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Orlando City vs. Philadelphia Union: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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3 years ago

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Orlando City will return to Exploria Stadium empty handed after a 5-1 loss to the Philadelphia Union on the road. Some bad luck and a good performance from one of the league’s best teams was enough to end the Lions’ hopes at a result in this match. An own goal — originally credited to Olivier Mbaizo but changed after the match — opened the floodgates and goals by Mikael Uhre, Daniel Gazdag, Alejandro Bedoya, and Jack Elliott sunk the Lions. Andres Perea was able to spoil Philadelphia’s clean sheet at least.

Let’s take a look at how each Lion performed individually in the loss.

Starters

GK, Mason Stajduhar, 5 — He didn’t have much of a chance on the Union’s first goal as a cross by Olivier Mbaizo was deflected by Moutinho. The ball went over Stajduhar’s attempted swat and into the back of the net. Stajduhar was able to get a leg to Uhre’s shot from point blank range on the Union’s second goal, but there was too much power behind it. He conceded a penalty in the second half for barely making contact with Uhre, but he spilled a fairly routine-looking cross to allow Uhre the chance to pounce on it. The 24-year-old wasn’t able to stop Gazdag’s strike from the spot and had no chance on Bedoya’s diving header a few minutes later. Elliott scored on a free header and Stajduhar ended up conceding five goals. Still, he came up with seven saves, including three good ones in a row in the second half to stop Philly from scoring off of a free kick. Stajduhar only had 14 passes, completing 71.4% of them, and was accurate on three of his seven long balls. He’s not the first goalkeeper to be brutalized by the Union’s offense this year and likely won’t be the last. Some unlucky moments will make his performance look worse than it was, but there were still good moments for the backup goalkeeper, along with some on which he could’ve done better.

D, Joao Moutinho, 5.5 — The left back had a long and busy night as he led the Lions with a whopping 103 touches. His 72 passes were also the most by an Orlando player, although he completed them at just a 65.3% rate. Just one of his five crosses were accurate, including a great one that Junior Urso couldn’t put on frame, and he delivered some decent balls late in the match. Five of his 12 long balls were accurate, and he had two key passes to set up opportunities. His lone shot was from range and went wide. Defensively, Moutinho had three clearances, a tackle, and an interception. Moutinho was dispossessed and an unlucky deflection after he got a piece of Mbaizo’s cross ended up as an own goal. He (understandably) appeared to have nothing left in the tank late in this game, tracking back far too slowly on Cory Burke late to allow a shot that resulted in a corner kick, and he also wasn’t able to stick with Elliott on the ensuing goal from that corner. However, his long throw helped create Orlando’s only goal of the game.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 5 — Schlegel did a poor job marking Bedoya on the Union’s fourth goal. The center back finished the game with five tackles, four clearances, two blocks, and an interception. He had 28 passes at a good 85.7% success rate, but none of his four long balls were accurate. Schlegel also picked up a yellow card to stop Philly on a counter for his first booking since July.

D, Antonio Carlos, 6 — Carlos led the Lions with five clearances and three interceptions, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Union’s red-hot offense. The center back was beaten by a good through ball by Gazdag, as Uhre beat him to the ball and buried his shot on the Union’s second goal. Carlos was beaten multiple times by Uhre’s pace, but that’s more a credit to the Philadelphia striker than anything to do with Orlando’s center back. He nearly got his head to Kai Wagner’s cross on Philly’s fourth goal, but it fell for Bedoya. It was a strong night in terms of passing for Carlos though. The 29-year-old was accurate on nine of his 10 long balls and completed 90.2% of his 32 passes. Carlos also won all three of his aerial duels. It was always going to be a tough assignment against the Union and Carlos will have to shake off this result as the team prepares for Wednesday.

D, Ruan, 4.5 — It’s no secret that the right back’s crossing needs some work, but Ruan just wasn’t able to provide enough from the wing during this match. Both of his crosses were inaccurate and his second one had a real chance to give Orlando a lead if he didn’t send it right into the lone defender’s feet. Two of his four long balls were successful and he had 36 passes at a 77.8% success rate. Ruan had two tackles and two interceptions, but the Union really made the most of the space left when he went on the attack. Sometimes the Brazilian was able to track back in time to apply pressure, but other times Carlos and the defense were left to pick up the slack. Ruan didn’t provide the offensive bite to make his trips up the field worth it in the end.

MF, Wilder Cartagena, 5.5 — The Peruvian defensive midfielder led the team with six tackles and also contributed three clearances and an interception. His work on defense helped limit Philadelphia’s attack through the middle of the field. Cartagena completed 78.1% of his 41 passes, but his service when attacking needed to be better and only one of his four long balls was accurate. More time playing with his teammates may correct that over time, but a bad pass from Cartagena led to Philadelphia’s second goal. It was a decent outing from the 27-year-old, although it showed some fixable areas to improve moving forward. He could have had the game’s biggest contribution when he aggravated Jose Martinez into headbutting him but it wasn’t called and the video assistant referee apparently deemed there wasn’t enough evidence to award a red card.

MF, Andres Perea, 6.5 — It was a mixed bag from Perea. The 21-year-old gave the ball away after trying a harder pass than needed and the Union capitalized off of the mistake. It wasn’t his worst match offensively though, as he scored a goal, made two key passes, and had three successful dribbles. His first goal of the season was a nice one as he set it up at the top of the box and smashed it past Andre Blake, which is no easy feat. He completed 83.3% of his 42 passes but neither of his long balls. Perea also chipped in defensively with two interceptions.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 6.5 (MotM) — In his 65 minutes on the field, Pereyra pulled the strings to help Orlando build possession or surge forward on counter attacks. Although he was positioned deep in the midfield, Pereyra showed plenty of hustle to help out on both sides of the ball. The Uruguayan’s lone shot was an attempt from distance that was blocked before it could test Blake. Pereyra had 48 passes at a solid 85.4% success rate and also had a key pass by slipping a ball through the Union’s defense for Benji Michel to get a shot off and earn a corner. Although his single cross didn’t find its target, he was successful on two of his three long balls. His effort on defense shouldn’t be overlooked as he had three tackles and two interceptions to break up some of the Union’s attacks.

MF, Jake Mulraney, 4 — It was a pretty pedestrian performance by Mulraney, who was too often out of position to help the team during transition moments. It was hard to see how he fit into Orlando’s game plan as he lacked the speed to rush forward on counters and didn’t create many chances. He only had 11 passes, completing them at a 90.9% success rate, and his only cross was unsuccessful. Mulraney was subbed off at halftime and it was a night to forget for the Irishman.

MF, Niko Gioacchini, 4.5 — The American had six unstable touches and was dispossessed four times in this one as he was unable to get much going on the offensive end. He didn’t have any crosses, although that is partially because he tended to drift into the center of the field while Ruan worked the right wing when attacking. His passing needed to be a bit better as he only completed 68.4% of his 19 passes, and he didn’t have a shot. Gioacchini was a step behind opposing players at times and didn’t contribute any defensive stats in a rough game on the road.

F, Benji Michel, 5.5 — Although he won four of his five aerial duels, Michel had a tough time dealing with the strong center back pairing of Elliott and Jack Glesnes. His only shot was from a tough angle near the end line and the Homegrown Player did well to force a save from Blake and win a corner. In the second half, he had a key pass as he headed the ball towards Facundo Torres in the box. In terms of his hold-up play, Michel was successful on 84.2% of his 19 passes and had four unstable touches. His speed was certainly an asset, particularly in the first half, but he ultimately had a difficult time against the league’s best defense.

Substitutes

MF, Facundo Torres (45’), 5.5 — Torres came on with the Lions trailing by two at halftime, but the Union made sure to swarm him and force Orlando’s other players to beat them. Still, he found ways to get involved and had 32 touches and 23 passes at a strong 91.3% success rate. Torres had two shots, sending one wide and having the other blocked. His one cross and two long balls didn’t find their targets. All in all, Torres wasn’t able to make much of an impact on this game but only played one half and should be ready to roll for the upcoming matches.

MF, Ivan Angulo (45’), 5 — Like Torres, Angulo wasn’t able to create a spark to revive Orlando after coming on at halftime. Unlike Torres though, he didn’t see much of the ball and had 17 touches and 11 passes at an 81.8% success rate. Angulo’s only shot came early after coming on, but it missed the target. It was an otherwise quiet night for the Colombian and we didn’t see much of the speed and skill on the ball he’s displayed in previous matches.

MF, Junior Urso (65’), 6 — The Bear notched his seventh assist of the season with a nice headed pass to find Perea open at the top of the box following a long throw-in from Moutinho. Urso gave the Lions some needed energy on offense and was accurate on both of his long balls. He had 27 touches and 17 passes at an 82.4% success rate. The 33-year-old received some needed rest after playing nearly every minute of Orlando’s past five matches.

D, Kyle Smith (65’), 5 — Smith had 25 touches, two tackles, and two interceptions after coming on to replace Ruan. The damage had mostly been done by that point and he wasn’t able to create much on the offensive end as his only long ball was inaccurate and just one of his three crosses was successful. Smith had 14 passes at a 71.4% success rate and wasn’t part of any aerial duels.

MF, Cesar Araujo (84’), N/A — Coming on for Cartagena late in the match, Araujo had three touches and completed both of his passes. Philadelphia added its fifth goal shortly after he came on and there wasn’t enough time on the pitch for him to be graded.

The roster featured plenty of rotation following the club’s U.S. Open Cup win this past Wednesday. The Lions will have to shrug off this result as they get ready for critical matches against Atlanta United and Toronto FC this upcoming week. Let us know your thoughts in the comments and be sure to vote for your Man of the Match below.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Mauricio Pereyra6
Andres Perea4
Junior Urso1
Someone else (Tell us who in the comments below)0

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Lion Links: 6/3/25

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

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2 hours 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.

Free Kicks

  • 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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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Chicago Fire: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s 3-1 loss against the Chicago Fire?

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23 hours ago

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June 2, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City turned one loss into two heading into the international break. The Lions gave up three first-half goals and lost 3-1 at home to the Chicago Fire. A determined but ineffective offense wasn’t able to make up for lapses on the defensive end. The break is about a week late, but perhaps the players can get some rest. Let’s take a look at how Orlando City’s players rated individually in their Eastern Conference matchup.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 5 — El Pulpo literally had the ball slip through his hands on Philip Zinckernagel’s early goal. The other two goals weren’t on him, but it’s hard to forgive the first howler. He recorded one save and one clearance. It was not a great night from Gallese, but every keeper has one like that occasionally. He had 22 touches, completing 89.5% of his 19 passes and five of his seven long balls.

D, David Brekalo, 6 —Brekalo started at left back as usual, but after Rodrigo Schlegel subbed off he moved inside with Robin Jansson. He was busy in both halves of the pitch as he pressed into the attack when at fullback. He didn’t push forward quite as much after moving to center back, though he did still contribute as Orlando chased the match. He recorded 71 touches, completing 86.2% of his 58 passes. Brekalo also completed four of his five long balls. Like many, he managed one shot, though it wasn’t on target as his effort off a corner kick was blocked. Defensively, he tallied three interceptions and one tackle.

D, Robin Jansson, 5.5 — The captain let his emotions get the better of him in the first half. He was battling Hugo Cuypers all night, and given Cuypers scored a brace, I can’t say Jansson won the matchup. His frustration resulted in a yellow card in the 45th minute. After the half, he was able to get back on track, though the damage was done. Jansson had 70 touches, completing 100% of his 59 passes. He had one key pass and even took one shot, though it wasn’t on target. Defensively, he recorded three clearances and one tackle.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 4.5 — It was not a good night for Schlegel. He lost Cuypers on the second and third Chicago goals, and it’s not recommended to allow the opposition’s best goal scorer to be alone in the box or to get in behind the back line. Defensively, he only contributed two tackles and recorded no interceptions or clearances. He managed 30 touches and completed 88.9% of his 27 passes. Schlegel committed two fouls and received a yellow card in the 49th minute. He was subbed off in the 54th minute for Rafael Santos.

D, Alex Freeman, 6 — Freeman scored Orlando’s only goal in the 39th minute, putting a header off the corner kick on target and into the back of the net by way of a deflection in front. It was his lone shot on target in two attempts. The right back recorded 77 touches, completing 78.4% of his 51 passes, including five crosses and one key pass. Defensively, he recorded three interceptions, one clearance, and one tackle.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 6 — Angulo still doesn’t have a goal in 2025, which isn’t surprising given his one shot on goal was well off target. He wasn’t bad in this match, but he also didn’t play very long, as he only touched the ball 19 times. He got lost defensively on the second Chicago goal as there was poor communication and he strayed inside, leaving Zinckernagel out wide alone for an easy cross to Cuypers. His best moment in the match came after tracking back to help recover the ball in his own end before making an incredible long run deep into the attacking box and backheeling a pass to Luis Muriel, who dropped it to Marco Pasalic for a good scoring chance. Angulo completed all of his 12 passes. He came off at halftime for Ramiro Enrique, but he was one of the few players who appeared to have a lot of jump in his legs in the first half.

MF, Eduard Atuesta, 6.5 (MotM) — Atuesta showed how important he is to Orlando City club in this match. His vision and ability to connect passes put teammates in dangerous places, even if they couldn’t convert those chances. He continued to make good passes in and around the box trying to get Orlando’s offense going. Atuesta had a team-high 94 touches, completing 89.7% of his 78 passes, including two key passes. He connected on five of his seven long balls and one of his seven crosses. Atuesta attempted two shots, though neither was on target. Defensively, he contibuted one tackle.

MF, Joran Gerbet, 6 — Gerbet started in place of the suspended Cesar Araujo and continues to have some rookie struggles midway through the season. If he hadn’t been so good earlier in the season, it wouldn’t seem like he’s having difficulty lately. Like others, he got a little bit better as the match went on, though he came off in the 77th minute for Dagur Dan Thorhallsson. Gerbet had 44 touches, completing 93.8% of his 32 passes, winning one aerial, and recording one key pass. Defensively, he contributed four tackles, and one interception,

MF, Marco Pašalić, 6 — Pasalic was active if ultimately ineffective in Orlando’s attack with four shots, though he only put one on target. He recorded 63 touches, completing 82.2% of his 45 passes, including two of his four long balls. Pasalic contributed two key passes and connected on one of his five crosses. He took a nasty tumble, hitting the back of his head when he landed, though he was able to continue. He exited in the 88th minute for Gustavo Caraballo.

F, Martín Ojeda, 6.5 — It was Ojeda’s corner kick that found the head of Freeman to give Orlando its only goal. He wasn’t able to contribute a goal in this match, though not for a lack of trying. He took four shots with one on target, led the team with eight key passes, and recorded the assist. Ojeda touched the ball 62 times, completing 90.6% of 32 passes. He was fouled three times, one of which earned a free kick outside the box in the 58th minute. He even contributed on defense with two tackles and an interception.

F, Luis Muriel, 6 — On another night Muriel has at least a brace. He took six shots with none on target, though he had a free kick that went into the wall 59th minute, and he hit the crossbar in the 64th. If that ball is two inches lower, Orlando maybe climbs back into the match. He still dribbled into blind alleys and gave the ball away to the opposition, though not as much as in some other matches. He had 65 touches, completing 80% of his 35 passes, including one cross and two key passes.

Substitutes

F, Ramiro Enrique, (45′), 6 — Enrique came on for Angulo to start the second half as the Lions pushed for a comeback. He was fairly accurate, putting two of his four shots on target. One shot in the 62nd minute went right to the keeper, though the other shot was saved it was a very well taken chance on the outside of his right foot as he moved towards the goal. He also made a great tackle in the 86th minute to take the ball back from Jonathan Bamba. He did all of that on only 19 touches, completing 88.9% of his nine passes, including one key pass.

D, Rafael Santos, (54’), 5.5 — With both Schlegel and Jansson on yellow cards, Santos came on to replace Schlegel to allow Brekalo to move inside with Jansson. Perhaps it was because of the desperation with which Orlando City was playing, but it wasn’t too bad of an outing for Santos. He was active on the left side, putting in five crosses, but he completed just one. Santos tried to combine with his teammates while looking to break down the Chicago defense. He had 34 touches, completing 95.8% of his 24 passes. Defensively, he had one clearance.

MF, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, (77’), 6 — I feel like Dagur Dan could have started in place of Gerbet rather than subbing on. His motor was obviously better than those that had played more minutes during the month of May. He was persistent in trying to win the ball back when Chicago tried to counter attack. He only managed nine touches, completing 100% of his six passes. His individual effort in stoppage time was a highlight, as he did well to win the ball back and jumpstart the counter, but ultimately Enrique not only strayed offside prior to the pass but also fired his shot off target anyway.

MF, Gustavo Caraballo (88′), N/A — The youngster came on late for Pasalic. He only managed six touches, completing 80% of his five passes. The four he completed were all back passes. He made some runs into the box, but the ball never arrived for him to get a chance.

That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando City’s disappointing 3-1 loss at home against Chicago. Let us know what you thought of the game in the comments below and don’t forget to vote for your Man of the Match.

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Lion Links: 6/2/25

Lions fall to Chicago Fire, Pride players in action during international break, OCB beats Chattanooga FC, and more.

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1 day ago

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June 2, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been staying busy at work and will cover high school lacrosse and softball this week. Our beloved Lions lost, but OCB picked up a big win, while the Pride were off over the weekend. We have plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Falls to Chicago Fire at Home

Orlando City fell 3-1 to the Chicago Fire Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium. The Lions trailed 3-0 in the first half before Alex Freeman pulled one back for Orlando just before halftime. It was not enough to spark a late comeback, as the Lions have now lost back-to-back matches within the past week. The Lions played the match without Head Coach Oscar Pareja, who was serving a one-match suspension after receiving a red card in the match against Atlanta United on Wednesday. Orlando City Assistant Coach Diego Torres was on the sidelines for this match. The Lions are off this weekend, with their next match on the road on June 14 against the Colorado Rapids.

Pride Players on International Duty

Multiple Orlando Pride players were in action over the weekend, representing their countries while away on international duty. Angelina captained the Brazil Women’s National Team, while Marta started on the bench and played in the second half as Brazil defeated Japan 3-1 in a friendly.

Barbra Banda scored for Zambia in a 1-1 friendly draw against Botswana. Grace Chanda and Prisca Chilufya also started in the match.

Pride defender Zara Chavoshi was on the bench for the Canadian Women’s National Team but did not play as Canada beat Haiti 4-1 in a friendly.

Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was on the bench as England defeated Portugal 6-0 in a UEFA Women’s Nations League matchup.

OCB Defeats Eastern Conference Leader Chattanooga FC

Orlando City B defeated Chattanooga FC 2-1 Sunday at Osceola County Stadium. Shak Mohammed scored the opening goal early in the first half for the Young Lions. Chattanooga FC found an equalizer just before halftime. In the second half, we had to wait all the way until stoppage time for another goal as Noah Levis scored the winner for OCB. The Young Lions are ninth in the Eastern Conference with 14 points. OCB will be on the road to take on Huntsville City FC Friday.

USWNT Beats China in Friendly

The U.S. Women’s National Team defeated China 3-0 Saturday at Allianz Field in St. Paul, MN in a friendly. Orlando Pride defender Emily Sams came off the bench in the second half and played 21 minutes. Fellow Pride defender Kerry Abello was on the bench but did not play. Defender Naomi Girma made her first appearance for the USWNT this year after dealing with injuries. The USWNT dominated from the start as Catarina Macario scored the opening goal in the match. Sam Coffey made it 2-0 lead just before halftime. In the second half, Lindsey Heaps scored the final goal of the match. The USWNT will be back in action Tuesday night against Jamaica at Energizer Park in St. Louis.

LAFC Defeats Club America to Qualify for FIFA Club World Cup

LAFC overcame a 1-0 deficit to defeat Club America 2-1 in extra time in a play-in game Saturday at BMO Stadium and booked its spot in the FIFA Club World Cup. LAFC trailed 1-0 through much of the match, but late in the second half, Igor Jesus scored the equalizer just before stoppage time. In extra time, Denis Bouanga scored the winning goal. LAFC will join fellow MLS sides Inter Miami and the Seattle Sounders in the FIFA Club World Cup. The tournament begins on June 14, and LAFC will face Chelsea, Flamengo, and ES Tunis in the group stage.

Paris Saint-Germain and Cruz Azul Win Continental Titles

Paris Saint-Germain finally won its first UEFA Champions League trophy, beating Inter Milan 5-0 Saturday in Munich. Desire Doue scored twice and added an assist. Achraf Hakimi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Senny Mayulu also contributed goals. Paris Saint-Germain completed the treble, winning Ligue 1, Coupe de France, and the Champions League this season. Luis Enrique became the second manager to win a treble with two different clubs, joining Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola. Paris Saint-Germain also became only the second French club to win the Champions League title, with Marseille lifting the trophy back in 1993. For Inter Milan, it was the second time in three years the club lost the final, falling to Manchester City two years ago. Inter suffered the biggest defeat in UEFA Champions League final history.

Sunday in Mexico, Cruz Azul routed the Vancouver Whitecaps 5-0 Sunday at Estadio Olimpico Universitario to win the Concacaf Champions Cup. Angel Sepulveda scored two goals as Cruz Azul dominated the matchup. The Whitecaps were unable to record a shot on target. It’s the third straight final that an MLS side has lost to a Liga MX side since 2022, when the Seattle Sounders lifted the trophy. With the win, Cruz Azul has qualified for the 2025 FIFA Intercontinental Cup and the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup.

Free Kicks

  • Tom Bogert of GiveMeSport.com shared his insight on which MLS players to watch during the summer transfer window for potential moves. Orlando City defender Alex Freeman was mentioned, as well as Charlotte FC’s Patrick Agyemang and the Chicago Fire’s Brian Gutierrez.
  • Former Orlando Pride Head Coach Tom Sermanni reflected on his time with the club. He provided insight into his journey from coaching the Pride as an expansion team, including the early challenges, Orlando’s first NWSL playoff appearance, mentoring young coaches such as Khano Smith and Seb Hines, and more.
  • Washington Spirit Head Coach Jonatan Giraldez is reportedly set to become the next manager at OL Lyonnes and will join the club in June. Assistant Coach Adrian Gonzalez will be promoted to head coach for the Spirit.
  • U.S. Men’s National Team Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has added Walker Zimmerman, Nathan Harriel, and Paxten Aaronson to the roster to replace DeJuan Jones, Sean Zawadzki, and Folarin Balogun, who are all out due to injuries. The USMNT will play friendlies against Turkey on June 7 and Switzerland on June 10.
  • The LA Galaxy finally snapped their record 16-match winless streak on Saturday, defeating Real Salt Lake 2-0.

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

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