Connect with us

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Portland Timbers: Player Grades and Man of the Match

Published

6 years ago

on

The Cardiac Cats struck again with a dramatic 3-2 win over the Portland Timbers, scoring all three goals in the final 10 minutes. After a strong first half, the team looked dead during the first 35 minutes of the second half before stunning everyone with three goals at the end. Let’s take a look at the individual performances in the game.

Starting XI

GK, Joe Bendik, 6 — Neither of Portland’s goals were the fault of Joe Bendik, but he was saved by the crossbar in the game and once by Jonathan Spector sweeping in behind him to clean up a shot that got through. He only had one bad giveaway when attempting to clear the ball, following a pass back from Lamine Sané, but it was far enough away to avoid any danger. When called upon late, Bendik was strong, coming off his line to collect balls before the attacker could connect. Overall, it was a strong performance from the goalkeeper.

D, Scott Sutter, 5.5 — Scott Sutter defended pretty well throughout the 57 minutes he played. When going forward, he had some nice crosses, something that Orlando City fans have come to expect from the starting right back. His departure shortly into the second half was a bit of a surprise because he was playing decent and was far from the worst Orlando City player on the field.

D, Jonathan Spector, 6 — In his first game back since suffering a concussion in New York two weeks ago, the captain was strong in the back. His shielding of the ball, particularly late in the second half, prevented Portland from extending its lead beyond reach. He also had that goal-line clearance early in the game. Given that it was his first game back, Spector played very well.

D, Lamine Sané, 6 — Like Spector, it was a strong performance by Lamine Sané. In just his second start for the club, and his first alongside Spector, he did well to hold off attackers and was quick to get back when pushing forward. A notable play followed a poor ball by Yoshimar Yotún, but Sané quickly played a strong pass to Bendik who was able to clear. He did concede a free kick on which Portland scored its second goal, however.

D, Mohamed El-Munir, 4 — It was another forgettable game for Mohamed El-Munir, who was at fault for the Timbers’ first goal. In the 20th minute, a very poor challenge saw him take down Sebastián Blanco in the box. Despite the referee initially calling a dive, it was a clear penalty and was confirmed as such by video review. El-Munir has been strong at times going forward, but he even struggled with that in this game.

M, Will Johnson, 5 — It was a rough day for Will Johnson. In addition to struggling to add much to the attack, his insistence on holding onto the ball far too long allowed the Timbers to break down multiple opportunities. He finished the game completing an impressive 97 percent of his 44 passes, but wasn’t very good overall.

M, Yoshimar Yotún, 6 — As much as anyone, Yoshi Yotún was a pivotal part of the Lions’ attack in the first half. His play in the midfield helped to create many opportunities during the first 45 minutes. His corner kick in the 80th minute resulted in Orlando City’s first goal by Chris Mueller.

M, Josué Colman, 5 — Despite his pace and skill, Josué Colmán struggled in one-on-one situations. He did play well with Scott Sutter, RJ Allen, and Sacha Kljestan in creating opportunities, especially in the first half, but failed to create many on his own. He’s young, but more will be expected out of the midfielder.

M, Sacha Kljestan, 6 — Sacha Kljestan had a strong game in the midfield for Orlando City. He did well connecting with Dom Dwyer to create opportunities in the first half, though he had a poor free kick from just outside the box and held onto the ball too long on another opportunity. His most important contribution to the game was converting on the penalty in the 83rd minute, tying the game at 2-2.

M, Justin Meram, 5.5 — It wasn’t Justin Meram’s best game, but it also wasn’t his worst. He had a few opportunities to score in the first half, missing just wide on two of them. He appeared to tie up the game just before the break, but Timbers goalkeeper Jake Gleeson made an excellent save. His departure in the 76th minute for Stéfano Pinho came just before the comeback began.

F, Dom Dwyer, 6.5 (MotM) — My man of the match for this one has to be Dom Dwyer. He played his usual hard-nosed style today and, while failing to convert on chances in the first half, ended up making the biggest impact. He drew the penalty that resulted in the equalizing goal in the 83rd minute and scored the winner, featuring an unmatched amount of determination.

Substitutes

D, RJ Allen (75’), 6 — Coming on for Scott Sutter in the 57th minute, RJ Allen played his best game since joining Orlando City this past off-season. He was strong in the back and was dangerous going forward, working well with Chris Mueller to create crosses into the box late. His late run into the box and vision to find Dom Dwyer for the winning goal was exquisite, and deserves recognition.

F, Chris Mueller (67’), 6 — Nobody turned their game around in this one more than rookie forward Chris Mueller. In the 78th minute, RJ Allen made a beautiful run up the right side and laid the ball off for a waiting Mueller who should’ve scored. Instead, he put the ball off the outside netting, nearly killing any hope of a comeback. Just two minutes later, it was Mueller’s header that gave the Lions life cutting the deficit in half. More than that, Mueller was the energy in the team in the last 10 minutes. His emotion was contagious by the crowd and his teammates, and definitely had an impact on the comeback.

F, Stéfano Pinho (76’), 5 – The last substitute of the game was the entrance of Stefano Pinho for Meram. While Pinho didn’t have the same impact as Mueller, his provided a similar energy. In the 84th minute, he played a beautiful ball across the six-yard box that nearly found Dwyer for the winner. Overall, it was a solid appearance from the striker.

This game was a tale of two halves. The Lions were the more dangerous team in the first half and should’ve had the lead going into halftime. The first 35 minutes of the second half were dreadful for the home side, who gave the ball away far too easily and never looked as though they would equalize. They finally showed life in the final 10 minutes, pulling out the win, but the struggles of the team should not be ignored. However, a win is a win and the Lions take home a vital three points.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Dom Dwyer171
Chris Mueller87
Sacha Kljestan7
Other12

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. FC Cincinnati: Three Keys to Victory

What does Orlando City need to do to ensure a victory over FC Cincinnati Saturday at home?

Published

18 hours ago

on

May 2, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City looks to bounce back from the disappointing 2-1 loss to Toronto FC Saturday night at Inter&Co Stadium. Cincinnati has twice as many points as Orlando City and more than twice as many wins. FCC has only scored one more goal than Orlando City, but with only nine goals conceded compared to Orlando City’s 17, it’s easy to see why Cincinnati is sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference.

What I’m trying to say is that the task doesn’t get any easier this weekend. What does Orlando City need to do to secure all three points at home against FC Cincinnati?

Accost Acosta

Cincinnati’s attack revolves around Luciano Acosta. The attacking midfielder has four goals and five assists so far this season. To put that into perspective, Duncan McGuire — Orlando City’s leading scorer — also has four goals but only one assist. If we look at the Lions’ attacking midfielders, Facundo Torres has one goal and one assist, Ivan Angulo and Nico Lodeiro both have one goal and two assists, and Martin Ojeda has zero goals and only one assist. Luis Muriel is still at double zeroes.

The defensive midfield and the back line must do everything possible to mark him out of the match. It’s not enough to keep him from scoring, they must also keep him from setting up chances for his teammates. Most importantly, the defense must do that for 90 minutes plus stoppage time. There is no room for the mental lapses we’ve seen throughout the first part of this season.

Break Through

Cincinnati is stingy on defense. As I mentioned above, the club has only allowed nine goals this season. The back line is formidable with the likes of Matt Miazga, Miles Robinson, and Ian Murphy. On the wings are DeAndre Yedlin and Luca Orellano. This is a tough defense, and whether it is McGuire or Muriel who gets the start, they must find the spaces in between.

Just as importantly, Torres, Angulo, Ojeda, and Lodeiro — depending on who is in at any given moment — must be able to thread the passes in for McGuire, Muriel, or each other to create quality chances. On top of that, the Lions must convert on those chances, which is not something that has been a strength so far this season. If the Orlando City defense continues to give up cheap goals, then the offense will need to one-up the competition when it comes to scoring.

Deal with an Unknown

FC Cincinnati recently signed Venezuelan forward Kevin Kelsy from Ukrainian Premier League club Shakhtar Donetsk. Kelsy comes in as an MLS U22 Initiative player and is eligible to play against Orlando City. Even though Kelsy is only 19, he has 68 professional appearances, including UEFA Champions Leagues matches. At 6-foot-3, he can be a challenge for defenders, especially in the air.

Kelsy hasn’t had much time with the team, but he could be a second-half substitution for Cincinnati. Given that Orlando City just gave up two late headers against Toronto FC, the back line will need to be careful that Kelsy doesn’t hurt the Lions in the same manner — especially if he comes on late when legs and minds are tired.

That is what I will be looking for Saturday night. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/2/24

The Pride win big, OCSC celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month, USMNT news, and more.

Published

22 hours ago

on

May 2, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

It’s Thursday, Mane Landers. Of course, the name Thursday comes from Thor’s day, and as such, it isn’t a big leap for us to consider it Thorhallsson’s day. Though I suppose that is a bit of a mouthful, so we’ll just keep things the way they are, but do hold Dagur Dan close to your heart today. Also, let us wish a happy birthday to the Orlando Pride’s Luana. Despite the devastating news that dropped about her health earlier this week, we hope that her spirits are high and we wish her nothing but happiness today. It’s also Dagur Dan Thorhallsson’s birthday today, so we’re celebrating him as well. Let’s get to the links.

The Pride Dominate the Courage

The Orlando Pride defeated the North Carolina Courage 4-1 in a midweek match at Inter&Co Stadium. The Pride did indeed dominate the Courage as much as the score line indicates. It was once again the Barbra Banda show, with the Pride’s newest player contributing a brace and an assist on the night. It is the Pride’s fourth straight victory and the undefeated run continues.

OCSC Celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month

Orlando City and the Orlando Pride are doing their part this May to observe Mental Health Awareness Month. The club is sponsoring and attending events and forums available to the general public, as well as holding club staff workshops around promoting mental health. I have to say my favorite is the therapy dogs visits that will be available to the staff. There’s nothing as good for my personal mental health as the joy and unconditional love a dog can bring. If I didn’t have dogs of my own, I’d be really jealous.

The Billionaires Clubs

Orlando City and Orlando Pride owners, the Wilf family, are not the only billionaire owners in the NWSL. There are more and more owners and ownership groups that fall into that category. The influx of more money is a growth opportunity for the league and potentially for those owners. It’s a bit of a “rising tide lifts all boats” mentality for these owners as they do better when the league as a whole does better. It’s not just the owners who think so. The NWSL was ranked No. 5 on the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2024. I’m just glad the Pride are in the club.

USMNT News

I hate starting off a section with bad news, but Sergino Dest tore his ACL in training with PSV Eindhoven and will miss the Copa America. Dest will require surgery though there is no time frame yet for when he may return. The loss of Dest is a blow to the U.S. defense heading into the competition this coming June. The USMNT plays Bolivia on June 23.

In better news, Tim Weah provided the assist for Juventus on Arkadiusz Milik’s goal against Lazio. Juventus entered the second leg of the Copa Italia semifinal up 2-0, but Lazio drew level before Milik’s goal. Juventus advanced 3-2 on aggregate and will play in the final.

Free Kicks

That will do it for today. There’s plenty more soccer to come this weekend with all three teams playing. Check back for more as we get you ready for those matches. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/1/24

Mason Stajduhar was arrested, Orlando Pride play at home tonight, Colin Guske discusses his signing, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

May 1, 2024

By

,
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday and welcome to May, Mane Landers. Don’t forget that the undefeated Orlando Pride are in action tonight, so check back for our match preview and the latest episode of SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride PawedCast for additional pre-match coverage. In the meantime, let’s get to the links.

Mason Stajduhar Arrested Early Sunday

Orlando City goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar and his wife Tatiana Stajduhar were both arrested on disorderly conduct charges following an incident at a nightclub overnight Saturday in the early hours of Sunday morning. The couple were reportedly disrespectful to the club’s staff and got into an altercation with the security guards. Mason stated he was only resisting the security guards to re-enter the club because the bouncers allegedly hit his wife. Tatiana allegedly pushed the police officers after they arrived, and she was not charged with battery on a law enforcement officer. The couple were released Monday after posting a bond. Orlando City provided the following statement to WESH 2 News:

“The Club is aware that goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar was arrested early Sunday morning. We are currently gathering more information and will have no further comment at this time.”

Orlando Pride Host the North Carolina Courage Tonight

After a 3-2 win on the road last Friday against the Washington Spirit, the Orlando Pride are back in the City Beautiful and will take on the North Carolina Courage tonight. Unbeaten in their six games so far this season, the Pride have also won their past three games and sit fourth in the standings. They’re tied on points with a Courage team that beat the Seattle Reign Saturday. Orlando has scored at least one goal in every match this season. Forward Barbra Banda had a great performance in that win against the Spirit, so hopefully the scoring trend continues tonight for the Pride.

Orlando City/Pride Earn Golden Brick Awards

Have you enjoyed the new food options at the stadium? I know I have, and I’m looking forward to trying even more. The efforts made by Orlando City’s front office to feature more local food and beverage options did not go unnoticed, as the club won the Hospitality & Dining category in the Downtown Orlando Partnership’s 2023 Golden Brick Awards. The Orlando Pride’s 2023 Highway Woman Kit also won the award in the Arts & Culture category. The home jersey was inspired by the work of Mary Ann Carroll, the sole woman in the famed Highwaymen artists from decades ago.

Colin Guske Speaks On Signing First Pro Contract

Orlando City Development Academy player Colin Guske signed his first professional contract with the club last month and spoke on the importance of this moment in his career. The 17-year-old is now on an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Orlando City B, and he has started in nearly every game for the Young Lions this year. Both of Guske’s brothers have also played for Orlando City’s academy over the years, and he thanked his family for helping him reach this point.

“It’s awesome to represent the Guskes,” Colin said. “Thanks to my brothers for always pushing me through early mornings and late nights, always putting in the work, doing video sessions, everything. My sister as well, for always being there for me and my parents, too. They’re always helping me and what was the best for me.”

Free Kicks

  • Enjoy all of the sights and sounds from the Pride’s big win over the Spirit in the nation’s capital.
  • The Champions League semifinals are underway and Real Madrid and Bayern Munich played to a 2-2 draw in Germany. The second leg will take place on May 8 in Madrid.

That will do it for today. If you can make it out to the stadium tonight to catch the Pride in action, I strongly suggest you do so. Barbra Banda is about to take the NWSL by storm and you’ll want to see it in person. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Trending