Orlando City
Orlando City vs. LA Galaxy: Player Grades and Man of the Match
Orlando City tossed away more home points tonight in a loss that should at least have been a draw if not for a bad penalty take in the first half. The team has completed yet another horrible May stretch (1-4-0) and will now go on the road for the entirety of June (although that’s only three total matches), making these lost points even more painful.
Let’s take a look at how everyone performed.
Starters
GK, Brian Rowe, 6 — It’s difficult to really give a grade to a guy who was largely a spectator in the match, as the Orlando goalkeeper was rarely called into action. Rowe had a great outlet pass to Nani in the 15th minute to send the team on the counter in his fist notable involvement of the game. I’m not sure he could have done much about the dos Santos screamer that beat him with extreme power. That was the only shot he faced in the first half and the only one to find the target all game long as LA’s other three attempts missed.
D, Joao Moutinho, 5.5 — The Portuguese youngster left a pair of crosses too close to David Bingham early on, which could have been dangerous chances for Tesho Akindele. He got caught inside on an LA cross in the buildup to the opening goal. In the 23rd minute he had a good opportunity to cross on the break and put the pass behind the end line. He made his best cross at the end of the 72nd minute that led to a corner. Moutinho grew into the game somewhat, becoming more dangerous as the second half wound down. Though he was officially 0-for-7 in crossing accuracy, he did put the ball into some dangerous spots after halftime but no one got to them. He closed the game with just 75% passing accuracy, a tackle, and a clearance.
D, Robin Jansson, 6 — The beefy Swede sent a powerful free kick over the net in the 18th minute. He had some bad luck clearing a cross a minute later that fell perfectly for Jonathan dos Santos to open the scoring and a giveaway with a loose touch in the 25th that nearly led to an LA counter. Made a big stop to cut off a counter attack in the 66th minute with a sliding tackle. He took a tactical foul yellow late to quell an LA counter. His 90% passing rate was behind only Sebas Mendez among those with at least nine attempts. He made one tackle and had a team high three clearances.
D, Lamine Sané, 5.5 — Lamine had a bit of a quiet first half with perhaps his most memorable play being a missed tackle on Emil Cuello that led to a dangerous attack. He was culpable on a scoring chance early in the second half by not stepping up but was bailed out by a shot over the bar. In the 61st, he failed to communicate with a backtracking midfielder — something that we’ve seen happen repeatedly in recent weeks — and as a result no one played the ball that luckily rolled where only Rowe could get it. He made one tackle with two interceptions and two clearances, with an 87% passing rate.
D, Ruan 6.5 — The Brazilian speedster drew a yellow card in the 17th minute as Emil Cuello was afraid he might beat Bingham to the ball, setting up a set piece. He sent a fantastic cross to Mueller in the 21st that should have led to a scoring chance. His 71st-minute cross led to a shot on target from Nani after he mesmerized the defense. His 71.4% passing rate wasn’t great but six of his eight incomplete passes came in the congested final third. Defensively, he made three tackles and one clearance, with three dribbles, and drew two free kicks. He unfortunately just about disappeared from the game once Kyle Smith was introduced.
MF, Cristian Higuita, 6 — The Colombian made his second straight start and had a bit of a quiet first half despite three tackles, an interception, and a passing rate of 89%. He didn’t get forward much and managed to get dispossessed twice when he did. His giveaway in the 51st sent LA on the break and he was lucky not to concede a free kick in a good spot after contact with Sebastian Lletget. He finished with five tackles and a passing rate that dipped to 84.8%, while connecting on five of seven long balls.
MF, Sebas Mendez, 6.5 (MotM) — Mendez did well to win a penalty in the 31st minute by taking the ball from dos Santos in the area. Moments later he sent a sky ball header that was easy for Bingham on a counter in which the cross may have been intended for Mueller behind him of whom he was unaware. He led all starters with a 93.7% passing rate, with one key pass and went five out of six on long ball accuracy. He tied Higuita for the team lead in tackles, with five, and made two interceptions and a clearance. He still has moments where he fails to track trailing runners and sometimes gambles a bit, but he was the team’s best player on this night in my opinion.
MF, Will Johnson, 6 — Will’s early shot in the fourth minute was one he’ll want back, sending it well over the bar from just outside the area. He drew a free kick just outside the area late in what was his typical workmanlike first half. Did well to steal a ball in the 64th but then split Nani and Mueller to give it right back at the top of the box. Defensively, Johnson had two tackles and a clearance to his credit. His 88.5% passing accuracy was good and he had one key pass, going four of five on long balls.
F, Nani, 4.5 — It wasn’t the sharpest night for Nani. The captain’s passing was a bit off in the first half — including getting a cross blocked out for a corner on a 15th-minute counter attack with numbers — though he did connect well with the flanks. His first-half passing chart showed green around the edges but everything toward goal was red. For the second consecutive game he missed a penalty with a stutter-step approach when he could have simply gone for power. He did get a free kick on target in first-half stoppage time to force a Bingham save but it wasn’t a difficult one. He missed the net early in the second half with Bingham out of position. He made a good cross in the 66th but it was cut out for a corner. He did well to get on a deflected cross in the 71st minute to get a shot on target but he didn’t hit it solidly enough to get it by the goalkeeper. In the end, Nani sent eight shots toward the net, getting three on target, made two key passes on an overall 81% passing night, with one tackle and an interception. The grade may look harsh, but this wasn’t a good enough performance on a night when Dom Dwyer was unavailable to help the offense. although he admittedly didn’t get much help from his fellow forwards either.
F, Tesho Akindele, 4 — The Canadian striker had a bit of a quiet first half and his most notable play may have been a loose touch that wrecked a late counter attack. He was initially sent in behind but lost his advantage taking possession and then lost it with an unforced error at the top of the area. He made a good play early in the second half to keep the ball from Bingham, feeding Nani who unfortunately couldn’t hit the empty net. His quiet night ended in the 56th minute with just 32 touches and a 75% passing rate, though he did make two key passes and four tackles. He failed to record a shot and had five unstable touches — the most on the team.
F, Chris Mueller, 5 — Mueller was a bit sloppy with his first touch several times and faded a bit during the game, almost as if he’d played four games in 13 days, on both sides of the continent. He started strong by forcing a good save from Bingham in just the second minute. He went back to refusing to shoot in the 21st minute when Orlando had a chance to pull the goal right back, then got dispossessed without even getting off a shot attempt. Moments later he had a heavy touch on the attack and was forced to play wide for Moutinho instead of getting into the area. Mueller’s header off a corner in the 73rd minute forced a great save from Bingham on his best shot of the night. He got two of his three shots on target and passed at a 79% rate with one key pass and chipped in a clearance on defense.
Substitutes
D, Kyle Smith (56’), 3.5 — The danger on the right side faded as soon as Ruan started moving around the pitch when Smith was introduced. His 86% passing is deceptive as he got no accurate crosses into the danger zone (on three attempts) and in fact struggled to even get one into the area without being blocked. He made one clearance and a tackle and bundled a shot on target on a set piece but he knew little about it and the trickling ball was cleared off the line easily.
MF, Sacha Kljestan (67’), 5 — The former Red Bulls captain was put on to try to connect more passes in the final third, and he did manage two key passes in his abbreviated stint but his overall passing was just 72.4% as the Galaxy parked the bus and Orlando couldn’t break them down.
F, Josué Colmán (83’), N/A — Another late cameo from the Paraguayan didn’t amount to much. It wasn’t bad, but he was only on the pitch about 11 minutes counting stoppage time. He took a weak shot that trickled slowly in for an easy scoop by Bingham. He completed all eight of his passing attempts and two were key passes but perhaps he should have come on earlier for an obviously tired Mueller.
That’s how I saw the individual performances against the Galaxy. What did you think? Please tell us in the comments section and vote for your Man of the Match in our poll below.
Polling Closed
| Player | Votes |
| Ruan | 17 |
| Sebas Mendez | 23 |
| Cristian Higuita | 11 |
| Will Johnson | 6 |
| Other (let us know who in the comments below) | 4 |
Lion Links
Lion Links: 7/14/26
Marco Pasalic transfer rumor, Marta up for weekly award, MLS transfer roundup, and more.
Good morning, everyone. I write to you from Texas, specifically Dallas, as I was in Austin to see friends over the weekend and decided to pop up the road to take in the energy of the World Cup semifinal that will be played in the city later today. I won’t be attending the game, since I don’t wish to sell one of my kidneys but am looking forward to mingling with some of the fans who have traveled here for it. We’ve got a lot to talk about this morning, so let’s get into the links.
Marco Pasalic Transfer Rumor
There have been some quiet rumblings for awhile now that Marco Pasalic may leave Orlando City during the summer transfer window. We now have a more concrete report regarding a potential departure, as the streets are saying that the winger is set to sign for newly promoted Hull City, with a price tag of at least €7 million.
If the move does come to pass, it would reunite him with manager Sergej Jakirovic, who he briefly played for during his time at HNK Rijeka. Jakirovic also stated in a recent interview that he wants to sign Pasalic, so this is a rumor that could have some legs.
Marta Up for Weekly Honors
The Orlando Pride picked up an excellent win on Friday by knocking off the Kansas City Current 3-0, and Marta has been rewarded for her efforts in the victory with a nomination for the NWSL Player of the Week. The Brazilian legend bagged the team’s first goal shortly after halftime, when she found herself in space well outside the box and unleashed a low left-footed drive into the bottom corner for her 50th goal as a Pride player. For some reason, she was snubbed in the Goal of the Week voting despite her impressive strike, so make sure you go vote for her for Player of the Week!
MLS Transfer Roundup
With the MLS summer transfer window opening on Monday, we’ve got a slew of moves to get caught up on. We begin with confirmation of an item that we covered in Monday’s Links, as Nathan Ordaz has officially moved to D.C. United in exchange for up to $2.875 million. The New England Revolution have extended Matt Turner’s loan from Lyon, with the new deal lasting through December. It also has an option to extend the loan again until December 2027, after which the Revs have a purchase option. Atlanta United has signed Paraguayan center back Junior Alonso on a free transfer, with his deal running through the 2028-2029 season. Finally, Charlotte FC has announced the signing of forward Allan Saint-Maximin as a Designated Player. He will occupy the DP slot vacated by Wilfried Zaha.
USWNT Announces Fall Friendlies
The United States Women’s National Team has announced that it will play a pair of October friendlies against Spain in a matchup of the reigning World Cup champions against the reigning Olympic champions. The USWNT will face the top-ranked team in the world on Oct. 10 at Audi Field in Washington D.C., and again on Oct. 13 at Subaru Park in Chester, PA. The Oct. 10 match will also have a pregame retirement celebration for USWNT defender Crystal Dunn. This will be just the fourth time that the two teams have faced each other, with the U.S. winning two of the three previous meetings. The two friendlies will be the last games that the USWNT plays before beginning World Cup qualifying.
Previewing France vs. Spain
The World Cup semifinals begin today, with France and Spain set to throw down in Dallas. For France, the stars are too many to count, with Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, and Michael Olise all taking turns lighting up both the field and the scoreboard for the team that has made back-to-back appearances in the final. As far as Spain goes, all the focus is on Lamine Yamal, as the young winger has been key to Spain’s success despite scoring just one goal. If Nico Williams is able to start on the opposite wing, the French won’t be able to key so heavily on Yamal, and it could open up more space for him in which to operate. The matchup between the youngster and Lucas Digne will be key, as will the ability of either Mikel Oyarzabal or Ferran Torres to be effective up top for Spain.
Free Kicks
- Former Lion Daryl Dike is leaving West Bromwich Albion. We know a team that just traded a striker.
- Debinha has signed a contract extension with the Kansas City Current.
- Hydration breaks will reportedly be a key element in future negotiations for soccer media rights.
- Manchester United is reportedly in advanced negotiations to sign midfielder Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa.
- Pau Cubarsi has pushed back on comments made by Spain’s former prime minister Mariano Rajoy, in which he claimed that France “don’t have any French players.”
That’s all I’ve got for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 7/13/26
Pride and OCB win, Maxime Crepeau to compete in MLS All-Star Skills Challenge, Latest MLS transfer roundup, and more.
Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been very busy at work, but I look forward to watching the 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinals and final this week. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.
Pride Shut Out Kansas City Current at Home
The Orlando Pride defeated the Kansas City Current 3-0 at Inter&Co Stadium Friday night, bouncing back from a tough outing at Angel City the previous week. After a scoreless first half, Marta scored the opener from long distance to give Orlando the lead. Hannah Anderson and Barbra Banda added a goal apiece as the Pride have won three out of their last four league matches. Goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse earned a clean sheet in her 100th appearance for the club. Orlando remains eighth in the NWSL table with 20 points. The Pride will be back in action at home Wednesday, taking on Boston Legacy at Inter&Co Stadium.
OCB Wins at FC Cincinnati 2
Orlando City B beat FC Cincinnati 2 by a 2-1 scoreline at NKU Soccer Stadium in Highland Heights, KY on Sunday. Issah Haruna’s goal gave the Young Lions the lead in the first half. In the second half, Cincinnati leveled the match, but Matthew Belgodere scored the winner on the road. That result pulls the Young Lions into third in the MLS NEXT Pro Eastern Conference standings with 33 points, just one point off leaders Chattanooga FC. OCB will be away for another road test Saturday against Chattanooga FC at Finley Stadium.
Orlando City Reportedly Submits Transfer Offer for Alex Moreno
Orlando City has reportedly submitted a transfer offer to sign Girona defender Alex Moreno. No agreement has been reached between the two sides, and conversations remain ongoing, according to reports. Moreno made 31 appearances for Girona last season in La Liga and recorded three assists. The 33-year-old left back remains under contract with Girona through 2027, but the club was relegated from La Liga to La Liga 2 last season. Several European clubs have also expressed interest in signing Moreno, including La Liga sides Real Betis and Rayo Vallecano.
Crepeau to Compete in MLS All-Star Skills Challenge
Orlando City goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau will compete in the 2026 MLS All-Star Skills Challenge at Truist Field in Charlotte on July 28, the club announced Friday. The competition will feature top players from Major League Soccer and Liga MX competing to test their soccer skills on the pitch. Five skills challenge competitions are featured, including the All-Star Goalie Wars, All-Star Crossbar Challenge, and the MLS vs. Liga MX Relay Challenge. Each competition will crown its own champion this year, switching from the traditional MLS-versus-opponent format used in previous years.
Latest MLS Transfer Roundup
According to Tom Bogert of The Athletic, Sporting Kansas City has emerged as a potential option to sign former Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah.
D.C. United has reportedly acquired forward Nathan Ordaz from LAFC.
Meanwhile, the Seattle Sounders have reportedly traded defender Cody Baker to the New England Revolution.
Free Kicks
- Former Lion Silvester van der Water has signed with Cambodian Premier League side Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng FC.
- Ted Lasso actor Cristo Fernandez, who plays Dani Rojas in the show, made his professional debut for USL Championship side El Paso Locomotive over the weekend.
- FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed that the organization will examine expanding the men’s World Cup from 48 to 64 teams after the 2026 tournament concludes.
- Senegal has fired manager Pape Thiaw following its Round of 32 defeat to Belgium in the World Cup.
That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.
Orlando City
Orlando City Trades Duncan McGuire to Houston Dynamo
The Lions send the 2023 first-round pick to Houston for a pile of Garberbucks.
Orlando no longer runs on Duncan as Orlando City has traded 2023 first-round draft pick Duncan McGuire to the Houston Dynamo. The big striker with the even bigger smile and the back flips joins the Dynamo, with the Lions receiving $600,000 in 2026 General Allocation Money (GAM), $400,000 in 2027 GAM, and $250,000 in 2027-2028 GAM. The return could also include up to $1.15 million in GAM add-ons if certain performance metrics are met. OCSC will retain a percentage of any sell-on by Houston.
It became clear that something was up with McGuire, as he did not dress for Orlando City’s friendly against Tampa Bay on Wednesday.
“Duncan has meant a great deal to this club since the day he arrived in Orlando,” Orlando City General Manager and Sporting Director Ricardo Moreira said in a club press release. “His resilience, determination, and willingness to fight through challenges both on and off the field have earned the respect of everyone throughout our organization. He has played a major role in our success over the last several years, and when the opportunity arose, we wanted to ensure it was a move that made sense for both Duncan and the club. We’re grateful for everything he has given to Orlando City and wish him and his family nothing but success in this next chapter.”
The Lions selected McGuire out of Creighton with the No. 6 overall selection in the first round of the 2023 MLS SuperDraft. Although he was not a Generation Adidas player, the striker had signed a pre-draft contract with the league, meaning Orlando City didn’t need to spend time agreeing to a contract. The 6-foot-1 forward quickly became a starter for the Lions during his rookie year, and put together back-to-back, double-digit goal-scoring seasons in his first two professional seasons. Now in his fourth pro year, McGuire has appeared in 85 MLS matches (45 starts) for the Lions, scoring 29 goals and adding eight assists. In all competitions, McGuire has contributed 32 goals and nine assists in 109 appearances (55 starts).
Once one of the most promising up-and-coming American strikers in any league after his 24 goals across his first two MLS campaign, Mcguire underwent surgery on both shoulders in separate procedures after the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs, which have restricted his availability, affected his form, and have limited him to just five goals and three assists in his last 29 matches. He has sat behind various other strikers starting in his place the last couple of seasons, including Ramiro Enrique, Luis Muriel, and Justin Ellis.
After his breakout rookie campaign, in which the Omaha, NE native scored 14 goals, he was courted by several teams in Europe. He signed with Blackburn Rovers in 2024, only to see the transfer rejected by the English Football League due to an administrative error by the EFL Championship club. Upon his return, the Creighton product signed his most recent contract on Aug. 22, 2024, locking him down through 2027 with a club option for 2028. That deal now belongs to the Dynamo.
McGuire’s hot start to his professional career had him climbing the U.S. Men’s National Team player pool. Gregg Berhalter called him up to the USMNT for the first time in January 2024 ahead of the team’s friendly against Slovenia. The striker made his first USMNT appearance in that match, coming off the bench to replace Brian White on Jan. 20, 2024, in a 1-0 loss. That is his only cap to date, although he had previously appeared nine times and scored one goal for the U.S. U-23 side.
The 2022 Hermann Trophy winner spent three seasons at Creighton, where he appeared in 24 games (23 starts) in his final (junior) season, logging 1,591 college minutes. McGuire scored 23 goals and added three assists in 2022.
What It Means for Orlando City
It makes sense to deal a striker making a base salary of $600,000 ($921,000 in total guaranteed compensation) if he can’t crack the starting lineup. While some of that comes down to coaching decisions and other players emerging, it didn’t help McGuire that he struggled to regain the consistent form he showed in his first two years in Orlando. In the end, this is a bit of a blow financially to the club, as the initial agreement with Blackburn was for a reported $4 million. He now departs for considerably less money, but his value understandably dropped with his production and the two shoulder surgeries.
McGuire is still just 25 years old, and sitting out after two surgeries means he has fewer miles on his legs than many players his age. He could still regain the form that saw him score 14 times in 2023 and 10 more times in 2024 and had the USMNT and European clubs paying attention. Orlando City will hope that he returns to form, because that will influence how much GAM the club eventually receives for this transaction.
A fan favorite since his arrival, McGuire will be missed, and while the Lions could perhaps have benefitted from getting a player back in return to bolster an area of need, the influx of GAM can help accomplish the same goal.
McGuire’s departure appears to solidify Justin Ellis’ position on the first team, although his play in the first half of the season likely already did that. It may also open up more minutes for Tiago. But the trade also tells us that unless a new striker is brought in, the Lions will play without a traditional target striker for the time being, allowing players who have typically either played as wingers, attacking midfielders, or false nines to have the freedom to fluidly change positions and force defenders out of their comfort zones when it comes to coverage. Martin Ojeda, Antoine Griezmann, Ellis, Ivan Angulo, Marco Pasalic, and the team’s fullbacks will be harder to keep tabs on under such a system.
Whether it will work or if it will further stress the team’s shoddy transition defense (or both) remains to be seen.
Lion Links: 7/14/26
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