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Orlando City vs. Columbus Crew: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions perform in the 2-2 draw with the Columbus Crew on the road?

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3 years ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City’s road trip continued with a visit to Eastern Conference foe Columbus Crew. Unlike the last two matches, the Lions were able to earn a point on the road, thanks to a two-goal second half comeback with goals from Ercan Kara and Duncan McGuire.Β  Let’s look at how each individual Lion did in the come-from-behind 2-2 draw.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6.5 β€” Orlando City once again conceded two goals, but neither was Gallese’s fault. Gallese came up with some good saves β€” five to be exact. He knocked the ball down in the 55th minute and secured it before anyone could cause trouble. He got a little cheeky with the ball at his feet in the 58th minute with a defender in his face. Gallese made a huge instinctive save in the 94th minute, slapping the ball with his right hand and salvaging the point for Orlando City.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 5.5 β€” With Oscar Pareja returning to the three-man back line, Schlegel got the start. He had some good plays, like his great interception in the 17th minute, however he wasn’t able to close down Alexandru Matan on the first goal, and got beat by Mohamed Farsi on the second goal. He passed at an 87.5% rate on 16 passes, with two tackles, four clearances, and one foul. He came off in the 57th minute for Kyle Smith.

D, Robin Jansson, 6.5 β€” Jansson put in an excellent shift on the back line. While he didn’t make much noise on offense, defensively he was solid. He showed his deceptive speed tracking back in the 38th minute to take the ball off the foot of an attacker. He completed just 62.9% of his 35 passes, and wasn’t his normal accurate self on his long balls either, completing only two of 11. On defense, Jansson made two tackles, two interceptions, three clearances, four blocked shots, and committed one foul. Still, he was the best of the center backs.

D, Antonio Carlos, 6 β€” Carlos earned a yellow card in the 14th minute fouling Cucho Hernandez from behind. Getting the card so early meant he had to be careful He got beat by Jacen Russell-Rowe on the Crew’s second goal. Carlos wasn’t all bad, as he completed 76.9% of his 26 passes, with one successful long ball on two attempts. Carlos did take one shot but it was not on target. Defensively, he blocked two shots, had one interception, and made six clearances. He only committed one foul but it resulted in the yellow card.

WB, Gaston Gonzalez, 5.5 β€” Gonzalez played a different role for Orlando City sliding back into the left wingback position. He finished with two tackles, one interception, and two clearances in his deeper position. He did commit one foul along Orlando’s touchline, that fortunately amounted to nothing on the resulting free kick. He made one key pass and completed 65.4% of his 26 passes, but he struggled on crosses, with only one accurate cross on his five attempts.Β 

MF, Cesar Araujo, 6 β€” It was a typical night for Araujo as he quietly went about the business of being Orlando City’s first line of defense. He did have a bad giveaway in the 95th minute but the Crew weren’t able to capitalize on it. Even though I think he’s been a little quick to look for a foul lately, Araujo did draw four fouls on the night. Defensively, he made two tackles, one interception, and two clearances. He passed at an 81.6% rate on 38 passes. Araujo was excellent on his long balls, completing six of seven.

MF, Wilder Cartagena, 5.5 β€” Cartagena attempted to chip the keeper in the third minute but it went wide of goal as so many of the Lions’ shots did. He disappeared at times while Orlando City absorbed the Crew’s attack. He did, however, commit two fouls, one of which earned him a yellow card in the 73rd minute. He contributed two tackles and one clearance and completed 81.8% of 22 passes, with one of three long balls finding his target. He subbed off for Dagur Dan Thorhallsson in the 75th minute.

WB, Ivan Angulo, 5.5 β€” Angulo slotted in as the right wingback to start the match. As such, he played a deeper defensive position and on the right rather than his usual position on the left. He didn’t do poorly, making three tackles, one clearance, and one interception. He should have been covering the back post on the Crew’s first goal, but then he wasn’t the only one. After a personnel change, he was back on the left wimg, where he was more comfortable. Angulo was quiet compared to normal, taking no shots, and none of his three crosses found the target. He completed 72.2% of his 18 passes, including one successful long ball on three attempts.Β 

MF, Facundo Torres, 7 (MOTM) β€” Torres looked much sharper this match. His excellent pass to Kara earned him an assist on Orlando City’s first goal. It was his free kick (which he won) in the 92nd minute that dropped for McGuire to get the equalizer. He made four key passes on the night, passing at an 84.9% rate on 33 attempts and was successful on four of his five long balls. He was effective in making space for himself in the opponent’s half with four dribbles, and drawing five fouls. He even contributed two tackles on defense. It was a good night for the Young Designated Player, and his involvement in both goals earns him our Man of the Match.

MF, Martin Ojeda, 5.5 β€” Ojeda was a bit sloppy on the night with bad giveaways in the 11th and 54th minutes. He almost made something of his corner in the third minute, but the shot curved outside the near post. Ojeda made one key pass in the match, completing 61.9% of his 21 passes. He completed one of his three long balls, and put in two crosses β€” one of them accurate.Β 

F, Ercan Kara, 6.5 β€” Kara made good runs all night, getting behind the Crew’s defense time and time again while only being called offside twice. He took four shots, but only managed to get one on target. His header in the fourth minute and his shot in the 21st minute both went high, but Kara finally broke through in the 49th minute on a give-and-go with Torres. The striker continued his run, sliding past the defense as Torres’ pass found his feet. Kara did well to get control of the ball, pick up his head and calmly put it past Patrick Schulte into the right hand side of the goal. He almost got a second goal just minutes later but the shot went just wide right of the far post. Kara only made 10 passes on the night, but completed nine (90%) of them. Defensively, he made one tackle, one interception, and one clearance. Kara came off in the 75th minute for McGuire.

Substitutes

D, Kyle Smith (57β€²), 6 β€” Smith came on for Schlegel, assuming the left center back role. He put in his typical reliable performance off the bench. He was steady in defense as the Lions pushed for the result. He made two tackles, two interceptions, and one clearance, while committing one foul. He connected on one of his four long balls, completing 66.7% of his 15 passes.

WB, Michael Halliday (57β€²), 5.5 β€” Halliday came on for Ojeda to shore up the defense and he only managed nine touches. He completed 80% of his five passes and made one tackle. It was a quiet night for the youngster, but he didn’t give the ball away which was an improvement from the last match. He had a chance to score his first goal on a great opportunity but missed the target.

MF, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson (75β€²), 5.5 β€” Thorhallsson came on for Cartegena following his yellow card in the 73rd minute. He managed to do nearly as much as Halliday despite fewer minutes. Thorhallsson had seven touches, completing 80% of his five passes, adding a clearance on defense.Β 

F, Duncan McGuire (75β€²), 6.5 β€” Orlando City’s leading scorer added to his total in typical McGuire fashion. His fortunate positioning and nose for goal gave the Lions the point on the road thanks to his 92nd-minute goal. He was his typical energetic self, harassing the defense and looking for opportunities. He only made three passes but completed them all. It was another good performance from the rookie.

MF, Ramiro Enrique (85β€²), N/A β€” Enrique came on for Angulo as Orlando City was looking for the equalizer. He took one shot, and it was on target, but he wasn’t able to put it in the back of the net. He only attempted four passes, completing one. Enrique didn’t have much time to impact the match.

That’s how I saw each performance from the Lions in their 2-2 draw at Lower.com Field against the Columbus Crew. The Lions got (partially) back on track following two losses with this result. 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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Orlando City

Flashback Friday: July 4, 2023 vs. Toronto FC

Let’s rewind to an Independence Day affair that had plenty of offensive fireworks.

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3 days ago

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July 3, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

The United States Men’s National Team picked up a gritty, resilient 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32 on Wednesday, and will now face Belgium in a rematch of the 2014 World Cup Round of 16 next Monday. While we patiently wait for that game, it’s time to continue our Friday tradition of revisiting some classic Orlando City games from years past.

Last week, we rewound to a high octane affair against the Chicago Fire in late June 2022, that saw the Lions douse Chicago’s flames and pick up a much-needed 4-2 victory. Today, let’s hop in the time machine and travel back to Independence Day 2023, when Toronto FC came to town.

At the time of Toronto’s visit, things were going relatively smoothly for OCSC. The team was riding a three-match unbeaten streak and had scored five goals across those three games. Oscar Pareja lined up his team in its customary 4-2-3-1, with Pedro Gallese in goal; a back line of Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Antonio Carlos, and Kyle Smith; Wilder Cartagena and Cesar Araujo in the double pivot; Ivan Angulo, Mauricio Pereyra, and Facundo Torres in the attacking midfield; and Duncan McGuire up top.

Orlando very nearly got a goal a little under 10 minutes into the game. Former OCSC goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh knocked down a cross in front of the net, and while Pereyra was first to the ball, he could only blast it over the bar with the goal at his mercy. Fortunately, that miss would not come back to haunt the Lions, who bagged the game’s first goal in the 16th minute. Angulo sucked defenders toward him on the left edge of the box before releasing Santos out wide. The fullback played a peach of a first-time, curling cross to the back post, where Araujo was waiting to power a diving header into the side netting at the far post for his first league goal.

That goal broke the game open, and Orlando got another goal six minutes later to double the advantage. It initially looked like a carbon copy of the first goal, with Santos out in space on the left side of the box, sending in a curled cross. The ball deflected off a defender and came in low toward the goal. Ranjitsingh waited for the ball instead of going to claim it, and that allowed McGuire to nip in front of him and get a touch on the ball to sneak it in at the near post.

Orlando nearly got even more goals inside the half hour, with Torres and McGuire both going close in quick succession. Federico Bernardeschi smashed a shot off the post in the 28th minute, and the Lions seemed to be losing focus a little bit, with the hydration break a welcome pause in play when it came. OCSC came out of the pause well, and Pereyra put Angulo through in the 36th minute, but the Colombian couldn’t bring the ball under control and fashion a shooting chance.

Orlando led in every meaningful statistical category at halftime. The Lions had more possession (55.8%-44.2%), shots (6-2), shots on goal (2-0), corners (4-2), and passing accuracy (89.5%-85%). Most importantly, they led 2-0 on the scoreboard.

Toronto tried to change things at halftime by introducing three substitutes, but Orlando settled back into the game quickly and negated the efforts of interim TFC manager Terry Dunfield. Angulo and Torres forced Ranjitsingh into a pair of saves in the 53rd and 55th minutes, and the Lions tried to press their advantage by sending on Ramiro Enrique and Martin Ojeda in the 57th minute for McGuire and Pereyra.

The game then changed in a big way in the 62nd minute. Cartagena and Bernardeschi exchanged words after a turnover, and the Italian winger put Cartagena on the ground with the help of a little theatrics from the midfielder. Bernardeschi had already been yellow carded in the 47th minute for a foul on Smith, and the altercation with Wilder saw him receive a second yellow and his marching orders to go along with it.

With TFC down to 10 men, the Lions started to tee off at goal. Ojeda came close to getting the team’s third in the 69th minute, with Enrique doing the same in the 71st but missing just wide. When the goal finally came, it was from the unlikely foot of Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, who had been subbed into the game alongside Ercan Kara in the 68th minute.

Thorhallsson made a great run behind the defense in the 77th minute, and Araujo picked him out well. Ranjitsingh came out to try to play sweeper-keeper, but DDT beat him to the ball easily, touched it around the former Lion, and rolled it into the empty net to score his first MLS goal and make it 3-0.

Toronto had a halfway decent chance to pull one back in the 82nd minute, but Brandon Servania’s long-distance attempt at chipping Gallese ended up missing high and settling on the roof of the net. Kara then iced the game in the 84th minute. Araujo fired a pass to Ojeda at the top of the box, and even though he had trouble bringing it under control, he had the presence of mind to backheel it toward goal for the big Austrian to pounce on and fire a low, hard shot into the net for 4-0.

Ojeda nearly got a goal of his own two minutes later but had a great effort saved in what was the last truly dangerous moment of the game.

As was the case at halftime, when the final whistle blew, the Lions had created plenty of fireworks on both the scoreboard and the stat sheet. OCSC finished with more possession (59.6%-40.4%), shots (18-6), shots on target (9-0), corners (8-2), and passing accuracy (91%-84.8%).

Marcus Mitchell had Player Grades for this one, and he named Araujo the Man of the Match with a grade of 8 out of 10 for his one-goal/one-assist effort. The other high performers on the night were Antonio Carlos, and Cartagena, who each graded out at 7.5 out of 10.

That’ll do it for this week’s trip down memory lane. We’ve been getting spoiled lately, with Orlando putting up four goals in back-to-back time machine games, and it’s made for an enjoyable glimpse into years gone by. With any luck, next week’s edition will be similarly entertaining. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 7/3/26

Orlando Pride visit Angel City tonight, NWSL free agents to watch, Portugal and Spain advance, and more.

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3 days ago

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July 3, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! I don’t have many plans this holiday weekend beyond enjoying some soccer and indulging myself in a few hot dogs to celebrate. It should be a fun weekend, but make sure to stay safe out there if you plan on setting off any fireworks. For now though, let’s get to the links!

Orlando Pride Take On Angel City FC Tonight

The NWSL resumes today and the Orlando Pride will play against Angel City FC at 10 p.m. in their first match since a 3-1 win over Bay FC on May 29. That win capped off a six-game month for the Pride, including a stretch of three straight road games. Meanwhile, Angel City parted ways with Alex Straus over the break after only winning once in May, and tonight’s match will be Leif Gunnar Smerud’s first since being named interim head coach. It can be tough playing an opponent with a new coach, but hopefully the Pride can bring all three points back to Orlando.

Top NWSL Free Agents to Watch

Free agency is officially underway in the NWSL and the list of players with contracts expiring at the end of the year includes some of the league’s best players. Orlando Pride star Marta was listed as one of the top free agents to watch, though I would be pretty shocked if she plays for another NWSL club if she leaves Orlando after this season. Leicy Santos, Debinha, and Rose Lavelle are other skilled attackers who will become free agents, but Gotham FC goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger is sure to have plenty of clubs reaching out for her talents as well.

Portugal and Spain Advance in World Cup

This World Cup hasn’t been short on excitement and that continued with Portugal’s 2-1 win against Croatia. After a scoreless first half, Croatia took the lead thanks to a goal from Ivan Perisic, but Cristiano Ronaldo equalized from the penalty spot and the game was moments away from heading to extra time. Goncalo Ramos gave Portugal the goal it needed to advance deep in stoppage time, but Croatia nearly came back with a goal that was disallowed due to an offside call. Spain cruised to a 3-0 win against Austria to book its spot in the round of 16 as well. Mikel Oyarzabal scored twice for his second brace of the tournament, with Marc Cucurella assisting on both of his goals. Spain and Portugal will square off in the next round in what should be a fantastic match. Switzerland and Algeria kicked off late.

The round of 32 wraps up today with a trio of matches, starting with Egypt’s game against Australia. Cape Verde will then look to shock the world when it plays Argentina, and the late game will be between Colombia and Ghana.

Columbus Crew Sign New Designated Player

The Columbus Crew have signed Spanish midfielder Brais Mendez to a Designated Player contract through the 2028-2029 season with a club option for the 2029-2030 season. Mendez has spent the past four La Liga seasons with Real Sociedad, recording 33 goals and 24 assists in 166 appearances. He gives the crew some additional firepower as reports swirl regarding Diego Rossi’s departure for CF Monterrey. While maybe not in the same headline-grabbing tier of MLS summer signings like Antoine Griezmann or Robert Lewandowski, Mendez is a big addition to the league as the Eastern Conference arms race continues.

Free Kicks

  • CF Montreal sent $2.1 million in General Allocation Money to Austin FC in exchange for midfielder Dani Pereira. Selected with the first overall pick in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft, Pereira has contributed six goals and 23 assists in 165 appearances across all competitions for Austin.
  • Real Salt Lake reportedly rejected a transfer bid around $3.5 million from CF Monterrey for midfielder Diego Luna.
  • American winger Emma Sears reportedly requested a trade from Racing Louisville, although the club is not reportedly interested in a midseason transfer.
  • The United States Men’s National Team’s win over Bosnia and Herzegovina had record viewership. Understandably so, too, as I spent most of the match pacing around my living room.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/2/26

USMNT shuts out Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kat Asman loaned to Denver Summit FC, MLS transfer news, and more.

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4 days ago

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July 2, 2026

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Image of Pride goalkeeper Kat Asman
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Wednesday nights are starting to feel magical. Orlando City has thrived this year when playing on Wednesdays, and now the United States Men’s National Team has provided us with a reason to tackle this Thursday at full force. Before we dive into that result and the rest of today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City defender Tahir Reid-Brown!

USMNT Survives Red Card to Advance

The U.S. won 2-0 against Bosnia and Herzegovina in an emotional rollercoaster of a match in the World Cup’s round of 32. Folarin Balogun got the U.S. on the board at a crucial time right before halftime by scoring his third goal of the tournament. But the game flipped on its head in the second half when Balogun was shown a harsh red card by the referee after video review for a foul when he accidentally came down on the back of an opponent’s foot. The Yanks fought hard to make up for the difference of being down a player and doubled their lead after earning a free kick right outside the box. Malik Tillman’s shot went up and over the wall and into the net for a goal U.S. fans will be replaying over and over again.

The U.S. did well to grind out the win after that second goal, with former Lion Alex Freeman doing his part on defense to help shut out Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was a memorable win, and now the U.S. will turn its focus to its round-of-16 matchup against Belgium on Monday.

Pride Loan Goalkeeper Kat Asman to Denver Summit

The Orlando Pride loaned goalkeeper Kat Asman to the Denver Summit for the remainder of the 2026 NWSL season. Asman is coming off of a loan with Lexington SC in the Gainbridge Super League, where she played every minute of the season to help Lexington win the title. She posted 11 clean sheets with Lexington last season and won the league’s Golden Glove as well. Asman has yet to make an appearance for the Pride since joining prior to the 2025 season, and her contract expires at the end of the season. She now heads to Denver, where Abby Smith has done well in goal as the expansion team’s starter.

MLS Transfer News Roundup

Real Salt Lake sent $625,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) to Atlanta United in exchange for winger Saba Lobjanidze and a third-round pick in the 2028 MLS SuperDraft, with another $100,000 in GAM going Atlanta’s way if he re-signs with Real Salt Lake. The Columbus Crew fully acquired defender Andres Herrera from River Plate after an extended loan, signing him to a contract through the 2028-2029 season. The LA Galaxy transferred defender Mauricio Cuevas to Santos Laguna, the New England Revolution added forward Wilson Harris, and Sporting Kansas City signed center back Moises Mosquera from FC Juarez. The San Jose Earthquakes are reportedly close to signing Scottish goalkeeper Angus Gunn, with Daniel heading to FC Dallas in a trade if that happens. It’s somewhat surprising considering Daniel has done well to help San Jose only concede 15 goals this season.

🏴󠁧󠁒󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Sources: San Jose Earthquakes closing in on a deal to sign Scotland int'l GK Angus Gunn.πŸ‡§πŸ‡· Sources: FC Dallas has agreed to a deal to acquire GK Daniel from San Jose.βž• Daniel trade is contingent on Gunn signing being formalized.

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2026-07-01T16:34:02.297Z

European Nations Move On After Dramatic Comebacks

This World Cup continues to deliver thrilling games during this new round-of-32 phase. Senegal looked certain to go through to the next round until Belgium scored a pair of goals after the 85th minute to knot the game at 2-2 and send it into extra time. The game was decided by a penalty, but not in a shootout, as a foul in the box resulted in Youri Tielemans scoring from the spot to give Belgium the victory. In Atlanta, Harry Kane scored twice to rescue England in a 2-1 win over the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Brian Cipanga gave the Congo an early lead, but Kane struck twice in the second half, with his winner being one of the best goals of the tournament so far.

England is now set to face Mexico at the Azteca on Sunday in what should be a great game. As for today’s action, Orlando City winger Marco Pasalic and Croatia will take on Portugal in a matchup between European heavyweights. The winner of that match will face whoever prevails today between Spain and Austria, with Switzerland and Algeria squaring off in the late night match.

Free Kicks

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

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