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2023 Orlando City Season in Review: Pedro Gallese

El Pulpo was again rock solid in net for Orlando City.

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1 year ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City signed Peruvian international goalkeeper Pedro Gallese on Jan. 17, 2020 from Alianza Lima after a few weeks of reports linking him with the Lions. It was a Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) signing. Although the club did not specify the length of the deal at the time, it ended up being through the 2022 season, and the Lions re-signed Gallese on Dec. 27, 2022 through the upcoming 2024 season with a club option for 2025. Since Gallese’s arrival, Orlando City has enjoyed stability and excellence at the goalkeeper position and has made the postseason every year.

Let’s look back on the Peruvian’s fourth year with Orlando City.

Statistical Breakdown

Gallese played in 30 of Orlando City’s 34 regular-season matches (all starts), logging 2,700 minutes. He stopped 70.5% of the shots he faced, which was his best save percentage since 2020, making 79 saves and keeping 10 clean sheets — a new career high for him in an MLS season and tied for fifth most in the league. He faced three penalty kicks and saved one in normal time. He passed at a 69.2% rate, which was the lowest of his MLS career to date, but he made his first two key passes. Attacking stats are rare for a goalkeeper, so it’s not surprising that he did not score a goal or assist on one. Defensively, he won 93.3% of his duels and 33.3% of his headed duels. He also recorded a tackle and 22 clearances. Gallese was fouled nine times without conceding any fouls and was booked three times. He was named to the Team of the Matchday four times — twice as the starter and twice on the bench — and was a finalist for MLS Goalkeeper of the Year.

In the playoffs, Gallese started and went the distance in all three of Orlando City’s postseason matches, logging 300 minutes. He made 12 saves and stopped 85.7% of the shots he faced while keeping two clean sheets. In fact, he didn’t allow a goal until extra time of the team’s third playoff game, and his team was down a man at the time. His two shutouts were the first postseason clean sheets in the club’s MLS era. He passed at a 62.6% rate in the postseason with 21 successful long passes but no key passes. He did not record a goal or an assist. He had two clearances in the playoffs. The goalkeeper did not commit or draw a foul in the postseason but he was booked once.

Although Gallese did not make an appearance in the 2023 U.S. Open Cup, he was the starter for both of Orlando City’s Concacaf Champions League matches against Tigres, playing all 180 minutes across the two legs. He was busy in those two matches, allowing just one goal and making 15 total saves on 16 shots on target (93.8%) with a goals-against average of 0.50 and a clean sheet on the road in Mexico. Gallese completed 28 of 49 passes (57.1%) in the competition. He did not have a goal contribution on Orlando’s lone strike of the tournament.

He also started and went the distance in all three of Orlando’s Leagues Cup matches, logging 270 minutes. He allowed five goals in the competition but two of those were from the penalty spot, recording a goals-against average of 1.67. He also stopped Hector Herrera in the post-draw penalty shootout against the Houston Dynamo, helping the Lions win on spot kicks. He made five saves on 10 shots on target for a 50% save percentage. He was booked twice in the competition.

Best Game

Gallese had a number of big games, and ironically most of those did not result in clean sheets. For example, he allowed three goals against Columbus on Sept. 16 but the Crew put 10 of their 15 shots on target, so he made seven saves and some of those were spectacular. However, I will go with a clean sheet for his best game — the Lions’ 0-0 draw at Tigres UANL on March 7 in Concacaf Champions Cup play.

Tigres peppered the Orlando goalkeeper with 22 shot attempts, putting eight of them on target. Gallese stopped all eight, finishing with a perfect save percentage and a clean sheet. It’s rare for an MLS team to go into Mexico in the competition and come home with a result but Orlando City did just that, thanks in large part to Gallese’s efforts at Estadio Universitario in San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León, Mexico.

It was a fun matchup to watch as Gallese thwarted Tigres talisman Andre-Pierre Gignac time and again. Gignac attempted nine total shots and put five of them on target, only to see Gallese keep the door closed. He also made a difficult stop on Fernando Gorriarán’s first-half effort, fighting off a shot that skipped off the pitch in front of him, and denied Sebastián Córdova. Here are a couple of his notable stops in the match:

Gallese didn’t pass particularly well in the game, completing just 15 of 30 attempts, but that was what the game required, given the amount of pressure Tigres brought. Oftentimes he was just lumping long balls forward in hopes of something opening up at the other end or to relieve the pressure for the moment.

Given the environment, the opponent, the barrage of shots faced, and the pressure of the match — it was Orlando City’s first-ever game in the competition — it was a stellar performance for the Lions’ No. 1.

2023 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Gallese a composite grade of 7.5 out of 10 for the 2023 season. This isn’t quite as high as the 8 he received in 2021 and again for the 2022 season, but it’s higher than the 7 out of 10 he received for his first season in Orlando. His scores over the last four seasons show how consistent he’s been while performing at a high level for the team. Gallese is still one of the league’s best shot stoppers, although he had a couple of odd gaffes in 2023 that we aren’t used to seeing. Considering the number of minutes he’s played for club and country over the last few years, that’s a remarkable run of form and consistency.

2024 Outlook

Gallese will be the starter whenever healthy enough to do so in 2024. He’s been one of the best goalkeepers in Major League Soccer since his arrival, although he perhaps flies a bit under the radar at times. There were a couple of uncharacteristic slips last season — notably a goal from long distance by Carles Gil just before halftime in the 2023 home finale and a spill against Nashville that ended up in the net but didn’t cost the team a goal due to Hany Mukhtar being offside in the buildup. Those two moments are aberrations in Gallese’s time in Orlando that will bear watching in the future, although he obviously played through a few knocks during the last couple of seasons. Gallese will be 34 in February, which is still in the prime years for a goalkeeper. He should have plenty left in the tank for 2024 (and beyond).

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Lion Links: 6/5/25

MLS All-Star voting update, Kerry Abello shines with USWNT, Sergio Zapata earns recognition, and more.

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19 hours ago

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June 5, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this week has been treating you well as we enjoy some international soccer and prepare for the return of NWSL action this weekend. Before we jump right into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City B midfielder Dylan Judelson!

Pair of Lions Lead MLS All-Star Voting

Voting for this year’s MLS All-Star Game remains underway and an update was provided on which players are leading at each position. Orlando City defender Alex Freeman leads all right backs as he enjoys a breakout season. I was aware of the buzz he’s been getting this year, but it’s still surprising to see a Lion as an All-Star frontrunner. What’s even more surprising is that Pedro Gallese leads the voting for goalkeepers. The Peruvian made a rough gaffe last week, but has otherwise had a stellar season with Orlando that’s included seven clean sheets. Voting will close on June 11, so make sure to get those votes in before then.

Kerry Abello Impresses With USMNT

Orlando Pride defender Kerry Abello made her first appearance for the United States Women’s National Team Tuesday, playing every minute of the 4-0 win over Jamaica. The versatility she’s shown with the Pride translated well in Head Coach Emma Hayes’ system, as she was able to hold things down defensively and contribute to the attack as well. Abello could end up bringing solid depth to the USWNT as Hayes figures out the team’s future core of players. Enjoy this video from the USWNT that provides a look behind the scenes of Abello’s international debut.

Sergio Zapata Named Player of the Month

Sergio Zapata scored a whopping 11 goals for Orlando City’s U-19 team over the course of just four matches in May, winning the honor of MLS NEXT Player of the Month. He had three hat tricks last month, including one against Hoosier Premier at MLS NEXT Fest. Zapata committed to Cornell, so hopefully we’ll get to see him tear it up in the Ivy League over the next couple of years.

Zack Steffen Sustains Knee Injury

Goalkeeper Zack Steffen injured his knee at the United States Men’s National Team’s training camp and will reportedly miss this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup. It’s rough news for the 30-year-old, as he was expected to compete with Matt Turner for the starting job with the USMNT. He’s been having a great season with the Colorado Rapids and returned to the club for further evaluation on the injury.

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That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/4/25

USWNT wins as Abello gets first cap, Orlando Pride’s Concacaf W Champions Cup draw, Club World Cup in Orlando, and more.

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2 days ago

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June 4, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Tuesday was a busy soccer day, especially on the women’s side. We have plenty of Orlando Pride news, and the USWNT secured yet another victory. I’m hoping the good vibes continue since I’ll be coming down to Orlando for the Pride’s match this Saturday. If you’re going to the match, let me know, as I’d love to meet as many of our readers as possible. For now, let’s get to the links.

USWNT Blanks Jamaica

The USWNT defeated Jamaica 4-0 in a friendly at Energizer Park in St. Louis. The Orlando Pride’s Kerry Abello got her first start and her first cap in the match. She went the full 90 minutes and almost had her first international goal in the second half, but the chance went a bit wide of the right post. Ally Sentnor and Lynn Biyendolo each scored a brace as the U.S. rolled to an easy win.

Pride Internationals

Abello wasn’t the only Pride player to make an international appearance. Marta returned to international duty for Brazil getting the start and the captain’s armband in a 2-1 win over Japan. Both Grace Chanda and Barbra Banda started for Zambia in the 2-0 loss to South Africa in the Three Nations Challenge. Congratulations are also due to Zara Chavoshi, who earned her first cap with the Canadian Women’s National Team in the match against Haiti.

Concacaf W Champions Cup Draw

The Concacaf W Champions Cup draw happened yesterday and the Orlando Pride are in Group A with Club America Femenil, CF Pachuca Femenil, LD Alajuelense, and Chorrillo FC. Group B consists of NJ/NY Gotham FC, the Washington Spirit, CF Monterrey Femenil, Vancouver Rise FC Academy, and Alianza Women FC. The competition kicks off Aug. 19-21.

FIFA Loves Orlando

FIFA President Gianni Infantino sat for an interview with Jamie Seh of WKMG Orlando. Infantino spoke about the upcoming Club World Cup matches at Inter&Co Stadium and Camping World Stadium. FIFA loves Orlando enough for the city to host the Club World Cup, but not the actual World Cup. Here is the schedule for the matches in Orlando. We will be bringing you coverage of these matches.

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That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the return of the Orlando Pride this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/3/25

Orlando City B announces signings, details of Concacaf W Champions Cup, UEFA Nations League preview, and more.

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3 days ago

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June 3, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Good morning, everyone. It’s been a pretty brutal last two games for Orlando City, there’s no getting around that fact. While it’s never fun to not have the team in action, a two-week break between games maybe isn’t the worst thing in this particular case. Even though it’ll be a minute before the Lions are back in action, we still have plenty of things to talk about, so let’s get into today’s links.

Orlando City B Announces Signings

Orlando City B announced on Monday that it has signed Clovis Archange and Jackson Platts to MLS NEXT Pro contracts. The pair are graduates of the Orlando City Development Academy and were part of the team that won the U-18 Generation Adidas Cup earlier this year. The 18-year-old Platts captained the team in the final, while Archange was named as one of the players to watch before the tournament started. They’ve both featured for their countries at the youth level, with Platts appearing for the United States U-16 and U-18 teams, and Archange suiting up for Canada’s U-17 side. Congratulations to both players!

Concacaf Announces W Champions Cup Details

Concacaf has named the 10 teams that will participate 2025-2026 Concacaf W Champions Cup and has announced the pots for tonight’s draw. The Orlando Pride are one of three American teams participating in the second year of the competition, and have been placed into Pot 2. Teams will be divided into two groups of five, with each team facing every club in its group once, and the top two sides from each group then advancing to the semifinals. The winner gets a spot in the 2027 FIFA Women’s Champions Cup, and the FIFA Women’s Club World Cup, which is set to be held for the first time in 2028. The draw takes place tonight at 8 p.m.

UEFA Nations League Preview

The UEFA Nations League returns this week, with the semifinals set for tomorrow and Thursday, and the third-place game and final taking place on Sunday. Things get started on Wednesday afternoon with Germany facing off against Portugal in Munich. Germany put away Italy 5-4 on aggregate in the quarterfinals to get to the semis for the first time, while Portugal beat Denmark 5-2, and is hunting for its second Nations League trophy. Thursday has Spain taking on France in Stuttgart. The Spanish beat the Netherlands on penalties in the semis to get here, while France took out Croatia on penalties to punch its ticket. There’s plenty of recent history in this one as these teams also met in the semifinals of Euro 2024 last year, with Spain claiming a 2-1 win.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

The transfer rumor mill has kicked into full swing, so let’s catch up on some of the big talking points. Starting in England, Manchester United has reportedly increased its interest in Brian Mbuemo, with the Brentford forward said to also be interested in moving to the club. There are said to be a number of Premier League teams interested in signing Southampton midfielder Tyler Dibling after his team was relegated to the Championship this season. Jobe Bellingham will reportedly follow in his brother Jude’s footsteps, as he’s reportedly decided to join Borussia Dortmund. Finally, Inter Milan is reportedly interested in signing Marcus Rashford as the Italians look to rebuild the squad following a brutal defeat in the UEFA Champions League final.

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  • Here’s a first look at Alex Freeman in his USMNT kit:

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

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