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Orlando City

Orlando City v. Minnesota United: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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7 years ago

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That match definitely had its ups and downs. Congrats to Adrian Heath on picking up the victory in his first game back in his old stomping grounds. Also, prayers up to former Lion Kevin Molino who was injured in the second half and had an ice pack around his left knee, and to Stéfano Pinho of Orlando City, who went down earlier in the game. Both players were on crutches afterward.

Orlando scored its lone goal on a penalty kick from Yoshi Yotún. The defense was susceptible in transition, which led to the two goals from Minnesota’s Ethan Finlay. The Lions suffered their first loss of the season, and here is how I graded the starters and subs. Yours may vary, especially in a loss.

Starters

GK, Joe Bendik, 5.5 — Bendik, to be fair, saved Orlando from getting the brakes beat off of them, but regardless he still had a questionable night. Bendik’s goal given up in the 12th may have been to the lack of knowing Finlay was onside, but it also would’ve taken a very tough save to keep it out. Bendik could’ve done more as he was basically planted where he was on the 79th-minute goal, but again not much he could’ve done. A below average night for Bendik, who at the end of the game seemed to be the only player with any urgency.

D, Scott Sutter, 5.5 — Sutter sent in five crosses on the offensive side, but it seemed like he forgot he was a defensive player. His most notable debacle was being outrun and allowing the header that led to the Finlay goal in the 79th but he overall just had an off night on the pitch. He recorded two tackles and one interception while also only having one accurate long ball. Below average night for Sutter after a great game last Saturday.

D, Jonathan Spector, 7 — Spector was one of the better players on the pitch. He had five clearances out of the box, numerous blocked shots, and two interceptions. He completed three accurate long balls along with 86% passing, and he once again contributed to the offensive attack. He had a blocked shot on net in the 55th. Spector was one of the better players on the pitch, and I look for him to talk to his team and rebound with an even better game next week.

D, Amro Tarek, 6.5 — Tarek left Finlay onside on the first goal, but overall played a solid match. He had four clearances and numerous challenges that stopped Minnesota United attacks. He had a shaky second half, allowing Mason Toye to easily get past him in stoppage time in the second half, but he had an otherwise average performance. His clutch clearance in the 72nd minute led me to put him over a six point grade. He nearly opened his account with the tying goal but saw his effort cleared off the line by Ibson in stoppage time.

D, Mohamed El-Munir, 6 — El-Munir was everywhere on the pitch. He obtained a team leading seven interceptions and five tackles, while also sending in a team-high seven crosses. He had the second lowest passing accuracy on the team, posting a 76.9%, which is below par. El-Munir also got beat on the 79th-minute goal by Finlay, which ended up being the winner. He played solid defensively, but his poor passing and decision-making caused him to have a poor night.

M, Cam Lindley, 6.5 — Lindley played solid throughout the contest, and his passing was superb, creating numerous chances for Orlando City. Lindley posed an 81% passing rate, creating seven successful long ball passes, three of which kept Orlando attacks going. Lindley also had a tackle, an interception and a clearance, so I believe he played well on both sides of the ball by creating chances and stopping them from Minnesota with his accurate decision making. Good night for Lindley.

M, Will Johnson, 6.5 — Johnson’s crossing was amazing, creating chances for Spector and others. He only had 52 touches, but he did well when he did touch the ball. He was a physical force around the pitch, but it didn’t show in the stat line as he didn’t record any tackles. Johnson was a solid midfield player choice for Jason Kreis, and I believe he will be a reliable choice in the future as well.

M, Yoshimar Yotún, 8 — Yoshi had a great outing, scoring Orlando’s only goal on the penalty kick in the 42nd minute. He was roughed up a lot, being fouled five times. He contributed two interceptions on the defensive side. Yotún was the most physical player on the pitch, even ahead of Johnson, and he constantly made his presence felt on the Minnesota United midfield and strikers. Yotún once again proved his worth to the midfield, and he will continue to be a thorn in opposing sides for matches to come. Great night for Yotún.

M, Richie Laryea, 8.5 (MOTM) — I feel like this will spur some controversy, but this was the easiest decision I made on anything about this match. Laryea was the best player on the pitch for both sides, and him getting subbed off in the 66th for Tony Rocha upset me on a major level. Laryea had as many passes as Bendik — 21 — but he was 90% accurate on those passes. He earned the penalty kick that led to Orlando City’s only goal, and earned four fouls. He had a beautiful pass to Justin Meram in the 52nd minute that almost resulted in a goal, and he picked up a yellow card for time wasting. Laryea played with the most heart, passion, and resilience of any player on either side, and I believe if he would’ve stayed on the pitch, the outcome may have been different. Great match for Laryea.

F, Stéfano Pinho, 6 — Pinho suffered a weird injury in the 23rd minute after heading a shot wide after taking a shove from Francisco Calvo in the box. He had to be taken off the field on a stretcher and was replaced by Chris Mueller. Pinho didn’t do much that impressed, nor did he do anything drastically wrong. Let’s hope the injury isn’t as serious as it looked, but an average 23 minutes of play for Stéfano Pinho.

F, Justin Meram, 6 — Meram was just not on it, only getting one shot on target on his seven attempts (though one was deflected wide for a corner kick). He had a near miss in the 52nd minute on a great pass from Laryea, but his other chances just weren’t the usual that we see from him. He lost the ball seven times, which did cause some Orlando City attacks to halt quickly. Meram had an off night, but even the best players have an off night every once in a while.

Substitutes

F, Chris Mueller (28’), 5.5 — Mueller passed horribly on his 11 passes, so I won’t hound him too much on it. He was very physical and involved as he jawed with a few Minnesota players throughout the game, and came to teammate El-Munir’s defense when the fullback took a slide tackle that forced a corner. I personally believe Mueller was thrown off after having to come onto the pitch so early due to the Pinho injury, and he never really found a groove. Rough outing in the loss for Mueller.

M, Tony Rocha (66’), 6 — Rocha completed 100% of his passes, albeit only on nine of them. Rocha came on for Laryea and didn’t make nearly the same impact, but he didn’t make any major mistakes either. This was Rocha’s first appearance on the pitch this season, and he played average in his role and only had one shot that was way off target.

D, RJ Allen (83’), N/A — Allen came on for the struggling Sutter late, once again in the final 10 minutes. Allen only had six touches on the ball throughout his time on the pitch, and he did have a good ball placed in the 93rd minute that led to nothing. Allen once again didn’t have much time to do anything, but he once again made no major mistakes and arguably played better than Sutter. Due to coming on so late it would be a bit unfair to give him a grade.

Vote for your Man of the Match below! Also, we love to hear your comments on the team and individuals. Let’s hope the Lions bounce back vs. New York City FC.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Richie Laryea18
Yoshimar Yotún85
Jonathan Spector46
Will Johnson 0
Other (comment below!)14

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Atlanta United: Three Keys to Victory

What do the Lions need to do to get a victory in the final regular-season match?

Published

13 hours ago

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October 17, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City hosts rival Atlanta United this Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium. Despite having already secured a spot in the playoffs, the Lions will try to lock up fourth place and home-field advantage for the first round. It’s a Decision Day match against a rival. It doesn’t get any better than that.

What does Orlando City need to do to earn all three points and close the door on Atlanta United’s slim playoff hopes?

Solve the Defensive Midfield Puzzle

Wilder Cartagena is suspended for this match due to yellow card accumulation. As such, Orlando City’s excellent defensive midfield pairing of Cartagena and Cesar Araujo will not be on the field together. Whether Oscar Pareja decides to plug and play with a backup for Cartagena or change shape will impact how effective Orlando City’s defense is against Atlanta.

If Pareja decides to change shape, he could employ a 5-3-2 as he did earlier in the season to cover for Cartagena’s absence. I don’t believe this will be the route he will take given that he won’t have every player available and because Cartagena as the middle center back was key to that formation. Even if some players like David Brekalo and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson return from injury, they won’t be back to 90-minute match fitness. Additionally, Pareja likes to stick with what has been working, and that is his traditional 4-2-3-1, although he has gone to a 4-4-2 at times.

If Pareja decides to simply sub in another player, he has several to choose from. Nico Lodeiro, Felipe Martins, Jeorgio Kocevski, and Heine Gikling Bruseth are all available. As much as I’d be interested in seeing what Bruseth brings to the table, I think it’s doubtful we see him get any minutes this season. I think that the match is too important for Kocevski to get the start, which leaves Felipe and Lodeiro. Felipe offers a bit more on the defensive end, and Lodeiro a bit more on offense. My guess is that Pareja starts Lodeiro to help get a lead, and then subs on Felipe to defend it.

Continue the Crooked Numbers

Orlando City has scored at least two goals in each of its last seven matches. That has resulted in six wins, with the only blemish being the 4-3 loss to the second-place Columbus Crew. In those seven matches, the Lions scored 19 goals, spread over seven goal scorers. Facundo Torres leads the way with five in that period, followed by Ramiro Enrique with four, Duncan McGuire with three, Luis Muriel and Ivan Angulo each with two, and defenders Rodrigo Schlegel and Rafael Santos with one goal apiece.

With the one outlier, the Lions have been successful when scoring multiple goals. In that same seven-match period, Atlanta United gave up 10 goals. In four of those, the Five Stripes conceded two goals. I’m not saying that Atlanta is bad defensively, but it isn’t better than Orlando City in that department — both have allowed 48 goals this season. I am saying that Atlanta is vulnerable, especially if the Lions can keep their chances on target.

Bounce Back from the Break

This will be the first match following the international break. While some players, like Pedro Gallese, Cartagena, and Torres, are returning from their respective national teams, others have only had training sessions with the club. When a club is in good form, such a break can be detrimental. How well the Lions pick back up where they left off is crucial.

The good news is that they are playing at home. A raucous crowd can go a long way towards helping a team’s performance. Additionally, this is a rivalry match. While supporters are usually more invested in the rivalries, the players will certainly be aware of what it means to the club. Orlando City players also have the advantage of sleeping in their own beds and maintaining their regular schedules heading into this match. Sometimes it’s the little things that make a difference.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/17/24

Facundo Torres’ journey to Orlando, Yutaro Tsukada earns recognition, USMNT will face Jamaica in the Nations League, and more.

Published

16 hours ago

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October 17, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope you all have been enjoying the cooler temperatures this week. It’s been nice to break out some long sleeves and it gives me a chance to acclimate before a trip to Maine next week. I may even drink some hot coffee today instead of the usual cold brew. Let’s get this Thursday started with today’s links!

Facundo Torres’ Path to Orlando

Orlando City forward Facundo Torres is enjoying his best season yet with the Lions, scoring 18 goals across all competitions to help the Lions climb up the Eastern Conference standings. It’s his third year in the City Beautiful, joining the club as a Designated Player from Penarol back in 2022. The 24-year-old discussed just how quickly things changed after just one year playing professionally with Penarol.

“At first, I was a little afraid and a little nervous because it was my first time going off on my own,” Torres told WESH 2 recently. “I could only enjoy a year of being a professional in Peñarol because everything happened so fast, debuting and then going to the national team and then the transfer to Orlando — it happened so fast. But I found good people in this club, and the Hispanic community here is big, so that helped me feel at home.”

Torres also talked about how soccer fits in Uruguay’s culture, as well as how his work ethic has helped him reach this point in his career. Orlando’s roster features players from many different cultures, with many hailing from countries in South America. The result is a unique club culture that’s helped the team build a strong identity and find success.

Orlando City Prepares for Decision Day

Orlando City will host Atlanta United on Saturday in what should be an exciting Decision Day showdown between the two rivals. Both teams have plenty to play for beyond the usual bragging rights, as the Lions aim to secure home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs while Atlanta fights for a spot in the postseason. Head Coach Oscar Pareja spoke on how the team is maintaining momentum after the international break to finish the season strong before the playoffs.

Yutaro Tsukada Honored For Rookie Season

Orlando City B’s Yutaro Tsukada was an honorable mention at forward in this year’s MLS NEXT Pro Best XI. Drafted with the 25th overall pick in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft, Tsukada had seven goals and seven assists in 22 matches with OCB this season. His efforts earned him a contract with the first team in August and he’s made three appearances with the Lions. It’s nice to see the 23-year-old receive some recognition for a solid first year. I think an argument could definitely be made that Alex Freeman deserved a spot after recording eight goals and nine assists this season. The Young Lions are back in action this Sunday for a playoff match on the road against Chicago Fire FC II.

USMNT Will Face Jamaica in Nations League

The United States Men’s National Team will take on Jamaica in next month’s Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals. The first match of the two-leg series will take place in Kingston on Nov. 14 before the two teams face off again in St. Louis on Nov. 18. The U.S. has won all three of the past editions of the Nations League and beat Jamaica 3-1 in the semifinals earlier this year in a match that was closer than the score suggests. Jamaica tends to keep things tight when playing the U.S. and went undefeated in its group play to reach the quarterfinals. It will be interesting to see how Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino builds his lineup for his first Nations League matches.

FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Kicks Off

The U.S. had a rough start to its U-17 Women’s World Cup campaign with a 3-1 loss to Spain. An own goal gave Spain an early lead, but the U.S. battled back with a goal from Melanie Barcenas later in the first half. Spain took all three points though with Noa Ortega scoring and then providing the assist on Spain’s third goal. The result puts the U.S. last in its group for the time being, as Colombia and South Korea played to a 1-1 draw. The U.S. will play its next match Saturday against Colombia before taking on South Korea Tuesday to close out its group play.

Free Kicks

  • Congratulations to former Orlando Pride goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris, who was inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame.
  • You can download a customized cover featuring the Lions for EA Sports FC 25. I haven’t played a soccer video game in a while, but this is pretty dang cool to see regardless.

I hope you all have a great Thursday as we get ready for a weekend filled with Orlando soccer to enjoy. Make sure to stay hydrated out there!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/16/24

Barbra Banda up for BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year, U.S. falls to Mexico, Thomas Tuchel will reportedly coach England, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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October 16, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Today marks the 10-year anniversary of the groundbreaking at Orlando City SC’s soccer-specific stadium. The stadium has been home to plenty of memories over the years, and I’m hoping I can make the trip to see the Orlando Pride make some history there this postseason as well. For now though, let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Barbra Banda Up for BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year

Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda was one of five players nominated for BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year for her stellar performance at both the club and international levels. Since joining the Pride from Shanghai Shengli for $740,000, Banda has scored 13 goals to help the club reach the top of the table. She also scored four goals for Zambia at the Olympics this summer to become Africa’s all-time top scorer at the Olympics at just 24 years old. Banda also spoke to the BBC about challenging herself by joining the Pride, playing alongside Marta, and creating a foundation to help girls and boys in Zambia (see the embedded video in the story linked above).

Americans Sophia Smith and Naomi Girma were also nominated after helping the U.S. win gold in Paris. Barcelona duo Aitana Bonmati and Caroline Graham Hansen round out this year’s nominees for their roles in yet another successful season for the Spanish club.

USMNT Falls to Mexico

The United States Men’s National Team went to Mexico and lost 2-0 in a friendly against its rival. Although the USMNT was without some of its best players for this match, it’s still a disappointing result. The Yanks conceded in each half, with Fulham forward Raul Jimenez scoring the first goal and assisting on the second. The match at least gave Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino a look at some of the team’s depth to see what he’s working with moving forward. The USMNT will be back in action next month in the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals.

Thomas Tuchel Reportedly Set to Take England Job

Thomas Tuchel has reportedly agreed to become England’s next manager on an 18-month contract. He would start in January to coach the team through World Cup qualifying next year and get England ready for the tournament. This would be Tuchel’s first time coaching at the international level, but he does have experience coaching in England after leading Chelsea to Champions League and Club World Cup trophies in 2021. He would replace Gareth Southgate, who stepped down after eight years at the helm of England following the team’s loss in the Euro final this summer.

Boston NWSL Team Confirms Awful Name

The branding for Boston’s NWSL team was unveiled and it will officially be named BOS Nation FC. The club’s crest will be revealed at a later date, but the club’s colors will include green, raspberry, and charcoal. The name, which is an anagram for “Bostonian” has been on the receiving end of criticism, and deservedly so in my opinion. It’s worse than uninspired, it’s just bad. I find it hard to believe that no better options were pitched. Only time will tell if the club reconsiders things before taking the field in 2026. We did see Racing Louisville FC make a change after originally opting for Proof Louisville FC. Fingers crossed!

Free Kicks

  • Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was called up for England’s pair of friendlies later this month.
  • Pride midfielder Evelina Duljan was called up by the Swedish U-23 team as well.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday!

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