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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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1 year ago

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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!

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Lion Links: 5/7/24

Barbra Banda up for NWSL Goal of the Week, Americans in midweek action, Champions League preview, and more.

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3 hours ago

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May 7, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Tuesday, everyone. It was a mixed bag for Orlando’s teams over the weekend, as Orlando City B drew 1-1 with Chattanooga FC and lost the subsequent shootout, Orlando City lost 1-0 to FC Cincinnati, and the Orlando Pride won 1-0 over Racing Louisville. As usual, we have a lot to talk through this morning, so let’s dig into the links.

Barbra Banda Up for Goal of the Week

Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda has been nominated for the NWSL Goal of the Week for her strike in the 77th minute against the North Carolina Courage last Wednesday. Banda controlled the ball off a throw-in, turned, and drove across the box before slotting a low shot past Casey Murphy for the Pride’s fourth and final goal of the game. She scored twice in that game and scored again in Sunday’s win over Racing Louisville. Banda now has four goals in four games — including at least one in each of her three starts since appearing off the bench in her debut — and shows no sign of slowing down. Make sure you go vote for her to win this week’s award!

Americans in Midweek Action

As usual, there are a number of Americans playing games this week, so make sure you mark down any that you want to tune in for. Wednesday has Brandon Vazquez and Monterrey traveling to El Volcan to take on Tigres in the quarterfinals of the Clausura. Moving to Friday, Tanner Tessmann, Gianluca Busio, and Venezia have a chance to gain promotion to Serie A if they beat Spezia and Como loses. On the other side of things, former Lion Nicholas Gioacchini and Como play Cosenza, and will secure automatic promotion as long as they don’t have a worse result than Venezia.

UEFA Champions League Preview

The UEFA Champions League continues this week with the second legs of the two semifinal matchups. In this afternoon’s game, Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique has said that even Kylian Mbappe will have to work hard defensively if his team is going to progress to the final. Borussia Dortmund leads that tie 1-0, and will need to rely on a defense that has kept five clean sheets in this year’s tournament. However, the German club has a concerning record away from home, where it has lost nine of its last 11 games. In tomorrow’s game between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, this season’s La Liga winner will hope its finishing prowess continues from the first leg, when it turned two chances into two goals.

European Transfer Rumor Roundup

With European seasons drawing to a close, the transfer rumor mill is starting to heat up, which means there are several items worth discussing today. First, Manchester United will reportedly face competition to sign Crystal Palace star Michael Olise. Chelsea and PSG are said to also be interested in signing the Frenchman, who was instrumental in his side’s 4-0 drubbing of the Red Devils yesterday. Staying in the Premier League, Virgil van Dijk has said he intends to be part of the transition following Jurgen Klopp’s departure from Liverpool, confirming that he does not intend to leave in the summer. Elsewhere, Bayern Munich is said to have agreed to personal terms with AC Milan’s Theo Hernandez. David Moyes has confirmed he will leave West Ham at the end of the season, with reports suggesting that the Hammers have reached an agreement with Julen Lopetegui to be the team’s new manager.

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

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Orlando City

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

How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s home loss to FC Cincinnati?

Published

24 hours ago

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May 6, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City dropped yet another match at home, this time to FC Cincinnati. Despite the 1-0 loss, a couple of red card, and the all-too-familiar lack of finishing, the Lions played pretty well. Orlando City continues to give up early goals and to not be able to find the back of the net. However, the Lions do create opportunities and are usually in the match despite recent results.

Here’s how I saw the individual performances for the Lions in this injury-riddled and heartbreaking loss.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6 — Gallese didn’t have much chance on the goal and otherwise had a decent night, making the saves on Cincinnati’s other two shots on goal. There were some scary moments when he found himself outside of the box on occasion, but he acquitted himself well. Apart from his goalkeeping, Gallese completed 70.6% of his 17 passes, including four of his nine long balls.

D, Rafael Santos, 6 — Santos was active in his time on the field. He had 44 touches, completing 75.9% of his 29 passes, including one of his two long balls. Santos completed one of his five crosses, and made a key pass. He took one shot but it was not on target as it was blocked. Defensively, Santos recorded two tackles and one interception. He made an extremely good recovery run to stop the counter attack in the 49th minute but dislocated his right shoulder in the process. That ended his night as he came off for Nico Lodeiro in the 51st minute.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 4 — Schlegel had a short night due to a red card in the 23rd minute on a foul committed in the 20th minute. Originally, the referee ruled it a fair challenge, but after looking again, Ismail Elfath gave the red card for denial of a goal-scoring opportunity, which was fair. He misplayed the pass that allowed Yuya Kubo to steal it at full speed and go one-on-one with Gallese, leading to the foul. He may have kept Acosta onside on the Cincinnati goal and was also beaten by Acosta in the box. He only had 14 touches in the game and completed all of his 13 passes, including both long ball attempts. Schlegel did not record a defensive stat.

D, Robin Jansson, 6 — Jansson was mostly his usual good self this game. There was some fun to watch gamesmanship with Matt Miazga during Orlando City’s early corner kick attempts. He tied Cesar Araujo with a team-high 61 touches and completed 80% of his team-high 50 passes, including three of nine long balls. Defensively, he matched Dagur Dan Thorhallsson’s team-leading four tackles, while also adding an interception, a clearance, and a yellow card. He did get caught flat-footed on the goal by Acosta, but he wasn’t the only one.

D, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, 6.5 — Thorhallsson once again got the start at right back and had a really good night up until he had to leave the match with a concussion in first-half stoppage time. He picked up the knock when he blocked the free kick Schlegel allowed in the 24th minute with his noggin. Thorhallsson was good at being in the right place at the right time to keep Cincinnati from going forward on his side of the pitch. He recorded 23 touches, completing 69.2% of his 13 passes, but didn’t connect on either his one attempted long ball or his one attempted cross. Defensively, he made four tackles, and blocked one shot. It’s a shame that he had to go off.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 6 — Araujo had a solid performance against FC Cincinnati, recording 61 touches. He completed 87.2% of his 39 passes, including three of his five long balls, and took two shots. Defensively, he added two tackles, and an interception. Araujo was his usual frustrating self for the opposition, drawing nine fouls. His free kick attempt — which he earned — went into the wall, but he did recover it as well. His second shot was well taken but deflected wide.

MF, Wilder Cartagena, 6.5 — Cartagena was almost the hero of the match. His shot in the fifth minute off of Martin Ojeda’s corner kick went off the crossbar, and his rocket of a shot in the 67th minute went in, but was waved off because Facundo Torres was offside. He tracked back to try to prevent Acosta’s goal in the first minute, but the Cincinnati star did well to cut back inside when Cartagena committed to blocking the shot or cross. Otherwise, Cartagena had a pretty good match. He had the fourth most touches with 54. He matched Araujo, completing 87.2% of his 39 passes, including six of his nine long balls. He also had two key passes and the aforementioned shot. Defensively, he added one tackle, two clearances, and one interception. He also earned one yellow card.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 7 (MotM) — Angulo was active in the match, roaming where he was needed, hounding Cincinnati defensively, and being an integral part of the attack. He had 60 touches and completed 82.4% of his 34 passes, including two key passes. He completed one of his three cross attempts, had three dribbles and drew four fouls. His lone shot was on target but it was blocked by the defense after he rounded the keeper. Defensively, he made three tackles. He made the necessary switch to a more defensive posture after Schlegel’s red card, but was still a good attacking threat from the left wingback position.

MF, Facundo Torres, 5.5 — Torres wasn’t as much of a factor as he needs to be for Orlando City. He recorded 51 touches while completing 75.9% of his 29 passes. He did not connect on any of his five crosses, nor his three long balls. He had one dribble and one tackle. He made way for Luis Muriel in the 70th minute.

MF, Martin Ojeda, 6 — Ojeda was sacrificed for defense in the 27th minute after Schlegel’s departure. He only had 13 touches in his limited minutes but completed 83.3% of his six passes, including a successful long ball. Despite the limited minutes, Ojeda completed two of his five crosses and contributed a key pass.

F, Duncan McGuire, 6 — McGuire continues to show that despite all the botched trade shenanigans before the season, he wants to prove he’s a team player and a quality striker. He touched the ball 25 times and completed 77.8% of his 18 passes. Unfortunately, his one shot was not on target. Defensively, he made a clearance, and while he was the outlet player when the team went down to 10 men, he still came back to help on defense.

Substitutes

D, David Brekalo (28’), 6 — Brekalo came on in the 28th minute for Ojeda, but he really came on to replace Schlegel. He had 33 touches and completed 80.8% of his 26 passes, though he did not complete either of his two long balls. Defensively, he had one interception, one clearance, and one blocked shot. He had one decent run into the attack, although ultimately it came to nothing.

D, Michael Halliday (45’+ 4), 5.5 — Initially, it looked like Oscar Pareja would bring on Kyle Smith for the injured Thorhallsson, but instead it was Halliday. The youngster hasn’t had many minutes this season and defensively the rust showed. Halliday recorded 33 touches, completing 80% of his 15 passes, including both of his long balls. He attempted a cross but it didn’t connect. He also had a shot on goal, but it was deflected. Defensively, he had one tackle, one interception, and committed two fouls. One of those resulted in a yellow card for his foul on Kevin Kelsey. He put himself in dangerous positions repeatedly but simply couldn’t finish the play.

MF, Nico Lodeiro (52’), 6 — When Santos went off injured, Pareja brought on Lodeiro to bolster the midfield and, hopefully, the attack. He touched the ball 26 times and completed 78.6% of his 14 passes and his only long ball. The veteran also connected on two of his four crosses, and his late header nearly leveled the match, but keeper Roman Celentano got a paw on it to keep it out. Defensively, Lodeiro contributed a tackle.

F, Luis Muriel (70’), 5.5 — Muriel came on for Torres, playing under McGuire as Orlando City pushed for the equalizer. He only managed 12 touches and completed 44.4% of his nine passes, with one unsuccessful long ball attempt. He did have one dribble and drew a foul in a dangerous area but didn’t take any shots in the match.

That’s how I saw the performances for Orlando City in its 1-0 loss to FC Cincinnati Saturday night. Let us know how you saw the game and vote for your Man of the Match below.

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Lion Links: 5/6/24

Lions lose at home, Orlando Pride win, OCB draws Chattanooga FC, and more.

Published

1 day ago

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May 6, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers. I hope all is well with you down in Florida. It was another mixed weekend for our teams as the Lions lost, the Pride won, and OCB drew. As for me, I’ve been busy managing the broadcast operations for the NISA league’s matches this weekend and also got a chance to cover high school soccer, softball, and badminton. There is plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Lose at Home to FC Cincinnati

Orlando City lost at home for the second straight weekend with a 1-0 defeat to FC Cincinnati at Inter&Co Stadium on Saturday. Luciano Acosta scored the lone goal for Cincinnati just seconds into the match. Orlando City went down to 10 men when defender Rodrigo Schlegel received a red card in the first half. The Lions had some chances to get back in this one, including a free kick opportunity in the second half when Wilder Cartagena scored what would have been the equalizer, but Facundo Torres was ruled offside, and the goal was waved off. Cincinnati also dropped to 10 men late in the second half as defender Bret Halsey received his second yellow for a foul on Ivan Angulo and knocked the ball out to waste time. Still, FC Cincinnati found a way to hang on for the victory, securing its third win in a row. Orlando City will look to rebound on Saturday as it takes on the Philadelphia Union at Suburu Park.  

Orlando Pride Win at Home Against Racing Louisville FC

The Orlando Pride defeated Racing Louisville FC on Sunday, 1-0, at Inter&Co Stadium, winning their fifth straight game. Barbra Banda scored the lone goal of the match and now has four goals for the Pride this season. The Pride remain undefeated in league play, keeping their unbeaten streak alive at eight matches (5-0-3). Orlando also moved up to first in the NWSL table with 18 points. The Pride will be back home on Saturday to face Bay FC. 

OCB Draws Chattanooga FC

Orlando City B drew 1-1 on the road against Chattanooga FC on Saturday. The Young Lions trailed early in the first half as Mehdi Ouamri put Chattanooga FC in front 1-0. Later in the first half, OCB got an equalizer, with forward Shak Mohammed finding the back of the net to score his second goal of the season. The match went to penalties after 90 minutes of action, where Chattanooga FC won the extra point with a 5-4 win over OCB. Despite not getting the extra point in penalties, the Young Lions still keep their road unbeaten streak alive at five. OCB will have a quick turnaround with its next match at Osceola County Stadium on Wednesday against New York Red Bulls II.

European Soccer Roundup

Real Madrid clinched the La Liga title on Saturday, defeating Cadiz 3-0, while their rivals Barcelona dropped points in a 4-2 loss to Girona over the weekend. Madrid has now won La Liga for the 36th time and still has a shot of adding another trophy if it gets past Bayern Munich in the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday to reach the final next month. Elsewhere, we had plenty of drama in England. Let’s start in the EFL Championship, where Ipswich Town joined Leicester City, getting promoted to the Premier League after a 2-0 victory against Huddersfield Town. Leeds United, Southhampton, West Brom, and Norwich City will go to the playoffs to determine the third club to secure promotion. Arsenal won 3-0 over Bournemouth, while Manchester City cruised to a 5-1 win over Wolves to keep the EPL title race tight. Arsenal is in first with 83 points, with two matches remaining, while Manchester City is just behind in second with 82 points and three matches left to play.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando Pride midfielder Ally Lemos gave insight on her first NWSL start for the Pride after their match against Racing Louisville FC on Sunday.
  • PSV Eindhoven clinched the Eredivisie title on Sunday with a 4-2 win over Sparta Rotterdam. American Malik Tillman played for 90 minutes, while Ricardo Pepi came off the bench and added an assist. 
  • USMNT midfielder Christian Pulisic put on a solid performance and contributed an assist for AC Milan in a 3-3 draw against Genoa on Saturday.
  • USWNT forward Catarina Macario came off the bench for Chelsea in the second half and made WSL history by adding two assists in 10 minutes in an 8-0 win over Bristol City.

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

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