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

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7 years ago

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In a match that Orlando City held more possession against one of the best possession oriented teams in the league, New York City made the most of its chances and beat the Lions 3-0 in Yankee Stadium. Orlando is now 6-1-0 with Dom Dwyer on the field this year and a woeful 0-5-1 without him. It’s safe to say he needs to get back, or something needs to change.

Here’s how each of the Lions fared individually.

Starters

GK, Joe Bendik, 5 — There’s not much that he could have done on any of the goals. The second one he could have done a little more with but ultimately it was not his fault has he looked to have been shielded and there were multiple defenders in front of him that should have cleared the ball. The biggest flaw in his game was a 60% passing accuracy. In a small field like Yankee Stadium the passing has to be better that normal and Bendik gave it up way too often, especially on poor goal kicks.

D, Donny Toia, 4.5 — In the 10th minute Toia played a perfect pass to Josué Colmán that started an Orlando City attack. Nothing came of it in the end though. Toia could have used some help on the goal but ultimately should have done better. He had two players to mark and when Tinnerholm played the ball across to Tajouri-Shradi the left back overcommitted and Tajouri-Shradi cut the ball to the inside and easily powered the ball into the back of the net. 

D, Tony Rocha, 5.5 — Rocha was surprisingly one of the best players on the field, which is highlighted by his game-high five tackles and four clearances. He was confident on the ball and finished with an 87% passing accuracy. He made a few mistakes but overall did well. In the 32nd minute Rocha was caught ball watch and it nearly led to a New York goal. On New York’s second goal, Rocha should have attacked the ball. Instead he didn’t challenge it and the ball ended up in the back of the net. On the third New York City goal, Rocha, as was each of the back four, was caught ball watching as the ball hit the crossbar twice and NYCFC had three distinct chances.

D, RJ Allen, 5 — Allen was pretty quiet on the night and was overall solid. His grade was improved because of the fact that he was playing out of position at center back. A couple of his biggest moments came against his old teammate, David Villa, and he held his own. He finished with no attacking stats at all, but three tackles, two interceptions, and three clearances. On the third New York City goal, Allen, as was each of the back four, was caught ball watching as the ball hit the cross bar twice and NYCFC had three distinct chances.

D, Will Johnson, 4.5 — An overall solid night from Johnson. On the offensive side of the ball he did not do much but he added two tackles, one interception, and three clearances. His one big mistake on the night was ball watching on the final NYCFC goal. Had he run to help Bendik, he could have prevented it, and that drops his rating some.

MF, Oriol Rosell, 4.5 — Uri made a goal-saving tackle in the 32nd minute. His sliding challenge cleared the attack out for a corner after Johnson slipped. He earned a yellow card on a hard tackle in the 78th minute in which NYCFC ended up scoring on the set piece. All Uri had to do was kick it out of bounds but he tried to be too fancy on the ball as no other Lion was near him.

MF, Cristian Higuita, 4 — Higuita was surprisingly quiet tonight, not getting in on the attack at all. Defensively he finished with four tackles, two interceptions, and one clearance but the team needed some more from him on the attacking end. He was impressive on the ball, finishing with an 84% passing accuracy on 45 passes — which was the fourth most passes among Orlando City players.

MF, Chris Mueller, 4 — Yet another player that did not do enough. The rookie failed to take a single shot, which is unacceptable from an attacking player. The best part of his night came right after half time. He made a great run to catch the NYCFC defense sleeping in the beginning of the second half. Kljestan played the ball over the top from a throw-in and Mueller was the first player to the ball and won a penalty kick. This seemed to energize Mueller and he won a ball back almost immediately after the missed penalty and then got into the right position down the line, unfortunately though he didn’t get to the ball. He then had a great ball in the 60th minute to feed in Kljestan, that did not end in anything.

MF, Sacha Kljestan, 2.5 — Statistically, Kljestan was one of the best players on the field but his night will be remember by his missed penalty. Not only did he fail to tie the game but this was a turning point in the match that gave the hosts all the momentum. The first chance of the game came from a Kljestan turnover. He gave the ball up and NYCFC went on the counter and luckily Higuita was there to slow down the attack. Heads-up play in the beginning of the second half to quickly throw in the ball. He fed Mueller perfectly and won a penalty kick. He took the spot kick and hit the post. In the 60th minute Sacha had Colmán up top or he could have went to goal but he was too slow and ended up passing the ball to NYCFC instead, looking for Meram. The 32-year-old finished with three shots, none on target, and a game high 51 passes.

MF, Justin Meram, 3.5 — Not an awful night from Meram but definitely one in which he should have done more with. Meram was selfish in the 31st minute. He had Colmán making a run down the middle but instead of playing him he kept the ball and killed the attack. He started the second half off strong. He took on two players and got a shot off that went over the bar. Good vision and ball skills in the 55th minute. He beat two players and put a cross in but it was too short and easily defended. In the 67th minute, Meram had a great turn to get free. He then took too long on the ball looking to get closer and closer to goal and get a shot off and luckily he won a free kick but he then took the kick and hit the wall. 

F, Josué Colmán, 6 (MOTM) — Colmán gets the player of the match for all of the work that he put in. He was not the best player statistically but when the rest of the Lions looked to have given up on the match he was still fighting hard to get a goal back. He had some fancy footwork in the 16th minute with three players closing in on him. He got free of them all and won a corner. In the 18th minute, Rocha cleared the ball all the way to the other end of the field and found Colmán wide open behind the New York defense. The Paraguayan cut inside and got his shot blocked but he should have went to goal with it and would have been one-on-one with Sean Johnson. The best chance in the first half for Orlando came from a shot from distance from Colmán that unfortunately hit the post. He hit the woodwork again in the 74th minute. It is questionable if he was shooting but his ball got deflected and he nearly got Orlando on the board from it. He finished with three shots, one on target, and an 88% passing accuracy.

Substitutes

D, Mohamed El-Munir (60’), 5 — El-Munir was one of the best players on the field and brought some much-needed energy to the field when he came in. He got down into the final third a few times and tried to start an attack but he was not given much help from his teammates. His passing could have been much better (69% accuracy) but he tried to create opportunities.

F, Stefano Pinho (67’), 2.5 — In the 23 minutes that Pinho was in, he got no shots off and touched the ball just four times. He had no attacking stats and just one interception on the defensive end. Being on the field for that long he needed to have done more, especially with the team being behind.

MF, José Villarreal (80’), N/A — He got his first action of the season and immediately provided a good ball looking for Pinho, who could not do anything with it. He touched the ball four times, and made three passes, of which just two were accurate. Overall there was not enough time for Villarreal to make much of an impact in his first appearance.

Vote for your Man of the Match or comment your thoughts on these game grades below.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Tony Rocha22
RJ Allen2
Josué Colmán47
Mohamed El-Munir3
Other11

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Lion Links: 6/5/25

MLS All-Star voting update, Kerry Abello shines with USWNT, Sergio Zapata earns recognition, and more.

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19 hours ago

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June 5, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this week has been treating you well as we enjoy some international soccer and prepare for the return of NWSL action this weekend. Before we jump right into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City B midfielder Dylan Judelson!

Pair of Lions Lead MLS All-Star Voting

Voting for this year’s MLS All-Star Game remains underway and an update was provided on which players are leading at each position. Orlando City defender Alex Freeman leads all right backs as he enjoys a breakout season. I was aware of the buzz he’s been getting this year, but it’s still surprising to see a Lion as an All-Star frontrunner. What’s even more surprising is that Pedro Gallese leads the voting for goalkeepers. The Peruvian made a rough gaffe last week, but has otherwise had a stellar season with Orlando that’s included seven clean sheets. Voting will close on June 11, so make sure to get those votes in before then.

Kerry Abello Impresses With USMNT

Orlando Pride defender Kerry Abello made her first appearance for the United States Women’s National Team Tuesday, playing every minute of the 4-0 win over Jamaica. The versatility she’s shown with the Pride translated well in Head Coach Emma Hayes’ system, as she was able to hold things down defensively and contribute to the attack as well. Abello could end up bringing solid depth to the USWNT as Hayes figures out the team’s future core of players. Enjoy this video from the USWNT that provides a look behind the scenes of Abello’s international debut.

Sergio Zapata Named Player of the Month

Sergio Zapata scored a whopping 11 goals for Orlando City’s U-19 team over the course of just four matches in May, winning the honor of MLS NEXT Player of the Month. He had three hat tricks last month, including one against Hoosier Premier at MLS NEXT Fest. Zapata committed to Cornell, so hopefully we’ll get to see him tear it up in the Ivy League over the next couple of years.

Zack Steffen Sustains Knee Injury

Goalkeeper Zack Steffen injured his knee at the United States Men’s National Team’s training camp and will reportedly miss this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup. It’s rough news for the 30-year-old, as he was expected to compete with Matt Turner for the starting job with the USMNT. He’s been having a great season with the Colorado Rapids and returned to the club for further evaluation on the injury.

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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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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/4/25

USWNT wins as Abello gets first cap, Orlando Pride’s Concacaf W Champions Cup draw, Club World Cup in Orlando, and more.

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2 days ago

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June 4, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Tuesday was a busy soccer day, especially on the women’s side. We have plenty of Orlando Pride news, and the USWNT secured yet another victory. I’m hoping the good vibes continue since I’ll be coming down to Orlando for the Pride’s match this Saturday. If you’re going to the match, let me know, as I’d love to meet as many of our readers as possible. For now, let’s get to the links.

USWNT Blanks Jamaica

The USWNT defeated Jamaica 4-0 in a friendly at Energizer Park in St. Louis. The Orlando Pride’s Kerry Abello got her first start and her first cap in the match. She went the full 90 minutes and almost had her first international goal in the second half, but the chance went a bit wide of the right post. Ally Sentnor and Lynn Biyendolo each scored a brace as the U.S. rolled to an easy win.

Pride Internationals

Abello wasn’t the only Pride player to make an international appearance. Marta returned to international duty for Brazil getting the start and the captain’s armband in a 2-1 win over Japan. Both Grace Chanda and Barbra Banda started for Zambia in the 2-0 loss to South Africa in the Three Nations Challenge. Congratulations are also due to Zara Chavoshi, who earned her first cap with the Canadian Women’s National Team in the match against Haiti.

Concacaf W Champions Cup Draw

The Concacaf W Champions Cup draw happened yesterday and the Orlando Pride are in Group A with Club America Femenil, CF Pachuca Femenil, LD Alajuelense, and Chorrillo FC. Group B consists of NJ/NY Gotham FC, the Washington Spirit, CF Monterrey Femenil, Vancouver Rise FC Academy, and Alianza Women FC. The competition kicks off Aug. 19-21.

FIFA Loves Orlando

FIFA President Gianni Infantino sat for an interview with Jamie Seh of WKMG Orlando. Infantino spoke about the upcoming Club World Cup matches at Inter&Co Stadium and Camping World Stadium. FIFA loves Orlando enough for the city to host the Club World Cup, but not the actual World Cup. Here is the schedule for the matches in Orlando. We will be bringing you coverage of these matches.

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

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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.

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3 days 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.

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  • 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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