Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Atlanta United: Player Grades and Man of the Match
Orlando City traveled to Georgia to take on their northern rival, Atlanta United FC. With so many injuries and international absences, Óscar Pareja was forced to make numerous changes to his preferred starting lineup. Pedro Gallese, and Sebas Méndez are away on international duty. João Moutinho, Uri Rosell, Mauricio Pereyra, Tesho Akindele, Dom Dwyer, and Ruan are all out with injuries. With a potential 10-match unbeaten streak on the line, Pareja needed the youngsters to step up. Let’s see how they did!
Starters
GK, Brian Rowe, 6.5 — Brian Rowe is exactly the backup keeper any team would want. He lost the starting job, but continued to work hard and was ready when called to start. He made a huge reaction save in the 18th and 71st minutes to keep a clean sheet. He finished with three saves, attempted 19 passes, had an 89.5% passing rate, and completed one long ball.
D, Kamal Miller, 7 — Miller did a very good job dealing with Brooks Lennon on the left side all match. He deservedly earned a yellow card in the 77th minute on a late challenge, but otherwise played very solid defense. He had four tackles, two clearances, five interceptions, and committed the one foul. He attempted 75 passes and had an 86.7% passing rate.
D, Robin Jansson, 6.5 — Jansson put in his usual solid shift leading the defense. He also made a point perfect long pass to Nani that almost resulted in a goal. He recovered well when in defensive transition throughout the match. He made three clearances, one tackle, and committed one foul. Jansson attempted 71 passes at a 91.6% passing rate, and completed two long balls.
D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6 — Schlegel has grown into his role as one of three center backs for Orlando City. In conjunction with the Beefy Swede, Schlegel helped keep Atlanta off the scoreboard. Defensively, he made one tackle, one interception, two clearances, and committed one foul. Schlegel attempted 77 passes, with a 90.9% passing rate, and completed one long ball.
D, Kyle Smith, 6.5 — Smith has been Pareja’s multi-purpose tool this season. He again showed a willingness to get forward into the attack even if he couldn’t do it as quickly as Ruan. As such, he had a perfectly placed cross in the 11th minute that Daryl Dike got a diving header on, but was unable to finish. Smith also took a long distance shot in the 30th minute though Brad Guzan was up to the task. Defensively he made one tackle, one clearance, and committed one foul. Smith attempted 29 passes, had an 89.7% passing rate, and put in a total of three crosses.
MF, Joey DeZart, 6 — DeZart got his first start for the Lions, thanks to the number of injuries Orlando City is dealing with at this point in the season. The rookie did well given the amount of playing time he’s had. His performance wasn’t mistake free, but he accorded himself well. He took one shot at goal in the 91st minute but Guzan was able to grab it. He attempted 61 passes with an 83.6% passing rate, and attempted one long ball.
MF, Junior Urso, 7 — Urso put in a good shift, and battled Franco Escobar the entire time he was in the match. The Bear drew three fouls, including one just before being subbed off. He attempted 32 passes with a 93.8% passing rate, made two key passes, and attempted two long balls. Urso attempted two shots, with one on target, nearly scoring late in the match. On defense he made three tackles, one interception, and one clearance.
MF, Andrés Perea, 7.5 (MotM) — Perea had one of his best shifts as a Lion. He took five shots with one on goal. Perea made a nice run into the left side of the box after taking it off the foot of an Atlanta player, but with no help available he turned it into a corner kick. He made two tackles, two clearances, and committed one foul. He attempted 23 passes, had a 91.3% passing rate, and put in three crosses.
MF, Robinho, 4 — It was quite obvious that Robinho has not had a ton of minutes so far this season. While he started the game brightly, hitting the post on a good scoring opportunity, he fell off pretty quickly. He had a muffed corner kick attempt that went high and behind the goal and then he had a cross that also went high and behind the goal. He held onto the ball too long too many times, and just didn’t seem to be able to get into the flow of the match. Robinho was credited with two shots, with one on target, seven crosses, committed two fouls, and suffered two fouls. He attempted 25 passes with an 80% passing rate, and completed one long ball.
F, Daryl Dike, 6.5 — Dike might have gotten the start since he’s the only striker available, but he again showed that even when he doesn’t score he’s putting in the work. He almost made a massive header from a Smith cross in the 11th minute, but Guzan was able to make the save. He continued his excellent hold-up play, using his size to his advantage, including drawing three fouls. Statistically, he took one shot (on target), made one tackle, and committed no fouls. Dike attempted 16 passes with a 62.5% passing rate, and one key pass. Defensively, he made one tackle, two clearances, and committed two fouls.
F, Benji Michel 5 — It was a quiet night for Michel, as he only had 23 touches. He had one shot, was dispossessed three times, and committed one foul. It’s rare that Michel disappears quite as much as he did, but it was that kind of game. He only attempted nine passes with a 66.7% passing rate, and attempted one long ball, often struggling with his first touch.
Substitutes
MF, Chris Mueller (59’), 5.5— Mueller came on for the struggling Robinho. He only managed 18 touches despite coming on with nearly 30 minutes to play. Statistically, he made two clearances, and attempted 10 passes with a 90% passing rate, one key pass, and three crosses.
D, Alex De John (59’), 6.5 — De John came on for Smith. He made a great block in the 85th minute, and also had one clearance. He made 12 passes with an 83.3% passing rate, with one key pass.
MF, Nani (70’), 6.5 — Nani’s woodwork woes continued when a shot in the 78th minute deflected off an Atlanta defender and bounced off the crossbar. The captain took two total shots (neither on target), and made one key pass. He made eight passes with an 87.5% completion rate. Despite coming on late he still had an impact on the match.
MF, Antônio Carlos, (87’), N/A — Carlos came on late, and only had five touches, each of which was a pass for a 100% passing rate.
That was how I saw it. Vote for your Man of the Match in the poll, and comment below.
Polling Closed
| Player | Votes |
| Andrés Perea | 4 |
| Junior Urso | 4 |
| Kamal Miller | 4 |
| Brian Rowe | 50 |
| Robin Jansson | 2 |
| Other (put in comments) | 4 |
Lion Links
Lion Links: 11/22/24
Emily Sams wins Defender of the Year, Orlando City’s turnaround, Barbra Banda nominated for African Woman Player of the Year, and more.
Happy Friday! Beyond working and catching some soccer here and there, I don’t have many plans for the weekend. I’m also hoping to find some time to trial some cranberry and brie bites I’m trying to perfect before Thanksgiving next week. For now though, let’s jump right into today’s links from around the soccer world!
Emily Sams Awarded NWSL Defender of the Year
The Orlando Pride’s Emily Sams was named 2024 NWSL Defender of the Year after a fantastic season. The Pride only conceded 20 goals in a record-breaking season, and Sams played in all 13 of the team’s shutouts. Sams was one of the most impactful players for the Pride this year and had 163 recoveries, 76 clearances, and 16 blocks. She’s the first Pride player to win the award and it’s great to see her receive some deserved recognition in her second year in Orlando.
Analyzing Orlando City’s Revitalization
It’s been a rollercoaster of a season for the Lions to say the least. There were serious concerns over whether or not the Lions would even make the playoffs back in June and now they find themselves as the highest remaining seed in the Eastern Conference this postseason. Facundo Torres’ excellent run of play is a major reason behind the club’s turnaround, but the buy-in from all of Orlando’s attackers has helped create a dynamic and unselfish offense. Although expectations are rising once more for the Lions, Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi spoke on how the team is focused on Sunday’s playoff match.
“There’s only one team that matters: Atlanta United,” Muzzi said. “The easiest way to lose a game is to look ahead. I’ll say we didn’t expect to be playing at home, but it’s welcomed. We’re focused on Atlanta, they’re playing great. They have a lot of confidence and momentum. It doesn’t matter they’re the No. 9 seed because they’re not playing like the No. 9 seed.”
Barbra Banda Up For African Woman Player of the Year
Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda was one of 10 players nominated for this year’s African Woman Player of the Year award. The 24-year-old has done well for both club and country this year. She scored 13 goals in her first regular season with the Pride and has three goals so far in the playoffs. Banda also had a hat trick for Zambia in the Summer Olympics. She’s joined by fellow NWSL players Temwa Chawinga and Racheal Kundananji on the list of nominees. Bay FC striker Asisat Oshoala, who has won the award in five of the past six years, was not nominated for the first time in a decade. The nomination list will be trimmed to a three-player shortlist before the winner is announced on Dec. 16 in Morocco.
Croix Bethune Named NWSL Midfielder of the Year
Washington Spirit rookie Croix Bethune won NWSL Midfielder of the Year after recording 10 assists and five goals in 17 matches this season. A knee injury cut her season short in September, but she still tied Tobin Heath’s record for the most assists in a season. Bethune gave plenty of NWSL teams headaches this year and also won Rookie of the Year earlier this week. She’s the first player to ever receive NWSL Midfielder of the Year and she beat out the Pride’s Marta, the North Carolina Courage’s Ashley Sanchez, and Kansas City Current duo Lo’eau LaBonta and Vanessa DiBernardo.
Eastern Conference Clubs Making Moves
FC Cincinnati officially signed striker Kevin Denkey from Cercle Brugge on a deal that will last through 2028. The 23-year-old joins as a Designated Player on a reported $16.2 million transfer, which would be a league record. He won the Golden Boot in Belgium last year after scoring 27 goals and should give Cincinnati some considerable firepower next year.
Elsewhere in the league, CF Montreal declined the option on Josef Martinez’s contract, meaning the Venezuelan forward will be a free agent once again. The 31-year-old led Montreal with 11 goals this season and we’ll see where he winds up next. Charlotte FC did not trigger the purchase option on Pep Biel’s loan, opening up a Designated Player spot. Former Lion Junior Urso’s contract option was also declined by Charlotte. The Philadelphia Union signed defender Olivier Mbaizo to a contract extension that will keep him with the club through 2026, with options for 2027 and 2028 as well.
Free Kicks
- In preparation for the 2026 World Cup, FIFA named 26 new options across the country as “base camps” for participating teams to train and rest. Orlando was included, with OCSC’s training grounds at Osceola Heritage Park pitched alongside the Lake Nona Wave Hotel.
- ESPN‘s Jeff Kassouf dove into how the NWSL stacks up to the biggest sports leagues in the U.S. Saturday’s NWSL Championship between the Pride and Spirit should showcase just how entertaining the league is to plenty of viewers.
- Pep Guardiola will stick around as Manchester City’s manager for a couple more years after signing a two-year contract extension with the club. His contract was set to expire at the end of this season.
- Here’s a cool breakdown of the seven amateur teams that have qualified for the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup so far. None are from Florida, but there are some great logos to check out if you’re looking for a team to root for in the early rounds next year. Debutants Southern Indiana FC and the Virginia Dream are my personal favorites of the bunch.
- The draw for the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations will take place today. Zambia is in the second pot, meaning it will be put in a group of four that will include one of Nigeria, South Africa, or Morocco. The tournament itself will be in July of next year.
- Arsenal, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City all clinched a spot in the Women’s Champions League quarterfinals with two games still left to play.
That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend. Go Orlando!
Orlando City
How Orlando City’s Offense Stacks Up Against What Atlanta Does Defensively
How Orlando City has performed against teams playing with three or four defenders, and how that may influence the playoff game against Atlanta United.
The most famous quote about real estate is that “there are three things that matter in property: location, location, location.” Soccer coaches also like to think in threes, especially when it comes to points, but for a soccer coach, the three things that matter might be the rhyming triplet “formation, formation, formation,” as that is where they will have the biggest influence on every game that their team plays.
Throughout his tenure as head coach, Óscar Pareja has preferred to use a 4-2-3-1 as his formation (fbref.com’s lineup data shows that the Lions primarily played a 4-2-3-1 in 65% of their MLS matches this season, and 79% of their MLS matches during the last three seasons). The Lions have lined up in a 4-2-3-1 during each of their last 14 games, and my confidence level is strong to quite strong (can you believe Meet the Parents came out 24 years ago?) that they will do so once again on Sunday when they host Atlanta United.
Atlanta United also prefers to deploy a 4-2-3-1, but was less consistent than Orlando City this season during MLS play, as evidenced by the chart below that shows how Atlanta lined up this season:
I am relying on the coders at Opta for their evaluation of the formation, as I do not watch a lot of Atlanta United matches (sounds terrible), but though Atlanta primarily played with four defenders in more than two-thirds of its matches, during the last two matches it played a 3-5-2, the only two matches all season in which interim coach Rob Valentino rolled out that formation. I suspect that the formation change was related partially to playing Inter Miami and trying to defend the Herons’ dynamic offense and partially due to an injury suffered by defender Brooks Lennon in the first game of that series. So, while Atlanta primarily played four in the back for most of the season, there is a good chance it will roll with what worked against Florida’s second-best MLS team when it plays Florida’s best MLS team this weekend.
Now, if you want to read more about Atlanta, then you can read our match preview, which will drop Sunday morning, but I want to look at how Orlando did against teams that play similar styles. Looking only at MLS games, the table below shows how Orlando City performed against different back line structures this season (the left side is how the Lions’ opponents lined up, the right side is how Orlando City performed against opponents in those formations):
Orlando City earned slightly more points per game — the stat that matters most — against teams that played four in the back, but the Lions had a better average goal differential when teams played three in the back. Atlanta will likely deploy one of those two formations. In both games against Orlando City this season, Sunday’s visitors went with a 4-2-3-1, but as mentioned earlier, they used three in the back in each of their last two matches, so it really could be either.
Soccer is not like baseball, where players primarily stay in the same spot throughout the game, so some of these stats have to be taken with a grain of salt, as players are not always rigidly in the same position throughout a match. A team may also primarily play with four in the back but switch to three when chasing a game, or five when trying to protect against a late goal.
That said, using the data around Orlando City’s opponents’ general formations, here are the attacking groups who played the most frequently against four defenders during the 24 MLS games where Opta coded the opponents as using a defensive group of four:
It is a little ominous that the main starting group, shown in row one, has played 666 MLS minutes against back lines of four this season, but do I like that green goal differential of +8 in those minutes, which is a strong +1.08 per 90 minutes. I like that goal differential more than I like all the things that Cardi B, Bad Bunny, and J Balvin like on their song that is creatively named “I Like It.” Coincidentally, when people ask me what I think about that song, I say, “I like it.” I am very creative.
If we look at the lineups that Orlando City has used against back lines of three defenders then there are some pretty major differences in personnel groupings, but it must be noted that more than half of the games against teams playing three in the back came early in the season, when Ramiro Enrique was unavailable to play. Enrique, my presumed starter at striker, has played fewer than three games’ worth of minutes (265 total) against back lines of three this season, and only 28 minutes with the main starting group, which ranks 13th among all the attacking lineups for minutes played against three defenders. That group scored one goal in their 28 minutes together though, for a robust 3.21 goals-scored-per-90-minutes average.
While the team as a whole has been successful against three-man back lines, I do not expect any of the lineups shown in the table below to play more than a few minutes together this weekend, though the first row and the last row are strong groups and had a lot of success.
I am sure that all week long the Orlando City coaching staff has been going back and forth on whether it is more likely that Atlanta reverts to its most commonly used four in the back, or if the Five Stripes try for three wins in a row with three in the back. I would prefer that Atlanta plays with zero defenders and goalkeeper Brad Guzan wears a blindfold, but I think that is unlikely to be the case.
Even though Atlanta defeated Orlando City both times while in a 4-2-3-1, based on available personnel and recent results, I believe that the team will come out in a 3-5-2 in Inter&Co Stadium in the conference semifinal. Good things come in threes, and Orlando City’s best offensive production this season has been against three defenders, so I am going to be hoping that this continues, and in the third game against Atlanta the Lions grab the three points. Three’s company!
Well, it is a playoff game, so there are no actual points at stake, but you know what I meant.
Vamos Orlando!
Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Atlanta United: Three Keys to Victory
What do the Lions need to do to get a victory to advance to the Eastern Conference final?
Orlando City continues its playoff journey against Atlanta United Sunday at Inter&Co Stadium. The Lions are coming off an emotional penalty shootout win over Charlotte FC in their best-of-three, first-round series. Likewise, Atlanta United stunned everyone by taking out Inter Miami to advance in its own best-of-three matchup. Now, the rivals meet in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
What does Orlando City need to do to get past Atlanta United to advance to the Easter Conference final?
Beat Guzan
Brad Guzan made 16 saves over Atlanta’s three matches against Inter Miami, including seven in the 3-2 win on the road in Game 3. The 40-year-old former USMNT keeper is in excellent form and is a big reason why the Five Stripes are facing Orlando City. Converting chances against Guzan will be crucial to earning a result. There have been times this season when the Lions have struggled to convert their chances. Despite that, the team has done enough offensively to get to this point. Facundo Torres, Martin Ojeda, Duncan McGuire, Ramiro Enrique, and others have contributed and will need to do so this weekend.
Cartagena is Essential
Orlando City lost twice to Atlanta United during the regular season. What is interesting, and perhaps relevant, is that Wilder Cartagena was out for both of those matches. Cartagena was shown a straight red in the match against Minnesota United prior to the first match against Atlanta way back in March. He was shown a yellow card in the match against FC Cincinnati and then served a yellow card accumulation suspension for the final match of the season against Atlanta. Fortunately for Orlando City, Cartagena will be available for the match this weekend. I’ve mentioned before the importance of Cartagena to Orlando City’s success. When he and Cesar Araujo are on the field together, the defense is simply better. Cartagena is frankly one of the better defensive midfielders in MLS. Atlanta scored five goals in the series against Miami, and Orlando will need to keep the visitors from having that kind of offensive success.
Overcome the Past
That darn international break in the middle of the playoffs is something I don’t love. More precisely, I don’t like it because Orlando City often struggles after a break. It would have been nice if Orlando City could have ridden the momentum from the penalty kick victory into the Atlanta match, but that’s not to be. Now is the time for Orlando City to break some bad habits, including turning around its historical lack of success against Atlanta, and tendency to struggle in the first match after a break. Oscar Pareja needs to have the players in the right frame of mind, and the players need to execute the plan. A full house of supporters can also make a difference. Given it’s a Sunday afternoon match, there’s no reason not to pack the house.
That is what I will be looking for Sunday afternoon. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links: 11/22/24
Orlando Pride Center Back Emily Sams Named 2024 NWSL Defender of the Year
How Orlando City’s Offense Stacks Up Against What Atlanta Does Defensively
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