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Orlando City vs. Sporting Kansas City: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s 3-1 victory over Sporting Kansas City?

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10 months ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Cricket is usually the sport that most people associate with games taking place over the course of multiple days, but on Saturday night and Sunday morning, it was soccer that became a two-day game due to extreme weather (read: heavy rain and frequent lightning strikes) in the vicinity of Inter&Co Stadium. Orlando City channeled that lightning into an electric start and a powerful ending, defeating Sporting Kansas City 3-1 to make it four straight victories and six wins in the club’s last seven matches.

I have my purple pen out and I am ready to issue some grades, so here we go. Let’s take a look at how Orlando City’s players rated individually in their matchup with a Western Conference opponent.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6.5 — El Pulpo was up to the task when he was called upon, making three acrobatic saves and coming aggressively off his line when balls were played over the top. Kansas City’s one goal came on a play when he had to come out, but the Peruvian was unable to push Mason Toye wide enough to prevent him from playing a ball back into the middle for Dejan Joveljic to tap in and tie the game. That goal felt like it had been coming after Orlando City really let down after the opening goal, so  it is hard to fully fault him as Kansas City had been creating good opportunities for nearly 20 consecutive minutes, and the visitors finally converted one. On the whole, I thought it was a strong game for Gallese, as he even added a cool 90% completion rate on his 20 pass attempts. 

D, David Brekalo, 6 — the strain of seven full 90s and one nearly full 90 in his last eight games, plus a game pushed back several hours due to weather, plus a partnership with a player out on the left wing who was more focused on offense than defense made this game a little rougher than ideal for Brekalo, as he looked a little leggy toward the end after a solid performance during the first three-quarters of the match. Without usual partner Iván Angulo on the field, Brekalo sat back a little more than usual, and he needed to, as Kansas City clearly was more focused on attacking down his side early in the game. The Lions had some nervy moments during that time and gave up a goal on a play that started with a through ball in between Robin Jansson and Brekalo, but after that, the Slovenian stepped up his defense and played solidly until he looked gassed in the final minutes of the match and got turned around a few times. He finished second on the team with 75 completed passes at a 90.4% completion rate and with one key pass, and he added one tackle and four clearances. 

D, Robin Jansson, 6 — The captain had a slightly louder game than his center back partner, Rodrigo Schlegel, but not for positive reasons, as it was on his side where Kansas City focused most of its attack, particularly early in the game. Gallese was called into action early after a through ball split Jansson and Brekalo, and just a few minutes later, it happened again, but this time Kansas City converted. The defense improved after those early chances, but the Lions were fortunate to not be trailing. Jansson contributed to the shoring up of the defense after those early concerns, and he eventually matched his center back partner with 95.1% passing accuracy, as well as making one tackle, one interception, and four clearances. 

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6 — Quiet games from center backs usually are a good thing, and through no fault of his own, the Argentine had a pretty quiet game, playing solidly but mostly playing just as a fulcrum to help pass the ball among his back line teammates. He completed a game-high 77 passes at a 95.1% clip, and made two tackles, one block and four clearances during the rare moments when Kansas City was attacking in his vicinity. 

D, Dagur Dan Thórhallsson, 7 — it was fitting that Thórhallsson took over Kyle Smith’s role in the central midfield during the second half, as he demonstrated his own Smith-like versatility in this game, playing 45 minutes at right back and 45 minutes in the midfield. The Icelandic Dagur-of-all-trades was excellent in both roles, keeping Kansas City from threatening down the attacking left side in the first half and helping the Lions own the center of the field during the second half. He completed 94.5% of his passes and added three tackles and three clearances on defense.

MF, Tyrese Spicer, 6.5 —  It is hard to open a game better than how the Trinidad & Tobago international opened this one, ripping a volley into the back of the net within two minutes after the opening kickoff. Spicer, who started on the left to give Angulo a break in a multi-match week, showed tremendous pace and dribbling ability on Saturday night/Sunday morning, and his performance probably made Toronto fans scream, “I told you he was being misused!” at their televisions while watching Orlando City in jealous frustration. Spicer was a threat offensively, but getting forward creates spaces behind, so he had some issues tracking back on defense. If he wants to earn consistent minutes for Óscar Pareja, he will need to improve his defense in the future. On this night, his offense was enough though, as in addition to his goal, he made multiple aggressive runs up the left side to help create chances. He completed 72% of his passes, including two key passes, and also led the team in tackles with four. 

MF, Kyle Smith, 6 — with César Araújo out due to yellow card suspension, The Accountant stepped into a starting role, playing the first half as a defensive midfielder. He was an active participant, completing 29 of his 30 pass attempts, and helped out defensively as well, adding two tackles and one clearance. Oscar Pareja talked about spacing issues being a problem in the first half, and the Lions’ energy level certainly dropped significantly after the first 10 minutes, so his solution was to move Thorhallsson to the middle, sacrificing Smith to bring on Alex Freeman, which also served to jumpstart the attack.

MF, Eduard Atuesta, 6 — Absent his usual midfield partner, Araújo, the Colombian played a litter deeper than usual, though he still was engaged in the offense, completing 20 more passes than any non-back-line player. Atuesta completed those passes at a 93.1% rate, with one key pass, and he also took one shot and put it on target, but it was right at the goalkeeper. He had one tackle and two interceptions on defense as well, before making way in the 86th minute for Joran Gerbet to get a little bit of rest with the Lions up 3-1. 

MF, Marco Pašalić, 6 — This will not be a game that Pašalić looks back fondly on, as he was unable to get any real threat going on offense and may have been lucky to not be substituted out even earlier than he was. The Croatian took three shots and put two on target, but neither were well struck and both were saved easily. He completed 91.3% of his passes but did not beat any defenders off the dribble, and speaking of defending, he did not contribute any defensive statistics. Perhaps it was due to playing with Thórhallsson instead of his usual partner, Freeman, for most of his minutes on the field, but this was not Pašalić’s night. 

F, Martín Ojeda, 7.5 (MotM) — There are only so many superlatives that I can use before it starts to become repetitive, but once again the Argentinean Designated Player was the talisman and key to the Orlando City offense. His shot/pass off the goalkeeper on Spicer’s goal obviously prevented him from extending his goal contribution streak just minutes into the game. ‘Oh well,’ Ojeda must have thought, ‘I’ll just have to do it again,’ and then he went ahead and did by assisting on Ramiro Enrique’s goal to give Orlando City the lead in the second half. Ojeda was everywhere, and on a different day he might have had a hat trick of assists and perhaps a few goals himself, but his touch was a little off. He completed 82.6% of his passes but had a crazy eight key passes — six more than any other Lion — and he took three shots but was unable to put any on target. The offense ran through him once again, and if he continues at his current pace when people refer to Orlando City’s M. Ojeda, that M just might stand for MVP.

F, Luis Muriel, 6 — Though he was active throughout his time on the field, the Colombian did not factor into any of the scoring plays. He got himself into position to take three shots but put none on target, squandering one big opportunity on his left foot after a beautiful one-two with Ojeda, shooting it with venom but high and wide left. He only completed 69.2% of his passes, but as is usually the case, he was trying creative and aggressive passes to unlock the defense, so it was not surprising his completion rate was lower than that of the rest of his teammates. 

Substitutes

D, Alex Freeman (46′), 7 — The introduction of the U.S. international at right back invigorated the Orlando City offense, and the team looked completely different (in a positive way) during the final 45 minutes. Freeman’s energy and pace were hugely helpful, and he partnered well with Pašalić and fellow substitutes Angulo and Nico Rodríguez on the right side of the field. He completed 89.3% of his passes, and his shot attempt late in the game was deflected and then corralled by Rodríguez, who turned and fired it into the net. Freeman did not get an assist on the play, but for all intents and purposes he assisted on the third and final goal. He could have done better with a partial breakaway opportunity just moments after Rodriguez’s goal.

MF, Iván Angulo, (71′), 6 — Angulo moved to the bench with the big Leagues Cup game coming up on Wednesday, but just as with Freeman, when he came on he brought energy and pace, and the Lions’ offense accelerated with him zooming around the field. He had a secondary assist on Enrique’s goal, and he almost had a goal himself after being played in behind, but he lifted his shot over the bar. Angulo looked to be running at a different speed than everyone else when he came on, and he provided excellent minutes off the bench after coming on for Pašalić. He completed all five of his passes and tracked back very well to provide defensive cover once Orlando City took the lead.

F, Ramiro Enrique, (71′), 6.5 — The Argentine came on with Angulo, replacing Muriel and Pašalić, and the offense improved with the two subs on for the two Designated Players. Enrique got himself into a dangerous location just minutes after coming on, and when Ojeda cut the ball back into the middle, Enrique was ready, receiving the pass, spinning 180 degrees, and then firing with his weaker left foot, equaling his career high with his eighth goal of the season. He completed four of his five pass attempts, including one key pass, and it was his goal that gave Orlando City the lead back for good.

MF, Nico Rodríguez, (78’), 6.5 — Rodríguez came on for Spicer, sending Angulo over to his favored left side and settling in himself on his favored right side. The Colombian impressed in his 12 minutes plus stoppage time, looking lively and active, and his awareness paid off in the 83rd minute. He alertly controlled a blocked Freeman shot, reacted quickly, and turned and fired, scoring his first career MLS goal and effectively ending the game by putting the Lions up by two. Rodríguez completed seven of his eight passes and put his one shot on target and in the net, and he looked completely comfortable on the field throughout his appearance.

MF, Joran Gerbet, (86′), NA — Gerbet made his return from a long absence due to a thigh injury, coming on for Atuesta to see out the final minutes of the game. He completed all nine of his passes and looked back to full speed, which will be important for Orlando City with a busy next few months ahead.

That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando City’s 3-1 win against Sporting Kansas City. Let us know what you thought of the game in the comments below and don’t forget to vote for your Man of the Match.

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Orlando City

Flashback Friday: June 10, 2023 vs. Colorado Rapids

Let’s take a trip down memory lane to a booking-laden match at home that took place a little less than three years ago.

Published

3 hours ago

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June 12, 2026

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

The World Cup is now officially underway, and while that means Orlando City is on break, we can’t have you forgetting about the Lions while all the international action is taking place. That means its time for another edition of Flashback Friday, where we hop in the trusty time machine and reminisce on OCSC matches of yesteryear.

Last week we relived a rousing road win over the New York Red Bulls from June, 3 2023, and this week, we actually pick up right where we left off, on June 10, 2023 as the Lions returned home to take on the Colorado Rapids.

Coming off a 3-0 win over the Red Bulls in the previous match, Oscar Pareja decided to not mess with a good thing, and kept Orlando City’s same starting XI from that victory. Pedro Gallese was in net behind a back line of Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Antonio Carlos, and Kyle Smith. Wilder Cartagena and Cesar Araujo played the double pivot; Ivan Angulo, Mauricio Pereyra, and Facundo Torres were the attacking midfielders, and Ercan Kara was deployed as the striker.

In typical June fashion for the City Beautiful, kickoff was delayed by just under an hour as the stadium was pounded by storms, and the delay did not look to have done any favors for Orlando’s sharpness. That said, OCSC did win a corner kick less than a minute into the game, and Torres had a tame shot saved in the eighth minute, but the Lions weren’t consistently sharp with their passing in the early moments of the contest.

The teams traded chances just before the 15-minute mark, with Kara sending a header too high before Cole Bassett sent a shot straight to Gallese. Carlos then picked up a yellow card in the 24th minute, which evened things out between the two teams after Lalas Abubakar was cautioned for the Rapids after just six minutes. Those two bookings proved to be a harbinger of things to come, because Colorado went down to 10 men in the 39th minute after midfielder Braian Galvan caught Angulo with a high boot while his studs were showing.

Pereyra had Orlando’s best chance of the opening 45 minutes in stoppage time but could only send his effort right at goalkeeper Marko Ilic, and that was the last significant action of the half. The Lions ended the half with an edge in possession (59.7%-40.3%), shots (7-2), shots on target (2-1), and passing accuracy (85.3%-79.4%), while both teams won two corners.

Pareja made two moves at halftime, bringing on Rodrigo Schlegel for the once-booked Carlos, and Martin Ojeda for Cartagena in an effort to go more offensive against a shorthanded Rapids side. The Lions certainly looked brighter going forward as the second half got underway and had a few dangerous moments before finally breaking the deadlock in the 55th minute.

Pereyra played a ball across the top of the box for Torres, who took a couple of touches before sending a ball to the net that took a wicked deflection off Andreas Maxsø that carried it past Ilic.

It wasn’t the prettiest goal the Lions have ever scored, but for a team that was guilty at times of passing up good shots in favor of the perfect look at goal, it was proof that sometimes you just need to take shots in dangerous areas.

Fortunately, Orlando seemed to take that lesson to heart. Kara went close in the 65th minute despite shooting through traffic, Angulo had a shot deflected by Abubakar three minutes later, and Torres had another deflected effort go just wide of the post four minutes after that.

The game changed again in the 75th minute, when the Rapids had another player sent off. Abubakar lasted for 69 minutes on a yellow card but got burned by Angulo in midfield and hauled him down in order to prevent the Lions from potentially working a transition opportunity. He had some teammates behind him, but the referee showed him a second yellow card. Pareja smelled blood in the water and just three minutes later he brought on Ramiro Enrique for Smith, who had been given a yellow card in the 52nd minute.

Ilic made a great save on Pereyra in the 81st minute to keep the score at 1-0 and keep the Rapids in the game, but Orlando got its second goal just two minutes later. Torres had the ball on the right side of the box with a Colorado player backing off him, and that gave him ample time to get his head up and pick out a man. He played a ball to Enrique at the top of the box, who had plenty of time to take a couple of touches and send a low shot into the bottom corner past a diving Ilic for his first goal as an Orlando City player.

Somewhat surprisingly, the game started to get a little stretched after the Lions doubled their advantage. Colorado had a shot blocked in the 81st minute, Kara sent a shot very close to the post six minutes after that, and Gallese saved a Darren Yapi attempt in the 88th minute to keep his clean sheet alive. Aside from Pareja handing Alejandro Granados his MLS debut, that was the last significant action of the match, which finished 2-0 to the good guys.

Unsurprisingly, considering Colorado’s deficit in players, the Lions dominated all of the game’s most important statistics. OCSC finished with the advantage in possession (65%-35%), shots (15-4), shots on goal (6-2), corners (5-3), and passing accuracy (89.4%-81.5%).

The victory made it back-to-back wins for the first time in 2023, stretched Orlando’s unbeaten run to six, and gave El Pulpo his 100th clean sheet for the team in all competitions.

Marcus Mitchell had the helm for Player Grades in this one, and Torres got his nod for Man of the Match with a goal, an assist, and a grade of 7.5 out of 10. Several other Lions graded out at 7 out of 10, with only one player grading below a 6.

While it was a weird win, it unfortunately was the final game of the unbeaten streak, as the Lions fell to a familiar defeat at Gillette Stadium the following week, although things got back on track soon afterward. I’ll see you back here in a week for another trip down memory lane. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 6/12/26

USMNT plays Paraguay tonight, red cards rain down in World Cup opener, Sporting Kansas City linked with Yann Gboho, and more.

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6 hours ago

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June 12, 2026

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Image of Alex Freeman sliding in celebration of a goal.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! The World Cup is in full swing and the U.S. will play today, so it’s a pretty exciting Friday to say the least. I’m a bit of a bundle of nerves about how the team will do, but I’m still looking forward to catching the game. If you have any gameday rituals, be sure to share, so that we can conjure up enough luck and support for the team tonight. Let’s get to the links!

USMNT’s World Cup Campaign Begins Today

The United States Men’s National Team will take on Paraguay at 9 p.m. tonight in its first match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. There’s plenty of pressure on the U.S. to perform well as one of the host nations, and this will also be Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino’s first time coaching at a World Cup. Pochettino stated that all 26 players are available for selection, including center back Chris Richards, although he may not necessarily start. Former Orlando City defender Alex Freeman, who is the youngest player on the U.S. roster, could make his World Cup debut tonight, so be sure to root for our hometown hero should he take the field. Hopefully, the Yanks can start this tournament off on the right foot with a big win in California.

World Cup Opener Features Three Red Cards

This year’s World Cup began in Mexico City, with Mexico beating South Africa 2-0 in a match that included three red cards. All three were straight red cards given in the second half in separate incidents, as Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane were sent off for South Africa before Mexico’s Cesar Montes was shown red in stoppage time. There hasn’t been a World Cup match with that many red cards since the record of four was set in 2006 in a match between Portugal and the Netherlands. As for the game’s goals, Julian Quinones pounced on a mistake by South Africa to give Mexico an early lead and Raul Jimenez doubled that lead while South Africa was reduced to 10 men.

Sporting Kansas City Linked With Yann Gboho

While the World Cup roars on, the rumor mill is in full force as clubs make plans for summer reinforcements. Sporting Kansas City is reportedly pushing to sign Toulouse winger Yann Gboho, who recorded 10 goals and three assists across all competitions this past season. The surprising aspect of this pursuit would be that Toulouse values Gboho at an eye-watering $20 million transfer fee, which would be a club record by a country mile. Kansas City needs all the help it can get on offense, as it has scored just 14 goals in 14 games so far this season.

Jose Mourinho Officially Returns to Real Madrid

It’s been a bit of an open secret over the past few weeks that Jose Mourinho would become Real Madrid’s next manager and it’s now official, with the 63-year-old signing a three-year contract with the Spanish club. Mourinho helped Real Madrid win a La Liga title and the Copa del Rey over a decade ago before his departure in 2013 after three seasons with the club. Now, he joins a Real Madrid side that has finished second in the league standings and been eliminated in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League the past two seasons. I, for one, can’t wait to see how one of the biggest personalities in soccer works alongside a locker room of star players that seemed in disarray this past season.

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That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

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Lion Links: 6/11/26

Wilder Cartagena linked with move to Sporting Cristal, Orlando Pride hire Dr. Nicole Surdyka, Barbra Banda injury update, and more.

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1 day ago

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June 11, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jermey Reper

The World Cup is finally here! Today starts what should be an exciting month of international soccer featuring more teams than ever before. While I wasn’t able to part with the arm and leg necessary to afford a ticket to one of the games, I’m still looking forward to watching along when I can with the rest of the world. Let’s get to the links!

Wilder Cartagena Linked With Move to Peruvian Club

You’ll need a translation tool to check out the full details unless you are fluent in Spanish, but Sporting Cristal of Peru’s top flight is reportedly interested in signing Orlando City midfielder Wilder Cartagena. The 31-year-old is currently under contract with Orlando through 2026, with the contact also including a club option for 2027. He was a crucial part to Orlando’s success in 2024, but he missed all of last year and has only started one game so far this season due to injuries. It’s not much more than a rumor as of now, but it’ll be something to keep an eye on during this break in the league schedule.

Barbra Banda Sustained a Hamstring Injury

Zambia Head Coach Nora Hauptle stated that Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda is dealing with a hamstring strain. Banda didn’t play in either of Zambia’s matches during this international break, but Hauptle also noted that she should recover in the next week or two and will be fine for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations at the end of July. Banda was injured late in the Pride’s 3-1 win against Bay FC on May 29 and it was unclear how severe the injury was. Hopefully she’ll be good to go before the Pride’s match against Angel City FC on July 3.

Dr. Nicole Surdyka Named Orlando Pride Director of Medical & Performance

The Orlando Pride have hired Dr. Nicole Surdyka as their new director of medical and performance. She’ll oversee the Pride’s medical operations, nutrition, and more while also working with Orlando Health. Dr. Surdyka has over a decade of experience that included leadership roles with OL Reign and the LA Galaxy and has studied extensively into developing frameworks for health and performance in women’s soccer.

“Nicole is one of the most respected practitioners in our field, and her expertise in women’s football, return‑to‑play, and high‑performance systems will elevate every aspect of our medical and performance environment,” said Caitlin Carducci, Orlando Pride VP of Soccer Operations & General Manager. “Her leadership, her commitment to evidence‑based practice and her passion for supporting athletes make her an exceptional addition to the Pride.”

Analyzing Paraguay Ahead of USMNT World Cup Match

The United States Men’s National Team will play its World Cup opener on Friday when it hosts Paraguay at SoFi Stadium. It will be the 10th match between the two nations, with the USMNT most recently winning 2-1 against Paraguay in November of last year. There’s a familiar face on Paraguay’s roster in Orlando City midfielder Braian Ojeda, with Miguel Almiron and Andres Cubas as other MLS midfielders called up. Paraguay’s defense is anchored by center back Gustavo Gomez, who you may remember as the player who put former Lion Alex Freeman in a headlock during that aforementioned November friendly. As for Paraguay’s attack, the Yanks will need to keep Julio Enciso and Antonio Sanabria from wreaking havoc. Paraguay is a physical team that’s also strong in the air, so we’ll see how the USMNT deals with that on Friday.

England Beats Costa Rica 3-0 at Inter&Co Stadium

Orlando City’s Inter&Co Stadium hosted a friendly between England and Costa Rica on Wednesday, with England winning 3-0. Declan Rice gave England an early lead, but Costa Rica kept the Three Lions off the scoresheet until the substitutes came on for England in the second half, with Anthony Gordon and Ollie Watkins both scoring. England got the full Orlando experience due to a heavy storm that delayed kickoff, but Inter&Co Stadium earned praise for its drainage system that had the pitch ready to roll in no time. Enjoy this satisfying time-lapse video of the transformation provided by the stadium.

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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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