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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. CF Montreal: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando’s 3-0 home win over CF Montreal?

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1 year ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City returned to its winning ways with a convincing 3-0 victory at home against CF Montreal. An own goal by Montreal goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois got the scoring started in the first half. Facundo Torres and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson each scored nice team goals in the second half as the Lions cruised to victory against a Montreal side that hasn’t won since Aug. 26. The win set club records for both most points (54) and most wins (15) in a season since the Lions joined MLS in 2015.

Here’s how I saw each individual performance in Orlando’s dominant win at Exploria Stadium.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6.5 — The Peruvian had one of his quietest nights of the season and didn’t have to make a save until the second half. That first save was a great one though, as he parried away a sudden shot from Mason Toye with little room to spare in the 76th minute. His only other save was an easy catch shortly after off of a Mathieu Choiniere from outside the area. Gallese completed 61.8% of his 34 passes and seven of his 20 long balls found their man. El Pulpo likely won’t have many complaints about a slow night at the office as he earned his ninth clean sheet of the season, which ties his high in an MLS season, set last year.

D, Rafael Santos, 7.5 — The Brazilian left back was dangerous from start to finish in one of his best games as a Lion. He notched his third assist of the campaign with a low cross that zipped through traffic and found fellow fullback Thorhallsson’s run. It was a chance he sparked himself by winning the ball in the midfield before booking it out wide. His cross on the first goal was just as good, as he was both patient and clinical to find Torres open in the box. Of his four crosses, two were successful and the misses had some venom on them as well. He also completed three of his five long balls and had 51 passes at an 82.4% success rate. Santos was defensively sound, leading the Lions with four tackles, making an interception as well, and winning two of his three aerial duels. Santos flourished once Orlando had its wingers switch sides, allowing him to work in tandem with Torres with overlapping runs and room to work.

D, Robin Jansson, 7 — The Beefy Swede was as strong as always in the center of Orlando’s defense, although he didn’t have to put out as many fires in this one thanks to his defensive midfielders. Jansson had a tackle, an interception, and a clearance as he broke up plays and kept Montreal’s offense in check. His only miscue was a worrying turnover in the second half that he promptly rectified with a surgical sliding tackle in the box. A few charges forward and connecting on four of his nine long balls kept Montreal’s defense on its toes as well. He completed 86% of his 50 passes and didn’t commit a single foul in an efficient outing.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 7 — Schlegel bounced back from a few underwhelming recent performances with a solid game in this shutout. His four clearances were the most on the team and he won both of his aerial duels. The center back also had a tackle and blocked a shot to make sure Montreal couldn’t get back in the match. His 62 passes were the second-most on the team and he completed 88.7% of them, while also succeeding on two of his four long balls. It was nice to see him calm, cool, and collected as he continues to fill in for Antonio Carlos.

D, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, 7.5 — Thorhallsson got the start again at right back and spent plenty of time in Orlando’s attack. That was more than evident shortly after halftime, when he made a superb run to bury a ball that skipped across the front of goal to double Orlando’s lead. He was credited with one shot (on target) but what must have been ruled a cross from a tight angle also appeared to be an on-target shot. The versatile player is improving with each match played at right back and completed all but one of his 33 passes for an excellent 97% success rate. Although neither of his two crosses were accurate, his lone long ball found its mark and he had a key pass as well. Defensively, he had just one interception, which is in part because of how much time he spent in the thick of things on offense. It was a great game from Thorhallsson, who was subbed out in the 82nd minute for Michael Halliday.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 7.5 — Araujo was a Swiss army knife of sorts for Orlando, doing a little bit of everything to give the Lions an edge all over the field. The 22-year-old directed traffic while on the ball, covered for his defenders as needed, and won a team-high four fouls. His lone shot was a headed effort that went wide, but he got involved on offense by succeeding on four of his nine long balls, with two of those marked as key passes. Araujo’s 76 touches were the most on the team and he was accurate on 88.1% of his 59 passes. He served the role of defensive midfielder well, helping out with two tackles, an interception, a clearance, and plenty of pressure to make life as difficult as possible for Montreal.

MF, Wilder Cartagena, 7.5 — Cartagena did well on both sides of the ball. The Peruvian was credited with an assist for springing Ivan Angulo forward on the third goal, and he had a key pass for setting Torres up for a chance on the volley soon after that with a quick ball out wide. He almost had a goal himself when a free kick found him open in the box, but his header went high for his only shot of the evening. Cartagena’s 63 passes were the most on the team and he completed 93.7% of them while also connecting on four of his five long balls. Defensively, Cartagena didn’t give Montreal’s players much breathing room and blocked a shot.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 6 — The winger struggled when attacking for a majority of his time on the field before coming off in the 64th minute. A lack of vision and execution while on the ball, particularly in the first half, led to some squandered chances that Orlando didn’t end up regretting in the end. Both of his shots were in quick succession, the first saved in a chance he should have done better with and the second fired wide from outside the box with better options available. He scored an easy header on a play from an obviously offside Torres that was correctly flagged after the ball went in. It was far from horrendous from the Colombian though, as he often put himself in good positions to jump on errant passes, provide an outlet for teammates, or demand attention from Montreal’s defenders. His assist came in the second half after he made a nicely timed run and then unselfishly laid the ball off for Torres rather than going for goal himself. It salvaged a fairly forgettable performance that included 38 touches and 28 passes at a strong 89.3% success rate, and an inaccurate cross.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 6.5 — The captain was often swarmed when on the ball and had little room to make some of the backbreaking passes he’s shown over the years. He completed four of his five long balls, one of his three crosses, and 83.7% of his 43 passes. Pereyra didn’t have any shots himself, but had two key passes and did well as a facilitator in tight areas to keep Orlando in possession. His free kick that found Cartagena’s head in the box was a good one and he was subbed off for fresher legs while leading.

MF, Facundo Torres, 8 (MotM) — Torres played like a man possessed, doing everything right and more in a dominant performance. Torres’ first of a team-high four shots (two on target) ended up with the ball in the back of the net, as his strike hit the post and then bounced off Sirois and in for an own goal. On his goal, he did well to control Angulo’s pass and slot it past Sirois for his 13th of the season. His movement in the buildup of Thorhallsson’s goal was also commendable, as he made a good run, quickly circled back onside, then slowed the pace of the play down for Santos to make his overlapping run before feeding him. Between those attacking moments and chasing down opponents while up three goals, it was easy to see why European teams are keeping an eye on him. He completed 82.8% of his 29 passes and connected on two of his four crosses, while both of his long ball attempts were unsuccessful. It’s hard to believe he only had 44 touches given the massive impact he had on the field.

F, Duncan McGuire, 7 — The rookie put in a strong performance up top and was credited with an assist for a subtle touch on Thorhallsson’s goal. McGuire made a cutting run to peel Gabriele Corbo towards the end line and then flicked Santos’s cross into the path of charging runs by Angulo and Thorhallsson. He also chested down a long ball from Gallese to Cartagena in transition to help set up Torres’ goal. His only shot of the match was flicked wide, but he had two key passes and showed some prowess in making small passes in the box for his teammates to have open looks. He had 19 touches and 12 passes at a 58.3% success rate, doing well enough in terms of hold-up. McGuire made great runs to keep defenders on their toes, applied pressure to pin Montreal in its own half, and helped out defensively by blocking a shot and clearing the ball on a corner kick.

Substitutes

MF, Martin Ojeda (64′), 6.5 — Ojeda came off the bench with Orlando up three goals and did his part in keeping Montreal’s defense honest, even if he didn’t wind up on the scoresheet. He completed all 15 of his passes and was accurate on both of his long balls. His only shot of the game was an attempt to get the better of Sirois from a tight angle in the box, but the goalkeeper came up with the save. All in all, it was an efficient outing from the Designated Player off the bench.

F, Ramiro Enrique (64′), 6.5 — Enrique came on alongside Ojeda and brought plenty of energy with him to keep the Lions in the driver’s seat. Both of Enrique’s shots were from outside the box, with one blocked and the other saved by Sirois. He completed four of his seven passes and finished the game with 13 touches. Despite his size, he won two of his three aerial duels as well. Enrique received a curious yellow card after beating Nathan Saliba to a sliding challenge and winning the ball.

MF, Gaston Gonzalez (75′), 6 — The winger received some more minutes and did well enough while on the field. He had eight touches and completed all three of his passes. Although he didn’t have any shots, crosses, or long balls, he did record a key pass for setting up a shot for Enrique. He didn’t make many runs forward, likely due to Orlando’s lead, but looked strong on the ball when he did and wasn’t afraid to take defenders on.

D, Michael Halliday (82′), N/A — The right back replaced Thorhallsson and did well on both sides of the ball. Halliday made a few sprints upfield to give Orlando’s attack another option, but was resolute on the defensive end, even though he didn’t record any stats for his efforts there. He was accurate on three of his four passes and finished with seven touches.

MF, Junior Urso (83′), N/A — The Bear made another cameo off the bench for Orlando. He had six touches and was successful on four of his six passes. Urso wasn’t on the field long enough to warrant a grade, but it was nice to see him get a run out at Explorias Stadium with just one home game remaining.

That’s how I saw the individual performances by the Lions. Let me know where you agree and disagree in the comments below and make sure to vote for your Man of the Match in our poll below.

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Atlanta United: Three Keys to Victory

What do the Lions need to do to get a victory in the final regular-season match?

Published

14 hours ago

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October 17, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City hosts rival Atlanta United this Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium. Despite having already secured a spot in the playoffs, the Lions will try to lock up fourth place and home-field advantage for the first round. It’s a Decision Day match against a rival. It doesn’t get any better than that.

What does Orlando City need to do to earn all three points and close the door on Atlanta United’s slim playoff hopes?

Solve the Defensive Midfield Puzzle

Wilder Cartagena is suspended for this match due to yellow card accumulation. As such, Orlando City’s excellent defensive midfield pairing of Cartagena and Cesar Araujo will not be on the field together. Whether Oscar Pareja decides to plug and play with a backup for Cartagena or change shape will impact how effective Orlando City’s defense is against Atlanta.

If Pareja decides to change shape, he could employ a 5-3-2 as he did earlier in the season to cover for Cartagena’s absence. I don’t believe this will be the route he will take given that he won’t have every player available and because Cartagena as the middle center back was key to that formation. Even if some players like David Brekalo and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson return from injury, they won’t be back to 90-minute match fitness. Additionally, Pareja likes to stick with what has been working, and that is his traditional 4-2-3-1, although he has gone to a 4-4-2 at times.

If Pareja decides to simply sub in another player, he has several to choose from. Nico Lodeiro, Felipe Martins, Jeorgio Kocevski, and Heine Gikling Bruseth are all available. As much as I’d be interested in seeing what Bruseth brings to the table, I think it’s doubtful we see him get any minutes this season. I think that the match is too important for Kocevski to get the start, which leaves Felipe and Lodeiro. Felipe offers a bit more on the defensive end, and Lodeiro a bit more on offense. My guess is that Pareja starts Lodeiro to help get a lead, and then subs on Felipe to defend it.

Continue the Crooked Numbers

Orlando City has scored at least two goals in each of its last seven matches. That has resulted in six wins, with the only blemish being the 4-3 loss to the second-place Columbus Crew. In those seven matches, the Lions scored 19 goals, spread over seven goal scorers. Facundo Torres leads the way with five in that period, followed by Ramiro Enrique with four, Duncan McGuire with three, Luis Muriel and Ivan Angulo each with two, and defenders Rodrigo Schlegel and Rafael Santos with one goal apiece.

With the one outlier, the Lions have been successful when scoring multiple goals. In that same seven-match period, Atlanta United gave up 10 goals. In four of those, the Five Stripes conceded two goals. I’m not saying that Atlanta is bad defensively, but it isn’t better than Orlando City in that department — both have allowed 48 goals this season. I am saying that Atlanta is vulnerable, especially if the Lions can keep their chances on target.

Bounce Back from the Break

This will be the first match following the international break. While some players, like Pedro Gallese, Cartagena, and Torres, are returning from their respective national teams, others have only had training sessions with the club. When a club is in good form, such a break can be detrimental. How well the Lions pick back up where they left off is crucial.

The good news is that they are playing at home. A raucous crowd can go a long way towards helping a team’s performance. Additionally, this is a rivalry match. While supporters are usually more invested in the rivalries, the players will certainly be aware of what it means to the club. Orlando City players also have the advantage of sleeping in their own beds and maintaining their regular schedules heading into this match. Sometimes it’s the little things that make a difference.

That is what I will be looking for Saturday night. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/17/24

Facundo Torres’ journey to Orlando, Yutaro Tsukada earns recognition, USMNT will face Jamaica in the Nations League, and more.

Published

18 hours ago

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October 17, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope you all have been enjoying the cooler temperatures this week. It’s been nice to break out some long sleeves and it gives me a chance to acclimate before a trip to Maine next week. I may even drink some hot coffee today instead of the usual cold brew. Let’s get this Thursday started with today’s links!

Facundo Torres’ Path to Orlando

Orlando City forward Facundo Torres is enjoying his best season yet with the Lions, scoring 18 goals across all competitions to help the Lions climb up the Eastern Conference standings. It’s his third year in the City Beautiful, joining the club as a Designated Player from Penarol back in 2022. The 24-year-old discussed just how quickly things changed after just one year playing professionally with Penarol.

“At first, I was a little afraid and a little nervous because it was my first time going off on my own,” Torres told WESH 2 recently. “I could only enjoy a year of being a professional in Peñarol because everything happened so fast, debuting and then going to the national team and then the transfer to Orlando — it happened so fast. But I found good people in this club, and the Hispanic community here is big, so that helped me feel at home.”

Torres also talked about how soccer fits in Uruguay’s culture, as well as how his work ethic has helped him reach this point in his career. Orlando’s roster features players from many different cultures, with many hailing from countries in South America. The result is a unique club culture that’s helped the team build a strong identity and find success.

Orlando City Prepares for Decision Day

Orlando City will host Atlanta United on Saturday in what should be an exciting Decision Day showdown between the two rivals. Both teams have plenty to play for beyond the usual bragging rights, as the Lions aim to secure home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs while Atlanta fights for a spot in the postseason. Head Coach Oscar Pareja spoke on how the team is maintaining momentum after the international break to finish the season strong before the playoffs.

Yutaro Tsukada Honored For Rookie Season

Orlando City B’s Yutaro Tsukada was an honorable mention at forward in this year’s MLS NEXT Pro Best XI. Drafted with the 25th overall pick in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft, Tsukada had seven goals and seven assists in 22 matches with OCB this season. His efforts earned him a contract with the first team in August and he’s made three appearances with the Lions. It’s nice to see the 23-year-old receive some recognition for a solid first year. I think an argument could definitely be made that Alex Freeman deserved a spot after recording eight goals and nine assists this season. The Young Lions are back in action this Sunday for a playoff match on the road against Chicago Fire FC II.

USMNT Will Face Jamaica in Nations League

The United States Men’s National Team will take on Jamaica in next month’s Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals. The first match of the two-leg series will take place in Kingston on Nov. 14 before the two teams face off again in St. Louis on Nov. 18. The U.S. has won all three of the past editions of the Nations League and beat Jamaica 3-1 in the semifinals earlier this year in a match that was closer than the score suggests. Jamaica tends to keep things tight when playing the U.S. and went undefeated in its group play to reach the quarterfinals. It will be interesting to see how Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino builds his lineup for his first Nations League matches.

FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Kicks Off

The U.S. had a rough start to its U-17 Women’s World Cup campaign with a 3-1 loss to Spain. An own goal gave Spain an early lead, but the U.S. battled back with a goal from Melanie Barcenas later in the first half. Spain took all three points though with Noa Ortega scoring and then providing the assist on Spain’s third goal. The result puts the U.S. last in its group for the time being, as Colombia and South Korea played to a 1-1 draw. The U.S. will play its next match Saturday against Colombia before taking on South Korea Tuesday to close out its group play.

Free Kicks

  • Congratulations to former Orlando Pride goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris, who was inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame.
  • You can download a customized cover featuring the Lions for EA Sports FC 25. I haven’t played a soccer video game in a while, but this is pretty dang cool to see regardless.

I hope you all have a great Thursday as we get ready for a weekend filled with Orlando soccer to enjoy. Make sure to stay hydrated out there!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/16/24

Barbra Banda up for BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year, U.S. falls to Mexico, Thomas Tuchel will reportedly coach England, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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October 16, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Today marks the 10-year anniversary of the groundbreaking at Orlando City SC’s soccer-specific stadium. The stadium has been home to plenty of memories over the years, and I’m hoping I can make the trip to see the Orlando Pride make some history there this postseason as well. For now though, let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Barbra Banda Up for BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year

Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda was one of five players nominated for BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year for her stellar performance at both the club and international levels. Since joining the Pride from Shanghai Shengli for $740,000, Banda has scored 13 goals to help the club reach the top of the table. She also scored four goals for Zambia at the Olympics this summer to become Africa’s all-time top scorer at the Olympics at just 24 years old. Banda also spoke to the BBC about challenging herself by joining the Pride, playing alongside Marta, and creating a foundation to help girls and boys in Zambia (see the embedded video in the story linked above).

Americans Sophia Smith and Naomi Girma were also nominated after helping the U.S. win gold in Paris. Barcelona duo Aitana Bonmati and Caroline Graham Hansen round out this year’s nominees for their roles in yet another successful season for the Spanish club.

USMNT Falls to Mexico

The United States Men’s National Team went to Mexico and lost 2-0 in a friendly against its rival. Although the USMNT was without some of its best players for this match, it’s still a disappointing result. The Yanks conceded in each half, with Fulham forward Raul Jimenez scoring the first goal and assisting on the second. The match at least gave Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino a look at some of the team’s depth to see what he’s working with moving forward. The USMNT will be back in action next month in the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals.

Thomas Tuchel Reportedly Set to Take England Job

Thomas Tuchel has reportedly agreed to become England’s next manager on an 18-month contract. He would start in January to coach the team through World Cup qualifying next year and get England ready for the tournament. This would be Tuchel’s first time coaching at the international level, but he does have experience coaching in England after leading Chelsea to Champions League and Club World Cup trophies in 2021. He would replace Gareth Southgate, who stepped down after eight years at the helm of England following the team’s loss in the Euro final this summer.

Boston NWSL Team Confirms Awful Name

The branding for Boston’s NWSL team was unveiled and it will officially be named BOS Nation FC. The club’s crest will be revealed at a later date, but the club’s colors will include green, raspberry, and charcoal. The name, which is an anagram for “Bostonian” has been on the receiving end of criticism, and deservedly so in my opinion. It’s worse than uninspired, it’s just bad. I find it hard to believe that no better options were pitched. Only time will tell if the club reconsiders things before taking the field in 2026. We did see Racing Louisville FC make a change after originally opting for Proof Louisville FC. Fingers crossed!

Free Kicks

  • Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was called up for England’s pair of friendlies later this month.
  • Pride midfielder Evelina Duljan was called up by the Swedish U-23 team as well.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday!

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