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Orlando City

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

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2 years ago

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Orlando City got its 2022 MLS campaign off to a great start, defeating CF Montreal 2-0. Goals by Alexandre Pato and Benji Michel led the way as the Lions won their first season opener since 2017.

Let’s take a look at how each player performed for the Lions.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 7 — The Lions’ starting goalkeeper didn’t have a whole lot to do in this game, only facing two shots on target. However, he did well throughout the game coming off his line to collect balls before the attacker could reach it. Additionally, Gallese’s distribution was solid, successfully completing seven of his nine long balls. He only had a pair of saves, but must be given credit for recording his first clean sheet of the season.

D, Joao Moutinho, 6 — Moutinho’s performance didn’t stand out in this game, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. While Ruan often pushed forward on the right, Moutinho stayed back more than he did much of last year, putting himself in a better position to defend any counter attacks. He ended the game with one clearance, one blocked shot, and three fouls defensively. He completed 81.5% of his 54 passes and had one key pass in the attack. However, most importantly, Montreal wasn’t able to do much on that side because of the left back’s strong play.

D, Robin Jansson, 6 — Jansson was unquestionably the man of the first half in this game. The Swede was fantastic defending early when the Lions weren’t able to get anything going offensively. He ended the game with two tackles and four clearances. Additionally, he completed 91.5% of his 47 passes, including four accurate long balls.

Had Jansson finished the game on the field, his grade would’ve been higher. However, he made an unnecessary tactical foul in the 81st minute, resulting in a red card. Despite the fact that his first caution was questionable, Jansson knew he was on a yellow and there were defenders behind him. The Lions were up a man at the time and the sending off put undue pressure on the team to hold on for the win.

D, Antonio Carlos, 7.5 — Carlos was absent for much of preseason as he had trouble getting his visa to re-enter the country, but showed how important he is to this team. The Brazilian was fantastic alongside Jansson. Carlos had two tackles, one interception, and a team-leading nine clearances. He also won two aerial balls, tied for the team lead. Going forward, he completed 93% of his 43 passes, including completing four of his five long balls.

D, Ruan, 6.5  — Ruan spent much of the game pushing forward into the attack, something that’s become common since he joined the team. He completed 81.1% of his 37 passes and was accurate in one of his three crosses. His biggest contribution was delivering the low cross into the box that led to Pato’s opening goal, although some bad defending by Montreal helped.

Defensively, Ruan didn’t record any tackles or interceptions, but had two clearances. The lack of defensive stats was because Ruan wasn’t able to get back much. Instead, he went down frequently in the attack, forcing Cesar Araujo to cover for him. Still, it was a solid game by the Lions first-choice right back.

MF, Andres Perea, 5.5 — It wasn’t a bad game by Perea but he wasn’t as involved as Head Coach Oscar Pareja probably would’ve liked. The 21-year-old only completed 83.3% of his 24 passes, allowing Montreal to break on multiple counter attacks during the first half. Defensively, Perea only recorded one tackle. The young midfielder was substituted for Junior Urso at halftime.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 6 — Araujo was very active in his first MLS game, recording 61 touches, tied for most on the team alongside Moutinho. He completed 88.5% of his 52 passes and got a shot off that went off-target. Defensively, Araujo didn’t have any tackles, but did have two interceptions and picked up a yellow card in 90 minutes of action.

MF, Benji Michel, 6.5 — The Orlando City Homegrown Player did well in his first start of the season. He only had 23 touches on the left, but completed 92.3% of his 13 passes. More importantly, Michel put away his only shot of the match in the 59th minute, giving the Lions a commanding 2-0 lead.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 6.5 — Pereyra didn’t have the most impactful 75 minutes, only recording 42 touches despite being the number 10 on a team that won 2-0. He completed 83.3% of his 36 passes, including the pass to find Ruan in a dangerous area on the team’s first goal and assisting on the second. His one shot was off-target. He also completed all four of his long passes, something of importance considering how deep he tends to play.

MF, Facundo Torres, 6 — The 21-year-old Uruguayan played well in this game but didn’t have the impact many had hoped. He was on the ball slightly more than Pereyra, recording 49 touches, and only completed 82.4% of his 34 passes. Playing on the right, he did have seven crosses, but only one reached its target. Additionally, he got two shots off, but both were off target. He was involved in the buildup on the opening goal.

F, Alexandre Pato, 7.5 (MotM) — Pato missed most of last year after he was injured in the 2021 season opener against Atlanta. However, the Lions saw what Pato can give the team in this game. Playing alone up top, Pato was excellent. He only completed 73.3% of his 15 passes, but was involved and recorded 25 touches.

Pato was terrific in the attack, putting two of his three shots on target and scoring his first goal in MLS. A surprising part of Pato’s game was his hold-up play. The forward is usually best when the ball is at his feet, but the 5-foot-9 striker was excellent with his back to goal. He was able to win clearances and shield defenders until other attackers could catch up to the play.

Substitutes

MF, Junior Urso (46’), 6 — Junior Urso came on at halftime for Perea in the central defensive midfield. He had five fewer touches (25) than Perea and only completed 77.8% of his 18 passes. However, Urso was more active defensively, recording one tackle and two interceptions. Additionally, he recorded a secondary assist in the build-up to Michel’s goal, starting the play by intercepting a goal kick.

F, Ercan Kara (69’), 5 — Kara came off the bench for the final 21 minutes after recovering from a preseason injury. The new Designated Player didn’t have the biggest impact, only recording seven touches and completing one of his three passes. He also didn’t get any shots off.

Kara’s game could’ve been better when he was sent through late, but he was taken down before he could reach the ball. It’s arguable that it should’ve been Montreal’s second red card as he was taken down by the last defender, but the referee only issued a caution.

F, Silvester van der Water (76’), 5 — Similar to Kara, van der Water didn’t do much in his 14 minutes. Coming on late for energy, the Dutch attacker only touched the ball seven times and completed two of his three passes. He did well to pull the ball back and maintain possession when it was needed, but his one incomplete pass was an attempted switch that gave the ball right back to Montreal.

MF, Sebas Mendez (76’), 6 — Mendez was brought on for defensive purposes and to maintain possession. He did much more with his nine touches than other substitutes, successfully completing all seven passes. He also recorded a clearance, which was part of his role as the Lions looked to hold onto their late 2-0 lead.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel (83’), 6 — Schlegel may not have expected to enter the game down the stretch, but Jansson’s second yellow card forced the Argentine to come on at center back. He wasn’t forced to make any defensive plays in his late appearance, but did complete all three of his passes, getting the ball out of the back.

That’s how I saw the performances in Orlando City’s 2-0 win over Montreal. Let us know how you saw the game and don’t forget to vote on your Man of the Match below.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Alexandre Pato51
Robin Jansson6
Antonio Carlos31
Benji Michel3
Mauricio Pereyra11
Other (Comment Below)11

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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.

Published

3 hours 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

23 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.

Published

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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