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Intelligence Report: Orlando City vs. New England Revolution

Get up to speed on this year’s Revolution side, courtesy of someone who knows them best.

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3 weeks ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City crashed out of the U.S. Open Cup in rather timid fashion on Wednesday, but we have no time to dwell on that. There are nine matches left in the regular season, and it is imperative for the Lions to keep picking up points at a good clip if they want to remain above the playoff line. They’ll have their work cut out for them on Saturday, as the team travels up to Gillette Stadium to take on the New England Revolution.

A date with the Revs means I caught up with Jake Catanese, one of the writers over at The Blazing Musket. As always, he did an outstanding job at helping bring us up to speed on New England, and I also answered some of his questions about Orlando City, which you can find over at their place.

This is Marko Mitrovic’s first year in charge of the Revs. How does he want this team to play?

Jake Catanese: So, I think the Revs are still figuring this part out due to a rotating list of injuries they’ve dealt with at times this year. But the simplest answer is New England wants to be balanced and I think beat you on overloads. They want to figure out ways to get someone in behind, get multiple runners into one area on a cross, or figure out some way to get the defense to react to something. New England has long struggled with breaking down opponents who are in a set defensive formation and have like eight or nine guys behind the ball, even the creative maestro that is Carles Gil. Five years ago, we saw the best version of the Revs in a Shield-winning team that could punish you in so many ways on the counter with Gustavo Bou and Tajon Buchanan and operate in a “half-court” offense with Adam Buksa as a target man to aim for. This New England team isn’t at that level, but it’s the most versatile and dangerous team the Revs have had since that squad.

Talk me through the Revolution’s transfer business this year. Who has gone out the door, and who’s come in to replace those guys?

JC: The big moves into the team are Jack Harrison and Daniel Gazdag. Harrison was a much-needed upgrade as injuries to Luca Langoni and a rotation of options playing opposite him were doing well but not having the same impact as a Designated Player-level winger. The addition of Gazdag is the most interesting because right now he’s looking at a super sub role, but given the Revs are still shorthanded up top, there’s going to be a ton of opportunity for him to add on to that game winner he had last week. It’s a great foundation that Chris Tierney and Mitrovic have really established so far.

The big move out was center back Brayan Ceballos being traded to Montreal. This was very much a personal thing, as there were issues getting visas for his family to join him stateside. With Ethan Kohler having a breakout year, the Revs did the Colombian defender a solid. While we’re all a little bummed, since he was a really solid player for the Revs last year, I’m very happy New England was able to work that situation out, even though it probably wasn’t planned and definitely could have hurt the Revs short term. Young center backs Joshua Wynder (Benfica) and Tylon Smith (QPR) were brought in on loan to bolster the back line as well.

New England’s defensive play has been a strength this year, with just 31 goals given up in 25 games. What’s made the Revs so tough to score on?

JC: There are two major reasons for this. First, Matt Turner is back to “I am the best shot stopper in the league” level of play, and his analytics are insane. Also in reference to that tweet, the LOL moment of Turner and Djordje Petrovic occupying the Top 5 almost by themselves is just absurd. Now, the Revs still give up like one or two big chances a game too many at times…and while Turner is good to maybe bail you out once, there’s only so many chances you can give up from close range before you concede. We maintain Matt Turner should have started at the World Cup.

That being said, the second reason is thanks to the Revs’ change in style of play, they aren’t getting punished for mistakes, because those turnovers aren’t happening in their own half. Caleb Porter and the Revs spent so much time keeping the ball in their own half that they gave up a lot of chances off turnovers. This Revs team doesn’t have that problem, because they’re progressing the ball with a purpose and generally have more time to recover if and when they do something stupid. Yes, I still think the Revs are a little vulnerable in the air and on set pieces, but it’s not as bad as it was in previous years.

Individually, we mentioned Ethan Kohler’s breakout into the starting lineup and he’s been tremendous since the World Cup break, but Will Sands has spent the bulk of the year as the Revs’ starting left back and has also done really well. I think the Revs’ best lineup eventually has Peyton Miller and Ilay Feingold as the starting fullbacks, but if you’re going to get solid games from Sands and Matt Polster at right back on a regular basis, then you’re doing just fine and it shows up in the fact the Revs are giving up just over a goal a game, which I think is second in the East behind only the brick wall that is Nashville.

Will any players be unavailable due to injury, suspension, etc.? What is your projected starting lineup and score prediction?

JC: Ah, the bad news for the week dropped already, and that is the Revs will be without both Jack Harrison and Alhassan Yusuf for about six weeks, as they both picked up injuries at Citi Field against New York City FC recently. Eventually, Peyton Miller and Brooklyn Raines will join up with the USMNT, and Dor Turgeman and Ilay Feingold with Israel, so the Revs are going to have a really interesting week coming up in their near future for reasons only the schedule makers can justify. Last week against Chicago, the Revs deployed Gazdag at wing, Jackson Yueill at central defensive midfielder, and Matt Polster at right back, but if Feingold is healthy enough for an international call-up, he should be healthy enough to start, and I think that drops Polster to the bench.

4-2-3-1: Matt Turner; Will Sands, Mamadou Fofana, Ethan Kohler, Ilay Feingold; Brooklyn Raines, Jackson Yueill; Peyton Miller, Carles Gil, Daniel Gazdag; Dor Turgeman.

Some extra names to pay attention to off the bench are striker Wilson Harris and winger Luca Langoni. Harris was another one of the under-the-radar signings this summer and has been really solid late in games. Langoni has also missed a bunch of time and is working back to full fitness and is probably in line to get some starts before the year is up as well. New England going up against an improved but still very porous defense, I think they take this 3-1 at home off the confidence of two big road wins last week.

Thank you to Jake for the fantastic primer on the Revs. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/7/26

Orlando City players on international duty, the Pride hire some coaches, the USMNT defeats Canada, and more.

Published

10 hours ago

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October 7, 2026

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Image of Justin Ellis playing the ball against Charlotte.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. What an international break it was for the USMNT, going undefeated in four matches by defeating Peru, Chile, Mexico, and Canada. The Yanks outscored their opponents 12-3 across the four matches, with Orlando City’s Justin Ellis scoring two goals in his two starts. There’s plenty to digest today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Players on International Duty

Several Orlando City players were on international duty on Tuesday, including Ellis for the USMNT. He scored a goal against Canada (see below) but also picked up a knock that saw him limping for all too long and forcing him off at halftime. Hopefully, he will be able to go this weekend for Orlando City. Marco Pasalic did not get any minutes for Croatia in the team’s 2-1 loss to Spain. Meanwhile, David Brekalo got the start and played the entire match for Slovenia in a 2-1 win over Scotland.

Orlando Pride Add to Coaching Staff

The Orlando Pride hired Mykell Bates and Lewis Amos as assistant coaches and Brian Periman as goalkeeper coach. The trio joins interim head coach Yolanda Thomas’s coaching staff, and the timing of these hires is interesting, given there are only three matches remaining in the season and there’s been no indication that the interim tag is being removed from Thomas. These hirings raise a lot of questions, like, are these short term signings through the end of the season? If not, do they indicate Thomas will be given the permanent position, or are have they been hired knowing there is another head coaching announcement coming?

USMNT Defeats Canada

If you thought a match between the U.S. and Canada wouldn’t be very Concacaf-y, you’d be wrong. So many non-calls, lots of chippiness, and a few injuries proved otherwise. Fortunately, the USMNT was able to see out a 1-0 victory following a goal from Orlando City’s Ellis that gave the Yanks the lead in the 29th minute.

Oh, what could have been if Alex Freeman stayed in Orlando. The win capped a successful run for the start of Maurcio Pochettino’s new contract. We also saw a ton of younger players across the four matches, including three appearances from Ellis.

USWNT to Face Spain

The USMNT is done for the moment, but now we get to see how the USWNT does in a pair of friendlies against reigning FIFA Women’s World Cup champion Spain. NWSL Golden Boot leader Ashley Sanchez is getting back up to speed with the team after she was called up for the pair of friendlies. As was previously reported, Naomi Girma is out due to injury, but Emma Hayes intends to work with Chelsea to manage her recovery. A new camp means opportunities for different players, so which players’ stock is up or down?

Free Kicks

That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the Orlando City match on Saturday. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/6/26

International call-ups for Pride players, scouting report on Canada, roster changes for the USWNT, and more.

Published

1 day ago

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October 6, 2026

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Image of Solai Washington attacking against Chicago.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Justin Glatt

Good morning, everyone. The end of the men’s international break is almost upon us, but the women’s break will immediately follow. That means that Orlando City will return to play on Saturday, while the Orlando Pride will have some time off before their next game. We’ve got plenty to talk about this morning, so let’s get into the links.

Orlando Pride International Call-Ups

Three more Orlando Pride players have been called to represent their nations during the October international window, joining Oihane, who will be with Spain for its matches against the USWNT. First up is Barbra Banda, who will represent Zambia in the team’s Olympic qualifying games against Uganda.

Then there’s Jacquie Ovalle and Solai Washington, who will be facing off against each other in back-to-back games. Ovalle has been called up for Mexico, while Washington will represent Jamaica.

At the U-23 level, Ally Lemos will be with the U.S. and Sanne Lekven will be with Norway during this window.

Scouting Canada

The United States Men’s National Team will play its final game of the October international window when it takes on Canada tonight in Saint Paul, MN. Jesse Marsch’s current roster has a number of notable absences, including Alphonso Davies, Jayden Nelson, Alistair Johnson, and Ismael Kone; while Derek Cornelius, Jeevan Badwal, and Alfie Jones left the team during the break because of injuries. Canada typically sets up in a 4-4-2 and will employ a high press paired with a vertical style of play that aims to win the ball and then quickly get it forward to the team’s dangerous attackers. Jonathan David and Tany Oluwaseyi provide that danger up front, while Stephen Eustaquio runs things in the middle, and Richie Laryea provides danger up and down the left flank.

United States Women’s National Team Roster Tweaks

The United States Women’s National Team has made a pair of changes to the squad that will take on Spain in a pair of friendlies this month. Utah Royals defender Kate Del Fava has been named as the replacement for the injured Naomi Girma, after it was announced last week that the center back would be unavailable for this window. Del Fava was going to be one of the overage players at the USWNT U-23 training camp also taking place this month, but now has an opportunity to make her first appearance for the senior side. Additionally, midfielder Jaelin Howell will replace Sam Coffey, after the latter was injured during Manchester City’s win over the weekend. Howell has made six appearances for the USWNT, with the most recent one coming in a 2-0 victory over Italy during the team’s final game of 2025.

UEFA Nations League Roundup

Monday marked the penultimate round of UEFA Nations League play during the current international window, and we were treated to some doozies. The highlight of the day was a five-goal thriller that saw France score four goals in the final 15 minutes to overturn a one goal deficit and beat Belgium 4-1 at the Stade de France. Italy knocked off Turkiye 3-1 to climb to second place in Group A1, while the result sees Turkiye remain winless and anchored to the bottom of the table. Finally, Ukraine looked to have rescued a point with Roman Yaremchuk’s 83rd-minute goal, only for Mark Csinger to bag a winner for Hungary just two minutes later. The 2-1 result means Hungary is second in Group B2 with seven points, while Ukraine is third with four points.

Free Kicks

  • The Pride dropped three spots to no.13 in ESPN.com’s NWSL power rankings.
  • Alex Freeman flexed his pipes and sang Happy Birthday to USMNT coach Jesus Perez during Monday’s training session.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/5/26

Pride fall to San Diego Wave, Tyrese Spicer has successful foot surgery, USMNT beats Mexico, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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October 5, 2026

By

Image of Haley McCutcheon wearing a protective mask on her face playing against San Diego.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Justin Glatt

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been busy at work covering high school soccer and flag football throughout the week. We only had the Pride in action over the weekend, but we’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Pride Fall to San Diego Wave at Home

The Orlando Pride fell 2-1 to the San Diego Wave on Friday at Inter.co Stadium in the latest in a series of games that they had to have. Orlando trailed 2-0 in the first half, conceding twice on defensive errors. In the second half, Barbra Banda pulled the Pride within one after she buried a penalty kick that she won herself. However, it wasn’t enough, as Orlando couldn’t find a late equalizer and San Diego took all three points. The Pride are off this weekend due to the international break but will return to action on Oct. 18 to face the Houston Dash on the road.

Tyrese Spicer Has Successful Foot Surgery

Orlando City forward Tyrese Spicer underwent successful foot surgery to repair a Jones fracture in his right foot, the club announced on Friday. Spicer had suffered the injury while away on international duty with Trinidad & Tobago in a Concacaf Nations League match against Haiti on Sept. 24. We at The Mane Land wish Spicer a speedy recovery, but his 2026 MLS season is likely over.

USMNT Shuts Out Mexico in Friendly

The U.S. Men’s National Team defeated Mexico 3-0 on Saturday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ. Orlando City forward Justin Ellis came off the bench to make his second USMNT appearance in the second half, playing 25 minutes. Former Lion Alex Freeman started and played 90 minutes. Julian Hall scored the opener in the first half for the Yanks. In the second half, Cavan Sullivan doubled the Americans’ lead to become the USMNT’s youngest scorer in team history just four days after Mathis Albert set that mark with his goal against Chile on Tuesday. Malik Tillman added the final goal as the Yanks have won three consecutive matches during the international break. The USMNT will close out this round of friendlies on Tuesday, taking on Canada at Allianz Field in Saint Paul, MN.

Other Lions on International Duty

Multiple Orlando City players represented their national teams over the weekend during the international break. Forward Marco Pasalic was on the bench but did not play for Croatia in a 7-0 defeat to England in a UEFA Nations League match on Saturday. Croatia will face Spain on Tuesday. Lions defender David Brekalo was on the bench but came on after halftime and played 45 minutes for Slovenia in a 2-1 defeat to Switzerland in the UEFA Nations League. Slovenia will take on Scotland on Tuesday. Midfielder Wilder Cartagena started and played 45 minutes for Peru, while former Lion Yoshimar Yotun was also in action in a 2-0 loss to Canada in a friendly. Peru will play Colombia on Tuesday in another friendly match.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City forward Yutaro Tsukada, who is on loan at Rhode Island FC, notched another assist over the weekend in a 3-1 win against Brooklyn FC in the USL Championship.
  • Check out this piece on the Orlando City website featuring Head of Player Care Pedro Cox and Team Administrator Danny Quesada, who help welcome new players and their families, get acquainted with the club, ensure their needs are met, and thrive off the field.
  • The Lions were at Osceola Heritage Park on Saturday and spent time with the Orlando City U-12 squad during training.

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

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