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

How did your favorite Lions rate in Orlando City’s 1-1 draw at home against New York City FC?

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12 months ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

After a difficult series of road games, Orlando City returned to Exploria Stadium and drew 1-1 against New York City FC. The Lions got out to an early lead thanks to a goal from Ercan Kara, but faded later in the first half. The defense did well to keep the Pigeons at bay until Gabriel Segal scored his first MLS goal to equalize late. It was a disappointing result when three points were so close to being secured. Here’s how each Lion individually performed in the match.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 7.5 (MOTM) — Gallese proved yet again why signing him to a new contract was Orlando’s best move this off-season. El Pulpo came up with five saves in this match, with each seemingly getting more difficult as the match went on. From denying a header from Maxime Chanot off of a free kick to laying out and saving a long-range shot from Gabriel Pereira, Gallese worked hard to maintain Orlando’s lead. His clean sheet was ruined late in the match on a goal he couldn’t do much about due to the speed on the skipping cross. As far as his distribution, he completed 69.6% of his 23 passes and was accurate on three of his 10 long balls. He’s our Man of the Match for keeping Orlando in front for a majority of the match. He also injured his right hand during the match, but carried on.

D, Kyle Smith, 6 — As NYCFC lacked a clear center forward, it often tried to stretch Orlando’s back line and Smith struggled at times to defend in open space. He picked up a yellow card by taking Pereira down after being beaten and had a few nervy moments. However, Smith did well enough and led the team with three tackles, adding a clearance as well. Although he didn’t have any crosses, Smith completed three of his five long balls and had 44 passes at a 90.9% success rate. He was subbed off in the 84h minute for some fresher legs in Rafael Santos.

D, Robin Jansson, 6.5 — The center back served up a patented long ball to set up Orlando’s goal, finding Gaston Gonzalez out wide in a threatening area. The Beefy Swede connected on three of his five long balls and finished with 53 passes at a strong 88.7% success rate. Jansson anchored Orlando’s defense alongside Antonio Carlos and had four clearances, two blocked shots, and a tackle. Unfortunately, his night was marred a bit by not marking Segal’s run in the box well enough to stop him from equalizing.

D, Antonio Carlos, 7 — Carlos looked right at home in the center of defense at Exploria Stadium, finishing the match with four clearances and an interception. He was particularly dominant in the air, winning all three of his defensive aerial duels. Of his seven long balls, three were accurate and he was successful on 89.4% of his 47 passes. He nearly scored off of a corner kick in the second half by Spartan kicking a bouncing ball in front of goal, but Luis Barraza came up with the save.

D, Michael Halliday, 6 — His crossing could have been better overall, particularly when on the attack, but the right back also served up two key passes in this one. Only one of his four crosses was successful, as he completed 84.9% of his 33 passes on the right side of the field. He also delivered a fantastic long ball that coasted along the touchline for Martin Ojeda. There were a few defensive lapses, but he often recovered well enough to help put out the fire. Halliday had three clearances, an interception, and blocked a shot as well. He could’ve done better on NYCFC’s goal by heading away the danger more cleanly or stopping Talles Magno’s cross, but it’d also be a bit unfair to pin too much of the blame on him for a goal that seemed like a longtime coming from the opposition.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 6.5 — The 22-year-old had a busy night, leading the Lions with 78 touches and also completing 82.8% of his 58 passes. Araujo completed three of his six long balls and had a shot blocked late in stoppage time following a corner. Defensively, he had two tackles and a clearance to help limit NYCF’s chances. It was a solid outing from him and the ninth game in a row in which he’s played all 90 minutes.

MF, Wilder Cartagena, 7 — The Peruvian set a single-game club record by committing seven fouls throughout the match, all without receiving a booking. His 70 touches were second only to Araujo, and he had a team-high 60 passes at an impressive 90% completion rate. Cartagena had two clearances and a tackle to help out defensively as well. He put his only shot on target, although it was fired directly at Barraza, and was accurate on two of his five long balls. It was a strong performance from Cartagena and I wouldn’t mind seeing him taking more shots when the ball falls to him at the top of the box during attacking sequences.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 6 — Angulo had 31 touches in 65 minutes and led the team with three shots, although he only put one of them on target. That effort earned a corner from a tight angle, with another attempt blocked and a third sent into the stands. He was successful on two of his four dribbles and gave the team some needed speed on both sides of the ball. One of his two crosses found their mark and he was successful on 85.7% of his 21 passes. It wasn’t a bad night from Angulo by any means, but he wasn’t as dynamic as he’s proven to be in other matches.

MF, Facundo Torres, 6 — Although he didn’t have a shot, he did contribute to Orlando’s goal thanks to some combination play alongside Gonzalez that earned him an assist on the stat sheet. His presence at the top of the box and opportunity to surge towards goal opened up space for Gonzalez to cross once Torres played it back to him. NYCFC had him in his crosshairs throughout the match, and that helped open avenues for other Lions to attack. Still, it was a fairly quiet night from the Young Designated Player, even if his movement off the ball is worth noting. In 58 minutes of action before being subbed off for Mauricio Pereyra, the Uruguayan had 20 passes at an 85% success rate and completed one of his five crosses.

MF, Gaston Gonzalez, 7 — The winger received great service throughout the match and made it count in the seventh minute. He whipped in a cross with enough speed and bend on it that only an expectant Kara could get to it, giving Gonzalez his second assist of the season. There were times, especially early on, when he looked like Orlando’s best attacking option, as he won set pieces in good areas. But as the game wore on and Mitja Ilenic came on to defend him, he lost some of his sharpness. Gonzalez missed a golden opportunity for the Lions to double their lead by dribbling into traffic rather than playing the ball to an open Duncan McGuire. His lone shot of the match was off target and he was successful on just one of his four crosses. The Argentine winger had 25 passes at an 84% success rate and his only long ball was unsuccessful. Although he couldn’t maintain it for the entire match, Gonzalez displayed why the Lions were eager to bring him to Orlando.

F, Ercan Kara, 7 — The Austrian forward scored his third goal in four matches by getting on the end of a great cross into the box by Gonzalez. Orlando’s finishing this season has been lackluster, so it was nice to see Kara cap off some great team play with his strong header. His goal was also his only shot of the game, as he didn’t receive much service and had just 16 touches in 65 minutes. His hold-up play was a mixed bag. While he completed all six of his passes, he also turned the ball over a few times and was successful on one of his three attempted dribbles. Kara remains in good form and his goal proved how he can excel up top when given good service.

Substitutes

MF, Mauricio Pereyra (58′), 6.5 — In his first match since April 22, Pereyra came off the bench and gave needed life to Orlando’s offense. The Uruguayan led the Lions with three key passes, was accurate on both of his long balls and both of his crosses, and completed all but two of his 25 passes for an excellent 92% success rate. He set up Ojeda at the top of the box in stoppage time but his teammate rushed a shot on the half volley when he may have been able to take a touch to split the defense. Although he wasn’t able to extend Orlando’s lead or give the team a late winner, this was a great performance as he eases back into action.

F, Duncan McGuire (65′), 6.5 — He may have only had eight touches and five passes, but McGuire was active while on the field. The rookie made good runs and his only shot of the game was blocked. Center backs Chanot and Thiago Martins gave him difficulty at times, but he was far from neutralized. McGuire’s positioning continued to put him in good spots, but the service was lacking to really capitalize on it.

MF, Martin Ojeda (65′), 6 — Ojeda played with hunger, but didn’t see all too much of the ball. He had 14 touches and completed 90.9% of his 11 passes while connecting on his lone long ball. His only shot was a difficult one on the half volley in the box that he scuffed and sent off target. With some more rest under his belt now, hopefully he can provide more of an impact in the upcoming matches.

MF, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson (84′), N/A  — The Icelandic midfielder had three touches and completed both of his passes during his cameo. He could’ve closed down Magno a bit better on NYCFC’s goal considering Halliday was preventing the angle at the near post. Thorhallsson had a tackle in the match as well.

D, Rafael Santos (84′), N/A  — The left back completed three of his four passes and had five touches in his brief appearances. Although neither his one cross or one long ball found their target, they were decent efforts. He didn’t play long enough to earn a grade from us this time around.

That’s how I saw each performance from the Lions in their 1-1 draw at home against NYCFC It’s tough seeing the Lions drop points at home, but hopefully they can turn it around against their rivals. 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: 5/1/24

Mason Stajduhar was arrested, Orlando Pride play at home tonight, Colin Guske discusses his signing, and more.

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11 hours ago

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May 1, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday and welcome to May, Mane Landers. Don’t forget that the undefeated Orlando Pride are in action tonight, so check back for our match preview and the latest episode of SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride PawedCast for additional pre-match coverage. In the meantime, let’s get to the links.

Mason Stajduhar Arrested Early Sunday

Orlando City goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar and his wife Tatiana Stajduhar were both arrested on disorderly conduct charges following an incident at a nightclub overnight Saturday in the early hours of Sunday morning. The couple were reportedly disrespectful to the club’s staff and got into an altercation with the security guards. Mason stated he was only resisting the security guards to re-enter the club because the bouncers allegedly hit his wife. Tatiana allegedly pushed the police officers after they arrived, and she was not charged with battery on a law enforcement officer. The couple were released Monday after posting a bond. Orlando City provided the following statement to WESH 2 News:

“The Club is aware that goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar was arrested early Sunday morning. We are currently gathering more information and will have no further comment at this time.”

Orlando Pride Host the North Carolina Courage Tonight

After a 3-2 win on the road last Friday against the Washington Spirit, the Orlando Pride are back in the City Beautiful and will take on the North Carolina Courage tonight. Unbeaten in their six games so far this season, the Pride have also won their past three games and sit fourth in the standings. They’re tied on points with a Courage team that beat the Seattle Reign Saturday. Orlando has scored at least one goal in every match this season. Forward Barbra Banda had a great performance in that win against the Spirit, so hopefully the scoring trend continues tonight for the Pride.

Orlando City/Pride Earn Golden Brick Awards

Have you enjoyed the new food options at the stadium? I know I have, and I’m looking forward to trying even more. The efforts made by Orlando City’s front office to feature more local food and beverage options did not go unnoticed, as the club won the Hospitality & Dining category in the Downtown Orlando Partnership’s 2023 Golden Brick Awards. The Orlando Pride’s 2023 Highway Woman Kit also won the award in the Arts & Culture category. The home jersey was inspired by the work of Mary Ann Carroll, the sole woman in the famed Highwaymen artists from decades ago.

Colin Guske Speaks On Signing First Pro Contract

Orlando City Development Academy player Colin Guske signed his first professional contract with the club last month and spoke on the importance of this moment in his career. The 17-year-old is now on an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Orlando City B, and he has started in nearly every game for the Young Lions this year. Both of Guske’s brothers have also played for Orlando City’s academy over the years, and he thanked his family for helping him reach this point.

“It’s awesome to represent the Guskes,” Colin said. “Thanks to my brothers for always pushing me through early mornings and late nights, always putting in the work, doing video sessions, everything. My sister as well, for always being there for me and my parents, too. They’re always helping me and what was the best for me.”

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  • Enjoy all of the sights and sounds from the Pride’s big win over the Spirit in the nation’s capital.
  • The Champions League semifinals are underway and Real Madrid and Bayern Munich played to a 2-2 draw in Germany. The second leg will take place on May 8 in Madrid.

That will do it for today. If you can make it out to the stadium tonight to catch the Pride in action, I strongly suggest you do so. Barbra Banda is about to take the NWSL by storm and you’ll want to see it in person. Vamos Orlando!

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

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

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1 day ago

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April 30, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City was on its way to three points Saturday night before a late collapse saw the Lions lose 2-1 to Toronto FC at home. It’s a tough loss in a season that has seen an unexpected start with the Lions sitting near the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

Here’s how I saw the individual performances for the Lions in this difficult loss.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 5.5 — Gallese’s form has definitely dropped this year, though he was one of the best goalkeepers in the league over the past four seasons. He was solid for the first 87 minutes, saving the two shots he faced, but then the wheels came off for the Lions. Toronto scored two goals when defenders left players wide open in the box. Gallese probably could’ve done better with Prince Owusu’s winner, but there was a difficult change of direction on the bounce, and the forward should’ve had somebody on him. Apart from his goalkeeping, Gallese completed 61.9% of his 21 passes, including seven of his 15 long balls, and recorded a clearance.

D, Rafael Santos, 6 — Santos had a solid game against Toronto. His 62 touches were the fourth-most on the team and he completed 90.7% of his 43 passes. The starting left back didn’t complete his lone cross but connected on two of his four long balls. He had a shot of his own, putting it on target. Defensively, Santos recorded a tackle, interception, and clearance before being replaced by Kyle Smith in the 71st minute.

D, David Brekalo, N/A — Brekalo had a short night as he was injured early in the game. In the fourth minute, he collided with Owusu and required treatment for his knee. The center back attempted to continue, but eventually had to come off in the 16th minute, replaced by Rodrigo Schlegel. He only had 12 touches in the game and completed 90.9% of his 11 passes. The only defensive stat he recorded was winning an aerial duel. He wasn’t on the field long enough to fairly give him a grade.

D, Robin Jansson, 6 — Jansson was terrific for most of this game. He recorded a team-high 88 touches and completed 84% of his team-high 75 passes, which included six of 13 long balls. His excellent ball forward for Facundo Torres in the 37th minute led to the Lions’ goal. Defensively, he led the team with three tackles, three clearances, two blocked shots, and two aerial duels won.

D, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, 5.5 — Thorhallsson took his regular spot at right back and recorded 53 touches on the night. He completed 88.6% of his 35 passes, but didn’t connect on either of his two crosses or three long balls. He took a shot in the game, but it was off target. Defensively, he added a tackle, a blocked shot, and a successful aerial duel. Unfortunately, his most impactful part of the game was failing to cover Owusu at the back post, leaving the forward wide open to head in the game-winning goal.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 6 — Araujo had a solid performance against Toronto, recording 61 touches. He completed 83.7% of his 49 passes, including three of his six long balls and his lone through ball. Defensively, he added a team-high three tackles, an interception, a blocked shot, and an aerial duel won.

MF, Wilder Cartagena, 6.5 — Cartagena had one of his better games in this one, recording the second-most touches on the team with 71. He completed 88.7% of his 62 passes, including two of his three long balls. Defensively, he added a team-high three tackles, a clearance, and won an aerial duel, while taking one off-target shot.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 6 — Angulo had 51 touches against Toronto and completed 91.7% of his 36 passes. He completed one of his two long balls, but didn’t connect on his only cross attempt. His lone shot was off target, and he helped defensively by intercepting a team-high two opposition passes.

MF, Facundo Torres, 6.5 (MotM) — Torres had an excellent performance in this game, recording 51 touches. While he only completed 75% of his 32 passes, he connected on two of his three crosses and played a perfect ball for Duncan McGuire in the 37th minute, enabling him to tap home the opening goal. The attacking midfielder nearly got one for himself in the 73rd minute from distance, forcing Sean Johnson into a good save. Similar to Angulo, Torres helped out defensively with two tackles and an interception.

MF, Martin Ojeda, 6 — Ojeda had 36 touches in 60 minutes and completed 92.3% of his 26 passes. He connected on one of his two long balls, but neither of his two crosses. He took one shot in the game, but failed to hit the target before being replaced by Nico Lodeiro.

F, Duncan McGuire, 6 — McGuire scored the Lions’ lone goal in this game and was nearly the outright hero. He touched the ball 22 times and completed 63.4% of his 14 passes. However, strikers are judged on goals and McGuire scored the opener when he got on the end of Torres’ cross in the 37th minute. He nearly had a second in first-half stoppage time when he brought down an Ojeda cross well and slammed it into the far side netting. Unfortunately, he was just offside. He was replaced by Luis Muriel in the 71st minute.

Substitutes

D, Rodrigo Schlegel (16’), 6.5 — Schlegel came on in the 16th minute when Brekalo went off injured and, despite not expecting to play that many minutes, was very good. His 71 touches were tied for the second most on the team and he completed 88.1% of his 59 passes, including two of his four long balls. Defensively, he had a team-high three tackles, an interception, and a team-high six clearances.

MF, Nico Lodeiro (60’), 6 — Lodeiro came on for Ojeda in the 60th minute and recorded 31 touches in a half hour of action. He completed 76.5% of his 17 passes, including a key pass and both long balls, but none of his three crosses. He also had a tackle defensively and didn’t take any shots.

D, Kyle Smith (71’), 5.5 — Smith came on in the 71st minute to help see out the game, replacing Santos. He touched the ball 19 times and completed 88.9% of his nine passes, including a key pass, his only cross, and his only long ball. The purpose of his inclusion was to help defensively and he recorded three tackles, an interception, and a clearance. However, he allowed clean crosses on both late Toronto goals and struggled to track Kobe Franklin and Federico Bernardeschi on Orlando’s left flank.

F, Luis Muriel (71’), 6 — Muriel came on for McGuire in the 71st minute, playing a deeper role. He recorded 21 touches and completed 64.3% of his 14 passes, including a key pass. He had two tackles defensively, but didn’t take any shots in 19 minutes of action.

That’s how I saw the performances for Orlando City in its 2-1 loss to Toronto FC Saturday night. Let us know how you saw the game and vote on your Man of the Match below.

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Lion Links: 4/30/24

Luana’s season ends with Hodgkins Lymphoma diagnosis, San Diego linked with Chucky Lozano, U.S. and Mexico withdraw 2027 World Cup bid, and more.

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1 day ago

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April 30, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Happy Tuesday, everyone. It was another busy weekend of Orlando soccer, and things aren’t going to slow down anytime soon. May is an absolutely packed month for all three teams, and the games will be coming thick and fast. We have a lot to discuss this morning, so let’s jump into the links.

Luana Diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

This week started off with some very sad news, as the Orlando Pride announced on Monday that midfielder Luana has been placed on the Season-Ending Injury list as a result of her being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The Brazilian international is starting chemotherapy treatments with the Orlando Health Cancer Institute. In a statement, Luana thanked both the Brazilian National Team and the Pride for the support she’s been receiving. Seb Hines and Rafaelle also spoke about how the team has been supporting Luana.

San Diego Reportedly Nears Deal for Chucky Lozano

The Athletic’s Tom Bogert has reported that San Diego FC is in advanced talks to sign Chucky Lozano ($) from PSV Eindhoven. The Dutch team is expected to receive a transfer fee in the area of $12 million, and Lozano would likely be the highest-profile player for the expansion team ahead of its maiden Major League Soccer season in 2025. While nothing is official, San Diego is said to be hopeful of getting a deal done before Copa America kicks off this summer.

U.S. and Mexico Withdraw 2027 Women’s World Cup Bid

The United States and Mexico have announced their decision to withdraw a joint bid for the 2027 Women’s World Cup, and instead focus on bidding for the 2031 edition of the tournament. The bid had made it to the final three of the selection process, in addition to a bid from Brazil and a joint effort from Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands. U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlowe Cone cited a desire to have more time to prepare while also having the opportunity to learn from the experience of the joint effort of hosting the 2026 World Cup. As far as who will host in 2027, the decision will be made on May 17, with Germany having hosted a Women’s World Cup back in 2011, while Brazil would be the first South American nation to host the tournament.

English Premier League Approves Spending Cap

Premier League teams took the first step towards implementing a spending cap on Monday. While a final vote is still needed to ratify the proposed changes, Monday’s vote gave the green light to start the legal and economic studies needed to change to a spending cap model. The proposed cap would be based on how much the lowest earning Premier League team earns from television rights, and could be implemented for the 2025-2026 season. There were 16 teams that voted in favor of continuing the process of moving towards a salary cap, while Chelsea abstained from voting, and Manchester United, Manchester City, and Aston Villa voted against the motion.

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That does it for me this morning. Vamos Orlando!

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