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Orlando City vs. FC Cincinnati: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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6 years ago

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Orlando City Head Coach James O’Connor made just two changes for Orlando’s final road trip of the season as the Lions played their first MLS game in Cincinnati and drew 1-1 against FC Cincinnati.

Left back João Moutinho briefly returned from injury and made his first appearance since the U.S. Open Cup semifinal defeat back on Aug. 6. Elsewhere, Tesho Akindele returned to the starting lineup, replacing an injured Cristian Higuita with Mauricio Pereyra moving further back to cover for the Colombian midfielder. Here’s how everyone performed in a rough match for the Lions.

Starters

GK, Brian Rowe, 6.5 — Following last season’s debacle, Rowe has been a reliable stopgap at the goalkeeper position and yesterday was no exception. He was forced into his first of six saves in the 25th minute and 10 minutes later he reacted fast to push a laser from Roland Lamah away. But there was little Rowe could do on the goal as Allan Cruz was unmarked in the box and had plenty of time to pick his spot. He also once again showed how accomplished he is when collecting crosses, even when challenged, by out-leaping Cincinnati attackers.

D, João Moutinho, N/A — With Orlando rapidly running out of games to sneak into the playoffs O’Connor decided to roll the dice and rush his first choice left back into action. It was a risk worth taking despite looking foolish in hindsight, as Moutinho lasted just 13 minutes on the artificial turf before being forced off. He did complete 100% of his eight passes but it’s hard to put much stock into that. It wasn’t enough time to earn a grade, unfortunately.

D, Robin Jansson, 5.5 — Things were quiet for Jansson in the first half and it seemed like he took that opportunity to nap. The Swede had an incredibly static first 45 minutes and was one of the players least reactive to the midfield turnover that led to Cincinnati’s goal. Whatever was said at halftime seemed to wake him up as he did well in an ongoing battle with Emmanuel Ledesma, Cincinnati’s best player. However, Jansson was only credited with three defensive actions, including one tackle, indicative of how the game largely passed him by.

D, Lamine Sané, 6.5 — Unlike his central defensive partner, Sané looked pretty alert in the first half and was good at reading danger. He had the awareness and ability to keep pace with Joe Gyau on a quick throw-in, forcing the winger into taking his shot from a wide angle. His combined seven defensive actions were a team high, while he also made the fifth-most passes with 46.

D, Ruan, 4.5 — Ruan showed his inconsistency from game to game. Unfortunately, the Brazilian struggled in his advanced role high on the right wing. His passing was careless at best, connecting on a shockingly low 51.7%, while neither of his two cross attempts were successful. Considering the amount of traffic coming down his flank, only making two tackles seemed pretty poor given the volume of work.

MF, Will Johnson, 6.5 — Will Johnson covered every blade of grass in a marathon performance. He ripped off a trademark speculative first-time shot wide from distance in the 30th minute, one of three shots the Canadian took with none finding the target. He was surprisingly one of the more creative players with two key passes. With three tackles, one block, the second-most passes, and second-best pass completion, overall Johnson was probably one of the top three Lions in the game.

MF, Sebas Méndez, 5 — Sebas was a bit too reckless his enforcer role as he ended up getting booked by the end of the first half for persistent fouling. Sitting on that yellow and with a trailing Orlando struggling to create any clear chances, O’Connor made the decision to remove a largely ineffective Méndez in favor of the more attack-minded Chris Mueller. A solid 89.8% passing accuracy, best on the team, must be caveated with the largely pointless nature of those passes while he also ranked top for fouls conceded, with three.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 5.5 — Pereyra struggled in his deeper midfield role, losing the ball a team high five times, and is better suited to an attacking creative role than a box-to-box ball winner. A rather anonymous first half did give way to a quick start in the second half as the Uruguayan finally found a pocket of space and was able to cross a ball and pick out the head of Dom Dwyer. A team-high four dribbles shows the willingness and ability to go direct that Pereyra will offer to this team going forward in a more advanced role.

F, Nani, 6.5 (MotM) — Once again, it looked like if Orlando City was going to do anything it would come through Nani. It may have taken until the 91st minute, but the Portuguese international won a one-on-one and floated a cross that led to the late equalizer. Nani notched up an incredible 101 touches, significantly ahead of Pereyra, who was second with 74. He made three key passes, two dribbles, and attempted three shots. He also made the most passes with 79, although his completion percentage was down at 70.9% and only one of his seven cross attempts was successful.

F, Dom Dwyer, 6 — Stop the presses, I genuinely think Dom Dwyer played somewhat well. He had the thankless task of playing as a makeshift target man as Orlando struggled in its buildup play and unconvincingly forced the ball long — something that simply does not suit his skill set. The team played more into his hands in the second half as the striker headed a ball towards goal, forcing Przemysław Tytoń to palm the it over his crossbar. Dwyer tested the Polish keeper once again, spinning to shake off the defender after receiving a good ball from Nani but the near post shot on the turn lacked the necessary venom. Aside from Benji Michel’s goal, he was the only player to manage a shot on target.

F, Tesho Akindele, 5 — Akindele started the afternoon on the left side of a front three but frequently drifted centrally to try and break behind Cincinnati’s defense. It nearly worked as he reacted quickly to intercept a volleyed back pass but could only dangle a leg and stab the ball wide. He should have had an opportunity to head the equalizer from a short corner in the 55th minute, just before he was substituted off, but Nani lofted the ball in behind the Canadian and the chance was gone. He finished the day with only one shot, was dispossessed twice, and his pass completion rate of 57.9% was better than only Ruan.

Substitutes

D, Kyle Smith (14’), 6 — Smith entered the game earlier than he would have anticipated but it didn’t look like he took too long to get into the rhythm of the game. I was actually quite impressed as he ultimately led the team in tackles with five and totaled a team-leading seven defensive contributions — tied with Sané. He compiled one key pass, 37 passes, and an 86.5% completion rate, including one cross. We tend to think of Ruan as the more reliable attacking threat but Smith had much better day than his Brazilian counterpart yesterday.

F, Benji Michel (58’), 6 — Michel had one of those stat lines you’d expect from a second half substitute attacker. He didn’t get much of a look, but made sure to make the most of it when he did. With 11 total touches, he converted his only shot of the game as he found himself in the right spot at the right time to capitalize on the second ball from Dwyer’s contested header off Nani’s cross.

F, Chris Mueller (67’), 5.5 — Mueller entered the game with 23 minutes left to try to help his team overturn a one-goal deficit and it didn’t take long for him to take the opportunity. With the ball dropping to him at the top of the box, Mueller could only find the midriff of Greg Garza. He was probably the weakest of the three substitutes but he definitely seems to energize the team and give them a second wind on the offensive side of the ball.

So there you have it, the return of the Cardiac Cats in an otherwise damp squib of a game that officially saw Orlando City eliminated from playoff contention. Man of the Match was a pretty tough pick as it could have gone to a handful of guys who put in a respectable performance while others around them looked tired, disinterested, or short of ideas. in the end it’s hard to argue Nani wasn’t the difference maker. Do you agree or do you have your own choice? Vote in the poll below and let us know in the comments.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Brian Rowe11
Lamine Sané2
Will Johnson8
Nani5
Other (leave a comment)4

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Lion Links: 6/3/25

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

Published

17 hours 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.

Free Kicks

  • 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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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Chicago Fire: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s 3-1 loss against the Chicago Fire?

Published

2 days ago

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June 2, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City turned one loss into two heading into the international break. The Lions gave up three first-half goals and lost 3-1 at home to the Chicago Fire. A determined but ineffective offense wasn’t able to make up for lapses on the defensive end. The break is about a week late, but perhaps the players can get some rest. Let’s take a look at how Orlando City’s players rated individually in their Eastern Conference matchup.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 5 — El Pulpo literally had the ball slip through his hands on Philip Zinckernagel’s early goal. The other two goals weren’t on him, but it’s hard to forgive the first howler. He recorded one save and one clearance. It was not a great night from Gallese, but every keeper has one like that occasionally. He had 22 touches, completing 89.5% of his 19 passes and five of his seven long balls.

D, David Brekalo, 6 —Brekalo started at left back as usual, but after Rodrigo Schlegel subbed off he moved inside with Robin Jansson. He was busy in both halves of the pitch as he pressed into the attack when at fullback. He didn’t push forward quite as much after moving to center back, though he did still contribute as Orlando chased the match. He recorded 71 touches, completing 86.2% of his 58 passes. Brekalo also completed four of his five long balls. Like many, he managed one shot, though it wasn’t on target as his effort off a corner kick was blocked. Defensively, he tallied three interceptions and one tackle.

D, Robin Jansson, 5.5 — The captain let his emotions get the better of him in the first half. He was battling Hugo Cuypers all night, and given Cuypers scored a brace, I can’t say Jansson won the matchup. His frustration resulted in a yellow card in the 45th minute. After the half, he was able to get back on track, though the damage was done. Jansson had 70 touches, completing 100% of his 59 passes. He had one key pass and even took one shot, though it wasn’t on target. Defensively, he recorded three clearances and one tackle.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 4.5 — It was not a good night for Schlegel. He lost Cuypers on the second and third Chicago goals, and it’s not recommended to allow the opposition’s best goal scorer to be alone in the box or to get in behind the back line. Defensively, he only contributed two tackles and recorded no interceptions or clearances. He managed 30 touches and completed 88.9% of his 27 passes. Schlegel committed two fouls and received a yellow card in the 49th minute. He was subbed off in the 54th minute for Rafael Santos.

D, Alex Freeman, 6 — Freeman scored Orlando’s only goal in the 39th minute, putting a header off the corner kick on target and into the back of the net by way of a deflection in front. It was his lone shot on target in two attempts. The right back recorded 77 touches, completing 78.4% of his 51 passes, including five crosses and one key pass. Defensively, he recorded three interceptions, one clearance, and one tackle.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 6 — Angulo still doesn’t have a goal in 2025, which isn’t surprising given his one shot on goal was well off target. He wasn’t bad in this match, but he also didn’t play very long, as he only touched the ball 19 times. He got lost defensively on the second Chicago goal as there was poor communication and he strayed inside, leaving Zinckernagel out wide alone for an easy cross to Cuypers. His best moment in the match came after tracking back to help recover the ball in his own end before making an incredible long run deep into the attacking box and backheeling a pass to Luis Muriel, who dropped it to Marco Pasalic for a good scoring chance. Angulo completed all of his 12 passes. He came off at halftime for Ramiro Enrique, but he was one of the few players who appeared to have a lot of jump in his legs in the first half.

MF, Eduard Atuesta, 6.5 (MotM) — Atuesta showed how important he is to Orlando City club in this match. His vision and ability to connect passes put teammates in dangerous places, even if they couldn’t convert those chances. He continued to make good passes in and around the box trying to get Orlando’s offense going. Atuesta had a team-high 94 touches, completing 89.7% of his 78 passes, including two key passes. He connected on five of his seven long balls and one of his seven crosses. Atuesta attempted two shots, though neither was on target. Defensively, he contibuted one tackle.

MF, Joran Gerbet, 6 — Gerbet started in place of the suspended Cesar Araujo and continues to have some rookie struggles midway through the season. If he hadn’t been so good earlier in the season, it wouldn’t seem like he’s having difficulty lately. Like others, he got a little bit better as the match went on, though he came off in the 77th minute for Dagur Dan Thorhallsson. Gerbet had 44 touches, completing 93.8% of his 32 passes, winning one aerial, and recording one key pass. Defensively, he contributed four tackles, and one interception,

MF, Marco Pašalić, 6 — Pasalic was active if ultimately ineffective in Orlando’s attack with four shots, though he only put one on target. He recorded 63 touches, completing 82.2% of his 45 passes, including two of his four long balls. Pasalic contributed two key passes and connected on one of his five crosses. He took a nasty tumble, hitting the back of his head when he landed, though he was able to continue. He exited in the 88th minute for Gustavo Caraballo.

F, Martín Ojeda, 6.5 — It was Ojeda’s corner kick that found the head of Freeman to give Orlando its only goal. He wasn’t able to contribute a goal in this match, though not for a lack of trying. He took four shots with one on target, led the team with eight key passes, and recorded the assist. Ojeda touched the ball 62 times, completing 90.6% of 32 passes. He was fouled three times, one of which earned a free kick outside the box in the 58th minute. He even contributed on defense with two tackles and an interception.

F, Luis Muriel, 6 — On another night Muriel has at least a brace. He took six shots with none on target, though he had a free kick that went into the wall 59th minute, and he hit the crossbar in the 64th. If that ball is two inches lower, Orlando maybe climbs back into the match. He still dribbled into blind alleys and gave the ball away to the opposition, though not as much as in some other matches. He had 65 touches, completing 80% of his 35 passes, including one cross and two key passes.

Substitutes

F, Ramiro Enrique, (45′), 6 — Enrique came on for Angulo to start the second half as the Lions pushed for a comeback. He was fairly accurate, putting two of his four shots on target. One shot in the 62nd minute went right to the keeper, though the other shot was saved it was a very well taken chance on the outside of his right foot as he moved towards the goal. He also made a great tackle in the 86th minute to take the ball back from Jonathan Bamba. He did all of that on only 19 touches, completing 88.9% of his nine passes, including one key pass.

D, Rafael Santos, (54’), 5.5 — With both Schlegel and Jansson on yellow cards, Santos came on to replace Schlegel to allow Brekalo to move inside with Jansson. Perhaps it was because of the desperation with which Orlando City was playing, but it wasn’t too bad of an outing for Santos. He was active on the left side, putting in five crosses, but he completed just one. Santos tried to combine with his teammates while looking to break down the Chicago defense. He had 34 touches, completing 95.8% of his 24 passes. Defensively, he had one clearance.

MF, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, (77’), 6 — I feel like Dagur Dan could have started in place of Gerbet rather than subbing on. His motor was obviously better than those that had played more minutes during the month of May. He was persistent in trying to win the ball back when Chicago tried to counter attack. He only managed nine touches, completing 100% of his six passes. His individual effort in stoppage time was a highlight, as he did well to win the ball back and jumpstart the counter, but ultimately Enrique not only strayed offside prior to the pass but also fired his shot off target anyway.

MF, Gustavo Caraballo (88′), N/A — The youngster came on late for Pasalic. He only managed six touches, completing 80% of his five passes. The four he completed were all back passes. He made some runs into the box, but the ball never arrived for him to get a chance.

That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando City’s disappointing 3-1 loss at home against Chicago. 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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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/2/25

Lions fall to Chicago Fire, Pride players in action during international break, OCB beats Chattanooga FC, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

June 2, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been staying busy at work and will cover high school lacrosse and softball this week. Our beloved Lions lost, but OCB picked up a big win, while the Pride were off over the weekend. We have plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Falls to Chicago Fire at Home

Orlando City fell 3-1 to the Chicago Fire Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium. The Lions trailed 3-0 in the first half before Alex Freeman pulled one back for Orlando just before halftime. It was not enough to spark a late comeback, as the Lions have now lost back-to-back matches within the past week. The Lions played the match without Head Coach Oscar Pareja, who was serving a one-match suspension after receiving a red card in the match against Atlanta United on Wednesday. Orlando City Assistant Coach Diego Torres was on the sidelines for this match. The Lions are off this weekend, with their next match on the road on June 14 against the Colorado Rapids.

Pride Players on International Duty

Multiple Orlando Pride players were in action over the weekend, representing their countries while away on international duty. Angelina captained the Brazil Women’s National Team, while Marta started on the bench and played in the second half as Brazil defeated Japan 3-1 in a friendly.

Barbra Banda scored for Zambia in a 1-1 friendly draw against Botswana. Grace Chanda and Prisca Chilufya also started in the match.

Pride defender Zara Chavoshi was on the bench for the Canadian Women’s National Team but did not play as Canada beat Haiti 4-1 in a friendly.

Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was on the bench as England defeated Portugal 6-0 in a UEFA Women’s Nations League matchup.

OCB Defeats Eastern Conference Leader Chattanooga FC

Orlando City B defeated Chattanooga FC 2-1 Sunday at Osceola County Stadium. Shak Mohammed scored the opening goal early in the first half for the Young Lions. Chattanooga FC found an equalizer just before halftime. In the second half, we had to wait all the way until stoppage time for another goal as Noah Levis scored the winner for OCB. The Young Lions are ninth in the Eastern Conference with 14 points. OCB will be on the road to take on Huntsville City FC Friday.

USWNT Beats China in Friendly

The U.S. Women’s National Team defeated China 3-0 Saturday at Allianz Field in St. Paul, MN in a friendly. Orlando Pride defender Emily Sams came off the bench in the second half and played 21 minutes. Fellow Pride defender Kerry Abello was on the bench but did not play. Defender Naomi Girma made her first appearance for the USWNT this year after dealing with injuries. The USWNT dominated from the start as Catarina Macario scored the opening goal in the match. Sam Coffey made it 2-0 lead just before halftime. In the second half, Lindsey Heaps scored the final goal of the match. The USWNT will be back in action Tuesday night against Jamaica at Energizer Park in St. Louis.

LAFC Defeats Club America to Qualify for FIFA Club World Cup

LAFC overcame a 1-0 deficit to defeat Club America 2-1 in extra time in a play-in game Saturday at BMO Stadium and booked its spot in the FIFA Club World Cup. LAFC trailed 1-0 through much of the match, but late in the second half, Igor Jesus scored the equalizer just before stoppage time. In extra time, Denis Bouanga scored the winning goal. LAFC will join fellow MLS sides Inter Miami and the Seattle Sounders in the FIFA Club World Cup. The tournament begins on June 14, and LAFC will face Chelsea, Flamengo, and ES Tunis in the group stage.

Paris Saint-Germain and Cruz Azul Win Continental Titles

Paris Saint-Germain finally won its first UEFA Champions League trophy, beating Inter Milan 5-0 Saturday in Munich. Desire Doue scored twice and added an assist. Achraf Hakimi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Senny Mayulu also contributed goals. Paris Saint-Germain completed the treble, winning Ligue 1, Coupe de France, and the Champions League this season. Luis Enrique became the second manager to win a treble with two different clubs, joining Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola. Paris Saint-Germain also became only the second French club to win the Champions League title, with Marseille lifting the trophy back in 1993. For Inter Milan, it was the second time in three years the club lost the final, falling to Manchester City two years ago. Inter suffered the biggest defeat in UEFA Champions League final history.

Sunday in Mexico, Cruz Azul routed the Vancouver Whitecaps 5-0 Sunday at Estadio Olimpico Universitario to win the Concacaf Champions Cup. Angel Sepulveda scored two goals as Cruz Azul dominated the matchup. The Whitecaps were unable to record a shot on target. It’s the third straight final that an MLS side has lost to a Liga MX side since 2022, when the Seattle Sounders lifted the trophy. With the win, Cruz Azul has qualified for the 2025 FIFA Intercontinental Cup and the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup.

Free Kicks

  • Tom Bogert of GiveMeSport.com shared his insight on which MLS players to watch during the summer transfer window for potential moves. Orlando City defender Alex Freeman was mentioned, as well as Charlotte FC’s Patrick Agyemang and the Chicago Fire’s Brian Gutierrez.
  • Former Orlando Pride Head Coach Tom Sermanni reflected on his time with the club. He provided insight into his journey from coaching the Pride as an expansion team, including the early challenges, Orlando’s first NWSL playoff appearance, mentoring young coaches such as Khano Smith and Seb Hines, and more.
  • Washington Spirit Head Coach Jonatan Giraldez is reportedly set to become the next manager at OL Lyonnes and will join the club in June. Assistant Coach Adrian Gonzalez will be promoted to head coach for the Spirit.
  • U.S. Men’s National Team Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has added Walker Zimmerman, Nathan Harriel, and Paxten Aaronson to the roster to replace DeJuan Jones, Sean Zawadzki, and Folarin Balogun, who are all out due to injuries. The USMNT will play friendlies against Turkey on June 7 and Switzerland on June 10.
  • The LA Galaxy finally snapped their record 16-match winless streak on Saturday, defeating Real Salt Lake 2-0.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday and I’ll see you next time.

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