 9/7/26
All of Orlando’s soccer teams win, former Lion Chris Mueller retires, and more.
Hello, Mane Landers, and happy Labor Day! I hope you’re all having a good holiday weekend. I’ve been busy at work covering golf, soccer, and football. Our beloved Lions, Pride, and OCB were all in action and picked up wins over the weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.
Lions Shut Out San Diego FC
Orlando City defeated San Diego FC 1-0 on Saturday at Inter.co Stadium. Antoine Griezmann scored the only goal of the match in the first half for the Lions. Goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau made two saves in the match just days after his father passed away as Orlando held on to preserve the clean sheet. The club held a moment of silence for Crepeau’s father before kickoff, and the players wore black armbands. Orlando City will be on the road to face Atlanta United on Wednesday, followed by a home match on Saturday against Toronto FC.
Orlando Pride Defeat Houston Dash
The Orlando Pride defeated the Houston Dash 3-1 on Sunday at Inter.co Stadium in the first match under interim head coach Yolanda Thomas. After weather delayed kickoff by about 90 minutes, Barbra Banda forced an own goal on Houston defender Leah Klenke to give the Pride the lead. Banda converted from the spot on a penalty Summer Yates won to double Orlando’s lead just before halftime. In the second half, Banda set up Haley McCutcheon’s goal to give the Pride a 3-0 lead. Houston pulled one back, but Orlando took the three points. The Pride will be on the road for their next match on Friday against the Kansas City Current.
OCB Beats Inter Miami II
Orlando City B defeated Inter Miami II 4-1 on Friday at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. Issah Haruna scored the opener for OCB in the first half before Miami equalized. Harvey Sarajian and Gustavo Caraballo scored to give the Young Lions a 3-1 lead going into halftime. In the second half, Ignacio Gomez buried his penalty kick for OCB to seal back-to-back wins. The Young Lions will be home for their next match against Toronto FC II on Sunday at Osceola County Stadium.
Former Lion Chris Mueller Retires
Former Lion and Chicago Fire winger Chris Mueller announced his retirement from professional soccer on Friday. Mueller began his pro soccer career with Orlando City when the club selected him as the sixth overall pick in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft. He scored 22 goals and recorded 20 assists in 126 matches for the Lions and spent four seasons with the club. Mueller’s best season came in 2020, when he scored 10 goals and added seven assists, and he played a key role in leading Orlando to its first MLS Cup playoff appearance. He left Orlando after the 2022 season to play for Scottish Premiership side Hibernian FC before joining the Fire. Mueller was diagnosed with pericarditis in 2025, which limited his minutes as he missed the entire 2025 season and played five matches for Chicago in 2026. We at The Mane Land wish Mueller all the best in his retirement.
Free Kicks
- U.S. Soccer featured Orlando City on its website, recapping the Lions’ run to the semifinals of the 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Orlando City will take on the Columbus Crew on Sept. 16.
- Orlando Pride forward Seven Castain, who is on loan at Dallas Trinity, scored her second goal of the fall season in the USL Super League.
- Telstar goalkeeper Ronald Koeman Jr, who is the son of Netherlands legend Ronald Koeman, scored twice from the spot to help his club salvage a 2-2 draw against Cambuur in the Eredivisie on Sunday.
- Former Leicester City forward Jamie Vardy has reached an agreement to join Burnley in the EFL Championship for the remainder of the season.
- Gio Reyna scored his first goal since joining RC Strasbourg in the summer in a 6-2 win against Troyes in Ligue 1 on Sunday.
- The U.S. Women’s U-20 National Team fell 2-1 to Italy on Sunday in its opening match in the 2026 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Poland. That result was Italy’s first-ever win in the competition, while the U.S. will look to bounce back against Japan on Wednesday.
That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.
Orlando City
Orlando City vs. San Diego FC: Five Takeaways
Here’s what we learned from Orlando City’s 1-0 victory over San Diego FC.
Orlando City defeated San Diego FC 1-0 in the first-ever match between the two clubs at Inter.co Stadium Saturday night on Antoine Griezmann’s goal. Despite a bevy of chances, the Lions were only able to score the one goal. Thankfully, it was enough for Orlando City to earn all three points and to move up to eighth in the Eastern Conference standings.
Here are my five takeaways from the match.
Back-and-Forth First Half
Orlando City and San Diego played similar styles in the first half. It started with the Lions on the front foot, pressuring San Diego’s back line. When it went the other way, Orlando City had to absorb the pressure. It went back and forth through the entire first half with San Diego having the advantage in possession and Orlando City the advantage in shots and shots on target. It felt like either team could get the opening goal. Fortunately, it was Orlando City that struck first.
Grizi Strikes Again
Orlando City struck first (and last, as it turned out) with Antoine Griezmann finishing off a beautiful team goal for Orlando City in the 28th minute. It was his fourth goal in the last three matches. Robin Jansson sent one of his distinctively accurate long balls to Daryl Dike in the right side of the box. Dike turned and quickly laid it off to Justin Ellis, who deftly pushed it forward to the oncoming Griezmann. He took one touch with his left foot to settle it and then took the shot with his right foot, putting it into the bottom left corner of the goal. It is the type of goal that is becoming more common for Orlando City, thanks to the quality Griezmann brings to the attack.
Recovery Defense
San Diego typically enjoys having the ball, and the visitors held 54% of the possession in the match, but it wasn’t enough. Orlando City did a good job of disrupting San Diego in the midfield, and often in San Diego’s half. The Lions were quick to recover whenever the ball was turned over. It was that tenacity that kept San Diego from being able to keep the ball for extended periods of time and limited their opportunities to create chances.
Darn Duah
There were many opportunities that went wanting for the Lions, including Wilder Cartagena’s shot in the 89th minute that hit the crossbar and went straight down but didn’t cross the line for a goal. However, if it wasn’t for San Diego’s Manu Duah, Orlando City may have scored five or more goals. The young defender finished with two tackles, four interceptions, three clearances, and one blocked shot. Even though I know it wasn’t the case, it felt like every one of those interventions came during a potential scoring opportunity for Orlando City. Thankfully, the Lions didn’t need a second goal to take all three points.
A Clean Sheet
Orlando City did just enough on defense to earn the first clean sheet since the 1-0 win over Nashville on July 25. Maxime Crepeau didn’t have too much to do as San Diego only managed seven shots, with only two of those on target, but he kept them all out of the back of the net. It was an emotional night for Crepeau who lost his father Rémi Crepeau earlier in the week. There was a moment of silence for his father before the match, and the team wore black armbands during the match to honor him. I’m always happy when Orlando City manages a clean sheet, but I’m very glad that Crepeau was able to earn one on this night in particular.
That is what I saw in Orlando City’s 1-0 victory over San Diego FC. It was a valuable three points as the club tries to overcome the pre-World Cup hole the Lions dug to start the season. Let us know your thoughts about the San Diego match in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!
Justin Ellis Showing Another Side of His Game
Orlando City vs. San Diego FC: Player Grades and Man of the Match
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