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Orlando City vs. New England Revolution: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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5 years ago

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Orlando City’s historic 2020 season came to an end as the Lions fell 3-1 to the New England Revolution in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Despite the loss, it was the team’s best season since joining MLS in 2015.

Let’s look at how the individual Lions did in the final game of 2020.

Starters

GK, Brian Rowe, 5.5 — Rowe was forced into the starting role when Pedro Gallese was sent off during penalties last week, resulting in a one-game suspension. The former starter did well for much of this game, making some crucial saves when it was still 2-1. While the penalty wasn’t Rowe’s fault, he could’ve done better on the Revs’ second goal. When the Lions pushed forward late, Rowe was up to the task, making a couple of key diving saves, pushing the ball to safety. In the end, he gave up three goals and made three saves.

D, Kamal Miller, 6 — Ruan’s red card against New York City FC threw Miller into the starting lineup for this crucial game. The second-year defender did well, holding primarily a defensive role throughout the game. When Orlando City sent defenders into the box for set pieces, Miller was the lone player back and kept the ball in the attacking third on multiple occasions.

D, Robin Jansson, 6 — It was another solid performance for the Swede in the back. Jansson has been the leader of the back four the past two seasons and played that role well in this game. He made some strong tackles in the box and did well to clear the ball when needed. He had a chance to tie the match in the 19th minute off a corner kick play but he hit his shot into the side netting. He tracked back to break up a counter attack with some excellent last-ditch defending in the 59th minute after New England cleared a set piece and looked to break. While it wasn’t his most outstanding performance, he showed the quality that fans have been used to seeing the past two seasons.

D, Antonio Carlos, 5 — This wasn’t Antonio Carlos’ best performance of the year. In the 26th minute, he let his man get inside of him to reach the ball just in front of goal. The shot ricocheted off the post before falling to Gustavo Bou for the Revs’ second goal. While not as egregious, Carlos got caught out of position again in the 86th minute, allowing Carles Gil to play Bou through for the game-clinching goal, but the back line was stretched at the time, having gone to three at the back to chase the game.

D, Kyle Smith, 6 — Smith played a somewhat quiet but effective 78 minutes in this game. The starting left back moved to the right side in the absence of Ruan, allowing Miller to slide into a more natural position. He was more attacking than Miller and was effective at sending balls into the box. Defensively, he did well to cause turnovers and quickly start an attack.

MF, Uri Rosell, 5.5 — It was an up-and-down game for Rosell. He was very effective at distributing the ball, especially in the first half. The defensive midfielder sent some beautiful long balls forward for Nani on the left, allowing the Lions to build an attack. However, a poor decision in the 15th minute on Tajon Buchanan while backing up Miller resulted in the penalty that opened the scoring for the visitors.

MF, Junior Urso, 6.5 (MotM) — Junior Urso had a strong game for the Lions through the midfield. His passing was mostly crisp, though he did let a couple get away. His biggest contribution came in the 33rd minute when he received the ball after a scramble in front of goal and put it behind Matt Turner. The goal brought the Lions back into the game and provided a chance to equalize in the second half.

MF, Chris Mueller, 6 — Mueller showed his typical effort in this game, winning balls that got away from him and teammates. The attacking midfielder was strong going forward and played the ball much earlier than he often does, creating attacking chances. In the 33rd minute, it was his fight in front of goal that allowed the ball to reach Junior Urso for Orlando City’s only goal of the day.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 4.5 — Pereyra wasn’t as effective as Oscar Pareja would’ve liked and got sent off with 30 minutes remaining. The midfielder was supposed to be a link between the defense and attack but was unsuccessful, causing the Lions to move the ball through the air most of the game. In the 60th minute, Pereyra took down Matt Polster in a nasty challenge that resulted in a straight red. It was well deserved and left the Lions a man down, in addition to a goal down, for the final half hour.

F, Nani, 5 — In one of his most important games as a Lion, this wasn’t one of Nani’s best. At times, the Designated Player struggled to keep possession and was ineffective with his passing. The frustration was evident as he looked to take on defenders rather than making the easy pass. The Portuguese playmaker could’ve been a hero in the 74th minute when he stepped up for a penalty but it was poorly taken and Turner made the relatively easy save. He did well with some of his crosses, however, like the well-placed one to Mueller that helped set up Urso’s goal. He finished with two shots, tying Pereyra for the team lead.

F, Daryl Dike, 6 — Dike was one of the bright spots for Orlando City in this game. The target forward used his big frame well to shield defenders and helped to set up teammates. He showed tremendous effort throughout the game, winning balls that otherwise would have resulted in a counter attack. That effort was on display in the 73rd minute when he beat Matt Polster to the ball, drawing a penalty. He only got one shot in the game, but it was his strength and hustle that stood out.

Substitutes

MF, Andres Perea (66’), 5.5 — Perea came on with 24 minutes left for Rosell to provide fresh legs and maintain possession. The midfielder didn’t play poorly, and had a couple of nice long passes in the attack, but wasn’t able to help build through the midfield, something the team struggled with all afternoon.

MF, Benji Michel (78’), 5 — Michel came on with 12 minutes to go for Smith as the Lions looked to push forward. He didn’t record any shots, the primary reason why he was brought on. The Homegrown Player has come up clutch late for the Lions on a few occasions in the past but was unable to find that magic late in this game.

F, Tesho Akindele (78’), 5 — Replacing Mueller, Akindele didn’t make the impact for which he was brought on. He did get an off-target headed shot on a set piece, but that was it. His entrance was a desperate attempt to equalize late and the Revs put the game away just eight minutes after he came on.

M, Robinho (88’), N/A — Robinho came on for Urso for the final moments of this game, after the Revs had sealed the victory. With the result already decided, there wasn’t much the Brazilian could do other than see out the end of the season. He fired one shot off target in the closing minutes.

That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando CIty’s final game of 2020. Let us know what you thought in the comments below and make sure to vote on your Man of the Match.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Junior Urso27
Chris Mueller1
Daryl Dike6
Robin Jansson17
Other6

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Lion Links: 7/3/25

Orlando Pride loan five players out, Orlando City academy players selected for All-Star Team, USMNT beats Guatemala, and more.

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20 minutes ago

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July 3, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

How’s it going, Mane Landers? It’s been a weird week for me so far, as it’s felt simultaneously like it’s flying by and taking forever for the weekend to get here. All of the soccer has been nice at least, and I’ve been able to get some reading and painting done when not swamped. But enough about me, let’s dive into today’s links!

Orlando Pride Loan Multiple Players Out

The Orlando Pride loaned out five players for the rest of the 2025 season, with four of them joining USL Super League teams. Forward Amanda Allen, who was loaned to Lexington SC last year and injured her shoulder in December, is headed to her home country of Canada to join Halifax Tides FC in the Northern Super League. As for the players headed to the USL Super League, right back Brianna Martinez will join Carolina Ascent FC, goalkeeper Kat Asman and forward Mariana Larroquette were loaned to Lexington, and Aryssa Mahrt was sent to Spokane Zephyr FC. These loans should provide solid opportunities for minutes for these players, so hopefully they can make some noise with their respective teams.

Orlando City Academy Players Make All-Star Team

The rosters for the 2025 MLS NEXT All-Star Game are out and Orlando City B midfielders Gustavo Caraballo and Dylan Judelson were both selected for the event. The East All-Stars will be coached by Orlando City SC Academy Director Javier Carrillo, who also coached Orlando’s U-18 team to victory in the Generation Adidas Cup this year. Caraballo was named MVP of that tournament’s U-18 age group and scored 16 goals over the course of the MLS NEXT season. Judelson appeared in 32 games for Orlando this season and could factor into Canada’s U-17 World Cup plans come November. The MLS NEXT All-Star Game will take place on July 21 and can be viewed on the MLS YouTube channel.

USMNT Takes Down Guatemala in Gold Cup

The United States Men’s National Team secured a spot in the Concacaf Gold Cup final after winning 2-1 against Guatemala in St. Louis. The Yanks got off to a hot start thanks to Diego Luna’s brace in the first 15 minutes of the match. The offense wasn’t able to extend the lead beyond that though, and a late goal by Olger Escobar made the match a bit more tense the U.S. would have liked. Regardless, the U.S. got the job done in the end and will play in Sunday’s final in Houston.

USWNT Breezes Past Canada in Friendly

The United States Women’s National Team beat Canada in convincing fashion, shutting out its northern rival 3-0 in a friendly. Sam Coffey and Claire Hutton scored in the first half to give the USWNT a nice lead, and Yazmeen Ryan came off the bench to put the nail in the coffin with a late goal. The defense did well to claim its third clean sheet of this series of summer friendlies. Emily Sams didn’t make an appearance for the U.S., and Zara Chavoshi didn’t come off the bench for Canada either.

NWSL Announces Layout For 2026 Schedule

The 2026 NWSL regular season will kick off on March 13 and finish on Nov. 1 according to the league’s announced framework for next year’s action. Although there will be 16 teams next year, the playoff format remains the same and the top eight teams in the standings will qualify, with the 2026 NWSL Championship set for Nov. 21. There will once again be a balanced schedule, with each team playing 30 matches over the course of 27 weeks. The league will also notably be on break for a majority of June due to the FIFA World Cup, citing expectations to accommodate stadium demands in markets where World Cup games will take place

Free Kicks

  • Boston Legacy FC signed American midfielder Annie Karich as its first player ahead of its inaugural season next year. Karich spent the past two seasons with SC Freiburg in Germany and joins Boston as a free agent.
  • San Diego FC forward Anders Dreyer was named MLS Player of the Month after recording three goals and six assists in June. He leads the league with 23 goal contributions this season and is a major reason behind San Diego’s rise to the top of the Western Conference standings.
  • Atlanta United bolstered its defense by signing Albanian center back Enea Mihaj to a contract through 2028. The 26-year-old joins as a free agent after spending the past three seasons with FC Famalicao in Portugal top flight.
  • The 2025 Women’s European Championship kicked off in Switzerland, with Finland beating Iceland 1-0 in the first match of the tournament. Switzerland struck first against Norway, but Ada Hegerberg scored an equalizer and an own goal by Swiss defender Julia Stierli gave Norway the 2-1 win.
  • It seems the Concacaf co-hosts for next year’s World Cup will be able to serve suspensions in friendlies rather than missing out on the World Cup.

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

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Lion Links: 7/2/25

Big names leave Toronto FC, hot conditions in Club World Cup match, FIFPRO makes ACL recommendations, and more.

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1 day ago

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July 2, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Wednesday, everyone. It already feels like it’s been a long week, as I just got home from being out of town traveling up and down the East Coast for the last few days. The soccer world hasn’t stopped in my absence though, and as usual we have a lot to cover today. Let’s wish a happy birthday to OCB defender Tahir Reid-Brown, and jump into today’s links!

Italians Leave Toronto FC

It’s the end of an era at Toronto FC, as the club has parted ways with both Federico Bernardeschi, and Lorenzo Insigne. The Reds used both of their two buyouts of guaranteed contracts this season in order to get the transactions done, so the club was pretty keen to get them out the door. It’s hard to blame the Reds, as Insigne was the second-highest paid player in the league while Bernardeschi was the fifth highest. They didn’t have much to show for it though, as Bernardeschi had 26 goals and 22 assists in 99 games across all competitions, while Insigne had 19 goals and 17 assists in 76 matches. TFC never made the playoffs while the duo was on the team, and the decision to turn the page is an understandable one.

Difficult Conditions in Juventus vs. Real Madrid

The Club World Cup Round of 16 concluded on Tuesday, with Real Madrid knocking off Juventus 1-0 in afternoon match. Kylian Mbappe made his tournament debut for Madrid as a substitute, but it was Gonzalo Garcia’s 54th-minute goal that made the difference in the game. Juve boss Igor Tudor highlighted the difficult conditions in Miami, saying in his postgame press conference that 10 different players asked to come off the field during the game. Tudor didn’t outright blame the loss on the high heat and humidity during the 3 p.m. kickoff at Hard Rock Stadium, but noted that they were among several factors that made the game a very difficult one for his side.

FIFPRO Makes Recommendations to Curb ACL Tears

Amid a rash of ACL injuries to women’s soccer players, FIFPRO has made some recommendations to cut down on the rate at which they occur. Rather than focusing on things that can’t be controlled, the federation has suggested modifying the calendar, number of games, and the playing surfaces. FIFPRO member Alex Culvin is calling for minimum standards in the women’s game relating to pitch conditions and access to physiotherapists. More research around risk factors is also necessary, as is implementing preventative exercises at the youth levels of the game.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

Summer transfer business is in full swing, so let’s catch up on some of the hot rumors currently flying around. First up, Arsenal is said to be in the final stages of signing Viktor Gyokeres to a five-year deal. Staying in the Premier League, Manchester United is reportedly interested in signing midfielder Fabian Ruiz from Paris Saint-Germain. Juventus reportedly is close to signing Jonathan David after his contract with Lille expired. Finally, Bayern Munich is reportedly preparing a formal offer for Liverpool for Colombian winger Luis Diaz.

Free Kicks

Apparently a non -#usmnt drone has crashed the training session. US Soccer staff aiming to identify it.

— Jeff Carlisle (@jeffreycarlisle.bsky.social) 2025-07-01T17:25:12.954Z

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/1/25

Pride signings, OCB draws, both U.S. national teams in action Wednesday, and more.

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2 days ago

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July 1, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to July, Mane Landers. If you’re like me, you balanced the excitement and dread of the USMNT advancing on penalty kicks the other night. It was one thing watching Guatemala take out Canada but a whole other level of heart palpitating stress while watching the U.S. avoid a similar fate. There’s no time to relax with plenty of soccer to watch as we head towards Independence Day. Before we get to the links, please join us in wishing Orlando Pride/USWNT defender Emily Sams and OCB defender Clovis Archange each a happy birthday.

Orlando Pride Signings

The Orlando Pride announced a pair of transactions Monday. Midfielder Viviana Villacorta and the club have agreed to exercise the midfielder’s mutual option for the 2026 season. Villacorta was the No. 9 overall pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft. The Pride also signed midfielder Ally Lemos to a new contract through the 2027 season with a mutual option for 2028. The Pride selected Lemos with the No. 9 overall pick of the 2024 NWSL Draft. Orlando continues to lock down current players ahead of time. Now, we wait to see if any new players will be added.

OCB Earns a Point on the Road

Orlando City B played Philadelphia Union II to a 1-1 draw in a Monday afternoon match. Unfortunately, the Young Lions lost the end-of-regulation shootout 4-2 and did not get the additional point. Gustavo Caraballo assisted Jackson Platts on the early goal for OCB. Philadelphia equalized early in the second half. Carlos Mercado was the difference maker in the match, recording a career-high 12 saves.

USMNT’s Gold Cup Run Continues vs. Guatemala

The USMNT will face Guatemala Wednesday night in a 2025 Gold Cup semifinal match. The U.S. advanced past Costa Rica on penalties thanks to a stellar performance from goalkeeper Matt Freese. Guatemala stunned Canada with a second-half equalizer and advanced on penalty kicks. Guatemala has been the overachieving underdog of the competition so far. This will be the USMNT’s 17th Gold Cup semifinal appearance.

USWNT Hosts Canada

The USWNT will host Canada in a third friendly of this international window Wednesday at Washington, D.C.’s Audi Field. The U.S. is coming off two 4-0 victories over the Republic of Ireland. Canada should prove a tougher opponent for Emma Hayes’ squad. There is a possibility that the match will feature two Orlando Pride players — Emily Sams for the U.S. and Zara Chavoshi for Canada. Kerry Abello has returned to her club team after picking up a knock.

Free Kicks

Sources: Bayer Leverkusen are finalizing a deal to sign USMNT attacker Malik Tillman from PSV.Deal in region of $40m.

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2025-06-30T20:36:24.359Z
  • Former Orlando Pride midfielder Erika Tymrak has retired from professional soccer.

That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for Orlando City’s match against Charlotte FC this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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