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

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4 years ago

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Orlando City remains unbeaten after a 1-1 draw at home against New York City FC. After a scoreless first half, Nani gave the Lions a lead in the 52nd minute for his third goal in three games. But João Moutinho, who came on to replace Ruan after halftime, conceded a penalty and Valentin Castellanos slotted it away to equalize. It was a game filled with chances for both sides, but neither was able to capture all three points, as has happened so often in this evenly matched series.

Here’s how each Lion individually rated in the match, along with who was named the Man of the Match.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 7.5 (MotM) — The Peruvian goalkeeper had his busiest game of the season, making three saves. His first and easiest came in the seventh minute when he dove to stop a shot from Andres Jasson outside of the box. Later, in the 28th minute, he made a crucial save one-on-one against Castellanos to keep the score level. But his biggest save came in the last moment of the game. Jesus Medina was in on goal and it looked as if NYCFC would steal all three points. But El Pulpo went low and covered all angles to make the crucial stop. If I could take the Man of the Match title and divvy them up three ways to Gallese and his center backs, I would. The three of them have done extremely well to only concede two goals this season, a giveaway and a penalty. But today’s honor goes to Gallese, even if he wasn’t able to make the save on the penalty. His confidence and positioning ability deserves some recognition, especially late with the game on the line as he put himself in the best possible place to not be easily beaten.

D, Ruan, 6 — Ruan’s speed was a factor early on, with the Brazilian sprinting down the field on a counter and making a tight pass that almost found Tesho Akindele in the box. His crossing ability still needs some fine tuning as both of his attempted crosses were unsuccessful, but he’s getting better at lifting his head up with the ball at his feet instead of taking shots at bad angles. He was the outlet for most of Orlando’s offense until going down in a tackle where he tracked back to stop a surging Jasson. He was limping in the final minutes of the first half and didn’t return in the second half, replaced by Moutinho. Ruan finished the match with 26 touches and 17 passes with an 88% success rate. Defensively, he made three clearances, tying for most on the team.

D, Antonio Carlos, 7.5 — The center back led the team in touches (89), interceptions (3), and passes (75) in a strong performance full of great moments. Of those 75 passes, 69 of them found their intended target for an impressive 92% success rate. Going up against a group of clever players from NYCFC, Carlos made sure that they weren’t able to capitalize on the many chances they created. Keep an eye on Carlos in set pieces moving forward. Orlando’s corners and free kicks usually wound up near the Brazilian’s head and it’s likely by design rather than chance. Carlos was only able to get his head onto one for a shot that went wide, but if he can improve this part of his game then he can become one of the best center backs in the league.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 7.5 — If there is one thing to learn from Schlegel’s performance last night, it’s that he is so much more than a folk hero or feel good story for Orlando. The Argentine center back is a defensive juggernaut, and not just because his head seems to hit the ball harder than the X-Men villain’s would. While he was a force all night, his best minutes of play came around the 20th minute. Schlegel slid to deny Castellanos on the end line and then blocked Maxime Chanot’s shot on the following corner before getting back into position to make life difficult again for Castellanos. He had 63 touches, two tackles, two interceptions, a headed shot right at Sean Johnson, and completed 90% of his 52 passes. There were so many times in the past where the absence of one center back would cripple Orlando’s defense. That’s no longer the case thanks to Schlegel.

D, Kyle Smith, 6 — In the first half, he had a tough match-up against Anton Tinnerholm, one of the best right backs in MLS. He was also beaten by Castellanos in the 28th minute in a play that ended with a shot on goal for NYCFC, but improved defensively as the game wore on. Ruan exited after halftime and Smith drifted back to his preferred right side of the pitch. NYCFC wasn’t too threatened by him offensively and he didn’t give them much of a reason to be, apart from some nice series with Urso on the wings. He had a weak shot from an awkward volley that might have been an attempted pass but it was gobbled up by Johnson anyway. Neither of his two crosses found their mark, he picked up a yellow card, made two clearances, and had one tackle in a full shift. Smith had 73 touches in this one and completed 83% of his 52 passes.

MF, Junior Urso, 7 — Urso had a bit of a quiet first half with little room to work with in the center of the field, but was a man possessed in the second half. With Ruan off the field, the offense needed a new dynamic and Urso stepped up to the plate. The Bear had a shot saved after a good series of passes along the right side, and minutes later he beat a defender with a nutmeg dribble in the play leading up to Nani’s goal. It was great to see Urso pushing forward in the attack, but he was no slouch on defense and pitched in with two tackles and an interception as well. He had 68 touches in this one and a decent 90% success rate on 51 passes.

MF, Sebas Mendez, 6 — Compared to last week’s match against FC Cincinnati, Mendez had to work in a much more crowded midfield this time around. There were a few errant passes early on from him, but he settled in and carved himself out a spot to connect Orlando’s defense and offense. He led the Lions with five tackles, tied Ruan with a team-high three clearances, and made two interceptions. On offense, his only shot of the game sailed high into the stands, but he did set Mauricio Pereyra up well for a shot. The Ecuadorian was second in touches with 85 and made 64 passes at an 84% rate. His only attempted cross of the game was unsuccessful and Mendez wasn’t able to impose his will on the midfield like past games this time around.

MF, Chris Mueller, 5 — No player was affected more by Ruan’s exit than Mueller and he was eclipsed a bit by Urso on his side of the attack. Mueller had no shots in 80 minutes of play, and in fact passed up a couple of good opportunities to fire a shot. He had a hard time finding his place in this one and only had 39 touches and 23 passes — albeit at a good 87% rate — also connecting on one of his two crosses. Mueller was dispossessed twice and had a habit of dribbling into trouble in a quiet game that was far from his best. He does get some brownie points for deflecting a free kick that could have been dangerous though.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 6.5 — Pereyra led the Lions in key passes with three as he continuously found players in great positions. The Uruguayan made the assist on Nani’s goal, becoming a revolving door to turn an incoming pass from Urso into perfect service for Nani in one of his favorite spots on the field. He had an 81% success rate on 54 passes, which is pretty good considering the usual distance and boldness from the type of passes he attempts. Pereyra also had the ball teed up for him by Mendez outside of the box, but his shot went wide. He was subbed off late in the second half and had 69 touches. Defensively, he had the second-most tackles on the team with three and had one interception. Pereyra also won three fouls, committing two of his own.

F, Tesho Akindele, 6 — Perhaps no one on the team ran more, or harder, than Akindele did throughout his 71 minutes of play. He still has moments where his touch lets him down, like when Nani delivered a good ball in the box in the first half. But his hold-up play was good for the second-straight match and he made multiple runs to split NYCFC’s center backs that went unrewarded with a pass from his teammates. His only shot attempt was blocked by a desperation lunge by a defender. Regardless, Akindele did all of the little things. If there was a loose ball in Orlando’s attacking third, Akindele was usually chasing it down and his pressing forced NYCFC into turnovers or poor long balls on occasion. He only made nine passes, but all were on target and one was a key pass. Subbed off in the 71st minute for fresher legs after running like a madman all game, the Canadian finished with 17 touches on a night when the opposition’s tight shape limited opportunities.

F, Nani, 7.5 — The captain did it again, working his magic at the top of the box and firing the ball into the back of the net. He was patient as he picked out what he wanted to do with the ball and then got his shot off before NYCFC could close down on him. It was a bit of an off night for his distribution though considering all four of his crosses in open play were unsuccessful, although not all were his fault and it was difficult to center the ball to a teammate with all of NYCFC’s bodies in the box. His one key pass was from one of his five corner kicks and he ended with 44 passes at a 77% success rate. Nani’s other shot of the evening was blocked and there were some miscues late when Orlando tried to switch play and take advantage of Tinnerholm’s exit. Still, it was a good game from Nani beyond his goal as he racked up 75 touches, two dribbles, a tackle, a clearance, and an interception, and often dropped to provide a calm outlet from New York City FC’s pressure — something that doesn’t show up on the stat sheet.

Substitutes

D, João Moutinho (45’), 5.5 — Whether it be from rust or fatigue, his tackle in the box that led to the penalty was a bad one. To be fair, Ishmael Tajouri-Shradi put the left back in a tough position and Moutinho took a stab that landed on the midfielder’s foot. It was rough to watch as NYCFC was given a lifeline back into the match, but life goes on and Moutinho will shake it off. Aside from the one bad moment, Moutinho was actually a bright spot at both ends of the pitch. In the most action he’s seen this season, Moutinho had 43 touches and was successful on 77% of his 31 passes. He had one cross, a key pass that found Benji Michel’s head in the box.

F, Benji Michel (71’), 5.5 — The forward didn’t make much noise as a substitute in this game, his only shot coming from Moutinho’s cross. It was an awkward angle for him as the ball wasn’t from out wide, but Michel was able to dig low like a volleyball player and then spring up to flick the ball in on goal. Johnson handled it with ease, but props to Michel for making something out of it. His running and energy forced Johnson to rush a long ball attempt that resulted in a turnover. He had eight touches and completed all six of his passes, adding a tackle as well.

MF, Andres Perea (80’), N/A — Although he wasn’t on the field long enough for a proper grade, I liked what I saw from Perea on set pieces. There’s a level of alertness he has that is pretty valuable late in games. In the 85th minute, Nani’s corner was dealt with but Perea made sure to be onside before Smith hit a weak volley that Perea rushed down. Late on, he made a similar dash on a free kick to try to make something happen. It’s hardly anything groundbreaking, but it’s nice to see.

MF, Silvester van der Water (80’), N/A — The Dutchman didn’t connect on either of his two passes and had seven touches. His biggest contribution was being fouled in the 88th minute in a good position for the Lions to whip a ball in.

That’s how I saw the individual performances of the Lions in a tough draw against NYCFC. Let us know what you thought and make sure to vote for who you think deserves the title of Man of the Match.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Pedro Gallese33
Rodrigo Schlegel7
Nani13
Antonio Carlos5
Junior Urso1
Other0

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Lion Links: 4/1/25

Barbra Banda’s continued importance, Americans in midweek action, USWNT announces friendly, and more.

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8 hours ago

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April 1, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Good morning everyone! It was a great weekend for Orlando’s soccer teams as Orlando City and the Orlando Pride both won, meaning that we got treated to a six-point weekend (OCB was off). As always we have plenty to talk through this morning, so let’s get into today’s links.

Barbra Banda Keeps Rolling in 2025

After a wildly successful debut season with the Orlando Pride in 2024, Barbra Banda has showed no signs of slowing down this year. A brace in the season opener meant that she picked up right where she left off last year, and the team has continued to be successful too. The Pride have made it three wins from three to start the 2025 season, and while Banda hasn’t scored since the opener, her blend of pace, power, dribbling, passing, and movement have continuously helped open things up for her teammates, and she drew a penalty that led to the Pride’s game-winning goal Saturday. She isn’t the Pride’s only offensive weapon, but the team clicks into a different gear when she’s at her best.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans who will be playing in games during the working week, and there are some very important clashes on hand. Things get going later today when Antonee Robinson and Fulham visit Arsenal in Premier League play as the Cottagers are in hot pursuit of a coveted European place. Wednesday has Chris Richards, Matt Turner and Crystal Palace facing Southampton, while Tyler Adams and Bournemouth take on Manchester City. Also on Wednesday, Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan will face Inter Milan in a Coppa Italia semifinal. Things finish up on Friday as Aidan Morris and Middlesborough travel to Blackburn Rovers in the EFL Championship.

USWNT Announces Canada Match

The United States Women’s National Team has announced another friendly taking place this summer, as the team will face Canada on July 2 in Washington, D.C. The match will be the third that the USWNT will play during the window, following a pair of friendlies against Ireland in late June. The neighboring countries will meet at Audi Field with the match designated as the Allstate Continental Clasico, with this being the first time that the match will feature the USWNT. The U.S. faced Canada twice in 2024, with both matches ending in 2-2 draws and the USWNT emerging victorious in shootouts.

Concacaf Champions Cup Preview

The Concacaf Champions Cup returns this week, with the first legs of the four quarterfinal matches set to be played today and tomorrow. Things get started tonight with what should be an exciting match between Club America and Cruz Azul, with the crosstown rivals two of the winningest teams in the competition. Cruz Azul’s Angel Sepulveda leads the CCC’s golden boot race with four tallies. The late game sees the LA Galaxy taking on Tigres as the Galaxy will try to distract themselves from a difficult start to their MLS Cup title defense. Wednesday’s slate has the Vancouver Whitecaps taking on Pumas UNAM in Canada in what will be the second-ever meeting between the two teams. The late game will be an all-MLS affair as LAFC hosts Inter Miami in the first meeting between the two sides in CCC play.

Sporting Kansas City Fires Peter Vermes

The longest-tenured coach in Major League Soccer is out of work, as Sporting Kansas City announced the firing of Peter Vermes on Monday morning. It’s an end of an era in Kansas City, as Vermes was the head coach since 2009, back when the team was still called the Kansas City Wizards, and he had been named the club’s technical director three years earlier in 2006. He guided the team to an MLS Cup win in 2013; claimed U.S. Open Cup titles in 2012, 2015, and 2017; and helped the team be consistently competitive for a majority of his tenure. Despite all of that, SKC missed the playoffs in two of the last three seasons and was mired in the midst of a 13-game winless streak in all competitions that stretched back to Sept. 18 of last year. After being an assistant on Vermes’ staff, Kerry Zavagnin will take over as interim head coach.

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

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Orlando City

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

How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s 2-1 victory over the LA Galaxy?

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1 day ago

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March 31, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City capped off its March slate of matches with a cross-country bout against the 2024 MLS Cup champions, the LA Galaxy. In what was the longest commute that the Lions will register in the 2025 season, Orlando looked out of sync for much of the match, especially when contrasted with the squad that stomped D.C. United at home last week. Miraculously for the fans that stayed up past their bedtimes back on the East Coast, the Lions shocked the reigning champions and stole all three points with a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over the final quarter hour of the match.

Let’s look at the Lions’ individual performances to see who made the grade and who can improve as the calendar turns to April.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6.5 — Gallese returned for Orlando after missing time while representing Peru during World Cup qualifiers. For the most part, he did well against the pressure of an agressive attack from the Galaxy. In the end, he was credited with just one save, which was a massive righthanded block of a shot by Gabriel Pec that could have put the game away for the home side. It isn’t worth entertaining a discussion about Gallese “letting another one in,” as the goal that the Galaxy scored was off a point-blank redirection back against his momentum, and it should have at the bare minimum warranted a second look for a potential offside ruling. His distribution was mostly solid, and he had an 81.8% passing rate on his 11 attempts while completing three of his five long balls. He was booked in the waining moments of the match for time wasting — although it was Rodrigo Schlegel who kicked the ball away without being spotted, and Gallese was merely retrieving it.

D, Rafael Santos, 5.5 — Santos had a few bright moments throughout the match, with an emphasis on the word few. I did think that he was better at getting into the attack and sent several balls across the net that had the potential to be dangerous. On the defensive end, there were just too many mistakes for my liking, whether that be careless turnovers, poor positioning, or falling asleep on the back side of the play. He and Ivan Angulo were both at fault on LA’s goal, as neither picked up Miki Yamane’s run. Santos was also overpowered twice by Pec. The Brazilian touched the ball 48 times, provided two key passes, one successful cross (on five attempts), and a passing rate of 76.9%. Defensively, he provided two tackles and three clearances. Offensively, Santos recorded a shot that was not on target. The left back currently benefits from a lack of depth pushing him for his starting minutes but will need to improve if Orlando is to continue its winning ways. He was replaced by David Brekalo in the 66th minute.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 7 — Schlegel had a productive and technically sound evening for the Lions. Defensively, he contributed one interception, a team-high seven clearances, and two blocked shots. He passed at a 93.6% rate, while touching the ball a team-high 88 times, and completed five long balls (on eight attempts). He didn’t register an offensive statistic during the match, but he played well and I thought that he had solid positioning throughout the night when the Galaxy sent balls into the box.

D, Robin Jansson, 6 — Something just seems off right now with Jansson, as the output from the captain simply feels less than what we have come to expect. Nonetheless, Jansson went the full 90 and recorded 65 touches. He completed 94.8% of his passes which included a team-best seven accurate long balls on nine attempts. Defensively, he contributed one tackle, one interception, and three clearances. Christian Ramirez beat Jansson on the lone goal for the Galaxy.

D, Alex Freeman, 6.5 — Freeman continues to put in the work for Orlando City. While his first West Coast trip was not fruitful in terms of goal-scoring contributions, the young Lion still managed to affect the game in a myriad of ways. He recorded 69 touches and completed 93.3% of his passes, which included two key passes and one accurate cross. Defensively, he added a team-high four tackles and two clearances. Offensively, Freeman tied Martin Ojeda for the most shots taken on the night (three) but was only able to put one on target. Freeman continues to showcase a solid motor that is helping to drive the offense, and he has shown strong chemistry with Marco Pasalic as well, but the most impressive aspect of his game against the Galaxy for me was the job he did in space defensively against Joseph Paintsil when the speedster entered the match in the second half.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 6.5 — This felt like a classic Araujo performance and the Uruguayan was seemingly everywhere on the pitch. He logged 63 touches and completed 90% of his passes but was only successful on one of his five long-ball attempts. Defensively, he contirbuted two tackles, one interception, and two clearances. Offensively, Araujo did not record a stat but did suffer a team-high three fouls. Araujo was able to defend without being booked against the Galaxy, and he has shown signficant improvement this season so far in not picking up careless yellow cards.

MF, Eduard Atuesta, 7.5 (MotM) — The former member of LAFC became the catalyst for the late offensive turnaround against what used to be his crosstown rival by earning a penalty in the 77th minute. He recorded 75 touches and completed 89.8% of his passes, which inlcuded two key passes, four accurate long balls on five attempts, and two succesful crosses on two attempts. Offensively, he attempted two shots, one which nearly put Orlando City in the lead when it hit the right post. Defensively, he contributed one tackle and two clearances. Atuesta benefitted from the insertion of Brekalo and Duncan McGuire, pushing forward into the attack, and without his effort, Orlando City likely would not have earned all three points. He was replaced by Joran Gerbet in stoppage time as part of a time-wasting, like-for-like substitution to see out the match.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 5.5 — To put it bluntly, Angulo is not in great form right now. The speedy Colombian is failing to challenge opposing back lines in the attack and has become a liability on the defensive side of the ball. The pairing of Angulo with Santos on the left has become a favorite area for the opposition to attack, and he was partly culpable in letting Yamane sneak in toward the back post on LA’s goal. He recorded 37 touches and completed 90.5% of his passes, which included one key pass. Defensively, he chipped in one tackle and one interception. Offensively, Angulo was dispossessed a team-high four times, as the careless giveaways — often in Orlando’s defensive half — continue to pile up. Orlando clearly needs more from the left wing, who was replaced in the 66th minute by McGuire, with Oscar Pareja pushing Ojeda to the left and playing Luis Muriel as the No. 10.

MF, Martin Ojeda, 7 — Ojeda did not allow another Lion to even remotely consider taking the penalty as he quickly stood over the spot, ball in hand, and then calmly converted the PK to pull Orlando level. Ojeda has now tied his goals total (four) from the 2024 season in only the sixth game of the year. Ojeda touched the ball 56 times and passed at a 90.5% rate while providing one key pass and four accurate long balls out of five attempts. Ojeda could have stood to improve his crossing, as he was only accurate on one of his five attempts. Offensively, Ojeda took three shots (tied with Freeman for the most on the team) but put just one on target (the penalty that he converted). He badly scuffed his first shot and his second was just off target in the first half. Defensively, he didn’t contribute a meaningful statistic, which was surprising, and it kept him just a rung below Atuesta when it came to Man of the Match honors.

MF, Marco Pasalic, 6.5 — Pasalic showcased several individual moments of brillance in the first half when the game was moving quickly end to end. Unfortunately for the Croatian winger, those moments failed to result in a change to the scoreboard. He touched the ball 39 times and completed 81.5% of his passes, including all four of his long balls. Defensively, like Ojeda, Pasalic did not record a meaningful statistic. Despite not scoring against the Galaxy, Pasalic continues to flash his skill with the ball and has been one of the main driving forces behind the strong offensive start to the season. He was replaced by Dagur Dan Thorhallsson in the 82nd minute.

F, Luis Muriel, 7 — Did Muriel score or did John McCarthy botch the play? Both, but who cares? Muriel’s long-distance free kick in the 90th minute found the back of the net, and the placement of the shot contributed to McCarthy’s mistake, as the Colombian sealed the victory and three important road points for Orlando City. A play reminisent of when fellow Designated Player Ojeda hit the equalizer from practically midfield against Charlotte FC back in 2023, Muriel stepped up to a free kick well outside the box and sent a shot towards the top left corner of the net. The goal capped a well-rounded performance for Muriel, who continues to play his best soccer in an Orlando City kit. Muriel finished with 37 touches and completed 88% of his passes, including a key pass. Offensively, he registered two shots with the one that mattered being on target. His other shot was a laser through traffic that barely missed just outside the left post on a set piece. Defensively, the striker contributed a tackle. Kyle Smith replaced him in the third minute of stoppage time.

Substitutes

D, David Brekalo (66’), 7 — I thought Brekalo put in some of his best minutes of the year as he entered in the 66th minute for Santos. It was an unexpected substitution, as Brekalo is a central defender. Regardless, the Slovenian played strong and sound defense, snuffing out multiple attacking runs by Pec. He racked up three tackles and three clearances on defense and put in several eye-opening efforts in the attack as well, as Orlando looked to get back into the match. He completed 90.9% of his passes, and while he did not record a shot, he was quite active around the box and made multiple runs off of his attacking counterparts. Brekalo at left back might be something to keep an eye on, as Pareja has been looking for someone to play consistently well there early in the season. Time will tell.

F, Duncan McGuire (66’), 6.5 — McGuire secured his longest stint since his off-season shoulder surgery and looked agressive over the final moments of the match. He opens up the field in a way Muriel is physically not able to at this point in his career, as the American got in behind the back line multiple times and pulled it out of shape for his teammates to exploit. He recorded three shots, which were all off target, but it is only a matter of time before the forward finds the back of the net. He completed 80% of his five passes and was credited with a key pass.

MF, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson (82′), N/A — Thorhallsson came on in relief of Pasalic and did well over the final moments of the match. The insertion of Brekalo, McGuire, and then Thorhallsson allowed Orlando to be the more dangerous side over the last 20 plus minutes of game time. He completed 83.3% of his passes and was credited with two key passes. Defensively, the product of Iceland added two clearances, and he did well to track back and help Freeman keep Paintsil bottled up.

D, Kyle Smith (93′), N/A — Smith came in following the long-distance goal by Muriel to help see out the victory.

MF, Joran Gerbet (93′), N/A — Like Smith, Gerbet was inserted to help see out the road win in stoppage time but also came into the match for Atuesta who was on a yellow card.

That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando City’s come-from-behind win over the Galaxy. Let us know how you saw the game in the comments below, and don’t forget to vote for your Man of the Match.

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Lion Links: 3/31/25

Lions and Pride win, NWSL weekend recap, FA Cup quarterfinals, and more.

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1 day ago

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March 31, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been very busy at work but will attend the Chicago Cubs’ home opener at Wrigley Field later this week. Our Lions and Pride won while OCB was off this weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Beats LA Galaxy on the Road

On Saturday, Orlando City fought back from a 1-0 deficit, scoring two goals in the second half to defeat the LA Galaxy 2-1 at Dignity Health Sports Park. The Galaxy struck early in the first half to jump on top. In the second half, the Lions were awarded a penalty kick after Eduard Atuesta was taken down in the box, and Martin Ojeda buried the spot kick to tie the match at one. In the 90th minute, Luis Muriel scored the winning goal on a long-range free kick to complete the comeback. Orlando is on a three-match unbeaten streak and beat the LA Galaxy for the third consecutive time. Orlando City’s next match will be on the road Saturday against the Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park.

Orlando Pride Defeat San Diego Wave at Home

The Orlando Pride defeated the San Diego Wave 2-1 Saturday afternoon at Inter&Co Stadium and extended their win streak to three matches to start the season. After a scoreless first half, Haley McCutcheon scored to give Orlando the lead. The Wave equalized before Marta converted a penalty kick goal to seal the win for Orlando. The Pride are off to a great start this season, outscoring their opponents 10-1, and are atop the NWSL standings ahead of the Kansas City Current on goal difference. The Pride are off this weekend due to the international break but will be on the road in their next match against the Seattle Reign on April 12.

NWSL Weekend Recap

The National Women’s Soccer League’s third week of matches is in the books. On Friday, the Houston Dash and NJ/NY Gotham FC match ended in a scoreless draw. The Washington Spirit defeated Bay FC 2-0, with Ashley Hatch scoring both goals. On Saturday, the Kansas City Current defeated the Utah Royals 3-0, while the Portland Thorns and North Carolina Courage match ended in a scoreless draw. On Sunday, the Chicago Stars fell 1-0 to Racing Louisville and remain winless, while Angel City FC edged the Seattle Reign 2-1 to secure its first win of the season.

FA Cup Quarterfinals Recap

The FA Cup quarterfinals wrapped up with thrilling drama as four clubs booked a spot in the semifinals. Crystal Palace cruised to a 3-0 victory against Fulham, while Nottingham Forest edged Brighton 4-3 on penalties after a scoreless draw to advance. Aston Villa dominated Preston North End as Marcus Rashford scored twice to seal a 3-0 win, while Manchester City edged Bournemouth 2-1. The FA Cup semifinals are set for April 26 as Crystal Palace faces Aston Villa while Nottingham Forest will take on Manchester City.

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  • Orlando City GM Luiz Muzzi provided some insight in an ESPN.com article on player transfers and highlighted the importance of building connections with different clubs to facilitate transfers.
  • Former Lion Benji Michel is going to play for HJK Helsinki.
  • That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.

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