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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Colorado Rapids: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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2 years ago

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Orlando City gained a hard-fought road point, drawing the Colorado Rapids 1-1 Wednesday night. Facundo Torres gave the Lions the lead in the 22nd minute, but Gyasi Zardes equalized in the 65th minute. If not for some excellent goalkeeping by Pedro Gallese, it could’ve been a multi-goal loss. Regardless, Orlando City will be happy to get out with a point.

Here’s a look at how the Lions did individually.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 8 (MotM) — Gallese had arguably his best game of the season in this one. The Peruvian international had six saves on the night and four were absolutely spectacular. Without Gallese’s heroics, not only would the Lions have lost, they would’ve lost by multiple goals. But the goalkeeper kept his team in the game and allowed them to claim what could be a valuable point.

D, Kyle Smith, 5 — Smith had a difficult night defending Sam Nicholson and Michael Barrios. The left back allowed too much space too often and had trouble keeping up with the midfielders. Defensively, Smith ended the game with three tackles, three clearances, two blocks, and one interception. Going forward, he completed 75.9% of his 29 passes and had one key pass. He also completed a team high seven of his eight long balls out of the back. He did have a nice long throw that led to Torres’ goal. But allowing multiple key balls into the box, including for the equalizing goal, is what will be remembered from Smith in this game.

D, Robin Jansson, 6.5 — It wasn’t a great game by Jansson but it wasn’t a bad game either. The central defenders allowed Zardes behind too many times. It was Jansson allowing him through at the end of the game that forced Gallese into one of his great saves. The Swede had three tackles, one interception, two blocked shots, and one clearance. Offensively, he completed 86.4% of his 44 passes, one of which was a key pass, and five of his 10 long balls. In the final third, he recorded two off-target shots (one was blocked).

D, Antonio Carlos, 6 — Similar to Jansson, Carlos had a decent game but allowed Zardes behind too often. The main difference between the two defenders is that Carlos’ mistake resulted in a goal. Carlos did pick up the run through the middle, but he didn’t get ball side, allowing Zardes to get to the ball first and flick it past Gallese. He finished the game with one tackle, two interceptions, two blocked shots, and a team leading seven clearances. He completed 88.1% of his 59 passes, including one key pass, and completed three of his seven long balls. Additionally, he took one shot but it was off target.

D, Ruan, 5 — Like Smith, Ruan didn’t have his best game in Colorado. He was lucky not to be at fault for a goal in the 29th minute, when he left Jonathan Lewis wide open and wasn’t marking anyone in the attack. Fortunately, Lewis’ shot hit the post. Defensively, Ruan ended the game with one tackle and one clearance. He completed 81% of his 21 passes and didn’t have any key distributions.

MF, Benji Michel, 5.5  — This game showed the good and bad of Michel. In the opening minutes, the midfielder made a nice move to get past the defender and put a shot on target. While it wasn’t very dangerous for William Yarbrough, it made the goalkeeper make a save. However, bad Benji showed up in the 60th minute. After being sent through by Tesho Akindele, Michel either played a bad shot or bad pass to the back post that went out for a goal kick. That was the opportunity Orlando needed to convert to double the lead. Instead, moments later, the game was tied. Michel completed 80% of his 15 passes in this game and had one key pass. He took three shots, one of which was on target, and drew three fouls. Defensively, he contributed an interception and two clearances.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 6.5— Araujo quietly had a solid night for the Lions. The defensive midfielder led the team with six tackles, adding to his two clearances, one interception, and one blocked shot. He completed 88.6% of his 44 passes but didn’t have any key passes. However, he completed four of his six long balls and drew two fouls.

MF, Junior Urso, 6 — Urso wore the armband for this game in place of Mauricio Pereyra, who had most of the night off. He had 41 touches in the midfield and completed 92.6% of his 27 passes, none of which were key passes. He took two shots and put one on target. Urso also helped out defensively with a pair of tackles and drew four fouls while fouling twice.

MF, Facundo Torres, 6.5 — This was one of Torres’ better games since joining the club at the beginning of the season. His biggest contribution was his 22nd minute goal, in which he slammed a touch from Alexandre Pato under the crossbar for the opener. Apart from the goal, Torres completed 76.9% of his 26 attacking passes and had one key pass. The goal was one of two shots he took and the only one that was on target. He completed three dribbles in the game and drew four fouls, tied for the team lead.

MF, Alexandre Pato, 5.5 — Pato was better in this game than he’s been in recent weeks, actually putting a shot on target. He was credited with assisting the goal by Torres, but it was a lucky assist as it was a bad touch and Torres just happened to be in the right place to avoid a turnover. Pato only completed 57.1% of his seven passes but did have three key passes, a team high. His four crosses were second on the team in this game but only one of them was accurate.

F, Tesho Akindele, 5.5 — Akindele isn’t the goal-scoring type of forward for Orlando City and wasn’t one Wednesday night. He completed 69.2% of his 13 passes, but had one key pass on the flick to Michel that should’ve resulted in a great opportunity. However, that was his one real contribution to the game as he took only one shot and it was off target.

Substitutes

MF, Mauricio Pereyra (56’), 5.5 — The Lions’ captain got most of the day off, only playing the last 34 minutes. He completed 93.8% of his 16 passes and had one key pass. He also led the team with five crosses, but none of them were on target. Pereyra didn’t take any successful dribbles after coming on and was dispossessed a team-leading three times.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel (71’), 6 — Schlegel came on with 19 minutes to go as Oscar Pareja decided to go to a back five. While the Lions were looking to claim a point, this was also probably because of the poor defending by Smith and Ruan. Schlegel didn’t have any defensive stats, but completed 77.8% of nine passes and had one key pass going forward. He also had a run that drew a foul and set up an opportunity for the Lions late.

D, Michael Halliday (78’), 5 — Halliday came on for Ruan with 12 minutes to go and didn’t have much of an impact. He didn’t have any defensive plays and only had 10 touches on the ball. He completed 71.4% of his seven passes and had one off-target cross. His last three passes were particularly poor, with one putting Pereyra in a bad spot and two wasting potential opportunities in the attack to grab a late winner.

MF, Andres Perea (78’), N/A — During the same window in which Halliday came on, Perea replaced Torres in a defensive move. The midfielder only touched the ball five times and completed three of his five passes. Other than that, Perea didn’t have any impact on the game.

That’s how I saw Orlando City’s individual performances in the team’s 1-1 draw with Colorado. Let us know how you saw the game in the comments and don’t forget to vote for your Man of the Match below.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Pedro Gallese56
Facundo Torres4
Robin Jansson0
Cesar Araujo0
Other (Let us know in the comments)0

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/3/24

MLS roster profiles revealed, Marta’s best moments, Kelley O’Hara announces her retirement, and more.

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1 hour ago

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May 3, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Happy Friday! We’ve reached the homestretch of the week and I couldn’t be happier. A busy weekend awaits me, but I’m hoping for some quiet, nice moments to offset some of the hustle and bustle. It’s also another weekend packed with Orlando soccer to enjoy, so make sure to plan your next couple of days accordingly. But for now, let’s get to the links!

MLS Unveils Club Roster Details

There’s a little more transparency in Major League Soccer after the league released helpful snapshots of each club that detail the composition of each roster. From Designated Players and MLS U22 Initiative Players to international roster slots and contract lengths, the graphics are easy to comprehend and give a nice look behind the curtain on each team. Using this, we can see that Orlando City midfielder Cesar Araujo no longer takes up a U22 Initiative slot and that the team also has an open international roster slot. It should be a fairly nice reference guide for fans moving forward, as well as a way to check out how other MLS teams are building their rosters.

Emily Sams Earns Recognition as Potential USWNT Player

Orlando Pride defender Emily Sams was mentioned as one of the top 20 eligible Americans who have yet to make an appearance with the United States Women’s National Team according to Pro Soccer Wire. The shout out is well deserved, as Sams has helped anchor a Pride defense that’s only given up seven goals this season. Only time will tell if Sams will earn a call-up once Emma Hayes is at the helm of the USWNT, but it does feel inevitable given how she’s been playing. Other notable players on the list include Ajax’s Lily Yohannes, Washington Spirit rookie Croix Bethune, and Angel City FC defender Sarah Gorden.

Marta’s Top Moments

All For XI compiled some of the best moments from Marta’s career into a tidy top five. Considering how prolific she has been for Brazil over the years, it was nice to see a pair of goals from her time with the Pride receive some recognition. Both of those moments were from 2018, with her free kick to equalize against the Seattle Reign placing fifth and her solo effort to stun the Spirit taking third. It’s fitting though that the top moment on the list showcases the impact she’s had off the field, as it’s Marta’s emotional speech after Brazil’s exit in the 2019 World Cup.

Kelley O’Hara Will Retire After 2024 Season

USWNT defender Kelley O’Hara announced that she will retire from professional soccer following the 2024 season. Over the course of her international career, she’s played in four World Cups, three Olympic Games, and was named to the FIFA FIFPro World XI in 2019. O’Hara has played in every NWSL season since the league’s inception, winning the title with the Spirit in 2021 and again with NJ/NY Gotham FC last year. She joined Gotham as the first free agent signing in NWSL history and she is set to close out her illustrious career there.

Free Kicks

  • Curve Fragrances was named the official fragrance partner of Orlando City. As part of the partnership, there will be giveaways and product sampling at select games this season.
  • Wrexham’s women’s squad for The Soccer Tournament this summer will include a trio of former Pride players, with Bridget Callahan, Danica Evans, and Nickolette Driesse all taking part. I can’t wait to see if Callahan will make SkoRed a rallying cry at the tournament.
  • Orlando City won’t have to contend with FC Cincinnati forward Aaron Boupendza tomorrow, as he will miss the next six to eight weeks due to a broken jaw suffered in an off-field incident.
  • The Europa League semifinals are underway and Bayer Leverkusen extended its unbeaten run to 47 games after a 2-0 road win against Roma. In the other matchup, Atalanta and Marseille drew 1-1 in France.
  • American midfielder Johnny Cardoso hasn’t been with Real Betis for long, but he’s doing well enough that Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, and Borussia Dortmund are among the clubs reportedly interested in signing the 22-year-old.
  • Lucas Hernandez suffered an ACL injury in Paris Saint-Germain’s loss to Borussia Dortmund and will miss out on this summer’s Euros with France.
  • Reims and Will Still have mutually agreed to part ways, with the coach leaving now despite just having three games left in the Ligue 1 season. It will be interesting to see where the 31-year-old coaches next, as he had a notable 19-game unbeaten stretch with Reims last season.
  • Here’s a detailed dive into the obstacles Everton has faced in recent years, as well as how the club has avoided relegation amid another difficult season.

That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

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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

22 hours ago

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May 2, 2024

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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!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/2/24

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

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1 day ago

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May 2, 2024

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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!

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