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Orlando City

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

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5 years ago

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Orlando City started out hot in its last match of the 2019 MLS season as Tesho Akindele scored early. But the team fell apart in the second half and lost to the Chicago Fire 5-2 at Exploria Stadium. The Fire scored three goals in seven minutes in the second half to ultimately seal the win. Here’s how everyone individually performed in the tough loss at home.

Starters

GK, Brian Rowe, 4 — He probably should have done better with the first goal. Rowe led with his feet to try and clear the initial cross but missed, and it led to Kyle Smith’s own goal. Rowe made a good save in the 30th minute. Brandt Bronico sent a good shot on frame and Rowe made the diving, fingertip save to keep the score tied at one. I’m not sure what he was doing on the fifth Fire goal, which popped up off his hands then he stood and watched Przemyslaw Frankowski walk by and head it in. He finished with five saves, but the big number here is the five goals allowed. Not all of them were his fault, but he did not have a good match.

D, Kamal Miller, 4 — Miller attempted to defend Aleksandar Katai in the 17th minute. Katai was no match though, and literally spun Miller around, before sending a great ball to C.J. Sapong that resulted in the tying goal. Katai toyed with Miller on the third Chicago goal, working his way into position and freeing himself up for the shot. The rookie had just one tackle in the match and struggled defensively.

D, Robin Jansson, 6 — Just after the half hour mark, he went up to clear a ball. Sapong pushed Jansson while he was in the air and the defender collapsed onto Kyle Smith’s knee. The medical team immediately came onto the field, and Jansson had to be stretchered off the field. He finished with 14 touches, one tackle, and two clearances. The good news is our Michael Citro talked to him after the game and Jansson said he was OK.

D, Kyle Smith, 3.5 — Smith scored the second goal of the match, but in the wrong net. He attempted to defend Sapong but was on the wrong side of the forward. Smith got back into the correct position but wasn’t able to clear the ball and scored an own goal. On Chicago’s third goal, Smith defended awfully as Katai toyed with him before scoring. Minutes later he dove in but missed the ball completely as Przemyslaw Frankowski back heeled the Fire’s fourth goal. Still, he was tied for the most tackles on the team (three) and clearances (four).

D, Ruan, 6 — Ruan did what he did best in the 11th minute. He intercepted a pass in the defensive end and then burst onto the other side of the field. He glided by Nicolás Gaitán, but then Francisco Calvo came in with a hard tackle and Ruan stayed down on the field. After the trainers looked at him, Ruan was able to get back up and stay in the game. He had a typical night making runs and finished with three tackles and a clearance. Offensively though, he did not add too much.

MF, Uri Rosell, 6 — Rosell had a very quiet first half, although he did finish with the most touches out of both teams (46). He also had the most passes (45). He continued that production in the second half, finishing with 83 passes and an impressive 89% passing accuracy. He had three shots, one on target, and one key pass. Defensively, Rosell had one tackle, one interception, and two clearances. He was quiet on the night, but solid in the middle of the field.

MF, Will Johnson, 6 — Johnson did an excellent job defending in the 27th minute. Jansson pushed up but lost the ball, and Johnson expertly dropped into the back line. Frankowski got the ball over the top and Johnson fought for a goal kick. He finished with two shots, one on target. He was one of the best defenders for the Lions with four clearances and a tackle before being subbed out for Sacha Kljestan. He had a 91% passing accuracy — second highest in the game behind Chicago’s Johan Kappelhof.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 6.5 — On the opening goal, Pereyra showed his vision and passing ability as he found Michel over the top, and was awarded an assist. In the 22nd minute, he gave a one touch pass from Nani that freed Akindele in the box. Akindele should have scored as it was a perfect pass from Pereyra. He had a fantastic dummy in the 42nd minute to feed the ball into Michel, a great play as there were three defenders around him. He had a brainless, lazy foul in the 69th minute but nothing came of the free kick. He ended the match with three key passes. His greatest ability is his vision and he was a key part of the match.

F, Nani, 4 — Orlando City started the match with plenty of energy and this was evident just seconds into the game when Nani committed a foul. He got a yellow card in stoppage time of the first half for yelling at the referee. He sent a perfect ball into Tesho in the 54th minute and the forward hit the post on the header, but was offside anyway. In the 93rd minute, he should’ve scored when one-on-one with Kenneth Kronholm but hit the right post. He had no key passes, just one shot on target, and was not a big factor in the match.

F, Tesho Akindele, 5 — He opened the scoring in the fifth minute. His shot hit the post, then Kenneth Kronholm’s heel, and trickled in the back of the net to get to 10 goals on the year — a career high. He should have had his brace in the 22nd minute. After a perfect pass from Pereyra, Akindele was one-on-one with Kronholm, but shot it right at the goalkeeper. That was about all he did in the match and was quiet the rest of the game. If not for his goal, his grade would be much lower. He finished with two shots, both on target, and two key passes.

F, Benji Michel, 7 (MotM) — The rookie made a good run in the second minute that ended with a tactical foul from Johan Kappelhof. He then immediately got into the box and just missed on the rebound. Minutes later, his tenacity played a part in the first goal. Later on, when he got his chance he put it in the back of the net. Kljestan played a great through ball and Michel beat Kronholm one-on-one to score. In the 85th minute, he should’ve score again but took one touch too many. Even when the match was well and decided, Michel still kept fighting, kept getting in good positions, and kept trying to find the back of the net. The rookie finished with five shots, four on target, three key passes, and was the most threatening player on the field.

Substitutes

D, Shane O’Neill (36’), 3 — The defender came on for Jansson and O’Neill didn’t have much work to do in the first half, his only defensive stats were two clearances. He did have 10 passes in those 10 minutes, all completed. His first true defensive action was in the 52nd minute. Frankowski had the ball inside the 18, and O’Neill did well to eliminate any real options and Frankowski could only shoot right at him. He should have done better on Sapong’s goal and he watched Frankowski score the fifth goal instead of challenging him on the goal line. The defender ended the match with four clearances and no tackles.

MF, Sacha Kljestan (55’), 5 — He missed a wide open goal just after coming on, albeit from a tight angle and just a couple of seconds after he’d threaded a perfect ball through the defense to Akindele. The ball came from his right and he took a left foot shot but hit the outside of the post. In 35 minutes he tied Pereyra and Michel for the team’s most chances created. He had a nice pass in the 74th minute and showed some clinical vision with a perfect assist to Michel. In addition to Kljestan’s three key passes, 19 total passes on 24 touches, and a 79% passing accuracy.

F, Chris Mueller (80’), N/A — A few minutes after coming on, he sent a cross from Kljestan back across the box to Michel with his head. Michel couldn’t finish but it was an excellent headed pass from Mueller. Still, Mueller was in alone and decided to pass instead of shoot. An odd decision from the second-year player. He had no shots and four passes on five touches.

That’s how I saw things. What did you think? Be sure to vote for your Man of the Match in the poll below.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Will Johnson4
Mauricio Pereyra1
Benji Michel11
Uri Rosell12
Other2

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Orlando City

Orlando City at Philadelphia Union: Three Keys to Victory

What does Orlando City need to do to earn all three points on the road at Philadelphia?

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3 hours ago

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May 9, 2024

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Orlando City travels to the City of Brotherly Love hoping to get back on the winning track against the Philadelphia Union. The Union are currently in eighth place in the Eastern Conference with 14 points, and have a 3-2-5 record overall. However, the Union are 1-2-1 at home. Subaru Park hasn’t been the fortress it was in 2023 — though Orlando City did give them their first home loss last season.

Of course, the Lions are riding a two-match losing streak heading into this match. What does Orlando City need to do to take all three points from the Union on the road?

Defense, Defense, Defense

The Union have scored 19 goals so far this season and over half of them have come from Daniel Gazdag (6), and Julian Carranza (4). Obviously, stopping those two is a priority. However, the Union also have excellent midfielders in Alejandro Bedoya and Jack McGlynn — the two players that scored in the Union’s last match against DC United.

I feel like a broken record, but Orlando City’s defense needs to stop making the dumb mistakes that have resulted in way too many goals this season. Philadelphia’s attackers will punish the Lions if that is allowed to happen yet again. So please, for the sake of my sanity, stop giving up the stupid goals.

Score Some *%$#ing Goals

The Union have given up 16 goals so far this season. Philadelphia is not some impenetrable defense, meaning the Lions should have chances to score against the Union. The bigger questions is: Will Orlando City find the back of the net? The dearth of goals so far this season is a great source of frustration for all who support this club. It’s not necessarily the shots that go in — though that does stink — but the missed opportunities.

Orlando City has had more passes/crosses just past a toe or just over a head, and more bobbled balls at a player’s feet than I care to count this season. The missed opportunities are a good reason for the results we’ve seen. I’ve spent plenty of time wishing for Facundo Torres, Luis Muriel, and Martin Ojeda to start scoring. Now, I’ll be happy with any player putting it in the back of the net. Robin Jansson header? Yes, please. Michael Halliday deflects it in with his face? I’ll take it. Own goal by the opposition? Bring it on. Just score some darn goals.

Find the Formula

I’m not certain why it’s taking Oscar Pareja so long to figure out the balance for this club. Most of the players from last season are there, but for some reason the recipe is off. There are a few new players and there have been some injuries to deal with, but the switch needs to be flipped. Pareja needs to figure out which players can turn it around.

It might be the players who haven’t made the necessary adjustments. Perhaps it’s just bad luck. Regardless, every coach and player needs to pull it together to get the ship righted. Preseason expectations might need to be adjusted, but we can still hold out hope for a turnaround. This weekend against the Union is a perfect time for that to start.

That is what I will be looking for Saturday night. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/9/24

Get to know Wilder Cartagena, Orlando Pride get ready for Bay FC, Orlando City B wins, and more.

Published

6 hours ago

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May 9, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this week hasn’t been too hectic for you. There’s been plenty of soccer to enjoy over the past few days and I’m looking forward to the weekend slate of games as well. But for now, let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world!

Learning More About Wilder Cartagena

Orlando City midfielder Wilder Cartagena was the latest Lion to field questions for fans to learn more about the players. The 29-year-old discussed growing up playing soccer in Peru as a child, as well as having to spend time away from family and friends to fulfill his dreams as a professional player. Cartagena also talked about how important his friendship with Pedro Gallese is, as the two have played together at both the club level and internationally with Peru. It’s a fun interview and I’m glad we have Cartagena here in Orlando.

Pride Prepare to Host Bay FC

The Orlando Pride are on a five-game win streak and will look to make it six when they take on Bay FC for the first time ever on Saturday. Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on the difficulty of the team’s past few matches, along with the importance of getting wins in those games. Bay FC is in 12th in the standings, but Hines noted how this week’s opponent has plenty of talented attackers. Saturday’s match could be a tough one for Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse, and she talked about the team’s grit and determination to close out games for points this season. Moorhouse also credited her back line for the Pride’s three shutouts this season.

OCB Secures First Win at Home

It took a few games, but Orlando City B won at Osceola Heritage Park for the first time this season after a 3-1 win over New York Red Bulls II. The Young Lions didn’t make it easy on themselves, but ultimately held on for the win after scoring twice early on. It’s nice for OCB to put another tally in the win column to climb up the conference standings. The Young Lions will be back in action next Wednesday with a road match against Columbus Crew 2.

Champions League Final is Set

The semifinal matchup between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich lived up to expectations, with Real Madrid advancing after a dramatic finish. Bayern was up to the task on the road and took the lead in the second half thanks to a goal from Alphonso Davies. But Real Madrid did what it always does, with Joselu scoring two late goals in quick succession. Bayern nearly had an equalizer, but a player was ruled offside and it couldn’t be checked as the flag was raised and whistle blown before the attack fully played out. It all sets up for a final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund on June 1 at Wembley Stadium. Dortmund will be the clear underdog, but the German club has proven capable of taking down some of Europe’s best this tournament.

Free Kicks

  • St. Louis City is reportedly interested in signing Marco Reus once his contract with Dortmund ends this summer, although talks are just in the preliminary stage at this point.
  • Not a single Pride player was named to the NWSL’s Best XI of the Month for the months of April and May. While I can see the reasoning behind each inclusion, it’s crazy that Angelina, Marta, Summer Yates, or Emily Sams didn’t earn a spot in the eyes of the league’s voters.
  • American midfielder Keyrol Figueroa has signed with Liverpool’s first team. The 17-year-old has risen through the ranks of Liverpool’s youth system and scored seven goals for the U.S. in the 2023 Concacaf U-17 Championship.
  • Luis Rubiales will face trial for one count of sexual assault for kissing Jenni Hermoso and a count of coercion for his actions in the aftermath. The former head coach of the Spanish women’s national team, Jorge Vilda, is also accused of coercion, along with Sporting Director Albert Luque and the federation’s head of marketing, Ruben Rivera.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/8/24

Orlando Pride move up in power rankings, OCSC will celebrate Pride Month, Orlando City B plays tonight, and more.

Published

1 day ago

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May 8, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. We’re halfway through the week and I hope you’re doing well. Personally, I love Wednesdays, because in my job they are effectively my “Friday,” as my day off is on Thursday. So, as such, I love bringing you the news to start out your midweek morning. Let’s get to the links.

Orlando Pride Nearly Top Power Rankings

The Orlando Pride are at the top of the NWSL standings with 18 points, and are riding a five-match winning streak while staying undefeated so far this season. If you thought that would be enough for the team to top ESPN‘s NWSL power rankings, you’d be wrong. The Pride actually came in at second despite all the factors I listed above, with the Kansas City Current ranked above them. Even more shocking is that the writer admits he doesn’t have much of a reason for not ranking the Pride first. I’m not sure what to do with my hands.

Orlando Soccer Matches Will Celebrate Pride Month

Orlando City and the Orlando Pride will recognize Pride Month during a pair of matches in June at Inter&Co Stadium. The Pride are set to host the Utah Royals on June 21 and the Lions will then host the Chicago Fire on June 22. Both matches will include celebrating Orlando’s LGBTQ+ community and honoring the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting. There are plenty of additional events throughout Pride Month in the Greater Orlando Area as well. I will be at those matches and I hope to see you there as well.

Orlando City B Hosts New York Red Bulls II Tonight

OCB will try to follow up a result on the road with its first result at home tonight at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee. Forwards Yutaro Tsukada and Shak Mohammed lead the attack for the Young Lions as the club plays only its third home match of the season — and only the second at its actual home field. There’s plenty to look for from OCB as it takes on New York Red Bulls II at 7 p.m. Try to make it to the match if you are able.

U.S. Soccer Doubles Down

The battle between the USWNT and U.S. Soccer over equal pay has been going on for years. Now, U.S. Soccer has reportedly employed Washington D.C. lobbying firms to provide what the organization asserts are “accurate information and factual numbers” to policy makers. Spokespersons for the players’ associations of both the USWNT and USMNT expressed disappointment regarding the move by U.S. Soccer. The issue is front and center as two congresswomen have proposed legislation to block funding for the 2026 World Cup unless equal pay is enacted.

Free Kicks

  • Were you wondering how good Barbra Banda has been since arriving in Orlando? Me neither, but here is a cool stat from OptaJack on her shot production.
  • Orlando City fans know all too well how good FC Cincinnati’s Luciano Acosta is at scoring goals. Now, the striker is in the process of becoming a naturalized citizen of the U.S. and expressed a desire to play for the USMNT. It would be nice to have him score goals for a team I support.
  • Nottingham Forest’s point reduction appeal was rejected by the independent board overseeing the decision. Only three points separate Nottingham from Luton Town and the relegation zone with two matches left this season.
  • I know that some Orlando City fans were hoping to see Thiago Silva join the Lions after he left Chelsea, but that rumor never made sense financially, and the defender has chosen to rejoin his old Brazilian club, Fluminense.
  • It’s not often that someone follows up an unpopular decision with an even more unpopular explanation for that decision, but that is exactly what MLS Commissioner Don Garber did when explaining that the U.S. Open Cup didn’t offer a competition that “drives value” and that “rises to the level where fans care about it.” I’m sure everyone will now understand the decision. Well done, Commish.

That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the Orlando City and Orlando Pride matches this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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