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Orlando City at Toronto FC: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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8 years ago

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It wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if Orlando City never had to travel to Toronto again.

For the third time in four trips to BMO Field, the Lions will be coming back to the States with nothing to show, after a 2-1 loss to Toronto FC. Kaká’s second goal of the season just before the halftime whistle wasn’t enough for Orlando City to overcome a pair of first-half goals from Sebastian Giovinco, who now has six in his career against the Lions.

It was a tough loss for the club, which will be reminiscing about a couple of big missed chances by Cyle Larin in the second half. Although, you have to be happy with the fight the team showed in the second half after struggling to find chances and letting in two goals in the first 45 minutes.

Anyway, it’s time to break down grades.

Starters

GK, Joe Bendik, 6 — Joe only made two saves on the night as he returned again to his old stomping grounds in Toronto. Neither of Giovinco’s goals can be placed solely on him, as the Italian striker used just pure skill to find the net on both occasions.

D, Donny Toia, 6 — I thought it was a very average — if not above average — night for Toia, who did a lot of good defending. He did get beat badly by Beitashour in the second half when the defender dribbled right through his legs, but lucky for him it didn’t turn into anything serious for Toronto.

D, Jonathan Spector, 7 — Without Will Johnson and Antonio Nocerino in the lineup, this was a big game for Spector’s leadership to will Orlando City on. He collected three tackles, an interception, and three clearances. It’s easy to sit back and say, “yeah, the defense gave up two goals, so they weren’t good,” but I certainly don’t think that was the case in this one. Giovinco simply scored a really good goal followed by one, okay, that maybe should have been marked better.

D, Tommy Redding, 8.5 — Tommy has played a lot of good games in MLS, but this one might just rank near the top. He played a great game and kept Jozy Altidore right in his pocket throughout the entire night. There were also a couple of really big moments he had on Giovinco that I thought played a key role in keeping Toronto off of the board down the stretch, including a play in the 64th minute when Giovinco took the ball down into the penalty area. Redding stuck right on to him and forced Giovinco out of the shot and made him pass it off to an incoming Altidore, who didn’t challenge Bendik.

D, Scott Sutter, 8.5 (MOTM) — If I’m not giving the Man of the Match award to Redding, it’s definitely Sutter’s for the taking. The English-Swiss defender was all over the right side, and contributed to the attack in major ways with a slew of crosses (eight, to be exact) from the wing. He made seven total tackles, which was the highest of any player on the field, with one interception and two clearances. He also passed to an 86% accuracy, and made a couple of strong runs up the field in the second half.

MF, Servando Carrasco, 5.5 — If there’s some blame to hand out — some, not all — it could go to Carrasco for Giovinco’s first goal. Raheem Edwards cut inside and tried to dish the ball back up near the top of the box, but while Carrasco was able to cut it off, he doesn’t get a very good clearance on the ball, which puts it right at the Italian’s feet, and sets up an opportunity that he rarely doesn’t finish. An 88% passing rate is a good night in the midfield, including a nice ball served forward that Kaká was able to find for a quality headed chance.

MF, Luis Gil, 6 — I didn’t really think much of Gil’s first start with the club, to be honest. I was a bit excited to see him get the start because it meant the opportunity to actually get a good look at him after only seeing him for short stints late in games. I thought he was pretty weak offensively, and his 80% passing backs that up. He did start to look a lot better when he moved over to the right side late in the match, and made a big tackle in the midfield in the closing minutes to break up a Toronto counter. Three tackles and two interceptions is a good defensive night, and exactly what Kreis likes to see out of his midfielders in the diamond system.

MF, Cristian Higuita, 5.5 — I had Higuita marked down for several good tackles throughout the match, but overall he was really bad in this one. He won three aerial balls and passed for 90%, but he also failed to complete key passes and was dispossessed eight times, while also earning yet another yellow.

MF, Kaká, 6.5 — It’s really good to see the captain come back and score two goals in two games, even if they’re not the toughest of goals. He obviously did a great job following through on his corner and getting into the position to clean up that loose ball in the box for the goal, but I think we could have seen a little more from Kaká on the night. He did pass for 91%, which included one key pass, while putting up three shots.

F, Carlos Rivas, 6 — I didn’t think it was a great game from Rivas, but it also wasn’t that bad. He could have done a lot more with the ball that we would normally have seen him do at home this season, which is taking the ball and exposing defenders on runs. But he didn’t have those opportunities, and he struggled to find his teammates on passes, coming in at the 71% mark on 31 passes, which is pretty low. He did, however, get off nine crosses including a couple of dangerous ones that nearly found his teammates in the second half. And he did send a good free kick service forward in the late minutes that nearly created an opportunity.

F, Cyle Larin, 4 — Larin continues to struggle on his home turf in Canada, with just one goal now in eight MLS games north of the border. He had two chances he absolutely should have scored on in the 59th and 67th minutes that Alex Bono just made outstanding saves on. If both of those go in, we’re talking about a completely different game and most likely Orlando City walking out of Toronto with three points for the first time. He was dispossessed of the ball six times, and was marked down for seven bad touches. And his only two shots on goal were the weak should-have-beens I already mentioned. Rough night for the Canadian striker.

Substitutions

M, Matias Perez Garcia (65’), 6 — MPG pretty much came on as a straight replacement for Kaká, giving some fresh legs on the attack, but to also provide a little bit more cover on the defensive side of things. He shifted to the wing when Giles Barnes came on not long afterwards, and made one tackle while also sending in two crosses. Not a bad 25-minute shift.

MF, Giles Barnes (75’), 6 — Nothing too spectacular from Barnes in his short time on the field. Like I mentioned, he came on for Carrasco and shifted to the top of the diamond while MPG went out wide and moved Higuita to the holding midfield role at the bottom. He only attempted seven passes.

M, Tony Rocha (87’), N/A — Rocha came on in the closing minutes for Higuita moments after he picked up his yellow card and closed out the match in the defensive midfield.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Kaká22
Tommy Redding75
Jonathan Spector17
Scott Sutter35
Carlos Rivas7
Other (Please let us know in the comments!)1

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Lion Links: 6/5/25

MLS All-Star voting update, Kerry Abello shines with USWNT, Sergio Zapata earns recognition, and more.

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17 hours ago

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June 5, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this week has been treating you well as we enjoy some international soccer and prepare for the return of NWSL action this weekend. Before we jump right into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City B midfielder Dylan Judelson!

Pair of Lions Lead MLS All-Star Voting

Voting for this year’s MLS All-Star Game remains underway and an update was provided on which players are leading at each position. Orlando City defender Alex Freeman leads all right backs as he enjoys a breakout season. I was aware of the buzz he’s been getting this year, but it’s still surprising to see a Lion as an All-Star frontrunner. What’s even more surprising is that Pedro Gallese leads the voting for goalkeepers. The Peruvian made a rough gaffe last week, but has otherwise had a stellar season with Orlando that’s included seven clean sheets. Voting will close on June 11, so make sure to get those votes in before then.

Kerry Abello Impresses With USMNT

Orlando Pride defender Kerry Abello made her first appearance for the United States Women’s National Team Tuesday, playing every minute of the 4-0 win over Jamaica. The versatility she’s shown with the Pride translated well in Head Coach Emma Hayes’ system, as she was able to hold things down defensively and contribute to the attack as well. Abello could end up bringing solid depth to the USWNT as Hayes figures out the team’s future core of players. Enjoy this video from the USWNT that provides a look behind the scenes of Abello’s international debut.

Sergio Zapata Named Player of the Month

Sergio Zapata scored a whopping 11 goals for Orlando City’s U-19 team over the course of just four matches in May, winning the honor of MLS NEXT Player of the Month. He had three hat tricks last month, including one against Hoosier Premier at MLS NEXT Fest. Zapata committed to Cornell, so hopefully we’ll get to see him tear it up in the Ivy League over the next couple of years.

Zack Steffen Sustains Knee Injury

Goalkeeper Zack Steffen injured his knee at the United States Men’s National Team’s training camp and will reportedly miss this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup. It’s rough news for the 30-year-old, as he was expected to compete with Matt Turner for the starting job with the USMNT. He’s been having a great season with the Colorado Rapids and returned to the club for further evaluation on the injury.

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That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/4/25

USWNT wins as Abello gets first cap, Orlando Pride’s Concacaf W Champions Cup draw, Club World Cup in Orlando, and more.

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2 days ago

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June 4, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Tuesday was a busy soccer day, especially on the women’s side. We have plenty of Orlando Pride news, and the USWNT secured yet another victory. I’m hoping the good vibes continue since I’ll be coming down to Orlando for the Pride’s match this Saturday. If you’re going to the match, let me know, as I’d love to meet as many of our readers as possible. For now, let’s get to the links.

USWNT Blanks Jamaica

The USWNT defeated Jamaica 4-0 in a friendly at Energizer Park in St. Louis. The Orlando Pride’s Kerry Abello got her first start and her first cap in the match. She went the full 90 minutes and almost had her first international goal in the second half, but the chance went a bit wide of the right post. Ally Sentnor and Lynn Biyendolo each scored a brace as the U.S. rolled to an easy win.

Pride Internationals

Abello wasn’t the only Pride player to make an international appearance. Marta returned to international duty for Brazil getting the start and the captain’s armband in a 2-1 win over Japan. Both Grace Chanda and Barbra Banda started for Zambia in the 2-0 loss to South Africa in the Three Nations Challenge. Congratulations are also due to Zara Chavoshi, who earned her first cap with the Canadian Women’s National Team in the match against Haiti.

Concacaf W Champions Cup Draw

The Concacaf W Champions Cup draw happened yesterday and the Orlando Pride are in Group A with Club America Femenil, CF Pachuca Femenil, LD Alajuelense, and Chorrillo FC. Group B consists of NJ/NY Gotham FC, the Washington Spirit, CF Monterrey Femenil, Vancouver Rise FC Academy, and Alianza Women FC. The competition kicks off Aug. 19-21.

FIFA Loves Orlando

FIFA President Gianni Infantino sat for an interview with Jamie Seh of WKMG Orlando. Infantino spoke about the upcoming Club World Cup matches at Inter&Co Stadium and Camping World Stadium. FIFA loves Orlando enough for the city to host the Club World Cup, but not the actual World Cup. Here is the schedule for the matches in Orlando. We will be bringing you coverage of these matches.

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That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the return of the Orlando Pride this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/3/25

Orlando City B announces signings, details of Concacaf W Champions Cup, UEFA Nations League preview, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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June 3, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Good morning, everyone. It’s been a pretty brutal last two games for Orlando City, there’s no getting around that fact. While it’s never fun to not have the team in action, a two-week break between games maybe isn’t the worst thing in this particular case. Even though it’ll be a minute before the Lions are back in action, we still have plenty of things to talk about, so let’s get into today’s links.

Orlando City B Announces Signings

Orlando City B announced on Monday that it has signed Clovis Archange and Jackson Platts to MLS NEXT Pro contracts. The pair are graduates of the Orlando City Development Academy and were part of the team that won the U-18 Generation Adidas Cup earlier this year. The 18-year-old Platts captained the team in the final, while Archange was named as one of the players to watch before the tournament started. They’ve both featured for their countries at the youth level, with Platts appearing for the United States U-16 and U-18 teams, and Archange suiting up for Canada’s U-17 side. Congratulations to both players!

Concacaf Announces W Champions Cup Details

Concacaf has named the 10 teams that will participate 2025-2026 Concacaf W Champions Cup and has announced the pots for tonight’s draw. The Orlando Pride are one of three American teams participating in the second year of the competition, and have been placed into Pot 2. Teams will be divided into two groups of five, with each team facing every club in its group once, and the top two sides from each group then advancing to the semifinals. The winner gets a spot in the 2027 FIFA Women’s Champions Cup, and the FIFA Women’s Club World Cup, which is set to be held for the first time in 2028. The draw takes place tonight at 8 p.m.

UEFA Nations League Preview

The UEFA Nations League returns this week, with the semifinals set for tomorrow and Thursday, and the third-place game and final taking place on Sunday. Things get started on Wednesday afternoon with Germany facing off against Portugal in Munich. Germany put away Italy 5-4 on aggregate in the quarterfinals to get to the semis for the first time, while Portugal beat Denmark 5-2, and is hunting for its second Nations League trophy. Thursday has Spain taking on France in Stuttgart. The Spanish beat the Netherlands on penalties in the semis to get here, while France took out Croatia on penalties to punch its ticket. There’s plenty of recent history in this one as these teams also met in the semifinals of Euro 2024 last year, with Spain claiming a 2-1 win.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

The transfer rumor mill has kicked into full swing, so let’s catch up on some of the big talking points. Starting in England, Manchester United has reportedly increased its interest in Brian Mbuemo, with the Brentford forward said to also be interested in moving to the club. There are said to be a number of Premier League teams interested in signing Southampton midfielder Tyler Dibling after his team was relegated to the Championship this season. Jobe Bellingham will reportedly follow in his brother Jude’s footsteps, as he’s reportedly decided to join Borussia Dortmund. Finally, Inter Milan is reportedly interested in signing Marcus Rashford as the Italians look to rebuild the squad following a brutal defeat in the UEFA Champions League final.

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  • Here’s a first look at Alex Freeman in his USMNT kit:

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

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