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Orlando City vs. New York City FC: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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3 years ago

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Tesho Akindele did it again, scoring the game-winning goal with the last kick (header, anyway) of the game as Orlando City beat New York City FC 2-1 for a huge three points. It’s the third consecutive win for the Lions, who beat the New York Red Bulls 1-0 and Charlotte FC 2-1 in the two previous games. However, it’s a win at home, which has been hard to come by for this team.

Let’s take a look at how the Orlando City players did individually in this game.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 5.5 — Gallese didn’t have a lot to do in this game. NYCFC only took one shot on target and it was its goal. The Peruvian international did play seven long balls out of the back but only completed one. However, those were mostly goal kicks, which are almost always 50/50 balls. The grade being this low has more to do with how Orlando controlled the match rather than the goalkeeper not playing well. While we can’t give Gallese a grade as high as we usually do, he didn’t make any big mistakes so it was not a bad game either.

D, Joao Moutinho, 5.5 — Moutinho wasn’t as involved as you’d like to see. Defensively, he only had one tackle. On the attacking end, he attempted five crosses but none of them were successful. He did complete four of his seven long balls, which is a positive, and completed 78.4% of his 51 passes. He didn’t have a bad game but didn’t have a significant impact, as Orlando controlled the match and he wasn’t called upon often defensively.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 5.5  — For the most part, Schlegel had a pretty good game. He finished the game with two tackles, two interceptions, and one clearance. On the attacking end, he completed 85.1% of his 47 passes, including a key pass, and completed three of his five long balls. However, he got sucked into the middle on the NYCFC goal, allowing Maxi Moralez to get behind the line and even the game at 1-1.

D, Antonio Carlos, 6 — This game was almost a disaster for Antonio Carlos, who received a red card in the 47th minute, only for VAR to rightfully change it to a yellow. Instead, it was a solid performance by the Brazilian center back. Carlos had two tackles and five clearances in the back. He completed 84% of his 50 passes and five of his nine long balls. He probably was the best of the back line for the Lions in this game.

D, Ruan, 5 — Ruan had a difficult game. He ended up with two tackles, two interceptions, and one blocked shot defensively but his problems were in the attack. While he had two key passes, he only completed 67.6% of his 37 passes and neither of his crosses. His poor crossing was a problem for a team that relies on the crossing ability of its full backs. Additionally, he completed three of his five long balls and had one shot so off-target that it hit the corner flag.

MF, Wilder Cartagena, 5.5 — Cartagena had a solid but unspectacular game in his first start for Orlando City. He had three tackles defensively but failed to contain Moralez, who had control of the midfield until Cesar Araujo came on. Cartagena completed 75% of his 20 passes and took two shots with one on target.

MF, Junior Urso, 7 (MotM) — This was one of Urso’s best games of the season. The midfielder played an attacking role in this game, completing 89.7% of his 39 passes, including one key pass. He took a team-high five shots, with two on target, and scored the game’s first goal. The goal was a wonderful play by Urso, which included a good move to beat the defender, a quick one-two with Facundo Torres, a great first touch to control the ball, and a wonderful finish. While others can be considered for Man of the Match, I’ll give it to Urso because of his goal and for forcing Sean Johnson’s best save of the night with another good shot.

MF, Jake Mulraney, 5  — Mulraney wasn’t as bad as he was in Charlotte a week ago but he was barely noticeable in this game. The midfielder only had 18 touches and completed 83.3% of just 12 passes. He had one incomplete cross and didn’t take any shots. His poor pass to Cartagena was the turnover that ultimately led to NYCFC’s tying goal early in the second half. He was seemingly on a different page than his teammates much of the night. It certainly appears as though Mulraney won’t be starting much longer.

MF, Facundo Torres, 6.5 — The two best attacking starters for the Lions in this game were Urso and Torres. The midfielder completed 74.6% of his 55 passes, three of which were key passes. He completed two of his team-high nine crosses and one of his four long balls. Considering the weather, that’s not bad. He took two shots in this game but neither were on target. Additionally, his quick one-two with Urso resulted in an assist for the Uruguayan.

MF, Benji Michel, 5.5 — Similar to Mulraney, Michel wasn’t very involved in this game. He only had 27 touches and completed 81.3% of his 16 passes. Michel started the game in the midfield but moved to the forward position when Araujo replaced Ercan Kara in the 58th minute. However, it was an unremarkable performance in both positions.

F, Ercan Kara, 5.5 — Kara had 21 touches up top in this game and only took one shot, which was a header off target with Maxime Chanot defending him well. He completed 54.6% of his 11 passes, one of which was a key pass, before being taken off in the 58th minute for Araujo.

Substitutes

MF, Cesar Araujo (58’), 6.5  — When the weather allowed, Moralez took control of the midfield for NYCFC until Araujo came on for Kara. Unquestionably the team’s best defensive midfielder, Araujo did his job well in this game, allowing the Lions to get their hold back on the game. He only had one tackle but completed 88.2% of his 34 passes. Additionally, he took one off-target shot.

MF, Andres Perea (64’), 6 — Perea came on in the 64th minute for Mulraney. While he didn’t have a memorable game, it wasn’t a bad one either. Perea had one tackle and completed 76.5% of his 17 passes, including one key pass.

MF, Ivan Angulo (65’), 7 — This was the second-longest performance for Angulo for the first team and should be the one that sees him take Mulraney’s starting spot. The midfielder was excellent in this game, completing all of his five passes, which included a pair of key passes. He completed two of his three crosses and his corner kick in the final seconds found the head of Tesho Akindele, giving him the assist on the winning goal. He also played well defensively, with one interception and a couple of good pressures to cut off New York City possession down his side.

F, Tesho Akindele (78’), 6.5 — Akindele came on with 12 minutes to go and it looked like it would be a forgettable appearance for the striker as he only had eight touches. The first seven touches were insignificant, completing three of his five passes and having one incomplete cross. However, his last touch of the game was a header to the back post off of Angulo’s corner that saw him score the game-winning goal for the second-consecutive game.

D, Kyle Smith (78’), 6 — Smith only came on with 12 minutes to go but played well in those minutes. He completed 91.7% of his 12 passes and completed two of his four crosses. He didn’t record any defensive stats as the Lions were on the attack in the final minutes. He had an opportunity to put Orlando ahead in the final 10 minutes with an open look at the back post but couldn’t put his shot on target.

That’s how I saw the individual performances in this game. While the individual player scores may seem somewhat low, the Lions played well as a team in the match. Let us know how you saw it and vote on the Man of the Match below.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Junior Urso35
Facundo Torres23
Antonio Carlos0
Cesar Araujo2
Ivan Angulo10
Other (let us know in the comments)9

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/9/25

Get to know Rodrigo Schlegel, Citrus Kit reimagined, USWNT falls to Brazil, and more.

Published

23 hours ago

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April 9, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. We’re neck deep into a busy week of soccer with the USWNT late Tuesday night, Orlando City B playing tonight, and Orlando City and the Orlando Pride on the Saturday schedule this weekend. Don’t you love this time of the year? I love that there’s almost always a soccer match available to watch. Let’s get to the links.

Focus on Rodrigo Schlegel

Orlando City continues the Lion’s Den Walk and Talk series of interviewing players with a look at center back Rodrigo Schlegel. This is your opportunity to get to know the Argentinian defender. He speaks of his childhood, his family, and his time with Orlando. My favorite part is when he speaks of the matches that have helped define him.

Citrus Kit Fashion

Since 2022, the Orlando Pride have collaborated with artists to create concept kits from the club’s current kit. This season, the club partnered with Sophie Hird on the Citrus Kit. Hird is a British designer and graduate of London College of Fashion. The result has a western flair seen here modeled by Pride defender Cori Dyke.

Bringing handmade kit art to life 🎨Learn More: orlsoccer.co/SophieHird

— Orlando Pride (@orlpride.com) 2025-04-08T15:00:16.833Z

This is the fourth kit collaboration for the club. The collection is on display at Orlando Health facilities in Central Florida.

The Custom Pride Kit Series over the years ✨

— Orlando Pride (@orlpride.com) 2025-04-08T18:20:45.683Z

OCB Hosts New England Revolution II

Orlando City B welcomes New England Revolution II to Osceola Heritage Park tonight. The Young Lions will try to rebound from their 2-0 loss to Chattanooga FC Saturday. It won’t get any easier against Revs II, who sit just above OCB in the MLS NEXT Pro standings. Revs II haven’t conceded any goals so far this season, and have scored just as many goals as the Young Lions. The match start time is 7 p.m. and can be streamed on MLSNEXTPro.com.

Brazil Defeats USWNT

The Brazilian Women’s National Team defeated the USWNT 2-1 Tuesday night scoring the winning goal in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time. The U.S. got things started early on a goal in the first minute from Catarina Macario, but was unable to add to that later in the match. The Pride’s Angelina got the start for Brazil, but Emily Sams did not appear for the USWNT. Maybe if Sams in subbed on then Amanda Gutierres doesn’t get that winning goal. We’ll never know.

USMNT Players Abroad

Several USMNT players were in action, including former Lion Daryl Dike, who saw action in West Bromwich Albion’s 2-1 loss at Bristol City. Dike subbed on in the 65th minute for the Baggies. It’s been a month since he returned to action following his second torn Achilles tendon. Elsewhere, Brenden Aaronson’s Leeds United defeated Aidan Morris’ Middlesbrough 1-0.

Free Kicks

  • Former Lion Dom Dwyer scored for Mansfield Town in EFL League One in a match against Leyton Orient, extending his goal-scoring streak. Seems he finally wanted to score.

Nice to see Dom Dwyer's back in the goals. He's scored in three consecutive games for Mansfield Town in EFL League One after finding the net tonight against Leyton Orient.

— Nicholas Murray (@njemurray.bsky.social) 2025-04-08T23:32:43.320Z

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/8/25

Orlando City academy roundup, Americans in midweek action, UEFA Champions League preview, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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April 8, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Tuesday, gang. It was a quiet weekend for Orlando soccer as Orlando City drew on the road and Orlando City B suffered its first loss of the young season. Things pick back up this week though, as the USWNT battles Brazil tonight, OCB plays Wednesday night, and OCSC and the Orlando Pride will be in action once the weekend rolls around. We have a bevy of things to talk through today, so let’s get into the links.

Orlando City Academy Roundup

The 2025 Generation Adidas Cup is right around the corner, and one of Orlando City’s youth talents has been identified as someone to watch in the tournament. Center back Clovis Archange has been named in this year’s Rising XI, with his passing range and athleticisim garnering specific praise. Continuing the theme of youth action, Orlando had six different academy teams in action over the weekend, and it was a largely successful time for them, as all but one was victorious in their games.

We’ve also got the schedule that Orlando City’s U-16 and U-18 teams will play in the Generation Adidas Cup, so make sure you keep an eye on all the action this week.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are multiple American players who will be taking part in games during the working week, with cup competition being a recurring theme. Things get started this afternoon with some American-on-American violence when Aidan Morris and Middlesborough meet Brenden Aaronson and Leeds in the Championship. Then tonight has Alex Zendejas and Club America taking on Cruz Azul in the Concacaf Champions League. Tomorrow’s big match has Gio Reyna and Dortmund facing Barcelona and Diego Kochen in the UEFA Champions League. Thursday then has Tanner Tessman and Lyon squaring off against Manchester United in the Europa League, while Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis play Polish side Jagiellonia Białystok in the Conference League.

UEFA Champions League Preview

As mentioned above, the UEFA Champions League makes its return this week, so let’s refresh on where we stand heading into the quarterfinals. Today has Inter Milan facing Bayern in Germany and Arsenal squaring off against Real Madrid in London. Bayern has only lost twice this calendar year and is probably the favorite at home, but Inter is top of Serie A and has had plenty of recent success in the competition. Real Madrid is almost always favored in the Champions League, but Arsenal has the luxury of being able to put the majority of its focus on the UCL with the Premier League title essentially out of reach, and Thibaut Courtois admitted his side is aware of the threat the Gunners pose from set pieces. Wednesday has Aston Villa taking on Paris Saint-Germain, and the English side will need to find a way to quiet Ousmane Dembele, who has been fantastic since the turn of the calendar year. Barcelona is top of La Liga and the favorite against Borussia Dortmund, but the German side has been in good form in the UCL this year as opposed to a league campaign its fans would probably rather forget.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

Regardless of if the windows are open or not, transfer season never truly stops, so let’s have a look at what’s been in the headlines lately. Liverpool is said to be searching for alternatives to Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez, with Victor Osimhen and Benjamin Sesko reportedly identified as more cost-effective options than Alexander Isak. Manchester United is reportedly interested in signing Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers, with Arsenal also in hot pursuit of the Brazilian. Newcastle is reportedly interested in signing Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace, with Toon boss Eddie Howe apparently a big fan of the England international. Finally, Ansu Fati is reportedly ready to leave Barcelona, as he has not been playing a big part under Hansi Flick since returning from his loan at Brighton last season.

Free Kicks

That’s it for me today. Enjoy your day, and as always, vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/7/25

Lions draw on the road, OCB falls to Chattanooga FC, USWNT beats Brazil, and more.

Published

3 days ago

on

April 7, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been busy at work while catching up with friends over the weekend at a Cubs game. Our Lions picked up a draw in Philadelphia, and OCB lost, while the Pride was off this weekend. We’ve got plenty of cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Draw Philadelphia Union on the Road

Orlando City and the Philadelphia Union split the points in a scoreless draw at Subaru Park Saturday. The Lions’ back line posted a shutout for the first time this season, but the league’s best attack couldn’t find the back of the net for the first time. Orlando City goalkeeper Pedro Gallese made four saves to earn his first clean sheet of the season. Orlando’s best chance came in the 70th minute when Martin Ojeda set up Luis Muriel, and he ripped his shot on goal, but Union goalkeeper Andre Blake made a clutch save. The Lions finished the season series winless against the Union but took four out of six possible points in their two-game road trip against the LA Galaxy and Philadelphia. Orlando City also extended its unbeaten run to four matches. Orlando City will return to Inter&Co Stadium Saturday to take on the New York Red Bulls.

OCB Falls to Chattanooga FC on the Road

Orlando City B fell 2-0 to Chattanooga FC Saturday at Finley Stadium. It was the Young Lions’ first loss of the season. Shak Mohammed, Thomas Williams, Colin Guske, and Gustavo Caraballo were all unavailable for OCB as they were with the first team in Philadelphia. After a scoreless first half, Chattanooga FC’s Daniel Mangarov and Keegan Ancelin scored in the second half to seal the win. It will be a quick turnaround as OCB will be back in action on Wednesday to face New England Revolution II at Osceola County Stadium.

USWNT Defeat Brazil in Friendly

The U.S. Women’s National Team defeated Brazil 2-0 Saturday at SoFi Stadium in an international friendly. It was the first meeting between the two sides since the 2024 Paris Olympics final won by the USWNT last summer. Orlando Pride defender Emily Sams was on the bench for the USWNT but did not play. Orlando Pride midfielder Angelina played 81 minutes for the Brazilians, captaining the side, while former Pride midfielder Adriana played 90 minutes. Trinity Rodman scored the opening goal five minutes into the match to put the USWNT on top. In the second half, the USWNT earned a penalty kick, and Lindsey Heaps converted from the spot. The USWNT will face Brazil again Tuesday night at PayPal Park.

MLS Weekend Recap

The weekend’s slate of Major League Soccer matches ended with some notable results. Charlotte FC needed two late goals from Wilfried Zaha and Idan Toklomati in the second half to complete a comeback and beat Nashville SC 2-1. The Columbus Crew edged CF Montreal 2-1, while the New York Red Bulls defeated the Chicago Fire 2-1. Real Salt Lake, Sporting Kansas City, and the Vancouver Whitecaps all won 2-0 matches over the LA Galaxy, St. Louis City, and the Colorado Rapids, respectively. San Diego FC cruised to a 3-0 victory over the Seattle Sounders as Chucky Lozano scored his first goal in MLS. FC Cincinnati and the Houston Dynamo won 1-0 over the New England Revolution and LAFC, respectively. Atlanta United and FC Dallas ended in a 1-1 draw, while Austin FC and the Portland Timbers ended scoreless. On Sunday, Minnesota United beat New York City FC 2-1. Josef Martinez scored a hat trick as the San Jose Earthquakes dominated D.C. United 6-1, and the Inter Miami and Toronto FC match ended in a 1-1 draw.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando Pride players Sams and Angelina swapped jerseys over the weekend after the international friendly match between the USWNT and Brazil.
  • Nashville SC defender Walker Zimmerman was carted off the field in a neck brace following a bicycle kick to the face during the Charlotte FC match on Saturday, but he has been released from the hospital.
  • Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne announced on social media Friday he is leaving the club.
  • Paris Saint-Germain defeated Angers 1-0 over the weekend to clinch the Ligue 1 title for the 13th time. PSG won the league with six matches remaining.
  • Two Americans continue their stellar form in the EFL Championship as Haji Wright scored his fourth goal in three matches for Coventry City in his side’s 2-1 loss to Burnley. Josh Sargent scored his 14th goal of the season for Norwich City in a 2-1 loss to Plymouth Argyle over the weekend.
  • Southampton became the first club to be relegated from the Premier League this season after a 3-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur Sunday. With seven matches remaining, the Saints suffered the earliest relegation in Premier League history.

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

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