Connect with us

Orlando City

Orlando City at Philadelphia Union: Player Grades and Man of the Match

Published

8 years ago

on

Well, Orlando City isn’t going undefeated in 2016. And the first loss of the season almost didn’t happen tonight. The Lions were staring down the barrel of a 1-1 road draw in icy Philadelphia tonight until Tranquillo Barnetta’s unstoppable free kick gave the hosts a 2-1 victory.

The Lions (2-1-2, 8 points) were just moments away from a vital point but just like last year, a set piece did them in. And you could see it coming, as they failed to defend set pieces well all night, although, in fairness, there was nothing anyone could really do about Barnetta’s kick. Philadelphia (3-2-0, 9 points) knocks Orlando out of the East’s top spot and improves to 2-1-0 against the Lions in three MLS meetings.

The question everyone will be asking is about substitutions. The obviously tired, but shorthanded, Lions (down four starters after midfielder Cristian Higuita picked up a groin injury) were in a good position but were decidedly outplayed after Jim Curtin made two midfield substitutions in the second half. Adrian Heath never countered and from that point on, the Union controlled the game.

Sports can be dumb and make you feel things you’d rather not feel, but here are our grades and Man of the Match from a tough loss in Philly.

Starters

GK, Joe Bendik, 7 — There was nothing he could do about either Philadelphia goal. Was left out to dry by his defense on Sapong’s second-minute tally and would have had to have been Superman and Batman rolled into one to even get a touch on Barnetta’s late free kick. Despite people moaning on Twitter about how “he didn’t try,” Bendik is a professional keeper and knew he had no shot. He made a vital save on Chris Pontius in the 38th minute. He also punched away a cross late in the first half that could have created problems just moments after Orlando City tied the match. Second half he stopped a shot from point-blank range with his face. He worked hard for his paycheck tonight.

D, Luke Boden, 6 — Mixed night for Bodz, who didn’t do a whole lot wrong but yet didn’t do that much very well, either. Passed at only a 71.7% clip and managed three crosses. Made just one tackle but it was an important one, breaking up an attack by taking the ball from C.J. Sapong after he’d been beaten on the dribble.

D, Seb Hines, 6.5 — Was easily the best of a very nervy back line but that doesn’t mean he played up to the level of Sunday, when he was magnificent. Offensively, Seb got onto some crosses but couldn’t get any of his headers on target. On defense, he doesn’t look comfortable playing with Aurelien Collin and the two ended up in the same spot on multiple occasions, so perhaps there’s simply just not good communication between the two. Managed seven clearances and blocked two shots.

D, Aurelien Collin, 5.5 — Tied Hines with seven clearances and had a team high five interceptions but it was hardly a good outing for the Frenchman, who nearly duplicated Ramos’ early gaffe with a similar one in the second half. He had a few nervous moments with the ball in the box, in defending set pieces, passed at only a 71.1% clip, and and he doesn’t look comfortable, although he has only played one and a half games.

D, Rafael Ramos, 3 — Despite this grade, I feel like I’m being generous. Rafa’s early howler led to Sapong’s goal, as he touched a Keegan Rosenberry cross right onto the foot of the Union striker. An early cross went out of play on one of Orlando’s first forays into Philadelphia territory. His service was generally poor and he tried to bring down a ball in the box that nearly ended up in his own net in the second half. He continues to argue when calls don’t go his way, while the play is going on behind him. With his performance this season, it may only be a matter of time before we see Kevin Alston.

MF, Antonio Nocerino, 3.5 — Wasn’t very sharp and gave away a few dangerous turnovers in his own half. At one point in the first half he was seen signaling back and forth with Carrasco, as the two are still learning to get on the same page. He’ll wear the goat horns for giving away the free kick late in the game (seconds after Ceren committed a similar foul 10 feet away but the ref played on), but he should have been subbed out as you could see the fatigue. Did send a marvelous ball forward for Kaká in the second half and you can see there is skill, but it’s all still coming together for the Italian. That doesn’t excuse his dreadful 69.2% passing accuracy, even if four of his seven long balls were accurate.

MF, Darwin Ceren, 5 — Not the usual performance we get from the Salvadoran. He turned the ball over far too cheaply, conceded two free kicks in his own half and nearly had a third but the ref played on. Didn’t come close to goal on his one shot. Generally passed well, but gave the ball up in bad spots a couple of times, too.

MF, Servando Carrasco, 6 — Spent a lot of the game tracking back and covering for his defenders, blocking crosses and helping clear the box. Made two interceptions, two clearances and passed at an 83% clip. It was a neutral sort of night for Servando, who quietly did his job but nothing spectacular.

MF, Kevin Molino, 6 — Set up Winter’s goal in the 43rd minute with the right pass. Earned free kicks and corners and linked up well both in the attacking half and with right back Rafael Ramos. Like Nocerino, he seemed to tire midway through the second half and was less effective. He passed fairly well at 83.9% but didn’t produce as much danger as we’ve seen so far this year, with only one key pass (on Winter’s goal).

MF, Adrian Winter, 7.5 (MOTM) — Put in his usual workmanlike shift and was rewarded, but also robbed. His finish on the tying goal in the 43rd minute was smooth and on another night he may have earned a lot more fouls for his efforts, but referee Jair Marrufo let the teams play through a lot of contact. Was denied by Andre Blake early in the second half and was absolutely robbed with a late rocket off the volley by a diving Blake. Look for that on your MLS Save of the Week candidates. Winter had five total shots and the only three shots on target for Orlando.

FW, Kaká, 7 — Lined up in the middle of the front line in a 4-3-3 and, while it’s clear he’s not a striker, the Brazilian was still vital in the attack, completing a team high 85.7% of his passes. His pass to Molino started the break that led to Winter’s goal. Set up Winter with a great chance early in the second. Was second to Winter with four shots but none were on frame. Just not enough help up top for the captain tonight, who worked hard, did a good job in possession and passed well but couldn’t produce a moment of true magic on a cold night in Philadelphia.

Substitutes

FW, Julio Baptista (90′), N/A — “The Beast” made his first appearance for Orlando City but it was far too late to do much of anything other than run a bit.

MF, Carlos Rivas (90′), N/A — Had one insanely good cross in his three minutes on the pitch, which Winter nearly converted, and would have, if not for a superhuman save by Blake.

Those are my grades. Feel free to yell at me or post your own below and vote in our poll for your Man of the Match.

Polling Closed

Player Votes
Joe Bendik 35
Seb Hines 3
Kevin Molino 2
Adrian Winter 152
Kaká 18
Other 5
Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/25/24

Duncan McGuire is an Olympic frontrunner, Orlando Pride get ready for the Washington Spirit, Colin Guske signs with Orlando City B, and more.

Published

3 hours ago

on

April 25, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this work week hasn’t been too stressful for you as we get ready for another weekend packed with Orlando soccer. All of the European soccer this week has been enjoyable as well, as teams fight for silverware and survival. It should be a fun next few days, although most of my match following will be digital. I’m hoping to get out to the stadium for a game or two over the next couple of months as well. But for now, let’s dive into today’s links!

Duncan McGuire Likely to Play in Olympics

Orlando City forward Duncan McGuire was listed as one of the frontrunners to join the U.S. for this year’s Olympics. It won’t be much of a shock if McGuire is in Paris this summer, as he’s been impressive in the time since being drafted sixth overall in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft by the Lions. The 23-year-old has followed up a strong rookie year with three goals and an assist so far this season. It will be interesting to see who McGuire could compete with for minutes in the Olympics, with Ricardo Pepi noted as another possible option up top for the U.S. Overall, it’s nice to see McGuire is doing what’s needed to stay in the contention for Paris. I think that staying in Orlando rather than going to England has definitely helped his case.

Orlando Pride Prepare for the Washington Spirit

The Orlando Pride are riding a five-game unbeaten streak and will take it to the nation’s capital for a difficult road match against the Washington Spirit Friday night. The Pride have won their past two games and will face a Spirit side that has won four of its five games this season. Both teams have been defensively sound, each conceding just four goals, so it may come down to moments of individual brilliance to make the difference. Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke about the difficulty of the matchup, Orlando’s grit this season, and the impact Barbra Banda had in her debut last weekend.

Orlando City B Signs Colin Guske

Midfielder Colin Guske, who joined Orlando City’s academy back in 2020, signed an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Orlando City B through this 2024 season. The 17-year-old made his OCB debut in the team’s season opener this year and scored the game-winning goal. He’s carved out a spot in OCB’s midfield this season, starting in four of the team’s five games. Guske has two brothers who have also gone through the club’s academy and played with OCB. A solid year with the Young Lions from Guske could result in a Homegrown Player contract for the senior team.

Columbus Crew SC Wins First Leg Against Monterrey

The Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals are here and the Columbus Crew are the only MLS team still in the tournament. They came up with a big 2-1 home win in the first leg of their matchup against Monterrey. Cucho Hernandez gave the Crew the lead in the first half and 21-year-old Jacen Russell-Rowe scored the winner in the second. An away goal by Monterrey could prove crucial though due to the tiebreakers, and the second leg will take place on May 1. The winner of this matchup will take on either Club America or Pachuca in the final on June 2.

Free Kicks

  • Former Lion Dom Dwyer is reportedly headed out west to sign with Oakland Roots SC in the USL Championship.
  • Toronto FC traded away $200,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money (GAM) to Atlanta United in exchange for winger Derrick Etienne Jr. The 27-year-old has not received much playing time this season, and Atlanta could earn another $175,000 in GAM if performance-based metrics are met.
  • The San Jose Earthquakes have reportedly signed Hernan Lopez from Godoy Cruz. It would give a-needed boost to the team, which has just three points from nine games this season.
  • St. Louis City winger Celio Pompeu won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his great strike from outside the box in his team’s 3-3 draw with Sporting Kansas City.

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

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/24/24

Orlando City and Orlando Pride power rankings, USMNT player news, USWNT will host Costa Rica, and more.

Published

1 day ago

on

April 24, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s that time of the week for some tasty links. Two seven-point weekends for Orlando’s soccer teams is nothing to sneeze at, unlike the pollen that coats my hometown of Tallahassee. It’s the time of the year that I make my money back with the unlimited car wash next to my work. Enough with my weather-related car issues, let’s get to the links.

Lions Move Up (and Down) in Power Rankings

There’s nothing that shows the value of “power rankings” better than when you can compare two different ranking lists for the same week for any given club. We all know Orlando City is undefeated in its last four matches thanks to the late heroics of Ivan Angulo to draw CF Montreal over the weekend. But, did you know that was both good and bad?

In ESPN‘s MLS power rankings, Orlando City dropped a spot from 16th to 17th despite “treading water” with a point on the road in Montreal. Meanwhile, the Lions roared ahead three spots from 21st to 18th in MLSsoccer.com’s power rankings. So, do you like that Orlando is 17th in the ESPN piece despite the drop? Or do you prefer the positivity of a three-spot jump to 18th in the MLSSoccer.com rankings?

Orlando Pride Rise in Power Rankings

Forget everything I wrote up there regarding power rankings — at least as far as the Orlando Pride are concerned. After starting the season with three draws, the Pride now have two wins in a row. As such, ESPN moved the Pride up three spots from eighth to fifth in its NWSL power rankings. Their move up the list is entirely deserved and the writer was correct in their assessment. Of course, I’m kidding but it’s still nice to see the Pride get recognized for their results. Now, we just need the Pride to continue the winning streak.

Keeping Up With USMNT Players Abroad

As we shared yesterday, Sergino Dest will likely miss this summer’s Copa America thanks to a knee injury suffered during PSV Eindhoven training. That means the USMNT has a right back situation to address and there are quite a few well known candidates to step in for Dest.

Meanwhile, Weston McKennie has reportedly rejected Juventus’ latest extension offer. I can understand his decision given it doesn’t include any additional salary. McKennie has been very good for Juve, with 10 assists on the season. He’s not the only American making a difference, as Tim Weah provided the assist on Arkadiusz Milik’s goal to send Juventus to the Coppa Italia final.

USWNT Olympic Send-Off Match

The United States Women’s National Team will play a match against Costa Rica at Audi Field on July 16. It will be the final match for the USWNT prior to the Olympics that start nine days later against Zambia. New coach Emma Hayes will join the team on June 1, which isn’t a ton of time before the Olympics start, but she has been a part of the process for months.

Free Kicks

  • The New England Revolution have acquired veteran defender Xavier Arreaga from the Seattle Sounders for a 2025 international roster slot, and up to $75,000 in General Allocation Money depending on performance.
  • Inter Miami’s Jordi Alba will be out for several weeks due to a hamstring injury. Fortunately, he is expected to be back in time for the match against Orlando City on May 15. Where did I put the sarcasm font?

That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the Pride’s match against the Washington Spirit this Friday, and Orlando City’s match against Toronto FC on Saturday. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/23/24

Ivan Angulo makes Team of the Matchday bench, Americans in action, Sergino Dest to miss Copa America, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

April 23, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Tuesday, everyone! It was an excellent weekend for Orlando’s soccer teams, as the three sides took seven of the nine points on offer. There’s no rest for the wicked this week as the Orlando Pride travel to play the Washington Spirit on Friday, Orlando City hosts Toronto FC on Saturday, and Orlando City B finishes things up at home against Toronto FC II on Sunday. Let’s take a look at today’s links.

Ivan Angulo Earns Recognition

Ivan Angulo has been named to the bench of the latest edition of the MLS Team of the Matchday. The Colombian got the start on Saturday up in Montreal, and had a good game, going the distance and completing 82% of his passes and putting one of his two shots on target. That shot was an important one, as it gave the Lions a late equalizer and helped them salvage a valuable point on the road. Sean Rollins gave him a grade of 6 in his player grades from the match, a rating that likely would have been higher had Martin Ojeda’s pass been accurate enough to allow Angulo to grab a possible winner just a few minutes after he equalized. Here’s hoping he keeps up the good work!

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans taking part in big games this week, and the good people over at Stars and Stripes FC have you covered with the whole rundown. First up, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus will try to advance to the Coppa Italia final this afternoon, as they enter the second leg of the semifinal against Lazio with a 2-0 lead on aggregate. Tomorrow sees Monaco and Folarin Balogun meet Lille in Ligue 1 action, while Chris Richards and Crystal Palace host Newcastle United in the Premier League. Things wrap up on Friday in Serie B when Gianluca Busio, Tanner Tessman, and third-place Venezia face Cremonese as they try to overtake Como and finish in one of Serie B’s two guaranteed promotion places.

Sergino Dest Sidelined Long Term

Following up on a story from yesterday’s Lion Links, The Athletic is reporting that the knee injury suffered by Sergino Dest will keep him out of Copa America, and sideline him for the rest of the year. That would be a big blow for the United States Men’s National Team, as Dest has been the nailed-on starter at right back since winning a place in the team during the qualifying cycle for the 2022 World Cup. The Yanks aren’t without options at the position, as Joe Scally could step in for Dest, or Gregg Berhalter could try deploying Weah there, but neither of the two possesses Dest’s level of offensive threat.

Inter Milan Wins Serie A

Inter Milan dispatched rival AC Milan 2-1 guaranteed that Inter will win its 20th Serie A title in club history. Fikayo Tomori’s goal in the 80th minute was the closest Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah’s club could get to leveling the score, and Inter is now a whopping 17 points clear of AC Milan with five games left to play. Inter has been imperious on its way to a 20th Scudetto, scoring the most goals in the league while also conceding the fewest and losing only once this season.

Free Kicks

  • The Orlando Pride and Orlando City hosted a clean-up effort in honor of Earth Day on Monday.

That’s all I have for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Trending