Orlando City
Orlando City vs New York Red Bulls: Player Grades and Man of the Match
Ugh. After an unbeaten start to the season, Orlando City has finally tasted defeat after a 2-1 loss in Harrison, NJ to the Red Bulls of New York. The Lions put themselves in a 2-0 hole before Silvester van der Water scored and nearly got another late in the game. Here’s how each Lion fared in the first loss of the year:
Starters
GK, Pedro Gallese, 6.5 — Gallese was great at times in this game. His early save off a Red Bulls corner kick was phenomenal. He made four more saves in this game, and didn’t have much of a chance on the two Red Bull goals. Where he needed to be better was his distribution. He was 16 of 25 (64%) passing, including 4 of 13 (30%) on long balls, which is not good enough. Granted, there was a lot of just hoofing it up to try to win second balls, but you still want at least a little more out of the back.
D, Kyle Smith, 7 — Kyle Smith is just consistently good. He’s not dynamic the way Ruan or Joao Moutinho are, but he’s just so consistently good defensively. He made three tackles, one interception, two clearances, and nine ball recoveries. Playing as a hybrid center back and later as a true fullback, he was flexible and effective. He played a key role in several late Orlando City attacks, including having the initial cross on the goal, finishing with a completed cross and having his one shot blocked. He was also important in possession, completing a team-high 58 passes at 85%.
D, Robin Jansson, 7 — Jansson was arguably Orlando’s best player on the day — he was my choice for Man of the Match until van der Water made things happen late. Defensively he was sound with eight ball recoveries, two successful tackles, three interceptions, and six clearances. When Orlando’s midfield turned the ball over, it was often Jansson shutting down the Red Bull attack, and he did his job. Perhaps even more impactful at times was his distribution. While he only completed three of six long balls, he was breaking lines, beating the press, and putting Orlando’s forwards into dangerous spots. These are the plays that only Jansson makes for this team that can be such a weapon. Overall, he completed 39 of 46 passes (85%), and also completed a dribble. With no Rodrigo Schlegel due to personal reasons, Jansson stepped up and maybe re-earned his spot in the starting XI.
D, Antonio Carlos, 6.5 — Another game, another solid outing from Antonio Carlos. He did his defensive work well, making two tackles, a massive seven interceptions, three clearances, and eight ball recoveries. He passes the ball well, completing 49 of 55 passes including four successful long balls. It wasn’t an overwhelmingly stellar performance, but certainly good.
D, Michael Halladay, 5.5 — It was a good, not great, MLS debut for Homegrown defender Michael Halladay. His one big mistake came on New York’s first goal when he failed to track Caden Clark and got caught ball watching. Other than that, he was solid. He completed 19 of 23 passes (83%), won a tackle, had a pair of interceptions, and six ball recoveries. He wasn’t particularly dynamic offensively, neither of his two crosses were on target, but it was a solid first outing for the young defender.
MF, Sebas Mendez, 4 — Mendez has been one of the standout players for Orlando in this first part of the MLS season, but this was a poor performance. He completed 46 passes at an 84% clip including 4/8 long balls, but he struggled breaking lines or even linking play at times. He gave up four fouls, including a dangerous opportunity at the top of the box for New York’s second goal, and got a yellow card. Mendez won only one of his three attempted tackles and made only one interception. Maybe I’m being harsh, but it just wasn’t good enough from Mendez in this one.
MF, Junior Urso, 6.5 — I really like what we saw from Urso. Defensively he won the ball back eight times, won 14 duels, and completed a tackle. He was also dynamic in transition, helping spark Orlando’s best offensive actions of the game. He completed 38 passes at 84%, completed five of eight long balls, completed two of five dribbles, had a key pass, and connected on a first half corner kick, though his effort dribbled well wide. He also drew a team high eight fouls. The only real negative for me was how cheaply he gave away the ball at times with several poor passes and he was dispossessed a team-high seven times. Overall solid performance from the Bear.
MF, Andres Perea, 6 — Starting in place of a natural winger to counter New York’s diamond midfield, Perea wasn’t in his best spot to succeed but was pretty good in spite of that. He completed 36 passes at 82% including all three of his long balls and completed three dribbles. He was involved in several half chances but also put in some defensive work, with two ball recoveries and a clearance.
MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 4.5 — It was a quiet day for El Maestro. He only played a half and made very little of his time on the field. No chances created, no shots, and only one key pass is not the return you expect from a player of Pereyra’s quality. He completed only 20 of his 27 passes (74%) including 0/3 on long balls. His defensive work was also mediocre at best with only one ball recovery and no tackles or interceptions.
MF, Chris Mueller, 5.5 — It wasn’t a bad game for Mueller, but he still hasn’t found his 2020 self. He completed 29 of his 43 passes (67%), three of his six dribbles, and had a key pass. There were times he got into dangerous spots or got the team into good areas, but the quality just isn’t there. He hasn’t been aggressive enough, finishing with no shots in this game. To be fair to him, he was doing a lot of work in this game playing as more of a wingback than pure winger and he did a good big of defensive work, with six ball recoveries and a pair of aerial wins. But for a wide player, his crossing was poor — 0/3 from open play and 0/2 on corners — and he has to start doing more. He did look a little sharper when the formation changed, but it was another disappointing outing.
F, Tesho Akindele, 6.5 — Tesho was pretty good again, even if he didn’t find the scoresheet. He did have an assist, setting up van der Water’s goal and should’ve had a second soon after. He had an excellent opportunity after being played in behind but couldn’t beat the keeper with his weak foot. In all, the big Canadian completed 23 of 27 passes. His defensive work was great again, winning seven duels, two ball recoveries, a successful tackle, and a clearance. You want more than one shot from a center forward, but with the overall lack of opportunities for much of the match and with everything else he brought to the table, it was a good Tesho performance.
Substitutes
F, Benji Michel (46’), 6.5 — Benji made things happen off the bench. His pace and strength were a welcome addition to the game, particularly on van der Water’s near equalizer. It wasn’t a super clean game. He was dispossessed three times and had other miscontrols, but he added a different element that stretched the field. He completed seven passes at 64%, had a successful tackle, and won three tackles.
F, Silvester van der Water (63’), 7.5 (MotM) — Subbing on, van der Water changed the game for Orlando City. He was dynamic, creative, and dangerous for Orlando, providing a spark on the right wing. He had two successful dribbles, completed two long balls, created a chance, won four duels, and had three shots. Defensively he won a tackle and had two ball recoveries. He also bagged his first Orlando City goal in the 84th minute, though he should’ve tied the game four minutes later with a wide-open chance inside the box. Even with that miss, it was another exciting performance from the Dutchman who might’ve earned himself more minutes after these last two games.
D, Joao Moutinho (63’), 6.5 — Moutinho brought a lot in his half hour or work. His delivery was tantalizing, including a good opportunity for van der Water that unfortunately deflected off another Orlando City player. He completed 16 of 25 passes (64%), won three tackles, and made three ball recoveries.
That’s how I judged everyone’s performance, but what did you see? Leave your thoughts below and vote who you think deserved Man of The Match.
Polling Closed
| Player | Votes |
| Silvester van der Water | 31 |
| Robin Jansson | 3 |
| Antonio Carlos | 0 |
| Kyle Smith | 4 |
| Tesho Akindele | 2 |
| Other | 4 |
Orlando City
More Spice or Less? Tyrese Spicer as Starter vs. Substitute
Tyrese Spicer’s performances as an OCSC starter and substitute, and how he ranks as against offensive subs in MLS.
Back in 2015, I worked for a company that assigned me to a project for a company in Trinidad & Tobago, and I spent about half a year traveling back and forth from Orlando to Port of Spain, the capital city. I loved everything about my time in Trinidad & Tobago, and while I promise this will move to soccer shortly and not become a travelogue or a food blog, I have to briefly mention my discovery there of a food called “doubles.”
Doubles are often eaten as a breakfast food but are delicious at any time of the day. Much like with cheesesteaks in Philadelphia, there is a language associated with ordering them. A doubles order usually consists of how many you want and how hot you would like them to be. I do not have a high tolerance for heat, so I often ordered mine with “no pepper,” (tell me you are an American without telling me you are an American), but Trinis generally go with at least slight pepper and often medium or heavy pepper.
All of that discussion of Trinidad & Tobago and pepper brings us to a man who comes from the twin islands and literally has spice in his last name — Tyrese Spicer.
Spicy T was the Man of the Match in our player grades from Orlando City’s most recent MLS game after contributing a goal and an assist. He scored his fourth goal of the MLS season, which ranks second on the team behind Martín Ojeda’s 11. Spicer scored that goal after coming off the bench to replace Tiago, and his bench goal was the seventh for the Lions this season, which ties them for the league lead in goals scored by substitutes:
| Team | Substitute Goals | Total Goals* | Substitute Goal % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orlando City | 7 | 30 | 23% |
| Cincinnati | 7 | 44 | 16% |
| Seattle | 6 | 20 | 30% |
| Miami | 6 | 44 | 14% |
| Portland | 5 | 32 | 16% |
| Dallas | 5 | 31 | 16% |
| St. Louis | 5 | 23 | 22% |
| Nashville | 5 | 35 | 14% |
*Excludes opposition own goals
All four of Spicer’s goals in MLS play have come as a substitute, and he is tied for the league lead with Cincinnati’s Tom Barlow in that category:
| Player | Team | Substitute Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Tyrese Spicer | Orlando City | 4 |
| Tom Barlow | Cincinnati | 4 |
| Christian Ramirez | Austin | 3 |
| Samuel Sarver | Dallas | 3 |
| Peyton Miller | New England | 3 |
During the entire 2025 MLS season the league leaders in substitute goals scored only four goals off the bench, and Spicer has already reached that tally through Orlando City’s first 18 league games.
Extrapolating those 18 games to the full season would put Spicer on pace for 7.56 goals, and since he has scored all of his goals off the bench, the extrapolation for goals as a substitute would also be for that same amount, which would be the most in MLS since Dejan Joveljić scored eight goals as a substitute for the LA Galaxy in 2022.
A logical question would be: If Spicer is scoring all these goals in limited minutes as a substitute, should Orlando City just make him a starter?
On the surface, it seems like an obvious no.
Put aside the fact that leading scorer Martín Ojeda is out injured but will command a starting spot when he returns, likely at the same left wing position where Spicer usually plays, another fact is that since joining Orlando City in August of 2025, Spicer has played demonstrably better off the bench than as a starter across all competitions (data from Opta’s tracking on fbref.com):
| Role | Minutes Played | Goals | Primary Assists | Goal Contributions per 90 mins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | 457 | 2 | 0 | 0.39 |
| Subtitute | 557 | 5 | 4 | 1.45 |
In recent years, Orlando City has benefitted from “supersubs,” as Spicer’s four goals thus far in 2026 marks the fourth consecutive season in which a Lion has scored at least four goals in a season as a substitute. Duncan McGuire started the trend with five in 2023 and added four in 2024. Ramiro Enrique followed with four off the bench in 2025 (and likely would have scored more that had he not transferred in August; I really wish he had stayed. Sigh.), and now Spicer has four in 2026 with many games still to play. McGuire’s five in 2023 is the joint club record with Júlio Baptista, as The Beast lived up to that moniker when coming off the bench in 2016, but Spicer is hot on their heels.
Some players simply perform better off the bench, and Spicer, at least so far, seems to be in that Manu Ginóbili mold of a player with starter-level talent that is better at finishing games than starting them.
Orlando City General Manager and Sporting Director Ricardo Moreira noted this when the club acquired Spicer from Toronto, saying that the Trinidad & Tobago international player would “bring additional depth and energy” and that “his relentless work rate and ability to stretch the field will give us a much-needed boost and add another dimension to our attack moving forward.”
Spicer’s boosts off the bench have led to two game-winning goals this season, the fourth in the amazing 4-3 comeback victory over Inter Miami in May and the only goal in the 1-0 home victory over Nashville at the end of July.
August is a packed month for Orlando City, with at least eight games on the calendar and possibly nine, depending on how the Lions do in Leagues Cup. We’ll see throughout the rest of August (this article was written before the Leagues Cup game against CF Monterrey, which had Spicer in the starting lineup) if Martín Perelman is locked in to using Spicer as a supersub or gives him additional chances as a starter, as there will need to be some rotation with games every three to four days.
The numbers say that Perelman should keep looking for someone to hold down the left wing for the first portion of the game and bring in Spicer to close, but Orlando City’s poor play on the left side of the field in the first half helped dig a hole it could not climb out of against the Red Bulls, and this is a critical part of the season, so getting positive results is of paramount importance.
I’m looking forward to finding out if Perelman makes the call to go from no pepper to Spicy T as a frequent left wing starter, at least until Ojeda returns. The numbers are against it, as am I, but we shall see what Perelman orders.
Vamos Orlando!
Orlando City
Pasalic Remains in Purple
Marco Pasalic is staying. What does that mean for Orlando City’s season?
At least for the moment, it seems the Marco Pasalic to Hull City transfer is a bust. With the Croatian back in the mix for Orlando City, the team will have two of three Designated Players available. Unfortunately, we’re still waiting for Martin Ojeda to make it back from his injury. In the meantime, the return of the left-footed, Croatian rocket launcher is a good thing, right? Let’s take a look at the arguments for and against, and how it affects the rest of the squad.
More Firepower
Pasalic has the potential to contribute a significant number of goals for Orlando City. We haven’t seen what he can do when on the pitch with Antoine Griezmann, who can create space for Pasalic on the right side of the box. Griezmann can drag defenders to the left, allowing Pasalic more of an opening to unleash his signature top-of-the-box shot. Griezmann or Justin Ellis will be able to provide slick, no-look passes to a hopefully wide-open Pasalic.
Additionally, if Pasalic regains his form, the threat he poses will allow the left side of the attack some more space to move. There’s also the Daryl Dike factor. Once the big man is fully integrated back into the attack, there is a veritable smorgasbord of attacking options for an attack-oriented Martin Perelman to employ. He does seem to have an “all gas, no brakes, who needs defense” approach to tactics. Obviously, that is hyperbole, but not by much.
All of this is contingent on Pasalic resetting his mindset to give 100% to Orlando City. As a professional, I expect he will believe he is going to do so, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy, given he obviously wanted to make a move back to Europe. Recommitting to a team you thought you were leaving is never easy, no matter what anyone says.
Defensive Implications
If Orlando City had sold Pasalic, there would have been an infusion of cash available to help build the roster. I think it unlikely that a new Designated Player could be signed before the secondary window closes. That kind of money could be used on a decent left back, another veteran center back, or help in the defensive midfield. Maybe even all of the above.
Now, the money is tied up and the defense still has so many challenges. I don’t think Pasalic’s offensive production will be able to overcome the goals the defense will give up the rest of the season. Not losing a Designated Player at this point of the season is generally a good thing, especially with Ojeda being injured, though I’m not convinced things are actually better with Pasalic staying. Of course, even if he had been sold, there’s no guarantee that Ricardo Moreira would reinforce the defense in the transfer window.
I’m hopeful that Pasalic rededicates himself to Orlando City and starts to produce some goals for the Lions, because given this defense, the team will need as many goals as possible. Let us know your thoughts on how Pasalic staying plays out. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 8/6/26
Orlando City beats Monterrey, Marco Pasalic reportedly staying in Orlando, Zambia ousted from Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, and more.
It’s Thursday, which means we’re celebrating an Orlando City victory. The Lions have been midweek monsters this season and it’s been a nice boost of energy to get through the week. If any of you are performing some sort of ritual on Wednesday nights, please keep it up. Let’s get to the big win and more in today’s links!
Orlando City Beats Monterrey in Leagues Cup
After a lengthy weather delay, Orlando City beat Monterrey 2-1 at home in its first match of this year’s Leagues Cup. The video review system was put through its paces in this match, overturning a Monterrey goal, a Monterrey red card, and a penalty on Orlando’s Robin Jansson in separate instances. Be sure to check out our recap of the win, which included a nice performance from Tyrese Spicer as a starter and the return of Daryl Dike off the bench. The Lions will be back in action on Saturday against Club Leon before wrapping up this phase of the tournament on Wednesday against San Luis.
Marco Pasalic Reportedly Staying in Orlando
There’s been buzz this summer regarding Marco Pasalic being transferred form Orlando City to Hull City, but the move is reportedly not going to happen according to Croatian sports newspaper Sportske Novosti.
Pasalic had 12 goals and five assists in his first MLS season last year after joining Orlando from HNK Rijeka. While the 25-year-old hasn’t quite had the same impact so far this season, he did play for Croatia in this summer’s World Cup and could benefit from the addition of Antoine Griezmann to the offense. Pasalic came off the bench for a late cameo on Wednesday to help see out the win over Monterrey.
Zambia Eliminated From WAFCON Despite Win
Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda scored in Zambia’s 2-1 win against Malawi in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, but it wasn’t enough for Zambia to avoid elimination. Zambia, Malawi, and Nigeria all finished with six points in the group stage, but Zambia was ousted due to the third tiebreaker of goals scored in matches between the three. It’s a rough way to go out for Zambia, which finished with the best overall goal differential in the group. As a result, Zambia will not take part in the 2027 Women’s World Cup. Banda finished the tournament with five goals and will return to a Pride team in desperate need of help on offense.
U.S. Qualifies for 2027 U-20 Men’s World Cup
The United States U-19 Men’s National Team beat Guatemala 3-1 to advance to the semifinals of the Concacaf U-20 Men’s Championship, qualifying for the 2027 U-20 World Cup and 2027 Pan American Games in the process. Guatemala struck first, but the U.S. found an equalizer right before halftime and went on to win the game with a pair of goals in the second half. Orlando City midfielder Colin Guske was a starter in the match as well. The U.S. will take on Costa Rica in the semifinals Friday at the Azteca.
FIFA Backs Gianni Infantino as Pressure Rises
As the soccer world reacts to FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s failed scheme to sell stakes in the World Cup, FIFA reaffirmed its support for him at a crisis meeting in Morocco over his presidency. There have been many calls for reform due to Infantino’s actions, with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stating he does not have confidence in him and Portuguese legend Luis Figo calling for him to step down. FIFA also denied a report that Infantino offered Morocco hosting for the 2030 World Cup final in exchange for support.
Free Kicks
- Former Lion Nico Lodeiro announced his retirement from professional soccer and Orlando City General Manager and Sporting Director Ricardo Moreira wished him the best with one of his highlights as a Lion.
- The Columbus Crew added Chilean forward Gonzalo Tapia on loan from Sao Paulo through the 2027 MLS sprint season.
- Eva Olid was announced as the next head coach of Manchester United’s women’s soccer team, replacing former Pride head coach Marc Skinner. She has spent the past five years with Hearts and won the Scottish Women’s Premier League title last season.
- Wrexham signed midfielder Ben Whiteman, who has 200 EFL Championship appearances under his belt and was Preston North End’s captain.
- Mo Salah arrived in Istanbul as it appears he will sign with Trabzonspor after nine seasons with Liverpool. Does this make the Turkish Super Lig a retirement league or does that label only apply when it’s about MLS?
That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!
More Spice or Less? Tyrese Spicer as Starter vs. Substitute
Pasalic Remains in Purple
Lion Links: 8/6/26
Orlando City vs. Monterrey, Leagues Cup: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Player Grades and Man of the Match
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