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Orlando City vs. LA Galaxy: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions perform in a 2-0 win over the LA Galaxy at home?

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City was able to give its supporters plenty to cheer about in a 2-0 win against the LA Galaxy at Exploria Stadium Saturday night. Ercan Kara scored his first goal of the regular season and Facundo Torres scored another in a match that showcased how Orlando’s trio of Designated Players can work alongside one another. Of course, there is more to this team than its stars and many players put in strong performances. Let’s dive into how each individual Lion did their part in the shutout victory.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6 — The Peruvian goalkeeper didn’t see much action throughout the match, but came up with a fantastic save to deny Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez late in the match and preserve his clean sheet. His only other save of the match was in the 24th minute, when he swallowed up a driven shot from Tyler Boyd in the heavy rain. Gallese finished the game with 28 passes at a 78.6% success rate and was accurate on five of his 11 long balls. There were a few nervy moments late while trying to play out of the back, but Orlando put out the potential fires and secured the shutout.

D, Kyle Smith, 6 — Smith returned to the starting lineup, playing at left back along Orlando’s back line while Luca Petrasso recovers from injury. He quietly led the Lions with 82 touches and a whopping 75 passes at a solid 85.3% completion rate. While there were a few giveaways, Smith did well to collect the ball out wide and either find Ivan Angulo on the left wing or calmly get it into the center of the field. He wasn’t exactly a stalwart in defense, only recording one tackle, but he did enough to strengthen Orlando’s back line so it wasn’t burned by counter attacks. He was definitely the more conservative fullback, not getting involved on offense beyond lurking outside the box for possible shots. His lone cross was inaccurate and he was successful on three of his long balls. One of those was a first-half beauty to unleash Michael Halliday down the right flank. It should have led to a scoring chance with Kara beating the defense in the middle but a heavy touch by Halliday spoiled the opportunity. It was a solid outing for Smith, considering he hasn’t seen many minutes recently and he’s more natural at right back, although his versatility has been proven enough at this point in his career.

D, Robin Jansson, 7 — Jansson was a brick wall in the heart of Orlando’s defense, living up to the design of the team’s kit this year. The Beefy Swede’s four blocked shots were the most on the team and he had two clearances as well. If there was a loose ball in the box, Jansson was there to at least get a piece of it. The clearest example came in the second half, when he recovered well after a good touch from Chicharito in the box seemed to have beaten him only for him to stretch and deflect the shot out for a corner. There were many moments like that, as Jansson also cut off a clever pass in the rain at the center circle before it could reach Chicharito in transition and took care of business while defending a dangerous two-on-one. Jansson was great with the ball at his feet as well, completing 93.1% of his 58 passes and finding his mark on four of six long balls. The 31-year-old was a large reason why Gallese didn’t have to make too many saves.

D, Antonio Carlos, 7 — Carlos was just as impressive at center back as Jansson, leading the team with five clearances and blocking a shot as well. He won both of his aerial duels and made sure to make life difficult for Galaxy players who wanted to gain possession in Orlando’s final third. The Brazilian also made an impact on offense, completing nine of his 12 long balls. The best came on Orlando’s first goal, as he sent a weighted ball forward for Michael Halliday to get onto before it reached the end line for an assist. Carlos completed 85.4% of his 48 passes and looked right at home playing with four at the back alongside Jansson.

D, Michael Halliday, 6.5 — Halliday returned from injury and the Galaxy gave him plenty of space to run on the right wing — mainly in the first half — and he did a great job working his way into dangerous areas with speed and positioning. Heavy touches and subpar crossing led to a shaky start, but he settled in as the match went on. The 20-year-old notched his first MLS assist in the 38th minute by chasing down a long ball from Carlos and zipping a pass towards Kara at the near post. Defensively, he had two tackles, an interception, a clearance, and a blocked shot. The Galaxy took advantage of his time up the field on occasion, but he was resolute enough in the second half to keep Orlando in front. Although neither of his two crosses ended up being successful and he only completed 75.9% of his 29 passes, Halliday showed that he can make the types of runs to cause problems on offense. Orlando’s fullbacks have struggled with consistency so far this season, but this was a promising performance from the Homegrown Player if he can execute better going forward.

MF, Wilder Cartagena, 6.5 — With Mauricio Pereyra injured, Cartagena got the start in Orlando’s midfield. There was some rust to shake off early on, but he found his rhythm and had 48 passes at a 93.8% success rate. Cartagena was also accurate on all four of his long balls and did well switching the angle of the attack or finding those tight areas to slip passes through a crowded midfield. He could’ve afforded to get forward a bit more to take shots when plays broke down, but he understandably played it safe and left most of the attacking to the Designated Players in the center of the field. His only shot was deflected and he had a key pass as well.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 7 — Araujo also did well in Orlando’s midfield, completing 88.5% of his 61 passes and connecting on eight of his 11 long balls. He helped pull LA’s defense apart like dough and had a key pass by setting up a shot for Martin Ojeda outside the box. He also gave Orlando some bite in the midfield with a team-high three tackles and a clearance. What looked to be his first goal of the season was disallowed due to a handball from Torres in the build-up. While it didn’t count, it was a nice bit of finishing from the defensive midfielder. The five fouls he won are not to be overlooked either.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 7 — Angulo provided a needed spark on offense along the left wing, particularly in transition. On Orlando’s second goal, he quickly found space to receive a pass forward and then slipped the ball into the center of the field before sprinting towards goal to give the attack another runner if needed. There was a similar moment in the first half when he shook a defender and used his speed to surge forward and create a chance for Ojeda. His execution could’ve been better in that moment to lead Ojeda forward with his pass, but his decision making was great overall. Angulo was accurate on all four of his long balls, one of his two crosses, and all but one of his 36 passes for an excellent 97.2% success rate. His only shot was blocked and he had three dribbles. Angulo also flitted around the field to help out on defense and apply pressure, recording two tackles, a clearance, and a blocked shot in 78 minutes of action. If he can make performances like these each week with consistency, it will go a long way towards Orlando’s attack.

MF, Facundo Torres, 7 — Torres scored his second goal of the season by capping off some interplay between Orlando’s Designated Players. His shot could have had more bite to it and Jonathan Klinsmann got a touch to it, but there was enough behind it to reach the far corner and go in. He looked most lethal when on the right wing and grew into the position as the match wore on, while Halliday hung back to solidify the defense after LA changed shape. His preference for his left foot and some hesitation with the ball at his feet due to LA’s pressure in the center of the field made for a few awkward chances, and he had four unstable touches. His goal was also his only shot of the match. However, he led the Lions with three key passes and showed some better chemistry with his teammates in this one. The 23-year-old was successful on 80% of his 40 passes, while connecting on three of his four long balls and one of his two crosses. It was a strong performance from Torres and hopefully a sign of more to come in the future.

MF, Martin Ojeda, 7 — Ojeda had an assist for the second straight match after delivering a nice pass between defenders to Torres in transition. He also led the Lions with six shots, putting two of them on target and having another blocked. His best chance was in the first half on a counter with plenty of time to pick out his shot. The shot was well taken, but Klinsmann made a great save to push it inches wide and out for a corner. He had a nearly identical opportunity in the second half, sending the curler inches wide of the far post. Ojeda had two key passes and both of his crosses found their target. None of his three long balls were successful and he completed 71.8% of his passes, but he still looked fairly in tune with his teammates.

F, Ercan Kara, 7.5 (MotM) — The Austrian striker started up top for Orlando and scored his first goal of the season. Kara made a nice cut in the box to dart towards the near post just in time to poke a low cross from Halliday into the goal from a tight angle. It was one of many great runs from Kara during the match, as he tested the Galaxy’s defenders and opened up some space for teammates. Kara put three of his four shots on target, with the exception being an ambitious and acrobatic attempt to bury a cross that was a tad behind him. It could be argued he should’ve chested it down for Angulo, but he was ultimately brought to Orlando to put the ball in the net. He was also given an assist for his part in Orlando’s second goal, redirecting the ball into Ojeda’s path with a smooth backheel so he could take it in stride. In terms of his hold-up play, Kara won three of his five aerials duels, completed 57.1% of his 14 passes, and won a foul from a great position late in the match. The Galaxy’s defense was built around clogging up the passing lanes in the center of the field and allowing space out wide. It was a scheme designed to stop center forwards like Kara from running rampant. It didn’t.

Substitutes

MF, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson (78′), 6 — The Icelandic midfielder was decent coming off the bench. He completed all seven of his passes and was patient with the ball during a potential counter, waiting for Galaxy defenders to make their commitments before getting the ball out wide to Torres. He did commit a foul on Raheem Edwards that gave the Galaxy an opportunity, but the Lions took care of it.

F, Gaston Gonzalez (78′), 5.5 — The winger didn’t have much to do on Orlando’s left side as the Lions focused on holding on for the win. He had just two touches, both of his passes were successful, and his single long ball found its mark.

F, Ramiro Enrique (85′), N/A — Enrique had just just two touches in the match and completed his only attempted pass. He didn’t have any defensive stats, but helped see the game out with fresh legs to keep Galaxy defenders honest.

MF, Felipe (85′), N/A — The veteran midfielder had one touch, which was an unsuccessful cross into the box. There weren’t enough minutes from Felipe to properly grade him, but he didn’t commit any needless fouls or make any other kind of mistakes.

D, Alex Freeman (92′) N/A – The Homegrown Player made his MLS debut by coming on in stoppage time. Freeman didn’t see any of the ball, but it was still nice to see the 18-year-old defender coming off the bench.


That’s how I saw each performance from the Lions in their 2-0 win at home against the LA Galaxy. It was certainly a team effort, and a needed one, as Orlando gets ready for six matches next month. Who was your Man of the Match? Make sure to vote in our poll and let us know what you think in the comments!

Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/12/26

Barbra Banda up for weekly honors, Johnny Cardoso to have surgery, Americans in midweek action, and more.

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Good morning, everyone. It was a mixed bag for Orlando’s soccer teams over the weekend, as the Orlando Pride and Orlando City B both picked up victories, while Orlando City lost. There’s no rest for the wicked though, because the Pride take on Boston Legacy on the road tonight, while the Lions will host the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday. We’ve got a lot to talk about this morning, so let’s get into the links.

Barbra Banda up for Weekly Honors

Barbra Banda’s game-winning strike over the North Carolina Courage has been nominated for the NWSL Goal of the Week. Banda cut across her marker in the 87th minute with the match tied 0-0 and curled a great strike inside the far post to give the Pride a lead that wouldn’t be relinquished. The victory got Orlando back on track after dropping two games in a row, and the goal was Banda’s league-leading eighth strike of the year. Make sure you go vote for her to win!

Surgery for Johnny Cardoso

Atletico Madrid announced on Monday that midfielder Johnny Cardoso will have surgery to repair an injury to his right ankle. Cardoso was hurt during a training session, with Atletico classifying the injury as a “high-grade sprain involving joint damage.” The club’s statement did not specify a timeline for his return to the field and U.S. Soccer has not made any statement besides wishing Cardoso a speedy recovery. That said, with this summer’s World Cup less than a month away, its tough to imagine that he’ll be healed up and ready to be part of the United States Men’s National Team roster. If that’s the case, it’ll be a bitter blow for both the USMNT and a midfielder that looked like a sure bet to be on the squad.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans who will be taking part in games during the working week, so let’s make sure we’ve got everything on the schedule. Things got started on Monday when Brenden Aaronson played 63 minutes in Leeds United’s 1-1 draw with Tottenham. Action continues today when Aidan Morris and Middlesborough face Southampton in the second leg of an EFL Championship playoff promotion semifinal. Wednesday sees Auston Trusty and Celtic take on Motherwell in a game with massive ramifications on the title race in the Scottish Premier League. Wednesday also has Alex Freeman and Villarreal hosting Sevilla in La Liga play, while Chris Richards and Crystal Palace will try to play spoiler against Manchester City.

MLS Matchday 12 Lessons

Matchday 12 is officially in the books for Major League Soccer, so what did we learn from the weekend’s action? For one thing, Jack McGlynn was imperious in his second game back from injury, as his brace helped the Houston Dynamo knock off LAFC on the road while USMNT assistant Jesus Perez was watching from the stands. The New England Revolution are now unbeaten in the club’s last seven league games, and Carles Gil was a big reason why, as he nabbed a goal and an assist in the Revs’ 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Union. He’s got four goals and four assists so far, and the Revs are sitting pretty at second in the Eastern Conference.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

European seasons aren’t quite wrapped up yet, but that isn’t stopping transfer rumors from flying thick and fast. We start with the Premier League, where Manchester City is reportedly prepared to trigger the release clause of 16-year-old Hertha Berlin midfielder Kennet Eichhorn, before immediately sending the player on loan to continue his development. Elsewhere in England, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Arsenal are all said to be interested in signing Juventus fullback Andrea Cambiaso. Switching lanes to the managerial side of things, Chelsea has reportedly identified Xabi Alonso as the leading candidate to become the next manager of the team, with the Spaniard said to be open to taking the job. Finally, Jose Mourinho is said to be open to taking the Real Madrid job, although he reportedly has a couple conditions that he wants met first.

Free Kicks

  • Kickoff times have been set for Orlando City’s three group stages matches in this year’s Leagues Cup.
  • The Lions will be launching a new merch collection Friday at The Final Whistle.

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

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. CF Montreal: Player Grades and Man of the Match

Here’s how your favorite Lions performed in Orlando City’s 2-0 loss to CF Montreal.

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Image of Griffin Dorsey trying to send the ball upfield against a Montreal defender.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

If you play Football Manager enough, you play plenty of games where the after-match comment is “a bore draw.” That appeared to be where Orlando City’s road game at CF Montreal was headed until a mistake by Robin Jansson in added time led to a penalty which opened the scoring for the hosts. They tacked on another late in stoppage time and the Lions will return home for a three-game set (one of them in the U.S. Open Cup) sore from Saturday’s 2-0 loss to CF Montreal.

Let’s take a look at how Orlando City’s players rated individually in their matchup with the Quebecois.

Starters

GK, Maxime Crépeau, 5.5 — With 25 shots by Montreal, one would’ve figured Crepeau was busy. Not really — he finished with three saves. A goalkeeper is almost never responsible for being scored on from the penalty spot, but Dagur Dan Thorallsson’s goal at the death is one Crepeau will want back, although in fairness it was perfectly placed. The Canadian goalkeeper finished with a 72.7% passing rate and was helped out after being rounded by Prince Owusu in a 1-v-1 opportunity that his teammates should never have allwoed for what would have been a goal if not for Iago’s sliding block to clear it off the line.

D, Adrián Marin, 5.5 — Marin got caught ball-watching in the 34th minute to allow a Wiki Carmona rocket that just went wide. Otherwise, he just didn’t impact the game one way or the other. Marin completed 87.8% of his passes and added one tackle, one block, and three clearances.

D, Robin Jansson, 5 Jansson played his normal emergency role all game. Unfortunately, he got put off-balance in the first minute of added time in the second half and fell into the legs of Luca Petrasso, giving a penalty. It was a rough ending for the captain, but Orlando left the door open for Montreal and the hosts took it. The Swede also couldn’t close down Thorhallsson to prevent the second late Montreal goal. Jansson completed 78.7% of his passes, with one tackle, 10(!) clearances, and one block.

D, Iago, 6 — We saw both sides of Iago. He had a really nice pass in the 17th minute to free up Eduard Atuesta on goal but the Colombian missed the target to waste Orlando’s best chance of the game. The Brazilian’s biggest highlight moment was in the 76th minute, when Owusu dribbled past Crepeau for an open look at goal but Iago was there to clear it off the line. On the flip side, he also had a dangerous header defending a corner that almost created an own goal, instead hitting the left post. He got pulled wide in the first minute of the second half, allowing a dangerous shot by Owusu. On the offensive end, he got on the end of a corner but headed it right at Thomas Gillier. He was all over the place, which you can expect from a young player. He would’ve gotten a higher grade had the game finished scoreless because of his goal-line clearance and a couple of sparkling long balls that should have led to more. Alas. He finished with zero interceptions or tackles, three blocks, six clearances, and a 92.3% passing rate. He also picked up a yellow card in the sixth minute of added time in the second half preventing a counter on one of his attacking teammates’ many turnovers.

D, Griffin Dorsey, 5.5— While Orlando City was heavily weighted to the left side all game, when the Lions went down the right, it was through Dorsey. He led the break down that side multiple times but had trouble connecting. Dorsey finished with one tackle, three clearances, and one cross while passing at a 79% rate.

MF, Iván Angulo, 4.5 — When Angulo whiffed on a ball in the second minute which caused a Montreal counter, it was an indicator of the night to come. He was sloppy all game long and, by The Mane Land’s unofficial tally, turned the ball over eight times, with the majority of those coming in his own defensive half. It was an ugly night that looked a touch better when Tyrese Spicer departed, changing Angulo’s duties, but it didn’t wipe out a forgettable match. He finished with 90.2% passing, despite being loose with the ball. He was two out of six for successful dribbles and two out of seven in winning ground duels.

MF, Eduard Atuesta, 5.5 — A major part of the toothlessness of the Lions in the match was the midfield play. While Atuesta had a 95% passing rate, the only real impact he had was in the 17th minute, when Iago broke him free with a great pass. Atuesta made a well-timed run, but he ended up doing nothing with it when he sent his shot wide of goal. He had a turnover in the fourth minute to leave Montreal with a 3-on-2 break, leaving me to wonder if it was going to be one of those nights for him. Luckily no, but there was no real contribution either. He picked up a yellow card in the 62nd, was dispossessed once, and committed four fouls.

MF, Braian Ojeda, 5.5 Atuesta’s midfield partner also had trouble linking the play but contributed a touch more defensively. His sloppy handling in the 41st minute allowed Montreal to keep possession and created a corner. In the end, he finished with one tackle, one block, one clearance, and a 90% passing rate.

MF, Tyrese Spicer, 6— Unfortunately, most of Spicer’s contributions came on the defensive end this game because he could never get himself in the flow offensively. While he was 10-for-11 passing, he attempted two shots, one right at the goalkeeper and the other that missed so badly it almost went behind the net without hitting anything. He had just two touches in the opposition box. His biggest highlight was a tackle in the 23rd minute to end a dangerous Montreal possession. He was replaced in the 67th minute by Duncan McGuire. Spicer finished with a 91% passing success rate, led the team in tackles with four, and added two interceptions.

F, Martín Ojeda, 5 — This grade may be a bit harsh. However, when you are a Designated Player, you have to contribute, and Martin Ojeda was invisible at best. With 44 total passes, he was the one having to compensate for the lack of midfield control and it showed by his lack of offensive contribution. He had zero touches in the opposition box, which is not going to be a recipe for Orlando City success. Martin took one shot that was on target and passed at a 91% rate.

F, Justin Ellis, 6.5 (MotM) Someone has to win Man of the Match. Ellis almost wins it by default as his overall play was the only positive thing all game. While his stats were mediocre, and there was not one moment you can pick to point to, he was the most talented when on the ball, tracked back to collect the ball occasionally, did more to link play than the midfield did, and just didn’t have a negative impact. He was replaced in the 80th by David Brekalo and finished with a 94% passing rate, was four-for-four on successful dribbles, and went five-for-six on ground duels won.

Substitutes

F, Duncan McGuire (67′), 5— McGuire started out playing out of position on the wing and while asked to pick up the offense, McGuire was unable to show anything of promise. Dorsey found him in the 88th minute with a cross, but McGuire turned down a quick shot and held the ball too long while deciding, and he ended up taking a low angle shot that had been there from the beginning that ended up harmless. He passed at a 75% rate and had three touches in the opposition box, turning those into a measly 0.05 expected goals. One of his touches on a promising attack was heavy and wasted the opportunity to get a shot off late in the game.

D, David Brekalo (80′), N/A — Brekalo came on for Ellis with a few minutes remaining, maybe a tactical choice to see out the draw. He completed all seven of his passes and had one clearance. He was not able to do anything to prevent Montreal’s two late goals, but he wasn’t the only one.

MF, Tiago (90′+5), N/A — Tiago entered right after the penalty to try to claw back a goal. Unfortunately, he whiffed on a 50/50 ball just moments before Thorhallsson ended up scoring the game’s second goal. He wasn’t on long enough to issue a grade, however.

D, Zakaria Taifi (90′+5), N/A — The best thing you can say about Taifi’s time is that he didn’t turn the ball over conceding a goal in the five minutes he was on the field.


That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando City’s loss to CF Montreal. 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

Lion Links: 5/11/26

Lions fall to CF Montreal, Pride defeat North Carolina Courage, OCB beats Atlanta United 2, and more.

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Image of Barbra Banda taking a shot against North Carolina.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Justin Glatt

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida, and belated happy Mother’s Day to all you moms out there. I spent the weekend in Texas catching up with friends and family. Let’s wish a happy birthday to Orlando City goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau, who turns 32 today. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Fall to CF Montreal

Orlando City fell 2-0 to CF Montreal at Stade Saputo Saturday on a pair of late goals. After a scoreless first half, the Lions were minutes away from escaping with a point on the road but conceded twice in stoppage time, with former Lion Dagur Dan Thorhallsson adding the insurance goal for Montreal as Orlando City left Canada with zero points. The Lions could not capitalize on their few scoring chances throughout the match. Orlando City returns home for its next match on Wednesday against the Philadelphia Union at Inter&Co Stadium.

Banda’s Late Goal Lifts Pride Over Courage

The Orlando Pride defeated the North Carolina Courage 1-0 at Inter&Co Stadium Friday, as Barbra Banda scored the lone goal late in the second half to help the Pride secure a much-needed win, snapping their two-match losing streak. Banda scored her eighth goal of the season, and she has scored five goals in the last three matches. The Pride will be on the road this week, facing the Boston Legacy Tuesday at Gillette Stadium, followed by another match Saturday against the Denver Summit at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.

OCB Beats Atlanta United 2 on the Road

Orlando City B defeated Atlanta United 2 with a goal in each half, winning 2-0 at Turner Soccer Complex in Athens, GA Sunday. Gustavo Caraballo scored the opening goal from the spot to give the Young Lions the early lead. In the second half, Issah Haruna added another goal for the Young Lions to put it away and take three points. OCB will be back on the road Sunday to face New England Revolution II at Beirne Stadium in Smithfield, RI.

Americans Abroad

Austin Trusty played a full 90 minutes as Celtic won its sixth consecutive match across all competitions 3-1 against Rangers. Gio Reyna scored his first goal of the season for Borussia Monchengladbach to snap his 16-month goal drought at the club level, but his side fell 3-1 to FC Augsburg. Weston McKennie played 86 minutes for Juventus in a 1-0 win against Lecce. In the Women’s FA Cup semifinals, Alyssa Thompson played 78 minutes for Chelsea, but her side fell 3-2 to Manchester City after extra time. Lindsey Heaps scored for OL Lyonnes while Lily Yohannes and Korbin Shrader were also in action in a 4-1 win against Paris Saint-Germain to lift the Coupe De France trophy. Later today, Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United will face Tottenham Hotspur.

Free Kicks

  • Check out this video on Orlando City’s social media pages featuring some players writing letters to their moms for Mother’s Day.
  • James Rodriguez will reportedly leave Minnesota United this week and will not return to the club after the World Cup concludes this summer.
  • Slavia Prague chairman Jaroslav Tvrdik stated that the club will impose a lifetime ban to fans who invaded the pitch as the club was minutes away from defeating rivals Sparta Prague Saturday to win the Czech First League title before the match was abandoned.
  • Leandro Trossard scored a late winner in the second half to help Arsenal beat West Ham United 1-0 to keep its five-point lead over Manchester City and pull a step closer to clinching the English Premier League title.

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

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