Orlando City
Orlando City vs. FC Cincinnati: Player Grades and Man of the Match
Orlando City won its first game of the 2021 MLS season after a dominant 3-0 win over FC Cincinnati. Tesho Akindele scored within the first minute of the game and Nani doubled the Lions’ lead with perhaps his best goal yet for Orlando. Junior Urso scored in the second half to put the game on ice as the Lions secured their second clean sheet at home.
Let’s look at how each individual Lion performed in this game and who earned the title of Man of the Match.
Starters
GK, Pedro Gallese, 6 — El Pulpo didn’t have much to do in this one as Cincy’s best chances of the night were either blocked shots, missed headers from open looks on set pieces, or called offside. He didn’t record a save, but he did get his fingertips on an attempted chipped shot that was waved off for offside. Gallese was as comfortable as ever with the ball, with 27 touches and completing 18 of his 22 passes in his second clean sheet in three outings this year.
D, Ruan, 6 — The right back actually led the team with four key passes and all three of his crosses were accurate. He was much better creating chances in this game compared to last week, but there is still some improvement needed in that part of his game as he had an opportunity in the 72nd minute with other Lions in the box but couldn’t make anything of it. Still, Ruan’s work on offense with Chris Mueller is like clockwork at this point and he did well forcing defenders to deal with him. He had 51 touches, two interceptions, a tackle, one shot (on target) and completed 31 of his 39 passes for a 79% passing rate.
D, Antonio Carlos, 6.5 — Carlos was as solid as always, limiting Cincinnati’s opportunities throughout the match. His biggest moment came in the 46th minute when Cincy was on the counter. Carlos got in good position to cut off Ronald Matarrita’s passing lanes and then deflected the ensuing shot that would’ve given Gallese trouble. The center back had two interceptions, a clearance, and got his head on a corner kick but sent the shot high. The Brazilian also did well building play out of the back, with 64 touches and he attempted 57 passes at a 91% success rate.
D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6.5 — The Argentine center back continues to impress as a starter, making smart and strong tackles to end Cincy’s counter attempts. Schlegel used his head almost as much as his feet, leading the team with two aerial duel wins and recording a shot with a header directed right at Cincinnati goalkeeper Przymeslaw Tyton. Although he had no tackles, he had an interception, blocked a shot, and led the team with four clearances. He made 41 passes with a great 95% completion rate and had 49 touches in another solid start while Robin Jansson recovers.
D, Kyle Smith, 6.5 — Still filling in at left back for the recovering João Moutinho, Smith had a decent outing. Defensively, he did well snuffing out Cincy’s chances, logging two tackles, an interception, and two clearances. However, there were a few mistakes as well as he turned the ball over in dangerous positions on occasion. On offense, Smith’s chemistry with Nani led to good chances for the Lions and Smith seems to be getting more and more comfortable crashing the box. Playing all 90 minutes, he finished with 69 touches and 48 total passes, both of which were third best on the team. Of those 48 passes, 42 found found their target for a decent 88% passing rate and one was a key pass. He attempted two crosses, completing one.
MF, Junior Urso, 7 — Although he missed an early header, Urso ended up scoring Orlando’s third and final goal of the match due to his penchant for being in the right place at the right time. In the 80th minute, the Bear got on the end of the ball right in front of goal to send it into the bottom left corner for his fourth goal as a Lion. Urso benefitted greatly from Cincinnati practically surrendering the midfield and he had a decent 88% passing rate from 34 passes. Defensively, he led the team with three interceptions and had two tackles. He had two shots, 45 touches, and committed a team-high three fouls within the first 10 minutes of the game.
MF, Sebas Mendez, 7 — Orlando City’s engine was at full steam in this match, leading the team in touches (85), passes (71), and tackles (three). He also had two dribbles in the match, tying Nani for most on the team, and his passing rate was a superb 94% as Mendez was given free reign in the midfield. He also had two interceptions, two clearances, and a yellow card after a miscued tackle. Mendez also had some work on offense, finishing with two shots from distance, a key pass, and an unsuccessful cross.
MF, Chris Mueller, 6.5 — Mueller notched his second assist of the season, finding Nani before the captain’s golazo. He was certainly hunting for his first goal of 2021, although three of his four shots were off target. His best chance to score came at the start of the second half when Nani found him open in the box, but his shot was deflected by a sliding Matarrita. While he didn’t score, Mueller’s assist was one of three key passes and he was successful on three of his five crosses. He also had a 90% passing rate from 21 total passes. Mueller had 37 touches in the match and a yellow card for a professional foul to make sure Cincinnati couldn’t capitalize on a counter.
MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 6 — It took some time for Pereyra to get going in his return to play after serving a two-game suspension. He had a chance to score in the 32nd minute after Nani snuck a pass to him in the box, but was tackled before he could shoot and stayed down after being stepped on. It ended up not being much to worry about and he carried on, creating more opportunities as the night went on. In the second half, his passes were lethal and reminiscent of those from last year as he found Lions in open space with pinpoint accuracy. Subbed off in the 59th minute, Pereyra finished his first match of the year with a 78% passing rate from 41 total passes, three of which were key passes. He had a corner kick and a cross seconds after it and both were successful although Orlando didn’t score. His one shot was sent into the stands and he had 52 touches.
F, Tesho Akindele, 6.5 — In his 100th MLS start, Akindele found the back of the net just 33 seconds into the match. The Canadian pressured Cincy defender Nick Haggland into an errant pass and then pounced on the loose ball in the box, slotting it home in the bottom right corner for his first goal of the season. After his goal, there was clear hunger and energy to Akindele as he hounded defenders and took chances. He used his large frame to win the ball often and then create opportunities for others with a notable two key passes. He had 24 touches, was accurate on nine of his 12 total passes, and had four shots, his goal being the only one on target.
F, Nani, 7.5 (MotM) — Just a week after his backheel goal, Nani scored another beauty for Orlando’s second goal of the game. At the top of the box, Nani spun and then cut back to send a defender sliding the wrong way for space to shoot. His strike was sublime, the ball sailing past Tyton for Nani’s second this year. The captain was a force all night long, nearly getting another with a header that beat Tyton but hit the woodwork. Nani led the team with six shots, two on target, and had two key passes. He was successful on three of his five crosses and finished with a 76% passing rate on 46 total passes after playing all 90 minutes. For the second consecutive match, Nani is our Man of the Match as Orlando was most dangerous when the ball was at the captain’s feet, which was often considering his 71 touches only trailed Mendez.
Substitutes
MF, Andres Perea (59’), 6.5 — The 20-year-old came on for Pereyra and helped keep Orlando’s offense running smoothly. Although Benji Michel will get credit for the assist on the score sheet for Urso’s goal, Perea’s headed pass in the box was excellent to give Michel a clear chance to score. He was composed and unselfish, with a chance to score his first goal as a Lion but opting to pass in that moment. All in all, it was a nice outing for Perea with 17 passes at a 94% rate and 21 touches.
F, Benji Michel (70’), 6 — Michel got his third assist as a Lion in bizarre fashion as his attempt to score wound up with the ball at Urso’s feet and then in the net. Regardless, he deserves some credit for being in position and drawing Tyton’s attention to give Urso a clear look. He only had nine touches in the game and completed all five of his passes.
D, João Moutinho (84’), N/A — In his first appearance since August, Moutinho was welcomed back with applause. He had nine touches and all nine of his passes were accurate. Hopefully we will see more of him soon.
MF, Joey DeZart (84’), N/A — DeZart only had two touches and completed both of his passes after coming on for Urso. His shift wasn’t long enough to warrant a grade in this one.
MF, Silvester van der Water (84’), N/A — Coming on late with Orlando up 3-0, van der Water played as if the score was reversed. He sprinted after the ball when tracking back on defense to make life even more difficult for a tired Cincinnati side that just wanted to go home. Van der Water completed one of his two passes and had a shot that went just wide.
That’s how I saw the individual performances of the Lions in their first victory of the 2021 season. 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
| Player | Votes |
| Nani | 52 |
| Sebas Mendez | 5 |
| Tesho Akindele | 4 |
| Junior Urso | 3 |
| Rodrigo Schlegel | 1 |
| Other (write in comments) | 1 |
Lion Links
Lion Links: 7/16/26
Orlando City wins friendly, Orlando Pride beaten at home, MLS season returns tonight, and much more.
How’s it going, Mane Landers? For those of us in Florida, it looks like some storms could be heading our way this week. While that can be a bit annoying if you have outdoor plans, hopefully it will make some of this oppressive heat a bit more bearable. Both the Orlando Pride and Orlando City B are on the road on Saturday, so we may get to dodge some dreaded weather delays as well. But for now, let’s get to the links!
Orlando City Wins Friendly at FC Dallas
The Lions went to Texas for a friendly against FC Dallas and won 2-1 at Texas Health Mansfield Stadium — home of North Texas SC, FC Dallas’ MLS NEXT Pro side. Antoine Griezmann seems to be settling in nicely with the club, scoring yet again in this friendly after doing so a week ago against the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Martin Ojeda also got on the scoresheet in the first half and you can check out both finishes below.
While I don’t put too much stock in friendlies, it sure does feel better to be on the winning side of them. This was the final tune-up for Orlando before the Lions hit the road for a match against the San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday in their first league game since May.
Orlando Pride Shut Out At Home
The Orlando Pride hosted the Boston Legacy and weren’t able to get a result in a 1-0 loss at Inter&Co Stadium. Barbara Olivieri scored the game’s only goal in the 17th minute to give Boston the lead. Orlando had its chances to equalize but couldn’t manage to put together a finished product in the end. This was Orlando’s third loss to an expansion side this season (0-3-1) as the Pride picked up only one point out of 12 in four matches against Boston and Denver. It’s been a season of inconsistency for the Pride, but hopefully that means they’ll come back stronger in Saturday’s road match against the Utah Royals.
MLS Season Returns Tonight
MLS is back! While the Lions aren’t in action until Wednesday, the season resumes tonight with an exciting slate of games. Many eyes will be on the match between the Chicago Fire and Vancouver Whitecaps, as it could include Robert Lewandowski’s MLS debut. While it’s a brand new team and league for the forward, he’d be going up against a familiar face in former Bayern Munich teammate Thomas Muller, who has helped Vancouver climb to the top of the Western Conference. Other intriguing matchups tonight include a Canadian clash between CF Montreal and Toronto FC and a rivalry game between the Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers. On Friday, Nashville will host Atlanta United before the LA Galaxy and LAFC square off in the latest edition of El Trafico.
Argentina Will Face Spain in World Cup Final
Argentina orchestrated yet another dramatic victory this World Cup, beating England 2-1 to advance to the World Cup final to face Spain. After a scoreless first half, Anthony Gordon gave England the lead in the 55th minute with his first goal of the tournament. England shifted gears and parked the bus to defend its lead, but Enzo Fernandez scored an equalizer in the 85th minute and Lautaro Martinez gave Argentina its winner in stoppage time. Lionel Messi assisted on both goals, and Argentina is now just one game away from winning its second consecutive World Cup. Sunday’s final should be a great match pitting Argentina’s potent offense up against a Spanish defense that has only conceded once all tournament.
Free Kicks
- Former Lion Alex Freeman was noted as one of many players whose stock likely went up due to their World Cup performance. Hopefully, a solid summer translates to more playing time with Villarreal and an eventual transfer for Orlando City to benefit from due to the sell-on percentage.
- Duncan McGuire wasted no time scoring for his new team, putting the ball in the back of the net early on in the Houston Dynamo’s 2-1 friendly win against America de Cali.
- The Galaxy added Finnish forward Robert Taylor as a free agent, signing him to a contract through the end of the year with an option for all of 2027 as well.
- The Philadelphia Union are reportedly finalizing the return of Kai Wagner, who only just left the Union for Birmingham City in January.
- The San Jose Earthquakes are reportedly close to signing Australian forward Luka Jovanovic, who scored 11 goals last season for Adelaide United.
- Enjoy this comprehensive list of United States Men’s National Team head coach candidates should Mauricio Pochettino find a new gig.
That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 7/15/26
Daryl Dike’s potential return, Orlando Pride prepare for Boston, World Cup news, and more.
Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Oh boy, do we have some news for you today. Between the Orlando Pride match tonight, the World Cup this afternoon, and some potential big signings, we have a lot to get to. We also want to wish a very happy birthday to Orlando City B goalkeeper Tristan Himes. Now, let’s get to the links.
The Return of Dike(?)
Forget “It’s coming home,” rather he’s coming home! Per Tom Bogert, Daryl Dike is set to return to Orlando City after his multi-year stint with West Bromwich Albion. Dike had a rough go of it in England, mainly due to injuries he sustained. I figure he just needs some Florida sunshine and the team at Orlando Health to help find the form that made him a terror to Orlando City’s opponents.
It also seems that the departure of Marco Pasalic is not a done deal. There has not been an official bid as of yet, and if Orlando City’s valuation isn’t met, then he may be staying. If he stays, he bolsters the attack. If not, well that’s what Dike is coming back to do and it would supply the Lions with plenty of coin to bolster the roster.
Orlando Pride Set for Boston Legacy
The Orlando Pride host expansion side Boston Legacy FC at Inter&Co Stadium tonight. The Pride will look to avenge a 2-1 loss earlier this season in Boston. After defeating the Kansas City Current over the weekend, Seb Hines’ squad will want to keep the home winning streak going. This may be Barbra Banda’s last match before heading out for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations tournament later this month, so take the opportunity to head to the match if you are in the Orlando area.
World Cup News
France was unable to keep things going as Spain defeated Les Bleus 2-0 on Bastille Day. La Roja now wait to see whether Argentina or England will be the opponent in the final. As they have done so many times this World Cup, the Spanish did not allow a goal and did enough offensively to advance. Lamine Yamal earned a penalty that Mikel Oyarzabal slotted home to give Spain a lead in the 22nd minute. Pedro Porro added another in the second half and France was unable to muster any magic.
Later today, England and Argentina square off to see which team will play the Spaniards. The amount of history between these teams at World Cups is enough to make most watch the match. I think the bigger question is which team does Gianni Infantino want to win, and will we see the same shenanigans we’ve seen in previous matches featuring these two teams? Don’t worry, England. I’m sure it’ll be fine.
USMNT Reflections
There’s been a bit of space and time for all of us to process the USMNT’s performance at the World Cup and it isn’t all doom and gloom. None other than Carli Lloyd said that despite the way it ended, it was a successful outing for the U.S. Matt Freese is trying to see the positives even though he made a costly mistake that gave up a goal to Belgium. Folarin Balogun said what I was thinking in that a certain phone call about his red card did affect the USMNT’s nerves heading into the match against Belgium. Lastly, the future could be bright thanks to these five USMNT prospects.
Free Kicks
- Atlanta United has signed Chilean defender Paulo Diaz on a free transfer. I didn’t realize a team could improve the defense with signings.
- As I alluded to above, Ismail Elfath will lead an all-U.S. Soccer referee crew for the match between Argentina and England. I’m curious to see how it plays out.
- If you want to watch the Bundesliga, you may need to get another streaming service as the U.S. rights are moving from ESPN to USA Network & Fandango.
- Charlotte FC is ending the practice of charging Personal Seat Licenses (PSLs) in an effort to stem declining attendance and slower ticket sales. I’m glad that was an experiment that failed in MLS even if it is standard in other American professional sports.
- The New England Revolution have signed 18-year-old Peyton Miller to a contract extension through the 2028-2029 season.
- Former Orlando City B defender Nabi Kibunguchy has signed with USL Championship side Indy Eleven. We wish him luck with his new team.
That will do it for today. Check back later for our coverage of the Orlando Pride’s match against Boston Legacy FC. You can follow The Mane Land on Bluesky for updates. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 7/14/26
Marco Pasalic transfer rumor, Marta up for weekly award, MLS transfer roundup, and more.
Good morning, everyone. I write to you from Texas, specifically Dallas, as I was in Austin to see friends over the weekend and decided to pop up the road to take in the energy of the World Cup semifinal that will be played in the city later today. I won’t be attending the game, since I don’t wish to sell one of my kidneys but am looking forward to mingling with some of the fans who have traveled here for it. We’ve got a lot to talk about this morning, so let’s get into the links.
Marco Pasalic Transfer Rumor
There have been some quiet rumblings for awhile now that Marco Pasalic may leave Orlando City during the summer transfer window. We now have a more concrete report regarding a potential departure, as the streets are saying that the winger is set to sign for newly promoted Hull City, with a price tag of at least €7 million.
If the move does come to pass, it would reunite him with manager Sergej Jakirovic, who he briefly played for during his time at HNK Rijeka. Jakirovic also stated in a recent interview that he wants to sign Pasalic, so this is a rumor that could have some legs.
Marta Up for Weekly Honors
The Orlando Pride picked up an excellent win on Friday by knocking off the Kansas City Current 3-0, and Marta has been rewarded for her efforts in the victory with a nomination for the NWSL Player of the Week. The Brazilian legend bagged the team’s first goal shortly after halftime, when she found herself in space well outside the box and unleashed a low left-footed drive into the bottom corner for her 50th goal as a Pride player. For some reason, she was snubbed in the Goal of the Week voting despite her impressive strike, so make sure you go vote for her for Player of the Week!
MLS Transfer Roundup
With the MLS summer transfer window opening on Monday, we’ve got a slew of moves to get caught up on. We begin with confirmation of an item that we covered in Monday’s Links, as Nathan Ordaz has officially moved to D.C. United in exchange for up to $2.875 million. The New England Revolution have extended Matt Turner’s loan from Lyon, with the new deal lasting through December. It also has an option to extend the loan again until December 2027, after which the Revs have a purchase option. Atlanta United has signed Paraguayan center back Junior Alonso on a free transfer, with his deal running through the 2028-2029 season. Finally, Charlotte FC has announced the signing of forward Allan Saint-Maximin as a Designated Player. He will occupy the DP slot vacated by Wilfried Zaha.
USWNT Announces Fall Friendlies
The United States Women’s National Team has announced that it will play a pair of October friendlies against Spain in a matchup of the reigning World Cup champions against the reigning Olympic champions. The USWNT will face the top-ranked team in the world on Oct. 10 at Audi Field in Washington D.C., and again on Oct. 13 at Subaru Park in Chester, PA. The Oct. 10 match will also have a pregame retirement celebration for USWNT defender Crystal Dunn. This will be just the fourth time that the two teams have faced each other, with the U.S. winning two of the three previous meetings. The two friendlies will be the last games that the USWNT plays before beginning World Cup qualifying.
Previewing France vs. Spain
The World Cup semifinals begin today, with France and Spain set to throw down in Dallas. For France, the stars are too many to count, with Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, and Michael Olise all taking turns lighting up both the field and the scoreboard for the team that has made back-to-back appearances in the final. As far as Spain goes, all the focus is on Lamine Yamal, as the young winger has been key to Spain’s success despite scoring just one goal. If Nico Williams is able to start on the opposite wing, the French won’t be able to key so heavily on Yamal, and it could open up more space for him in which to operate. The matchup between the youngster and Lucas Digne will be key, as will the ability of either Mikel Oyarzabal or Ferran Torres to be effective up top for Spain.
Free Kicks
- Former Lion Daryl Dike is leaving West Bromwich Albion. We know a team that just traded a striker.
- Debinha has signed a contract extension with the Kansas City Current.
- Hydration breaks will reportedly be a key element in future negotiations for soccer media rights.
- Manchester United is reportedly in advanced negotiations to sign midfielder Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa.
- Pau Cubarsi has pushed back on comments made by Spain’s former prime minister Mariano Rajoy, in which he claimed that France “don’t have any French players.”
That’s all I’ve got for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!
Orlando Pride vs. Boston Legacy FC: Five Takeaways
Lion Links: 7/16/26
Orlando Pride vs. Boston Legacy FC: Final Score 1-0 as Pride are Swept by Expansion Boston
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